After half a month, Shen Xiyao made a private visit, accompanied by Xihe to Wanchun Tower. After returning, his face was not good.

Two days later, my eldest brother and his colleagues played that Wanchun Tower was a secretly managed office for selling officials in the Liu family. At the same time, Wan Chunlou relied on the Liu family as a backer, forcibly robbing the people and bullying the market, and even rushed to kill people.

This night, Shen Xiyao stayed in the Changchun Palace, and inadvertently asked what Yifei had seen when she first came to Beijing. He didn't want Yifei to be silent for a long time, but the impression was not good. After Shen Xiyao's questioning, she mourned that she was admitted to the palace to run for the election, and the son of the Liu family wanted to rob her into the mansion. Even if she was a bright and beautiful woman, she could not stop it, so she had to hide in the home of a distant relative.

At that time, she felt that high-ranking officials and nobles in Beijing were like stars in the sky, countless, and would offend if they were not careful. As a courtier, not everyone can lead by example and strictly abide by the law. On the contrary, relying on the status of a noble relative, the people dare to be angry and dare not speak.

She has never been in conflict with the world, and she never talks about gossip, but this insight has attracted Shen Xiyao's attention. Recalling what happened to me that day, the dissatisfaction with the Liu family's momentary suppression surged again, even more than before.

By now, there is only the last straw left to crush the camel.

Half a month later, Liu Zhai encountered an assassin, who happened to be caught by the officers and soldiers on duty patrolling the street, and was immediately sent to the government.

This assassin was from Rouran. Under severe punishment, it was revealed that he was instructed by Mr. Liu to do things for him. He didn't want to get paid after he was done. Instead, he was hunted down by the Liu family. He has been in hiding for many years. At this time, seeing that the Liu family relaxes due to the crime, he wants to retaliate. But then I asked Master Liu what he instructed him to do, but hesitated and talked about him.

The assassin was killed during his detention, but fortunately, the guards did not succeed. Going further down the investigation, a shocking case was discovered.

The cold wind of early winter swept across the golden tile high walls of the Forbidden City, blowing off the last few remaining flowers on the branches. After the rain, Yi Fei was wearing a cotton skirt with a white plum blossom and her hairpin ring faded away. She knelt under the white marble steps outside Kunning Palace. A cheek reddened by the precipitous freezing of winter is like the first blooming snow sea palace powder, and a sprig of cold jade fades into the spring.

I sat under the window to admire a pot of daffodils, Yumei stepped forward to add tea, glanced out with concern, and whispered: "Emperor Yifei has been kneeling for half an hour."

I nodded: "Not enough."

Yumei said worriedly: "Although the sun is good today, it's winter after all, don't it freeze out. How about a slave and maid sending a cloak out?"

I shook my head: "You are like this, can you still say that my palace punishes her?"

Yumei lowered her head and stopped talking, Huiju held a plate of crisp melon seeds and winked at me.

I coughed, opened the window, and said to the concubine Yi who raised her head below: "It's not that the palace is unwilling, but the Liu family committed a felony, and the palace can't help it before the emperor speaks. It's no use kneeling, so get up. "

"The empress, the child is innocent, the concubine only hopes to go to Zhaoyang Palace to have a look at Linglong, and ask the empress to fulfill it!" Yifei's white forehead was heavily knocked on the white marble floor tiles, and when she lifted it up, it was already blue.

When I was about to speak, I saw a flash of ceremonial guard outside Kunning Palace, and Shen Xiyao strode in.

He saw Yi Fei kneeling on the ground at first glance, and his eyes were surprised. When he saw Yi Fei's bluish forehead, a trace of distress flashed. However, he ignored the question and went straight into the hall.

I bowed down Yingying, Shen Xiyao helped me up and sat down under the window, as if afraid that the winter wind would blow me, he closed the window with his own hands, but didn't even look at Yi Fei. I swept away and saw Yi Fei's face instantly became white.

"The emperor," I got up and politely said, "Yi Fei?"

Shen Xiyao interrupted me and pointed to a pot of daffodils in front of the window and said: "Just tell me how it smells like this, it turns out it's this." His smile was as light as the thin winter sun, and he said: "Weir is so talented. Why not write a poem?"

I saw fatigue in his eyes, and I thought something was wrong. Taking a quick glance at the silhouette of Yi Fei on the window, she lowered her head. I arranged my thoughts and said, "The petals are suspected to be Yuzhan, and the root is Banyaotai. The tender white should deceive the snow, and the fragrance will not let the plum. The emperor thinks it is good?"

Shen Xiyao nodded, with a rare relaxation in his smile. "I have always loved plum blossoms, being independent, lonely and noble, and now listening to this poem, I feel that daffodils are good, immortal, gentle, fragrant and confident, and can be combined with plum blossoms, and they are more intimate."

I smiled: "The concubine prefers plum blossoms, and I would like to be like plum blossoms."

Shen Xiyao nodded: "Weir is already like this. As for the narcissus, it is more like Concubine Yi." He glanced outside, as if only to find Concubine Yi was kneeling there, and said lightly: "Concubine Yi made you angry?"

Only then did I understand why he didn't ask when he came in. It turned out that he thought Yi Fei had offended me, so he ignored it. At this time, he coaxed me to show her face before speaking. For a while, I don't know whether he cares about me or Yi Fei.

I smiled and said, "Sister Yi Fei did not make her concubine angry. She has always done a good job. She is kneeling there now, eh??" I carefully glanced at Shen Xiyao's expression, as if a little worried and hesitant, stopped and said: "She It’s for Linglong."

Sure enough, Shen Xiyao, who was still smiling faintly for the last moment, suddenly turned cold, like a cold wind on the ground.

But I continued: "Sister Yifei and Linglong had a mother-daughter relationship. It is said that she passed by Zhaoyang Palace the day before and saw that the palace was desolate and exquisitely unattended. She was very distressed, so today she begged her concubine to allow her to visit." I knelt on the ground and said sincerely: "The concubine knows that the Liu family has the crime of deceiving the emperor, and the sin is unforgivable. But Linglong is innocent and a princess, so she shouldn't be confined to Zhaoyang Palace together."

Outside, the concubine Yi mourned and wept, and begged: "The emperor, you can punish your concubine whatever you want, please let your concubine see Linglong."

There was loneliness between Shen Xiyao's eyebrows, and he helped me up and said: "It's not that I am cruel, just?? It's just that Linglong is too much like Concubine Liu, I think of Concubine Liu if I don't want to see her, think of her years of deception, think of me like a fool. "

Pain flashed through his eyes, causing my heart to tighten slightly. I took his hand and comforted me softly: "The emperor, Concubine Liu was just to get your favor and love. Any woman will have such selfishness and hope that she is special and meaningful."

Shen Xiyao coldly snorted: "Really? I think it's just for the full glory of her Liu family, she added officials to the ranks, cleverly seized, arrogant and domineering."

I pursed my lips and knelt down again and said in a deep voice, "No matter how exquisite, she is innocent. Although she is young, she is already sensible. She shouldn't have seen her biological mother imprisoned and his father ignored it. This requires her to deal with herself in the future. How would you feel about it? The royal princess should be honored and proud, and should not be humiliated."

Shen Xiyao raised his eyebrows: "Is the queen accusing me?" There was a faint displeasure in his tone.

I looked up at his gaze, nodded without fear, and said loudly: "Yes!"

Shen Xiyao smiled without anger, and helped me up and said, "Then what do you think?"

I pointed out the window: "Since Concubine Yi had been predestined with Linglong before, and always missed her, how about fulfilling her motherly heart?"

Shen Xiyao was silent for a while, then nodded at the end. Zhang Dehai was instructed to take Yi Fei to pick up Linglong. From then on, Linglong’s biological mother was Yi Fei, not Liu Shi Ruxu, who committed the felony.

The next day, Concubine Yi brought her newly-dressed Linglong to Kunning Palace to thank her for her gratitude. Linglong was still lovely, and her eyes were very attached to Yi Fei. However, there was more sadness in her eyes that were as clear as sweet springs in the past. Big.

I teased her for a while, and saw that she finally revealed her child's innocence, so I sent the mother to take her to the apse, where there are many novel toys from the Seiko Workshop, which will surely make her happy.

Concubine Yi got up and bowed solemnly to me and said: "Thank you, my concubine!"

I looked at her with concern and said, "I knelt for so long yesterday, and I'm afraid I can't bear my knees. Get up quickly."

Concubine Yi smiled softly: "It's nothing, as long as you can get Linglong out of the concubine, you can do it." She knocked three heads at me: "The concubine is extremely grateful to the concubine, if there is any need for a concubine, the concubine must be Go through fire and water without hesitation."

I personally lifted her up: "You are really good to Linglong, and this palace is willing to fulfill you. After all, the child is innocent." After saying that, she sighed softly, as if something was on her mind.

Concubine Yi pours a cup of tea for me: "Is there something on my mind?"

I smiled, as if I didn't care about it: "It's nothing, just thinking of the Meng Shuren."

Concubine Yi naturally understood what I meant. Meng's family confided in the enemy's entire family, and Shen Xiyao wanted to leave her alive if she missed her old love. Although Liu Ruxu is deceiving the monarch now, but after all the emperor has treated her sincerely for so many years, it is inevitable that he will feel soft.

"Is the empress afraid of the emperor's nostalgia?" Concubine Yi asked tentatively.

A little sadness appeared on my face: "The emperor is a person of long love. After all, Liu Ruxu has served with caution for many years. Now the Liu family is locked in the prison of the Ministry of Justice and has not been convicted. She has not even been downgraded, and she is only forbidden in Zhaoyang Palace. , I'm afraid of?" I took a deep look at Yi Fei: "If she makes a comeback someday, don't tell me, the first one is to pick Linglong back."

Yi Fei shuddered slightly, and the gentleness in her eyes was gradually replaced with fierceness.

When I saw her move, I clicked and said with a faint smile: "Don't say it, after all, the three thousand harems and the hundreds of officials in the front are all dependent on the emperor. Everything is still in accordance with the emperor's meaning. "

Concubine Yi nodded, but with a thoughtful expression, she left after a while.

About ten days later, the Liu family was convicted, and all the family members, whether men, women, old or young, were arrested. The concubine Liu was imprisoned in Zhaoyang Palace and went to Huangquan with the family three days later.

Shen Xiyao ordered me to do this, and he didn't want to hear any more news about the Liu family. So, according to my instructions, no one told Concubine Liu that she was given to death. In this way, the sharp sword above her head is always hanging, and she will always be nervous, restless and anxious, or, faintly hopeful. Such a state of mind is the most grueling, and I want her to taste it.

Three days later, I couldn't fall asleep again before dawn. I woke up early and saw the bright outside. Huiju prepared a golden basin and stood aside, and waited for the makeup when he saw me getting up.

I pointed out the window: "It's so early today?"

Huiju smiled and said, "It snowed a lot last night! I didn't expect the snow to come so early this year."