Chapter 70

Pei You'an followed the footprints in the snow and chased to the back mountain in one breath, and saw a black figure in front of him taking advantage of the momentum to climb the mountain wall that was more than ten feet high.

Beyond the gable is Lao Lin. Once he escapes, in such a snowy night, I am afraid that it will be hard to find a trace.

Pei You'an didn't stop, he threw the long sword in his hand vigorously forward. The long sword was like a snake, piercing the air, and chasing towards the black shadow. Kankan climbed the top of the wall and waited to climb over the wall. At that time, the tip of the sword chased after him, inserted it into his back shoulder, and the man froze and fell to the ground from the top of the wall.

A guard chased after him. Seeing that man was struggling to get up from the ground, he was about to run away. He went up and pinned him to the ground. Pei Youan hurriedly stepped forward, leaned down, and quickly pinched the man's jawbone. With a slight "click", the man screamed, his entire jaw dislocated, and a bitten wax pellet rolled out of his mouth.

...

In the back of the palace, the Zhou family stayed up all night.

Today, there is an early morning, and it is almost five, but the emperor still hasn't returned.

Her people, there is no news back.

This is the second time that Xiao Lie has secretly left the palace in the middle of the night since the night of the prince's wedding.

The Zhou family has determined that the place where Xiao Lie went that night must be the one in the Ci'en Temple.

She can also infer that the emperor will leave the palace again tonight, in all likelihood, it is still the same place as the previous time.

It's not that she didn't know how to send someone to spy on the emperor's trail, in case the consequences were revealed, but she couldn't suppress her desire.

Goryeo and Annam's princesses will soon be registered as concubines in the harem. Not only that, after the spring, the Ministry of Rites and the Zongren Palace will also preside over the selection of beautiful women, and the harem will continue to be filled.

The Zhou family understands that this is no longer the Wuding Palace, and the situation where she has been monopolizing her husband for more than 20 years will never return. By the emperor's side, there will soon be women younger and more beautiful than her. From now on, even though she still leads the harem and has a high status, only she can understand the taste of it.

But if that's the case, then that's fine, the Zhou family will never be so confused that they want to take the risk because of the emperor's wide acceptance of the harem.

Over the years, her heart disease under suspicion has made her smell an unusually dangerous aura from the emperor's unusual move to expand the harem.

First, the Crown Princess made rash remarks and caused an unexpected disaster. Although it was reluctantly resolved, the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince had obviously hated Xiao Lie since then. One wave has not settled, and another wave has arisen. His brother's methods are too extreme, and his invitation to success fails. The Zhou family is disheartened, and the crown prince is again implicated.

In fact, at the beginning of Xiao Lie's ascension to the throne, there were ministers of the Ministry of Rites who had nothing to do when they were full, citing the scriptures, and suggested to the emperor to expand the harem. But at that time, Xiao Lie sent it back on the grounds that state affairs were undecided and he had no intention of having a harem.

The emperor Nayan opened a harem at this time, it is definitely not as simple as what he sees on the surface.

If the emperor was only dissatisfied before, then this moment may be the real beginning of the prince's danger.

Xiao Lie was in his prime, and he still had time. If he changes his mind, who in this world can stop him?

From the day he brought the sixteen-year-old Pei You'an to Wuding that year, perhaps because of a woman's intuition, the Zhou family felt that Xiao Lie was unusual for this so-called "old friend" son.

And the root of all this may lie in the courtyard of Ci'en Temple.

Now, even for her own son, she must find out everything about the emperor.

In order to ensure that there would be no accidents, she was extremely careful, even the prince did not know about it, and the person she sent was also a bodyguard that she had secretly used since Wuding. She is very sure.

Mrs. Zhou lay down with her clothes, and finally fell asleep dimly. Suddenly, she was awakened by a nightmare. She woke up in horror. She found that the sky was slightly bright. Entering, there was a sound of footsteps outside the hall.

The footsteps were abnormally heavy, stomping on the ground with a sound, the sound getting closer and closer, as if implied anger, shaking the ear drum.

In this palace, who else would walk like this?

Zhou Shi's heart beat faster, and he quickly climbed down from the phoenix bed, and only a few steps away, he saw the palace servants kneeling on the ground in front of the palace, and the hanging tent suddenly moved and was lifted up by someone. , With the slight sound of the golden hook being pulled to the ground, Xiao Lie's figure appeared in front of Zhou Shi.

Zhou Shi suddenly stopped, and at the two gloomy eyes cast by Shang Xiaolie, his heart sank quickly, but he became calm, and forced a smile: "Long live if you don't go to Zaochao, is there something wrong here?"

Xiao Lie said coldly: "You are not too timid, how dare you send someone to spy on me! Immediately, you will move out of Kunning Palace and move to Beiyuan. Without my permission, you are not allowed to leave for half a step!"

After Xiao Lie finished speaking, he turned around and strode away. Cui Yinshui led a few sturdy eunuchs, bowed to the Zhou family, and said, "Niangniang, long live the decree, the servants have to obey, please ask the mother to leave the palace, and the servants will escort the mother to Beiyuan."

Beiyuan is hundreds of miles away from the imperial city. There is a royal mausoleum nearby. It was originally built by Taizu when he founded the country. Although the forbidden garden covers a large area, the palace is simple and simple. Home in January to commemorate the ancestors. After Taizu left, this system was gradually abolished, and Beiyuan became increasingly desolate. More than 20 years ago, Emperor Tianxi moved there to avoid the plague that swept the city and lived there for nearly a year. Now Beiyuan is like a cold palace.

Zhou Shi's hands and feet were cold, and his face was instantly pale. Looking at the back of the emperor's departure, he suddenly shouted, pushed Cui Yinshui away, chased after a few steps, and grabbed the emperor's sleeve.

"Is there any evidence for this remark of Long live? I don't know what wrong I made! Why did I spy on the whereabouts of Long live? The concubine was framed! The concubine is not afraid of confrontation!"

Xiao Lie turned his head to stare at the Zhou family, and squinted his eyes: "Not to mention that I have found out, it means that there is no way to live. Besides you, who else in the palace would know that I left the palace last night?"

He nodded and sneered: "Now there is a big harem, you and the East Palace are the two big ones. If it's not you, it's good, it must be what the East Palace is doing. You want to stay, keep it for yourself, this is called People go to judge the prince!"

Xiao Lie tugged back his sleeves and pulled his legs away. Mrs. Zhou fell to the ground, stretched out his hand to grab the emperor's legs again, and lost his voice: "Long live, this has nothing to do with the prince! You should be confused for a while, and make a mistake, please forgive the concubine this time because of the kindness of the concubine who has served you for more than 20 years!"

The emperor gritted his teeth and said, "A glimpse of the emperor's trail, this alone is enough to abolish your position as the queen! Your post, I will not move, but from now on, you will go to me, so that I can recuperate, and I don't have to. Meet!"

Xiao Lie pulled out his leg, which was caught by the queen, and was furious before moving forward.

Mrs. Zhou shouted: "Long live! Back then when the late emperor died, your eldest brother was suspicious of you, and when you first ascended the throne, he trapped you in Wuding. In the second year of Tianxi, you left the country privately without telling your concubine where you were going. You didn't return for half a year, if it wasn't for your concubine hiding everything for you at that time, how could you be today?"

Xiao Lie said angrily: "You were protecting the crown prince first, and in the name of witchcraft, you combined to deceive the king. You really think I am old and confused and can't be manipulated? At that time, I only cared about the kinship of 20 years. You just changed it! I don't want you to be ignorant of restraint! Today, I still miss the hair from the past, and this is the last time I will save you some face! Don't say it anymore, you just go, from now on, you don't have to go back to the palace!"

Xiao Lie strode away.

Zhou Shi lay on the ground, staring at the back of the emperor leaving, tears streaming down his face.

Cui Yinshui waited for a while, then gave the eunuch a wink. The two eunuchs stepped forward, one left and one right, and knelt down, trying to lift the Zhou family off the ground, and said in his mouth, "Miss, forgive your sins, the servants are also acting on errands. Niangniang, don't be surprised, it's better to go quickly, lest long live the anger..."

Zhou Shi raised his hand and made a few "slaps", and the eunuchs slapped each other on the face. After slapping the people, he supported himself, slowly got up from the ground, wiped away the tears on his face, and stared at Cui Yinshui coldly. With a glance, he said: "No matter how bad this palace is, it is still the queen of the Great Wei! This palace can walk, how can you allow you poor slaves to do it?"

Cui Yinshui slapped himself with a slap in the ear, then bent down and said: "The slave is guilty, the slave punishes herself! How dare the slave treat the empress? The empress is willing to move the palace by herself. It's better, the slave is grateful." After speaking, he straightened up, his face turned cold, and he shouted, "Why are you still kneeling? Long live the purpose, the Empress felt the drought in the provinces this year and how difficult the people's livelihood was, so she voluntarily moved to the Xiyuan Mausoleum to pray for blessings. Get up and prepare for the empress to move to the palace?"

The people from the above-ground palace stood up one after another, looking like a concubine.

She walked out of the Kunning Gate and saw the prince leading the prince concubine. The two knelt beside the road to see off for her.

She turned her eyes to the prince and stared at it, unable to speak, but at this moment, she believed that her son would understand.

As soon as she accidentally angered the emperor, she was expelled from the middle palace and sent to Xiyuan.

The current emperor is no longer the King of Clouds in Wuding. His power is unpredictable, and his face is ruthless.

Just now, when she heard the heartless words to send her to Xiyuan from his mouth, for a moment, she could hardly bear the resentment and unwillingness that had been in her heart for more than 20 years. , is about to blurt out.

But she finally swallowed hard. Everything is for the prince.

Now she wants her son to be more forbearing. At least, when she is still unable to fight against the Lord of the World, she must not lose her temper.

Back then, when Emperor Tianxi got married, the young Xiao Lie also respected the emperor's decree, married her as his wife, and had a son with her. For more than 20 years, even though there was no other woman by his side, Zhou Shi knew that this man had a heart of stone, he had never loved himself, and he would never be moved by her tears. This time he sent her away, and soon there will be a new person entering the palace. If there is no son, she may never be able to return to this middle palace in her life.

Fortunately, there is a prince.

Sooner or later, she will definitely come back, walk through the north main gate in the middle palace, and take back everything that belongs to her today.

She stared at the prince like this, and walked in front of him step by step.

Unfortunately, sadly, fate often plays tricks on people. Giving people hope, but in the end, it is often just to make people more deeply aware of the double pain that the hope was dashed.

At this moment, Zhou Shi did not know that this was indeed the last time she walked through Kunning Gate.

...

Xiao Yintang stared at the back of his mother gradually leaving, his eyes were gloomy, and with a slight movement of his shoulders, he was about to get up from the ground, but Zhang Fengtong, who was beside him, pinned his hand.

"Don't be impulsive! The queen mother is no longer safe. Even if you go to Wanzai to speak for her again, Wanzai will not listen. Maybe you will turn your anger on you. Fortunately, the queen mother is still in the position, and the prince should be patient now and wait for an opportunity in the future. Move, concubine, this should also be the wish of the mother."

Zhang Fengtong lowered his voice and spoke quickly.

Xiao Yintang stared at her, put away his hand, got up from the ground, turned straight, and walked towards the East Palace.

...

On the same day, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were all surprised to learn that the empress moved the palace to Xiyuan to pray for the people on behalf of the people. The Ministry of Rites issued a statement. The ministers secretly discussed it in private, and after pondering, although they still do not know where to go, they also vaguely know that after Zhou Jin, Zhou Hou is also completely unacceptable to the emperor.

In front of Zhou's house, everyone avoided it. Zhang Jiaxu has been hurt by things, and Zhang Lao has not been sick for a few days. Beneath the peaceful courtroom, an invisible undercurrent surged silently.

The big house of the Pei family has been noisy these days.

The Queen's name is moving to the palace to pray for blessings. Who doesn't know that the emperor can't tolerate her anymore. Touching her is like looking ugly to the prince. heard that there will be a bride in the palace soon. It is really hard to predict what will happen in the future.

Mrs. Xin regretted letting her son marry Zhou Jiao'e at the beginning, but the raw rice became cooked rice. Now she can only admit that she was unlucky. Although she still did not dare to show her power towards Zhou Jiao'e, she was no longer forbearing as she used to, and her expression changed. It was a lot ugly, and Pei Xiuzhi was even impatient. Zhou Jiao'e holding her stomach and coercing it didn't work. The house was crying all day long. In the end, Mrs. Xin didn't want to be laughed at by the second room, so she ordered the courtyard door to be closed. In the name of raising a baby, Zhou Jiao'e is not allowed to leave the hospital at will. Zhou Jiao'e also seemed to finally realize that most of her backstage was suddenly gone. Thinking that she would rely on her son in her womb in the future, she gradually restrained herself and started raising a baby. The family finally became quiet.

The end of the year has passed so quickly.

In the spring, these days, Jiafu began to pack up.

Just a few months ago, Mrs. Meng, who had returned to Quanzhou, sent a letter. In the letter, she mentioned that her grandmother, Mrs. Hu, contracted a fever at the end of summer. The bones of the body looked a little weaker. At that time, on the Pei family's side, the old lady was also seriously ill, and Jiafu was incapable of doing anything, so she could only reply to a letter and send some medicinal materials along with the letter to show her filial piety. Now that the New Year is over, Pei You'an and Ding You are at home, and finally everything is fine, and she goes out with Rexiao again. Knowing that Hu's health is not as good as before, he offered to take the initiative to accompany Jiafu to visit relatives in Quanzhou while spring is approaching.

In a few days, Quanzhou in March will be full of Erythrina in the city and outside the city. Such a scene is rarely seen in the capital. Jiafu has a lot of affection for the place where she was born. At the end of last year, she had such thoughts in her heart, but she had just left the hot filial piety, and for the past few months, although Pei You'an closed the door to thank guests, she spent all day in the study. In the book, or holding scrolls, or painting, or teaching her to read, she seems to be living a leisurely life, but Jiafu feels that he always has his own thoughts, and, if he never shows it in front of her, she will be hard to say. She kept pressing it in her heart, but she didn't expect that he would see it out, and offered to accompany her back to Quanzhou.

Jiafu was overjoyed, she packed her things early, chose an auspicious day, looked forward to it day and night, and finally arrived on the day of departure, the weather was sunny, and together with Pei You'an, she said goodbye to Mrs. Xin, and Jiafu brought Madam Liu Sandalwood Xiang and the others, Pei You'an accompanied Yang Yun and several other followers, a group of more than ten people in total, arrived at the pier, boarded the big boat, and set sail southward against the southerly wind that was already blowing.