Li Huang

They stood by my bed with a sad look on their faces. The ominous premonition in my heart filled my body, my hands could not help but clenched, and I didn't dare to blink at Shen Xiyao.

"The emperor," I yelled timidly, with pity and heartache in his eyes, and I became even more afraid.

"Emperor, what's the matter?" My voice became quieter, and I didn't even dare to look at him.

Shen Xiyao sighed heavily, but instead of speaking to me, he turned his head to look at Hui Ju who was standing aside: "Serve the queen to change clothes, it should be too late."

I am ignorant of being helped out of bed and put on a moonflower-colored satin robe. I looked at Shen Xiyao helplessly and suspiciously. He didn't look at me, but was walking in the Dongnuan Pavilion.

I saw anxiety on his face, and, as I read it wrong, a trace of regret.

"The emperor," I broke away from the maid around me and walked to him. I almost looked at him with tears in his eyes: "The emperor, what happened to...?"

He finally took a look at me, but quickly turned away, he smiled pale, his lips moved, and whispered: "Your father... is seriously ill... Let's go see him..."

His words hesitated, my heart sank to the bottom, tears fell. Looked at him blankly.

My lips were shaking, my face was completely pale, I broke away from everyone, and ran out quickly.

I was standing in the atrium of Kunning Palace, and the person was already numb. If he hadn't grabbed the wrist, I might have ran away in the direction of the palace gate.

Yue is still a cold light, and I am sad when I see his face, he is sad for me.

I just looked at his face like a stranger, and for a long time, I spit out a word very lightly and lowly: "He..."

I can't even hear that voice.

He trembled, and I could feel the tightness of his hand holding my wrist, but his gaze looked behind me, and I knew that Shen Xiyao was there without looking back.

"Brother emperor, the courtier has prepared the carriage, it's outside Kunning Palace, please take the queen empress over there." His voice was clear.

I looked back at Shen Xiyao, tearful eyes.

Shen Xiyao nodded, stepped forward and embraced me: "Don't be afraid, I am here."

My gaze crossed his solid arm, looking at Xi He, his eyes were supporting me.

He nodded at me gently, his lips moved, and he said two words silently: "Don't be afraid."

I nodded, Shen Xiyao took my hand and walked out.

The long street in front of the gate of Ling Mansion was silent, and the night breeze was blowing so that the car cover on the top of the carriage "fluttered". I only felt that the wind was full of ominous.

When we arrived, the door was closed, and a lone lantern floated.

The guard who accompanied him knocked up for a long time and no one responded. This is unusual. How can I say that there must be a servant at the door.

I was curled up in the carriage and Shen Xiyao held me tightly. Seeing no response for a long time, I opened the curtain and said, "Go to the side door, there must be someone there."

"But, Niangniang, it's not ethical to go the wrong way." Zhang Dehai, who had been following, said embarrassedly.

I was stunned, Shen Xiyao's voice rang in my ears, displeased and anxious: "When is the time, what etiquette do you care about."

The carriage was about to go, and I suddenly shouted: "Stop, don't go."

Then he looked back at Shen Xiyao: "Who reported that his father was seriously ill?"

Shen Xiyao looked at me with puzzled eyes.

Zhang Dehai walked to the carriage: "Hui Niangniang, she is the chief steward of Ling Mansion."

I shook my head: "No, if the butler reports, then someone will be here."

I looked at the dark night outside. It was late at night, and the surroundings were quiet. Even the "crack" sound made by the torches that the guards carried was burning.

I suddenly understood, and said to the guard who was driving: "Go to the Hubu Shangshufu."

The big brother's door was brightly lit, and someone had been waiting there long ago. When they saw the dark blue carriage, someone ran up.

When I lifted the curtain, I saw that it was Li Pingfu, the housekeeper of Ling Mansion. He knelt forward when he saw me.

I pulled him up in a hurry: "How about father?"

"Miss..." He burst into tears.

I took his hand and jumped out of the carriage: "Housekeeper Li, what happened to father?"

Li Pingfu was about to speak, and suddenly he closed again, his eyes fixed behind me, showing a surprised expression.

When I turned around, Shen Xiyao had just got out of the carriage, and Li Pingfu was still there, staring at him blankly.

I shook his hand: "Housekeeper Li, say it!"

He finally recovered, his eyes kept looking behind me.

Shen Xiyao wore a very simple black Confucian shirt, and only a common sapphire hair crown on his head, concealing the imperial style.

"Miss... sir, he... is bad."

I shook, looked into the deep door, and walked in quickly under my feet.

The eldest brother knelt in front of the bed, and the figure of the imperial doctor could be seen everywhere in and outside the house.

When I walked in, the house my father was in was very quiet, so quiet that there seemed to be no one.

I staggered towards the bed, where my father was lying.

"Father, my daughter is here." I said softly, with a hard smile, but tears fell.

Father slowly opened his eyes and smiled lovingly at me: "Vil... old minister... to the empress... please peace..."

My throat tightened and I took my father's hand: "Father... I am not a queen, I am just your daughter..." I cried.

"Don't cry, don't cry..." My father tried hard to lift a hand to wipe away my tears, but his hand did not have the strength to lift it.

"Father is dying, so I just want to see you." Father said with a smile: "You have been the one who has made me worry the most since I was a kid."

He paused and said: "Seeing you enter the palace, I regretted how you could have been angry with the emperor before, and lost your duty as a courtier. Fortunately, seeing that you are in the palace, Dad is relieved. "

He said in one breath, his pale face full of affection and spoiling, as if I was still a naive child.

What am I going to say, Dad shook his head very lightly, I bit my lips tightly, and he looked at me with bright eyes.

I looked at him, and he said: "At the palace, you must always pay attention to the people around you. This harem is more cruel than the previous one. The most important thing is to protect yourself."

I nodded, tears streaming incessantly.

"Your third brother is in the folks and has the opportunity to take care of him. After all, the status of a businessman..." Father did not continue.

I nodded: "Father, don't worry. One day with a daughter, the family will not be wronged."

The father smiled and said, “Don’t ask for anything, they have their own blessings.” He stared at me closely, his eyes full of dissatisfaction and love: “My daughter is the one who can rest assured the most. As long as she is good, Everything is fine..."

My father looked at me, that was the most gentle and kind look in the world, and I felt sad.

Father took my hand hard: "Vil...Father hopes...you are happy...that way, my father is in the sky...and I feel relieved..."

I grasped the thin hand tightly with both hands, and nodded hard, tears blurred my eyes, vaguely I saw my father slowly raise his other hand, as if trying to wipe the tears from my face , But when he raised his hand halfway, he "brushed" and fell heavily.

"Father! Father!" I yelled, my mind was blank, and there was crying around me. I looked at the peaceful closed eyes, and when my eyes went dark, I fell into the boundless darkness.

There was endless white in front of me, and I blinked, but thought I was still dreaming.

"Miss, you are awake." A familiar voice came, and I turned my head, it was Haoyue.

I was stunned for a while, and then returned to the days when I hadn't entered the palace in a daze. I didn't wake up for a while.

I sat up and looked at Haoyue's red and swollen eyes. I didn't react for a while: "Haoyue, why are you crying? What happened?"

Then he looked around blankly: "How long is it? It seems that I haven't gone to greet my father today."

I looked at the sky outside, it was already lit, but it was gloomy, and I couldn't tell the time.

Haoyue started crying, and I looked at her plain white, eyes confused.

Looking around, I stood up, but I swayed and sat down on the bed. I didn't have any strength on my legs, and there was a piece of Venus in front of me.

Haoyue stepped forward to help me stand up, but she stood in front of her alone.

"The emperor," Haoyue whispered, but I was struck by lightning.

With a sound of "the emperor", I pulled back all the things I had avoided. I almost resisted and hung my head until he walked up to me and gently embraced me. Then I slowly raised my head, Shen Xiyao was full of worry. My face appeared in front of my eyes, and I looked at him like a stranger, without speaking for a while.

"Miss." Haoyue came forward, but Shen Xiyao stretched out a hand to stop Haoyue who wanted to approach me: "Let her take a break."

His voice was soft, looking at me pitifully, I was pushed back into the bed by him like a puppet, watching him cover me with a quilt, and hearing him softly say in my ear: "Go to sleep, everything will be fine ."

I closed my eyes as if cursed, and sank into the boundless darkness.

When he woke up again, he was awake, a faint white candle was lit in the room, and Shen Xiyao napping on the table with his head in one hand. I was deeply saddened. I felt helpless. I just wanted to find a reliable shoulder to ease my mood. However, when I looked at his figure, I couldn't find the warmth.

He got up and put the brocade carefully on his body. This is still Ling Mansion, but it is the home of the eldest brother, which I am not familiar with.

I walked to the door, tonight should be a vigil. I took a look at the clothes I was wearing, still in the moonlight dress, and watching Shen Xiyao sound asleep, I walked out lightly.

The lanterns in the yard were all changed to white. They looked exceptionally sad and sad. It was already night and the wind was very cold. I looked at a place far ahead. The lights were brighter than other places. It's my father's mourning hall.

Seeing the eldest brother kneeling there from a distance, the second brother couldn't make it back, and even the third brother.

Only the eldest brother, he must feel sad and lonely.

I walked a few steps faster, I should be with my father and my brother.

Crossing a small arch bridge is the mourning hall. As soon as I stepped on the bridge with one foot, I felt a person gently pulling me from behind. My heart was startled, fear rose up, and he dared not look back, so he stood there straight.

"Miss, it's me, Li Pingfu." After hearing that voice, I finally turned my head and looked at him.

His look is cautious, his brows are sad and hateful.

I looked at him: "Housekeeper Li, what's the matter? I'm going to accompany my father."

"Miss..." He hesitated for a long time, and finally said as if made up his mind: "The one who came with you...is...who?"

I was stunned to remember that Shen Xiyao had sent someone to tell people before he came here. This time he didn't reveal his identity, so he told people that he was an attendant in Kunning Palace.

Although I don't know his intentions, but I follow them.

"That's an attendant in my palace." I replied softly: "What's wrong?" asked again. Suspicious.

Li Pingfu paused, and said with a bit of hatred, "Master's death was not because of that disease."

In the night, his eyes were cold killing intent.

Li Pingfu has been the steward of my Ling Mansion for many years. He is the most loyal to his father. He has a straight-forward temperament. I saw him clenching his teeth, clenching his fists, and hanging his heart.

"You said, father didn't go because of illness, is that?" I stared at his wrinkled eyes as I was about to jump out of my heart.

"Master," he said viciously, "it was poisoned to death."