Cover The Sky With One Hand, Beat The Ground With The Other

The environment of the prison in Dali Temple is better than that of the Penalty Department. At least in this square inch, there is no need to handcuff iron chains. It is equipped with a table and a chair. The wooden bed is covered with a cover to keep out the cold.

I thought that it was me who proposed to improve the lives of prisoners in Dali Temple. I would grow melons to get melons and beans to get beans. What I never expected was that I would benefit myself many years later.

Although I think that I am just a commoner and cannot be treated as a political prisoner at all, I think about it carefully, after all, this is Song Langsheng’s former errand, and the relationship between the top and the bottom is also familiar. It probably puts me here in his heart. It will be more practical.

I have been in the jail for four or five days.

Dali Temple Cheng came to see me with a basket carrying a basket almost every day, and every meal was filled with wine and vegetables, and there was no repetition. I looked at him and it didn’t look like he was trying to judge me. It was so diligent, mostly because of me and Song The relationship between Lang and Sheng, wondering if my fake princess could become the mother of a country in a sudden transformation, so that she can take care of her. Several times I wanted to discuss with him the laws of Daqing and analyze the structure of the court for him so that he would die. I changed my mind and thought about it. I'm afraid I won't be able to live a stable life for a few days, so why bother in vain. Live up to this table of delicacies.

Chaos stayed in this way for another two days, and finally someone came to visit the prison.

It's just that I didn't expect Tao Yuan to be the first to come.

Tao Yuan knelt down almost immediately when the jailer retreated, and said, "Tao Yuan is late, the princess has suffered..."

I got up from the bed and said, "Master Tao, I am no longer a princess now, just call my name..."

Tao Yuan said: "No matter what your identity is, you will always be the master of Ming Jiansi..."

I shook my head slightly and helped him up, "What's the situation outside now?"

Tao Yuan said: "In the past few days, Xiao Jinglan was temporarily placed under house arrest for insulting offenders. The emperor went to Dali Temple to conduct a thorough investigation. It was discovered that the queen mother in the palace was a fake person whom Xiao Jinglan had found. All the people in the court were shocked. Not to mention, his party members took the opportunity. Leading troops into chaos, intending to force the palace to usurp the throne... Naturally, he was eventually subdued by Habayashi. Now Xiao Jinglan is also being held in this prison... The reason why the emperor is not in a hurry to rescue you is also because this place is the safest. Then he immediately sent his subordinates down to discuss with the princess..."

Listening to Tao Yuan's mouthful of "emperor", knowing that his name was Song Langsheng, he couldn't react to it for a while, and I said unequivocally, "Is he... really the emperor?"

Tao Yuan slowly nodded, "Now that the parties are fighting fiercely, it is difficult to say in a few words. The two emperors' wills are so instructed. Even if many people are unwilling to submit, they can't find a more suitable succession... The emperor has not yet ascended the throne, and the parties in the DPRK are ready to move. The princes and princes of the various domains are on their way to the capital. The situation may be unfavorable at any time if the emperor’s words and deeds are slightly different, and it will take some time before we can settle..."

I leaned against the cold stone wall, and took a deep breath, "I'm afraid... at least half of the people in the court will ask the "Emperor" to put me to death..."

Tao Yuan was a little surprised when he heard the words, and hurriedly said: "The emperor will ensure you go out safely as soon as possible, and the princess does not have to worry about it."

I smiled noncommitantly, "Is the queen mother really found?"

Tao Yuan was startled, and shook his head, "Xiao Jinglan would not say anything anyway, I'm afraid..."

"No. He didn't know that the real queen mother was not his biological mother at the time, so he wouldn't get such a cruel hand...I think the queen mother should be under house arrest somewhere..."

Seeing Tao Yuan's posture of contemplation, I raised my eyes and looked at him: "I wonder if I can arrange to see him?"

Jing Lan was imprisoned in a VIP room at the deepest bottom of the jail.

The so-called VIPs, that is, it has been difficult to produce such a distinguished rebellious party in a few years.

Although it took a lot of setbacks, I finally got the approval of Dali Temple Cheng to come to see Jing Lan. But Dali Temple Cheng insisted that Jing Lan was the number one dangerous person, and he refused to let the jailer open the lock. I simply moved the stool of my house and sat outside, and then rejected everyone, wanting to talk to him alone for a while. .

The candle ignited into teardrops and slipped, and the lights in the wooden fence were bright.

Jing Lan had heard the movement a long time ago, but kept his back to me pretending to be unable to sleep. After a long time, he saw that I had no intention of leaving, so he slowly turned over, propped his head with one hand, and stared at me. Said: "As things are up to now, what are you still looking for me for?"

He asked, I don't know what to say.

Jing Lan's face was a little hazy under the shadow of the lights, and it was not very real. I inexplicably remembered that when I was very young, I secretly went to the East Palace to play with Brother Dahuang. It was a warm spring afternoon. He lay lazily on the couch, flipping through the book carelessly, and saw that I was coming, Qian He rubbed my hair with a smile and asked, "Sister, what are you doing here for me?"

With a flick of a finger, the warmth has disappeared, as if we had never had it before, we would have been strangers.

I said lightly: "I live next to you next door, because I can't figure out something, so I'm here to ask you."

He looked at me blankly for a long while, and smiled abruptly, "When you reach this point, do you still have to ask about the whereabouts of the Queen Mother for Song Lang? He, you have been so stupid that you will be used by Jing Yan and the emperor. At the last moment..."

I said: "You still call his father, to prove that you still regard him as a family member in your heart..."

Jing Lan immediately fell silent. Seeing that I was still looking at him, he hooked up the corner of his mouth, "I think of him as a family member, so what about him? What does he think of me? A chess piece that consolidates power, used Then discard it like a shoe!"

I said silently: "Back then...you...you insisted on leaving after you met Girl Qiluo...otherwise father..."

"Hahahahaha..." Jing Lan laughed, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, "Xiangyi, Xiangyi, do you think it was for my own selfishness that I abandoned you to go away alone?"

I looked at him puzzled.

He said: "Back then, I saw that my father was too worried about the rebellion of the previous dynasty, and the dragon body was getting thinner and thinner, so I wanted to help my father find out the real culprit behind the scenes of the previous dynasty, so as to relieve his father. My worries. At that time, because I was worried about your dealings with the unknown'big brother', I sent someone to check his details. Unexpectedly, I found Jun Jinzhi from him, and even the former Chaotian. I know well that if he escapes, if I take time to open the previous secret, I am afraid that Daqing will be another catastrophe for me..." His eyes turned to the leaping candlelight, "So, I worked hard to plan, on the one hand Sending people to hunt down the fleeing King Rui’s family, on the other hand, starting from the Wu family...Although they were injured by the sword and let King Rui and the others escape, they finally got the secret place of the previous dynasty..."

He got up and looked at me, "I can’t wait to rush back to the capital, wanting to report the matter to my father... guess what? King Rui’s family died on the way to escape, and my father learned that I had driven them into desperation. Yan was furious. Not only did he not praise me, but he also scolded me in front of the Manchu dynasty civil and military. He said that I was proficient in advocating and arbitrarily dispatching troops. Such an important clue was broken because of me...Haha, he didn't even find it. The clothes on the back of my chest are soaked with blood!"

I stared at Jing Lan blankly. He pointed to his nose, "I didn’t understand at the time. I didn’t understand what I did wrong. Daqing! So I didn’t tell him that I knew where the secret place is... I think one day, he will understand my painstaking effort, and I will tell everything frankly until then..."

Jing Lan's eyes gradually turned red, and he closed his eyes, "But since then, my father has treated me more indifferently. No matter how well I do or how hard I do, he refuses to look at me more...I started Depressed, ignoring political affairs all day long and finally drinking alcohol to relieve worries... It was also at that time that I met Qi Luo..."

Upon hearing this, my heart gradually sank.

It’s not that the father couldn’t see Jing Lan, but at that time, he had the heart to be indifferent to him, the proud son of heaven was treated so coldly, it was extremely easy to go astray...

I couldn't help but said: "...Why didn't you tell me? Why did you want to secretly send honey to replace me and elope, but you don't talk about my elder brother's life experience?"

Jing Lan hesitated for a moment in the darkness, and faintly glanced to the side, "Tell you what to do? If you learn that your sweetheart is the son of the former master, it will only increase your pain..."

He just wanted to protect his little sister.

I bit my lip and did not speak. He only heard him say in a low voice: "Later... the royal father strongly opposed my marriage to Qiluo, and even in front of Qiluo, I could only choose between her and the prince... I was discouraged and only felt This throne is also meaningless. Since the father wants me to go, I will go as long as Qiluo can be with me... Oh, now I want to come, my father is so angry, just because I chased him down. His biological son, the reason why he removed me from the emperor was just to pass the crown prince to Jing Yan."

Jing Lan asked me: "After all, I don't think of him as the father, or he doesn't regard me as the prince?"

I can’t refute this point. He saw that I was speechless and smiled again, "You think I came back because I repented and fell in love with the throne again? Do you know that Qiluo followed I have suffered too much outside. I am full of business, but when I get to the people, I hit a wall everywhere. Although I don’t eat three meals a day, I will inevitably run for a livelihood... But even so, I never thought about going back to where I was. Location…"

"That...why..."

"Until Qiluo became seriously ill." Jing Lan took a deep breath, "I sold all the belongings and couldn't heal her. When I was desperate, I thought of going back and begging for my father, so I took Qiluo to the emperor. In front of the city, I asked my old friend of the DPRK to tell the father of my intentions for me, but was turned away. I had to wait until the third day before he sent someone to give me five hundred taels of silver to send me. Leaving...but that night, Qiluo... couldn't make it through..." His hands trembled slightly, "If...if he was willing to come to see me earlier, even if the imperial physician in the palace would treat Qiluo earlier, Qiluo would Will not die! It's him! He killed Qiluo!"

The lamp on the table shook, and I felt a hint of coolness. Jing Lan said, “Since then, I finally understand that if you don’t have power in your hands in this world, you can’t do anything at all, even... even the most beloved one. Can't keep it..."

My heart trembled slightly, and he said: "You are different from me. When you eloped with Song Langsheng, there was still the emperor paving the way for you, the silver and the help of the nobles, and he could buy a house and live a comfortable life at any time. …"

I looked at him in shock, "You... do you know where we are?"

"You have used so many contacts, I can't find out..." He laughed at himself, "You want to live a clean life, so why should I disturb you... I thought, at least you won't stop me..."

I gripped the corner of my clothes tightly, "Big brother, the loss of my soul that you put on me back then did not kill me, enough to show that you still treat me as a younger sister, but why did you kill Jing Yan? Heart... After all—"

"Some things are done, what's the point of talking about them now?" Jing Lan interrupted me carelessly, "Do you think I talked so much with you to win your sympathy? No, I just I regret that there was still a trace of hesitation at the beginning, whether it was for you or Jingyan, in the end, I still lost to the so-called Yilianzhiren!" He slightly raised his head and glanced at me. Did you tell me where the Queen Mother was hiding?"

I was silent for a long time, "You are always cautious and don't trust others, so how can you put the queen mother in the care of outsiders? During Jing Yan's serious illness, you rarely leave the palace, and most of the queen mother is under house arrest by you in one of the palaces. I don’t believe that I can’t find any clues when searching the palace.” I slowly got up, watching his face pale a little, “I just came to ask for an answer. of."

Seeing that I was about to leave, he took a step forward, "If the Queen Mother returns safely, do you think she will allow you to live in this world?"

He dragged the chain between his legs, put his hands on the wooden fence, and said coldly in his eyes, "Father is gone, Jing Yan is gone, even your princess pet no longer exists... You know it very clearly in your heart. , To the point where you are today, if you can't be selfish once, you are hopeless in this life with him..."

I didn't expect that he would suddenly talk about this to me, and his heart was suddenly empty, "You..."

His ink-colored pupils reflected the jumping candlelight, "I lost, but I did not lose to Jing Yan, nor did I lose to my father, nor did I lose to Song Langsheng. I lost to God, It was God who gave me such a destiny that has been destined since I was born. The same is true for you...little sister."

He called my little sister.

I felt my shoulders tremble slightly.

I think this is the terrible part of fate. If the eldest brother is really the father's biological prince, maybe everyone will have a very good ending today.

"Respite early..." A mist filled my eyes. When I turned and left, I heard my own low voice, "Thank you. Brother."

On the second day, the emperor of Dali Temple invited me to tell me that it was too much to be hidden under the cellar of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Although he had been in a coma for two days, the emperor said that there was no danger of life. Can recover.

I smiled and said, "That's great, you can get promoted again."

He scratched his head embarrassedly: "Thanks to your reminder...but you didn't let me tell them..."

What is the difference between saying and not saying.

Having said that at most, I added a sum of credit to my death penalty and converted it to life imprisonment. It would be better to give more opportunities to promising young people, and to give him so many delicious meals.

Originally, I was still a contract with this little brother, and I planned to say goodbye to him before leaving. I didn't expect that during the same day and night, I was quietly taken out of Dali Temple by a group of people who seemed to be from unknown sources.

Under normal circumstances, the person who can take a death row out of the jail is either by robbery or by power for personal gain. Considering that the robbery is impossible, there will be no movement at all, so when I was confused and sent to the carriage by this group of people, basically Then you can tell whose handwriting is.

When the carriage came to a halt slowly, and I raised the curtain to see the mansion in front of me, suddenly, there was a sense of the passing of time.

Princess Xiangyi's Mansion.

The people on the carriage did not continue to follow. I pushed open the door of the mansion, and a thin ash was touched on my palm. I thought that if Uncle Liu was still there, he would not endure the princess mansion door not being polished brightly.

The night was cold and cold, and I slowly walked into the mansion. Once there were clusters of flowers, the courtyard was full of roses and begonia flowers, now the only lake is full of water, the cold moon follows the waves, all pride and prosperity are lost and silent.

Life is so changeable, I inexplicably remembered that year when I took him into the palace and arrogantly said to him: "Nowadays, the tree has become a boat and the rice has been cooked, Song Langsheng, you should do it properly, and you should also do it inappropriately."

At that time, the sky was high and the clouds were wide, the flowers were thick, and we were still ignorant and fearless.

Under the stairs, the blue stones spread into a yong road, along the veranda leading all the way to the inner courtyard. On this path that used to go with the horse back to the house, the green vines spread and hang down, which were later planted after the mansion was destroyed.

At that time, I didn't know my life experience, I just wanted to plant it so that he could see this piece of vitality when he returned home.

Unexpectedly, we never came back later.

I walked, stopped, my eyes fell under the green tree at the end of the trail.

The silver light was shining, and the silhouette under the tree that I couldn't be more familiar with, at this moment, was also unfamiliar to the extreme.

Song Langsheng heard the footsteps, and Huo Ran turned around. Before I could react, his body tightened and he was forced into his arms.

The warm breath is still there, the embrace is still there, and it is still deep, indulgent, and beyond.

The cool breeze mixed with the smell of vegetation and his hoarse voice: "I shouldn't have left you alone in the cell for so long."

The tears in his eyes came out, and I had to bear it for too long and too long, and almost couldn't stop it. I couldn't speak. He thought I was still annoying him and wanted to wipe my tears, but he stayed in the air again, "Atang, What I said at Yanfu Palace...not..."

"I know, if you don’t make this deal with Jing Landa, how can he allow you to enter the palace? How can you restore the situation if you don’t enter the palace? See you," I intercepted his words, looked up and wiped my tears, "Look, I'm so smart, how could I misunderstand you for this kind of thing."

"Atang...I..."

I asked: "That year, you rescued me from the fire in Chenjiacun. We have been doing well since we returned to the palace, but it didn't take long for you to alienate me. No matter how I questioned, you would ignore it. You were in front of my father's palace. Kneeled all night, I wanted to accompany you, and you abandoned me again, did you know everything at that time?"

Song Langsheng was silent for a moment, "At that time, the emperor...seeing that I was unwilling to co-operate in the cohort of the old dynasty, the emperor told me of your and my life... He told me that my true identity was The prince of Daqing is not the heir of the previous dynasty...I couldn't accept it at that time. He gave me a second choice. If I insist on my own opinion, he will make you and me public. I..."

Therefore, no matter how I begged or misunderstood, he would not give any explanation.

He has endured everything and concealed everything. He just hopes that I can always be the tribute, the daughter loved by the emperor, and the princess in the eyes of Wanmin, never need to know the cruel truth.

Is there just a few things in this world that can really satisfy one's wishes?

I asked: "Have you already known about the imperial decree of His Royal Highness?"

He nodded lightly, "He is always worried about Jing Yan's condition. If there is anything in case, he hopes that I can turn the tide..."

I looked up at him, "Why have you never mentioned these words to me?"

He paused, "At that time, Jing Yan's physical condition was better than expected, and he was even more considerate in rectifying the military situation and handling the affairs of the country. I knew he could take on this important task, so I let my mind go and chose to leave with you..."

I murmured to interrupt him: "At that time, you just have to tell me, I will never be willful enough to ask you to take me out of the barracks... You know me, I've never been a person who ignores the overall situation..."

Song Langsheng looked at me quietly, his eyes were still clear even in this dark night, "You have been wronging yourself... Atang, I just want to see you live voluntarily and not be led by anything. trip…"

My heart trembled.

It is a beautiful wish not to be entangled by anything.

But the mortal world is full of misery, and who can really live wantonly? When I didn't know the truth, I could still do whatever I wanted in the folks, but at that time Song Langsheng could really let go of everything and pick chrysanthemum Dongli with a clear conscience?

If so, how could he easily escape from the prison in Guangling and rush back to the capital?

I did not speak, and Song Langsheng did not continue. The surroundings were quiet. I looked around for a while and asked: "You took me out of the prison in the middle of the night, I am afraid that there is another'Xiao Qitang' in the prison. 'Have you suffered it for me?"

He was taken aback for a while, nodded and said, "I really don't want you to stay in prison anymore. Right now, I can only do so first, but as long as you give me some more time, I will find a way to forgive you."

I shook my head and said, "During the years when I was in power, those people whose father the emperor couldn't justify his defense or who wanted to kill, didn't I use my hands to secretly order people to fabricate evidence to achieve their goals? Even at that time, the impeachment performances in the DPRK have never been interrupted, but a few elders in the DPRK can probably guess the inseparable relationship with the father and the emperor. How can they really spread it out? Not to mention the old hatreds of the past, once the emperor and the courtiers have been changed to the third generation, you can see that there is a big change between the important ministers and powers in the court and the father and the emperor? This group of clan gangs have long been tied together. , They don’t let Jing Yan shake them, and naturally they won’t be willing to let you shake them. The so-called knocking on the mountain and shaking the tiger, this time, they dealt with me like this on the surface, but they are actually testing you. If you really ignore the power of their party members’ alliances, insist To rectify my name, then in the next step, you can completely shake their foundation-will they allow you to be their emperor? There is still a gap in your life experience, and there is no contact in the court, at least when you are completely You must not take this risk for me anymore before you master the military power, otherwise, you can't save me, and you won't even be able to protect yourself."

His expression hasn't changed much, but his voice is so low and dumb: "How can I not know what you are saying? But I can't just watch you suffer and do nothing—"

I lowered my head and felt sore: "How can you count as nothing? At least you rescued me safely. Once "Xiao Qitang" in jail dies, no one will bother me anymore..."

He shook my hand, his eyes filled with pain, "Atang, if you want to leave, I know you want to leave..."

My arm was so painful that he pinched him, but he couldn't get away from him at all. He was afraid of losing me, so why am I not? My mind was chaotic, and I only heard my own voice: "Then what should I do? Stay and hide in a corner of the capital, and live in disguise every day? I was frightened during the day, and I was afraid that someone would break me through it until midnight. I just look forward to your going out of the palace to have a private meeting with me, and then watching you marry your concubine and child outside the palace, do you secretly accompany you throughout your life? Song Langsheng, do you want this kind of company?"

The body was held tightly by him again, almost strangled by him, he trembled: "What are you talking about? How could I marry someone else? In my life, I only like you. In this life, You are the only wife."

There was a bitter pain in my heart. If in the old days, I would have heard his affectionate confession, I should be full of joy, but at this moment, every word and every word is densely pierced into my heart like a sharp needle. The pain was painful, but there was no trace.

I did not continue to argue with him on the topic of "what would happen if an emperor does not marry a concubine". What a clever man he is, far more foresight than me, what I can think of, how can he not think about it?

Maybe it's because I acted too hastily and eager to make things happen, maybe we should all slow down and give each other time to calm down, so as not to make a life-long choice.

It turned out that four more days had passed since I heard the sound of the watch from afar. If Song Langsheng never returned to the palace at this time, it would just cause unnecessary incidents. He still had a thousand words to tell, I knew what he was thinking, and said, "I won't leave quietly. Don't worry, I will wait for you."

After Song Langsheng hurriedly left, his guard took me to a village on the outskirts of Beijing and settled down.

It was indeed a quiet place. The small bamboo house was surrounded by bushes, surrounded by green hills in the north and Cuihu lake in the south. There were a few chickens in the courtyard, and the leading guard told me that they lived there. Next door next door to me, if I have any needs, such as what I want to eat or play or write a love letter to the emperor, they can do it for me.

After expressing my deep sympathy for the profession of the dark guard, I entered the hut, planning to wash my face and go to sleep first.

I thought there was nobody in it.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I opened the door and entered, I saw a woman lying on the bed in the outbuilding.

Green aunt, Lin Danqing, my mother.

What I didn't expect was that Song Langsheng actually picked up my mother, and what I didn't expect was that he picked up my mother and didn't even say a word to me.

What he said afterwards was that he wanted to surprise me.

So it caused me to appear unexpectedly in front of Qinggu's eyes, and when she heard the movement and opened her eyes, she was shocked.

The two of them had nothing but tears.

Sometimes I think that if the father and the queen could face their birth defects calmly, then I should be the daughter of an ordinary healer, and Song Langsheng is destined to be as long as he is not killed by other brothers. An emperor sought after by people.

I asked my mother why she has been looking for me from the future for so many years, at least there was a chance to tell me the truth in Chenjiacun back then.

She said that the truth is far less important than my happiness.

Maybe it's because there is a certain number in the dark, so we are back to the original point after a long circle.

It's just that everyone's heart is completely devastated, and no one can accept this initial ending.

Including my mother.

On the fifth day after meeting me, she left her book.

Early in the morning, I woke up and saw warm food and letter paper on the table. I rushed out of the farmhouse without dismantling it and called the guards to let them find my mother separately.

She really came and went without a trace. When I rode my horse to the top of the mountain stream to see which way she was walking, I saw a vast fog.

I couldn't figure out how long we were separated, and we finally met again, how could she bear to leave me and leave again.

She has not healed from the torture injury, and the remaining poison of the drug has not yet been cleared, so she is alone, where can she go.

I opened the letter paper, and when the mist in my eyes turned into tears, the writing on the paper gradually became clear: Mother is gone.

This time I leave without saying goodbye. Don't be angry with me, and don't worry about me. Mother herself is the best doctor and can take care of herself.

But you, remember to go to bed and eat on time, don't be willful, not for yourself, but also for the baby in your womb.

Don't bother to look for me. My mother is used to wandering in this life, and I don't want to be burdened on you again and again, and I don't want you to let go of your most cherished people because of my mother.

There will be a day of seeing each other in the future.

treasure. Don't read it.

I read the letter three times with difficulty. After reading it for a long time, I realized what the phrase "baby in the belly" means.

Suddenly I remembered yesterday that I couldn't afford to eat in bed. She held my wrist and froze for a while when she forced me to get up. When I asked her what was wrong, she thought for a long time without saying a word.

It turns out that I am also a person who wants to be a mother.