Lamp Flower Smile

Lu Zhuo left the Imperial Master's Mansion and did not go back to West Street directly, but instead went to Guanxiang.

There was a shortage of medicinal materials such as hollyhock in the medical clinic. Miao Liangfang was in a hurry to use it and asked the medical clinic to grind it into powder. When Lu Zhuo returned to West Street from Taishi Mansion, he would pass by Guanxiang. Before going out, he said that he would get it together when he went back.

When he arrived at the medical clinic, he got a small bag of yellow hollyhock powder, paid the money, and walked back with the bag in his arms.

It was still early, and there were crowds of people everywhere. She walked absentmindedly along with the flow of people. As she walked, the people around her were running away in a hurry. Lu Shu paused and felt a few drops of coolness on her body. When she looked up, she saw thick clouds piled up. Here, the long rain suddenly arrives.

I don't know when, it started to rain.

She didn't bring an umbrella when she went out, and the place was far away from West Street. The drizzling rain instantly made her whole body wet.

The rain was splashing with ink, the falling rain was boundless, and pedestrians were hurriedly taking shelter. She stared blankly in the direction of the imperial city shrouded in drizzle. Suddenly, someone behind her pulled her, and a paper umbrella suddenly covered her head. There was something familiar. The voice rang in my ears: "What are you doing standing there in the rain?"

Lu Zhuo raised his head.

Pei Yunying stood in front of her.

He appeared so suddenly that Lu Zhen couldn't help but be in a trance for a moment.

The young man must have just left his job and was still wearing his official uniform. Seeing that she was silent, he stretched out his hand to touch her forehead.

The cold hand fell on his forehead, like a snowflake about to melt, but it gradually made Lu Zhen wake up from his previous confusion.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I'm looking for you. I heard you went to Guanxiang, so I came here to try my luck. I didn't expect to see you standing in the rain as soon as I arrived." He took back his hand and stared at Lu Huan with a frown: "It's not burned out."

Lu Chen was silent. He glanced at Lu Chen's soaked dress again, took off his outer robe and put it on her shoulders.

"Your clothes are wet. This place is close to the Palace Commander's Mansion, so go and take shelter from the rain first."

After saying that, before Lu Zhuo could refuse, he pulled her into the carriage without any explanation.

…

Lu Zhuo followed Pei Yunying to the Palace Commander's Mansion.

There is no one in the Palace Commander's Mansion, only two guards on duty are guarding the door.

Seeing Lu Yun, the guards immediately smiled and were about to say hello, but Pei Yunying glanced at him and then retracted, concentrating on guarding.

Pei Yunying took Lu Zhuo to the small room of the Commander-in-Chief's Mansion and said, "There are new guard uniforms on the table. You can make do with them first, and I will have someone dry them for you." He then explained: "The Commander-in-Chief's Mansion has no women's clothing. ”

Lu Tong agreed.

"You change," he said, "I'll guard the door."

Lu Yan closed the door.

The small room was not big, with a wooden couch placed against the wall, and a wooden barrel half a person's height separated by a hibiscus screen. There was a black ruffled silver cloak on the screen, which looked familiar.

As she looked at it, Lu Zhuo remembered that she had seen this cloak before when she met Pei Yunying in Yuxian Tower.

This seems to be where Pei Yunying rests occasionally.

She glanced at the direction of the door, and without any further hesitation, she took off her soaked dress and put on clean clothes.

After changing, Lu Yan opened the door. Pei Yunying turned around, looked her over, frowned and said, "Has the medical hospital abused you? You're so thin."

She didn't need to wear the armor of the guards, so she only wore the innermost layer of cloth. She was originally thin, and the guards' uniform covered her body, making her look more and more empty. The bun was also removed, and it lay slightly damp on her shoulders. Her face was pitifully pale.

Lu Zhen went out and said, "Your clothes are too big."

He smiled, said nothing, picked up the black cloak on the screen and covered her body, and then ordered someone to bake Lu Yan's wet dress.

After doing all this, Lu Zhu followed him into the study.

Today Xiao Zhufeng is not here, but the desk is still piled with official documents. Pei Yunying poured her a cup of tea. The tea was hot and felt very warm in the palm of her hand.

It would be too late to light a fire in the house at this time. Lu Yan was wearing a guard uniform and Pei Yunying's cloak. He was holding the tea in his hand and sipping it. As soon as he took it in, he was startled, "Sweet syrup?"

"Ginger honey water."

Pei Yunying said: "You got caught in the rain, drink ginger water to keep away the cold."

Lu Chen didn't say anything else.

The rain fell outside the window, hitting the sycamore tree in front of the door and making a rustling sound.

Both were quiet.

She was more silent today than before, always seeming to be a little distracted.

Pei Yunying glanced at her and suddenly said, "I heard that Qi Yutai touched you today."

Lu Zhuo's movement of drinking tea was stagnant.

In the Imperial Palace, the guard who interrupted Qi Yutai and lured Qi Huaying away because he was looking for her had a red birthmark in the corner of his eye.

Pei Yunying once said that that was the person he arranged in the Grand Master's Mansion.

The other party arrived just in time.

Lu Tong said: "Your Excellency is very considerate, but I haven't thanked you yet."

Pei Yunying heard the alienation in her words, and looked a little strange. After thinking about it, he added: "It is still too dangerous for you to stay in the Taishi Mansion. Even if you find someone to look after you in the dark, it is not foolproof." He said: " Now that the Qi family is in trouble, why not wait until after the festival and I will help you..."

"Master Pei," Lu Zhuo interrupted him, "Revenge will stop the coffin. If I were afraid of death, I would not have come to Shengjing in the first place."

He frowned: "What if the guard doesn't show up today? What if he treats you..."

"In any way, I want revenge."

Her tone was strong.

It was windy and rainy outside the window, and the rain hit the eaves of the windows, blurring the outside into a misty white mist.

Pei Yunying stared at her and said after a moment: "If your family were here..."

"Don't mention them."

As if a taboo had been touched, she suddenly became excited.

Pei Yunying was startled.

She was rarely angry, her dark eyes were burning bright, and her tone was sharp and mean.

"What does this mean? Master Pei, didn't your guard tell you about my time in the Grand Master's Mansion?"

"I have to bend down to them more than ten times a day to serve the enemy who killed my whole family. I have to be respectful to them and call them adults. No matter how disgusting I feel, I have to bow my head, because this allows the other party to take off their guard and make it easier. Take action."

She looked at Pei Yunying: "I will do anything for revenge. I have no self-esteem, no future, and no favors. Lord Pei, this is who I am, and this is the most important thing to me."

Pei Yunying frowned.

She calmed down and said, "Master Pei, thank you very much at Huangmaogang, but I was too naive at that time, and I thought everything too simply. Now, I don't think that kneeling is inferior to others, let alone him. I use my hands and feet, even if I become his slave, I still know what I am doing. As long as I don't underestimate myself, others will never underestimate me. "

"Stop talking." He said suddenly, with anger hidden in his tone.

I don’t know if it’s because of her deep self-deprecation or because of the clear and deliberate distance between them.

Lu Yan looked at him, his eyes that were always calm and unruffled were not as deserted as before. They were chaotic, like sullenness, but also deeper sadness.

He suddenly softened his heart and his tone slowed down.

"I told you I would help you."

Lu Zhen's heart trembled, and the fingertips hidden in her sleeves clenched deeply into her palms. The pain made her suddenly wake up.

"What on earth is the Commander-in-Chief doing?"

She said coldly: "Su Nan's old debt has been paid off long ago. Can't you see that I have been using you?"

"I didn't say I wouldn't let you take advantage of it." He suddenly interrupted Lu Zhuo.

Lu Tong paused.

Pei Yunying stared at her steadily.

"Lu Yan, you can use me."

The rain outside the window became more rapid and the sound was sad. The coldness also entered the room through the window. The young man sat opposite her, his eyes that were always smiling no longer smiled, and their expression was unclear.

She shuddered suddenly and subconsciously wanted to tighten her robe, but stopped suddenly when she was within reach.

This dress, this Pei Yunying's dress, is made of fine materials, the silk is luxurious and weighty. When it falls on her body, it feels like a warm cloud. The cloud and mist wrap around her. Even the cold wind blowing in her face as the carriage rides through the rainy afternoon does not feel cold. cold.

But the cool summer nights will pass, the wind will leave no trace, and the beautiful and warm coat will one day be draped on the shoulders of others.

A story without an ending is better not to start.

Lu Chen lowered his head, put the hot tea back on the table, and stood up.

"I want to go back."

She avoided his gaze.

Pei Yunying paused and wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing. He stood up and said, "I'll see you off."

"No need." She replied firmly.

Pei Yunying frowned, and after a moment, he finally compromised: "I'll let Qing Feng see you off."

This time Lu Zhuo did not refuse.

Qing Feng took Lu Zhu out, and there was only one person left in the huge study.

There was still half a cup of ginger honey water left by her on the table. Pei Yunying rubbed her forehead and looked distressed.

Lu Chen today is very unusual.

She was always calm, but this was the first time she spoke to Huang Maogang so coldly since they met. It's like suddenly wrapping yourself in a coat, clearly isolating yourself from others.

There is no room for comment.

The spies from Taishi's Mansion reported back that Qi Yutai behaved frivolously towards Lu Xu today, but that alone did not make Lu Xu react like this. It was as if she was deliberately distancing herself from him.

What happened?

He sat on the chair, frowning, and while he was thinking, Red Arrow walked in from outside.

"Sir," Chi Jian said, "Someone from Duke Zhaoning's residence is here."

"It's said that there was a fire in the ancestral hall, and Madam's tablet was damaged. Please return home immediately."

Before he finished speaking, Pei Yunying suddenly raised his head: "What?"

…

In the ancestral hall of Zhaoning Gongfu, there are many memorial tablets in the dark and cold place.

There is a man in brocade clothing standing in front of the memorial tablet, holding a long incense stick and worshiping one by one.

There was a crisp sound from behind, the door was pushed open, and someone walked in from the outside.

As soon as Pei Yunying entered the ancestral hall, he immediately looked in a certain direction of the ancestral hall. When he saw the neatly arranged memorial tablets and intact wooden beams, his face suddenly sank.

"You lied to me?"

"Otherwise, why would you come back?"

The speaker put on the last stick of incense and turned around, revealing a face that was more or less similar to the young man.

This is Duke Zhaoning, Pei Di.

"Since the New Year, you haven't been home for more than half a year." Pei Di looked at the person in front of him.

Pei Yunying chuckled: "You seem to have forgotten that this place is not my home."

He hurried back from outside. His clothes were soaked by the rain for a while, and the tips of his hair were also wet. He knew he had heard the news and rushed back immediately.

Pei Di lowered his eyes.

This son has always been like this. There is nothing worthy of nostalgia in the Pei family, except for his mother.

Even if his mother is no longer here.

Pei Yunying glanced at him and raised her lips sarcastically: "If there's nothing else, I'll leave first." After saying that, he turned around and left.

"etc."

The smile on the young man's lips grew thicker, and he turned to look at him: "Sir, if you have something to say, speak directly, so don't waste our time."

Pei Di looked at him.

The young man had a smile on his face, but he couldn't hide the surliness and indifference in his eyes.

He was completely different from his mother, and different from anyone in Zhaoning Palace.

Sometimes affectionate, sometimes ruthless.

After a long time, Pei Di said: "The prince has been grounded."

"What does it have to do with me?"

"You want to do something for the third prince?"

"What does it have to do with you?"

He was so unruly, and Pei Di was slightly angry, and his tone became darker.

"This is what your Majesty did. Your Majesty wanted to change the throne to the crown prince, but you should know that the Pei family has long been connected with the prince."

Hearing this, Pei Yunying laughed.

As if he heard something extremely ridiculous, he laughed so hard that his whole body trembled, and he couldn't stop laughing. Finally, he spoke coldly.

"His Majesty was afraid that the prince would be unfavorable to the third prince, so he acted preemptively. Putting the prince under house arrest was the first step. But why did he put the prince under house arrest? Is it because he was afraid that what happened back then would happen again?"

"Because he killed his own brother to become king, are you worried that the prince will kill his third son, whom he loves more, and repeat the same mistake?"

Pei Di's pupils shrank: "Why do you..."

Pei Yunying sneered, and his tone became more aggressive: "Why did the late prince die in the autumn flood, and why did the late emperor die of a serious illness soon after, doesn't Duke Zhaoning know better than anyone else?"

"He killed his father and brother, and showed no regard for human relations. And you, in order to sell yourself to him and preserve your glory and wealth, took your wife as a gift of surrender and refused to save her, and just watched her die in the rebellion!"

There was a deathly silence in the ancestral hall.

Pei Yunying looked at the person in front of him, his eyes full of hatred and hatred.

At that time, he only knew the tip of the iceberg. He didn't know why his father didn't save his mother who was being coerced. He was only disappointed with his cowardice. After a big fight with his father in the ancestral hall, he left home angrily and vowed to find justice for his mother. .

It wasn’t until later that I knew everything.

It turns out that the truth is more disgusting than what the world sees.

And his father is just a shameless villain who stepped on the blood and tears of the person next to him to gain power.

"Yunying."

Pei Di looked at him. After a brief shock, Duke Zhaoning regained his composure. His tone was still gentle, as if a father was explaining carefully to an ignorant child.

"The general trend is that the late crown prince has passed away, and only your majesty can take on the important responsibility in the court. Your majesty is suspicious. Your maternal ancestors' family has close contacts with the late crown prince. If not, how can we protect the Pei family and how can we protect you?"

"Even if your mother were alive, she would still want me to do this."

"shut up!"

Pei Yunying said angrily: "Don't mention my mother."

He took two steps back, glanced across the neat memorial tablets in the room, and spoke sarcastically.

"Master Pei, you placed my mother's memorial tablet in the ancestral hall and worshiped her all the time. Didn't you ever feel guilty for a moment?"

"I forgot," he laughed, "that you have no heart at all."

Pei Di paused: "No matter what you think, I am here for the Pei family."

"Over the years, I know you have complained about me and hated me, but you have always shed the blood of the Pei family. If the third prince ascends to the throne in the future, he will not be able to tolerate the Pei family, and he may not be able to tolerate you. In the royal family, there is no way to tolerate it. Haven't you heard about donkey killing?"

He reminded: "Your surname is always Pei. If the Pei family falls, you will not be able to escape."

Pei Yunying chuckled: "I don't care."

Pei Di was stunned.

"I don't care if others can tolerate me. Even if I die, it will be in the future. I have sworn from the first day I entered the Palace Division that I will have nothing to do with the Pei family."

He stared at Pei Di, with a contemptuous smile on his lips, "Master Pei, now that you have made a choice, you must be able to afford to lose."

"You made a choice back then and were rich and prosperous for twenty years. Now you find that you made the wrong choice. Don't jump over the wall in a hurry. That will only make people look down on you."

"I'm willing to admit defeat, you taught me."

Pei Di stared at him blankly.

It seemed that at this moment, he clearly realized that this son was completely out of his control, and with the death of his mother and the reconciliation of Pei Yunshu, there was no one in the world who could hold him back.

He had no scruples at all.

"Do you know that when His Majesty ascended the throne, someone once signaled not to spare your life?"

After a long time, Pei Di spoke.

"Your Majesty is suspicious of you after all. I will guarantee that you will survive. Otherwise, you will no longer exist in the world today."

Pei Yunying pretended to be surprised: "Really?"

"Then it's rare that I have gained His Majesty's trust now." He smiled nonchalantly, "Besides, how did Mr. Pei know that no one wanted my life back then?"

"Your concubine, your concubine, your stepmother, your enemy..."

"I live because of my hard work, not because of your incompetent blessing, Mr. Pei."

Pei Di frowned: "What did you say?"

Pei Yunying said calmly: "My blood relationship with the Pei family has completely disappeared after my mother's death. Mr. Pei does not need to tie me up with this, it is useless."

"As for the future, Mr. Pei can save himself."

"After all," he twitched the corners of his lips, "that's what I did back then."

After finishing speaking, he nodded, turned around and left the ancestral hall. As soon as he left the ancestral hall door, he bumped into someone, his concubine Pei Yunxiao.

Pei Yunxiao didn't know what was going on. He only saw that Pei Di's face was ugly, and he had vaguely heard about Qianyuan, so he gave gentle advice.

"Brother, you and dad are father and son. Now that the Pei family is in trouble, we should join hands..."

"Second Young Master Pei," Pei Yunying interrupted him, "Now you have something to ask for. Instead of lecturing me here, you should read more and develop more skills."

Pei Yunying looked at him mockingly: "After all, without the Pei family, your second young master Pei is nothing. But without the Pei family, Pei Yunying is still Pei Yunying."

Pei Yunxiao froze in place, and Pei Yunying turned around and left.

He left without any regrets. In the courtyard, the palace lanterns under the eaves were blown by the wind and rain, and the colorful fringes attached to them were soaked by the rain and no longer fluttered, sticking to one place.

The young man glanced at it, his expression suddenly startled.

He still remembered that when he was young, he was very popular with his father. He is the eldest son and the firstborn. Pei Yunxiao is taciturn and cowardly. He loves to smile and is cheerful. His father likes him the most.

The lantern festival in Jingdemen is always lively. His mother was afraid of the danger due to the crowds outside and refused to let him go with her, but Aunt Mei agreed to let Pei Yunxiao go. In the evening, he looked at the lantern held in Pei Yunxiao's hand when he returned home. He was so angry that he refused to eat, and shed tears of grievance alone at night.

Pei Di came in from outside the door, handed him a rabbit lantern, held him on his knees, and said to him: "Shh, next time dad takes you there, don't tell your mother."

The young Pei Yunying held the rabbit lantern and laughed through tears.

The rain was hazy, the palace lantern was wet, and the patterns on it gradually became blurred.

Pei Yunying didn't look at the palace lantern again and walked by indifferently.

After all, that was a long, long time ago.