Li Huang

Early in the morning, I was sent to Ling Mansion by Zhang Dehai. I had already notified me in advance, but I didn't want to meet him. I asked Hui Ju to fetch a painting by Song Zhiwen. My father liked his work the most. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also prepared medicinal materials and supplements. I was sitting in a carriage, which was a seemingly simple carriage. Wrapped in black tarpaulin, it is no different from the usual road, except that the front and back of this carriage are covered with casual guards.

Originally, Shen Xiyao meant to clear the road from the imperial palace to Ling Mansion, and no one was allowed to appear. But I don't want to disturb the people because of this, not to mention the need to pass through the most prosperous streets in the capital from the imperial palace to Ling Mansion, which is really inappropriate.

If it is to save relatives, then there should be a battle, but now I just go home secretly to visit, so I asked Shen Xiyao to let me go back in this way.

He finally responded under my repeated persuasion.

Along the way, I was curled up in the carriage. There is no sun today, and the sky is heavy and suppressed, just like my heart is heavy.

The street outside was bustling with screams, the sound of carriages passing by, and the voices of pedestrians. But I couldn't hear anything, and my head was noisy. I kept sweating on my body with cool stickers. On the back.

Finally the carriage stopped and the surroundings became quiet, my heart sank, it should have arrived.

I couldn't say whether it was happy or sad. Before the maid came up and raised the thick curtain, I stretched out my hand and a bleak light came in. I took a long breath and got out of the carriage quickly.

The gate of the Ling Mansion was closed tightly, as it was when I left. There is a mottled shadow on the brass ring. It was when Zhang Shangshu, the hostile father of his father, left the Ling Mansion a few years ago and struggling to knock it off. Yes, my father has never been changed. Soon after that time, Zhang Xiang had written a letter telling him that he had returned home. In fact, he was about the same age as his father.

A maid by my side came forward and knocked on the door softly, and the voice of "dongdong" came dull, and my heart rose higher and higher.

The door was opened with a "creak". It was the second steward of Ling Mansion. He glanced out and saw me in front of him for a moment. The door slammed shut. I didn't react for a while.

Hasn't it been notified?

Within a moment, the door was opened again, and the eldest brother led the maid Jiading in the mansion to walk out quickly, kneeling in front of me all together: "The minister respectfully welcomes the empress."

I walked forward and helped him up: "Big brother, don't be polite... how is father?"

The eldest brother glanced at me: "I felt the wind and cold, it's fine."

But his expression is sad, I know it must not be like this.

He took a step inside: "Go in and talk."

Everything in the Ling Mansion was the same. The red carp in the pond sank to the bottom of the water due to the sultry weather, the wind was blowing weakly, and the heat wave was blowing in. The clothes on his body had already been attached to the back, making it uncomfortable.

I was looking forward to a heavy rain, but at this moment, the sun peeked out of the thick clouds in the sky. With a burst of irritation in my heart, accompanied by immense anxiety, I pushed open the room of my father. door.

A cool wind blew, and there were a few people standing inside, one of whom I knew was the imperial doctor who came to report that day, and it seems that the others were too. When they turned their faces and saw me, they hurriedly saluted. I waved my hand and told them to step back and take a step forward. Father half leaned on the head of the bed and closed his eyes. His face was normal, but a little thin.

As soon as my nose sore, I came to the bed: "Father..." My voice choked up.

Father slowly opened his eyes and saw that I was in front of him, and gave me a gentle and loving smile: "Vil, I'm back."

The tone was just like what he said when I went out with my brother before returning home. For an instant, I seemed to be back to the past. Later I would return to the boudoir, put on home-made clothes, and read a book and play the piano.

I nodded, my eyes flushed: "Father, my daughter is back."

Father smiled and coughed a few times. I sat on the bed and looked at him carefully. My father's forehead added some white hair. His face was also haggard, but he looked at me tenderly. I will always be the little girl he loves most in his heart.

We looked at each other, there was a cool breath in the room, which was emitted by an ice tree by the wall, but it was also at the right temperature.

Everything is so harmonious, and the father's face has some color.

At this time, a girl brought the medicine up, and I took it. It was a white porcelain bowl with money and green bamboo patterns on it, but the wall of the bowl was a little hot, and it hurt a bit when I touched it, but I still held it in my hand and blew it carefully. Then, looking at the kindly smiling face of his father behind that slowly white gas.

"Father, use it while it's still hot."

Father took it and finished drinking, then handed the bowl to the girl standing next to him, and looked at me deeply.

"Vil, why did you come back?"

I was stunned and laughed: "You are ill, and the emperor allowed me to come back to visit, but he didn't want to make trouble at home, so it's not a province."

Father shook his head: "Just because I am sick, I will let you a queen come back. I can't justify it because of my resignation."

I pursed my lips. My father was clear, but at the same time I was puzzled as to why his father insisted on resigning from office.

Father is not a person who is indifferent to fame and fortune. He likes power tactics. He insisted on resigning from office. My trip is to know the reason.

"Since my father knows why, why should I ask my daughter." I acted like a baby, leaned forward and said, "Father's illness will be cured soon, and the doctors said that you are fine, why should father..."

I didn't finish, my father just smiled, and there was mystery in that smile, I couldn't understand it.

Father shook his head: "I'm tired, tired."

The expression in my eyes was a kind of faint helplessness. I didn't answer the conversation but just bit my lip. My father looked at a pot of gladiolus in front of the window and continued, "Besides, the emperor is not..."

He didn't go on, I know what he meant, "You are now a queen. We should avoid suspicion and save others from saying anything."

"Father, you know, the children of our Ling family did not rely on the influence of the Ling family to have official positions, but because of ourselves."

The father shook his head lightly: "Even so, I should avoid it."

I know this is not the reason, but my father insisted on making a fuss on this. I stood up, the ice tree was dripping with water, and it hit the copper basin with crystals. A branch of the tree "slapped" as it melted. It thumped and aroused layers of water, and some of it splashed out. Flowing on the grey stone bricks.

I stared at the water, watching it slowly meandering on the ground, like a churning dragon.

"Don't tell me the truth, the emperor asked his daughter to come back this time to persuade his father not to resign. The emperor's attitude towards my Ling family has changed.

I looked at the father who was half-lying on the bed seriously: "Why did your daughter enter the palace in the first place? You know, father. If you resign now, what is the significance of your daughter entering the palace."

While talking, I thought of Xi He, if, if I didn't enter the palace and we could meet again, I should be happy now. Could not help his face dimmed.

Father saw it in his eyes and paused for a long time and said: "For what I know naturally, that's why I have to resign. The emperor has no prejudices against your eldest brother and second brother, and he does not suppress their talents just because they are children of the Ling family. I am very grateful for this. As for me, no matter what the emperor really thinks now, I should resign. Yu Ling's family, this can relieve some of the emperor’s resentment, and for you, the emperor can no longer care about your origin. Even better, for me, you can only get praise from the world if you retreat from the rapids, right. What's more, now that the emperor has full wings, it is time to give him all the rights."

The father said in one breath, and afterwards he coughed slightly. I tapped his back lightly and took my father's hand to look at him. I knew that my father would not change his mind. Although, I didn't persuade me. I already know that my father's will is determined.

I tried to make one last effort: "Father..." I said: "Even if it is for the daughter to have a solid guarantee in the palace, can my father not resign so early? What's more, the emperor does not want his father to resign. If this goes against his will, wouldn't it be worse for my Ling family?"

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of his father's mouth: "The emperor still knows what the emperor thinks."

I turned my head, yes, what Shen Xiyao hopes most, we all know. Even if he did it before, the estrangement in his heart from his father will never disappear.

Father glanced at me, reluctant to give up, and firm.

He sat up a little and said: "You have to protect yourself in the palace. Even though I resigned from office, dad and I are still under the influence of your elder brother, second brother, and dad. Don't be wronged."

He paused and smiled, "But my daughter..." He didn't say anything, but his eyes were full of pride.

I smiled and bowed slightly: "Father rest assured, my daughter will take care of herself."

Father nodded in satisfaction: "I'm tired. I'll sleep a while. You can go back. Since it's not a province, and no one outsider knows, you can go back soon." After saying this, lie down and close your eyes and stop looking at me.

I stood firmly for a while, gritted my teeth, covered the quilt for him, and walked out gently.