Hanzhen has been depressed since she came back, and Zhaopei has no intention of comforting her. He Hui brought news from outside, saying that Hou Jing, the traitor, had broken into Taicheng and held the emperor and the prince hostage. Now the emperor and the prince are under house arrest in the palace, and their lives are uncertain. And the reinforcements seem helpless and unable to rescue them.
The figure standing tall and proud with fluttering clothes under the golden morning sun many years ago, and the face and expression that were so similar to his, have been lingering in her mind and she can never forget them.
Hanzhen asked her tremblingly, "Mom, if one day... Dad becomes the emperor, what will you do?"
Zhao Pei was stunned for a moment, then frowned and whispered, "What are you talking about? Aren't you afraid of bringing disaster upon yourself?"
But Hanzhen bit her lip and asked again: "What will you do?"
"That's impossible. Your royal grandfather will be fine. There's also the crown prince and your sixth uncle. There are so many people in the Xiao family. No matter what, it won't be your father's turn. It's best not to think too much about these things. The throne belongs only to the crown prince."
"What if daddy is the only one left... Mom, what will you do?" Hanzhen said softly, but her voice was trembling.
Zhao Pei's breath was choked, her brows gradually darkened, and she stared at the pale-faced Han Zhen in suspicion and doubt, and said blankly: "This is impossible, don't think too much and don't say more. I never answer impossible questions. Why do you act weird after coming back from Yangzhou?" Zhao Pei wondered if she was sad because she didn't gain anything from this trip.
Hanzhen bit her lips so hard that she almost bled. She shook her head gently as if she was tortured and exhausted, her eyes red with thoughts on her mind. Zhaopei suddenly had an idea, wondering if this girl had fallen in love with someone on the road, but was too embarrassed to tell her and missed him? The more she thought about it, the worse it got. Hanzhen had met only a handful of men. Besides Xiao Lun and his two sons, there was the mysterious man named Wentai. Whoever she fell in love with, it was enough to make Zhaopei tremble with fear.
Zhao Pei trembled and grabbed Han Zhen's arm and shook it hard: "Zhen Er, tell me honestly, are you..." Before she finished speaking, she was interrupted by Ruhua. Ruhua stumbled all the way over and said in a panic: "Princess, Princess! The prince, he volunteered to go to the battlefield!"
Zhao Pei was stunned when she heard this. She let go of Han Zhen's arm, shook her head and stared at Ru Hua: "What did you say?"
Ruhua said with tears in her eyes: "The prince, he agreed!"
The last sentence made Zhao Pei's mind go blank. She stiffened slightly and looked at Ruhua: "Really?"
Ruhua paced with red eyes and shouted, "Princess, what should I do?"
Zhao Pei looked at Han Zhen with some disbelief, as if she was hallucinating. However, she saw that Han Zhen's face was full of tears and she looked extremely sad for some unknown reason.
》》》》》》》》》》》》
Zhao Pei and Han Zhen hurried to the bamboo house, and heard the faint sound of the zither from afar. Zhao Pei slowed down her pace, stepped on the falling bamboo leaves and listened carefully. The unknown music sounded sad and vast, like the sound of nature in ancient times. Three parts of emptiness, three parts of lightness, two parts of hidden sorrow, and two parts of perseverance. Zhao Pei seemed to understand his heart.
Hanzhen couldn't help but rush forward and stand in front of him, shouting, "Wait, what are you thinking? Why do you want to go to the battlefield?"
Fang Deng slowly stopped his finger movements, smiled and looked up at the angry Han Zhen: "Sister, you already know."
"Yeah!" Han Zhen glared at him and yelled fiercely, "Are you crazy or kicked by a donkey? That's not a game. It's very dangerous! You could die!"
Xiao Fangdeng smiled disapprovingly and said, "I know, don't worry, sister."
"Relax? Relax at all! Anyway, you are not allowed to go. Do you know that once you go..." Han Zhen didn't say anything else after all. Her lips trembled as if she was in torture.
Zhao Pei had already slowly walked between them, and Fang Deng immediately stood up and saluted: "Mother."
She didn't answer immediately, but looked at the child in front of her quietly. In the past, she had given him too little care because of such a sensitive time. Fang Deng had grown up, and he was no longer the silent child following Han Zhen. He had his own ideas and beliefs, which others could not control.
Zhao Pei was silent for a long time, and her face was wet in an instant. The tears flowed silently: "Deng'er... I'm sorry for you..." She reached out and hugged him tightly.
He had a very light bamboo fragrance on him, which made people feel at ease. The unbridled tears wet Xiao Fangdeng's clothes and soaked Xiao Fangdeng in an instant.
His body was shaking imperceptibly, whether it was excitement or sadness, Zhao Pei hugged him tightly, unwilling to let go.
Hanzhen watched with a broken heart, and said, "I'm going to find my dad." Then she turned around and ran away, picking up her skirt.
She ran and panted all the way. She had never felt that Zhuju was so far from her father's study, and she had never felt that Fang Deng's place was so remote. Qiao Yu was waiting at the door. Han Zhen only looked at him and wanted to lift the curtain and go in without saying a word.
Qiao Yu hurriedly stopped her: "Miss, what are you doing? The prince is in a meeting, you can't go in now." Han Zhen's tear-stained face was cold, and she shouted into the room: "Dad, I have something important! I have something to tell you!"
Qiao Yu frowned and tried to cover her mouth, but Han Zhen's hands were tied by him and she stretched out her hands to bite him. Before Qiao Yu could cry out in pain, Wang Sengbian and Chen Baxian came out of the room. Chen Baxian looked at Han Zhen who was making a scene, and a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes: "Miss, the prince is waiting for you inside."
Hanzhen hated Chen Baxian the most. She glared at him and went into the house without paying any attention. Xiao Yi stood beside the sand table and said without even raising his head, "Zhen'er, is this because of Fang Deng's matter?"
Hanzhen walked in and said earnestly, "Dad, you can't let him go to the battlefield. How can a person like him who doesn't fight with the world be suitable for such a bloody storm?"
"This is his own request. I just agreed to his request." Xiao Yi glanced at Han Zhen. "This is the first time he asked me for something. How could I not agree?"
Upon hearing this, Hanzhen's tears flowed again. Faced with Xiao Yi's indifference and nonchalance, she was extremely angry and heartbroken. She clenched her fists and asked with gritted teeth: "Father, Zhen'er asks you to examine your conscience. Over the years, have you ever really cared about Fang Deng? Have you ever really taken Fang Deng to heart? He is your eldest son, but he has not received any love or even care from you. Do you know how lonely and sad Fang Deng was when he saw how you doted on Fang Ju and Fang Zhi? Oh, now there is a war, and you said you would follow his wish and sent him to the battlefield? Fang Deng just wanted to get your attention in this way! How can you be so cruel..." Hanzhen burst into tears after the call.
"He is my eldest son, so naturally he has responsibilities. Fang Deng is able to recognize the situation and is willing to take responsibility. He is a hero. I admire him very much. You, as his sister, don't have to worry. He will definitely return victorious." Xiao Yi said lightly, but did not look at her.
Hanzhen clenched her hands tightly, leaving deep crescent-shaped marks on her palms from her nails. Hanzhen stared at Xiao Yi, who was calm and composed, and said word by word: "Father, you can't let Fang Deng go to the battlefield. He will die! He shouldn't have such an ending!" He will die. He will die... Hanzhen saw Xiao Yi stunned for a moment through the mist, then he looked up at her. After a moment of silence, he spoke: "Zhen'er loves his brother very much. Fang Deng will be fine. Even if he is... it will be glorious. The Xiao family will remember him."
Xiao Yi's words sounded so easy, but they were like a thousand-pound weight of metal pressing down on Han Zhen. She could no longer hold back, and strode to Xiao Yi and messed up the sand table. Before Xiao Yi could frown and speak, she asked him, "Father, don't forget that Fang Deng is also your son. Even if his name is Fang Deng, even if his birthday is too sensitive, even if... he reminds you of something you don't want to remember. But he has half of your blood, he is your son! You can't be so heartless!"
Han Zhen felt a little cold after shouting out the last sentence. She had used too much strength this time. However, she regretted it as soon as she said it. Xiao Yi's eyes suddenly darkened, as if they were a bottomless abyss that made people tremble. He stared at Han Zhen with a bit of surprise, a bit of hesitation, and a bit of inquiry, as if he wanted to see through her.
Hanzhen lowered her head guiltily, but after a while she heard Xiao Yi say in a deep voice: "You have been different from ordinary children since you were young. You are calm and mature, you know a lot and understand a lot, and you have learned many things by yourself. Zhen'er must have hidden many things in his heart..."
Han Zhen was frightened by his deep tone and took several steps back. She realized that their conversation had gone off topic and quickly pulled it back: "Father, I just want to hear your words. Can you not let Fang Deng go to the battlefield?"
"Let him go." The voice was quiet and helpless, low and long, sad like a thread. Hanzhen was stunned, turned around and saw Zhao Pei standing at the door without knowing when. "Let him go." Zhao Pei said again, slowly met Xiao Yi's eyes, and smiled sadly. (To be continued)