In the courtyard of Fengzao Palace, a large number of court ladies and servants dressed in filial piety knelt. Princess Li Xian and Crown Prince Li Zhu of Li were kneeling in the mourning hall. Zhu added some paper money to the brazier from time to time, and Li Xian looked at the brazier in front of her with her eyes wandering, not knowing what she recalled...
"King of Chu, the prince of the Marquis of Pingyang came to express condolences to the empress!"
"Imperial Sister!" Li Zhu skillfully lifted Li Xian from the ground, and a moment later, King Li Xuan of Chu entered the hall with Li Zhong, Prince of Pingyang.
"Xian'er has seen Brother Chu Wang."
"Li Xuan, I have seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"Li Zhong has seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Eldest Princess."
Li Xuan, the king of Chu, the son of a good concubine, was twenty-five years old. At this time, Li Xuan was dressed in the black robe of the vassal king. After greeting him, he didn't even look at Li Xian and his brother. Dia came to Li Qingcheng's coffin and saluted. Throwing a handful of paper money in the brazier, he turned back to Li Xian and said coldly, "There is a good or bad day for everyone, and the emperor doesn't need to be too sad. This king will stay soon if he has something to do." Then he turned to the Marquis of Pingyang. The prince Li Zhong said, "Wait to Huaqing Palace to find this king." After speaking, he strode out of the hall.
"Princess." Li Zhong, the prince of the Marquis of Pingyang, did not leave Li Xian for a moment since he entered the hall. From the first time he entered the palace at the age of fourteen, and the first time he saw Li Xian, who was only twelve years old, he She had been fascinated by Li Xian all the time, and she couldn't hold anyone else in her heart.
At this time, Li Xian's eyes were a little swollen, but it didn't affect her beauty in the slightest. Seeing Li Zhong's eyes, it was a little more delicate, which made people feel even more excited.
"Princess don't need to be too sad, just wipe it." Li Zhong took out a silk handkerchief and handed it to Li Xian.
Li Xian didn't say anything about Li Zhong's attentiveness. Li Xian had long noticed that this person's eyes had been glued to her body since she entered the hall. At this time, Li Xian just stood quietly in front of Li Zhong and didn't answer. Passing the handkerchief he handed over, he calmly looked at Li Zhong's eyes and said softly, "You don't need to be too polite. Don't you first give the Queen Mother a salute?"
To Li Zhong, Li Xian's voice sounded like a melodious melody that penetrated into his heart. He looked at Li Xian for a long time before he could react. He hurriedly grabbed the handkerchief in his hand and turned around to come to Li Qingcheng's coffin. The front respectfully saluted and added some paper money into the brazier before getting up and returning to Li Xian's side.
At this time, Li Xian had already taken out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corner of her eyes.
Seeing this scene, Li Zhong could only embarrassedly put his handkerchief back into his arms.
"Prince Pingyang and brother King Chu have come all the way. I would like to thank you here in advance, and I would like to ask the prince to be considerate of my poor reception."
"How could it be, Princess... The Empress will go first, and I hope the Princess will not be too sad. Your health is important."
"Thank you for your concern, I will take note of it."
Li Xian stood where she was, still looking at Li Zhong quietly, as if she was patiently waiting for Li Zhong to continue talking, but Li Zhong suddenly felt that after being answered like this by Li Xian, he didn't know how to open his mouth to find the words. He was infatuated with him. Li Xian couldn't wait to stick to Li Xian's side all the time, so when he heard that the queen went first, he took the initiative to ask to follow the king of Chu for hundreds of miles in order to see Li Xian again. Even looking at himself with a faint smile, why did he feel an unattainable feeling in his heart
Just when Li Zhong felt lost, Li Xian whispered again, "Sir, you must be tired from traveling all the way, why don't you meet up with Brother King Chu and rest for a while?"
Hearing what Li Xian said, Li Zhong actually breathed a sigh of relief in the bottom of his heart and happily said to Li Xian, "Since you are so loyal, I will retire."
"King Qi, Wushuang Hou came to express condolences to the Empress!"
The prince of Pingyang Hou, Li Zhong, was sent away, and the Prince of Qi and Wushuang Hou came again. The Prince of Qi was born by Concubine Xian. At the age of twenty-six, he was different from all the vassal kings. When the Prince of Qi was still a prince, he led troops to fight and accumulated a lot of money. Military merit, when he became an adult, he took the initiative to ask the fief to be located in the frontier of Qi, and it was called a vassal land as a barrier to the border of the country. It is precisely because of this that King Qi is the only prince who has been granted military power among all the vassal kings. Hou was originally a general under the account of King Qi, but after King Qi obtained the fief, Wushuang Hou was awarded a title for his military exploits.
Thinking of this, Li Xian sighed softly in her heart: The king of Chu is favored, the king of Qi has soldiers, the prince is young and has no support, and his uncle doesn't like scheming, but only knows how to lead troops to fight...
"Xian'er has seen Brother Qi Wang."
"My minister, Li Zhen has seen His Royal Highness the Prince."
"My minister, Xiahou Wushuang has seen His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Eldest Princess."
Li Xian hurriedly held up Li Zhen's arms that were about to salute, "Why do you have to be so polite, Brother Qi Wang?"
Li Zhen gave Li Xian a gentle smile, but did not salute any more, but still said: "The ceremony cannot be ignored. The crown prince is the state heir, so there is a difference between monarchs and ministers."
Hearing this, Li Xian smiled and replied, "It's originally from the same root. You should follow the order of elders. There are no outsiders. If brother Qi Wang insists on paying attention to etiquette with Xian'er, then the elder brother will be polite to the emperor's sister."
Speaking of which, Li Xian touched Li Zhu, the latter immediately understood and respectfully gave Li Zhen a flat salute, "Pearl has seen Brother Qi Wang."
Li Zhen hurriedly helped Li Zhu, who was saluting, then looked at Li Xian and said with a smile, "I haven't seen you for two years, Huang Mei has really grown up."
Li Xian also raised the corner of her mouth, and two shallow pear eddies appeared around her mouth.
Li Zhen came to Li Qingcheng's coffin and saluted respectfully, and then threw some paper money, followed by Wushuanghou.
After the ceremony, Li Zhen came to Li Xian again and said softly, "I'll be staying for a while today. When the affairs of the Fengzao Palace are sorted out, you and my brother and sister will get together again."
"Brother Qi, walk slowly." Li Xian slapped Li Zhen a thousand blessings, and the latter smiled and led Wushuang Hou out of the hall.
Li Xian watched Li Zhen and Xiahou Wushuang leave the Fengzao Palace all the way, then bowed to look at Li Zhu, and said in a voice that only the two siblings could hear, "What do you think of Brother Qi and King Chu?"
Li Zhu tilted her head and thought for a while before answering: "Brother Chu Wang has no one in his eyes, and Qi Wang brother is a good person."
Hearing Li Zhu's answer to Li Xian, she couldn't help but smile. Thinking of the newly mourned mother's heart, Li Xian raised her slender hand and caressed Li Zhushang's immature shoulder, and said, "Pearl, remember. What my sister said next, never mention it again and never ask why, you remember that in the future, whenever someone asks you the same question, no matter who it is, including the father and the emperor, including your entourage and even the grand master, you must say it. : Brother Chu Wang is a good person, and brother Qi Wang is also a good person. They are all the royal blood of my country, and they are your brothers from the same clan. However, you must always remember in your heart, no matter what they do to you in the future, Brother Qi He is also a bad person, and brother Chu Wang is also a bad person."
After listening to Li Xian's words, the eight-year-old Li Zhu widened her eyes and was slightly puzzled, but under Li Xian's gaze, Li Zhu simply digested it for a while, and nodded her head obediently, "Remember."
Li Xian stood up straight and pulled the younger brother beside her to look at her mother's coffin for a long time without saying a word.