"Ye Qing?" She called softly.
The person in the shadow of the lamp stepped out, with light in his eyes.
"why you?"
Zhao Jingyan brought the candle closer and said, "It's late at night and they are all asleep."
Qing Kou was confused for a moment. She was just talking to her brother, but it was already late at night in a flash.
A big hand fell on her forehead, with a hint of coolness, "I'll help you up. Take a few sips of the freshly cooked bird's nest porridge."
Gu Qingguan pushed away the hand on his forehead, sat up, and put on some clothes.
Zhao Jingyan took the porcelain bowl out of the food box, handed the spoon into her hand, and said with a smile: "It's still a little burnt."
Gu Qingguan took a sip, but because it was burning, he couldn't tell the taste for a moment, but it was light enough to be tasted.
Zhao Jingyan stared at her expectantly, "Is it delicious?"
Gu Qingguan nodded, "Yeah!"
Zhao Jingyan smiled with satisfaction and said: "When I was sick in the past, my mother would always order someone to cook this thin bird's nest porridge, and let me drink it while it was hot. I would cover myself with a tight quilt and sweat all my life."
Gu Qingwan stopped to look at him. The queen mother he mentioned should be the first queen. He was raised by the late Queen since he was a child.
"Brother, on the other hand, he would take the novelty toys he bought from outside and coax me to play with them in various ways. He got so entangled with me that he even slept in the same bed with me at night."
"The brother you are talking about is the first prince?"
Zhao Jingyan's face showed a touch of sadness, "Yes."
It was the first time for Gu Qingwan to hear this man talk about the former crown prince. Although he did not understand his intentions, he listened patiently.
"My brother is familiar with history books and knows a lot of things. He often tells me some interesting stories from history. I fall asleep while listening. When I wake up, I see my brother still reading under the lamp."
Zhao Jingyan stood up, walked slowly to the window, looked at the dark night outside, and spoke in a low voice.
"The world only thinks that kings, generals and prime ministers are born noble, and as soon as they land, they have all the glory and wealth in their hands. But they don't know that as princes and grandsons, we suffer no less than ordinary people. There are hundreds of books, the Four Books and the Five Classics, Chinese Studies, Policy analysis, calligraphy and painting, riding and shooting..."
Gu Qingguan looked at his back and suddenly felt that there was something different about this man. There was no longer an aura of irreverence floating around his body, but a faint layer of sadness.
"Brother has learned everything well. Among the many princes, no one can match him. Naturally, he put in more effort than others. When I look back at him studying under the lamp, I feel inexplicably at peace in my heart."
"Why feel at ease?"
Zhao Jingyan looked back with a smile on her lips, "It's funny to say that the reason why I felt at ease when I was young was just because I thought that my brother was so good that I could be lazy."
Gu Qingguan was stunned for a long time and then said: "Naughty."
"Naughty indeed!"
Zhao Jingyan suddenly laughed, "When I was young, my father didn't care much about me because of my birth mother, and he just let me take care of my own temperament; my mother was not very easy to control, and it was not appropriate for me to be serious or not. Others saw me. I'm naughty and can't even hide. Only my brother will whip me if he gets ruthless."
Gu Qingguan saw that he behaved very differently tonight, so he sipped the porridge and listened attentively.
"One autumn day, the persimmon tree in the palace was bearing fruit. I thought it was funny, so I climbed up it myself. The persimmon tree was so tall that I fell from the tree. My father and mother were frightened to death by me. At night, my brother came in, threw me off the bed, picked up a whip and started whipping me."
Gu Qingguan said softly: "Don't you know how to cry?"
Zhao Jingyan's face softened, "Do you think I'm not crying? I cry harder than anyone else. It's of no use. I can only beg for mercy. But begging for mercy is useless."
The elder brother trembled and said to him sadly: "Old man, did you know that just because of your fall, all the people around you died. Those are all the old people who followed your biological mother, you How to bear it.”
Gu Qingwan's heart trembled and she looked at him blankly.
"I didn't understand at the time what my old biological mother meant to me. It wasn't until a new group of people came to take care of me and I was pushed off the rockery that I finally understood."
The corners of Zhao Jingyan's eyes were moist, and she slowly walked to Qingguan's bed, sat down, put the empty bowl in her hand on the table, took her hand, put it together in her palm, and said casually: "Your hands are always so cold. "
Gu Qingguan raised his eyebrows and looked at him with an intriguing and complicated look, without making a sound or struggling.
"Wan Wan, I am my elder brother, father, brother and friend. To tell you the truth, he has always been behind me."
Gu Qingwan smiled sympathetically and said, "If you didn't tell me, I would have guessed it."
"I don't have the slightest idea about that throne. To me, that dragon chair is just the desire for power nourished by those who love it and nourished by blood donations. The reason why I want to sit on it is, firstly, for my brother. Secondly, It’s for those who died unjustly behind him.”
Gu Qingwan was speechless and could only smile lightly. He was his brother, but not hers. Her brothers are in heaven, but he is still alive.
Zhao Jingyan looked at her. The distance between them was only an inch, but they seemed to be separated by thousands of mountains and rivers.
The smile on her lips was hollow and unfamiliar, which made people feel a little panicked.
"Wan Wan, you must be wondering why I said such words. I originally wanted to keep these words until I return to Beijing to tell you, but life is impermanent, and I don't want to have any regrets. Don't worry, there will be no beauties in the harem. , there will be no concubine, only you." Zhao Jingyan's eyes were burning, and she couldn't help but clench her hands, "When the big thing is done, and the grievances between the Qian and Sheng families are revealed to the world, I will give up my position if you like it. Jiangnan Water Town, I will accompany you to Jiangnan. If you like the snow outside the Great Wall, we will go out. In short, my heart is open to you.
As for you, I never thought of taking it back. "
Gu Qingwan's blood surged, and he trembled all over. He quickly turned his face away to prevent the tears in his eyes from falling in front of the man.
I just endured it for a long time, how could I not fall down
Zhao Jingyan stared intently at her clear face, which was as pale as a fallen flower, as fragile as if it could not withstand the force of a finger.
The sharpness, strength, and aloofness in the past were just a protective color covering her face, just like him.
He stretched out his hand, hugged her tightly in his arms, and let out an almost inaudible sigh.
"Wan Wan. It's been a hard journey for you. Let me worry about you, worry about you, and take care of your suffering, okay?"
Gu Qingguan's tears fell even more fiercely. She stretched out her hand to push him away, but she couldn't use any strength.
After walking alone for so long, she never thought that one day, there would be someone beside her, holding her hand and saying, "Your hand is too cold."
Is it true that people with cold hands can't help but lean in once they encounter warmth? Just because that little bit of warmth is a luxury for her.
Zhao Jingyan wiped the tears from her eyes with her fingertips.
"When I was in the army for more than half a year, I often faced the capital and thought about what you were doing at the moment. Maybe I was diagnosing my pulse in the palace, maybe I was drinking tea in Qingfu, maybe just as I missed you, I was also thinking about you. I."
He was thinking more than that. The wind is blowing, will she be cold? When the flowers bloom, will she smile
"No way!" Gu Qingguan trembled thickly and did not open his eyes. He muttered something in his mouth, which sounded like anger and resentment.
"Of course not, it's just my extravagant wish. Remember to miss me when you return to Beijing, just like I miss you."
Zhao Jingyan raised the corners of her mouth, smiled softly, lowered her head, and placed her lips on her slightly cool lips.
As if he was bewitched, Gu Qingwan's pale face turned red a little bit, and her thin fingers unconsciously grabbed his sleeves.
Zhao Jingyan sighed lightly.
No matter how smart or cold a woman is, she will tremble in the arms of the person she loves, and she is even more pitiable.
He didn't let her escape anymore, and his warm lips explored little by little, slowly inducing her to fall into intoxication.
Qing Wan's face suddenly turned red, her fingertips were pressed hard, her lips and teeth were grinding together, and she slowly closed her eyes.
There seemed to be a light in front of her eyes, and that light shone in her heart. She felt that her whole body was in that light, very warm... very warm.
I don’t know how long it took, but his gentle fingertips slowly reached between her fair neck and touched it gently.
A deep voice sounded in my ears.
"Wan Wan, I can't bear to be separated from you, so I have to resort to this trick. I'm afraid that I won't have the courage to return to the army if I look into your eyes."
"wait for me!"
The moment she lost consciousness, tears streaked down the corners of Qing Kou's eyes.
She was attracted to this man!
Zhao Jingyan looked at her sleeping face and smiled involuntarily.
This woman turns out to be so well-behaved, obedient and quiet only when she is asleep.
His slender hands played with her black hair, he gently kissed her lips, gritted his teeth, and turned to leave.
Zhao Jingyan walked out of the house, looked at the people in the courtyard, and said, "Bring the wine, I want to give it to Hongwen."
Jiang Hongwen glanced into the room and said, "You...she..."
In one sentence, it was said in fragments. Zhao Jingyan smiled and said: "She is asleep, don't worry. Come on, brother, you have worked hard on this trip. I respect you for this wine."
Jiang Hongwen drank it all in one gulp and cursed: "What nonsense are you talking about? I'll treat it as a snack in the future. Don't let others scheme against you anymore. It's a long and high road today. I can make it once but not the second time."
"Crow Mouth, can you say something nice?" Zhao Jingyan feigned anger.
"Yes, the best thing is to return to Beijing alive."
Jiang Hongwen rolled his eyes. This time, he had worried so much for this guy that he even kept one eye open while dreaming at night.
"Hu Yong, let me toast you."
Sheng Fang picked up the wine glass and said: "The green mountains never change and the green water always flows. Master Qi, take care! Take good care of Qingwan for me!"
Jiang Hongwen finished drinking, threw the glass away, and said proudly: "Don't worry!"
The three of them didn't say another word. Zhao Jingyan patted Jiang Hongwen hard twice on the shoulder and shook it off. There was no trace of affection on his face anymore, only a touch of persistence.
Leave!
Sheng Fang cupped his fists towards Jiang Hongwen and followed closely.
Jiang Hongwen looked at the two people's passing figures and raised the corner of his mouth slightly.
After leaving Tinglin, the burden on his shoulders became heavier. He had to fight against the Turks and rectify the Western Army. None of these errands were easy to worry about.
Take care, brother! After standing quietly for a long time, he suddenly raised his voice and said, "I will return to Beijing in an hour."