After Mu Zhiming returned to Mu Mansion, he wanted to go straight to the kitchen, but was told by the servant that His Royal Highness King Xian was visiting and waited in the side hall.
In the side hall, Fu Ji'an waited patiently while drinking tea.
"Jian, it's been a long wait." Mu Zhiming hurried from outside and bowed.
"Brother Mu." Fu Ji'an stood up, walked over, and helped him up, "No need to be more polite."
Mu Zhiming asked him to sit down in the right seat in the side hall, and asked with a smile, "Is the court busy? Why are you looking for me?"
Fu Ji'an: "Since you fell into the water in Su Wang's mansion last time, I've been thinking about you very much."
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern." Mu Zhiming smiled gratefully.
When Fu Ji'an heard the words, his expression did not relax, his eyes sank slightly, and thoughtfully, he asked, "Brother Mu, has your memory recovered?"
Mu Zhiming shook his head regretfully: "Not yet."
Fu Ji'an seemed unwilling, and asked, "Why did you fall into the water in Su Wang's mansion that day, do you really have no memory of the cause and effect?"
Mu Zhiming couldn't help but feel puzzled: "Although I can't remember clearly, His Royal Highness King Su has explained that I was drunk and drunk and flipped over the railings and accidentally fell into the pond. When he said this, you were not there, Ji'an. Is it?"
Fu Ji'an lowered his eyes, picked up the plain porcelain cup with tea on the side, took a sip, and said for unknown reasons, "Yes, I'm here..."
Mu Zhiming noticed that Fu Ji'an's tone was wrong, and looked puzzled: "Jian, what's wrong with you?"
"Brother Mu." Fu Ji'an put down the tea cup abruptly, and knocked the bottom of the cup on the coffee table. There was a crisp sound, not loud, but the shock made people panic, "I don't know, please advise."
Mu Zhiming: "Please tell me."
Fu Ji'an: "Fu Qi, the abolished prince, died, and the emperor's father's dragon is ill. Don't be overworked. Sooner or later, a prince will be appointed to help him supervise the country. In this situation, which prince do you think the emperor is most likely to appoint as the heir?"
Mu Zhiming was speechless.
He was quiet for a long time before he said: "His Royal Highness Xian Wang, I am stupid. I have never seen and understood the affairs of the government. The emperor is wise and has his own judgments and choices. This is not something that a rich and idle person like me should ponder."
Fu Ji'an looked at him and said calmly, "Brother Mu, you never said such a thing before."
Mu Zhiming hesitated: "I... Ji An, you and brother Yi..."
"However." Fu Ji'an interrupted Mu Zhiming with a smile, "I don't know why, I think 'rich and idle people' is more suitable for you."
Saying that, Fu Ji'an stood up: "It's been a long time, I should go back."
Mu Zhiming followed and stood up: "I'll send you off."
Mu Zhiming sent Fu Ji'an to the entrance of Mu's house and watched his sedan chair leave until it disappeared at the end of the Qingshiban street.
The night was cold and the wind was blowing, and Mu Zhiming looked at it from afar. In the distance, there was a palace city surrounded by vermilion and solemn and tall palace walls. It was the most prosperous and luxurious place in this world, and it was also the coldest and most ruthless place in this world.
At this time, in the sedan chair, Fu Ji'an kept repeating what Mu Zhiming had said to him the day before he fell into the water and lost his memory.
Mu Zhiming: "Fu Yi's wolf ambition, I know you don't want to believe it, but if I die or have an accident tomorrow after my banquet, you can believe me once."
The sedan chair shook violently because of the uneven road, and the scene in Fu Ji'an's mind changed.
It was the day when the snow fell and the plum blossoms fell. After everyone joined hands to rescue Mu Zhiming from the prison of Oxu, the imperial concubine sneaked out of the palace to visit Mu Zhiming. She took the hands of the three of them, sighed, and said softly, "The imperial court is conspiring to kill him. Heart, undercurrents are swallowing people, I look forward to the three of you, a good life, peace and joy, and mutual support."
Fu Ji'an slowly lowered his head and leaned over, his hands resting on his forehead, his fingers inserted into his temples, and he held it tightly, his eyes slowly turning red.
The sunset was getting late, and the spring was late in the empty courtyard. In the Fengyi Palace, the imperial concubine, the concubine, straightened her temples in the mirror, took off the pearls and hairpins on the bun one by one, and gently placed them on the dressing table.
At this moment, someone silently stood behind her and untied her blue silk.
The imperial concubine smiled and said: "Xiaoyan, you don't need to wait on me, I'll just do it myself, you can go."
The man didn't say a word, picked up the rhino horn jade comb on the table, and combed the hair of the imperial concubine, from the top of the forehead to the end of the hair, with very light and gentle movements.
The noble concubine realized that the person behind her was not Xiaoyan, she turned around, and was startled immediately. After recovering, she patted her chest and blamed: "Yi'er, why is it you?"
Fu Yi didn't answer, he just said, "Did you startle?"
The imperial concubine stood up and looked at him, curled her fingers, and tapped his head: "It's more than frightening! It's so frightening! How can you enter my cabinet? What's more, it's late at night, although You grew up in Fengyi Palace, but you are already an adult, and now you are a prince, how can you do such a thing that does not conform to the rules of the palace?"
Fu Yi didn't move, he said, "The Mu Qingwan I know is not a person who can abide by the rules of the palace."
The imperial concubine was unhappy: "You are arguing, let's go, don't let the idle people see it. You want to visit me, why don't you come during the day?"
"Got it." Fu Yi said calmly, "Don't be angry, I'll leave now."
His voice just fell, and a few hurried knocks on the door sounded, causing people to panic, and then the voice of Xiaoyan, the personal maid, came from outside the cabinet door: "Niangniang, the emperor is here, and he will be at the gate of the palace soon."
The imperial concubine's pupils shrank sharply and her heart stopped.
Fu Yi obviously did not expect this, and frowned suddenly.
The imperial concubine quickly calmed down and said to Fu Yi in a low voice, "Yi'er, stay here, don't make a sound, do you hear me?"
Fu Yi nodded.
The imperial concubine took a deep breath, walked out of the cabinet, and closed the door tightly.
She sorted out her appearance and walked to the outer hall, just as the emperor stepped into the Fengyi Hall.
The noble concubine saluted calmly: "I have seen the emperor before."
"Wan'er, get up." The emperor stepped forward a few steps and personally helped the noble concubine.
"The emperor is coming today, why didn't you tell the concubine in advance? The concubine was just about to take a rest, and now I hurried to pick up the car. You see, I didn't even take care of the makeup." The concubine took the emperor's hand and led him softly in the outer hall Sit down on the couch, order someone to bring tea and light incense.
"I just like the way you look." The emperor stretched out his hand and caressed the green silk of the noble concubine, he wrapped the long black hair between his fingers, and he murmured in a trance, "When I first saw you, you rode On the horse, there is no hairpin in the hair, and the heroic appearance is valiant."
The imperial concubine wondered: "Why did the emperor suddenly remember the old?"
The emperor replied: "Because it's old."
Concubine Empress: "Your Majesty's blessings are long, long life and good health."
The emperor smiled. At this moment, Xiaoyan brought the tea, and the concubine held the tea cup in the wooden tray with both hands and handed it to the emperor. The emperor took it, lifted the lid and stroked the heat, took a sip, nodded and said, "Well , Junshan Yinzhen, I remember this is your favorite tea."
Empress Dowager: "Yes."
The emperor put the porcelain cup on the small table in the middle of Luohan's couch and looked at the imperial concubine: "Wan'er, I ask you something, you must answer me truthfully."
The noble concubine bowed her body: "The minister and concubine follow the order."
The emperor asked: "Are you still taking the medicine that will make you infertile?"
Although his tone was flat, the moment he finished speaking, the atmosphere in Fengyi Palace instantly became solemn, and he didn't even dare to raise the wind.
"You raise your head." The emperor ordered.
The noble concubine: "I don't dare to be a concubine."
The emperor's eyes were uncertain, his hands were clenched into fists, and he knocked on the small table beside him, he suddenly sighed and said softly: "I don't blame you, when you were born in Ji'an, the fetus was unstable and hemorrhaged, and almost left me, in fact, since then , I just thought about not letting you go through this kind of suffering again, anyway, we have Ji An, that's enough."
The noble concubine stood up, knelt in front of the emperor, and said, "Chen and concubine, thank you."
"Wan'er, it's been so many years." The emperor said, "No matter how much you hated the deep palace, you should get used to it now, right?"
Concubine: "...Yes."
Yes, it can only be a habit, never a love.
The emperor showed his face, stepped forward to help the noble concubine, and said softly: "Actually, I came here this time to tell you something."
Concubine Empress: "What's the matter?"
The emperor held her shoulders and said, "I, I want to make you my queen."
Confused by the mistake, the concubine's eyes slowly widened, and she didn't know what to say.
The first thing to break the silence was the sound of broken porcelain from the cabinet.
Although the sound was not loud, it shocked everyone in the outer hall.
The emperor's eyes were instantly fixed on the closed door of the cabinet, revealing a suspicious look.
The imperial concubine smiled and said, "It must be the little maid who cleans in the cabinet. She is clumsy and accidentally dropped my things, Xiaoyan, go in and teach her a lesson."
"Yes." Xiaoyan leaned over and saluted, walked to the cabinet door, opened a crack, and immediately closed the door after dodging in.
The emperor was still puzzled, and the concubine said, "Your Majesty, have you made up your mind? Let your concubine be your queen."
The emperor looked away and looked at the imperial concubine: "I think about it, this is what I owe you."
"Chen and concubine, thank the emperor." The concubine was about to bow down and bow down, but the emperor hugged her into his arms. The emperor hugged her and murmured: Xiao Wan'er, I owe you.
He was talking insanely, but the concubine couldn't hear a word in her heart, she just felt panic and anxious, thinking about how to get the emperor to leave here.
Fortunately, a lucky star was shining brightly, and suddenly an eunuch came to report: "Congratulations to the emperor, Hexi, the emperor, Xu Jieyu is pregnant! It has been two months!"
"Ah, it's so good!" The imperial concubine hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, go and see Sister Xu, I'll clean up my appearance, and I'll go over after a while!"
The emperor could not refuse, got up and left Fengyi Palace.
The noble concubine made sure that there was no more idle people, and hurriedly walked into the cabinet.
But in the cabinet, there is only Xiaoyan alone.
"Where's Yi'er?" the noble concubine asked her.
Xiaoyan replied, "Returning to Empress's words, when the servants came in, His Royal Highness Prince Su had disappeared, the windows were wide open, and there were fragments of porcelain bottles on the ground."
"He slipped fast, but he scared me to death. Why bother to come to see me at night." The imperial concubine shook her head helplessly and sat down beside the dresser. Her elbows were on the dresser, and she suddenly touched a Something, she turned her head to look, and was stunned for a moment.
There is an exquisite wooden box on the dresser, and in the wooden box is a delicious and sweet sesame cloud cake.
The imperial concubine reached out and picked up a piece of sesame cloud cake, stuffed it into the mouth, she said softly while eating, "Xiaoyan."
Xiaoyan: "Huh?"
The imperial concubine smiled and said, "Today is the day I entered the palace eighteen years ago."
Xiaoyan was about to respond when she saw something, and suddenly panicked: "Niangniang, what's wrong with you? Why are your eyes suddenly red?"
"Nothing." The imperial concubine wiped the corners of her eyes with her wrist, her smile unchanged, "The window is open and the wind is blowing, you can close it."