The emperor slowly opened his eyes.
"Li Yuangui, where is the Zhen family?"
After a moment, he murmured.
"Long live the grandson and grandson before the sick bed, and refused to leave. The master took Mrs Zhen into the palace and asked her to take care of His Highness these few days."
"Go and call Zhen Shi."
the emperor said.
…
Jiafu entered the palace and accompanied Ci'er for several days.
This day, Ci'er had been standing guard in front of her grandfather's sick bed and refused to leave even half a step. She was brought back at night by Jia Fu. At this moment, she finally fell into a deep sleep. In her sleep, one hand still caught Jia Fu's body. Don't let go.
For the past three years, Jiafu has dreamed of being able to hug her son and accompany him to sleep again. Now she finally got her wish, but she didn't know how to fall asleep in such a situation, holding her son's finger that hooked her finger. Soft little hands, staring at his sleeping face until late at night, blurry, half-sleep, when he heard Cui Yinshui's soft call from outside the tent, immediately woke up, gently turned over to the bed, went outside, learned that The emperor just woke up, suddenly summoned himself, changed clothes, and hurriedly went to Chengguang Hall, entered, and saw that the emperor who had been in a drowsy for many days, but only woke up a few times in the middle, actually put on his clothes, and now he was sitting on the couch, Although he was sickly and thin, his eyes were very clear and his spirit was exceptionally good, as if he had just recovered from his serious illness.
An ominous omen flashed in Jiafu's heart, and she stepped forward, knelt before the couch, and bowed and greeted with the courtesy of a courtier's wife. After a while, I heard a voice above say: "Zhenshi, you are the same as You'an, and you still don't want to call me father and emperor?"
Jiafu was slightly startled, raised her head, and saw the emperor staring at her.
Jiafu's heart was confused, and when he hesitated, he suddenly saw the emperor smile slightly, and the smile seemed to be a bit self-deprecating: "You get up. Well, I also know that this throne is not wanted by everyone in the world. Because Because of me, you and Ci'er were born mother and son, but you can't see each other as mother and son. If you don't hate me, I'm already happy..."
The emperor suddenly coughed, and Li Yuangui hurriedly stepped forward to pat his back.
The emperor gradually stopped coughing, but his breathing was abnormally rapid.
Jiafu got up from the ground, picked up a cup of warm concoction nearby, and sent it up.
The emperor shook his head, pushed the medicine away, waited for his breathing to subside, and stared straight ahead for a moment.
"Zhenshi, I asked you to come, there is nothing else, just just now, I had a dream, I dreamed about some youthful past... I just wanted to find someone to talk to..."
"I sit in the world and are rich in the world, and now I am dying, and I can't find a person who can speak. I just remembered the clothes you gave me on my fiftyth birthday. Although I have never worn clothes, but you I'm very grateful for your thoughts..."
"Long live, if you have anything to say, please tell me."
Jiafu suppressed the sadness in her heart and whispered.
"Zhenshi, do you know why I insisted on making Ci'er the emperor?"
After a while, the emperor asked suddenly.
Catherine stared at the emperor on the sickbed.
"I made a mistake when I was young, and I lost my love forever. Later, I made a big mistake, and it is difficult to make up for it. No matter what You An thinks, in my opinion, this throne is the greatest compensation I can give."
"I was born in the royal family. In my whole life, I have experienced sibling rivalry, father and son rivalry, and clan disagreements. I know he is ashamed of his background, but he has royal blood on his body. There is no doubt about this, and this is even more sinful. source."
"It's unfortunate that I was born as the son of Xiao Lie in this way. In this life and this life, I only have to climb all the way to the top."
"In my life, I am sorry for many people. With such an arrangement, I will not dare to say what will happen in the future."
"There are few two things in the world. Once you are born into the royal family, you are called Liuhe Bafang, and you crawl under your feet!"
"Slaying people with a deer knife, not waiting to be slaughtered on an anvil!"
"In my opinion, this is a long-term plan for a lifetime!"
The emperor finished talking without stopping, gasping again, the whole person also seemed to have lost all energy, his shoulders suddenly collapsed, he fell back, was supported by Li Yuangui, let him lie down slowly.
"What I want to say, it's all here. You can go back too, so I can take care of Ci'er—"
After a long while, the emperor closed his eyes and said in a low voice.
Jiafu knelt down slowly, kowtowed, got up and exited, stepped over the threshold of the hall, walked a few steps, turned her head and looked at the dark outline of the hall behind her, which was outlined by the night, her tears were already flowing.
…
Although it was the Shangyuan Festival, due to the emperor's illness, there were still cabinet ministers in the East Pavilion.
In addition to Pei You'an, Zhang Shiyong and Lu Xiang are also on duty tonight. The two discussed the emperor's illness in a low voice.
"Long live auspicious people and gods, this time will be able to turn bad luck into good luck..."
"Master Pei, you are also proficient in medicine, do you have a way? Master Pei?"
The two did not hear Pei You'an's response, and turned their heads to see his figure walking out of the East Pavilion and disappearing outside the door.
Pei You'an came out of the East Pavilion and stopped in the dark.
A high palace wall separates the outside and inside of the wall into two worlds. On the outside of the wall, there are Yuan lights, fire trees and silver flowers, and deep palaces and gardens inside the wall, and shadows are stacked. A few palace lanterns flickered slightly in the night wind, casting a dim light and shadow on the ground, adding a bit of seclusion and loneliness.
Pei You'an raised his head slightly and stared at the gorgeous night sky outside the palace wall in the distance. After a while, he walked forward and finally stopped in front of the closed palace gate outside the Chengguang Palace.
He stood outside the door for a long time, but finally turned around and left slowly.
When Jiafu came back, Ci'er was still sleeping soundly. He Yi was lying on the side of the bed, thinking about what happened when the emperor summoned him just now.
She knew in her heart that this was the last scene.
Those words, the emperor may have originally wanted to tell Pei You'an to listen, or maybe, as he said, he just wanted to find someone and say a few words.
She closed her eyes, meditated for a moment, and finally got up and came out. She opened the door and was about to call Cui Yinshui to go to the East Pavilion to invite Pei Youan, but saw a figure standing under the steps.
The bright moon of the last Yuan night hangs high in the blue sky, the figure is faint, and the face is like a moonlight.
Pei You'an is here.
Jiafu hurried out to greet him, held his cool hand, and brought him in.
Pei You'an sat beside the bed and looked at Ci'er who was sleeping soundly. After a while, she gently got up and walked out. Jiafu followed and took her to the door. He hugged her and said with a smile, "I suddenly missed you all just now. I'm here. It's time for me to go back to the East Pavilion, you can go to sleep again."
Jiafu wrapped his arms around his waist and looked up at him: "Big cousin, long live just called me over and said a few words..."
Jiafu repeated it, and finally said: "Wan Sui didn't ask me to turn to you, but I think, he should still hope you can know in his heart."
Pei You'an was silent for a moment, kissed her, and whispered, "I should go, you can go to sleep again."
…
"A Jing... I've been a bastard all my life..."
"I made my grandson the emperor. I don't know if it suits you. If you don't like it, when you see me, you can just scold me..."
"Ajing, if the times were the same as before, I would have gone to propose marriage to the royal father and marry you as a wife..."
Xiao Lie muttered to himself, the palm that was holding the jade pendant tightened and tightened, and his eyes fell on the dim light above the hall, which could not be illuminated by candlelight, his eyes seemed to penetrate out. , looking at the far and boundless void.
"call out-"
A flaming firework beam burst upwards from the direction of the city of lights and rushed into the mid-air, bursting into a huge and gorgeous firework, almost illuminating the night sky in the east of the imperial city.
The fireworks gradually extinguished and dissipated into the night.
"The Imperial Physician - the Imperial Physician - Rescue the Driver -"
A sudden sharp sound broke the silence of the palace.
The group of Imperial Physician Hu who was waiting outside the Chengguang Hall hurriedly entered.
When Zhang Shiyong and Lu Xiang were urgently summoned from the East Pavilion to Chengguang Hall, they saw a figure standing outside the hall.
The man's back was straight and thin, standing there, motionless, it was Pei You'an, the grandson of the grandson.
Soon, ministers such as He Gongpu, Liu Jiushao and others rushed to the outside of the hall after receiving the news.
"Xuan Pei You'an, Zhang Shiyong, Liu Jiushao have an audience..." The palace servants hurriedly came out, dragging their tone and declaring the imperial decree.
Zhang and Liu followed Pei You'an into the room, and saw the emperor lying on his back on the dragon bed deep in the inner hall, as if he could no longer speak, his eyes were half-open and half-closed, as if sleeping but not sleeping. On the ground next to him, there was an imperial physician kneeling in a row. , Li Yuangui stood at the foot of the bed, holding the imperial edict in his hand, with a sullen expression on his face.
"Pei You'an, Zhang Shiyong, Liu Jiushao listened to the decree-"
Li Yuangui stepped forward and preached.
Zhang Liu immediately followed Pei You'an in front of him and knelt down on the ground.
The emperor knew that he was dying. After he left, he would be succeeded by his grandson. All mourning and sacrifices should be kept simple. With the day and the month, the subjects of the world can be released on 27 days. There are no restrictions on marriage and marriage. Concubines, avoid sacrifice and burial, and properly support them. Before the young emperor came to power, Pei Youan was the minister of Gu Ming, who was in charge of domestic and foreign affairs, and the honorary titles of Zhang and Liu Shangzhu were added to assist in the affairs of the court.
Zhang and Liu burst into tears, and after following Pei Youan, they kowtowed and agreed.
The emperor on the dragon bed was still lying with his eyes closed, motionless.
"Three adults, the holy will is here, after receiving the decree, step back!"
Zhang and Liu held the imperial decree in both hands, and while weeping, they bowed and stepped back.
Pei You'an also got up from the ground, his footsteps were unusually dignified, and he slowly retreated to the entrance of the hall. He stopped and turned his head slowly.
Xiao Lie on the dragon bed had opened his eyes at some point and turned his face outward.
The palace candle swayed, and the emperor's two lines of sight were falling on his back, his eyes were fixed and motionless.
Pei You'an's figure froze for a moment, then turned around suddenly, and hurriedly returned to the dragon bed.
Under the watchful eyes of Zhang and Liu behind him, he moved towards Xiao Lie, knelt down again, stood up straight, and made a bow.
His forehead slammed on the ground, and he fell on his face like this, for a long time, his figure remained motionless.
At that moment, there was a look of relief in the emperor's eyes that had never been seen for a long time.
He fixedly stared at the figure in front of the bed who couldn't help kneeling towards him, a faint smile appeared on his lips, he let out a long breath, and slowly closed his eyes.