The spring is late and the breeze is gentle.

The midday sun shines brightly on people's bodies.

Rong Shu and Gu Changjin clasped their fingers and walked slowly along the long palace road.

She thought she would never set foot in this majestic and majestic imperial city in the eyes of the world. Now, she came willingly.

The palace people stood on both sides of the palace road with their heads bowed. As soon as Wang Dehai saw the two figures, he immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Your Highness, Miss Shen, the Emperor has been waiting at Qianqing Palace for a long time."

When their group left Datong, someone had already sent news to the palace.

Emperor Jiayou already knew when he would stay at the inn, when he would arrive at Shuntian, and when he would arrive at the city gate.

When Wang Dehai led the people over, he was looking at the marriage decree and the small portrait that Gu Changjin had sent back.

Seeing that Emperor Jiayou was still silent, Wang Dehai said cautiously: "Your Majesty?"

Emperor Jiayou put down the small statue in his hand and said warmly: "Let them come in. If the queen comes, ask her to go to the side hall and tell her She can just wait there."

Wang Dehai hurriedly agreed and bowed out.

The heavy wooden door slowly closed, and soon it was pushed open from the outside with a creaking sound, and two figures came together.

Emperor Jiayou stared at them intently. In a trance, he seemed to have seen the scene where he and Qi Zhen had their fingers clasped together when they left the cave many years ago.

He still remembers how Xiao Yan, the seventh prince, felt when he held Miss Qi's hand.

At that time, their hearts were so close together that it seemed that as long as they were together, it wouldn't matter if they died in the next moment.

Fearless.

Life and death together.

Emperor Jiayou's eyes slowly moved from their clasped hands to the girl on the right wearing a frosty white coat and skirt.

Just as Qi Zhen said, this child was born like him and like her.

Only she is slimmer than the one in the portrait.

Guizhong said that she was injured in the avalanche and would be recovering from her injuries in a Taoist temple for several days. After a long journey, he rushed to Datong and then to Beijing. She knew that this journey must be tiring, but her expression showed no signs of fatigue at all, instead carrying a gentle and vigorous vitality.

Emperor Jiayou hugged Xiao Yi, hugged Xiao Yu, and even hugged Huai'an when he was born.

Only the child in front of him, his and Qi Zhen's child, his only daughter, he had never held, seen, or spoken a word to.

While thinking about it, Rong Shu bowed politely and said: "Chinese daughter Shen Shu, please kowtow to the Emperor."

Emperor Jiayou slowly lowered his eyes.

"Get up."

He looked at her lowered eyelashes and said, "You said your name is Shen Shu?"

"Yes, a civilian daughter gave up her father's surname and followed her mother into the Shen family tree. Therefore, a civilian daughter Now my surname is Shen."

Emperor Jiayou was silent.

It suddenly occurred to me that when she was the eldest daughter of Marquis Chengan, she was sent away to Beijing as a child because she was not welcomed by her grandmother and father because of her unlucky birth.

Even when he returned to Beijing later, his life in the Hou Mansion was not easy.

Emperor Jiayou knew what it felt like not to be liked by his elders since he was a child.

After all, he was a man and a prince. No matter how much his father ignored him, his life would be easier than hers.

"What do you want to say to me when you come today?"

Emperor Jiayou's voice was gentle and his face was kind.

He knew very well that the prince would bring her here because she wanted to come. And when she came, she must have something to ask for.

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the girl under the dragon case said respectfully: "Daughter of the common people, I want to ask for my life with the emperor."

To ask for my life?

Emperor Jiayou was startled for a moment, then subconsciously looked at her and then at Gu Changjin.

The man in black uniform did not notice his gaze, or in other words, he did not care about his gaze at all.

He just looked at the girl quietly, with a faint smile on his lips and soft eyes.

Emperor Jiayou looked at Rong Shu again and asked: "Whose life?"

Rong Shu said calmly: "It is the life of a civilian girl. The civilian girl was born on the sixth day of April in the second year of Jiayou's reign."

That was the fate of the little princess who was born on the sixth day of April in the second year of Jiayou. She was abandoned by her biological mother at birth and died in the autumn of the twenty-third year of Jiayou.

Emperor Jiayou said: "Then your current life, whose life is it?"

"It is Shen Shu's life. Shen Shu was born on July 15th, the second year of Jiayou."

Rong Shu said, neither humble nor arrogant, her life , the first twenty years were given by Aniang, and every subsequent year was obtained by Gu Ynzhi.

Therefore, she is just Shen Shu now.

It's just that in the past life and this life, they must pay her back the life they owed her.

Emperor Jiayou was silent.

She calls herself a folk girl, she says her surname is Shen, and she wants to take back the life she was born on the sixth day of April.

This girl did not enter the palace today to recognize her relatives, nor did she intend to recognize her ancestors, nor did she intend to question them or scold them.

She just calmly and decisively wanted to get her life back.

How could Emperor Jiayou not guess what the life he was asking for would be used for?

"You want me to give you a life so that I can save the prince?"

"Yes, the prince saved the girl's life, and the girl wants to give back the prince's life." Rong Shu said, raising his hands to his forehead and bowing. After giving a big gift, he raised his head, looked at Emperor Jiayou resolutely, and said word by word: "Your Majesty, please spare Shen Shu's life!"

Emperor Jiayou looked at her eyes that were exactly the same as Qi Zhen's, and they were very out of place. I thought to myself, her temperament looks soft, but is actually strong.

This is not like him, nor like Qi Zhen, it's probably because she followed her adoptive mother.

He said softly: "I understand, I will give you an explanation. You go to the side hall first, I still have something to say with the prince."

After that, he called "Wang Dehai".

Wang Dehai bowed into the hall and said, "Miss Shen, please come with us."

Rong Shu turned his head and looked at Gu Changjin. The man smiled at her and told her not to worry.

Rong Shu smiled back at him, nodded lightly, turned around and followed Wang Dehai out.

The inner hall soon fell silent.

Emperor Jiayou was not in a hurry to speak. He picked up the tea cup and slowly drank half of the cup before throwing the tea cup in his hand on the dragon table with a clang.

"You are so brave!"

Gu Changjin bowed calmly and said, "Your Majesty, forgive me."

Forgive me?

Emperor Jiayou looked at his plain face and snorted coldly: "Do you really need my forgiveness? Do you know what the crime is for pretending to be the emperor's heir? You really think that I dare not punish you for deceiving the emperor!"

Gu Changjin He lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Emperor Jiayou breathed out slowly: "I have found Xiao Yan's bones in Fuyu Mountain, and I will send someone to transport his bones back to the imperial mausoleum soon."

The bones were indeed those of Xiao Yan. Sun Bailong recognized the traces of fractures on Xiao Yan's leg bones at a glance, and also recognized Ni Huan's body.

In other words, the young man in front of me is really just the second son of Gu Jun, the Orion of Fuyu Mountain!

"I kindly ask the emperor to leave Xiao Yan's body in Fuyu Mountain."

Gu Changjin raised his head and looked directly into Emperor Jiayou's eyes, "Xiao Yan never wanted to be Xiao Yan. He always wanted to stay in Fuyu Mountain."

Six-year-old Xiao Yan did not want to bear the hatred of his father and his country. He likes Fuyu Mountain. If he had a choice, he would rather be Uncle Ni's son. He would rather look at him and be an ordinary child in Fuyu Mountain.

Emperor Jiayou looked at Gu Changjin quietly.

The young man in front of him was clearly still him, but his aura was slightly different.

That kind of momentum, restrained and deep, can only be found by people who have been in high positions for many years.

Emperor Jiayou said calmly: "He is from the Xiao family."

"He has never wanted to be a member of the Xiao family, nor the son of Prince Qiyuan." Gu Changjin shook his head and said: "Not everyone in this world is willing to be a member of the Xiao family. Family."

Xiao Yan is, so is Zhao Zhao.

Emperor Jiayou knew who he was talking about.

Once upon a time, he did not want to be a descendant of the Xiao family, and would rather be an ordinary person.

Gu Changjin said in a deep voice: "If the Emperor really wants to do something, then build a tombstone for him and Uncle Ni."

"I agree." Emperor Jiayou said slowly: "Next, please tell me why I I want you to continue to be the crown prince of Dayin, instead of imprisoning you as a deceiver!" "

Because I owe the country and the people of Dayin a lot of merit."

The people of Yin erected a merit monument for him, placed many ever-burning lanterns, and hung countless prayer flags, just to pray for him and accumulate virtue for him.

He borrowed this merit and returned time to forty years ago.

As of now, he has never done anything for the people or the country of Dayin.

He wanted to return this merit to the people and the country.

"In addition, I also want to give Zhaozhao a safe and healthy Dayin."

"Yangzhou was trapped, so she ran around every day to settle the people of Yangzhou and raise food and fodder for the generals on the front line. There was a shortage of war horses at the border, so she sold her dowry , bought the horse ranch just to relieve Dayin's horse shortage in the future.

"Even though she is a housewife, she also has mountains and rivers in her heart."

He wanted to give her the prosperous life she wanted. She looked at what kind of Dayin he had created in order to return to her.

Emperor Jiayou's eyes darkened: "Why do you say you owe Dayin's people and country a share of merit?"

Gu Changjin did not answer his question.

He only said slowly: "At the beginning of this year, there was snow in the two vast areas for seven days, accumulating more than a foot. The next winter, Hainan, which has not experienced cold for a long time, was snowy like beads during the day, and the roads were frozen to death. Another year, in the early years of Yuan Zhao, there was a snow disaster From north to south, no one in Dayin was spared. The food harvest was lost for three consecutive years. In the second year of Yuan Zhao, Dayin fell into a food shortage. At the same time, the Jurchens in Jianzhou rose and the Tatars unified all tribes. , sent troops to Dayin together. There was famine in Dayin, lack of food and horses, and powerful enemy troops outside the city. When the iron hoof was about to wreak havoc on Dayin's border, I led Dayin's soldiers and people to defend Dayin. "

The man's voice was calm and low, without waves, but his expression was as indifferent as a statue enshrined in a temple.

As he finished his words, Emperor Jiayou's expression also darkened little by little.

Last year, when it snowed for seven days, Qintian Supervisor Zheng told him worriedly that there would be a cold disaster in Dayin in the next few years. The memorial was handed to him personally by the supervisor. After he read it, it was burned so that Gu Changjin could not see it.

As for the large increase in Jurchen and Tatar troops in Jianzhou, it was also a big stone in his mind.

This is why he wants Gu Changjin to go to Liaodong this year.

Emperor Jiayou never believed that there were people in this world who could predict the future, but every word Gu Changjin said was like thunder, making his ears roar.

He actually believed it!

Gu Changjin looked at Emperor Jiayou, "Being emperor for ten years is a cause and effect that I, Gu Yun, owe Dayin the country and the country and the millions of people. It is also my promise to Zhaozhao. After ten years, I will hand over the throne to With Xiao Huaian, take Zhao Zhao away to Beijing and accompany her to wherever she wants to go. "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I won't stay in this palace for a day longer."

He was never asking Emperor Jiayou to give him status . .

But he wanted Emperor Jiayou to willingly hand over the throne to him!

In his previous life, before Emperor Jiayou Long Yu Bintian, he told Emperor Jiayou the truth, saying that he was not the real Xiao Yan. He also told him that his only daughter died in the "midnight watch" and did not know her true identity until her death.

"You and the queen indeed owe her a life!"

Emperor Jiayou stood up from the dragon throne suddenly and said with a cold face: "According to what you said, I will die next winter. In this case, before I die, Have you ever been given anything? "

When the emperor dies, the emperor will give nothing more than an imperial edict to pass on the throne and a jade seal representing supreme power.

However, Gu Changjin just said calmly: "A chess piece. What the emperor gave me is a white chess piece that you took away when you and the old minister were talking to the jailer in Dali Temple." Emperor

Jiayou's expression changed.

The side hall of Qianqing Palace.

Wang Dehai was waiting on Rong Shu.

One moment they brought honey water, another moment they brought cakes and fruits, and just now they brought a box of mandarin oranges.

"Miss Shen, have a try. These are the tribute oranges sent from Lingnan this year. Last winter, the southern border encountered a severe cold weather that was rare in a century. There were only two boxes of tangerines sent as tribute. Try it. If you like it, I will call you. Please send me another box," Wang Dehai said enthusiastically, his wrinkled face almost bursting into laughter. Rong

Shu sat neatly in a rose chair. Hearing this, he shook his head and said warmly: "Thank you, Superintendent Wang, the civilian daughter is not hungry."

Wang Dehai's expression froze, and he subconsciously looked towards the compartment, and soon he He withdrew his gaze.

Rong Shu kept sipping tea with his eyes lowered, as if he didn't notice his little movements at all.

"Okay, if Miss Shen needs anything, just call the slave, and he will be waiting outside the door."

Rong Shu politely responded, "Thank you, Superintendent Wang."

Wang Dehai glanced at the compartment calmly, and left in a leisurely pace. Side hall.

The side hall was eerily quiet for a moment.

Rong Shu sipped the tea calmly, without even raising his eyelids.

She knew that there was someone else in the room, and she guessed who that person was, but she had no intention of meeting that person.

Time passed little by little, and less than half an hour later, there was suddenly a sound of footsteps outside.

Rong Shu immediately put down the tea cup in his hand and hurried out of the door.

"Wait a minute!"

The person hiding in the compartment couldn't help it. He walked around the screen and walked out. He looked at her back and said, "Your mother, how are you treating me?"

Rong Shu was startled and said softly. Turning around slightly, she lowered her head and said, "My mother treats women of the people very well. She and the prince are the best people in the world who treat women of the people the best."

Queen Qi's eyes were a little hot, and she said "good" several times in succession.

Rong Shu paused, bowed politely, and asked: "Do you have anything to ask the daughter of the people?"

Queen Qi took a deep breath, held back the sobs in her throat, and smiled softly: "I have nothing to say. If you want to ask, go ahead."

Rong Shu lowered his eyes and said "yes", picked up his skirt and walked out of the side hall quickly.

Gu Changjin was also coming this way, and when he caught a glimpse of her figure, his steps slowed down at first, and then quickened.

Rong Shu also quickened his pace, so fast that he wanted to run and reach him.

The figures of the two people gradually approached, Gu Changjin stretched out his hand towards her and said: "Zhaozhao, let's leave the palace."

Rong Shu took his hand and nodded: "Okay."

Hengping and Chang Ji had already prepared The carriage was waiting outside Nanzhimen.

After getting on the carriage, Rong Shu immediately asked Gu Changjin: "Your Majesty, will you still be blamed?"

Gu Changjin said: "No, with you protecting me, who would dare to blame me?"

Rong Shu smiled. , and asked: "Then are you the prince Xiao Changjin now, or the Sui Guan'er?"

Gu Changjin pinched her fingers, "Be Xiao Changjin first, and then the Sui Guan'er later. Zhao Zhao——"

Man After a slight pause, "You wait for me for ten years. After ten years, I will accompany you to see the great rivers and mountains of Dayin, okay?"

"Okay." Rong Shu said nonchalantly: "I will accompany you first, and you Stay with me. Anyway, we won't separate."

The carriage headed towards Chang'an Street in the warm spring light of the afternoon.

Rong Shu picked up the round fan on one side, opened the car curtain, looked at the crowded streets, and said, "Where are we going?"

"Where do you want to go? Back to the East Palace or Mingluyuan?"

Rong Shu tilted his head and thought. After a moment, he said: "How about we go to Wutong Lane to eat plum blossom soup cakes, and then go to Songsi Courtyard to have a look?"

She had only eaten two cups of tea in the side hall, and she was already hungry.

"When I came back from Mingluyuan last year, you paid for the plum blossom soup cake I ate at Wutong Lane. Today I treat His Highness to eat it." Rong Shu said with great pride.

When Gu Changjin left Wutong Alley, everyone in the alley knew that he was the son of the queen. The appearance of His Majesty the Crown Prince in Wutong Alley would cause a huge sensation, so the purchase of plum blossom soup cakes could only be tolerated.

The couple selling soup cakes recognized Rong Shu.

As soon as he saw her, he shouted enthusiastically: "Mrs. Gu!"

It wasn't until he spoke that he realized something was wrong. Mrs. Gu had reconciled with His Highness the Crown Prince, so calling her "Mrs. Gu" wouldn't that rub salt into her heart?

Just as he was thinking about changing his words, Rong Shu had already accepted the words and ordered two bowls of plum blossom soup cakes with a smile.

This plum blossom soup cake cannot be eaten in the carriage, so the two of them quickly returned to Songsiyuan carrying the hot food boxes.

It has been a year since Rong Shu left here, but Songsiyuan is still the Songsiyuan in her memory.

The sycamore trees in the yard were covered with clouds of snow foam, and peach charms sent by the people last year were hung on both sides of the gate.

Rong Shu stepped forward and pushed open the wooden door of the dormitory, looked inside quietly for a long time, then turned back to look at Gu Changjin, and said angrily: "Gu Yunzhi, you are such a dead-brained person!"

Aren't you a dead-brained person?

She had emptied her house back then, but now it has returned to its previous appearance. Just like the Zichen Palace, all the furnishings inside are exactly the same as when she was there.

There is a huanghuali wood bed embroidered with auspicious animals and auspicious clouds, an agarwood small table, a sandalwood high table, and a mountain-mounted stone screen on all sides.

Rong Shu carried the skirt and entered. No wonder this man said he could come back to Songsiyuan to eat.

Songsiyuan was completely unchanged before she left. Now, the table where they usually ate was outside the screen, so the two of them sat down to enjoy the meal.

In late spring, when it was warm but still cold, after two bowls of warm soup cakes, Rong Shu wanted to go find some wine.

"I remember I buried a jar of plum wine under the sycamore tree."

She stepped on a pair of deerskin boots and walked to the yard. When she came under the sycamore tree, she suddenly remembered that she had buried no wine in this life. Woolen cloth?

After being reborn, I was obsessed with leaving here. I couldn’t eat even if I drank wine, so I didn’t bury myself.

After a pause, she looked back at Gu Changjin. In his unhurried eyes, she touched her nose and said, "I forgot that I left before I had time to bury the wine."

Gu Changjin said "hmm" and said, "I think so." What kind of wine do you want to drink? I'll go out and buy it for you."

Rong Shu looked up at the snow covering the sycamore branches, and said with a smile, "You make a fire here, and I'll bring a small red clay stove and a copper kettle. Eat it in boiled snow water."

The young lady's eyes were clear and clear.

Gu Changjin glanced at her, said nothing, and went to the small kitchen to collect firewood very cooperatively.

In just one stick of incense, a small red clay stove was placed under the phoenix tree. On the stove was placed a copper kettle with a thin mouth for boiling water. Two white jade cups were placed under it. On one side, there was a thick bed that could accommodate three or four people. Sitting on the bamboo mat.

The frost and snow on the sycamore branches slowly turned into water in the copper pot.

Rong Shu knelt down on the bamboo mat, raised the handle, poured water into two white jade cups, then raised his eyes, looked at Gu Changjin and said, "Gu Yunzhi, do you want to marry me?"

Gu Changjin lifted her skirt from her He knew what she was thinking when he was looking for a drink.

The surrounding fields are silent, and the moonlight is like water.

The evening wind passed under the tree, shaking off the snowflakes and scattering them in her black hair.

Looking at the girl's smiling eyes, Gu Changjin lowered his voice and responded slowly: "I think so."

Rong Shu pushed the cup in his hand over.

"This meeting can be regarded as a good time and beautiful scenery. It is much better than the day I brought Tusu wine to you and left. It can be regarded as a blessing from God. Although there is no wine, Henan wine does not necessarily have to be wine. The spring water boiled from Wutong snow That's fine."

She always came so casually.

When they were leaving, they took a jar of Tusu wine and went to the study to look for him. Now that I want to get married, boiling two cups of snow water under the sycamore tree can be regarded as a glass of wine.

Gu Changjin took the cup and said with a smile in his voice: "Zhaozhao, after we get married this time, we can no longer reconcile."

"That can't be done." Rong Shu said in a matter-of-fact tone: "If you don't treat me well, I will be hurt. I'm heartbroken, we still have to make peace with each other. So Gu Yunzhi..."

The young lady looked at him with a smile while holding the cup: "You must be good to me, and always be good to me."

She stretched out her hand. Slowly go around his hand holding the glass and drink the glass of snow water together.

Although the house is not full of distinguished guests, and there are no red candles weeping, there is heaven and earth as matchmakers, and the breeze and bright moon as guests.

Who can say that such a marriage is not beautiful?