Zheng Yuheng returned home in the wind and dew.
　　From the Imperial Hospital to the Zheng Mansion, it was not far, but also not close. When Zheng Yuheng got off the car, the cool night wind blew up his cloak and poured into his sleeves.
　　He subconsciously gathered his sleeves and followed the servant into the house.
　　There were two lanterns hanging in front of the Zheng Mansion, and wooden couplets on both sides of the gate. It was quiet inside, with only the dim lights on the innermost part of the inner house. The servants and maids around were quiet, all with their heads down.
　　Zheng Yuheng had no time to care about anything else. He walked all the way to the brightly lit place. While untying the belt of his cloak, he pushed the door and said, "Father..."
　　As the voice came in, Zheng Yuheng stepped over the threshold. The lights in front of him were so bright that he was blinding. Before he could examine the situation, he heard the door close behind him. Two burly guards clamped him on the left and right, and seemed to have received orders long ago to press Zheng Yuheng
　　to his knees on the ground. He was not careful for a moment, and his knees touched the ground with a bang.
　　It was bright all around, and Zheng Yuheng was not in front of him. His biological father Zheng Jie was sitting on a wide chair, his eyes dark and dull, as if soaked with water that could not be squeezed out. Next to Zheng Jie sat his stepmother, with a kind face.
　　The guards let go of his hand and stood behind him like a tiger or leopard.
　　Zheng Yuheng raised his eyes and took a look, and realized that this was actually a "Hongmen Banquet". His eyes moved up and down Zheng's father's body, then he retracted them and asked in a tone that he was used to and familiar with: "Father... what mistakes did I make again?"
　　Zheng Jie laughed in anger and said to him: "You still want to ask me? You still have the nerve to ask me?! Ask yourself, how did I educate you and tell you since you were a child, but you are a mediocre person who can't be carved."
　　Zheng Yuheng listened silently. He remembered his father's humble and proud look at the school banquet when he won two first prizes in a row. He also remembered his father's frustrated and even bored look after he was dismissed from his official position and turned to study medicine... The difference between a legitimate eldest son who is a medical officer and a legitimate eldest son who studies classics is huge, which greatly disappointed his father.
　　He remained silent, more like a hard bone that resisted stubbornly.
　　Zheng Jie said, "You can serve in the Cining Palace. I originally thought you had some potential. Even if you rarely come home, everyone in the family respects you. But tell me, what do you rely on? What do you rely on!"
　　He threw the teacup on the table over, and it broke beside Zheng Yuheng, and the flying porcelain pieces fell to the ground.
　　The stepmother beside him hurriedly comforted him, "Master, don't be too angry. Why don't we listen to Heng'er's explanation?"
　　Zheng Yuheng glanced at her.
　　When these two words appeared in the mouth of the Queen Mother, he only felt sensitive, too intimate and even ashamed, but when they appeared in the mouth of this stepmother, there was only disgusting hypocrisy.
　　Zheng Jie patted the armrest and said, "Speak up!"
　　Zheng Yuheng finally said, "Fortunately, father did not suddenly fall ill tonight... Birth, aging, sickness and death should not be spoken lightly, and don't use this method in the future."
　　Zheng's father was stunned at first, and a certain emotion flashed through his mind very briefly, but it was quickly covered by disgust. He pointed at him and said, "If the Zhu family hadn't broken off the engagement before, you would have refused to show up. Would I call you back like this?! I'm your father! You dare to disrespect the words of your own father, what do you understand about heaven, earth, the emperor
　　, parents and teachers?" Zheng Yuheng said, "The Book of Rites says, what is human righteousness, the father is kind and the son is filial."
　　Zheng Jie was furious and stood up from the chair: "What do you mean? Parents are not kind, so the children are unfilial? I really gave birth to you in vain-"
　　"Master, master!" The stepmother pulled his arm, "He's still a child, why are you arguing with a child!"
　　"Child? After the Chinese Valentine's Day next month, he will be nineteen years old. If he grows up, he will have to have the ceremony of coming of age. What kind of child is he?"
　　"Oh, Master..."
　　The stepmother openly admonished, but secretly fanned the flames, fearing that the fire would not be strong enough. She stood up and turned to Zheng Yuheng's side, pulling his sleeve: "Why is Heng'er so stubborn? It's okay for you to admit your fault to your father. In the future, you can say that you feel that your medical skills are not good enough and refuse the favor of the queen. While not many people know about it, you can still live a clean life."
　　Zheng Yuheng didn't look at her, his fingers tightened little by little, his finger bones turned white, and he whispered: "Clean... The queen and I are innocent."
　　Even though several months had passed, even though the queen mother clearly wanted him before, the two of them were still stuck in physical communication that was just for comfort. Zheng Yuheng couldn't even see any trace of desire from her, she was like Guanyin Bodhisattva on the lotus platform.
　　The stepmother said, "Stop being so stubborn. Who doesn't know the overwhelming power of the Empress of the Cining Palace? Even if you are greedy for glory and wealth and rush to offer yourself to her, your mother can understand... Everyone has made mistakes..."
　　Zheng Yuheng took a deep breath and said, "I am concerned about the Empress's illness and want to cure her. It has nothing to do with glory and wealth."
　　But no one would believe this.
　　The world is bustling for profit, and the world is bustling for profit. It is too difficult to believe that a person has no utilitarian heart. But in the same way, a person often has another side besides profit.
　　For example, when the people in the palace moved in the reward, Zheng Jie would retreat for the name of Queen Mother Dong, but at this critical juncture, he is willing to crash his head against the Panlong Dan Pillar to save the reputation of his family. He is upright, old-fashioned, and pedantic.
　　Before Zheng Jie expressed his opinion, his second wife showed an expression of disbelief and said softly, "You are too stubborn. Why don't you admit your mistakes quickly? Resign your official position and don't have any contact with the palace. If you don't give in, your father may use the family law."
　　This sentence reminded Zheng Jie.
　　He slapped his thigh and said to the two guards, "Go, bring out the family law!"
　　One of the guards hesitated and asked, "Master, which one should we invite?"
　　"The whip." The second wife said lightly, "Go quickly."
　　Master Zheng had no objection. He sat on the chair again, called the second wife back to his side, and tapped the armrest of the chair anxiously, as if all his hopes of making Zheng Yuheng "turn over a new leaf" were placed on the strict family law.
　　In this period of time when no one spoke, Zheng Yuheng felt a suffocating silence. His thoughts scattered involuntarily, passing through the flickering candlelight in front of him, remembering when his grandmother was alive, holding him in her arms to learn calligraphy... In these short ten years, it seemed that all the people who loved him left one after another.
　　He was once worried that his father would be like this, and would abandon him again due to illness or fatigue. But at this moment, Zheng Yuheng realized belatedly that his father was still standing in front of him in good health, but had already abandoned him.
　　The guard brought out the family whip, which was different from the bamboo board. It was a rough whip that was coiled up. It was usually placed next to the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall and was not used easily.
　　Zheng Yuheng was a little scared. It was not that he didn't feel pain, but he could endure it.
　　Zheng Jie took the whip, and the long tail of the whip hung down. He walked slowly around Zheng Yuheng from far to near, and asked loudly: "Do you know that you are wrong?"
　　Zheng Yuheng said: "...I know that I am wrong. I am guilty of coveting the Queen Mother."
　　Zheng Jie stared at his face, and just as his expression eased a little, he heard him continue: "But I will not change, and I will not leave the Queen Mother."
　　"You evil creature!" his father cursed.
　　Zheng Jie picked up the whip and walked behind his eldest son. He was so angry that he swung the whip without any mercy.
　　The whip made a sharp sound of breaking through the air, and then hit the flesh dully.
　　The human body is so fragile sometimes. Even though Zheng Yuheng was young and healthy, all his patience was completely destroyed by the pain of the whip. The pain was dull at first, and finally with the tearing feeling of the skin being separated, a burning heat rolled on the wound.
　　He was not a physique that would leave scars, but he was very sensitive to pain. He had used up all his strength by crushing the screams of pain in his throat.
　　He was knocked down, and he supported himself on the ground with his hands. Blood appeared on his back, forming a glaring long scar.
　　It was like a feudal and ignorant red snake full of patriarchal toxins, crawling on his body and gnawing at his flesh.
　　Zheng Yuheng's forehead was covered with cold sweat, and his voice became distorted, turning into a few coughs mixed with gasps.
　　His father's voice sounded again: "You are going to ruin our family's reputation! If you don't turn back, I will beat you to death! It would be better if your mother had never given birth to you!" However,
　　this eldest son who "craved power" just clenched his fingers and said: "...You only treat me as your property."
　　Zheng Jie was stunned for a moment.
　　However, Zheng Yuheng's thoughts were clearer than ever before. These words had been lingering in his stomach for who knows how long, and he had been suppressing and enduring them for a long time. In the painful birth, he finally vented them: "You only regard me and all your children as your property. Once we don't meet your wishes, we are rebels, mediocre, and deserve to be beaten to death."
　　"Heng'er?" The stepmother said in surprise, "How can you say that about your father? What parents don't love their children?"
　　Zheng Yuheng raised his eyes to look at her, his lips were bloodless, but he smiled at her without warmth, and said: "Madam, you are also one of his objects, because you pretend to be kind and gentle, and you do what he wants, so you live a happy life. You are a controlled object, like wisteria clinging to paulownia." The
　　stepmother's expression froze.
　　"You are full of nonsense!" Master Zheng pointed at him and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
　　"If we do something a little bit out of line, you will punish us and prune our branches and leaves. You hate me because I have done many things beyond your control. I failed the imperial examination in spring, did not make progress, and turned to medicine. I refused to marry and rarely went home. I served in the Cining Palace. You were afraid that I would escape your control and that I would step on your head--"
　　Although Zheng Yuheng's voice was quiet and his emotions were not obvious, just saying these words could be called disloyalty, unfilial, and treason.
　　"Rebellious son!" Master Zheng shouted.
　　Then there was a snap, accompanied by a sharp sound of wind, which sealed these "treasonous" remarks in Zheng Yuheng's mouth.
　　The whip was covered with blood.
　　From the third whip, he was actually unable to speak. This blatant provocation to the head of the feudal society brought a very heavy price. His teeth kept trembling, and the burning pain finally turned into a chill that penetrated into his bones.
　　He didn't have the extra time to count the number of whips. He only vaguely heard his father say later: "I want to meet the queen and plead guilty in person. It's better than you ruining our family's reputation. Even if you die, the historian will poke your spine and scold you! The queen mother has participated in politics for more than ten years, and she can't tolerate a ridiculous person like you around her."
　　Zheng Yuheng's mind was clear for a moment, and suddenly a great panic surged: No... I can't go.
　　He wanted to speak, but was soon drowned by the endless cold.
　　...
　　Zheng Yuheng fainted, and when he woke up again, he was locked in the ancestral hall.
　　He moved his fingers, sat by the pillar of the ancestral hall, and judged the time through the light reflected on the window pane. The sky had faded into night, but it seemed to be past noon and a little dark.
　　It seemed that a day and a night had passed.
　　The wounds on his body were simply and roughly treated, and the bleeding had stopped, but the slightest movement caused a tearing pain.
　　Zheng Yuheng frowned and opened his mouth, his throat was dry as if on fire.
　　He was conscious for only a short while when he heard a light knocking outside the ancestral hall, and a voice came in: "Young Master."
　　Zheng Yuheng recognized that this was the servant who grew up with him, and said in a hoarse voice: "Mo Shu."
　　Mo Shu choked and replied "Ah", and then said: "Don't be afraid, young master, the master has gone to the palace to meet the emperor, and the lady only locked the door of the ancestral hall and didn't send anyone to guard it. I brought you something."
　　After he said that, he heard the movement in a different place, and the mechanism on the window was pried open. Mo Shu carried the food box, climbed in nimbly, and came over to support Zheng Yuheng.
　　He was a servant brought by the late lady, and originally belonged to Zheng Yuheng's mother's family, so he was loyal and always thought only of him.
　　Zheng Yuheng looked at the food in front of him, and it was a little difficult to swallow, so he just took a few sips of the water he brought.
　　Seeing him like this, Mo Shu wiped his tears and said, "If our madam were still alive, how could you have suffered so much. The fat master is the same, he tells the master everything. If the eldest son is really after wealth and glory, how could he not have a mansion, property, gold and silver rewards? How could he not have a noble civil service position?"
　　Zheng Yuheng thought about it and found that Dong Lingjiu seemed to want to give these things, but he did not want them.
　　Mo Shu wiped away his tears and said, "You should eat something quickly. I don't know how long you will be locked up. How can you not eat?"
　　In order to reassure him, Zheng Yuheng took two bites, but his voice was still hoarse. He couldn't help asking him, "Has my father entered the palace?"
　　Mo Shu said, "Yes, don't worry, take this opportunity..." But
　　Zheng Yuheng didn't listen to his words. The scene emerged in his mind, and he felt very uneasy. If the queen mother was really a tyrannical ruler who used her power to oppress people, even if his ancestors jumped out of their graves and pretended to be dead, or personally went to kowtow to the emperor, it would be useless. But Dong Lingjiu was not like that. What if the queen mother really felt sorry for his reputation and future...
　　He originally He couldn't swallow the food, and now it was like a thorn in his throat. He was silent for a long time, and suddenly said, "I want to enter the palace."
　　Mo Shu opened his eyes wide and said, "Now? Young Master, your body... No, no, that's secondary. Your badge for entering the palace has been taken away by the master."
　　Zheng Yuheng calmed down again. After a moment, he said, "This is not a problem. I didn't go to check my pulse. The Cining Palace will definitely send someone to look for me. As long as they know I'm home, they will guard the palace gate."
　　Mo Shu found it a little hard to believe. It sounded unlikely and hopeless, so he advised, "But it's cloudy outside. It might rain. We're going out secretly and we can't move the carriage in the mansion."
　　"It's okay." Zheng Yuheng closed his eyes, took a breath, and got up from the ground. He endured the remaining pain after the whipping. Except for a little trembling in his hands, he looked calm on the surface. "Please help me rent a horse from the market."
　　Mo Shu couldn't persuade him, so he nodded. So he found some low-key clean clothes and asked Zheng Yuheng to wait here for a while. When he prepared the horse, he quietly took the eldest son out of the window and left Zheng Mansion.
　　It was cloudy outside, and the dull clouds swallowed the sunlight.
　　Zheng Yuheng thought similarly. At this moment, Zheng Jie was kneeling on the smooth ground of the Cining Palace, and kowtowed to Dong Lingjiu from a distance through a beaded curtain.
　　Aunt Ruixue was closing the window. She glanced at the gloomy sky outside, and thought that the little doctor Zheng had not arrived today. She immediately felt that the arrival of this palace attendant censor brought a hint of impending storm.
　　Dong Lingjiu did not sleep well last night. He supported his chin and reviewed the records of the Ministry of Justice sent by Wei Que. He slowly said, "Zheng Shiyu supervised the court ceremonies of all officials. He was cautious and careful, never made mistakes, and rarely came to the palace to meet the emperor. Could it be that he is so loyal that he has already supervised me?" When
　　everyone in the Cining Palace heard this tone, they knew that the queen might not be in a good mood.
　　Zheng Jie kowtowed and said, "I apologize to the queen dowager."
　　Dong Lingjiu glanced at him and had a premonition of his intention.
　　"My eldest son - his mother passed away when he was young, and I didn't discipline him strictly. He is still young and has a bad character. He is really not worthy of the Empress Dowager's respect." The Imperial Censor knocked his head to the ground, his voice was quite loud. "Please, Queen Dowager, dismiss my eldest son from his post for the sake of your own chastity and reputation, and for the sake of the late emperor and the new emperor. He is not good at medicine, and he really can't bear the favor of the Empress."
　　"How dare you." Dong Lingjiu said in a flat voice, "I, Imperial Censor, please speak frankly, what about my reputation?"
　　Even if Zheng Jie was beaten to death, he couldn't say the words "filthy palace". This was not asking for forgiveness to stop the loss, but handing his head to the Empress Dowager to chop off. He could only sweat and say, "Your Majesty has participated in politics for more than ten years, and you know the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects, the defense between men and women, and you know that rumors are like tigers and people's words are scary. It's just that my son is incompetent and ignorant, and doesn't know etiquette. I'm afraid he has humiliated your reputation. This is what he can't wash away. "You are not guilty of this crime!"
　　Dong Lingjiu smiled and said leisurely, "You mean to say that a gentleman should not stand under a dangerous wall. Is Aijia... or your eldest son the dangerous wall?"
　　Zheng Jie did not dare to say yes, so he had to kowtow with his neck stiff: "I dare not, please punish me, Your Majesty."
　　Dong Lingjiu knew that the people of their Zheng family would go all the way to the end once they became censors and inspectors, and they wished that their lifelong destination would be on the pillars of the palace gate of the superior. She raised her hand to signal Xuan Jingyun to watch it and not to crash to death here. Xuan Duzhi, who was
　　guarding outside the bead curtain, understood the meaning and asked a few eunuchs to keep an eye on him so that they could rush up and hold him at the critical moment.
　　The palace was silent for a while, and soon, a dry thunder sounded outside, rumbling.
　　Dong Lingjiu's sight passed through the window screen and vaguely saw the sky where a thunderstorm was coming. She turned a string of coral beads in her hand and said, "If you are sentenced, you should be on the list of people to be interrogated by the Ministry of Justice!"
　　Zheng Jie looked up in surprise.
　　She slowly picked up the teacup, and the eight-point hot snow-green tea rose with wisps of white smoke. Dong Lingjiu just moistened his throat, took out a document from the table, and wanted to throw it over, but when he thought of Heng'er's father, he paused and handed it to Ruixue. Aunt
　　Ruixue took the document, walked to Zheng Jie, bent down, and unfolded the paper.
　　"Your good friend Pang Hailing is really rich." Dong Lingjiu stroked the wall of the cup, "This is the evidence sent by Qilin Guard and Neijishichang. The officials of the Ministry of Justice have followed Qilin Guard to pick up the person today. You have known him for many years, so it is not too much to send him to the prison of the Ministry of Justice for questioning."
　　Zheng Jie's whole body was stiff. Thinking that it was Pang Hailing who reported this matter, a chill suddenly ran down his back. He almost dared not look at her. He stared at the pillar beside him and squeezed out a sentence: "Your servant, I... I have never been corrupt in my life. I am innocent..."
　　"I know." Dong Lingjiu frowned, "Speak softly." Zheng Jie lowered his
　　voice. When he wanted to sacrifice Zheng Yuheng to save his reputation, he was not so afraid. If the responsibility of sacrifice fell on him, he would feel the fear to the bone.
　　Fortunately, Dong Lingjiu was not a queen who was obsessed with selfish desires. On the contrary, her own desires were very weak, so she asked, "Doctor Zheng...has been back home for so long, have you trapped him in the mansion?"
　　The actual situation was much more serious than Dong Lingjiu thought.
　　Zheng Jie gritted his teeth, and the desire to kill the censor came up again, saying, "I locked him up not only for the queen, but also for himself. My eldest son has a flawed character. If he is accused of spreading evil words to confuse the master, he really deserves death."
　　Dong Lingjiu frowned for a long time. She looked at Zheng Jie and found that Zheng Yuheng's father's attitude towards the young doctor was far inferior to his reputation in the officialdom.
　　But although Dong Lingjiu didn't like to hear this, she had to ponder the meaning of it. She was not a young and ignorant new emperor. As the controller of almost half of the dynasty, she understood better than anyone that the actions of the superiors might only hurt her, but for the others under the throne, it was a painful and broken bone disease.
　　In a family, the master of the family held a small power, but he still manipulated it at will, did not take the lives of slaves seriously, and beat and killed them at will. When it came to her, even if it was not her intention, the sharpness of the two words "empress dowager" would still hurt him.
　　"The character of Zheng Taiyi is very good." Dong Lingjiu said, "As for the four words of evil words to confuse the master, it sounds like a false accusation."
　　Zheng Jie said: "Your Majesty is the mother of the emperor and the wife of a saint. You enjoy the world. Your Majesty can't be wrong. The fault lies only with my eldest son, who is ignorant."
　　This sentence reminded Dong Lingjiu of some old memories.
　　She remembered that ten years ago, Dayin attacked the border tribes, and the nomadic people of this tribe were defeated and retreated step by step. The Shenwu Army rushed into the king's tent and captured the leader of the foreign race alive, while the rest of the foreign royal family fled in a hurry, forming an exiled regime on the way, and fled all the way to the edge of the north. When they arrived at the frozen Yanshan Mountain, the wife of the former leader was forced to die in the ice lake of Yanshan Mountain because of her "very beautiful appearance and harming the king so much". She committed suicide by jumping into the lake.
　　She was a beautiful, innocent political victim.
　　If Dong Lingjiu had any fault or handle, then those who supported and protected her would also include Zheng Yuheng in the category of victims. This was almost foreseeable.
　　Because she was thinking about this, she did not reply for a long time.
　　The palace was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, and only Zheng Jie's breathing was left.
　　"Okay." The queen mother waved her hand, "Doctor Zheng also means this?"
　　Zheng Jie did not even hesitate, and said decisively: "Yes, please forgive me, my son has repented wholeheartedly."
　　Dong Lingjiu guessed that his words might not be true, so she just nodded and said, "I know."
　　She did not give a definite answer.
　　Zheng Jie was also an old minister who had served the previous emperor. He was in awe of the empress dowager and felt that he had done his best. He stood up from the ground, bowed again, moved back step by step, and quietly left.
　　The beaded curtain was blown a few times by the wind.
　　When Ruixue came to change the tea, she saw that the empress dowager's pen did not move at all, and the ink in the inkstone was half dry, so she put down the teacup, rolled up her sleeves to serve the ink, and said softly: "Your Majesty..."
　　"Yes." Dong Lingjiu looked at her.
　　"When Doctor Zheng left yesterday, we agreed to play backgammon under the curtain facing the lotus pond." Ruixue said, "Your Majesty is so busy, and it took a lot of effort to make time for him..."
　　Backgammon is a court game played by two people. Dong Lingjiu has not played for many years, and last night he only promised to watch and give advice.
　　It was dusk and the wind was calm. Zheng Yuheng packed his medicine box and returned to the Imperial Hospital. Before leaving, he said goodbye to the Empress Dowager.
　　This was just a common etiquette. Neither of them felt that there was anything special about the sunset that day, or the calm wind that day. The clouds were floating outside the window, and the young doctor said goodbye to her meekly.
　　Dong Lingjiu stretched out his hand, straightened his collar stained with ink, and folded the ink-stained part inside.
　　She was always careful.
　　Zheng Yuheng's Adam's apple moved slightly. He felt that the hand was clearly close at hand, but he couldn't let her touch him. It was really terrible. He endured it with difficulty.
　　Dong Lingjiu said, "Okay, be careful on the road, it's getting dark."
　　Zheng Yuheng nodded and was about to leave, but suddenly turned around and asked her with clear eyes, "Are you free tomorrow, Your Majesty?"
　　Dong Lingjiu asked, "What's the matter?"
　　"When I was sorting out my mother's belongings a few days ago, I found a book teaching Bo in the former residence of the villa. I read some of it out of curiosity, and learned everything else, but I'm still not very good at double-sixes. I heard that..."
　　"You heard that I'm an expert in Bo. Is that right?" Dong Lingjiu glanced at Ruixue, "These female ministers of the Cining Palace treat you as my person."
　　What she meant was that the two female officials, Li Ruixue and Du Yuewan, had already believed that Zheng Yuheng was loyal to them and could be treated as "their own", so they told him this old story.
　　Zheng Yuheng's mind went blank after hearing this. He didn't know whether to refute or agree. He stuttered and said, "Your Majesty, your Majesty has absolutely no disrespect..."
　　The young doctor's admiration for the empress dowager was only on the spiritual level, so naturally he would not have "disrespect".
　　Aunt Ruixue laughed and said, "Little Zheng, what's the point of striving for innocence at this time? It's better to ask the queen to teach you. As long as you have the favor of this person, I guarantee that you will have no rivals in Kyoto."
　　Zheng Yuheng was skeptical, thinking that Dong Lingjiu was a god in her previous life? Otherwise, how could she know everything.
　　He lowered his head and pleaded seriously, "Please teach me, queen."
　　Dong Lingjiu looked at him and said, "Tomorrow? Okay, you come to the Cining Palace to have dinner with me, and then you can play with Ruixue, and I will teach you."
　　The smile on Ruixue's face turned into a complaint: "Queen - how many chips do I have to give?"
　　Dong Lingjiu smiled and pretended not to hear this. She and Zheng Yuheng set a time and let the young doctor leave the palace.
　　Now it was almost dusk, and the dull thunder rumbled one after another. It was almost the appointed time. Dong Lingjiu was not only in no mood to govern, but also had no appetite.
　　"It's not enough to have the intention." She murmured to herself, "Meng Zhen also has the intention, but he didn't achieve anything except being a good emperor." When
　　discussing the late emperor, Ruixue fell silent. The eunuch who was waiting for the meal to be served, looking at her eyes, quickly stuck his head out and used his eyes to inquire about the queen's intentions.
　　Ruixue shook her head, and the eunuch shrank back with a bitter face.
　　Dong Lingjiu emptied herself for a while, quickly sorted out her emotions, and picked up the pen and dipped it in ink. After not having to spare time, she couldn't help but slow down her review speed, and her expression gradually calmed down.
　　Ruixue looked anxious. She could feel that Doctor Zheng was only concerned about the queen's health. It would be difficult to find such a loyal and selfless person in the Imperial Hospital.
　　She couldn't help but say, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs has sent people to wait at the palace gate, madam... maybe young Master Zheng will come?"
　　Dong Lingjiu said, "He's been locked up, how can he come? Parents' orders cannot be disobeyed, does he not want his own home?"
　　Ruixue said, "Maybe..."
　　Even Ruixue couldn't think of a maybe.
　　At this moment, the gloomy sky outside suddenly began to rain heavily, and the sound of rain almost covered the conversation between the two. Dong Lingjiu couldn't help but turn her eyes to look. She didn't know whether it was the dampness of the rainy day or some other reason, but she heard a sharp tinnitus in her ears and had a headache.
　　Ruixue hurriedly supported her: "Madam..."
　　"Go back to the bedroom." Dong Lingjiu said, "Let me rest for a while."
　　...
　　Zheng Yuheng began to question his luck for the third time.
　　Whenever he encountered an urgent matter, he would always encounter a storm, and he would always encounter some setbacks. If Xu Bingbi hadn't been waiting at the palace gate, he could have imagined his fate. Breaking into the palace gate without permission
　　would lead to death, being seriously injured and caught in the rain would lead to death, and going home to admit his mistakes would be worse than death.
　　Zheng Yuheng put on the coat brought by Xu Xiang, took a deep breath despite the pain, and followed him on the wet corridor.
　　Xu Bingbi, who always obeyed the Queen Mother, couldn't help but said when he saw him like this: "The blood is soaking in."
　　Zheng Yuheng's voice was low and weak: "It's okay."
　　Xu Xiang said: "The road is too long, let me carry you."
　　Zheng Yuheng shook his head: "I can..."
　　He fell in the corridor.
　　The rain on the ground was wet and intertwined, and a layer of blood was soaked from his shoulders and back. Zheng Yuheng's throat was dry and sweet, as if he was about to vomit out a mouthful of cold blood.
　　With his injuries, it was almost incredible that he could sneak out of the Zheng Mansion and reach the palace gate, even if there were other people to help.
　　Zheng Yuheng covered his lips and coughed hoarsely, his shoulders were shaking, and he couldn't get up for a while.
　　Xu Xiang carried him on his back and said to him, "If Lord Zheng only has half a breath left when he arrives at the palace, the queen will think that I am not doing my job well."
　　Zheng Yuheng bit his lip. His body was feverish due to his serious injuries. His whole body was emitting an abnormal heat, his forehead was burning, and his breath was frighteningly hot when he spoke.
　　He said, "...Thank you, Xu Bingbi."
　　Xu Xiang said, "I dare not."
　　He carried Zheng Yuheng on his back and quickened his pace, which had been slowed down to accommodate him. Xu Xiang, who had tortured countless people, knew better than anyone that a fever like this, coupled with running back and forth repeatedly, would really cost Doctor Zheng his life if he didn't have a safe place to take medicine and rest.
　　Xu Xiang walked in a hurry, and the little eunuch who was holding an umbrella beside him could hardly catch up.
　　Zheng Yuheng's voice was scattered and chaotic: "It's getting late..."
　　"It's just night." Xu Xiang said, "The queen hasn't slept yet, it won't be late."
　　Zheng Yuheng said: "Thank you..."
　　Xu Xiang rushed into the territory of the Cining Palace and entered the main hall. Just as he was about to report to the queen, he suddenly found that she was not in the hall. Du Yuewan, who was cutting the wicks on the side, turned her head and said in shock: "Doctor Zheng?"
　　Xu Xiang nodded: "Yes."
　　"You really waited for it?!" Du Yuewan put down the golden wire scissors, "But the queen is asleep... Oh!"
　　There were many eunuchs and female officials in the Cining Palace, and they were rushing back and forth. Zheng Yuheng's consciousness was a little fuzzy. He only remembered the voices of Aunt Yuewan and Aunt Ruixue talking. It seemed that Cui Ling anxiously fed him a bowl of medicine. I don't know who coaxed him to say that he could see the queen this way, and Zheng Yuheng drank it obediently.
　　Then there was a strong smell of sandalwood.
　　He seemed to be gone from the main hall. The smell of ink faded, and a different kind of fragrance followed, spreading not only in the fabric of the fumigate, but also in the air.
　　Zheng Yuheng tried hard to open his eyes, and saw a hazy curtain like a veil. A hand stretched out from it and gently embraced him.
　　Dong Lingjiu had already fallen asleep.
　　However, Ruixue came over in person, gently woke her up, and said to the Queen Mother: "Your Majesty, Doctor Zheng is here."
　　Dong Lingjiu suddenly woke up a lot. She listened to the crackling rain outside. In this weather and at this time, coupled with Ruixue's worried expression and even waking her up, she knew that Zheng Yuheng's condition might not be good.
　　She immediately said: "Let him in."
　　But when they met, this was not only "not good", but extremely bad.
　　Dong Lingjiu put his arm around his shoulders and wanted to untie his wet cloak to see how serious his injuries were. However, the fever-stricken Doctor Zheng was acting out of character. He held his clothes and refused to untie them. He lay on the bed, his black hair disheveled, his lips pale, but his cheeks and ears were glowing like clouds.
　　There was a smell of herbs in the air. Zheng Yuheng remembered that the Empress had used this to apply medicine to him when they had a fight with the eunuch last time.
　　Zheng Yuheng's fingers were shaking, and his breathing was shaking, but he was still stubborn and willful. He was too delirious to listen to her and just leaned on the couch to rub her hand, saying aggrievedly: "Your Majesty... I'm not late..."
　　Dong Lingjiu's usually calm heart was disturbed, and she said: "No, Yuheng is not late."
　　Zheng Yuheng said: "Your Majesty will not abandon me, will you?"
　　Dong Lingjiu paused. Before he came, to be honest, she had considered "not ruining his life", but at this moment, she could only say: "No."
　　She pulled his sleeve: "Come, come here, let me see."
　　Zheng Yuheng buried his head on her wrist, rubbing her palm with his hot cheeks, his eyes were also hot, and he whispered: "Don't abandon me... Your Majesty..."
　　He raised his head and smiled at Dong Lingjiu reluctantly but tried hard, but this kind of smile on him made people feel a kind of fragile beauty.
　　Dong Lingjiu stroked his cheek with her fingers, and said softly, "Who would be willing to do that? You make me so sad."
　　Zheng Yuheng was held in her arms, holding his shoulders, and unconsciously nestled on the couch. He shrank up and curled up into a ball, feeling a very reassuring smell lingering around him, almost making him forget where he was, forget the disparity in their identities, and forget all the shackles on his body.
　　He just wanted to get closer to Dong Lingjiu, keep getting closer, like a drifting boat returning to the shore.
　　Outside the window, the lightning was silent and the rain was heavy. The lotus flowers in the pond that bloomed in midsummer diagonally opposite the Cining Palace were all bowed by the sudden rain. The thunder weakened and a cool breeze surged.
　　Dong Lingjiu quietly untied his cloak and clothes.
　　The bloodstains were diluted and looked less obvious. When these coverings faded, Dong Lingjiu could see the glaring scars more clearly.
　　Dong Lingjiu said something to the person outside the screen, and Cui Ling immediately handed over the ointment and wet cloth, then quietly retreated.
　　Just now, no matter how Cui Ling and Jiang Neiren persuaded him, even using brute force, Doctor Zheng held onto his collar tightly and refused to let go, not wanting to show his injuries to anyone. So when the Queen Mother sent the order, the two had not yet applied medicine to Doctor Zheng.
　　I don't know how the Queen Mother persuaded him to make such a stubborn person who was too feverish to listen to anything obediently take off his clothes.
　　Cui Ling was guessing and thinking behind the screen, when a quick breath was heard in the bedroom, as if the medicine had hurt him.
　　Zheng Yuheng's voice was hoarse, and he whispered weakly, "It hurts..."
　　Just this one word made Cui Ling's heart tremble, and he thought of the "Prince Zhaoye" who loved to act like a spoiled child for no reason. Dong Lingjiu said
　　softly, "It doesn't hurt. I'll blow on it for you."
　　Doctor Zheng didn't seem to say anything immediately. Then he rubbed the quilt on the couch and said, "Hold me."
　　"It will touch the wound." Dong Lingjiu said.
　　Zheng Yuheng didn't say anything for a long time. His eyes were red and he looked pitiful: "It hurts..."
　　Dong Lingjiu: "..."
　　Zheng Yuheng had a fever and was mumbling in his illness. He came over and rubbed her hand like he was dreaming: "Madam, hold me, otherwise... it hurts."
　　Dong Lingjiu wanted to say that I will hurt you only if I hold you, but seeing his wet eyes and a layer of pleading, she was a little irrational. She sighed and said, "Okay."
　　In this palace, Aiai is already a living ancestor, and now there is another one.