Heartburn - Chapter 96
I didn’t use too much for dinner. I just talked to her about my son. I felt bored and could not relieve me. I put down the tea cup that I had been rubbing for a long time in my hand. Even though I didn’t give any hope, I got up and pushed open the door. I tentatively took a step outside—even if I can’t leave this square, it’s good to breathe air in the yard.
Unexpectedly, the guard at the gate did not say anything to stop me, even letting me take a step outside without frowning, and another step… until I was about to complete a full circle along the courtyard and touched it to the side. At the gate of the temple, the two people still maintained their original postures, guarding the door as if they were sculptures.
Under my surprise, there was also the joy of finally seeing the sky. I didn’t care much. I pushed open the side hall door forcefully. I was about to walk out, but I saw two guards guarding the hall door facing me from left to right. Salute, there was a “thump” in my heart – surely I still can’t leave this side hall? I’m too naive…
But they just said respectfully in unison: “I have seen your Highness.” Then they stopped moving, as if they were waiting for me to speak.
“Uh, no courtesy.” I waved for them to get up. I walked out slightly while paying attention to their expressions. Seeing that they were just standing still with their eyes down, as if they had no intention of embarrassing me, I just wanted to leave quickly, but I couldn’t help but asked cautiously, “This king… is going to the Royal Garden for a stroll, you guys, don’t you stop?”
When I asked these words, let alone these two guards who were looking at each other, even I myself regretted that I couldn’t slap myself–this tone was so humble and ridiculous, it seemed that it came from a prince’s mouth?
Fortunately, they just froze for a moment and then replied in unison: “Don’t dare to be a humble job!”
And the guard on the right side hesitated for a while and explained in a low voice: “Your Majesty has instructed you to come and go as you please, and you can’t block it. It’s just that you will follow along at all times to protect your Highness’s safety.”
——Oh, it turns out that my ban on foot has been lifted.
It seems that the communication with her just now is not useless. Although it is still inevitable that someone will be monitored in the name of protection, it is better than being depressed in that room.
How long did I understand the essence of having fun in suffering?
I laughed at myself and acquiesced to the two guards following behind me every step of the way. I copied my hands and walked all the way to the imperial garden in my memory.
There are a lot fewer people in this palace. After walking for nearly a cup of tea, I haven’t even encountered a palace attendant. I have already cycled twice and was stopped by the guards on patrol for questioning. The other party was frightened and saluted. , And then teach me the routine of leaving hurriedly after pardon, not a little bored.
Finally arrived at the destination of the walk, as expected, there was no one. When I raised my head, a round of lonely moon was cold, when I lowered my head, only the shadow of the long stalks stood alone-if it had been before, I would have been accompanied by her behind me, even if it was quiet, but never lonely, looking back, what you saw would be enough to warm the whole heart.
But now, I’m the only one, silent and silent with the guard who is accompanying me. The warmth is no longer, the spare time is embarrassing and at a loss.
——What if someone follows?
Those people are not you after all.
With a silent sigh, I walked around a few low bushes and stroked the rugged lines on the side of the rockery. Following the trace, I moved my steps and walked into the depths. The guards behind me were not far away. The distance set aside is not enough to teach people.
Suddenly, my steps condensed, and I looked intently at the gap in the dark part of the rockery, and it took me a while to make sure that I was not dazzled.
After thinking about it, he slid away the two guards: “You are farther away, this king wants to be alone.”
Probably my tone was too cold and tough to be violated; or it was expected that the depths of the rockery were in an endless loop, and there would be no danger. The two were not suspicious. Instead, they stepped back obediently and waited.
I walked a few steps forward casually, always falling in their sight, I slowly approached the shadow of the rockery, got closer, and finally saw the full picture of the person hiding in this corner.
It was a very young palace attendant, dressed in the lowest level of clothing, with his hands on his knees, bending over in the crevices of the rockery. If his eyes were shining in the moonlight, I would not have found him by chance. exist.
It was these beautiful amber pupils that caught my attention-more lucid and lighter than Jiang Zhuo. If you think about it carefully, you should be much more naive and ignorant than Jiang Zhuo.
“Are you… Zizheng?” Trying to recall his name, I lowered my voice and asked, not only for fear of attracting the attention of the two guards, but also for scaring this shrunken and thin figure.
——This kid, hiding here alone, is he being bullied again?
I remember that the last time I saw him, I was also tricked by a group of small palace attendants.
I looked at him worriedly and softened my voice softly: “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.”
After waiting for a while, when I was considering whether it would be better to leave here and let him lick the wound alone, he finally raised his head, a bit of dumbness in his immature voice, which made people feel pity: “King Ling… Your Highness?”
“It’s my king. Why are you here?” I smiled at him, and I leaned sideways on the rockery, hiding his figure, pretending to look up and admire the moon, and asked quietly.
“This is my secret cave.” He also looked at me with a soft smile, his long forehead concealed his expression, but it seemed to reveal a gloomy sadness, “However, now it is no longer a secret.”
“It’s okay, this king just happened to pass by, and found you by accident, and I forgot everything when I got out of here,” I understood what he meant, and quickly soothed, “It’s still your secret cave.”
——At a young age, I have to bear too much. I am afraid that I will be too depressed. How can I break this shelter that belongs only to him?
“The palace gate has already been keyed, won’t Your Highness go back to the house?” He rubbed his knees and asked me when he raised his head.
“Oh, the king thinks too, but he can’t go back,” I smiled helplessly, “the emperor is not allowed to leave the palace.”
——Kuang Xiqing imprisoned me in the palace. There are not many insiders, but definitely not many, depending on whether the explanations they have learned come from the officially approved version.
He is still young, and some things are not suitable to tell him, but also because he is still young, there may be less scrupulousness to talk to him about some things.
Suddenly, there was a bit of Gu Qianwang who was confiding in him, and he spoke several times, but in the end he swallowed silently.
Who can talk about this worry?
“Fine, this king is leaving first.” Saying goodbye to him, I turned to leave.
But he heard him whisper from behind: “If your Royal Highness is interested, I can send you out of the palace.”
After a pause, I resisted the surprise, slowly turned sideways, lowered my voice and asked, “What did you say?”
“To repay your great kindness,” he looked at me without retreating, with an inexplicable light in his amber eyes, “I can help you get out of here.”
His eyes seemed to have a deceptive power. I did move for a while, but suddenly I woke up in the next moment-after thinking about it a few times, I finally shook my head and refused: “No, it’s too hard for you.”
——It’s just a small effort, how can it be regarded as a favor?
I can’t teach a teenager who has only one side with me to take such a big risk.
“His Royal Highness, you don’t need to worry about me… If you make up your mind, leave a piece of red cloth in this rockery,” he stood up leisurely while supporting the rockery wall, raised his head and looked at me with a soft smile, “Zizheng Will take you away overnight.”
The way he said this, with confident confidence, he was different from the kid who taught others to bully at that time.
“Anyway, thank you for your kindness.” I looked at the sky. It has been some time since I came out. I talked with him again. The two guards should be suspicious. A little nod counts as farewell. I turned and walked out of the rockery, the same way. return.
——Although he repeatedly refused, he still wrote down what he said.
But I didn’t expect it, but it became a truth.
On the second day, Jiang Zhuo came very early, just as I was having breakfast, she sat beside me without seeing me, watching my meal quietly.
Teach her to look awkward, I put down the tableware and actively invited, “Have you used breakfast? If not, let’s go together.”
“Okay.” She responded immediately, and ordered the maid to add a pair of bowls and chopsticks, and slowly scooped a spoonful of millet porridge. Although she didn’t use too much and was not fast, there was always a slight smile on her mouth, seemingly In a good mood.
Dining separately, as if no one would be the first to break the silence of this moment.
For a time, even the sound of the cups intersecting was almost inaudible.
After a long time, glanced at her dress, I swallowed the porridge in my mouth, and asked casually, “I just came over after the meeting?”
“Yeah.” Wiping the corners of her mouth with silk, she responded in a low voice, glancing at it with a puzzled look, as if asking why I mentioned it.
“Speaking of it, I haven’t attended a court meeting for many days.” Looking back at her impartially, I smiled calmly, but I was a little nervous in my heart.
“Do you want to participate in politics?” She took the tea cup from the palace attendant and played with the tea cover in her hand, her expression indifferent, not discerning happiness or anger.
I didn’t do dodge, nodded generously, and even half-seriously and half-self-deprecatingly replied: “This king has rarely been absent from the court before. After so many days, I am afraid that the impeachment of the admonisher is full of impeachment cases. Right?”
“That’s not enough,” she actually followed my words and joked, her eyebrows were slightly bent, and she couldn’t figure out her thoughts, “but there are still three or two books.”
Just when I thought the topic was getting over, I listened to her and suddenly said: “Also, you are well-trained. If you are not too tired, join me in the meeting tomorrow.”
“Yeah.” After answering, there was nothing to say.
——I want to go to the dynasty meeting, one is bored, and the other is to see the changes in the dynasty with my own eyes. It may be that she is worried about her exposure, but refuses to admit it.
Unexpectedly, she promised to be so relaxed, which saved me a bit.
Half of the manuscript was typed, and a lot of the lay-up was out of use, and while he was relieved, I couldn’t help feeling melancholy—why could I no longer speak freely in front of her?
Even the words must be half-covered, trying desperately to speculate on the other party’s true meaning, as if through a layer of fog, the end of the light is never seen.
In fact, she and I are tacit understanding, but the pimple always exists. If you don’t pick it up, it will only intensify and rot completely in the bottomless darkness.