Retreat, Retreat, Retreat! - Chapter 44

The tea in the cup has been completely cooled, and the delicate tea cup in the palm of the hand is icy cold to the tip of your fingertips.

The grand palace lady Yu Kou stood with her head down, the green tea water rippled, reflecting a flash of anxiety in her eyes.

The setting sun gradually closed in the afterglow, and the twilight was getting colder. Xiao Huan sat on the chair, half of his face hidden in the shadow, but his eyes were shining strangely. He blew the tea powder, took a sip, and Fang called: “Girl Yu Kou?”

Yu Kou’s eyelashes trembled and she recovered.

Yu Kou quickly regained her composure after serving the Queen Mother for many years. She put the cool tea on the table on the side, took a step back, and knelt down slowly.

Xiao Huan was slightly surprised, put down the tea cup and said, “What is the girl’s meaning? I didn’t intend to hold him accountable. I just wondered about the phrase’Shen Qi died at the hands of the Queen Mother’. I hope that the girl will solve the confusion.”

“Your Majesty’s forgiveness, the slave and maid lied.” Yu Kou touched the ground with her forehead and bowed to the ground, her voice looking cold and sad in the empty hall. She said, “The slave maid has admired Admiral Shen’s heroic posture since he was a child. Years ago, she had shown goodwill to him with a shy face. Maybe the slave maid was too sticky to him, so it was misunderstood that we had become a rival. Your majesty, although the slave took Admiral Shen as My sweetheart, but from the beginning to the end is the wishful thinking of slaves and maids, and Admiral Shen never liked slaves.”

After a pause, Yu Kou raised his eyes, straightened up slowly, tears in his eyes, and calmly said: “The slave servant has been unable to let him go, and wanted to help him, so she held the queen mother. As for the sentence’killed the slave servant’ My sweetheart’ is just an excuse used by the servants to betray the Queen Mother.”

“Really it’s just that?” Xiao Huan curled his eyebrows, always feeling that something was wrong.

“It’s really just that.” Yu Kou looked solemn, spoke clearly, not leaking, and even the right wound between his eyebrows and eyes was so vivid. She said, “The slave and maid have committed the crime, and have committed the crime of deceiving the king, please punish your majesty!”

“you…”

Xiao Huan wanted to say something more, but he heard a message from the servant outside the door: “The emperor, your Royal Highness Princess Changning, please see me…”

Before the voice was over, a soft female voice rang from far and near: “You don’t need to pass it through, this palace goes in by yourself.” While speaking, Xiao Changning’s beautiful face appeared at the door, wearing a new water-red dress. Step into the hall.

“Sister?” Xiao Huan lost consciousness for a moment, then stared slightly, stood up and said, “Why are you here?”

“Today is your fifteenth birthday, I’m here to congratulate you, can’t it?” Xiao Changning entered the door with a smile, his eyes fell on Yu Kou who was kneeling on the ground, glanced lightly, and said, “Girl Yu Kou, Ben Gong recognizes you. I heard that you were Shen Xuan’s antagonist once?”

Yu Kou calmly raised his eyes and exchanged glances with Xiao Changning. Immediately, she seemed to understand something, relieved slightly, and kowtowed again: “Return to Princess Changning, everything is wishful thinking of slaves and maidservants, Admiral Shen… did not agree to the food.”

“You are good at peace and chaos, and this palace respects you. But there is one thing, this palace needs to mention you.” Xiao Changning sat on the opposite side of Xiao Huan, looked at Yu Kou who was kneeling on the ground, and said seriously. Born to be stingy and jealous, even if the husband of this palace is an eunuch, he can’t have three wives and four concubines. You used to be unrelated to Shen Xuan, I can leave it alone, but from now on, you are not allowed to miss him any more.”

Yu Kou immediately agreed: “The servant girl understands, but the servant girl dare not.”

Xiao Changning narrowed his eyes and slowly said, “There is nothing to say about it. Why don’t you just leave the palace and return home after receiving the emperor’s reward. Don’t show up in the capital in the future.”

Yu Kou breathed a sigh of relief, and said, “Yes, thank you slave and maid.”

“Hold on.” Xiao Huan watched for a long time, and heard that his sister was about to send away the palace lady who had hidden the key clues, he couldn’t help but interject, “Sister, would you just send her out of the palace like this?”

Xiao Changning laughed: “Otherwise, leave an old lover in front of this palace? The emperor will give her some rewards and let her go back to her hometown to be a nostalgic and serve her relatives.”

Xiao Huan opened his mouth. Before he could say anything, Xiao Changning interrupted him first and told Yu Kou: “Ms. Yu Kou, you go down and wait for the reward. My palace will talk to the emperor.”

A turmoil with hidden life experience was calmed down by Xiao Changning in a few words. Yu Kou said ‘yes’ and bowed back.

Xiao Huan didn’t ask any useful clues from Yu Kou’s mouth, but was interrupted by Xiao Changning suddenly. He couldn’t help but sink, and doubts clouded his mind like a cloud, lingering.

He looked at Xiao Changning, and Xiao Changning looked back at him quietly, one with a needle hidden in the cotton, the other spoiled and self-willed. At this moment, the two brothers and sisters seemed to take off their masks and re-examined each other, and each saw a trace of strangeness in each other’s eyes…

Two quarters ago.

Xiao Changning heard from Fang Wujing in the study of the East Factory that Xiao Huan had taken Yu Kou for a separate interrogation. Her doubts in her heart were even worse, and she subconsciously asked: “Strange, when did the emperor attach such importance to a palace lady? ?? Actually interviewed her alone.”

Shen Xuan did not speak, her expression dignified.

Xiao Changning watched his frosty eyes, his thoughts turned quickly, and then suddenly asked: “Yukou is the one you buried next to the Queen Mother. Huan’er took Yukou away. Is it because he wants to investigate you?”

“Perhaps it’s more serious than this.” Shen Xu said in a deep voice, “Yukou knows all the secrets of the Governor.”

All the secrets?

Xiao Changning was startled, Fang asked: “Know all your secrets… In other words, she knows that you are not Shen Qi?”

Shen Xuan said’um’, stretched out her long arms, and hugged Xiao Changning from the case table. She held her waist and said, “She used to be Shen Qi’s counterpart, so naturally I know that I am not Shen Qi. Let’s talk about it. Back then, I was able to successfully replace Shen Qi into the palace, thanks to her secret help.”

“Wait, I’m confused!” I received too many secrets today, like a mess and entanglement, Xiao Changning frowned, “Shen Qi may have died because of an accident, so, Shen Qi’s food-Yu Kou I found you who is very similar to Shen Qi, and asked you to replace Shen Qi into the palace… But why did she do this? What is the purpose of letting you replace Shen Qi as a fake eunuch? The emperor is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, if Yu Kou does not Be careful to say that you missed your mouth, then are you…”

“Changning, I wanted to tell you all the secrets today, but now that the incident happened suddenly, I need to go to the palace to bring Yu Kou back. This is Shen Qi’s only last wish. I promised him to keep Yu Kou safe.”

About Mo was afraid of Xiao Changning’s random thoughts, Shen Xuan stroked her cheek and said awe-inspiringly, “When I return, I will tell you all the truth.”

“Wait, Shen Xuan!” Xiao Changning hurriedly called him.

Shen Xuan paused with the cloak’s hand and turned to look at her.

“Let the palace go to see the emperor.” Xiao Changning took Shen Xu’s hand. There was a slight sweat in her palm, she seemed to be nervous about her active intimacy, but her face was still calm, and a soft smile appeared at him, “Huan’er originally had doubts about you, Yu Kou Yi If something happens, you rush to save her. Didn’t you fall into the trap of that kid and prove that Yu Kou has your secret in his hands? Or let this palace come forward to be more appropriate. It just happens that today is his fifteenth birthday. Without hosting the banquet, my palace went to the palace for birthday celebrations to find out, how?”

Shen Xuan twisted her eyebrows in thought.

Fang Wujing outside the door said: “Supervisor of the factory, it is indeed necessary to be tactful to ask the princess to come forward.”

After thinking about it again and again, Shen Xuan nodded, her long and narrow eyes were so deep as to draw the soul of a person in, and she said in a deep voice, “The minister personally sent His Royal Highness into the palace.”

Xiao Changning nodded vigorously, squinted like a child and smiled: “If this palace brings Yu Kou back safely, you must remember to reward this palace!”

Xiao Changning was determined to get Shen Xu’s reward.

On the way to the Hall of Nourishment, she thought of a strategy: pretending to be jealous, driving away Yu Kou, in fact, to help her escape from Xiao Huan’s interrogation, and leave the palace as far away as possible.

However, Xiao Huan is no longer the little softie who could only cry. He struggled with the Queen Mother’s prostitution for many years. He didn’t learn anything else. Luncheng Mansion and Scheming had learned ten percent, and he didn’t know whether this clumsy trick, “Ming Xiu Plank Road, Dark Chen Cang” could be successfully concealed…

Even if you can’t keep it secret, just gamble, and just bet on Xiao Huan’s heart whether your own sister has any weight.

Fortunately, Xiao Changning made a right bet.

In the side hall of the Hall of Nourishing the Heart, the cauldron burned incense, the teapot on the charcoal basin boiled, making a gurgling sound, adding a little vitality to the quiet and treacherous interior.

Xiao Huan looked at Xiao Changning with a smile at the corner of his mouth, and for a long while, he finally sighed slightly: “Sister, you come to see me. I’m afraid it’s not as simple as birthday celebration, right?”

Xiao Changning slowly conjured up an unclear smile, slowly raised his arm, and stretched out a catkins hand that was as frosty as snow from the sleeves studded with rabbit fur. In Xiao Huan’s slightly startled gaze, Xiao Changning stretched out his hand and squeezed the emperor’s cheek, pulling the boy’s white face into shape.

“Sister…” Xiao Huan’s voice was a little blurry when his cheek was pulled, “What are you doing?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Xiao Changning snorted with his chin in one hand and his cheek in the other. “My palace just wants to see what kind of face is hidden under this weak and innocent mask of the emperor? “

Xiao Huan seemed to be at a loss, and said aggrieved: “Sister, I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Don’t pretend, Huan’er, this palace knows it.” Xiao Changning narrowed his smile, slowly sitting upright, staring at the opposite brother, whom she loved since childhood, and said calmly: “The emperor used to treat this palace as When the bargaining chip for the alliance was given to Shen Xuan, there was no hesitation at all! With such an iron-handed method, it is beyond reach, so I don’t have to cry and show it to me.”

Xiao Huan’s eyes flashed, and he was taken aback for a moment. The grievances and weakness on his face gradually dissipated, revealing the clearness that a young man should have.

He opened his lips, closed them again, and then whispered: “Shen Xuan… have you told Auntie?”

“Huan’er,” when Xiao Changning called his name, it was quite a bit of the dignity of the elder sister, “you raise your head and look at this palace.”

Xiao Huan sat up straight, Yiyan raised his head.

The next moment, the crisp applause echoed in the hall unexpectedly, and even the palace servants standing outside the door were alarmed.

“This palm is to hit you regardless of your blood and family, in order to achieve your goal by unscrupulous means, betraying the fifteen years of care given to you by this palace!” Xiao Chang stared at him quietly, and said solemnly.

“His Royal Highness can’t help! This slapped emperor is…” The chief **** hurried in and saw the two elder brothers and sisters in the room, suddenly shocked in a cold sweat.

“Who let you in? Get out!” Xiao Huan’s face was beaten to one side, and his white cheeks quickly turned red, which looked particularly striking.

The **** hesitated for a moment, but seeing Xiao Huan’s sharp remarks, he didn’t dare to resist the order, so he bowed and retreated. However, before taking two steps, there was another clear applause behind him.

Xiao Changning continued: “This palm is to hit you with double-handed scheming, and full of suspicion to cross the river and demolish the bridge!”

At this time, Xiao Huan had a red palm print on each of his faces, and water gradually appeared in his eyes, and he didn’t say a word.

“The eldest sister is like a mother. A sister should beat me.” Xiao Huan hung his head, soft hair hanging from behind his ears, lining the red marks on his face, and it was even more fragile.

He cried, tears overflowing from the corners of his eyes, across his cheeks, and dripping down his chin, soaking some dark water marks on his red sandalwood shirt. He said, “Sister, how do you know that I have never hesitated or regretted? But I have no other choice…”

Xiao Changning just looked at him quietly, sad and helpless in his heart.

“Huan’er, what was your mood when you cried pitifully to the palace and pushed the palace into the fire pit? Have you ever thought about it, if it wasn’t Shen Xuan that the palace met, if the palace died here What will you do in a ridiculous marriage?”

“Sorry, sister.”

Like Xiao Changning, Xiao Huan used to cry when he was a child. At this time, the tears were even more unstoppable. Even his voice choked intermittently. He quickly wiped the corners of his eyes, raised his wet red eyes, and said in earnest word by word: “I have never believed in anyone, and I must never be soft-hearted. Faith and kindness are the emperor’s great taboos. So Sister, I do not justify what I have done, but I will compensate you. I am already thinking about letting you leave the East Factory…”

Xiao Changning said’ha’, looking at Xiao Huan like a fool, and mockingly said: “At the beginning you sent me to the East Factory regardless of your concern, but now you are passionately asking me to leave Shenxuan. From the beginning to the end, you have Asked me if I wanted to!”

Xiao Huan looked at her blankly, seeming not to understand where her anger came from, and muttered, “Sister, is it okay to come back?”

“Not good.” Xiao Changning is categorical, “I can’t come back to this palace anymore, just like you can’t go back to the naive and innocent past.”