Retreat, Retreat, Retreat! - Chapter 45

Xiao Huan seemed to understand something, and his expression suddenly became a little complicated.

He sniffed and hesitated for a moment, before Fang asked unwillingly, “Did Shen Xuan intimidate you? He threatened you to stay in Dongchang as a hostage?”

Xiao Changning frankly met Xiao Huan’s probing eyes, “No one threatened this palace, this palace left it voluntarily.”

“But he is an eunuch!” Xiao Huan raised his tone slightly, unable to tell whether he was shocked or worried, and leaned forward with his hands on the case table. Sister, I am in power now, I can’t just watch you…”

Halfway through, Xiao Huan’s voice stopped abruptly.

He seemed to realize that something was wrong, and the words of dissuasion came to his lips, and in the end he could only turn into a bitter smile, and his wet eyelashes fell lonely and said: “I have hurt Sister A too, so I am no longer qualified to persuade Sister A, yes. NS?”

After all, Xiao Huan was Xiao Changning’s younger brother who personally guarded the elder brother. At this time, seeing him cry like a child who had made mistakes, she couldn’t bear it after all. She slowed down her tone and said lightly and seriously: “The emperor is the only close relative of blood in this palace. Of course it is qualified to persuade this palace. However, the choice is ultimately in the hands of this palace. The emperor can persuade me but cannot influence me.”

The fluttering sentence of “blood relatives” fell in my heart, but it was more painful than a slap in the face. For Xiao Huan, the sister in front of her seemed to have not changed anything, she still tolerated Huimin, and it seemed that everything had changed, becoming free and open-minded.

She knew what she wanted, and she was willing to take the heavy responsibility, walking straight on the road paved by thorns.

“The emperor checks Shen Xuan, do you want to move him?” Seeing Xiao Huan’s silence for a long time, Xiao Changning asked aloud, his eyes were clear and indifferent, like a stream of clean autumn water.

Xiao Huan raised his head and asked with a nasal voice: “Should I not move him?”

“He helped you.”

“But he is also full of evil. Huo Wei was defeated, and the queen mother fell. The whole country must look at his Dongchang face and act. The world only knows that there is Shenxuan but does not know that there is an emperor. Isn’t it terrible?”

After a short pause, Xiao Huan then said, “Sister, I can’t sleep well. I used to sit in the Golden Luang Hall. Before the curtain is Shen Xuan, behind the curtain is the Queen Mother. Every time I go to the court, I tremble and see The loyal ministers are constantly being demoted, exiled, and killed, but I can’t do anything. It’s like a knife hanging brightly above my head, and I don’t know when it will fall down. Sister, Shenxuan is stronger and better than me. I am majestic, how can I feel at ease with such a person by my side all day long?”

Xiao Changning sighed, “Now that there is this palace guarding Shen Xuan in the East Factory, can’t you rest assured?”

“It is precisely because A sister wants to stay in the East Factory, that I am even more worried!” At this point, Xiao Huan’s face was raised with a thin layer of anger, and his eyes were red. If you reach it, you will send Auntie back to the palace and let you get married freely, but now she broke the contract and abducted you!”

Hearing what Xiao Huan said, Xiao Changning felt a little touched in his heart, thinking that this kid still cares about feelings in his heart.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Huan continued, “I can’t understand your decision. Sister A should not be deceived by him! If he is kidnapped by him in the future, what should I do?”

“A person who defends against others must not be absent, but there must be no intention of harm. The emperor has such deep doubts, does he have to become a queen mother?”

In fact, it was not that Xiao Changning didn’t understand her brother’s concerns. He was in a high position and was manipulated by the Queen Mother for many years. He had been persecuted for a long time, and gradually no longer believed in anyone. He is full of calculations, why not Xiao Changning heartbroken?

She changed the subject and asked instead: “Huan’er, if you want you to destroy the queen, would you be willing?”

Speaking of Liang Yourong, Xiao Huan was taken aback, his voice lowered a few degrees, and asked: “Sister…why did you mention this suddenly?”

“The emperor is unwilling? The queen dowager hangs on to do politics, overhead the ruling and opposition parties to persecute the loyal ministers. Now that she is down, some admonishers will impeach Liang Yourong and ask you to abolish the queen and marry another couple?” Xiao Changning watched Xiao Huan’s expression. Said: “It seems that the emperor is not willing? Why, isn’t she the niece of your enemy?”

Xiao Huan was silent for a while, and said with certainty: “Except for Sister A, she is the only person who treats me sincerely. She has no fault, so why should I abandon it?”

Xiao Changning nodded and gave a soft “Oh”, then squinted and smiled: “My palace’s feelings for Shen Xuan are the same as the emperor’s feelings for the empress. Although he was once on opposite sides of each other, water and fire were incompatible, but after getting married Fang knows like a fish drinking water, knowing it is cold and warm. This palace will not leave Shenxuan, just as the emperor will not dethrone the queen, do you understand?”

Xiao Huan did not speak, and the room fell into a long silence.

Xiao Changning sighed softly, and stretched out his hand to caress the finger marks on Xiao Huan’s face. His tone was already distressed: “I hit you in a rage today. The emperor must not blame it. After all, it is really uncomfortable to be betrayed by your closest relatives. It’s like a thousand arrows piercing your heart, much more painful than two slaps on your face.”

The moment her fingertips came across, Xiao Huan shrank calmly, and then muffled: “I know.”

“In this family, only our sister and brother depend on each other. I hope that the emperor’s sword will not be aimed at his own family.” After that, Xiao Changning got up and said goodbye, “It’s dark, I will see you next time in this palace. , I wish you a happy birthday.”

“Sister.” Xiao Huan suddenly stopped her.

Xiao Changning paused, but did not turn around, but stood quietly at the door facing the dark and blue night.

“Shen Xuan has snatched Sister A from me. I hope he can be content with this. Don’t be greedy.” Xiao Huan looked at Xiao Changning’s delicate figure, his Adam’s apple moved, and slowly said, “If he continues to be greedy and indulge in Dongchang Rampant, or dare to hurt you a bit, I… will never tolerate it!”

Xiao Changning did not nod or shook his head, and walked out of the hall facing the night.

The door of the Hall of Nourishment was slowly closed behind her, and the night was long, and the red lanterns under the eaves of the palace were lit up, like the first bloom of red lotus. Xiao Changning knew that under the warm light, deep in the night, Shen Xuan was waiting for her to return.

In Kunning Palace, Liang Yourong had bathed and changed clothes, had taken meals and taken medicine, and was leaning sideways on the couch in a trance.

As the night darkened, the candlelight leaped on the candlestick, and the beautiful and quiet maidservant warmed her with a charcoal basin, and the house was full of light incense. The surroundings were quiet, and there was no sound of walking. Liang Yourong closed her eyes and thought: Is the deep palace such as the sea so deserted?

With footsteps from far to near, a maidservant whispered: “Niang, the emperor is coming to see you.”

Liang Yourong opened his eyes and met Xiao Huan’s concerned gaze.

The warm yellow candle light illuminates the faint finger marks on his face. Liang Yourong was taken aback for a moment, and Fang asked dumbly: “What’s wrong with the emperor’s face?”

Xiao Huan was startled, and subconsciously rubbed the light bruises on his face with the back of his hand. He looked slightly unnatural, turned the topic off and smiled: “Queen, are you better?”

“It’s okay.” Liang Yourong was still staring at his face, clearly determined in her heart to leave the young emperor with growing wings, but she still asked nonchalantly, “Who hurt your majesty?”

“When the spring begins to snow, the queen’s injury will be healed. We can go boating and go fishing together. By then, the carp in the lotus pond in the palace must be very fat.” Xiao Huan was still avoiding the scars on his face. Smiling and planning the unattainable future. He said to himself for a while, and then thought of something, suddenly raised his head and asked seriously, “Queen, you won’t leave me, will you?”

Liang Yourong just looked at him quietly, his face was haggard, and he didn’t speak.

This silence is enough to explain everything.

After a long time no response, Xiao Huan’s eyes dimmed a little, and he reluctantly smiled and said, “Is the queen not willing to lie to me?”

Somehow he touched his sadness, Xiao Huan’s eyes flushed, and there was a tendency to weep again. He sat on the couch, holding Liang Yourong’s hand insecurely, and buried his head deeply, saying, “The strength of Dongchang is too strong, so strong that it scares me. But what I am even more afraid of is the future. If one day I have to meet with the Dongchang army, what will happen to Sister A?”

He seemed to have found an outlet for catharsis, babbling and talking, as if he had returned to the fragile and helpless appearance before, and his breath trembled: “I have gone to this day, and there is nothing left, even A sister. It’s also drifting away from me. There is only the queen beside me. Therefore, the queen must not leave me.”

Liang Yourong’s face was cold, but there was a lot of pain in her heart. She opened her lips and closed them again. The phrase “Let me see the queen mother” rushed to her lips, and she swallowed it again.

As soon as she saw the emperor’s tears, she couldn’t say anything, she could only gently hold his knuckles back, silently soothing the confusion and fear in his heart.

For the king, he needs to kill and decide. This ill-fated little emperor is destined to struggle hard in the cracks between rationality and humanity, until he is dead.

Xiao Changning walked out of the gate of the Hall of Nourishment, and as expected, she saw Shen Xuan ten steps away… and, the maid of the palace, Yu Kou.

Shen Xuan is wearing a crow-blue martial arts robe today, wearing a black cloak, silver-iron bracers, and a black gauze round hat pressed against Ying’s thick eyebrows. The lantern on the eaves of the palace was red, and he was leaning against the palace wall, and the orange-red light hit his side face, making it even more beautiful that his features were sharp and handsome.

As the wind blew, the fragments of plum blossoms fell in the night, falling on his broad shoulders, and a faint redness accumulated under his feet. It should have been a long time to talk with Yu Kou.

Xiao Changning stood in the shadows and stopped and watched. She didn’t know what Shen Xuan said to Yu Kou. Yu Kou kept wiping tears with the back of her hand, seemingly very sad.

Xiao Changning became more and more curious about the past, and walked forward lightly, calling out, “Shen Xuan.”

Shen Xuan and Yu Kou stopped talking when they heard the sound, and turned their heads to look at her at the same time.

Yu Kou’s eyes were red and swollen, and she lowered her head and hurriedly wiped away the residual tears from the corners of her eyes, and said in a choked voice: “His Royal Highness Princess.”

“Girl Yu Kou.” Xiao Changning smiled and nodded as a reward.

Shen Xuan turned around to look at her, and there was a soft, imperceptible trace of her eyes. He wrapped Xiao Changning’s waist with one hand, took her into his arms and hugged her, with a natural expression, as if he was born to take care of her like this.

In front of Yu Kou, Xiao Changning was a little embarrassed to be so intimacy with Shen Xuan, but when he touched his sturdy body and felt his body temperature coming through the clothes, Xiao Changning’s heart was warmed. , There was a shameful sweetness in my heart, sweet as sweet.

Xiao Changning’s heart was hot, and he resisted the smile that spread to the corner of his mouth, and said to Yu Kou: “Just now in the Hall of Nourishing the Heart, this palace pretends to be jealous, there are many offenses, no wonder the girl.”

Yu Kou smiled reluctantly, bowed his head and said: “The slave servant knows that His Royal Highness is to save the slave servant.”

With that, Yu Kou’s gaze fell on Xiao Changning and Shen Xuan who stood side by side, and couldn’t tell whether it was envy or blessing in his eyes. She wiped away her tears and reluctantly regained her spirits, saying: “Just now the admiral promised the slave and maidservant, I wish to remember. It is getting late, the slave and maid will not disturb the maid and the admiral, the slave and maid resign.”

Having said that, she once again deeply blessed and retreated, her figure resembling an empty valley and orchid swaying in the night breeze, and quickly disappeared into the night.

“What did you promise her?” Xiao Changning looked up at Shen Xu, reached out his hand and patted Luomei on his shoulder, asking by the way.

She was very close, and Shen Xuan could almost smell the fine incense on her body, like the fragrance of the first bloom of winter plum, cold and sultry.

Shen Xuan’s eyes darkened, and she took advantage of the trend and wrapped her hands in her arms, warming her cool fingertips with the temperature of her palms.

“It’s about Shen Qi.” Shen Xuan said in a low voice, “saying as he walks.”

Horse-drawn carriages are not allowed in the palace, and the two can only walk to the palace gate. Starlight shone out from the clouds, and the snow on the eaves reflected a bright blue luster, and the shadows of the lights pulled their figures to the elders, and the lights reflected the red wall and the green pavilion, as if they were in a dream.

“Shen Xuan,” Xiao Changning said with joy, remembering something, “My Palace said, if I help you rescue Yu Kou, you will have to reward me!”

Shen Xuan did not refuse, and slowly said, “What kind of reward does your Highness want?”

“If you come here late, can you drink a cup of snow?”

Everything was so beautiful and peaceful. Xiao Changning became interested and couldn’t help but suggest: “There is old plum wine hidden in the dining room. Why don’t we go get two altars and go to the Shufenglou next to Guanglu Temple for a drink.” We have a whole night, we can drink wine slowly and listen to you tell the story of Shen Qi and Yu Kou.”

Shen Xuan looked at her smart smile, her eyes were deeper than the night sky, the corner of her mouth hooked, and she said in a deep voice, “Your Highness is not drinking well.”

“But tonight’s night is very good, and my palace is in a good mood. It is suitable for a drink.” Xiao Changning looked at him sideways and said seriously, “Furthermore, Admiral Shen promised this palace this month. You have to pursue me as hard as you can. Did you forget?”

“A promise of gold, never forgotten, but…”

Shen Xuan paused, don’t look at her deeply, and whispered in her ears: “It’s just that the minister thought that the reward that your Royal Highness wanted would be a kiss, but unexpectedly it was a wine party. I was a little disappointed. “

“you……”

Xiao Changning blushed, then turned around ashamedly, speeding up his pace, and humming in his eyes: “You think the house doesn’t want to kiss you? I just have to go out and have to hesitate.”

Shen Xu heard it, and suddenly stretched out her hand to hold Xiao Changning.

Xiao Changning was caught off guard by his wrist. He couldn’t help but was taken aback. When he turned around, he happened to crash into Shen Xuan’s deep eyes.

“By the Governor’s side, Your Highness will never have to be scrupulous.” Shen Xuan said dumbly, then she pulled her into her arms and kissed her lips as she wished.