Siyou Garden

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After experiencing the above two incidents, Zhou Chen generally felt that he seemed to have crossed the line with Zhuang Nan.Since then, Zhou Chen has deliberately kept a distance from Zhuang Nan.Unexpectedly, it seems that Zhuang Nan also began to alienate himself.Zhou Chen felt bitter, human nature is such a thing that only state officials are allowed to set fires and the people are not allowed to light lamps.

While shaking his head, he walked on the cobbled path in the imperial garden, and saw pebbles of various colors mosaiced into symbolic patterns such as blessing, fortune, and longevity, a picture for a hundred steps, and a scene for a thousand steps.He subconsciously looked at the scenery on both sides of the road. It was already midsummer, and the imperial garden was full of vitality, with strange stones, lush trees, ancient cypresses and vines, winding around.

As we walked, we saw a big tree that was as thick as two people hugging each other.The name of that tree is "Same Sound", a very pleasant name, but it sounds a bit nondescript. Zhou Chen has never figured out why a tree is related to rhythm.Rumor has it that there seems to be an unknown allusion among them.

Zhou Chen stopped beside the homophonic tree, stretched out his hand and gently swayed the tree trunk.It has existed for more than 300 years. I don't know what it has witnessed before it was given such a beautiful name.Yes, there is a saying in "The Book of Songs-Xiaoya-Drum Bell": "Drums, zithers, and zithers have the same sound as sheng and chime."

"It should be a very beautiful past." He murmured.

"Ah Chen! You are here, it's easy for me to find you." Someone came over.

Zhou Chen raised his eyes and saw that it was Song Ran, so he smiled: "Cousin, I was going to the study, passing by the garden, I suddenly saw this tree, and stopped for a while."

Song Ran also glanced at the tree Zhou Chen was leaning on before, and blurted out: "Isn't this the same pronunciation?"

Zhou Chen was a little surprised, his cousin is a person who doesn't care about the world, let alone a tree in the imperial garden, even if it is a person in the study room, as long as it has nothing to do with him, even if he sees him ten times a day, he I don't even remember who this person is.Thinking of this, Zhou Chen looked at Song Ran suspiciously.

Song Ran felt a little regretful as soon as he said the words, which was not in line with his usual personality. Sure enough, seeing Zhou Chen's puzzled look, he knew that he was suspicious.Song Ran waved his hands and explained indifferently: "It's nothing, I overheard an old eunuch talking about it, he said that this tree is called 'Tongyin', and it was planted by the founding emperor of the Chu Dynasty for Send your condolences."

Zhou Chen became curious: "What mourning?" The historical data clearly record that the founding emperor Zhou Taizu and the empress respected each other like a guest, singing in harmony with each other, and everyone in the world knows their good relationship. Not only that, Taizu had only the empress and no concubine in his harem all his life. .In the end, there was only one son of Gaozu.

Song Ran hesitated for a moment, as if he didn't want to say it, but in the end he still couldn't resist Zhou Chen's questioning, so he had to say with difficulty: "He...he likes a man. The grief is entrusted to that man."

"What? Emperor Tai-zu is so masculine?!" Zhou Chen exclaimed.

Song Ran quickly stepped forward and covered Zhou Chen's mouth, stopping his next words.However, this cover came suddenly, it was unexpected for Zhou Chen, and it was unexpected for Song Ran.He just made a subconscious move, but after he made it, he realized that the move was really ambiguous.

Song Ran coughed lightly, retracted her hand, put that hand behind her back, and unconsciously rubbed it on the clothes behind her, it seemed that there was still the feeling on Zhou Chen's skin...

Although Zhou Chen was surprised, he didn't take it seriously. He urged, "Cousin, tell me quickly, Tai-zu... What's going on?" At the end, he looked around and lowered his voice some.

Song Ran's eyes flicked across Zhou Chen's lips, his ears were a little red, and it took him a while to think of what to say: "I just heard that Tai-zu... Tai-zu respected the queen at that time as a guest." , but not Qinse and Ming. Because what Tai-zu really liked was the prime minister at that time, the famous Liu Yizhi."

Zhou Chen was stunned, he knew Liu Yizhi.Because that is a sage layman who is highly respected by the great Chu literati, calligraphy and painting, music rhythm, government affairs... everything is mastered and everything is perfect.Now, there are still a few paintings and calligraphy by Liu Yizhi hanging in the study room... He also knew that Liu Yizhi had lived alone all his life. The emperor died at the age of fifty and four.

After knowing the story of the homophonic tree, Zhou Chen’s eyes gradually filled with moisture. Buddhism says that there are eight sufferings in life, namely: birth, old age, illness, death, love and parting, resentment and hatred, not getting what you want, and the five shades. Flaming bitter.This person has two of them - love to part, and not wanting... For a moment, Zhou Chen felt a pity that he felt the same way.

"Ah Chen..." Song Ran stared blankly at the tears in the corners of Zhou Chen's eyes. The tears were like an oasis in the desert, and also like charcoal fire in the cold winter. As if he had been bewitched, he walked gently to Zhou Chen's side , slowly approaching, the face was close to Zhou Chen's face... Then, there was no more.

Because something fell to the ground with a "click" behind the rockery, this crisp sound woke up Zhou Chen who was in deep thought, and also woke up Song Ran who was trapped in a magic barrier.

Only then did Zhou Chen see Song Ran's posture, and he quickly stepped back in fright, "Cousin?"

Song Ran's face burned badly, he wiped the sweat off his palms on his clothes calmly, and forced a smile on his face: "Just now I saw that there seemed to be a bug in your eye, I want to take a closer look look."

Zhou Chen suddenly realized: "So that's it. Cousin, do you still have bugs in my eyes?"

Song Ran looked it over carefully again, shook his head and said: "No, it should be the shadow of the leaves, my cousin misread it. Haha, let's go to the study room, I'm afraid Taifu Zhuang will be playing the board later."

Zhou Chen agreed with a smile, but his heart beat violently.Just now when he came back to his senses, he saw that Song Ran was already approaching him, and when he was about to push him away, he saw his eyes, which were full of affection, as thick as ink that couldn't be melted.Zhou Chen's heart trembled, and his heart was beating wildly. Fortunately, at this moment, something fell to the ground behind the rockery, startling Song Ran away.

Zhou Chen slowed down the pace, let out a long breath, and suddenly thought of the sound behind the rockery, and his footsteps froze, and Song Ran beside him obviously thought of this, and stopped at the same time.

The two looked at each other and saw the doubt in each other's eyes.

Song Ran said: "Who is behind the rockery? Come out!"

Nothing happened.The surroundings were quiet, only the breeze blowing by, took away a trace of dry heat, and pulled the leaves to make a faint rustling sound.

Song Ran got a little angry and shouted, "Come out!"

The two listened with bated breath. Suddenly, after a "meow", a snow-white kitten ran out from behind the rockery. It seemed that it didn't have a good sense of direction. After getting on Zhou Chen's calf, he stopped dangling, and sat down on the ground, looking like he was knocked out.

Zhou Chen and Song Ran looked at each other, and suddenly laughed. Zhou Chen bent down and hugged the little white cat, pinched its small ears lightly, and said with a smile, "Is this a waiting cat?"

Song Ran also breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile: "It's an interesting kitten, I wonder which palace lady raised it?"

Zhou Chen shook his head, and the two walked away while talking.

……

***

Lying on the bed, Zhou Chen silently thought about those three things... Later he also understood the meaning in Song Ran's eyes at that time, and he also understood his feelings for Zhuang Nan, but he also fell into pain because of it.It has been 350 years since the founding of the Chu Dynasty, and there has never been a precedent for men to love each other openly and aboveboard.Even for a strong hero like Tai-zu and such a splendid sage like Liu Yizhi, the two of them could only wish for it, and died of depression.

Zhou Chen sighed, and the effect of the traditional Chinese medicine he drank before gradually increased, and he fell asleep in a trance.

……

When he woke up again, someone seemed to be talking in the room.Zhou Chen opened his eyes, and saw Zhuang Wen sitting at the table, whispering something to Imperial Physician Lin.Seeing him awake in a blink of an eye, he quickly got up and said, "Your Highness, are you better?"

Zhou Chen smiled, nodded, and wanted to sit up but was held down by Zhuang Wen.Zhuang Wen said: "Wait a minute, I'd better let Imperial Physician Lin take another look. Just now, Imperial Physician Lin said that if you don't wake up again, he will wake you up, and you should take medicine."

Zhou Chen responded: "Okay, but I think I'm fine, you don't have to worry, Awen."

Doctor Lin saluted, stepped forward and sat on the stool beside the bed, put two fingers of his right hand between Zhou Chen's wrists, and twirled the beard on his chin with his left hand.It took about a cup of tea time for the pulse to be cut before Taiyi Lin opened his eyes and said with a sigh of relief: "Your Highness is fine, you just need to drink a few more medicines to strengthen it. Please pay attention to your highness in the future. Don't be overjoyed or sad, otherwise It’s easy to get heartbroken.”

Zhou Chen: "I've made a note, thank you, Doctor Lin."

Physician Lin hurriedly said that he didn't dare, and went to write the prescription.

Zhuang Wen hesitated for a moment, then said softly: "Your Highness, when Xiao Nan comes back, I will definitely teach him a lesson."

A look of sadness flashed across Zhou Chen's eyes, his face was still amiable, and he shook his head: "He...should... have a special liking for that girl." In just a few words, Zhou Chen said it well It was extremely difficult, and he sighed in a subtle way: "Talk to him well, don't scold him, if he really... likes it, then just marry...back."

Throughout his life, he couldn't even say the word "like" to Zhuang Nan.

Zhuang Wen saw that Zhou Chen's face was even paler than before after he finished speaking, and said anxiously: "Doctor Lin, look quickly, what's wrong, Your Highness?"

Doctor Lin hurriedly put down the brush in his hand and came over to feel the pulse.After a while, he disapproved and said: "Your Highness, you should rest and relax, there is no obstacle you can't get over."

Zhou Chen smiled wryly, this hurdle will never pass in this life.

Zhuang Wen knew that Zhou Chen was still angry because of Zhuang Nan, so he couldn't help feeling angry: "This Xiao Nan, I really don't know what to say! I'll get him back right away!" After speaking, he turned around and was about to leave, when he heard someone in the courtyard Hastily reported: "My subordinates send greetings to His Royal Highness Rong, and to the Eldest Young Master. Eldest Young Master! Go to the front yard to have a look, the Third Young Master injured his leg and was carried back!"

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