The nine princesses of the East Palace

Sister Mingyue took the matter of revenge very seriously, and she didn't know what she had discovered, so she was willing to give up revenge and go back to the mountains and forests.However, the emperor has so many concubines, and she doesn't like to fight, so it's fine to leave.

"Then, when my sister leaves, please let me know and I'll see you off." I smiled at her.

"Okay." Sister Mingyue nodded.

Sister Mingyue only stayed in the East Palace for half an hour before leaving.When she left, I walked her to the door, she smiled at me, then turned and left.She is wrapped in a snow-white rabbit fur cloak today, and she looks so noble. I never thought that she would enter the palace, and I don't know if she has true feelings for the emperor.

In February, as Li Chengyin said, there was a huge turmoil in the court, the Gao family collapsed, and the right minister Gao Ming, who had power in the court and the public, was imprisoned for framing Zhongliang, cheating in the imperial examination, and killing the emperor's heir. It turned out that it had been more than ten years The former Gu and Chen families were exterminated because of him. He also cheated in the imperial examinations for personal gain, causing countless underprivileged candidates to shatter their dreams and commit suicide collectively. It is said that the young servant who overthrew Xu Niang was one of his people. Those in Mingyufang last time The murderous assassin is also related to him...

For several days, the palace ladies and fathers-in-law could vaguely be heard talking about the Gao family in private.I don't know which ones are real and which ones are fake, but the Gao family really collapsed, and Gao Ming died in prison, implicating the entire family.

The Gu family is the mother family of Concubine Gu Shu, I thought that Li Chengyin would be very happy if his revenge was avenged, but he seemed to have something on his mind, his brows were slightly frowned, and he couldn't look happy at all, so I remembered that the one who destroyed the Gu family It's not Gao Ming, but the emperor... How could Li Chengyin be happy?Gao Ming was just a cover for the emperor, a scapegoat. Once Gao Ming died, all the crimes of the emperor were taken out. He is the master of the world and can cover the sky with one hand. Who dares to say that he is the murderer?

I thought of sister Mingyue again. The Gu family is in the same line as the Chen family. The Gu family was made bad by the emperor, so the Chen family must be too. No wonder she wants to leave the palace, and she said she can't take revenge...

On the second day after the collapse of the Gao family, the injustice of the Gu and Chen families was cleared, but Li Chengyin shut himself in the study for half a day, and did not open the door no matter what he called.In the end, it was I who asked someone to break open the door.

When I walked into the study, Li Chengyin was sitting in front of the desk, sitting upright, he looked very calm, without any emotion.But when I came in, he didn't look at me. In the past, when I came to him, he would pat the seat next to him and tell me to sit there.

I got closer, but I saw him drawing a picture. The picture showed a gentle woman, who should be his biological mother, Concubine Gu Shu.He had already drawn several sheets, the paper on the table was a bit messy, and one or two sheets were scattered on the ground, I stooped down to pick them up and put them back on the table.

Li Chengyin's movements paused, but he didn't look at me.I stood still and just watched him draw his mother.He is very good at drawing, but this time he couldn't draw smoothly. He didn't know whether it was because his hands were shaking or he was not calm. The big ink droplets blurred on the paper, and he didn't know it. The ink completely covered the painting. The person's facial features blurred, and he regained his senses.He put down his pen and finally stopped painting. Instead, he stood up and walked to the window sill, with his hands behind his back, looking outside, looking lonely and lonely.

I walked over slowly, couldn't help but put my arms around his waist, and hugged him tightly from behind.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." After a while, he said hoarsely.

"But your hands are so cold, and your body is also so cold." I said softly, "Let me cover you, my hands are warm." After I said that, I put my hand on his hand, as if I touched a piece of it. It's like ice, and it's a bit chilly. I really regret that I didn't bring a hand stove in.

He suddenly grabbed my hand, pulled me in front of him, looked at me and said, "I'm not cold."

I looked at him and didn't speak.At this moment, I realized that his eyes were very red, filled with various emotions, grievance, sadness, unwillingness, resentment and forbearance... like a child who has been wronged all the time.Rarely have I seen him so emotionally exposed, as elusive as he used to be.

I was a little at a loss, didn't know what to say or do, and finally just said: "Let's go out of the palace for a walk."

"Okay." After a long time, he nodded.

I have never been to the Gu Mansion, so I don't know where it is, so I asked Yong Niang specifically to find out.

We took a carriage to the market, Yong Niang said, Gu's residence is at the end of the market.I got off the carriage ahead of schedule, and I dragged Li Chengyin along while strolling forward.After walking for about two quarters of an hour, I came to the end.

I looked up and saw an abandoned courtyard. Both the walls and the doors were dilapidated and old. The walls were covered with moss and vines spread everywhere. It was barren and decayed, worse than poor houses. Not as good.

This is the Gu Mansion, because the case has been vindicated, and the door plaque of the Gu Mansion has been hung on the door again.The door plaque is old, but a red cloth is tied on it, which looks a bit abrupt and dazzling.

"Shall we go in and have a look?" I said.

"It's nothing to see." Li Chengyin said.

"Just take a look." I said, "This yard is quite big. It was your mother's former home. After you find someone to repair it, it will look brand new. When we go out of the palace to play in the future, we can rest here."

I don't care if he agrees or not, I took a few steps forward and was about to open the door to go in, but he pulled me back and said, "This yard has not been repaired for a long time, and there is a lot of dust, you should stay away." He said He raised his hand and pushed the heavy door open.

Sure enough, there was a puff of dust, he blocked me in front of him, and almost blocked all the dust, so he was different, the black clothes on his body were covered with dust, he didn't seem to care He didn't take a pat, but in the past, he would have frowned a long time ago.

We walked in, probably because the place has been sealed and no one dared to break in. The tables, stools, beds, etc. inside are still in good condition, but the bricks and tiles on the roof have been eroded by rain, wind, and sun, and they are already bare. , a little rain will enter the water.

There was a lot of moss on the steps, it was wet and slippery, if it wasn't for pulling Li Chengyin, I would have fallen several times.

We walked all the way to the yard, and there are many trees planted in the yard, none of which have a single leaf, almost all of them are branches, only a red plum in full bloom can be seen in the corner of the wall, it is red and bright, in this ruin-like yard It looks very conspicuous.

"Are all those trees dead, only this red plum is alive?" I couldn't help muttering.

"It's not dead, it's just that it hasn't grown new leaves yet." Li Chengyin said.

"How do you know?" I asked, "Could it be that you come here every year to see it?"

"No, I just pass by occasionally to take a look." He replied lightly.