The Gilded Cage

As soon as the hall door opened, the two maids who were far away from the corridor quickly stepped inside. One took away the cups and trays on the case, and the other wrung a hot towel and wiped Xiao Yu's face.

He stretched out his hand to take it, looked at the very light mist coming out of the towel, but didn't move.

"His Royal Highness?" The maid waited awkwardly, not knowing whether to wipe his face directly, or continue to wait, she had to remind her hesitantly.

Xiao Yu's brows and eyes suddenly showed impatience and irritability, only to feel that the two maids were an eyesore, and waved them out of the hall.

He was the only one left in the spacious room. The words before Xu Rong left echoed in his ears again, making the feeling in his heart complicated and unspeakable.

He has always cleaned himself up in matters of men and women. Before he got married, there was not even a maidserving close to him in the huge East Palace.

Firstly, because his mother died young, his father gradually favored Xue Guifei and Wu Wanghuan when he was a little older, and turned a blind eye to him, the eldest son, and gradually moved away, and no elders were worried about these things for him.

Secondly, it is to win over people's hearts. He knew that among courtiers such as Chu Qianyu, there were a few very strict family traditions, and did not advocate that men should raise concubines without incident. In order to get more support from the court, he deliberately restrained himself, kept himself clean, and never contaminated him. Sensual.

But now, as Xu Rong said, it is no longer what it used to be.

Marriage is a good way to firmly bind the interests between them, especially those who hold real power but do not have the handle behind them, it is even more necessary. As long as he still has a chance, he has to consider taking this step.

But thinking of Aning, he suddenly felt a little hesitation in his heart.

The originally warm towel was already cold, he wiped his face, and the damp coldness penetrated into his skin, refreshing his spirit.

No matter what, during the period of filial piety, you are not allowed to marry or accept concubines. It is better to put it aside and make a decision later.

"Come here." He threw the handkerchief back to the edge of the copper basin, got up and called the waiting person in, "Prepare water for a bath."

…

In the morning of the second day, Jin Jiang took Xiao Kezhi’s decree to the Wanchun Temple. Not only did he announce that he would continue to make Xiao Yu the prince temporarily, but he also allowed him to go back to Wanchun directly after he was physically weak and worshipped in the Taiji Temple every day. The temple recuperates until it is fully restored.

Although Xiao Yu had doubts about Xiao Kezhi's move, he was finally relieved for the time being because of this will.

When he made the order, he would record it in the book, and everyone in the middle and ups and downs would know that he was not afraid that the new king would move the East Palace for the time being.

Taking advantage of the fact that most of the courtiers gathered in the Tai Chi Hall every day, Xu Rong privately arranged for people to search the previous memorials and files at the Criminal Ministry and Yushitai.

Although he was secretive, his daily rush was still seen by Zhao Yanzhou, who was also a minister of the Eastern Palace.

In the evening a few days later, when he met Chu Ning outside the Piandian Gate as usual, he told the truth.

"Xu Shidu is looking for old files?" Chu Ning listened carefully, frowning.

"Yes, not only did you check the old archives of the East Palace, but there seemed to be other official documents. The minister guessed that this matter should be related to Hou Shilang and others."

He didn't say it bluntly, but Chu Ning understood the meaning.

There were a lot of courtiers around Xiao Yu who were as unclean as Hou Tongyi. If one Hou Tongyi died, there would naturally be a second and a third. He was taking precautions.

In the past, when she didn't know the truth, she had euphemistically persuaded Xiao Yu not to associate with those with corrupt personal morals and bad conduct, but he always lamented that he could not help himself. If not, he would not be able to compete with the Qi family.

Now, these courtiers finally became his weakness.

Chu Ning's heart moved, and quickly passed through the courtiers that he had heard in the past two years, picking out a few names from them, and keeping them in mind, maybe they will be used soon.

"I see." She nodded to Zhao Yanzhou and told him to go down first.

In the main hall, after Xiao Yu and her colleagues had discussed the matter, she had already taken the medicine and fell asleep. At this moment, the doors and windows were closed tightly, and there was no sound quietly.

In order to help him better his cultivation, the imperial physician Ling added a few herbs for tranquilizing the nerves to the soup. After drinking it, he was particularly lethargic these days.

Chu Ning glanced at the hour, leaving two trusted maids to pay attention to the movement of the Wanchun Temple, and he took the green lotus out of the Dragon Gate, still following the Qianbu Corridor all the way to the direction of the mountain pool.

In the twilight, the entire Houyuan scenery was shrouded in a layer of cold mist, cold and lonely. It was only when the palace people lit the lanterns along the road all the way to brighten the dull atmosphere.

In the pavilion by the pool, Xiao Kezhi, wearing a filial attire, stood alone beside the langan with his hands behind his hands. The tea on the table was vaguely warm.

Chu Ning saw that figure from a distance, and knew that he hadn't come in vain.

After the death, she asked Cuihe to keep an eye on Hou Yuan secretly, and only then did she understand Xiao Kezhi's whereabouts.

He seems to love the gray wolf called Vimala very much. Every one or two days, he will personally bring it to the backyard, and every time he comes, he will stay in this pavilion for a while and drink a cup or two. Tea, only then returned to the Temple of Ganlu.

She came here today, naturally it was the right time.

"His Royal Highness." Liu Kang, who was guarding outside the pavilion, was surprised when he saw her approaching, and he hurriedly bowed to salute.

After Chu Ning nodded to him, he walked to the steps of the pavilion, and Chong had already turned around to look at his Xiao Kezhi's salute.

This time, Xiao Kezhi did not step forward to help her, but went to sit down at the stone table, put one hand on the table, knuckles and tapped, with a faint "um", neither let her get up, nor did she get up. Let her in.

Chu Ning paused for a moment, then slowly stood up straight, boldly stepped onto the steps, and walked to him.

Liu Kang watched silently, feeling strange in his heart. But the matter of the emperor was definitely not something others could do. After hesitating for a while, he winked at the other servants around him, and the few of them stepped back quietly together, turned around, turned their backs to the pavilion, and looked away.

There were only two people left in the pavilion, but both of them were extremely patient, one standing and the other sitting, and no one made a sound.

Xiao Kezhi held the tea cup with his eyes drooping, sipping sips while looking at the clear tea soup in the cup.

Chu Ning's gaze also fell in the tea cup in his hand, waiting quietly, until the tea soup bottomed out, then took another step, stopped half a step away from him, bent his waist, and then used honey to nourish the slenderness. The catkin stretched out from his sleeve, stroking his generous hand if anything.

The fragrance on the beauty body and the soft and warm touch on her hands made Xiao Kezhi's eyebrows jump, and she suddenly grabbed her wrists and looked up at her carefully: "What do you want to do?"

Chu Ning was pushed forward by him, and fell on half of his shoulder.

Two pieces of different forms of filial obedience are stuck together, and there is a rustling sound between friction, which intensifies the atmosphere in the pavilion that was originally shrouded in autumn cold.

She stared at his deep eyes, her lips revealed the gentle and submissive smile of her niece when she faced the elders, and the other hand, which was not held, touched his Adam's apple and put it on his other shoulder to support it. With oneself.

Xiao Kezhi gritted his teeth, the blue veins on his forehead loomed, and his eyes were slightly narrowed, staring at her unblinkingly like a wolf.

"Last time when my niece pours tea to your majesty, she was very negligent. When we met today, my niece wanted to make amends for her, and then pour a cup of hot tea for her."

After she said, she put her hands slightly hard, moved away from his arms, stood up straight again, held the teapot and waited with a smile.

Xiao Kezhi didn't move, staring at her for a moment, then slowly put the teacup back on the table.

The warm tea in the pot was slowly poured into the cup, and Chu Ning held both sides of the cup with both hands, and respectfully offered it: "Please drink tea, Your Majesty."

At the time of the handover, she was still respectful, and she did not act any more than the rules, and even her eyes fell on the ground consciously, not looking at him.

Between the two, it seemed that the normal elders and juniors were restored again.

"How many days are the prince?" Xiao Kezhi only took a sip of the cup of tea and put it back on the table, no longer touching it.

"Thank your majesty for caring, the prince has recovered a lot after many days of recuperation." Chu Ning stood by and responded softly.

"Is the prince treating you bad?"

His tone was calm and incomprehensible, but Chu Ning instantly realized what he meant.

She didn't answer directly, instead she threw the words back: "Your Majesty thought that the prince is good to his nephew and daughter-in-law?"

Xiao Kezhi pondered for a moment and did not answer directly. He only said: "I only heard that the prince insisted on marrying you at the beginning and won the praise of many courtiers in the DPRK. You have been married for two years, and the prince has always been the only one with you."

She listened carefully and couldn't help but chuckle.

She has heard this remark how many times in the past two years. Everyone said she was lucky, and everyone thought she should be devoted to Xiao Yu, and even she herself almost believed it.

No one ever mentions how much benefit Xiao Yu, who married her, gotten from it, even if he later covered up his crimes for someone like Hou Tongyi, as long as she was mentioned as the daughter of a criminal minister, people still felt that he was a loyal, loyal and traitor. Benevolent prince.

"After hearing these rumors, does your Majesty feel like others, thinking that the prince married me, because of my great kindness, should I be grateful for Dade for the rest of my life?"

"Should it not?" Xiao Kezhi raised his eyebrows and looked at her.

Chu Ning slowly put away his smile, and a stubborn expression appeared on the originally gentle face: "He did save me, but I don't owe him. He treats me well, and only me and him know. Speculation by others."

In fact, she had a lot of grievances in her heart and nowhere to vent, but she knew that it was not a good time now.

She didn't know exactly what Xiao Kezhi was like, and all she knew before was hearsay. At this time, she could not vent her emotions willfully, let alone tell the story of Xiao Yu's death to her father and deceive her straightforwardly. Instead, she should leave room to find out his attitude, and then slowly figure it out.

Xiao Kezhi didn't comment, only frowned at her, and slowly said, "You are very different from your father."

Chu Ning didn't understand what he meant for a while and could only guess secretly.

Her father, Chu Qianyu, has always been known for his fairness, integrity, openness and tenacity. Even if he was later convicted, few people slandered him. What he said was different. Could it be that she accused her of not inheriting the upright and unyielding character of her father?

She paused, a layer of grievance damp in her eyes, and fragility in her voice: "If it is the same, where can I live today?"

When she was still in her boudoir, she was also a seemingly weak and obedient little lady, but in fact a reserved and proud little lady. If there were no changes later, she would never understand that in the face of life, all dignity and pride were nothing but a flash of smoke.

Xiao Kezhi's eyes flickered while looking at her, and his heart beat for a while.

Seeing that he hadn't spoken any more, Chu Ning was hesitating whether to leave first, and he caught a glimpse of a gray shadow leaping into the pavilion quickly, and then, a strong gray wolf had reached her leg.

The half-man Vimo raised his head, staring at her with those frightening eyes, slowly revealing his fangs and claws.

Her scalp was numb, and she took a step back abruptly, but she happened to crash into a broad and firm embrace.

Under Xiao Ke's consciousness stretched out his hands to hold her shoulders, but didn't push her directly away, looking from a distance, it seemed as if he was hugging her from behind.

Chu Ning's head touched his chest, and she could just feel the strong heartbeat, which made her slowly relax.

Seeing Xiao Kezhi, Vimala didn't approach anymore, but looked up at the two of them, as if they didn't know what to do.

"Everyone—" Liu Kang had just been looking at Vimalakirti who was running from far and near. At this moment, he turned to see the two people in the pavilion, and couldn't help but tremble and call out.

Xiao Kezhi didn't change his face, and naturally put down the hands holding Chu Ning's shoulders, and beckoned to Vimalakirti: "Go back."

After all, no longer stay and leave in stride.