The Gilded Cage

"Brother?"

Xiao Ke touched the back of her neck with one hand, repeating these two words meaningfully.

Chu Ning was touched by his rough palm, and a thin lump formed on his back. He couldn't help but stretched forward, but it happened to be closer to him.

"Yes, he is the closest brother." She blinked and looked at him innocently, as if she didn't understand what he meant at all, and she had to ask him clearly.

Xiao Kezhi did not want to hide his words, so he asked, "Is there any other affection between you and him?"

The Chu family only has an only daughter in Chu Ning, and Zhao Yanzhou is surnamed Zhao. This "brother" is probably just a cousin. It is not uncommon for cousins ​​to have childhood sweethearts and secret love between cousins.

"What do you think?" She put her chin on his chest and looked up at him.

His face was expressionless, the dark light in his eyes floated, and his voice firmly said: "I don't think there is any, and naturally I hope it is true."

Chu Ning stopped joking, but looked at his gaze earnestly, and said softly: "He is the elder brother, like the elder brother."

There is no relationship between men and women, only the friendship between brothers and sisters.

Xiao Kezhi's expression slowly eased. He is not a person with a small belly, since she said so, naturally there is no longer any doubt.

But this time, Chu Ning was a little surprised, and some even doubted it.

"Your Majesty is not angry anymore?"

She said this to Xiao Yu a long time ago. But Xiao Yu agreed on his face, but still cruelly attacked Zhao Yanzhou behind her back.

Everyone says that women are small-minded and jealous, but aren't men the same little belly chicken intestines?

"If you make it clear, I will naturally lose my anger." Xiao Kezhi turned around and turned into a supine posture, holding her with one hand, letting her rest her head on her chest, and her tone really lost her previous tension. , "Why, don't you believe it? I don't even mind if you are married, do you doubt yourself because you have a cousin?"

Chu Ning was stunned and suddenly smiled. He is a prince who has been left out in the cold since he was a child, and he didn't know how he was cultivated so confident, maybe he is a natural king.

She felt a little warm in her heart, and she didn’t rush to fall asleep, so she simply pillowed on his chest and told about Zhao Yan’s life when she was raised by her parents when she was a young boy. When she mentioned his full of talents, she said in a tone of voice. There is no lack of regret and distress.

"...He was promoted as a child prodigy when he was fourteen years old when he was a disciple. He was so proud of him that he should have a promising future, but he was squandered because of things in my family."

Xiao Kezhi listened very carefully, and then he gradually remembered that many years ago, he seemed to have heard that a cousin and young nephew in Chu Qianyu's family was talented, and it was this one.

"It's really a pity. It is clear that you can enter the Imperial Academy, but now you can only manage the general affairs in the East Palace." He also knows something about Xiao Yu, and understands that all the major events in the East Palace are presided over by Xu Rong, although Zhao Yanzhou is Si Zhi, but rarely shows up, is not known to most people.

However, thinking of his nephew's temperament, he suddenly felt a strange feeling in his heart: "Such a talent, and close to you, can the prince tolerate him?"

"Naturally can't tolerate it." Her eyes grew bleak when she mentioned this. "He has paid...he has paid a lot in order to stay in the East Palace."

She wanted to confess the prince's use of torture to Zhao Yanzhou, who was a pending official, but it was about human dignity, and she didn't want to expose her brother's pain in front of others.

Xiao Kezhi didn't question either. There weren't many ways to deal with a man who made people feel uncomfortable. Only after a rough thought in his heart, he was able to guess it.

Sure enough, it was his nephew's style, generous and tolerant on the face, sinister and vicious inside.

He hesitated suddenly. I wanted to treat her well before, and when she slowly realized his goodness and became willing to step out bravely like him, she would take her away from the prince. But every time I know her a little bit more, I will also know how much harm a prince has caused to her.

He was a little reluctant to let her continue to live the same depressive and fearful life.

"You care about fame?" He put his arms around her, stroked her back lightly, and raised it casually.

To bring her back to the harem, rumors are inevitable, he naturally doesn't care, but if she cares, he will also be scrupulous.

Chu Ning thought for a while, shook his head and said: "I'm already like this, where can I care about this anymore? Now I just want to earn my father's innocence."

She doesn't even want to be ashamed, how can she care about her reputation?

Xiao Kezhi looked at her with complicated eyes, as if he wanted to see her through, before he said for a long time: "I understand."

No one is born to care about their reputation. He didn't care because he had been accustomed to being wild for many years, and if he was too conservative and trembling, he would not go where he is today. But she was different. She was a woman, a woman who had a good background but fell into a dilemma.

Many people know that Chu Qianyu's case is a wrongful case. No one believes that he will really do those violent things. Even if he is convicted, there are still many courtiers who admire and regret him very much.

Under such circumstances, she still wants to restore her father's name, which shows that she cares, but the situation she is facing makes her have to give up.

He asked more about this.

Since she cares, he will endure it again. At this time, he rushes to act, and will put her on the cusp of the storm and be hit by countless rumors.

"What's the matter?" Chu Ning asked softly, feeling that he was extra gentle tonight. She felt a little embarrassed after she had said things that day, but now they are all gone. Instead, she feels no worries and feels very relieved.

"Nothing." He rubbed her head and patted her on the back regularly as if coaxing a child to sleep. "Isn't it sleepy? Go to sleep."

She was excited for a while, when she heard this, she was knocked down by the trap, and she drooped down her eyelids. She was so dizzy, she didn't forget to mumble: "I'm not a little girl..."

In his ears is his chuckle and deep voice.

"Seven years younger than me, isn't she a little girl?"

But she had fallen into a dream quickly, and she couldn't hear it anymore.

…

After the severe wind and snow, the warm sun finally ushered in.

Chu Ning always wakes up early, when the genius is bright, he has opened his eyes, but he did not expect that Xiao Kezhi wakes up earlier than her, and she has seen it for a long time.

"Why did your Majesty wake up without moving?" She was still a little confused, she opened her misty eyes and couldn't help but yawned, and then cast a layer of mist on her bright eyes.

"You were too tired last night, you should sleep a little longer." He said, spontaneously leaning closer to the eye that was going to kiss her.

Chu Ning snorted and couldn't help turning his face to avoid him, but he was holding one earlobe. The strange touch came from the ears, and a flush was immediately sparked. Starting from the ears, it gradually crawled over the neck and cheeks, the matte and white intertwined, which was particularly moving.

"Your Majesty..." She was sensitively aware of his changes and hurriedly pushed him.

He simply turned over and kissed her lightly or hardly for a long time, and then barely let go.

"Sleep well at night?"

Chu Ning blushed and panted, nodded lightly, and was pulled by him to sit up, picking up the clothes thrown aside and putting them on one by one.

Although the weather was cold, the snow-stained cloak was still dry. She wrapped herself tightly, went to the window and opened the lattice, poking her head out to see the weather outside.

The bright sunshine was projected over immediately, and it rushed away a little bit cold.

"It's clear." She spoke softly, exhaling a cloud of white mist, which quickly dissipated into the air again, "It's time to go back."

When the voice fell, the room became quiet.

Xiao Kezhi walked slowly behind her and pulled her into his arms: "We have to wait for the people in Tangquan Palace to clear the snow and clear the way. How can there be an hour or two."

The guards guarding outside had been paying attention to this place all the time, and when they saw the window opened, they brought in the washing water and warm breakfast.

The pickles and soup cakes were still the same as last night. After washing and washing, the two sat and ate each other, which was exceptionally harmonious.

Cuihe came over with the newly-changed hot water Poo Tang, took it to Chu Ning's arms, and whispered: "Zhao Sizhi has already gone up the mountain to find the way."

"So early? There is a lot of snow on the mountain, the road is slippery, it is dangerous in the end, how many people did he bring over?" Chu Ning was worried, Zhao Yanzhou was a weak scholar, and trekking in the snow must be a little difficult.

"Brought two servants over."

"Two people, there are really fewer." Those are the most ordinary attendants. They are usually good at doing business in the East Palace. They have to walk through the snow, but they are not necessarily good at them.

Xiao Kezhi listened, and Jin Jiang rushed outside the door and waved: "Send three people to follow and protect Zhao Sizhi."

Jin Jiang should "here" immediately and proceed to make arrangements.

The guards around the emperor were all strong sergeants, naturally very reliable. Chu Ning let go and turned to thank him.

He glanced at the snow outside the house, and suddenly became interested, stretched out his hand to hug her, and strode towards the outsider: "Go, I will take you out to see."

Chu Ning was taken aback, hurriedly around his neck, trying to bury his face.

Fortunately, the Taoist priests in the temple had been reminded by the guards to stay in the house.

Xiao Kezhi took her to his black steed, let her sit firmly, and then rolled over, wrapped her in his arms, and pulled the reins to urge the horse to move forward.

"Where is this going?" Chu Ning looked at the white snow, and listened to the slight chuckle of horseshoes stepping into the snow. A kind of pleasant fun was born in my heart. "Your Majesty is going to take Aning to see the snow scene. ?"

Xiao Kezhi laughed, patted her on the shoulder, shook his head and said, "It's just going to a place. Snow, I have seen a lot, and I get tired early. There is more snow in Ganzhou than in Chang'an every year, in the wilderness, Not only does the heavy snow fall over the knees, but also wild wolves often appear. If you are not careful, accidents will happen."

Speaking of wild wolves, Chu Ning suddenly remembered the gray wolf called Vimalakorn he was keeping, and couldn't help asking: "Your Majesty has a wolf? I heard that there is some connection with your Majesty."

"Yeah, Vimalakīrti, it has saved my life." He mentioned the original incident, and his eyes flashed with emotion, but there was no pain or embarrassment.

On the contrary, it was Chu Ning. Hearing this, he remembered the surprise of the past: He is the prince of Daliang. What kind of life will he live in the frontier before his life is in danger, and the court has not heard any news?

"Your Majesty-did you have a hard time in Ganzhou?"

"Difficult? Let's just count it. It was really difficult after only going there for the past two years. Later, when I got used to it, it didn't matter." He tightened the cloak that had been blown away by the wind and talked about it slowly. At the time, "Vimalain appeared in the third year of being there."