Bright Spring

Zhu Gaoxu didn't answer right away, he was silent for a moment, and then said: "I used to think that as long as one day, people are rich and powerful, they can get everything except birth, old age, sickness and death. But I realized later that this is not the case. If you miss something , can’t be compensated by power and wealth; everything that can be exchanged is just what they need.”

He sighed and paused for a moment.His footsteps also stopped, he stood where he was, turned to face En Hui, and said seriously: "Power and money are just for me to do business now. But these few people who really care about me are just flattery and favor. Awe? Life is too short, no matter how many people we make friends with, there are always very few who pay attention.”

When Enhui heard this, her heart was in a mess for some reason.

Her demeanor also lost her previous calmness, as if she couldn't control it, she was doing some trivial movements.For a while she wanted to look up at Zhu Gaoxu, and for a while she turned her face away and pretended to look at the scenery; but at this moment, Enhui didn't know what happened or what was happening around her.

She didn't know when she began to accept Zhu Gaoxu from the Yan Dynasty, and she didn't know how she began to trust him. She was more or less happy when she saw him; it is not important.One-sided upset, it is easy to wake up after a little longer.

But after hearing Zhu Gaoxu's words just now, she suddenly felt at a loss.

At this moment, Zhu Gaoxu's voice asked again: "I didn't do anything wrong, so why did you suddenly distance yourself?"

En Hui had no way to answer, so she could only say, "I can hardly forgive myself."

She said this, but last time Zhu Gaoxu obviously didn't understand what it meant, and didn't care too much.This time he seemed to understand that this remark was not casual, and he was silent for a long time.

Enhui couldn't help but murmured: "Before this, I thought a lot and told myself a lot of truths, and I finally calmed down. I recite the Buddha's name and copy the scriptures every day. I think this is very good. I will forget the past and relax But once you came, I didn't know what happened, I forgot what I thought before..."

Zhu Gaoxu interrupted her suddenly and said, "Can't you see your own heart clearly?"

"What?" En Hui was stunned.

Zhu Gaoxu no longer explained, just looked at her.Enhui felt that her mind was blank, unable to think anymore, only various direct and chaotic emotions, but they were also very strong and clear.No wonder people in the world are very concerned about being alone with men and widows. Even if they don’t do anything out of the ordinary, their feelings are completely different; because there is only one person around to talk to, Enhui feels that Zhu Gaoxu seems to be the only one left in Zhu Gaoxu’s eyes. special.

En Hui didn't want to admit it, but as soon as Zhu Gaoxu reminded her of "I still can't see clearly", she understood everything.

She felt something warm surging in her body, heating up, but she couldn't find an outlet.Once that kind of emotion is stirred up, it can no longer be calmed down. Only by letting it continue to rise can it be released at a certain moment.

At this moment, Zhu Gaoxu approached in a timely manner and gently hugged her body.He did it so unobtrusively, as if he were simply comforting a poor woman who was out of control.

But his body temperature suddenly made En Hui find the direction of emotional release.She felt her body go limp, and she couldn't exert all her strength.

"There's nothing wrong, and you won't suffer any consequences, so why bother with yourself?" Zhu Gaoxu whispered in her ear.His voice was deep but reassuring, and the breath he exhaled warmly touched her ears, and the slight touch seemed to spread quickly to all places, making her a little flustered.

En Hui took a long breath, stretched out her arms, and actively hugged Zhu Gaoxu tightly.Then she put her face close to Zhu Gaoxu's neck, took a deep breath, and smelled his breath greedily.It was just a hug, but it seemed that he could no longer break free, and En Hui also felt the changes in Zhu Gaoxu's body.He also responded, rubbing his face on her face and neck.

In broad daylight, En Hui felt a little uncomfortable with such an intimate gesture.She took the initiative and said, "Let's go into the house first."

Zhu Gaoxu said: "Alright, the wind is strong by the lake."

With a blushing face, Eun Hye slightly moved away from his embrace and looked up at him.Zhu Gaoxu always made her feel very natural, and she couldn't find a reason to stop.The two parted and embraced, but still held hands together, as if they were afraid that they would disappear if they left each other.

They had already walked to the back of the attic; and the door of that house was opened at the front, and they had to go around the front to enter the small courtyard.However, there is a hut at the back of the courtyard, which seems to be a place to store tools and sundries.Enhui felt inexplicably anxious, and she didn't even want to walk a little longer, and Zhu Gaoxu was thinking the same, so they walked towards that simple hut in unison.

Sure enough, it was just a place to put things, I couldn't bear to look directly at it, there was not even a place to sit; Enhui had never entered before.

The window was closed, and Zhu Gaoxu closed the wooden door, and the light inside dimmed; but the eyes he looked down at Enhui seemed to be brighter and brighter.The sound of the wind was also blocked outside the door, so that she immediately heard the clear breathing of the two of them.The enclosed space of the hut seemed a bit stuffy, at least En Hui felt a little suffocated.

The wind outside is still blowing, and the cool wind comes from Yanque Lake.

Inside the fence that blocks Yanque Lake, one of the willow trees in the row seems to have been neglected and leaned against the wall. The willow branches are like hanging black silk. When the wind blows, the branches flutter and flutter, making a "rustling" sound .And on the lakeside in the distance, the water waves also created layers of waves in the wind, and a wave of prodigal son slapped to the shore of the lake with a "wow", and higher waves followed...

By the time En Hui returned to a bedroom under the attic, it was already too late.She was in a daze for a while, during which she dozed off for a while, and when she suddenly recovered, she found that the sky was already dark, and the furnishings in the room could not be seen clearly.

It was a day of trance, and En Hui occasionally even suspected that nothing happened today.But those very subtle scenes came to mind intermittently and very clearly.If it is just a dream, there is absolutely no such clear reason.What's more, she was still half-lying here lazily until the evening, so many remaining traces could be found immediately.

A servant girl's voice came from outside the door: "Madam, are you going to the dining room for dinner?"

En Hui replied: "You can pack it in a wooden box and send it here, it doesn't need much."

The servant girl's voice said: "Yes, ma'am, wait a moment."

En Hui sat up from the couch, walked to the dressing table, and immediately looked at the face of the bronze mirror carefully.There is no light in the room, so I can't see clearly.She first moved closer to take a closer look at her face, and then moved away a bit so that she could look at her chest in the mirror.With the growth of age, she has plumped up a lot in the past two years, and her temperament seems to be more charming.

It should have been a long time ago that he cared so much about his appearance.Enhui was still a little entangled in her heart. Sometimes she felt depressed, feeling that her enthusiasm was just sinking without a future; sometimes she was unwilling to continue to escape and wanted to change the current situation.

What Zhu Gaoxu said about freedom, being able to live unrestrainedly outside the palace, and even go to the theater, etc., he thought it would be easier to live; but Enhui has long since lost interest, she is not a teenager full of novelty.

What's more, Enhui grew up in a scholarly family, and entered the palace when she grew up a little bit; the palace was the place she was used to, even though some people might think it was a cage she couldn't leave.En Hui knew that she liked the cage, because she was not used to the prosperity of the world at all, and she didn't even know how to get along with people outside.

If she wanted to become the ultimate harem, or even occupy the emperor, she knew it was impossible.But at least she can settle down in the palace, and after a few days, she can get close to the person she is looking forward to, and then compete with other beauties for favor, and she will be very used to such days; it is better than waiting here, not knowing when to come again Lin Xing is much stronger.

En Hui sat in front of the dressing table for a long time, looking at that nearly 30-year-old face, thinking about the difficult past of grievances.She pondered over and over, not knowing if she should give up and accept her fate, let it go like this, or renew her courage to fight for what she wanted.

Maybe life is so difficult, but when the time comes, no matter how you choose, there will be different difficulties and pains.

Chapter 8 and One Hunting

Most of the emperor's public activities are symbolic.For example, every year at the Xiannongtan's "hand-farming" ceremony, nothing is grown, it's just a show; it symbolizes that the imperial court attaches importance to agriculture, and it plays an advocacy and role model for billions of officials and people in the world.

It’s also like Zhu Gaoxu’s inspection of the mint a few days ago. He mainly paid attention to the matter itself, but he also knew that the officials would have more interpretations.

Now he summoned nobles and important officials from the court, and suddenly went to Xiaohongshan to hunt; a series of actions made the courtiers understand better what the emperor wants to do recently.

The Zhili area near Jinling is densely populated, and there are almost no decent hunting grounds; if the emperor likes to ride around on horseback and hunt, he probably prefers Beiping.The place where the capital can hunt is Xiaohongshan. When Zhu Gaoxu was still the vassal king, he also followed Zhu Di.

Now Xiaohongshanwei hunting ground is smaller.Gein's fleet to the west brought back many animals and plant seeds that were not available in the Ming Dynasty, such as giraffes, black bears, zebras, etc. called "unicorns", Zhu Gaoxu didn't think it was very strange, and he didn't raise them as palace playthings. .He then ordered that a piece of land be designated in Xiaohongshan as "Zhen Qi Yuan".

The Treasure Garden is managed by the Southern Office of the Guards Office, which includes a zoo and a botanical garden, which are open to all officials and people, but entrance fees are charged.

Zhu Gaoxu came to hunt today, besides a group of civil and military guards, he also brought the eldest prince Zhan He with him.The boy was very happy, and Zhu Gaoxu gave him a little brown horse, also called Zhan He's big companion, the eunuch Yellow Dog, and took Zhan He to play in Zhenqiyuan, and then came to the hunting ground to meet up.

The guards set up a large tent on the pasture outside the forest, surrounded by clouds of pennants, like a military camp.After all, hunting itself has the nature of military exercises.

There are fewer and fewer wild animals in Xiaohongshan, especially large animals, which are already very rare.It is said that the Yamen officials in charge of this matter found that there was almost no hunting to hunt, so they hurriedly caught some animals and put them into the woods.Zhu Gaoxu didn't care too much about it either, he wasn't interested in hunting himself, so that's about it.

Zhu Gaoxu simply assigned troops and ordered Pingan to lead his troops to quickly outflank the flanks to the rear of the forest in front.Sheng Yong, Wang Bin, Wei Da, Wu Gao and others led the crowd to chase their prey from the left wing; Qiu Fu, Qu Neng, He Fu, Liu Ying and others surrounded them from the right wing.Zhu Gaoxu personally led some honorable ministers and led a brigade to encircle them from the front.

Today's hunting is extremely trying, and it's not very rewarding. Everyone just shoots some prey and then has a picnic.

However, the generals are very interested in such activities. Hunting and shooting live animals seems to be fun in itself.Everyone set off on horseback and galloped towards the mountains and forests on the pastures. Soon the birds were frightened and disturbed in the mountains and forests.

Wearing armor and holding a bow and arrow, Zhu Gaoxu also set off into the forest with a large group of people.

Not long after everyone entered the woods, Zhu Gaoxu noticed movement in the bushes.Du Erlang, the governor of Jinyiwei's North Town, reacted very quickly, and immediately clasped his fists and said, "I drive the animal from the flanks, and when the animal escapes from the forest, the Holy Majesty can kill it!"

"Okay." Zhu Gaoxu responded simply.

Du Erlang led two horsemen to pat on the horse and went in from the left side of the bushes, yelling while beating branches.After a while, a goat ran out of the bushes!

The goat ran a few steps, then started to walk slowly, and turned around and let out a "baa".Everyone sighed for a while.The officials who were temporarily preparing to hunt were pale.

"I also made a temporary decision. I don't care if someone's livestock strayed into the paddock. The roasted mutton is just right for drinking!" Zhu Gaoxu looked back at the trembling officials, and then walked away.

He drew his bow and arrow, watching the goat get closer and closer.He hasn't practiced archery much recently, but his physical strength has been maintained very well.The speed of the horse was far faster than the sheep's evasive movement, and Zhu Gaoxu only shot an arrow when he got close.The arrow with the strong wind pierced the goat's body and nailed it to the ground.

Suddenly there was a burst of applause behind him.