The beauty is delicate and soft, and he madly criticizes the powerful officials for taking her as th

Thirteen years after Queen Qiao gave birth to a prince, she got a princess. It is said that the clouds in the sky were like fire that day, and there was a red cloud that looked like a phoenix.

The hopeful people in Qin Tian Prison said to the emperor: "This is a great blessing and will benefit the fate of the country of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

Emperor Zhao Guangda was overjoyed and named his daughter Zhao Zhen. Zhen, one of "Zezhen's Four Biaos", was granted the title of Princess Chengyang. He built a large-scale construction project in the palace and built Chunshan Palace as the princess's residence.

It was a pity that Empress Qiao showed no sign of being touched. She stayed in the Jiaofang Hall tightly and refused to see the emperor more than once on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month.

In the past, the woman who was praised as "the most beautiful woman in Jingzhou is better than Qiao's daughter" looked indifferent and said to the emperor through the screen: "I married your majesty at the age of fifteen, and gave birth to a prince at the age of sixteen. The joy at that time is unforgettable, but your majesty has already passed away." Broken promise, why do you and I need to see each other again?"

"My concubine has been blameless in the palace affairs for the past three years, and she has also restrained her relatives from breaking the rules. Now that she has got Zhen'er, I only hope that she will live a stable life. I dare not ask for too much favor from the emperor, so as not to burn myself. Your Majesty, please come back. .”

After Zhao Guang left, the prince went to Jiaofang Hall to pay his respects, holding his sister and rocking her gently.

The young man looked soft and said nervously: "My mother has always been in poor health. I heard that my sister has been crying recently. I want to take her back to the East Palace to raise her."

"You have a heavy workload, so how can you have the energy to raise her?" Queen Qiao was silent for a moment, "Wait until she is three years old."

Because of this sentence, Zhao Zhen has been living in the East Palace since he can remember.

The embrace of the prince's brother was very warm. He often held her and taught her obscure things. At a young age, her eyes widened and she asked, "What is this?"

"Zhen'er, this is an imperial technique." The prince was wearing a big cloak, his eyebrows were as gentle as water, he put his index finger on his lips and smiled: "Only the prince can learn it. My brother will teach you. Don't tell others."

"Why are you teaching me this?"

"Because it's fun."

Zhao Zhen later recalled this conversation when she was six years old, and felt her heart twist. She was young and ignorant at the time and did not understand that her brother had already foreseen the destined ending.

The prince used "interesting" as an excuse to teach his younger sister the art of war and swordsmanship.

After the emperor learned about this, he frowned and came to the East Palace and scolded: "She is a princess, why should she learn these things?"

Zhao Guang had lived under the shadow of the regent of his aunt, Princess Pingyang, for several years. He deeply hated his daughter for trying to interfere in politics, just like the restless princesses of the Zhao family in previous generations.

But when the emperor saw the girl dancing the sword in the snow, he suddenly laughed. Zhao Zhen, who had a child's hair in a bun, had messy steps and was obviously unable to hold the sword steadily. His almond-shaped eyes were watery and the tip of his nose was red. He was surprised and happy and said: "Father The emperor came to see Zhen'er again? What cakes did you bring today?"

Zhao Guang felt that this was clearly a nine-year-old child who played with a sword when he was bored, and had no resemblance to his aunt. His daughter's admiration aroused love in his heart, and he did not pursue it any further.

After the emperor left, Zhao Zhen threw himself into the prince's arms and said with a smile: "Brother Prince, can I learn how to do it?"

"picture."

The prince rubbed his sister's hair and took out a piece of stone honey from his purse, which was specially put in the candy purse for Zhao Zhen.

"Eat slowly. My brother wants to discuss matters with several ministers. Zhen'er must not run away alone."

The girl's eyes lit up and she asked, "Will Sister Huiyi come with Mr. Xu?"

"Master Xu won't come today, so naturally his sister won't come either." The prince smiled and said, "Among the noble girls in Chang'an, you and the girl from the Xu family have the best relationship. I wish I could see each other every day."

Hearing that his friend was unlikely to come, Zhao Zhen sat there in silence, waiting for his brother to come back from the discussion. He waited and saw no one, and planned to go find him in person.

Zhao Zhen avoided the palace people and planned to go through the plum forest and take a shortcut to the study.

In the middle of winter, the plum grove in the East Palace is in full bloom, and its petals fall on the thick snow like rouge tears.

Zhao Zhen would cry pitifully when he thought of the beauties around his father, and his red tears would drip onto the snowy skin without any bias, arousing his father's pity.

There was a creaking sound under her feet, which was a bit harsh in the silence.

Until I heard an even more harsh sound of snapping flower branches.

Zhao Zhen walked over quickly following the voice and saw a young man with phoenix eyes and thin lips, about eleven or twelve years old.

"Who are you? You dare to pick flowers in the East Palace."

The man's eyes quickly glanced at the jade pendant around her waist, and then he saluted, his manner calm, elegant and unhurried.

"Pei Xu from Yanzhou meets His Highness."

The first time Zhao Zhen saw him, he knew he was the son of a noble family, but he didn't expect it to be the Pei family.

His eldest brother is a minister of the East Palace and has a high eye. He introduces himself with a long list: "I am the eldest son of the Pei family in Yanzhou, Pei Ji. His grandfather is Sikong, the late emperor, and his father is Taiwei Pei."

It happens every time, which makes Zhao Zhen very annoyed.

In comparison, this Pei Xu is much more lovable.

He was completely unaware of the change in the princess's mentality and explained: "My mother occasionally caught a cold and wanted to enjoy plum blossoms while she was ill. When His Highness the Crown Prince learned of this, he specifically agreed to come down here and break a branch."

Zhao Zhen nodded when he heard the words, and suddenly walked towards him, stretched out his white jade-like hand, folded off the flower branch next to his ear and handed it to him.

"Why don't you take this one? This one is the most beautiful."

Pei Xu lowered his eyes. It was hard to say that his mother was not sick, but his father wanted him to leave a good impression of filial piety on the prince.

It doesn’t matter if it’s plum blossoms or not.

He took the flower branch with both hands and accidentally touched the girl's fingertips. He quickly took half a step back, saluted and left in a hurry.

As soon as Zhao Zhen walked out of the plum forest, she saw the prince and several ministers from a distance. She quickly dodged and fell down and was caught.

The prince brought her to him, frowning slightly and said, "Why are you so reckless?"

Zhao Zhen felt that his knees should be broken, and tears welled up in his eyes. He remembered that if he had not met Pei Xu, he would not be so unlucky. Knowing that it was not good to express his anger, he couldn't help but secretly glare at him.

Returning to the dormitory, Zhao Zhen said to the prince: "Why is that young master of the Pei family in the East Palace today?"

The prince said warmly: "Recently, there has been a rebellion by refugees in Yuzhou. He has written a countermeasure and submitted it, which is quite effective."

Since then, Zhao Zhen often saw Pei Xu in the East Palace. She was dressed like a nobleman and could talk and laugh with others. However, when he met her, it was like seeing something dirty and he avoided her.

"Stop." Zhao Zhen finally couldn't bear it after being deliberately avoided countless times, "Why are you avoiding me?"

"No, it's just my poor eyesight."

Zhao Zhen said angrily: "It's my birthday today and I wore red on purpose. Can't you see that?"

Qin Tianjian said that she should not celebrate her birthday before she is twelve years old, so there was no atmosphere in the East Palace today, just like usual.

Seeing that the person in front of him was silent, Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said, "That's it, I won't argue with you."

It was already half a month later when Pei Xu entered the East Palace next time. Zhao Zhen was sitting in the warm pavilion in his brother's study when he suddenly saw Tao's figure flash past.

She sneaked out and saw Pei Xu. The young man who had just been whipped looked a little thin. His wide sleeves covered up the scars on his forearms from being whipped with canes, only revealing the slender and white hands of a young man from an aristocratic family playing the piano and dancing the sword.

There was a string of emerald green bracelets lying on his palm, and he said with a smile: "I will come to apologize today, and I hope His Highness will accept it."

Zhao Zhen felt a little awkward. Looking at those phoenix eyes that were so beautiful that they looked like bright stars, he felt that he might have wronged him.

After she accepted the peace charm, she coughed lightly and said, "Why haven't you been here for the past half month?"

"My progress in swordsmanship was slow and I was punished by my father."

After speaking, Pei Xu gently lifted his sleeves, revealing a section of his wrist.

"Hit him so hard?" Zhao Zhen opened his eyes wide, feeling that he was really miserable. The prince brother had never beaten her before.

It must be that Pei Xu's swordsmanship is poor, that's why Captain Pei struck so harshly.

She stood under the eaves and spoke very seriously about her experience in learning swordsmanship, and advised him to practice hard so that he would not be beaten.

The young man's phoenix eyes were slightly curved and he whispered: "Your Highness's swordsmanship is outstanding, and others are naturally inferior to him."

Zhao Zhen took advantage of this flattery. When having dinner with the prince's brother, he specifically asked: "Brother, Captain Pei looks very kind, why are you so cruel to your children?"

"Who did you see again today?"

"I met Pei Xu." Zhao Zhen blinked with almond eyes, "He gave me an jade bracelet, can I wear it?"

The prince took a look and saw that one bead on the bracelet could cover the expenses of a middle-class house in the capital for three years.

The Pei family treats their children very harshly and prevents them from getting together. They will not give any money before they get married.

His expression was a little subtle, and he suddenly said: "Ms. Pei...forget it, you can wear it."

The prince thought of something and asked softly: "Does Zhen'er think Pei Xu is good?"

Zhao Zhen thought about it carefully and said, "Not bad."

"That's good." The prince smiled, "Zhen'er can have more contact with him in the future."