It's better to fall in love than seize the heir

After the emperor left, Shen Jinghe did not leave the lotus pond immediately.He stood silently on the spot for a while, then sat down in the seat he had just found.His black hair was thrown back casually, and he was half leaning on the boulder. Even though there was no one around, his posture was still upright and dignified, which had long been a habit.

He wandered aimlessly between the red lotus in the pool and the clear water, and his mood gradually drifted away with the ripples on the surface of the pool.

The cold water is green, and there is a breeze around it, like an old friend returning.

Naturally, he had discussed with Dequan early on to bring the emperor here to listen to the flute, but the song came down like weeping, even though he knew it was just a play, his heartstrings were still slightly touched.

Compared with the cold and dignified mother in the previous life, who valued etiquette more than family affection, although his biological mother in this life could not provide him with food, clothing and affluent life, she always cared for him wholeheartedly.No matter how difficult the previous life was, she gritted her teeth and persevered. Despite the humiliation of being kicked out of the house, she learned little by little how to make fire, cook food and mend cold clothes from an official lady who didn't touch her fingers.

During many long nights, lying on the narrow plank bed, he could always feel a pair of rough but still gentle hands gently caressing his forehead, and then tucking up the quilt for him. After a long time, he let out a barely audible sigh in the dark .

In the past years, he has been baffled. So most of the mothers in the world really love their children?In his not-so-long life, he was always just a tool used by his mother to stabilize his position and seek favor from his father. He was already used to such a position. For meaning.

Therefore, when he had the illusion of being loved for the first time in his life, he was a little flustered.

He once asked with some doubts: "Mother, why didn't you take me to find my biological father? Even I can tell at a glance that the jade pendant is not extraordinary. If you take me back to that man's house , you can live a more prosperous life than before your family’s decline.”

Under the dim light of the falling moon, the gentle woman who carefully mended his clothes raised her head when she heard this, with a hint of shame in her eyes.

"He'er, it's strange that my mother has caused you to suffer? It's just...Compared to being rich and powerful, mother hopes that your life will be safe and happy. Now you and I are dependent on each other. Although life is poor, but mother gritted her teeth, still I can try my best to bring you up. If it comes to your father's house... I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you."

She lowered her head again, hiding her mournful expression, revealing a section of her fair neck that still showed the charm of her youth.

"It would be great if my mother had more skills..."

Shen Jinghe no longer remembers how he answered her back then, but that inconceivable astonishment made him feel a little palpitating when he recalled it now.

So... was it for him?

He thought that he could have another life again, perhaps in order to cherish his mother who loved him with all her heart in this life.But before he had time to learn how to love others, the woman who had been protecting him from the wind and rain with her weak arms fell down.

He was unbelievably calm. He wanted to pawn the exquisitely carved jade pendant in exchange for medicine money, but was firmly stopped by his pale mother who was coughing up blood frequently on the sick bed.

She said that this was the only token left by his father, and without this jade pendant, there would be no one to take care of him after his death.

He wanted to tell her that even without this jade pendant, he could still recognize his father, and no matter how bad he was, he could live a good life with his own abilities.

But before he could say it, a sudden cold autumn rain took away forever the woman who was exhausted from years of hard work.

Neighbors and villagers chipped in to buy a pair of thin coffins. The cheap white linen covered her haggard face, which was the last time he saw her.

He didn't cry, he had seen too many deaths in his previous life, he didn't think he would cry for someone's departure.

He just stood in front of the mourning hall, a little dazed.

The only person in the world who loved him is gone.

From then on, he was alone again.

……

A gust of water breeze blew by, blowing the fine sand by the pool into his eyes unintentionally.Shen Jinghe blinked with some discomfort, the corners of his eyes that were a little red from being stimulated by the rough sand and stones shed a line of clear tears in a timely manner, and took away the uninvited guest in the wind.

He wanted to raise his hand to wipe away the annoying salty liquid that shouldn't be on his face, but before he could move, a square brocade handkerchief flew over and covered his face.

"……do not Cry."

A deep voice sounded hesitantly in his ears, with a slight hoarseness unique to teenagers and youths, but to Shen Jinghe's ears, it was no different from a sudden thunder on the ground.

What... Here, is there anyone else?

Shen Jinghe was stunned for a long time before he could react, he tore off the brocade handkerchief with some shame, and stared unkindly at the real uninvited guest who didn't know when he was nearby.

Objectively speaking, this is a handsome and dignified young man with a high-spirited look and star-like eyes. His sharp-edged face has a bit of a cold and hard spirit that can only be polished in bloody battlefields.At this time, there was a faint unnatural look on his face that broke other people's minds, and a pair of thick sword eyebrows were slightly frowned, as if he was not very good at comforting others.

Shen Jinghe squeezed the brocade handkerchief in his hand vigorously, both shocked and angry in his heart.When did my vigilance become so low?He couldn't even notice a big living person so close.However, the lotus pond has always been quiet and there are few people. If it was in the previous life, I am afraid that I would sink to the bottom of the pond to feed the fish early at this time.

But then again, when did there appear to be more people like this in the palace?

Just as Shen Jinghe was looking at the person in front of him unceremoniously, Liang Yan was also looking at the boy in front of him who seemed to be about two or three years younger than himself.

The corners of the long and narrow eyes of the person in front of him were still a little red, but the fragility that was revealed just now was no longer visible on the face.He is undoubtedly good-looking, but compared to his appearance, what attracts people's attention even more is his aloof and detached demeanor like bamboo.

Liang Yan's eyes flickered, feeling a little embarrassed.He didn't intentionally want to spy on other people's thoughts, Fang traveled all the way from the northern border to Beijing yesterday, and this morning he went to the palace to meet the saint to report on his duties.After making reports with various places in the palace, it has been more than half a day. When he was about to leave the palace, he wanted to follow the path and take a shortcut from the lotus pond. A thin and straight figure.

He knew that he had a special status, and he didn't want to cause more trouble in the palace, so he wanted to turn around and leave immediately.However, a chance glance before turning around allowed him to see the wet tears on the young man's face.

Unexpectedly, he paused as he was leaving, and impulsively pulled out the brocade handkerchief before his body reacted, and threw it to the boy.

Liang Yan lowered his head, staring at his disobedient hand, lost in thought.Did he go to the northern border and stay with the group of unshapeable soldiers and ruffians for a long time, and he even forgot all the rules and red tape in the palace?

"I didn't cry."

Shen Jinghe interrupted the thinking of the person in front of him a little impatiently, feeling a little depressed in his heart.Although he didn't know the identity of the person in front of him, there was no doubt that the cold and stern temperament of the frontier was obviously not something that the third prince who had never met before could possess.

Since he is not the prince, as long as he is in this palace, he doesn't need to be polite to this person who comes uninvited and talks to himself.

He knew that his thinking was wrong, the person in front of him was extraordinary in terms of bearing and appearance, if it were normal, he would have already resorted to all kinds of means, just to win him over.But now, when I think about my rare embarrassment, I was seen rightly...

While Shen Jinghe suppressed his anger, he couldn't help but feel some unspeakable guilt.The strict tutoring in his previous life had long made him used to showing the most graceful and peaceful side in front of people at all times, but now he was embarrassed in front of a person he met for the first time, and the arrogance in his bones made him swallow no matter what. I can't hold back my breath.

Liang Yan was taken aback by his defense, and then a gleam of clarity flashed across his eyes.

"...Don't worry, I won't tell what happened today."

Shen Jinghe narrowed his eyes, his complexion became more and more unkind, the slight sense of loss in his heart just now has been completely replaced by full of incredulity.

Was this person listening carefully to what he had to say?

Liang Yan saw that the face of the young man who had bowed his head a little lower than him still didn't look better. After thinking about it, Liang Yan took the initiative to come up with an excuse for him.

"It's windy by the pool, even if you get blinded by the sand for a while, it's no big deal."

After saying that, he curled the corners of his lips consciously and caringly, and his cold temperament was slightly diluted by the smile in his eyes.

Shen Jinghe opened his mouth, and stared hard at the young man with "I understand" written in his left eye and "I understand" engraved in his right eye, unable to speak for a long time.

How can he explain it?Tell him you're right, that's the way it is?Then wait for that person to look at him and smile knowingly?

In Shen Jinghe's two lifetimes, what he was most proud of was his calm state of mind. No matter how vicious accusations and slanders he faced, he could still remain calm and calm.But now, for the first time, he truly experienced what powerlessness and despair are.

Liang Yan looked at his expression which had changed several times in just a few breaths, and he was amused, but in his heart he just felt that this person was like a moving porcelain doll, which was quite cute.

Unfortunately……

He looked up at the sky again, knowing that he couldn't stay in the palace for too long.Casually glanced at the brocade handkerchief that the young man was still clutching tightly in his hand without knowing it, Liang Yan silently nodded at him.

"My name is Liang Yan, and I will see you soon."

Instead of looking at the figure still standing in a daze behind him, Liang Yan simply turned around and left.As he walked, he thought silently, what could make this noble young man show such a helpless and bewildered expression just now?

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Shen Jinghe: I didn't cry

Liang Yan: Umm, well, what you said is correct (perfunctory ten times)