a pillow in autumn

The south wind blew gently, and countless flower buds appeared on the more than ten pear trees in the small pear garden, as if the twisted branches were covered with dots of white snow overnight.

Zhou Muchen walked along the path, and the maids and women along the way saluted one after another. He didn't need them to say anything, he knew that Zhou Ruochu must still be in the mourning hall.

On the 49th day of July [-]th, the hot filial piety was full, and he was about to leave for Ruijing.

Pushing open the white plain gauze door, she saw Zhou Ruochu's frail figure kneeling on the futon, beside her stood a strange woman, about thirty years old, with a hairpin in her hair. silver hairpin.

The woman was very unfamiliar, Zhou Muchen was sure that he had never seen him before, seeing him coming in, the woman bowed slightly, bowed to the mourning hall, and then left with her chest in her mouth.

Mu Chen stepped forward slowly, and said softly, "Ruochu."

Zhou Ruochu raised his eyes to look at him, with tears in his eyes, and smiled softly at him.The tear fell down her cheek.

Mu Chen's heart was slightly pulled, and it hurt a little.He stretched out his hand to support her, and she stood up with his strength, leaning into his arms, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness..."

"Ok?"

"Let's go back to the room."

"it is good……"

It was still early, and the room was not lit. Maybe the maids had just tidied it up, and the room was filled with a faint scent of incense.

Zhou Muchen suddenly said, "Where is Zheng'er?"

Ruochu casually replied: "The nanny is taking it." Sitting on the desk with him, she turned around and went behind the screen.After a while, I changed into a suit of clothes and came out. Although they were still plain, they were no longer filial piety.

She looked at him and smiled.There are two shallow dimples on both sides of the thin and sharp chin.

Mu Chen thought, one day he would die drunk in that dimple.It is also wonderful.

Ruochu made a pot of tea, poured seven or eight portions into two small porcelain cups, pushed one of the cups to Mu Chen's eyes, and held the other cup in his hand.

"These days, Your Highness has been staying with me in Xiaoyuan. It's really hard work. There is no wine here. This cup of tea is just as respectful to Your Highness." She raised her glass.

Mu Chen smiled, held the cup and touched her lightly, and drank slowly.

Ruochu's fingertips brushed across the empty rim of the cup, lowered his eyes, a section of pure white snow jade neck was exposed in the plain collar, the skin was delicate, as if it was so fragile that it would break with a blow.

"Ruochu..." Zhou Muchen called softly, "What's wrong with you? But...worried about my return to Beijing?"

Zhou Ruochu seemed to wake up from his voice, and raised his head, but he was still a little absent-minded.

"After I return to Beijing, I will apologize to my father. Our matter... I will tell my father after a while." Mu Chen shook her hand and comforted her: "You have given birth to me a son, The queen mother must like it. She will help us too."

Ruochu's fingertips were slightly cold, she waited quietly for Mu Chen to speak, and then pulled out her hand.

"Your Highness, how long have you and I known each other?" She raised the small pot and poured two more cups of tea.

"It must be four or five years." Mu Chen felt that she had something on his mind, so he followed her words.

"So fast." Ruochu's eyes turned to a propped up window, and the sunlight cast a thin layer of brilliance in front of the stage. "Five years ago, you rescued me in a wine shop. I was 15 years old at that time... Do you know that my mother happened to be 15 years old when she met my father?"

"Ruochu..."

Zhou Ruochu didn't answer him, and didn't even look at him.Her eyes were far-reaching, falling into a thought.

"My mother was kidnapped and sold into Hualou when she was young. She never knew who her parents were. She played the pipa well and had a good voice, and gradually gained some fame. The sons and daughters of the city often came to Hualou to support her. They were all waiting for her to be 15 years old, waiting... for a price. That year, it was also the spring of March, and the white pear blossoms were all over the branches. At that time, Prince Cheng was just a prince, and he didn't know why. When he came to Wuyang County, a few officials led him to play around, but he happened to meet my mother." She smiled lightly, with a trace of sarcasm, "As is often the case in story books, he paid the most money. , bought my mother. He must be very happy with my mother. During his stay in Wuyang County for more than half a year, he redeemed my mother and lived together in another courtyard. He also bought many maids and servants. Everyone calls my mother Mrs. Zhen. That was the happiest time in my mother's life."

"When it was the coldest winter, my father told my mother that he was going back to the capital. My mother knew early on that he had a family that everyone admired in Beijing, a wife of noble birth, and a bright future. .My mother did not keep him, and sent him to Changting outside the city. My father knew that my mother was pregnant with me. He told my mother that he would take my mother back to Beijing when he had the opportunity. My mother said she was just laughing. Saying yes, I already knew in my heart that it was impossible.”

"You go back to Beijing with me." Zhou Muchen grabbed her cold fingers and said firmly: "I won't let you stay here with Zheng'er, let's go back together. No matter what happens, I will be with you You are together."

"Your Highness..." Zhou Ruochu finally looked into his eyes and smiled softly, "I know that you are different from all men in the world. You have me in your heart and are willing to protect me." There were tears in the corners of her eyes, and she was smiling Condensed into a string of pearls and jade.

Zhou Muchen stretched out his hand to embrace her in his arms, feeling a sore and soft pain in his heart.

"I was almost five years old when I first met Daddy. Daddy was very energetic, treated me very well, and always said that I was his little princess. After that, I met him twice, although each time he would only The stay was very short, but my mother was always very happy. When I saw him for the last time, he told me that he had a way to take us back to Beijing. When he comes to pick us up, we will return to Beijing. Then she will become a real princess." Zhou Ruochu nestled in Mu Chen's arms, turned her face slightly, and her gaze fell to a distant place again, "It was only after a long time that my mother and I found out by chance, He had... been ransacked and beheaded. My mother packed up some things overnight and took me and my nanny away to avoid disaster. At that time, I didn't understand what it means to commit a crime, so I cried and wanted to stay and wait for my father. I My mother also cried with me, after all she was tired from crying and fell asleep, the nanny carried me on her back, followed my mother, and quietly left Wuyang County."

"The life after that was ups and downs. The money was slowly exhausted. The nanny and my mother washed other people's clothes all day long in exchange for a little bit of money, but there was a severe drought again. Which family still had surplus food. In fact, the nanny had already coughed. Blood, she didn’t talk about it, she endured it alone, and finally couldn’t bear it anymore, and died on the kang.” Ruochu’s tears fell drop by drop, and Mu Chen hugged her tightly, but she seemed to be unconscious, “It’s here In winter, my mother was also sick. There was nothing in our hut, not even a grain of rice. The winter that year was really cold, the snow fell heavily, and there was no spark in our stove. I was in the teahouse Singing songs for others, being frivolous again and again by those ugly people pinching their hands and touching their chins, I took some disgusting copper coins to buy steamed buns, but at that time I thought those few copper coins were very fragrant It was that day, when I stood in front of the steamed stuffed bun shop, the snow fell all over the sky, and a flower umbrella was raised to my side, and the umbrella was held by a graceful and luxurious woman."

When she said this, she paused, Zhou Muchen's heart also paused with her, something happened, this road began to fork.

"The lady looked at me carefully for a while, asked someone to buy a lot of hot buns, and sent me back to the hut. She said that she could hire a doctor for my mother, give us a warm house, and give us endless food. Baozi. She said that we would never go hungry, cold, or sing for others barefoot in such a cold snowy day. She took my hand and told me that my mother would never die On the cold kang. Your Highness..." Zhou Ruochu raised his innocent face in Mu Chen's arms, but Mu Chen felt the coldness creeping up all of a sudden, she looked at him and said, "Do you know who this noble lady is?"

"Who is it?" He asked bitterly, already having a faint guess in his heart.

"I only found out later that she is Concubine Meng Gui from the palace. She rescued me just to ask me to help her with one thing..."

The cold tea in the porcelain cup slowly changed color, Zhou Ruochu poured out the tea, brewed two cups of hot tea again, and held one of the cups in his hand, warming his cold fingertips.

"She asked me to get close to you, try to gain your trust, follow you, and capture your heart. Even if you rescued me in the wine shop that day, it was her arrangement in advance. Let me use the weakest posture to fall Into your heart." Ruochu smiled, and lightly laughed at himself: "She also gave me flattery and medicine, but...it didn't work."

"So, what about now?" Zhou Muchen still embraced her, but his arms were terribly empty.His voice was indifferent, and he felt that he was a complete fool. It was ridiculous that he was willing to go through fire and water for her just a moment ago.

"Now, she will definitely think of a perfect way to spread the story of you and me. The pillar of the country, His Highness the Crown Prince, who is admired by all people, will be ruined in an instant." Zhou Ruochu raised the hot tea in his hand, took a sip, The prince clenched his fists tightly, his face was already ashen.

Ruochu drank the cup of tea slowly, turned around half-hanging, and looked at the prince obsessively, "Mu Chen." It was the first time she called him like this, "I can't love you, your father is my killer." Father's enemy, he ruined my mother's last thoughts, pity my mother, she only spent a short time with my father in this life, but she has always loved him so deeply, even until she died. But... ..." She tightened her fingertips and grabbed Zhou Muchen's arm, "I can't hate you either, you are my child's father, just like my father loves me, loving that innocent child..."

"You still know that I am your child's father!" Zhou Muchen sneered, only feeling that her beauty is like a snake and a scorpion at this moment.

"Muchen... in this room, there are mostly Concubine Meng and Prince Min's eyeliner. They have restrained my mother. If I dare to make any changes, my mother will die in an instant. Do you know that today you The woman I saw was here to deliver the medicine, Concubine Meng Gui asked me to coax you to take the medicine, once you die, you will block the mouths of the court ministers and the people of the world..." She slowly Arched his body, beads of sweat overflowed his forehead.

Looking at her appearance, Zhou Muchen suddenly thought of the whole story. Sadness and disappointment came together with the fear of losing her. He hugged her and shouted, "Where's the medicine? Where's the medicine!!!"

"Muchen...I'm sorry. You have to pay back the debts your father owes. What I owe you, I will...pay you back today." She hugged his arms tightly, and a faint trace of blood spread from the corner of her mouth: "My mother I'm dead, Concubine Meng can no longer blackmail me. I beg you, remember that I have truly loved you, please protect Zheng'er, keep him away from court affairs, and be... simple... simple... of... people..."

The author has something to say: It is really a pleasure to see that everyone's messages are gradually increasing.Although most of them are scolding the prince.Ah ha ha. . .

Mo Fang hugged me tightly and threw a mine.

Thank you. .