a pillow in autumn

A few days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhou Mubai asked Xiao Tuanzi to find a procurer who had left the palace, put the remnant score of "Yi Lan" into a wooden box, and attached a letter to order the procurer to send it to Shen's residence.

The Shen Youtang brothers and sisters were overjoyed when they received the piano score. When they opened the letter, it was not the ribbed heavy silver paper used by the royal family, but a plain white four-foot boat. Since ancient times, a sword has been matched with a hero, and the score should be given to those who know it."

When he entered the palace with Taifu Shen, Zhou Mubai had already waited in the study for a long time, and saluted the Taifu together with Shen Youtang, and Taifu Shen returned the salute before starting the day's study.

Bi Yue made tea, brought it in quietly, and then quietly closed the door and went out.Taifu Shen twirled a few strands of long beard and looked at Zhou Mubai who was bowing his head to the book. The third prince had been recuperating for many days due to injury, but he did not fail in his homework. His academic progress has been even better, and he can almost stand shoulder to shoulder with his grandson, which shows his hard work day and night.This son is gentle and tenacious, he will grow up in the future, when he will come out and enter the picture, I will focus on cultivating and pondering today, in the future he will assist my emperor, and he will be a great blessing to the world.

Taifu Shen took a sip of tea, looking at his grandson and his beloved apprentice, he couldn't help but feel more loving in his eyes.

At the end of the afternoon riding and shooting, Mu Bai and Youtang were walking horses in the paddock together. When the attendants walked away, Shen Youtang jumped off the horse and cupped his hands and said: "Youtang, thank you for your highness. Imperial physician Pei has personally come to the mansion to diagnose Master Wu's pulse Master Wu has seen improvement. Imperial Physician Pei left a prescription and made an appointment to go back to administer the needle in ten days."

Zhou Mubai also jumped off the horse, supported Youtang and said: "Youtang doesn't need to be too polite. It's very good."

"Your Highness, Youtang has already told Sister She about what you said that day when you listened to the queen of the piano at the house." Shen Youtang suddenly changed the conversation, with a smile on his face and a somewhat unpredictable expression.

Mu Bai was slightly surprised: "Oh? Lingmei..."

Shen Youtang took out a small brocade box from his bosom, held the precious and precious box in both hands, and said: "This is "The Late Moon in the Sky" written by my sister, I have submitted it to my father to present this spectrum to His Highness, my sister Lingyou Tang turned to thank you, thank you His Highness for helping my brother and sister achieve Master Yuanwu's wish."

Mu Bai took the brocade box and opened it, and it was also a four-foot boat, thin and smooth, with a small note written on it: "Music for bosom friend", the handwriting is elegant and elegant, just like the sound of the qin heard at the beginning.

Cold comes and summer goes, unknowingly two years have passed, the country of Rui is prosperous under Zhou Lin's civil and military rule, and recently there are happy events for the whole country to celebrate. Jumping up and down the steps, a woman came out of the door and happily picked him up, teasing him while walking towards the neighbor who also hung red lanterns.Looking around, on the winding long street, almost every household is hung with red lanterns.

In the early morning of this day, Shuyao and Biyue waited on Zhou Mubai to change into the prince's formal clothes, the brocade robe and feather crown, which made his face look like a jade crown and his temples like a knife cut.After Biyue tied the purple gold belt for him, Shuyao picked out a Ruan Xinjue from the long box and wanted to tie it on for Zhou Mubai. When she looked up, she saw him turn around, with a pair of clear eyes almost like stars , Shuyao blushed for some reason, and hurriedly lowered her head to cover it up by tying a jade pendant on him.

At this time, the East Palace was festive and lively, and the dragon and phoenix red embroidered carpet was stretched from the gate of the East Palace to the main hall. The prince Zhou Muchen got married, and he married Wei Jincheng, the eldest daughter of Wei Yi, Duke of Wei.

Zhou Mubai and the rest of the princes and princesses all went to the East Palace to accompany them, Zhou Mudi suddenly tugged on Mubai's sleeve and whispered: "Do you think the emperor's wife is beautiful or I am beautiful?"

Zhou Mubai was stunned, and couldn't help being amused: "I haven't seen her yet, so I don't know what the emperor's wife looks like, but..." Mubai deliberately paused, seeing that Mudi was about to stomp his feet in a hurry, he smiled and said: "But I heard that Wei The Duke’s eldest daughter has long been well-known in Xiaozhou, and she has outstanding virtues, and that’s why she was chosen as the Crown Princess.”

Mudi pouted: "Hmph! It must be not as beautiful as me, so I have a good reputation for being virtuous."

Mubai was about to laugh at her for being mischievous, when Zhou Muye coughed lightly, it turned out that the auspicious time had come, and the Luan Yiwei brought eight colored sedan chairs to the middle hall. , until the time of application, you can't sit down.

There are sixty banquets in the East Palace, with a lot of food and jade, and there are 12 singers and 24 dancers. They sing and dance in the middle hall to add to the fun.

Zhou Lin has always been a master of governance, and Empress Zheng is also strict and strict in the harem, but firstly Zhou Muchen is the crown prince, and secondly, there has been no big celebration in the palace for a long time, so it is held in every possible way.

After a day of excitement, Zhou Mubai returned to Quanqing Palace, and the sky was already dark. Shuyao couldn't help but look around the outer hall, and saw Xiaotuanzi and Xiaoguozi coming in with Mubai helping him, and hurriedly went up to him and said, "Why are you so drunk? Great, you don’t ask to be sent back in a soft sedan?”

Xiaotuanzi looked aggrieved: "How can I not call, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is so busy today that there is no one to find. I just came back with the little princess's precious sedan chair."

"Yeah." Shuyao agreed to help Mubai, and said: "Go to the small kitchen to bring hot water, just deliver it to the door of the bedroom."

Xiaotuanzi knew the rules and agreed to turn around and go to the kitchen.Xiao Guozi only went to the door of the sleeping hall, and Biyue smoked incense in the room, watching them come back, she hurriedly put down what she was doing and came over to take over.

Although Mubai was drunk, he was still awake for three minutes, his hands and feet were weak, listening to them rushing him to the bed, the small kitchen brought hot water, Shuyao twisted a towel to clean his face, and wiped his face again. Wrapping his palms, he whispered something to Bi Yue.Mubai struggled to get up, but his whole body was weak, suddenly his stomach was churning, he was feeling uncomfortable, he felt a pair of soft hands supporting his neck to lift him up, he managed to open his eyes, the person supporting him was Shuyao, Bibi Yue brewed sober tea and brought it to his lips, he drank a couple of sips, let them take off their outer robes, covered the quilt, and fell asleep.

It was the middle of the night when he woke up, Zhou Mubai was woken up by his own pain, he pressed his belly to relieve his breath, and then raised his voice: "Come on, hold the lamp."

Shuyao pushed open the door and lit a glazed lamp outside the snow gauze tent, hearing that something was wrong with Zhou Mubai's voice, she asked anxiously, "Your Highness, what do you want?"

"I have a stomach ache, pour me a cup of hot tea." Mu Bai's voice came from the gauze tent.

Shuyao poured a cup of hot tea, lifted the gauze curtain, helped Mubai sit up with one hand, and handed the tea to him: "Your Highness, ask Xiao Tuanzi to invite the imperial physician."

"Don't go!" Mubai was weak and anxious, took two sips of tea, and said reluctantly: "Xu Shi drank cold wine in the East Palace today, help me to lie down."

Shuyao had never seen Zhou Mubai look so weak, tears rolled down his face, but he didn't dare to refuse, so he had to help him to lie down.

Mubai turned over and curled up the quilt tightly, arching his back to resist the colic pain in his stomach, Shuyao saw that his forehead was full of cold sweat, so she wanted to twist a hot towel to wipe his sweat, when she lowered her head, she saw the cold sweat on the quilt. There was a pool of blood, and he screamed in fright: "Your Highness!!!"

Hearing that the voice was wrong, Mubai turned around holding his belly, only to see Shuyao trembling slightly, stood up and followed her gaze, and saw a small puddle of blood on the place where he was lying just now.Mubai was also frightened, but he has a little understanding of medical theory, so he knew what was going on at a glance, and then looked up at Shuyao, who bit her lower lip tightly and shivered.

After a while, Shuyao raised her head slowly, still shaking, as if she still couldn't believe what she saw.Zhou Mubai was half-supporting his body, looking at her, his temple hair had been loosened, half hanging on his shoulders, his brows were slightly frowned, his stubborn and weak appearance, wasn't he just a budding beauty.

"Your Highness..." Shuyao said with some difficulty: "Your Highness... Could it be... yes..."

Mubai's heart tightened, and he could only sigh: "Yes. I am..."

Before she finished speaking, Shuyao covered her mouth with her hand, looked out of the window, and then realized that she was being rude, so she hurriedly withdrew her hand and said softly: "Your Highness, there is still a woman who is watching the night outside." The window was closed tightly, and when I walked back to the bed, I didn't dare to sit down, and just knelt on the ground.

Mu Bai lowered his voice and said: "Don't worry, if the emperor finds out about this matter, I will take it personally. But before that, can you keep this secret for me?"

Shuyao shook her head, seeing that Zhou Mubai's brows were tightening, she kowtowed hurriedly and said, "Although Shuyao doesn't know why Your Highness...became like this, but she will definitely keep this secret for His Highness. You never like slaves bowing their knees in front of you, Just because you also regard us as human beings in your heart, everyone in this Quanqing Palace knows how you treat us in Xiangri, food and clothing, but whatever you have, you have never wronged us servants, Shu Yao entered the palace as a maidservant since she was a child, and served several masters, but you are the only one who has never looked down on us." As Shuyao spoke, she didn't know what to think, her eyes turned slightly red , but she lowered her head, and the red marks disappeared in an instant like dew in the evening wind.

"Oh." Mu Bai sighed softly, "Because I, like you, came from poverty." After a pause, he continued: "Then why did you shake your head just now?"

"Your highness just said that if the emperor finds out, you have to bear it all. This is absolutely impossible." Shu Yao's voice was low again, and Mu Bai could only say: "Get up first, and talk closer."

Shuyao got up and sat in front of the couch, Mubai took her hand and said: "Why is it so cold, cover it with my robe." But Shuyao tightly held Mubai's hand, his voice was still trembling: "Your Highness, you It has been several years since I returned to the palace, so I should know what the royal family hates the most."

Mubai raised his eyebrows, Shuyao continued: "If others know about this, you are..." She bit her lip and dared not continue, Mubai answered slowly, "Deceitful."

"If this day really comes, the royal family will not allow anyone who may know the truth to stay, not just your Highness, I'm afraid..." Shu Yao wanted to stabilize herself, but she couldn't stop the look of fear on her face: "I'm afraid that the whole Quanqing Palace people are no longer there.”

Zhou Mubai raised his head abruptly, remembering what Zhou Lin said when he punished him after he climbed the big tree a few years ago, but Shuyao's begging came to his ears: "Our lives are actually only in your thought. So Your Highness, please You, for the sake of the people in this palace, please keep this secret."