Empress Reborn

After that day, Li Lingyue also seemed to have noticed something. Except that Shangguan Waner came to her to teach in the morning, and she took Su Muning to Waner's place to solve doubts in the evening, she no longer searched for it in private, and sometimes Li Lingyue went to Empress Wu. When they said hello there, the two just said hello to each other.In the eyes of others, it is a normal friendship, not even close, but the friendship between gentlemen is as pale as water.

But even so, Empress Wu did not dispel the worries in her heart. She put eyeliner on both of them, knowing that they would meet every day. Shangguan Wan'er was alone in the boudoir, which made her very worried, but fortunately, according to the maid waiting outside the door, there was not much noise in the room, only the occasional laughter of the two of them.She didn't directly refuse, but only occasionally told the two of them a few words, and then gave up.

Time is in this seemingly peaceful life. As the sun rises and sets, it quietly passes away, and it is New Year's Eve in a blink of an eye.

Although New Year's Eve is a day for ordinary people to rest and celebrate, it is still a bit busy for officials. Some officials who are valued by the emperor need to enter the palace to participate in the court meeting, so there must be some arrangements in the palace.Naturally, this arrangement has nothing to do with Li Lingyue, but for Shangguan Wan'er who is beside Empress Wu, it has some tasks.She wanted to check the peach charms arranged by the palace servants and the Nuo 1 and other matters. She was busy all day, and she was only able to rest when the banquet started.

Because the emperor needed to have a banquet with ministers and ministers in the Zichen Palace, it was not suitable for the concubines to be with the concubines, so Empress Wu recruited concubines and her daughter-in-law in her own palace, and held a family banquet together.Li Lingyue and Shangguan Wan'er participated in this banquet.

A family banquet is not as grand as a state banquet, but for the guests at the banquet, they are quite cautious. They are all worried that their sudden remarks will anger the sage in the chair and cause trouble for themselves.Therefore, at the banquet, everyone thinks twice before speaking, and the daughters-in-law of the Li family always stare at their children, lest they will accidentally "talk without restraint".But even so, the two big banquets still looked beaming from the outside, which is also miraculous.

According to the position of respect, Li Lingyue's seat is higher than Shangguan Wan'er's, and there are several tables between the two of them, let alone whispering, even talking across the air takes some effort.Li Lingyue also gave up the idea of ​​negotiating with Shangguan Wan'er, and only communicated with her sister-in-law who was nearby.She looked at those nephews and nieces whose playful nature was suppressed, and thought about the fate they were about to face, she couldn't help but sigh: Everyone in the world loves the children of the royal family, but how can they know the bitterness of the royal family?So what if it's fine clothes and fine food, you don't even know how long you can live.

She held on to the wine glass, and took a sip with a distant expression.And at this moment, Empress Wu looked at her, and was keeping her slightly melancholy expression in her eyes, her brows furrowed, and she didn't know what she was thinking about.

Everyone still seemed to be happily toasting and talking and laughing, watching the singing and dancing in the hall.After a while, I could hear bells and drums ringing in my ears, which meant that it was time to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.Everyone got up one after another, saluted and kowtowed to the chief seat, and shouted: "Blessings prolong the new day, and celebrate life without boundaries!"

After the ceremony, the banquet has also come to an end.Empress Wu sent a few children clutching their horns to throw firecrackers, and there was only one family of women in the hall. Although it seemed harmonious, Li Lingyue always felt that the atmosphere was a bit oppressive.Relying on the fact that she was not yet ready, she asked Empress Wu: "Mother, those children are still young, why don't my daughter go out and take care of them?"

Empress Wu knew that she would be bored, so she agreed, "You can go."

Li Lingyue thanked her politely, and when she got up and passed Shangguan Wan'er's seat, she finally couldn't help it, and pulled her up, "Mother, my daughter may not be able to see so many children by herself, let Wan'er accompany me to take care of them." Bar."

Wan'er has been busy with the banquet a few days ago. Because of her busy schedule, she didn't even have time to teach Su Muning, so Li Lingyue hadn't seen her for some time. It's understandable that she couldn't bear it because of this opportunity. Original.Empress Wu thought that the two of them were pretty cute these days, so she didn't stop her, and waved her hand, "Oh, let's go."

Li Lingyue pulled Shangguan Wan'er out with the corner of her mouth curled up.

■

Outside the hall, several nephews and nieces of Li Lingyue were guarding a bonfire, throwing firecrackers into it, and only heard the crackling.Li Lingyue thought that Shangguan Wan'er had lived in Yeting for more than a dozen years, so she probably had no chance to touch firecrackers, so she pulled her closer, wanting her to feel the taste of Chinese New Year.But for some reason, she dragged Wan'er forward, but Wan'er kept shrinking back.

Li Lingyue looked back at her, "Wan'er, don't you want to throw firecrackers?"

Shangguan Wan'er stared at the crackling firecrackers in the fire, smiled and shook her head, "No, I'll just watch from a distance. If the princess wants to play, go over there."

Li Lingyue looked at the firecrackers, then at Shangguan Wan'er who was frowning slightly, and suddenly understood the other party's state of mind, it turned out that Wan'er was afraid.Pursing her lips and smiling lightly, Li Lingyue still took Shangguan Wan'er's hand and walked to the fire. She took the firecrackers handed over by the palace servant and threw them into the fire. Shangguan Wan'er shrank her neck.

Wan'er is so cute.Li Lingyue smiled, stroked her back softly, and said, "Let's throw one away, to get rid of the bad luck." As she spoke, she looked into Wan'er's eyes encouragingly, and Shangguan Wan'er only felt that there was something in the man's eyes. Rhyming with Wang Qiushui, it made her feel restless.

Since she wants me to throw it, then I will throw one.Shangguan Wan'er took the firecracker from Li Lingyue, took a deep breath, raised her hand and threw it into the fire.

"Crackling." The firecrackers were burning in the fire, and the green body was gradually scorched black. It rolled on the ground, and there was no more movement.It doesn't look scary either.Shangguan Wan'er breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Lingyue smiled and asked her, "Look, there's nothing to be afraid of, is there?"

Shangguan Wan'er nodded.

Li Lingyue took two more firecrackers from the palace servant, held one in her hand, and handed the other to Shangguan Wan'er.After gaining experience, Shangguan Wan'er's inner fear was much less. She took Li Lingyue's firecracker, and the two looked at each other before throwing it out together.

"Crackling" the firecrackers were jumping in the flames, just like Shangguan Wan'er's heart now.When Li Lingyue looked at her sideways, she saw the same smile on her face as the children beside her.Her Wan'er is still a child now.

so good.Li Lingyue frowned and smiled, no matter what kind of Wan'er she liked, although she couldn't let Wan'er live like a child for the rest of her life, she would definitely keep her in peace for the rest of her life.

■

After New Year's Eve, the imperial court will be closed for seven days, and all officials can rest at home except for the grand court meeting on Yuan Day.Shangguan Wan'er also had free time, staying in her own courtyard to accompany her mother.

Although he is Li Zhi's talented person, Mrs. Zheng still prepared Tusu wine and Wuxin plate for her daughter to celebrate her daughter's one year old.

Shangguan Wan'er tasted them one by one, and then the mother and daughter sat on the couch together and talked about themselves.

"Wan'er, another year has passed." Zheng looked at her daughter, with the vicissitudes of life in her eyes, "This world is like the tide, rising and falling, never stopping. Now you are with Tianhou, Be careful in everything."

Shangguan Wan'er had a smile on her lips, she poured a cup of tea for her mother, and then handed it over, "Don't worry, Auntie, my daughter will save me, Tianhou treats her daughter very well, and..." She couldn't help but want to say the word A Yue , but she retracted the words when she was on the verge of speaking, Shangguan Wan'er looked up at her worried mother, and smiled, "Besides, my daughter is now a talented person in the house, and no one else dares to provoke her."

"That's good." Zheng's face was still a bit sad, she suddenly remembered something, and asked, "By the way, Mother heard that Princess Taiping brought you a disciple after she came back."

"Yes, her name is Ning'er, she is a smart and studious child. Someday I will bring her here to greet you." Shangguan Wan'er smiled.

Zheng was very pleased that her daughter had an apprentice at a young age, she nodded, "Okay."

Shangguan Wan'er smiled, holding the teapot, and just as she was pouring tea into her cup, she suddenly heard her mother say: "Speaking of which, the princess misses you too. Alas, it's a pity that she is only a princess after all, and she still has to marry in the future." People, out of the palace."

The teapot in his hand shook, and the tea water spilled out of the cup and dripped onto the table.Seeing her daughter lost her mind, Mrs. Zheng called out to her, "What's the matter, Wan'er?"

Shangguan Wan'er came back to her senses, and hastily stabilized the teapot in her hand. While watching the maid clean it up, she shook her head at her mother, "It's okay, Ma'am, I was just thinking about when to bring Ning'er over."

Seeing her daughter's naive and innocent appearance, Zheng's slightly frowned brows relaxed, "Look at you child, why are you in such a hurry."

While she was talking, she saw a servant girl approaching in a hurry, she lowered her body and gave a salute, "Shangguan Cairen, Princess Taiping is here."