Tread thousands of dust

Sishi, the palace.

Xiang Yixin sat quietly by the bed.

The Queen Mother suddenly babbled: "Lian'er... Lian'er..."

"Mother's queen! Mother's queen!" Xiang Yi called out to her worriedly.

The queen mother slowly opened her eyes and said: "Aijia...Aijia just... dreamed of Lian'er..."

"I want to come...Princess Xiangyue is missing you." Xiang Yixin sighed.

"Aijia... Miss her too..." The Queen Mother's breath was already unsteady, "Have you... ever missed her..."

"My son naturally misses Princess Xiangyue, just like his mother." Xiang Yi said calmly.

"...No...you won't..." The Queen Mother stretched out her fingers intermittently, "...how could you...read she......"

Xiang Yixin said with a flickering expression: "If I don't miss her, how can I miss Feng'er all these years?"

"Feng'er...Is Feng'er here?" The queen mother's tone was already weak, "Feng'er...I haven't seen him for a long time..."

Xiang Yixin comforted: "The emperor has issued an order for Feng'er to enter the palace, the queen mother should wait for a while."

The queen mother forced herself to shake her head and said: "...I can't wait...I can't even wait for Lian'er..."

Xiang Yixin gently helped the Queen Mother cover the quilt, and said helplessly: "The Queen Mother should take a good rest."

"You...in your heart...have you never regretted..." the Queen Mother asked tremblingly.

"My son..."

Suddenly a person came in and reported: "Empress Empress! His Royal Highness is here!"

Xiang Yixin hurriedly said: "Let him in quickly!"

Mo Fengyi entered the door and said: "The Empress, the Empress Dowager."

Xiang Yixin called him to her side and said, "Feng'er, come quickly! The Queen Mother is waiting for you."

Mo Fengyi came over and sat by the bed, the queen mother immediately smiled weakly: "Feng'er is here..."

Mo Feng responded obediently: "Grandmother, I am here."

Xiang Yixin went out the door silently.

"Feng'er...why did you come here so late...Grandmother...hasn't watched you grow up..." The queen mother slowly raised her hand, Want to touch his face.

Mo Fengyi did not refuse, and when the warm and rough palm touched his cheek, he felt a long-lost comfort.

There was a smile in Mo Fengyi's eyes: "Feng'er is late, but I can continue to accompany you."

"...You and Lian'er...really alike...she must want to watch you grow up..." The Queen Mother had tears in her eyes, ". .....I can't see it after all...you are so old..."

Mo Fengyi also smiled: "Grandmother, Feng'er will not leave again, I will definitely accompany you more."

Mo Fengyi didn't know what to say. When he looked at this kind old man, his impression was not deep, but her gentle eyes made him feel at ease.

The Queen Mother seemed relieved, but turned sad again: "...It's good to be here... I don't have much to ask for..."

Mo Fengyi grabbed her trembling hand and remained silent for a while.

Before staying for a while, Shu Hanxu went down, and Mo Fengyi could only go out.

There was already a crowd of people kneeling outside.

Xiang Yixin asked: "How is the Queen Mother?"

Mo Fengyi shook his head.

Shu Huimiao said: "I thought the Empress Dowager's health was fine, but I didn't expect her condition to get worse all of a sudden."

Jiang Lu nodded and said, "Yes, I'm afraid the Queen Mother won't see Qi Yun get married."

Mo Fengyi was a little surprised, not many royal relatives came, he knelt beside Shu Qiyun and asked, "Why only you and me are here?"

Shu Qiyun replied: "Who else do you want?"

"Where are the other princes and relatives?" Mo Feng asked strangely.

Shu Qiyun shook his head: "Only you and I are announced."

Mo Fengyi frowned slightly.

"The Empress Dowager died!"

The hall was filled with solemnity, Mo Fengyi's heart fell silent instantly, he never expected to be so caught off guard.

Shu Hanxu left the door in confusion, Xiang Yixin hurriedly stepped forward: "Your Majesty..."

Shu Hanxu was in a daze and didn't know which leg to take, but he was helped out unsteadily.

"The queen mother... is gone." Shu Hanxu stared at the ground with a dismal expression, "...she doesn't want to wait any longer."

Mo Fengyi looked at the lifeless Shu Hanxu, and suddenly felt that the queen mother was not unwilling to wait, but that she had no strength to wait any longer.

but who are you waiting for

Jiang Lu burst into tears and said: "Qi Yun, Feng Yi, you have spent the first seven days in the palace, I will send someone back to inform the people in the mansion."

Shu Huimiao also said: "I also need to inform the other royal relatives that they are all coming to the palace."

Mo Fengyi and Shu Qiyun nodded together: "Yes."

Shu Hanxu sat down in a daze and said: "The queen mother just asked me if I have peace in my heart these years."

Xiang Yi asked with tears in her eyes, "How does the emperor answer?"

"I said... Even if I can't be at peace, I must be at peace." Shu Hanxu sighed, "I know she has always blamed me for being too cruel, but there is nothing I can do about it."

"Your Majesty has done a good job." Xiang Yi sighed softly, "Empress Cai also asked my concubine just now, but she regretted it...the concubine has no way of regretting it, and I don't know how to answer it."

Shu Hanxu held her hand and said: "My mother misses Yi Lian, so I must see Feng Yi, I think she should leave at ease."

"It's a pity Qi Yun, since his mother left, his marriage will definitely be delayed." Xiang Yi said helplessly.

Shu Hanxu also sighed: "Perhaps this is his destiny."

Mo Fengyi had already changed into a filial attire, and knelt quietly behind the prince and concubines.

He suddenly found that Ying Chaosheng hadn't come. Although Shu Yilian was the first princess, Mo Fengyi was more qualified to kneel here, but Shu Huimiao was also a princess. Besides, she came on the day the queen mother died of illness. why don't you come

But Mo Fengyi didn't bother to think about it, this Ying Chaosheng was silent and pedantic, he was just like his father Ying Yanqi, a few days ago Ying Yanqi saw him and preached, he was too lazy to deal with this Ying Chaosheng .

But kneeling is still kneeling anyway, he can only think about it when he has nothing to do. He looked around at the three princes kneeling quietly in front of him, feeling extremely bored.

"You all back down, come back tomorrow." Jiang Lu suddenly said, Mo Feng felt knee pain when he got up.

Shu Qiyun walked in front silently, Mo Fengyi suddenly asked: "How do you feel now?"

"What?" Shu Qiyun frowned in confusion.

Mo Fengyi took a long breath: "The queen mother died of illness, you have to stay in state mourning for three years and not get married, it should feel good."

Mo Fengyi's sarcasm didn't have any seriousness, and he said whatever was ugly, besides, he thought that Shu Qiyun should be very happy, now it's justified and he doesn't need to marry Jiang Mang.

Shu Qiyun stared at him in disbelief: "Do you know what you're talking about?"

"Aren't I right? I believe that even if Xun Can successfully exchanged things, you will not be able to get married for the time being, but it may not be the case in the future. Now you will not be able to marry for three years, and the variables are still unknown." , tsk tsk, is this what His Highness is looking forward to?" Mo Fengyi squinted his eyes, almost smiling.

Shu Qiyun wanted to kick him out of the palace, he didn't know why Mo Fengyi could still say such words at this time: "...that is my imperial grandmother, who watched me grow up... ...She is still alive now, but do you think I will be glad that I don't have to marry because of her departure!"

"Isn't it possible?" Mo Fengyi raised his eyebrows and asked back.

"Mo! Feng! Yi!" Shu Qiyun was about to collapse, "You don't have a heart, but not everyone does! The queen mother is so kind to you, and she insisted on seeing you before leaving, but these days you are kneeling Has she ever shed a single tear before her spiritual seat?!"

Mo Fengyi said coldly: "I didn't, why should I cry? You grew up under her knees, but what about me? I left the city when I was seven years old, and I almost never saw the Queen Mother. Why do you make me cry? Do you have to be filial if you have to cry hoarse and blind your eyes in hypocrisy?"

"But you shouldn't speculate on me like this! You are ruthless, you are indifferent, and you can't see that others treat you well! But I am different!" Shu Qiyun said angrily, "Mo Fengyi, even if you don't often stay in the imperial city, you should I know how much the queen mother misses you! Why are you so hard-hearted and you don't deserve them to care about you like this!"

Mo Fengyi snorted coldly: "Yes, I have a heart of stone, I am cold and ruthless, but do they care about me? Are they thinking of me? I am afraid that if it is not my mother, no one will care about my life and death. , Empress dowager, noble concubine, are they really looking after me? Do they really care about me? It’s just because my mother left too early, they feel sorry for me, they are just comforting their conscience, just letting themselves Just feel better."

Shu Qiyun looked at him as if he didn't know Mo Fengyi. He didn't understand why Mo Fengyi thought so: "So...in your eyes, everyone is selfish to you, right? The Queen Mother Thinking of you like this is just through you entrusting the thoughts of Aunt Xiangyue to Aunt Xiangyue. The mother, stepmother and concubine have cared about you all these years, so is it just selfishness! Mo Fengyi, you really don't deserve others to treat you well."

Mo Feng was stunned on the spot, and said in a dazed voice: "I know they really miss me, but they always want me to go back to the imperial city, do you really think it's for me? I am like gathering people in the rivers and lakes. On the other hand, because of my mother, they need me to stay in the city, so that they can have comfort in their hearts. I know it is true that I am good, but no one dares to say whether Selfishness...His Royal Highness...do you think that the people around you are unreservedly loyal to you?"

"At least I won't doubt my relatives and friends!" Shu Qiyun was furious, "Are you also suspicious of Zi Ming?"

"Zi Ming is different from them." Mo Fengyi sneered, "I don't have much to do with the imperial city, you let me trust them, but can you tell me why because of the few letters over the years? Because they said they missed me , Do you want me to stay? Your Royal Highness, it is not pleasant to say, I am already very unfamiliar with the imperial city. This is your home, but not mine. They are your relatives and friends, but to me I'm not familiar with them anymore, it's impossible for you to ask me to keep my affection and love them as much as you do."

Mo Fengyi thought it was ridiculous, why did Shu Qiyun want him to believe that the people in the imperial city left at such a young age, and these years were just a hasty count, even if Shu Qiyun knew their sincerity, even if Mo Fengyi could feel their sincerity, But he didn't understand why he had to accept it?Why do you have to accept Mo Fengyi if someone else gave him it? Why don't you ask him first if he wants it or not?

Now Shu Qiyun blindly accuses him of being hard-hearted, but Mo Fengyi has never really felt that this is a family, just rely on a few words of concern, a few letters, press his head to make him cry, let him be grateful, why?

But these Mo Fengyi can't say it out, he knows that the empresses and concubines really miss him, and they treat Shu Qiyun sincerely, all his doubts, in Shu Qiyun's view, are slander and denial, so Shu Qiyun can't bear it, he can understand , simply no longer explain, he is so indifferent.

Shu Qiyun was so angry that his face was trembling. He didn't understand why this heartless person made so many people work for him. People in the palace missed him, people in the rivers and lakes surrendered to him, and even Xun Can treated him badly. Ordinarily, why on earth did Mo Fengyi not recognize him at all!

"Forget it...it doesn't make sense to you...Mo Fengyi, you just need to know that I'm different from you." Shu Qiyun flicked his sleeves and planned to leave.

Mo Fengyi remained indifferent and did not speak.

The time for vigil passed quickly, and Shu Qiyun hurried out of the palace and returned to the Prince's Mansion.

Xun Can had already been waiting in the mansion, he got up and said, "How is the palace?"

Shu Qiyun waved his hands and sat down and said: "With the support of the emperor, everything is fine, and the emperor's grandmother has also moved into the imperial mausoleum."

Xun Can nodded and said, "The emperor has already decreed that your marriage has been cancelled."

"Isn't it a delay?" Shu Qiyun asked curiously, "Didn't Father also want me to marry?"

Xun Can replied: "You need to observe the national funeral, but Princess Wuxi is not from the royal family. What the emperor means is that she can find another lover. After all, a woman's youth cannot be delayed."

Shu Qiyun let out a long breath: "That's fine, there's no need to say that she's unknown, it ruined her reputation for nothing."

Xun Can said: "But the princess doesn't think so. When the emperor made the decree, she came to ask me, if she is willing to wait for three years, would you still marry her?"

"What?" Shu Qiyun was surprised, "Why did she ask you?"

Xun Can shrugged: "Because if I ask you, I'm afraid the answer is to tell her not to wait. I didn't answer anyway. I think she knows what the answer is."

Shu Qiyun shook his head: "Forget it, anyway, Brother Huang has already told me that these betrothal gifts have also been resettled, and now it's the envoys who came to celebrate, I'm afraid they will be disappointed."

Xun Can sighed: "The sudden death of the Empress Dowager is also a helpless move. They may have to go back soon."

Shu Qiyun denied: "Maybe it won't be so soon, it will be the Thunder Moon Festival soon, father should let them go after the festival."

"However, excessive display of lanterns and festoons is not allowed in the three-year national mourning. Why do we have to do this Thunder Moon Festival?" Xun Can wondered.

Shu Qiyun curled up his mouth: "Not being able to put up lanterns and festoons doesn't mean it can't be done. The emperor has shed enough tears for the emperor's grandmother in the past few days, and the imperial city also needs a happy event to calm everyone down."

"Then are you going to take over this job?" Xun Can asked, "This is also an opportunity, and there is nothing wrong with you recently."

Shu Qiyun refused: "No, I think my father will leave this matter to my brother. He didn't get my marriage done in the end, maybe my father will want to make it up to him."

Xun Can frowned and said, "But if this matter is also entrusted to him, it may not be good for His Highness."

"I've been tired recently. After the Qionglin Banquet was over, I paid attention to many outstanding students, and the gold list was released. Some of them are talents I like. I plan to meet and chat with them again. Others I don't want to care about it anymore." Shu Qiyun said, "Besides, the concubine mother has been in a bad mood after the Queen Mother passed away, so I also want to go to the palace to spend more time with her."

Xun Can nodded: "That's fine. After the Thunder Moon Festival, some of them who were bestowed officials will enter the court. It's also good to have more contact with His Highness, but..."

"but what"

"However, I hope that Your Highness will not drag them into the Eastern Palace dispute. These students have great ambitions and are dedicated to serving the country and the people. I'm afraid they don't want to be involved in these disputes." Xun Can said cautiously.

Shu Qiyun smiled and said: "I know what you are worried about. I just think that these talents should do something, and should not be confined to meaningless schemes. But Ah Can, they are talented, capable, and have great retribution. I lack a chance, I can give them this chance, why can't they help me?"

Xun Can said helplessly: "I know that His Highness wants to do more for Beiyi just like them, but I hope that even if they change their identities and enter the court, their hearts will remain the same as before."

Shu Qiyun sighed: "It's not easy to say, you don't know what the court looks like today, people like you are already rare. Beiyi needs fresh blood, a group of ambitious and capable people to support, I also hope that they don’t do it for their salaries but only for the common people, but they can’t rely on me, they have to rely on themselves. All I can do is to bring them on this road, as for how to go later, it’s up to them.”

Xun Can blinked and didn't know what to say for a while, so he just asked, "I heard that there is a special No. [-] scholar in this literary examination."

Shu Qiyun nodded in response and said: "Ying Chaosheng, isn't it strange? He didn't want to take part in the scientific examination before, but insisted on training with his father in the Qiuhao Prison, but he didn't look good after several years of training, so he still had to participate. Unexpectedly He actually won the number one prize. Eh...I suddenly remembered that the Empress Dowager died of illness and he didn't come to the palace to mourn."

Xun Can asked curiously: "Didn't he go? Shouldn't he? He's also a grandson. Didn't Mo Fengyi just go?"

"I don't know why he didn't come, but he's not as good as Mo Feng's other relative... Don't mention this person, I'll get angry when I hear him." Shu Qiyun gritted his teeth and said angrily.

Xun Can wondered: "What's wrong?"

"I really didn't expect him to be... that's all, gossip is nothing but people, if you want to know, you can ask him." Shu Qiyun waved his hands and the more he thought about it, the more annoying he became, "I remember he was not like this before. .....how......"

Xun Can's hearing became more and more vague, but he didn't want to ask too many questions, he just frowned and kept silent.

Mo Fengyi stayed with Xiang Yixin in the palace for an extra day.

Xiang Yi said curiously: "They have all left the palace, why do you still want to stay?"

"Auntie doesn't want me to accompany you more?" Mo Feng asked obediently with his head propped up.

"I think... the palace is too dull recently, the emperor's body and mind are not comfortable, I'm worried that you won't be able to bear it." Xiang Yi smiled softly.

Mo Fengyi was in a trance for a while, and said: "Actually, I stayed...I have something to ask you."