Placid Chang'an

When everything was settled in front of Feng Yiming's tomb, it was almost noon, and Zheng Yang pulled Su Cen from behind, "Brother Su, please go back."

Su Cen didn't turn her head back, "Go first, I'll stay later."

Zheng Yang wanted to say something more, but was pulled by Ning Santong, so he had to follow the crowd and leave first.

Su Cen stood still for a stick of incense, and when the crowd had gone away, she stepped forward to support the tombstone and shook it firmly, "You go well, I will leave the rest to me."

After saying that, he turned around and walked away without nostalgia.

Just after noon, and just after lunch in Taiji Palace, Su Cen waited outside the gate of the palace for more than half an hour for the palace talent to come back, ordered "Come with us", and walked forward without looking back .

Taiji Palace, Daming Palace, and Xingqing Palace are also known as the "Three Great Houses". After Li Shi occupied Xingqing Palace, now Taiji Palace is taken by Li Sheng again. The famous "Three Great Houses" are really for the living of the emperor. There was only one Daming Palace left.

When Li Sheng first came here, he was restrained, and he lived in the Prince Yu's Mansion before Crown Prince Chongde was canonized. Later, as he became more powerful, he became more unscrupulous and disregarded the rules of the court.

Until now, Su Cen didn't understand why it was Emperor Taizong who took the crown of Prince Chongde, and then Shenzong Li Xun succeeded him. Why is Li Sheng so hostile to Li Shi? Press him again.

Different from Xingqing Palace, Taiji Palace and Daming Palace live next to each other, and many foreign court institutions are set up in Taiji Palace. If Li Sheng has the heart of disobedience, he will directly install himself at the door of the little emperor's house. To force the palace, one step away.

The Taiji Palace is actually composed of three parts. Except for the Taiji Palace in the middle, the two sides are the Yeting Palace and the East Palace, and the place where Li Sheng is located is the former prince's place - the East Palace.

Since the emperor was young and did not set up a prince, the East Palace has been closed since Prince Chongde, and Su Cen only visited it a few times from the outside, so he is not clear about its internal layout.

Guided by the eunuch all the way in, Su Cen couldn't help being secretly surprised, every brick, every stone, every plant and every tree here are really exactly the same as those in that big mansion in Lujiazhuang.Li Sheng, who was transformed into Yonglong Palace back then, was only a child in his early ten years, but he was able to write down this place in detail, and made another copy in the distant Lujiazhuang.

At this moment, Li Sheng was leaning on a warm couch, holding a stove in his arms and closing his eyes to rest, turning a deaf ear to everything around him.

Su Cen had no choice but to kneel down, "The grassroots Su Cen sees the prince."

Li Sheng lowered his eyes and looked at it, then smiled, "Back then you were refusing to call me lord, but now you are aware of current affairs."

Back then in Lujiazhuang, Li Sheng asked Su Cen to call him a prince. At that time, he only thought that Li Sheng wanted to imitate Li Shi, but he didn't realize that he had such a heavy identity.

"It seems that this year's experience has not been in vain." Li Sheng raised his hand, and Su Cen stood up. He was too lazy to settle the old accounts with Li Sheng, so he asked straight to the point: "Where is Qu Ling'er?" ?”

Li Sheng squinted his eyes contentedly: "Qu Ling'er is from my secret door, so naturally she is at the secret door now."

"You..." Su Cen took a step forward, but stopped abruptly. Now that he has nothing to rely on, he can only put down his body and beg, "Don't make things difficult for him."

"The state owns the state laws, the family has its own rules, and we have our own arrangements for dealing with traitors." Li Shi raised his eyebrows, "Feng Yiming is, and so is Qu Linger."

Su Cen clenched his fists hard. He knew that Li Sheng's death was inseparable from Feng Yiming's. Now that Li Sheng admitted it, he would save him from going to prove it. Calculate.

"Qu Ling'er betrayed the secret door because you wanted to kill him, and what he told me later was also what you wanted to tell me through his mouth. Although he has no merits, he has no faults. You don't have to Must kill him."

"You don't need to worry about our secret door."

Su Cen pursed her lips lightly. Now that the matter has not reached the point of no return, Li Sheng still wants to keep Qu Ling'er to blackmail Qi Lin, so his life should not be in danger for now.The immediate priority was to meet Li Shi, so Su Cen could only explain why he came, "I want to enter Xingqing Palace."

"What?" Li Sheng raised his eyes, with a playful smile on the corner of his lips, "You left in such a hurry last night, I thought I was in a hurry to meet my lover privately, why didn't you go in in the end?"

Because you put two dogs in front of the door to block the way, Su Cen's eyes were sharp, as if he wanted to draw two slits on Li Sheng's face, "Since you agreed to let me investigate, you have to give me the right to come and go freely. The limit is at the end of the year, and the prince promises a thousand gold, isn't he going to break his promise?"

"Smart teeth," Li Sheng smiled lightly. He caught a glimpse of the maid who came to serve tea. He turned his head and said to Su Cen, "But the most important thing for a smart person is to know the current affairs. This picture of yours The look is too fierce, I don't like it, it was better when I was in Lujiazhuang."

Li Sheng meant something, Su Cen looked at the maid who was holding the tea, and poked his fingertips into the palm of his hand, finally stepped forward to take the teacup from the person's hand, and handed it to Li Sheng, "My lord, please use Tea."

It wasn't until Su Cen's fingertips were slightly reddened by the heat from the tea cup that Li Sheng took the teacup and said with a slight smile, "This is much better."

Su Cen smashed the handwritten letter he had obtained directly on the face of the guard at the door, with a rage lingering all over his body, he almost ordered viciously: "Open the door!"

The two guards couldn't say anything more after seeing the handbook, they turned around and reluctantly opened a small opening, allowing only one person to enter sideways.

Su Cen stepped forward over the two of them and pushed with all his strength, the door hinge slid open with a creak, and the two high doors opened wide, revealing all the splendid Qionglou Yuyu inside.

Only then did Su Cen step in.

The majestic Xingqing Palace, when was it so small.

Entering the door with enthusiasm, Su Cen didn't take a few steps but then stopped slowly.Looking around, he was familiar with every brick and tile here, but somehow felt strange.

After standing for a long time, Su Cen realized what the problem was. It was too quiet, even a single body could not be seen in such a huge palace.The lively scene at the garden party that day is still vivid in my memory. Now those people are gone, Tuduo Sanwei who slung his shoulders is gone, Chen Ling with an indifferent expression is gone, even the gang of cooks who are vying for their skills Also gone.

Su Cen suddenly understood why Li Sheng didn't throw the man into the dungeon directly. He left Li Shi alone to guard the empty courtyard, watching the once prosperous flowers, willows and greens slowly decay, and the exquisitely carved beams and painted buildings gradually becoming dusty. It's like slowly consuming a person's soul from the inside, far more painful than physical torture.

Su Cen slowed down and stepped forward quickly, and ran again after walking a few steps. Fear gradually gripped his heart. He was suddenly afraid that Li Shi would grow old with Xingqing Palace.

In the huge Xingqing Palace, he almost ran amok according to his memory, there is no Huxin Pavilion, there is no Huae Xianghui Building, and there is no bedroom.He used to think that Xingqing Palace was big, but it had never been this big. He ran aimlessly for a long time, and even confirmed some places twice or three times. After finding nothing, one place gradually became clear.

That is the place where Li Shi usually stays most often, because he is entangled in government affairs, he often has to stay all night long.He privately thought that without those inseparable memorials to criticize Li Shi, he would not stay there anymore. He had worked so hard for this court situation, but he was finally let down.

In the end, it was just his unwillingness, and Li Shi never complained from the beginning to the end.

Su Cen's steps gradually slowed down, each step was thoughtful, and at the end she simply stopped and stared at the figure on the balcony, her vision suddenly blurred.

It took Li Shi a lot of effort to separate the intertwined orchid root system little by little, maybe he finally has time to take care of it now, these orchids have grown wildly since winter, and a few of them even burst into pots.Taking advantage of the good weather today and the sunny afternoon, Li Shi found some empty flower pots and poured them out for these flowers.After leaving it for too long, those roots are twisted and entangled, like a strand of blue silk that can't be straightened out.

Hearing the movement, Li Shi raised his head, paused on his hand, and then a section of root was broken in his hand.

Su Cen climbed up the stairs, every step was like stepping on cotton. He had been in a hurry all the way, abandoning everything and crossing thousands of mountains and rivers. At the last few steps, he suddenly couldn't move.

He had a thousand words to say, all the grievances, unwillingness, and anger rolled in his throat, but in the end he just asked tremblingly: "These orchids... are still alive?"

Li Shi smiled, and there was something he was familiar with in his deep eyes, "It's all here, why don't you count them yourself and see if any pots are missing."

Su Cen stared at the muddy hands and frowned, "How do you do this yourself?"

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he almost bit his tongue. Now that the Xingqing Palace is empty, if Li Shi doesn't do it himself, why should he wait for others to do it?

But Li Shi didn't take it seriously, he lowered his head and continued to straighten the roots, while moving, he said, "When will I let others handle these flowers?"

Su Cen was stunned for a moment, and suddenly realized, a surge of sourness surged up, he had to clenched his back teeth tightly to restrain it.He remembered that when he was here, Li Shi did all the watering and fertilization of these orchids himself, otherwise, how could these delicate little things have survived to this day?

At the beginning, he thought that taking care of these orchids was just a hobby for Li Shi when he was free, but he didn't realize until today that Li Shi treated this matter as a serious matter, and had never been perfunctory.

Silent for a moment, Su Cen looked down quietly as Li Shi separated the intricate root system little by little. Those hands once pointed the country and broke through thousands of troops, but now they are stained with mud and linger in the clay pots, but they are just as pleasing to the eye. .

After finally separating the two root systems and moving them to a new flower pot, Su Cen handed over the flower shovel as soon as Li Shi stretched out his hand.

Li Shi took it over with a smile, "The one who knows me is Zixu."

The two cooperated silently, and they had a tacit understanding. After a while, they repotted the two flowers and disposed of them properly.

Li Shi stood up and stretched his waist, washed his hands and took the beat from Su Cen, then asked again: "When did you come?"

"Yesterday." Su Cen pursed her lips and looked up.He arrived yesterday and only came to the door today. He deliberately didn't mention the twists and turns of last night, just to see how Li Shi would react.

In the end, he just shook his head when he saw someone, "You shouldn't have come."

"I shouldn't come, so who should come? Feng Yiming?" As soon as Su Cen blurted out his words, he regretted it. I'm afraid Li Shi would feel bad about Feng Yiming, so he lowered his voice and said, "It's you." Said that one day your power will be dissipated and your reputation will be ruined, and you asked me to be with you, have you forgotten?"

"I regret it," Li Shi sighed lightly, "I don't want you to accompany me anymore."

He raised his hand to pick up Su Cen's messy lock of hair, "A joke at that time shouldn't be a burden to you. I regret it. I want to see you marry a wife and have children, and live your life safely and smoothly."

"Marry a wife and have children? Safe and smooth?" Su Cen tilted her head and smiled, raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and when she looked up again, only her eyes were full of scarlet, "You almost saw it, you know? You know me How much effort did it take to accept that I will not have you in my life from now on, and how much effort did it take me to get up and start again? I have already stood on the wedding hall, and the Miss Wang family opposite is from Yangzhou city. A well-known lady from all over the world, with all the guests present, the three books and six rituals are just one step away... just one step away! But I ran away, just because of a piece of news you don't know the truth of!"

Li Shi frowned, he didn't know whether he was obsessed with his marriage or blamed him for not being polite.

"Now I have been betrayed by many relatives and notorious, and all those who cannot be offended have been offended. You want me to be safe and smooth, how can you make me safe and smooth?" Su Cen took a step forward, "Now we are on the same rope. Grasshoppers live together, and die together, do you understand?"

Those eyes looked at him deeply and deeply, but Su Cen knew that he was about to surface.

"You have an accident, everyone knows that I will come back, but you never thought that I would come back?" Su Cen approached inch by inch, and asked with burning eyes, "Have you ever thought about it?"

Li Shi narrowed his eyes, but did not answer.

"What do you think?" Su Cen approached without retreating, reached out to hold Li Shidai's finger-twisting hand, and interlocked his fingers, "You think so?"

He pulled up that hand and rubbed it on his face, then brought it to his lips for a soft kiss, "You still think so?"

Pulling that hand down, it slid all the way down the smooth neck, close to the edge of the skirt, where the skin is delicate, scorching hot, rising and falling with breathing, "Or..."

"Forget it," sighed softly, Li Shi's eyes hardened suddenly, he grabbed the half of his wrist and picked him up.

The world was spinning, and Su Cen's forehead was on the back of the person before he could get over it, and then he was placed heavily on the wide purple sandalwood table that Prince Ning usually used to review memorials.After being knocked on the head, Su Cen frowned. Before he could raise his hand, he was imprisoned on the table with strong force.

The strength was still tightening, Su Cen only felt that the bones of his whole body were being strangled, and his hot breath was lingering in his ears, only to hear Li Shi sighed heavily, "I want to die."