Stranger and Chen in the Palace

The next day, a decree spread throughout the palace.

"Princess Ling Muxue committed crimes, and she will be banned from the Princess Mansion from now on; Empress Dowager Ji Yao has no way to teach her daughter, and she will be sent to the cold palace immediately; Zuo Xiang Xue Zimo will face the wall of Guanlan Hall and think about it until the Zuo Xiang Mansion is completed."

This decree caused an uproar in the court, and Empress Dowager Ji Yao was thrown into the cold palace, which meant that the once prominent Ji family lost the imperial favor and their status in the court plummeted.

Even the favored Prime Minister Zuo was implicated, but in comparison, the punishment of Xue Zimo was nothing, just a little strange. Since ancient times, no emperor has imprisoned his officials in the palace to face the wall and think about it. passed.

Soon after the decree was issued, Ji Heng, who was far away in the northwest, fell ill.

Five months later, Ji Heng died of illness, and Ji Heng's son, Ji Yue, commanded the remaining 30 troops.

During this period, a strange thing happened, that is, Qin Feng, the official who was in charge of suppressing the forces of Ling Yihong and Ling Yihao, was assassinated in his mansion in the middle of the night.

In this regard, Ling Yichen just sent someone to investigate symbolically, and nothing happened.

The ministers all speculated that it was probably the big families who were hit or the family members of the officials who were suppressed who were assassinated. They had no way to avenge His Majesty, so they could only kill Qin Feng to vent their anger.

However, everyone didn't have a good impression of this man, he was just a villain who betrayed his master and sycophant, so regarding his death, they just took it as a joke after dinner.

Xue Zimo moved into Guanlan Hall from the day the imperial decree was issued.Since he moved into Guanlan Hall, everything inside has been replaced with the best, and the food and use are the same as Ling Yichen's.

This is against the palace rules, but Ling Yichen is the emperor, who dares to have any objections?

All the officials couldn't help but wonder, this calculation, in fact, for Xue Zimo, it is really not a punishment.

The night in Guanlan Palace was as quiet as ever. Ling Yichen walked into the palace where he had lived for three years again, and gently came to Xue Zimo's bedside, staring at the person on the bed...

This time his quilt was covered very well, unlike the night before, he didn't even know that a corner of the quilt fell off.Thinking of this, Ling Yichen couldn't help laughing, he still doesn't know how to take care of himself at such an age.

Standing quietly by the bed, Ling Yichen didn't leave until the clock struck Ling Yichen.

After Ling Yichen left, Xue Zimo slowly opened his eyes and sighed.

There was no sleepiness in the clear eyes.

These days, Ling Yichen would stay here for an hour every night.

He didn't know it at first, until one night when he felt that someone was covering him with a quilt, he suddenly smelled that familiar smell, and he knew it was Ling Yichen, and he was so nervous that he closed his eyes and didn't dare to move.

Since then, at this hour of every night, Xue Zimo has never fallen asleep again.With his eyes closed, he quietly felt Ling Yichen's breath, just like Ling Yichen quietly watching his sleeping face...

Ever since he found out about Ling Muxue's pregnancy, Ling Yichen became even more indifferent to him during the day.But every night, he will still protect himself tenderly as before.

Thinking of this, Xue Zimo felt sad again.

He owed him too much...

Soon, the cold winter came, and snowflakes filled the sky of the imperial capital.

Not long after, the New Year came.

This is Ling Yichen's first New Year since he ascended the throne, and the imperial capital has already been covered with thick snow.Because Ling Yichen advocated frugality, the New Year's Eve feast for the emperor and ministers was much simpler than when the late emperor was there.

In the early morning of the next day, Xue Zimo opened the window of the dormitory as usual, and heavy snow fell over the imperial capital.

The auspicious snow heralds a good year, and it seems that this year will be a bumper harvest year, Xue Zimo is very pleased.

Due to the flooding of the Fen River and the invasion of Xianbei, the treasury has been empty.Since Ling Yichen came to power, he has refused to increase the taxes of the common people. Not only that, he has even reduced or exempted taxes in many places.

Xue Zimo knew that the empty treasury was a hidden danger after all.If there are good harvests for several years in a row, the treasury will be filled.

"Left Prime Minister..."

Shunde whispered and looked out the window to Xue Zimo, who was distracted.

Xue Zimo turned his head and smiled slightly. He didn't notice that Shunde was coming, but he saw that he was still holding a bowl of five-color glutinous rice balls in his hand.

Immediately, the memory was brought back to Dianxi County, when Ling Yichen also brought him a bowl of five-color glutinous rice balls in the early morning of the next New Year's day.He still remembered that it was also a year of heavy snowfall.

Shunde put the glutinous rice balls in his hand on the table lightly: "Master Zuo, this is just ready, eat it while it's hot."

Xue Zimo nodded, sat down, scooped up one with a spoon, and took a bite.It's still the same taste, but it's not the same taste anymore. It seems that he really puts his heart into it.

"Master Zuo, how about the glutinous rice balls?" Shunde, who had been carefully watching his expression, asked in a low voice.

Xue Zimo lightly rubbed the side of the bowl and smiled: "It's even more delicious than before."

When Shunde heard the words, a smile bloomed on his face: "Okay, the servant will not disturb you, so he will retreat first."

Xue Zimo smiled and nodded, continuing to eat glutinous rice balls.

"What did he say?" In Xihe Palace, Ling Yichen asked Shunde who had just returned while eating glutinous rice balls.

Shunde said with a smile: "Master Zuo Xiang said that it is more delicious than before, and he is always smiling from the beginning to the end."

Ling Yichen looked down at the glutinous rice balls in the bowl, the corners of his mouth slowly curled into a nice arc, and his mood instantly improved.

He must know that he did it himself, right?

For some reason, seeing Ling Yichen smiling, Shunde suddenly felt sad.

Your Majesty and Prime Minister Zuo clearly love each other, but...

When can they be together well?

During the Lantern Festival, Ling Yichen held a rare grand banquet for the emperor and his ministers in the palace. The fireworks bloomed all night, and Pingting sang and danced continuously.The ministers lamented that the Lantern Festival was much more lively than the New Year.

Ling Yichen was drinking slowly while concentrating on enjoying the singing and dancing.

During the banquet, the imperial dining room served Xue Zimo a bowl of exquisite birthday noodles.

Seeing the birthday noodles, Xue Zimo smiled, picked up the chopsticks and began to eat gracefully.After he finished eating, Shunde walked gently to his side and whispered: "Master Zuo, today is your birthday, I wish you a happy birthday..."

Xue Zimo lowered his eyes and smiled.

"This is a wish from the slave, please accept it." Shunde delivered a large box to Xue Zimo.

Xue Zimo took it and opened it, and inside was a water-blue jade pillow with fish patterns.

Caressing the jade pillow lightly, suddenly a warm feeling spread into the body through the fingertips, even in such a cold day, this warmth can be felt clearly.

Shunde said with a smile: "This is a pillow made of extremely rare warm jade. If you lie on it, even if you drop the quilt in the cold night, you will not feel the cold. But the most peculiar thing about it is in summer. Although it is warm jade, it doesn't feel hot at all when you sleep on it, and it can regulate your body temperature to the optimum state, which is very good for your body."

"Thank you, I like this gift very much." Xue Zimo raised his eyes and smiled.

Shunde smiled and nodded: "These fireworks are specially made by the craftsmen ordered by the slaves. Please enjoy them slowly."

"it is good."

Xue Zimo looked up at the colorful fireworks continuously streaming down from the Xihe Palace.On his birthday in Dianxi County, Ling Yichen also set off fireworks for him all night.Today's fireworks are more gorgeous and moving than that day. The colorful fireworks and the bright moonlight complement each other, and it is another beautiful and splendid night...

Back at Guanlan Hall, Xue Zimo put on the jade pillow, and lay down slowly, with the warm feeling flowing all over his body in an instant.

Xue Zimo's heart was also warm, he knew that this was Ling Yichen's birthday present to him.

It was night, when Ling Yichen saw that Xue Zimo had put on a warm jade pillow, his eyes were full of smiles.