There is no phoenix

Shui Ruoyang said with a smile: "Miss Li, you don't need to be modest, I am your defeated general, I should respect you first. The concubine Xiande is too healthy to drink, and I only have one drink, and I will have to read the papers later."

Li Rubing said: "The emperor pretends to be a country of thousands of people in his heart. He spends so much time thinking about all kinds of opportunities, it may be difficult to play chess once in a few months. But slaves are different, they can play every day, so it is also an accident to win the emperor once by chance."

Shui Ruoyang smiled and said: "You are being modest now. I am not bragging, my chess skills are not very bad, but just now, after all, I lost in front of you. You are not yet 20 years old, you can play such a good chess, Better than Princess Xiaoyi and Princess Lin, it's really not easy!"

Li Rubing hurriedly said: "I made the emperor laugh, the slaves are just more proficient at playing chess."

Shui Ruoyang picked up vegetables for Yuan Chun, and said with a smile: "My concubine is going to give birth soon, thank you for your hard work, eat more!"

Yuan Chun hurriedly laughed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Shui Ruoyang picked up some food for Li Rubing again, and said with a smile: "Come on, Miss Li, eat more too. It's not easy for you to see that you are skillful and kind, and don't be too restrained in the palace. The little princess also likes to play chess, come on." After Concubine Xiande gives birth, I will let the little princess learn more chess skills from you, are you willing?"

Li Rubing hurriedly said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty. This servant is just a palace maid, and it is the duty of a servant to serve everyone."

Shui Ruoyang heard this, smiled and said to Yuan Chun: "My concubine, let Miss Li serve the little princess, I wonder if you are willing to do so? Don't worry, when the time comes, I will ask Manager Xia to pick a few more good maids for you. !"

Yuan Chun smiled and said: "Your Majesty, where do you think of your concubine? The emperor values ​​the little princess, and hopes that the little princess will also be good at chess. The concubine fully understands. Li Gong'e has a gentle temperament, good looks, talent, medical knowledge, and serves the little princess." Naturally, the princess is absolutely perfect. The concubine has Baoqin by her side all the time, even if there is an emperor's son in the future, the concubine will have several maids here, why should the emperor worry about these things for the concubine?"

Shui Ruoyang said: "But it's hard to find someone like Miss Li who can satisfy my concubine."

Yuan Chun smiled and said: "What's the matter, Your Majesty, Li Gong'e said just now that it is her duty to serve everyone. Whenever the Emperor wants Li Gong'e to go, the concubine will let her go."

Shui Ruyang smiled and stopped talking.

After eating for a while, Shui Ruoyang talked with Yuan Chun again, Yuan Chun smiled and said: "Your Majesty, the concubines here have already cleaned up the house, so let Li Gong'e serve the Emperor to rest here tonight, how about it?"

After hearing this, Shui Ruoyang hurriedly said: "My concubine is considerate of me, I appreciate it, but I still have to go to Chengde Hall to read the papers, so I don't need to rest here. Miss Li, how about going out for a walk with me?"

Li Rubing looked at Yuan Chun, bowed his head a little embarrassed, and remained silent.

Yuan Chun smiled and said: "Ru Bing, you can go and relax with the Emperor."

After hearing this, Li Rubing had no choice but to follow Shui Ruoyang and walked out together.

It was not too dark at this time, and although it was a bit chilly outside, Shui Ruoyang looked back at Li Rubing who was following meekly behind him, and felt particularly at ease.

Li Rubing raised his head occasionally, with a calm face, although he was only a few steps away from Shui Ruoyang, he kept silent and only looked into the distance.

Seeing that Shui Ruoyang had already left Fengzao Palace for a long way, and Li Rubing didn't seem to be looking at him, he couldn't help but stop and asked: "Miss Li, since you have been in the palace for more than three years, has any relatives visited you?" ?”

When Li Rubing saw Shui Ruoyang stop suddenly, he also stopped quickly, but he was only a step or two away from Shui Ruoyang. Ruoyang shook his head and said: "Back to the emperor, the servant has no relatives, so no one will come to see the servant."

Shui Ruoyang was surprised and asked: "How come no one came to see it? I rule the world with benevolence and morality, and the concubines in the palace, Xu's family, see them. They are ordinary palace people, and relatives and friends may see each other once every two years. Didn't you just say that you Your chess skills were taught by your father and brother when you were young, and later by your master? Didn't they ever think about coming to see you?"

Li Rubing listened, and slowly lowered his head.

Shui Ruoyang approached and held Li Rubing's chin with his hands, but saw that Li Rubing's tears were full of tears. Under the light not far away, the tears in Li Ruobing's eyes were like the glistening dewdrops. My heart sank.

Li Rubing suddenly knelt down and said, "This servant is rude, please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Shui Ruoyang stretched out his hand, and said softly: "Silly girl, what are you guilty of? Everyone has emotions and desires. When I asked about your family, you feel sad, and this is considered a crime? Get up first!"

Li Rubing looked at Shui Ruobing's outstretched hand, and slowly stretched out his small hand. Shui Ruoyang took Li Ruobing's hand, pulled her closer to him, looked at Li Rubing tightly, and asked softly: "Silly girl, is it me The question just now made you homesick? Tell me, who else is in your family now, and I can let them come to see you once, how about it?"

Li Rubing raised his head and looked at Shui Ruoyang, and the two very kind "silly girl" made Li Rubing puzzled, so his two big beautiful eyes just looked at Shui Ruoyang in a daze.

Seeing that Li Rubing finally dared to look at him so closely, Shui Ruoyang said softly again: "You are not joking, silly girl, you should know that such a promise from me can definitely be fulfilled, no matter where your family is."

Li Rubing did not speak, but tears slowly flowed down.Shui Ruoyang felt a little distressed when he saw it, and hurriedly took out a handkerchief to help Li Rubing wipe away tears, and said with a smile: "Girl, what's wrong with you? Why don't you talk and just cry? I am the Son of Heaven, if you don't talk, how can I help you?"

Li Rubing seemed to react suddenly, quickly took out his handkerchief to wipe away tears, then looked up at Shui Ruoyang and said, "Your Majesty, you are a good Emperor!"

When Shui Ruoyang heard this, he couldn't help laughing and said: "Silly girl, where have you heard someone say that I am a bad emperor?"

Li Rubing hurriedly blushed, lowered her head and said, "No."

Shui Ruoyang hurriedly said: "Girl, if you really think that I am a good emperor, then tell me that I asked you just now, but you didn't answer me, but you were so sad all of a sudden, why is that? I really miss my family? "

Li Rubing looked up at Shui Ruoyang again and said: "Your Majesty, this servant is a hard-working person, this servant really misses his family, but all of this servant's family members are gone!"

After hearing this, Shui Ruoyang asked in surprise: "Your family members are gone? Girl, what I asked you just now made you sad. But you have to know, I didn't know before, so don't blame me I played chess with you just now. I remember you said that you still have a master. You accepted her kindness and helped her enter the palace on behalf of others. Could it be that she didn’t come to see you? I just said that the palace has regulations. The maid of honor can let family members or relatives and friends visit once every two years."

Li Rubing looked at the lights in the distance, and replied calmly: "Your Majesty, the master of the servant is now in his dying years, even if he wants to see the servant, there will be a lot of inconvenience. As early as when the servant entered the palace, the master told the servant that the servant After she left, she will never go down the mountain again, and she will never intervene in the world of mortals. Perhaps, the master of the servant has also gone now."

When Shui Ruoyang saw Li Rubing say this, his face was already very calm, and there was no trace of sadness or joy, as if he was telling a story that had nothing to do with him, so he couldn't help asking: "Miss Li, Concubine Xiande said that you are very happy. Knowing about medicine was also taught by your master?"

Li Rubing nodded and said, "Yes."

Shui Ruoyang said: "Aside from teaching you how to play chess and learn medicine, what else did your master teach?"

Li Rubing said: "Back to the emperor, the servant's master also taught the servant how to use swordsmanship, said that the girl's family can use it for self-defense, and also taught the servant how to behave."

Shui Ruoyang said in shock: "Girl, you know how to play swordsmanship? That should be as good as your chess skills?"

Li Rubing shook his head and said, "No, Your Majesty, the slaves are only superficial, because the master said that girls should learn some self-defense, and that dancing swords can help keep fit, so the slaves learned a little bit."

A gust of wind blew, and Shui Ruoyang felt a chill on his face. It was already winter, and the night was getting thicker. Looking at Li Ruobing's thin body, Shui Ruoyang couldn't help asking pitifully: "Miss Li, look at your thin body, are you okay? cold?"

Li Rubing hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, slaves are not cold, if the emperor is cold, why not slaves accompany the emperor to the room?"

Li Ruobing finished speaking, stepped forward to support Shui Ruoyang, Shui Ruoyang touched Li Ruobing's hand with his hand, and hurriedly said: "Girl, your hands are so cold, why do you still say that they are not cold? The front is Chengde Hall, you accompany me Go in and rest for a while."

After Shui Ruoyang finished speaking, he took off his cloak, put it on Li Rubing, and helped him fasten it, then stretched out his hand, motioning Li Rubing to give it to him.

Li Rubing opened his eyes wide and looked at Shui Ruoyang. His face was already flushed with heat. Fortunately, it was night and no one else saw it.Li Rubing slowly stretched out his hand to be led by Shui Ruoyang, and the two entered Chengde Hall together.

After entering the room, Li Rubing saw that the candles had already been lit inside, and saw that there were many memorials on the two cases. He was a little surprised and asked, "Your Majesty, do you read so many memorials every night?"

Shui Ruoyang nodded and said: "I read the memorials here every day after I go to court. I have finished reading the ones over there, and there are still some that I haven't read here, so I have to finish approving these memorials before I can rest. But today There is not much left, I am very happy to meet you and see you tonight, you will stay here with me tonight, would you like it?"

Li Rubing blushed, slowly lowered her head, paused for a long time before raising her head and said: "But your majesty, what about the Xiande concubine? Why don't you see other maids here serving the emperor?"

Shui Ruoyang smiled and said: "Apart from Dai Quan, there are two young eunuchs, there is no one else here. The other concubines have never been here, don't worry, there will be someone to pass the message on the side of the Xiande Concubine. But I think Let me ask you, are you afraid of me? Do you want to tell the truth?"

Li Rubing looked at Shui Ruoyang quietly, shook his head and said: "Going back to the emperor, when I first saw the emperor, I was a little scared, but now I am not afraid anymore."

Shui Ruoyang looked at Li Rubing with great interest, and asked: "Why? I also feel that you are different from ordinary women. You dare to look at me without any fear. Can you tell me why you are not afraid of me now?"

Li Rubing blushed, slowly lowered her head and said: "Go back to the emperor, because when I was a child, I heard my father talk about the emperor, saying that the emperor is very dignified and decisive. Although I have been in the palace for more than three years, I have never seen the emperor. But from the conversations of many palace maids, the slaves know that the emperor is the emperor of ninety-five years, has the majesty of the emperor, and has the arrogance of the king. So I saw the emperor for the first time in Fengzao Palace today, and I was very nervous and a little scared. But The servant girl has accompanied the emperor to play chess, eat and walk until now, but she feels that although the emperor is majestic, he is very easy-going and caring. Just now the emperor called the servant girl a few times. When the servant was at home, this is how the grandmother of the servant called the servant. It has been many years since such a voice was called a slave, and the slave felt very kind. Now that I come here, seeing that the emperor has to approve so many memorials at night, the slave feels that the emperor is a very good emperor, so I am not so afraid in my heart. "

When Li Rubing said this, he remembered that he was still wearing Shui Ruoyang's cloak, and his hand was still being held by Shui Ruoyang. He hurriedly took his hand back from Shui Ruoyang's hand, took off the cloak, and knelt down for Shui Ruoyang. : "Your Majesty, slaves deserve death!"

After hearing this, Shui Ruoyang smiled and stepped forward to support Li Rubing with both hands. Seeing that Li Rubing's face was like a peach blossom, and his beautiful eyes, which may have been shed tears just now, seemed to be dewy and watery. Under the candlelight in the hall, they looked even more charming.

Shui Ruoyang was really moved, but seeing Li Rubing slowly lowered his head shyly, he had no choice but to control the turbulence in his heart, and smiled: "Your name is Rubing, is it the name after entering the palace, or has it always been your name?"

Li Rubing said: "Back to the emperor, the original name of the servant girl was Li Bing, which was chosen by the servant girl's father. He said that he liked the ancient saying "a heart of ice is in the jade pot" the most, and he also said that he hoped that the servant girl would be as pure as ice in the future. Not stained with dust! Later, I followed the master, and the master changed my name to Ru Bing."

Shui Ruoyang nodded and said: "It's good to get this name, and it's good to change it. You match your name very well. People are like your name, and this name is more like you. I will call you by your name from now on." , or call you a girl, how about it?"

After hearing this, Li Rubing hurriedly said: "The emperor is the Ninth Five-Year Lord, and it is the blessing of the slave to be called the slave! The slave just said that when the slave was at home when she was young, the grandmother of the slave always called the slave."

Shui Ruoyang laughed and said: "Okay, girl, I will tell you that I am a good emperor. Now I will critique the paper carefully and help me beat my back. Bring something from Fengzao Palace, and I Send someone there now to bring it over for you."

Li Rubing hurriedly said: "I don't have anything else, just a change of clothes, which have been folded on the bed over there, and Auntie Baoqin can send someone to help the servant bring them out!"

Shui Ruoyang heard this, so he ordered Dai Quan outside the hall: "Dai Quan, ask someone to tell Concubine Xiande that Miss Li is here tonight to accompany me to read the booklet, and ask Baoqin to bring the folded clothes on the bed in Miss Li's room. Come here. I will approve the memorial first, and you will prepare hot water in half an hour."

After hearing this, Dai Quan hurried down to give orders.

Li Rubing took the cloak in his hand and looked around the hall again. Shui Ruoyang hurriedly said: "Girl, if you feel cold, you can wear it. I don't need it now. If you don't feel cold, put it over there first." chair!"

After hearing this, Li Rubing hurriedly said: "Go back to the emperor, the servant girl was a little cold outside just now, but it is not cold anymore, thank you for your concern!"

After Li Rubing finished speaking, he slowly put the cloak on the chair, then stood behind Shui Ruoyang, and gently helped Shui Ruoyang beat his shoulders.

Shui Ruoyang read the booklets, picked up the ink pen from time to time to review, and sometimes wrote a few words on the paper without saying a word.

While there are fewer and fewer unapproved memorials, the already reviewed memorials are gradually arranged like a hill, and Shui Ruoyang has more and more papers on which he has written.

After more than half an hour, Shui Ruoyang had finished reviewing the memorials on the table, and then turned to Li Rubing and said, "Girl, move these memorials over there and put them away!"

Li Rubing listened, but didn't speak, and moved the reviewed memorials to the case over there, seeing that Shui Ruoyang was still picking up the paper on which he had just written, and carefully looked at each one.

After a while, Shui Ruoyang put away the papers and called out: "Dai Quan, have you delivered Miss Li's things?"

Dai Quan hurriedly came in and said, "Your Majesty, Aunt Baoqin has sent Miss Li's clothes over and is waiting outside."

Shui Ruoyang listened and said: "Bring Miss Li's clothes in, now prepare the hot water, and wait for Miss Li to take a bath first!"

Li Rubing heard this, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, slaves are not used to being served by people for bathing, just let them bring hot water over!"

When Shui Ruoyang saw Li Rubing say this, he was full of shyness and lowered his head, so he could only smile and said to Dai Quan: "Dai Quan, let someone prepare another bathtub, and then wait outside!"

After hearing this, Dai Quan hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, the servant has already ordered it to be ready!"

To know the aftermath, see below.