Between the vast sea of ​​clouds

Strange to say, this year's snow has gradually decreased since the sixth day of the new year, and there are even signs of warming up.On the eleventh day of the first lunar month, only sporadic snowflakes fell, and the sky was still shrouded in dark clouds, and the snow was about to fall. This cloud was not only in the sky, but also in the hearts of the courtiers.Ever since Shen Mingshan, the second assistant of the cabinet, was condemned and sent back to his hometown, the Qingliu have kept silent by coincidence. The cabinet seems to have become the voice of Yan Minghua, the first assistant. It is rumored that the emperor has been recuperating in bed recently, and the important decisions of the government and China are all handed over to the old Yan Ge for instructions. , The ministers who once clamored for "overthrowing strictness" were very disturbed, and they were deeply afraid that Yan Shoufu, who would gain power again, would use excuses to eradicate dissidents.

Elder Yan Ge, who held great power, was carried out of Zichen Palace in a sedan chair. The emperor sympathized with her inconvenience and gave her a sedan chair to facilitate her walking in the palace.Yan Minghua got off the sedan chair and entered the hall tremblingly, vaguely hearing the emperor talking inside.

"...Is everything ready? Move into...Chonghua Palace...repair..."

The palace people reported that the voice stopped abruptly. Yan Minghua knew that the Chonghua Palace was the residence of the Empress Dowager, but now the Empress Dowager didn't know if she was one year old, and the Chonghua Palace was about to be opened?Mr. Yan Ge no longer dared to speculate on the emperor's mind. In the eyes of this courtier, the chief minister who held great power had already been frightened enough by the emperor's thunderous methods. Throughout the dynasties, no emperor dared to hand over power to his subordinates casually.The reason why Shen Mingshan stepped down was precisely because even she would not believe that the emperor could really hand over power, and this illusion made her make a wrong judgment, and even thought that the emperor was really dying.

So she took the last wrong step, and it was this step that ruined all the previous plans and lost everything.

With the lessons learned from the past, Yan Shoufu has already thought very clearly.Sometimes she remembered that when the late emperor was around, she occasionally mentioned this daughter a few times, only saying that she practiced asceticism and devoted herself to Taoism. At that time, Mr. Yan Ge just listened.But now recalling the scene at that time, she sighed in her heart, fearing that even a shrewd and ruthless person like the late emperor had been deceived, which shows the emperor's tricks.

After Yan Minghua entered the palace, he saluted. Seeing Jiang Lin, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, standing beside him, the emperor said, "A palace in the Chonghua Palace has been in disrepair for a long time. It has been snowing heavily this year. I didn't expect the roof to collapse."

Yan Minghua said: "So that's how it is. I remember that when the late Emperor was there, he transported a lot of wood from Hechen and Chenzhou to build the Yuxiao Palace, but it was a pity that he didn't use it later. Your Majesty's mentioning this reminded me of it. "

Jiang Lin also said: "Yan Ge has a good memory. That's exactly what happened. Your Majesty just said that you can save some money by using that batch of wood to build the palace. In this way, the time for transporting materials is reduced, and it only takes a few days to build the palace." It's fixed."

Yan Minghua said: "Your Majesty is diligent and thrifty, and the ministers should follow suit."

The emperor smiled and said to the Minister of the Ministry of Industry: "Since this is the case, let's do it."

Jiang Lin leaned over to answer, and there were only Yan Minghua and the emperor left in the hall. The emperor asked: "At the latest by the end of the month, the imperial court will reply to the Chenzhou Mansion's report. Who will be sent to Chenzhou? Does Mr. Ge have a suitable idea?" selected?"

As the new play was sung in every corner of Chang'an, the harem servants and courtiers alluded to in the play have gradually become a new topic of chat in teahouses and taverns. Everyone is guessing the protagonist in this secret and erotic story Who is it.

So when the steward led the man in through the back door, he felt as if the sky had fallen.

The man was tightly wrapped in a blue-gray robe, and he spoke in a soft voice. When he walked, he lowered his head, folded his hands unconsciously on his chest, and his steps were as impartial as a straight line.

Even if the steward has no experience, he can still feel the strangeness of that person.

This is clearly someone from the palace, she followed Qingping's instructions and brought him into the house, just about to close the door and go out, Qingping said: "You don't need to go out, you are right here."

The steward's forehead was covered with sweat, and he said in a low voice, "Yes."

Qing Ping glanced at her, sat on the chair and turned to the man, "Did Zhang Liang send you here for something important?"

The man pulled out a letter from his sleeve, Qingping looked at him coldly, and said to the steward, "Take it."

The steward had no choice but to go up to pick it up. Seeing that the man's shoulders relaxed a bit, Qingping glanced at the lamp and spit out two words: "Burn!"

The man raised his head all of a sudden, his eyes widened, and he looked at her in disbelief.

Qingping said with a half-smile, "Since it's a oral message, then just say it, why write it out."

"It doesn't matter who you are," Qingping said, looking at him with cold eyes, "go back and tell your master, don't play such low-level tricks."

The man staggered back, not daring to meet her eyes.

Ever since Qingping heard the play in the tavern, he had guessed that today would come, but no matter how much the harem tossed about, it would not affect the court's decision-making.Such clumsy means, just relying on a few words, would the emperor be dizzy and useless his courtiers, and would the six cabinet departments be just a display?

She didn't care about this kind of gossip, and asked the steward to bring the palace man in, but she just wanted to know if Zhang Wei really wanted to find her.I didn't expect to see such a superficial trick with my own eyes, even in her house, and dare to play tricks under her nose, I really took what was in the trick seriously.As long as she finds a reason, she can kill this person immediately, or detain him and send him to Jingzhao Mansion, and it will only take one night to investigate.

Qing Ping felt that he might look too good-tempered, even the servants in the harem could step on her head casually.After this incident, on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, Zongzhengsi ministers went up to ask the emperor to establish a heir.

On the day of the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, lanterns were hung everywhere. It was a festive season, so there was no need to go to court.Qingping was too lazy to look at the lanterns, the steward bought some lanterns for the occasion and came back to hang them, Qingping stood under the eaves and looked up at the exquisitely crafted lotus lanterns.Since it is a lantern, it is not only this style.But the steward didn't buy too much, he only picked a few items with fine workmanship and simple styles, and waited until night to look at them, and they were really good.There is still unmelted snow on the eaves, and the water surface with broken ice reflects colorful lights, as if a pool of colorful stars is filled.

Another banquet was held in the Heavenly Palace this time, but this time the purpose of the banquet was to see off Old Shangshu Wen, and only a few veteran officials were invited to accompany him.Xu Haicheng also told her a few days ago that the emperor called Yan Minghua into the palace to discuss the candidates to be sent to Chenzhou, and there would be an edict in a short time.But she knew that things would not be so easy, so she could only wait patiently.

I don't know if when Chu Jun led her into the game, he thought that today, the pawns back then could also counter the chess player. This trick is not so clever, but she wanted to watch Chu Jun let her go with his own hands.It is also forced by the situation, how similar the current situation is to that in Yunzhou.

After dinner, she went to take a bath and change clothes, and ordered the steward to fetch the official robe and belt.The woven thread on the scarlet robe flickers faintly. This color is not as bright as ordinary people think, but it is more deep and restrained. This almost crimson color reveals a strange bright red, which reminds people of the gradually solidified Blood.The robe covered her body with a chilling air. She saw that her face was covered with red as porcelain, white and cold, and there was a sharp indifference between her brows and eyes.The moment she put on the gown, she could no longer see her age, as if she was already old.

She puts on hair ornaments, beaded belts, and black gauze. These familiar things have more complicated styles as her status and rank rise, and the way she wears them also becomes very particular.The hair accessories are heavily pressed between the hair, the gold threads are intertwined, and the pearls and jades shine.Even in a dimly lit room, she can still see them on the bronze mirror, reflecting a warm luster like new snow.

The manager didn't know what to do, so he went in and asked, "Sir, it's so late, do you still have to go to the government office?"

Qing Ping said: "If you don't go to the government office, you may have to enter the palace tonight."

The steward said: "Then do you want to prepare the sedan chair? Do you want to prepare the things for the adults as well?"

Qing Ping smiled and said: "There is no need to prepare things, someone will pick them up when the time comes, you go and rest, don't be busy."

In the middle of the night, Qingping sent his servants back and sat alone in the hall.The room was pitch black, but she felt extremely peaceful in her heart.It was also very quiet outside, only the sound of water after the ice and snow melted, dripping down the corners of the eaves.

When she was alone, her thoughts were a little uncontrollable, and the darkness made people feel slack, so she remembered the past and the dreams she had in the past few days.

"Dream within a dream, see the body outside the body."

Qingping recalled the words on the stone tablet, and vaguely felt that if there was a divine will, then why did she come here in this life, and what is the purpose of living.This road goes from mountains and rivers to dark willows and bright flowers, from spring and summer to autumn and winter, through the morning light and sunset, from night to dawn, where do you want to go, and where is the end?

Just like the days of fleeing on the Irish grassland, she was at a loss. Although it had been a long time, she still felt that she was still on that road.

Qingping walked outside the house, the fine water line fell on her face in the wind, and the lantern formed a blurred halo in the water mist. She looked up at the night sky, and there was a light rain.

The sound of footsteps came from the courtyard wall, and the fire shone into the courtyard, and her premonition came true again.It's just that she doesn't know what kind of answer she will get this time.Maybe it has nothing to do with right or wrong, she just wants to know what she is thinking and why there is always injustice in her heart.She also wanted to ask Chu Jun if that late letter was just a part of a scheme to make her more determined and willing to go to death.Whether it's right or wrong, whether it's love or hate, it's up to her to put an end to it herself.

The door opened, the courtyard was brightly lit, Liu Zhen was just outside the door, she held the lamp from before, looked at Qingping for a moment, saluted, and said: "Lord Li, Your Majesty is here to invite you to come into the palace with your slaves."

Qingping lowered his eyes and stepped out slowly.

She would rather face the cruel truth than a false sincerity.

The author has something to say: I, finally, wrote the beginning.