Chapter 23: When will the intrigue end

"Mother, spare my life! Mother, spare my life!" The two maids knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly and begged for mercy.

"Now I know I'm scared! When you spoke just now, why didn't you think that this tongue would cause trouble? Lan Ruoyan asked coldly.

"I know it's wrong, please spare my life..."

"I will never dare to do it again--"

Seeing that they had been begging for mercy, Lan Ruoyan thought that they should know they were wrong, and the penalty should be about the same. Just as she was about to talk about the punishment, Biyun whispered in her ear, "The Empress wants to be powerful in the house. She must not take such a rumor monger lightly."

frowned at Biyun, and the latter nodded obediently. Lan Ruoyan thought that many recent troubles in the royal palace were caused by servants. Probably she really neglected the "housekeeper" thing, which led to many things that should not happen later. If Xiaodie is afraid of her majesty, she will try her best to throw away her feelings so as not to die young.

"Since it was caused by your tongue, I will not investigate your life, and I can spare your life--" The two maids below heard the words with a fluke look on their faces. Lan Ruoyan restrained her eyebrows and said, "Then cut off the tongue that caused the trouble!"

After saying that, with a cruel smile, there is no room for mercy in this world. Since he is in a high position, it is necessary to establish equal majesty. At the moment of understanding this truth, Lan Ruoyan seemed to feel that she understood the reason for Xuan Yuanchen's cold personality.

"Ah--" screams resounded through the palace. Others heard that it was the princess who ordered to cut the tongues of two rough maids. They were so scared that their faces changed color. They had something in their hearts, but they did not dare to say it. Two examples are in front of us. Who dares to say one more word?

"You should learn from this!" Lan Ruoyan looked sideways at the onlookers.

"Yes." The person in appearance nodded straight for fear that it would be late, and his head would be gone.

"If you know it, just break up." After Lan Ruoyan said in a low voice, those people immediately dispersed in panic.

"Wait." Lan Ruoyan suddenly stopped them again.

"Mother, mother... What else do you want to order?" An old woman seemed to be in charge of this group of people. Hearing Lan Ruoyan shouting them, she replied tremblingly.

"If there is anything else you don't know about today, you can tell each other that if such a thing happens next time, you don't have to beg me for mercy!" Lan Ruoyan looked down at the two maids who had fainted on the ground, and her heart rate was as usual. From this time on, she seemed to have returned to the killer-like indifference.

This incident only happened in the morning. When I came here at noon, all the courtyards actually knew about it. It can be seen that although these servants have no rights, the speed of walking news is comparable to that of modern online media.

At this moment, Lanxin Pavilion is the quietest in each courtyard. After taking a sip of tea, Lan Ruoyan breathed a sigh of relief and looked sideways at Biyun and said, "Biyun, tell me what the general sent you to this palace for?"

"I forgive you." Biyun knelt down and did not get up. He whispered, "The general has an order to assist the Empress. If you violate the military order, you will be punished by military law.

"Military order? Are you a man in the army? Lan Ruoyan narrowed her eyes and looked at the blue clouds.

At this time, Biyou, who came in from outside, saw this situation and knelt beside Biyun, but instead pleaded guilty like Biyun, he reported, "Your Majesty, the prince is going to Lanxin Pavilion in a short time and ask you to change your clothes."

"How did you know that the prince was coming?" Lan Ruoyan frowned. Are these two maids equivalent to the fine work given to her by Lan Qifeng?

"The Empress, the slave and Biyou were originally elite detectives trained by the general's secret department, and they were supposed to serve in the army. But the general was more worried about the safety of the Empress, so he entrusted him with the important task of taking care of the Empress. Biyou did not answer, and Biyun replied to all the questions of Lan Ruoyan on her behalf.

is a spy! If you use a rigorously trained detective in the army, you should be more loyal and reliable than ordinary meticulous work. Thinking of Lan Qifeng's painstaking efforts as a father, Lan Ruoyan couldn't help sighing again. After she got married and got married, her father should have enjoyed the happiness. Unfortunately, she married unintentioned, which made him worry about her.

Shame on thinking, Lan Ruoyan thought that she should not live up to Lan Qifeng's expectations. At least she and Xuanyuan Chen can't be so coldly stalemate, which will only embarras Lan Qifeng and Lan Ruofeng in the court.

Get up and say to Biyun Biyou, "Get up and change your clothes for me."

"Yes." The two women got up and entered the inner room with Lan Ruoyan.

When Xuanyuanchen came to Lanxin Pavilion, he only smelled a fresh fragrance, which he knew. Women love to rub incense powder on their bodies, just like jasmine and rose spices, which he smells more. But he felt strange and familiar with the fragrance. When he walked in, he saw Lan Ruoyan wearing a light pigmented plum jacket, with two pairs of jade carving orchid hairpins on the bun. Her beautiful face was not rouge, but also vulgar. The orchid fragrance seemed to come from her. His eyes were opposite to her. The other party just raised his lips slightly and looked at it as if he were smiling.

"Prince Jin An." Lan Ruoyan came to him and practiced a regular ceremony.

Today's Lan Ruoyan feels very strange to Xuanyuanchen. Once she is angry with him, she will be nothing in her eyes. Now, she doesn't seem to forgive herself, but why is it such a rule?

"My concubine, please get up." Xuanyuanchen bent down to help her up. At this time, he looked at each other, but he seemed to be more unrelivious of her.

"The prince has been looking at this concubine. Is there anything on my concubine's face?" Lan Ruoyan smiled faintly and asked him softly.

Shaking his head, Xuanyuanchen loosened his hand between Lan Ruoyan's arm, "Nothing, I just think you are a little different."

This is not Lan Ruoyan he knows. She is not a woman bound by rules. She doesn't like to be influenced by his thoughts. She dares to love and hate. As long as she wants to do something, she will not hesitate. But now, she saluted him and called himself a "concubine" to him. In the past, she only talked to him when she was outside or angry...

"Yan'er, are you still angry with me?" When Xuanyuanchen sat down, he looked at Lan Ruoyan, who brought him a teacup in person, and asked softly.

The action of his hand stagnated a little, but he still gently put it on the table in front of Xuanyuan. Lan Ruoyan replied warmly, "Since the prince doesn't like it, my concubine can't disobey the prince's meaning."

Hearing her reply, Xuan Yuanchen only felt that his heart suddenly pressed a big stone. He picked up the tea, took a sip, and felt bitter on the tip of his tongue. I can't taste the fragrance of tea, and my eyebrows are wrinkled.

"What's wrong with the prince?" Lan Ruoyan found his subtle action and asked with concern.

Although it was a concerned tone, Xuanyuanchen did not feel comfortable at all. He looked up at Lan Ruoyan and whispered, "Bitter."

His eyes were clearly questioning her, but she pretended not to know. She looked at the tea and said, "This is Yunnan Pu'er tea, which is a little bitter. Let's change the usual Tieguanyin.

As he was about to turn around and order the maid to change the tea, he was held by Xuanyuanchen and pulled her to the front, as if to hold her in his arms. She pulled back her hand without a trace and sat opposite. If the prince doesn't want to change, let's drink Pu'er. Although Pu'er is bitter, it is expensive in Chen. Probably the year of Pu'er is not enough, so that the prince can't feel that he is willing to come back.

"The longer Pu'er tea is aged, the higher the value. The superior Pu'er has a unique aroma, mellow taste, and a sweet taste in the throat. People are also deeply in love with others. Does Yaner want to say that you don't have enough time to deal with me? Xuanyuanchen thought for a moment, and then looked at Lan Ruoyan, with some helplessness in his eyes.

"The prince is worried too much. It's just drinking tea. There's no need to think too much. Lan Ruoyan was touched when she heard the words, but she didn't show it. Xuanyuan Chen's warmth is not something she can afford.

"Since you don't think you should think too much, why can't you accept me wholeheartedly as a husband and wife?" Xuanyuanchen suddenly reached out and held Lan Ruoyan's hand on the case.

Her hands are cold, but Xuanyuanchen's hands are warm. Her eyes trembled slightly and her eyes flashed, "Do you remember that if you and I hadn't been in love with each other, we would not have taken a step over the thunder pool. Now, Yan'er doesn't hide it from the prince. I do have a prince in my heart, but I don't feel happy. Only sad and uncomfortable."

Xuanyuanchen didn't know whether to be happy or sigh. She admitted that she had him in her heart, but she didn't accept him because of this... He let go of his hand and looked at Lan Ruoyan, "What should I do?"

"What the prince has done for me is enough. It's my problem." She can't accept the man who dominates all her, let alone the fact that he has other women. She has never been suitable for this ancient times.

"Why? I have never been so kind to a woman as I have been to you, but you can't accept me. Xuanyuanchen felt helpless. Why has he ever been helpless about a problem like this?

"Your Majesty, if I say that I care about the more women around you besides me, do you think I have no tolerance?" Lan Ruoyan turned his face. A woman should be virtuous, her husband should have a concubine, and even her husband should marry a concubine, and the wife should help choose, and she must not be jealous. This is etiquette, but I can't convince myself to abide by it. Therefore, I can't accept you either. I know it's difficult to force people, but I still have to stick to my own position.

At this moment, Xuanyuanchen felt that Lan Ruoyan, whom he knew, had come back to life. Yes, how could such a resolute woman change so easily? He lowered his eyes, opened the tea lid, looked at the clear cyan tea, and whispered, "If you can choose, I also want to grow old with Yaner alone. But... now, I have no choice. Only go on, and the rest can only serve the final success. Yaner, whether you understand or not, today I can only say to you, can you wait for me?

Wait for him... Lan Ruoyine knew that he had made a lot of efforts and sacrifices for the throne. If he gave up for her, it would be worthless. She looked at Xuan Yuanchen, and he was also looking at her. The affection in his eyes was far better than her. She couldn't respond in the same way, because she was afraid, turned around and stopped looking at him. She said, "I don't know."

It's okay, she didn't say "no". At least, he still has a glimmer of hope. Xuanyuanchen got up and walked to Lan Ruoyan's back, put his hands gently on her shoulder, and said softly, "Yaner, you can think about it slowly. If..." If she refuses him, there is nothing else he can do.

"What if?" Lan Ruoyan replied in a low voice.

"If you can't stay with me, I won't force you to stay when I get the throne. You have your choice." Xuanyuanchen took a lot of determination to say this. Cutting off the beloved woman is more painful than being killed.

He only remembers that when he was 12 years old, his father asked him, "Cchener, if one day you meet your favorite woman, what would you do?"

"Marry her and cherish her for the rest of your life." He is young and mature, and the way he thinks is no different from that of adults.

"In those years, my father also thought the same as you, but after your mother died, I found that if you love someone, you may not marry her. She is the happiest." The father's tone was sad, "If your mother doesn't enter the palace, she can probably live a long life and enjoy the blessings of her children and grandchildren... Living in the palace seems to be beautiful, but I'm afraid few people can survive to the end. If I knew that your mother was kind-hearted and died in the end, my father would never marry her to the palace.

"Father, you mean... the mother's concubine is harmed by others." Xuanyuan Chen knew that the people of the palace were sinister, but he did not expect that his mother's concubine died early.

"Cun'er, do you want to sit on this throne? If you want, you have to give up the people on the tip of your heart!" The father asked him seriously.

"My minister..." At the age of 12, he was a little panicked and thought about it. Finally, he could only reply, "I don't know."

Just like Lan Ruoyan answered him today, he thought that Lan Ruoyan also had such an answer after some consideration. In fact, he had no desire to get the throne. When he was young, he felt that it didn't matter if the eldest brother sat on the throne. However, he did not expect that the queen and the eldest brother could ignore the seriously ill father for the throne, and even stole the jade seal and stamped the fake edict.

He also concealed the news of his father's critical illness from him, who was fighting far away from the fortress, so that he could not see his father for the last time. He is going to seize the throne to make the queen and the eldest brother try to lose the most important thing. That kind of pain!

He hasn't told anyone about these past and pains buried in Xuanyuanchen's heart, and he won't tell Lan Ruoyan. It's enough for him to bear the pain, and he doesn't have to implict others anymore. Everyone thinks that he is possessive and will never let go of what they have. It's not that he is domineering, but because he has lost the most important thing, so he doesn't want to give up easily.

Lan Ruoyan listened to the footsteps and went away. Just then, she turned around and burst into tears. Obviously, she doesn't want to care so much about this person, but she cares about every word she says to him. He said that giving her freedom of choice, could he let go of her so simply?

"Mother." Biyun handed a silk handkerchief to Lan Ruoyan. She is a spy and trained to be indifferent. However, when she saw the dialogue between the princess and King Chen, she couldn't help but be moved. They are husband and wife, and they have each other in their hearts. But I don't know why, and we can't talk to each other calmly.

Wrapping away the tears, Lan Ruoyan said, "Byun Biyou, I want to go out for a walk and get a cloak and a heater for me."

The three masters and servants went out together. It hasn't snowed for many days, and the snow on the ground has melted a lot. Walking on the clean bluestone board, Lan Ruoyan was in a stable mood. Step by step, she could only hear footsteps and her mind was blank. At the end of every quarrel with that person, it will take her a long time to recover.

They have no intention of hurting each other, but just a few words, raising their hands and feet, and a little mistake seems to cause dissatisfaction between the two of them. Are you not used to it or do you care too much?

"Mother, the Empress Shao is in front." As she walked, Biyou suddenly stepped forward quickly and whispered in her ear. When she saw the Shaofei coming from the big belly in front of her, she quickly retreated to the back.

"Ah, it's the princess. Shaofei has said good to the princess." Shaofei also saw Lan Ruoyan. After a little surprise, she immediately regained her previous calm. She was full of hatred for the woman in front of her, but she still had to hold a decent smile in front of her.

Looking at her obviously fake smile, Lan Ruoyan thought that she obviously had a grudge against herself, but when she was face to face, she still had to force a smile... This was the sadness of ancient women. After all, wives and concubines were different.

"There is no need to be polite if Shaofei is pregnant." Lan Ruoyan quickly stepped forward and stopped Liu Yuyi from saluteing.

The other party carefully avoided her help and did not salute again. The two of them are generally tall and about the same age, but Shaofei seems to be older than Lan Ruoyan.

The sadness faintly revealed between her eyebrows, even Lan Ruoyan, who hasn't seen her for many days, can be seen. What is she worried about? Is the child in the abdomen safe?"

"I don't know what to say. The child has been in his stomach for ten months and is still reluctant to come out. Princess, are you afraid of birth?" Concubine Shao stroked her high and raised abdomen. Every time the child stayed in her abdomen for an extra day, she became more uneasy. However, in order to maintain her status, she can only use the method to prolong pregnancy to maintain her position in Xuanyuan's heart.

Lan Ruoyan, the culprit who caused all this, was unaware of it. She listened to Shaofei's "fear of birth" and thought that Shaofei hated her and satirized her with her children to make the world terrible. Thinking about it, her modern thinking in ancient times was indeed a threat to ancient women. She took a step back and looked at the branches of white snow, leaving only dead branches, and said with emotion, "From birth to death, people can only live. There is no trouble if you don't give birth..."

Shaofei was stunned, and Lan Ruoyan's words made her heart tremble. From birth, everything is just to live...

How did she say goodbye to Shaofei? Lan Ruoyan didn't remember. She just kept walking around in the garden. The heater in her hand was no longer hot, and it was completely her body temperature. But it seemed that she didn't notice that Biyun calculated that the charcoal in the heater should be burned out and changed it for her.