The country of Yaoguo seemed destined to be unrest. After Yi Huaiyu stopped fighting in old age, the seventh prince Yi Chenjing, who was once said by Shen Junfang to be the most similar to Yi Huaiyu, took over the war horse and spear, and once again set off the war in Zhongzhou Continent, causing countless noises.
In addition to Yi Chenjing, who is known as the prince general, the fifth prince Yi Chenxuan is also a bright star that attracts much attention. He is gentle and elegant, has a wide network of contacts, and is full of economics and strategies, so that many people, including Yi Huaiyu, are interested in him.
Yi Chenxuan has high expectations, and it seems that there are only a few people who are not so enthusiastic.
Sima Tulan is one of them.
"The fifth prince has been smooth and shrewd since he was a child, and is quite popular with the emperor. How can he be compared to Jing'er? If he wants to compete with the fifth prince for the throne, Jing'er is still far behind. But you don't have to worry, I still have a lot of people in my hands.
If you want to help Jing'er, the outcome may not be defeat."
In the deserted Huanqing Palace, Sima Turan had several secret conversations with the prince's concubine Bai Qige, including many shocking remarks like the above. Every time he talked about these, Sima Turan's eyes would have a strange glint. It was unclear whether it was worry or expectation.
Or perhaps she was in a frenzy, but almost no one in the palace, from the concubines to the prince to the servants, could tell that the queen, who had been neglected for many years, seemed to be planning to interfere in political affairs again.
"You were thrown into the cold palace in the past for interfering in government affairs. Do you want to repeat the same mistake now? The world is my world. You only need to take care of the harem. There is no need for you to interfere with the rest."
During the time when Su Shiyun was stabbed by Yi Chenxuan and recuperating, Yi Huaiyu stepped into Huanqing Palace with a dark face to warn Sima Duran, but Sima Dalan ignored what he said and continued to search everywhere, trying to find Yi Chenxuan.
Evidence of treason.
"Bai Qige is smart and knowledgeable, and Jing'er has the world in mind. A prince and a princess, aren't they excellent candidates? I just don't want to see the emperor become more confused as he gets older, and actually make some wrong decisions." Facing Ou Suiliang,
When asked, Sima Duran was very calm, "Yu'er is not the material to be the emperor. I removed him from the palace without any complaints. However, the throne is a matter of great importance. We must not let the emperor be emotional. Because of one wrong step, everything will be lost."
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Ou Suiliang smiled bitterly: "What the queen means is that the fifth prince is not qualified to be the prince because it is all due to your majesty's partiality? This statement is unreasonable..."
"Isn't it true that you know better than me?"
After Sima Yuan's death, Ou Suiliang hadn't seen Sima Tulan for a long time. People said that she had been depressed for a long time. But now it seems that she is no different from when she was young. She is still the kind of straightforward person who goes her own way and dares to speak and do things.
character.
"The fifth prince does have the ability to govern the country. Of course, I'm not saying that the seventh prince doesn't. It's just that these two princes are very outstanding and have their own strengths. It makes sense for your majesty to choose which one you choose. Why should the queen mess with the emperor?"
Unhappy?" Ou Suiliang moved the corners of his mouth, wanting to laugh but unable to do so. His helpless expression was reflected in Sima Duran's phoenix eyes.
Yi Chenxuan's life experience has always been a mystery, and it is unknown what the other concubines thought. However, Sima Tulan's suspicions grew day by day, so she became very dissatisfied with many of Yi Huaiyu's actions - during the expedition, Yi Chenxuan sent killers to chase her.
Killing Yi Chenjing and Bai Qige, and then harming Su Shiyun after they returned to the palace, despite this, Yi Huaiyu still wanted to cover up and show partiality. Is there any reason for an overly rational king to be so ignorant of good and evil? In the distant past,
What happened that she didn't know about?
Sima Tulan understood that she could not get any answers from Ou Suiliang, so she simply did not ask, and investigated secretly despite the risk of being punished by Yi Huaiyu again and sent to the cold palace.
Similarly, Yi Huaiyu also knew that Sima Dalan was more inclined to Su Shiyun's child Yi Chenjing, but he did not stop him, and was even inexplicably happy when he saw Sima Dalan gradually regaining her former glory.
That's what he wants to see, the wife he loves, hurts, and still hasn't lost her beauty.
Changes are happening quietly, the old generation and the new generation are alternating, conflicts are constantly being staged, assassinations, traps, conspiracies, tricks. When the truth slowly emerges and the end is silently approaching, an irreversible tragedy occurs.
.
Sima Tulan never expected that Su Shiyun would leave before her and Yi Huaiyu.
The poor concubine, who was gentle and shy, and always showed the softer side of the women from the water town, closed her eyes with regret, and took away a promise that belonged to the lonely emperor, and his eternal thoughts.
When the news reached Huanqing Palace, Sima Tulan was suddenly stunned, and big tears fell silently.
"How could she die..."
That was the only woman Yi Huaiyu loved in her life, a distant existence that she envied and could never match. When Su Shiyun died, wouldn't Yi Huaiyu's heart be hollowed out?
His body is already decayed and damaged. If his spirit is hit again, the person will be destroyed.
After wiping away her tears, Sima Tulan didn't waste a moment and hurried to Lianchen Pavilion. When she stepped into Lianchen Pavilion, Su Shiyun's body was already cold. Yi Huaiyu coughed up blood and fainted and was sent back to the dormitory.
Only the dejected Yi Chenjing and the tired Bai Qige were left.
Sima Tulan didn't alarm anyone, and quietly came to Ziyun Palace accompanied by Yuzhi. After briefly asking the imperial doctor, she turned away from everyone and walked alone to the sleeping Yi Huaiyu's bed.
How many years has she not been here?
The last few visits ended in violent arguments, and the relationship between her and Yi Huaiyu became rigid and broken in the conflicts. After that, she broke her heart and drowned, even if she heard that he was sick and injured.
He also refused to take a look, cruelly letting himself become an irrelevant passerby.
How many years have passed by in silence, when he is no longer young and she is getting old, suddenly looking back, all the grudges, love and hate have suddenly faded and faded.
"Huaiyu?" Sima Duran called softly as her trembling fingertips stroked the thin and withered cheek.
Yi Huaiyu did not wake up, but his palms tightly grasped Sima Tulan's sleeves until his joints were blue and white, and he suddenly pulled out.
He was getting older, thinner, and haggard. He was not at all like the cold-hearted and cruel cold-blooded emperor in his memory, nor was he like the young and handsome young and arrogant prince who once made her fall in love with him at a glance.
As time goes by, people will change, right?
That's why she was able to let go of countless resentments and come to him because of her reluctance and her deep love that could not deceive herself or others.
"Empress." At some point, Tao Shihai walked in softly, added a blouse to Sima Duran, then lowered his hands and lowered his head, "Your Majesty, please spend more time with the Emperor. The Emperor's body is getting worse day by day. Now, I would like to honor the Concubine."
The emperor is deeply saddened by the new mourning, how can he do it without someone caring to take care of him?"
Sima Tulan sighed: "Why does he need my care? I'm afraid he wishes he would never see me again and live in peace and quiet."
"Your Majesty, please don't blame me for talking too much, but if I don't tell you some things, your Majesty may never know about it in your lifetime." Tao Shihai could hear the faint complaint in his tone, shook his head and smiled, with a hint of sadness in his eyes, "My Majesty was just beaten back then.
When he was in the cold palace and could not bear the cold for several months, the emperor stayed with the empress like this every night, but the emperor did not allow anyone to mention it, so the empress did not know."