3719. Chapter 3719 Breaking with Emperor Hongwen 5K
His hurried footsteps stopped at the door, because the door had already opened at this time. Empress Dowager Feng stood in front of him and said calmly: "Your Majesty, what is important?"
"Queen Mother..."
His voice was a little forced. Looking at the bandage on her head and her hands, there were some scratches. It was unclear how serious they were. She was wearing a gray robe and her face was slightly pale, but she was energetic.
It's hard to see how decadent she is. Just like in the past, it's hard to see any joy, anger, sorrow or joy.
"You are hurt?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. A small scratch, it's not a problem..."
Seeing her like this, Emperor Hongwen didn't know how to proceed. It took him a while to ask, "How were you injured? Who saved you?"
Fang Fei said lightly: "We encountered a ferocious beast while hunting. It was Wei Chen and an old Taoist priest who saved us."
Wei Chen?
Emperor Hongwen's expression changed slightly. It turned out to be Wei Chen! Wei Chen had been guarding the late emperor's mausoleum in Beiwudang all year round, and was partly responsible for the safety of Empress Dowager Feng and the young prince. Although this was not an order from Emperor Hongwen, he had always known it. Now
, Fang Fei and her son were in danger while hunting, and were rescued by him. Under no circumstances, his father always gave him a helping hand.
He felt a little ashamed and felt very uncomfortable.
It's always like this, always the father's helping hand - the father is dead, why is his soul still lingering?
He stood aside silently, only staring at some faint scars under the scarf on her head. Fang Fei didn't say anything, just sat aside calmly.
Hong'er felt that the atmosphere was a bit weird, so he broke the deadlock and said, "Father, Queen Mother, Hong'er is a little hungry..."
Emperor Hongwen came to his senses and looked at Fang Fei: "Queen Mother, I want to take Hong'er to Xuanwu Palace for dinner."
Fang Fei nodded cheerfully: "Okay, you go."
Hong'er happily hugged his father's neck, but soon felt something was wrong and hesitated: "Queen Mother... aren't you going?"
Fang Fei was startled, and Emperor Hongwen was also startled.
He hadn't dined with Empress Dowager Feng for a long time, and he didn't invite her this time because she wouldn't go if she was invited. Moreover, the subtle gap between the two made it hard to even talk about how to use it together.
meal?
The look of disappointment on Hong'er's face was completely unstoppable. In his little heart, he had been looking forward to the reconciliation between his father and the Queen Mother, and to be able to chat and laugh together like in the past, have meals together in Cining Palace, and eat the Queen Mother's cooking together.
Sliced apples, stewed deer meat... This time the Queen Mother came back from injury, and he originally thought everything would get better.
But, no.
Things never got better between the father and the queen mother at all.
Although they did not quarrel or glare at each other, even the child could feel the silent indifference.
Fang Fei still had a pleasant face: "Hong'er, you can have a good meal with your father at Xuanwu Palace tonight, go ahead."
Emperor Hongwen hugged his son and left.
It wasn't until he walked out that Fangfei breathed a sigh of relief and remained silent on the chair.
The other maids did not speak, and the atmosphere was a bit tense. Because everyone realized that this time when the Queen Mother came back injured, His Majesty took a cursory look and only took His Highness away. His attitude towards the Queen Mother was too cold.
"Queen Mother, are you okay?"
Fang Fei looked at this loyal old woman who hesitated to speak, and smiled: "It's okay, I'm fine."
The old woman sighed and did not dare to continue. Men, that's it. Children are of course important, but women - he has so many women, what does the woman who gave birth to the prince mean to him?
Emperor Hongwen still cared a little about his children, but for Empress Dowager Feng, even others could see that such a rift could never be healed.
"Queen Mother, please enjoy your meal too."
"Okay, I just happen to feel a little hungry."
When the food was served, Fang Fei picked up the bowl and felt more relaxed than ever before. The maids originally thought she would be sad, but when they saw her eating and drinking, they talked and laughed happily, especially when they saw a few new dishes, they even asked a few questions casually.
How to do it.
Xuanwu Palace.
Today's dinner was particularly rich. The newly served barbecue had a sizzling aroma on the plate.
Hong'er moved his index finger and looked at the barbecued meats curiously. The eunuch serving the meal came up, and Emperor Hongwen shook his head: "Go down, I and the young prince don't want you to wait for us today."
Everyone stepped aside. Emperor Hongwen cut a piece for his son and said with a smile: "Hong'er, eat slowly. Father will cut it for you."
"Thank you, Father." He suddenly remembered, "Father, Hong'er brought you bear meat."
“Where does the bear meat come from?”
"Grandpa Taoist priest gave it to me."
Grandpa Taoist?
"Is he the psychic Taoist priest?"
"No, it's the Taoist priest who saved the Queen Mother and Hong'er..."
Emperor Hongwen was surprised: "Didn't Wei Chen save him?"
"Wei Chen was also rescued, but it was mainly Taoist Immortal who rescued him..." He scratched his hair, unable to explain clearly.
Emperor Hongwen stopped his chopsticks and looked at him gently: "Hong'er, don't be impatient, speak slowly."
He asked patiently: "Hong'er, what happened that day?"
"I wanted to see a tiger, so the Queen Mother took me to see it. Then, out of nowhere, a beast bigger than a tiger jumped out and ran in front of me. It scared me. Fortunately, the Queen Mother rushed up and hugged me.
...Later, the Queen Mother pushed me up, and she fell off the cliff by herself..."
Only then did Emperor Hongwen feel shocked. Feeling ashamed and regretful, he scolded: "You kid, why didn't you wait for your father to come back before you went to see the tiger? If you want to see the tiger, tell your father, and he will do it for you."
I will take you to see..."
The child lowered his head and said in a low voice: "That day, I saw my father going hunting, but he didn't call me... I really wanted to go, so I pestered the Queen Mother to go, and the Queen Mother took me there... Father, you
Are you going to never take me with you when hunting in the future?"
Emperor Hongwen was shocked and couldn't answer.
She also scolded her son because she had not taken him there and ignored him, so she had to let the two women and children go together. When they encountered danger, a woman, Queen Mother Feng, risked her life to save him.
He felt very unhappy and kept silent.
Seeing that he remained silent, Hong'er became even more uneasy: "Father...Father, did Hong'er say something wrong?"
Emperor Hongwen looked at him, but saw that the child's brows and eyes were already cautious, and the liveliness and happiness just now were gone. It was like a precocious child who knew how to detect words and deeds, and immediately did not dare to say anything if anything he said or did was wrong.
He suddenly remembered his childhood.
My heart was so blocked that I said softly: "Hong'er, you're fine. You didn't say anything wrong."
Hong'er put down his bowl and chopsticks: "Father, Hong'er is full."
"You haven't eaten much yet."
"I miss Cining Palace."
"Why?"
"The Queen Mother may not have eaten yet. She has a headache. I want to go back and stay with her."
Emperor Hongwen felt even worse. Although the child was unintentional, but who knew it was another kind of blame? He was blaming himself for not inviting Empress Dowager Feng to come and have dinner with him.
He felt very uncomfortable. How should he invite Empress Dowager Feng?
Killing Li Yi and letting Li Xin go, the two of them were already on the same level. Now that she has come back from danger, she is probably even more indifferent towards him, because he can't ignore that kind of indifference and alienation.
Hong'er had already walked in front of him, knelt down and greeted him: "Father, Hong'er is going back."
He took his son's hand and thought: "Hong'er, please play a little longer."
"why?"
"Father, I want to hear the story of the Taoist priest who saved you."
"Oh fine."
Emperor Hongwen asked very carefully and didn't miss anything.
Hong'er explained everything in detail, only when talking about the appearance of the chief, he followed the Queen Mother's statement: he was a very old, very old, at least over a hundred years old, with white hair and a childish face.
A very handsome old fairy.
It’s not that he lied, but that he had fully accepted the Queen Mother’s statement when he discussed it with the Queen Mother. This old immortal lived in Heilongguan and had beautiful silver-gray hair. He played with himself during the day and would play with him at night.
Go to see the Queen Mother, and then return to a lecture room below the Black Dragon Temple to rest.
These are all.
Emperor Hongwen felt an indescribable strangeness, but he didn't know where the strangeness lay.
Everything is reasonable. A monk over a hundred years old, out of compassion, rescued Fang Fei and her son, took good care of them for a few days, and then escorted them back. What's wrong with this!
However, something is very wrong.
He asked casually: "Hong'er, what did the Queen Mother say when she saw the old immortal?"
The child was very regretful: "The Queen Mother fell badly and her eyes were blurred. Her head and eyes were bandaged all the time. She couldn't see the old god at all. She didn't see his appearance..."
Emperor Hongwen didn't know if he was relieved or what, but he immediately asked: "The Queen Mother couldn't even see her eyes at that time?"
"Yes, we couldn't see the light. It wasn't until the day we left that we couldn't see the light on the way up the mountain. The Queen Mother took off the veil."
Emperor Hongwen was surprised. When he saw Fang Fei before, he only saw some insignificant scratches on the outside of the veil, which were not serious at all. Moreover, Empress Dowager Feng also downplayed it, as if it was insignificant at all.
But unexpectedly, I almost lost my sight?
He stood up and said: "Wei Qiyuan, find some high-quality wound medicine and ginseng, and then call the imperial doctor to take a look at the Queen Mother."
Hong'er became happy: "Father, are you going too?"
He looked at his son's eyes that suddenly lit up and sighed secretly: "Hong'er, my father didn't know that the Queen Mother fell so hard just now. Now, I want to see her again."
As if explaining.
He himself didn't understand why he had to explain it to his children.
The child suddenly hugged his head and kissed his face loudly: "Father, you are so kind."
Emperor Hongwen touched his face, held his son's hand, turned his face away slightly, and said after a while: "Hong'er, next time you want to go hunting, just tell your father directly."
The grudge in the child's heart has long gone without a trace: "Father, the Queen Mother said, next time you will take me to a place that is a little closer, not too far..."
Queen Mother! Queen Mother!
How can any woman in the world take her son hunting alone?
Emperor Hongwen was shocked, "Hong'er, you can no longer ask the Queen Mother to take you. The Queen Mother is a woman. She is not good at archery, not proficient in riding horses, and has no strength. From now on, every time I go hunting, my father will take you."
"
The child was surprised and delighted: "Really?"
"Really. If you be good, my father will definitely take you there every time."
"That's great."
Wei Qiyuan had already prepared the gifts. The father and son held hands and went out. Emperor Hongwen said softly: "Hong'er, we will return to Pingcheng in two days."
The child couldn't react for a moment and asked blankly: "Then, will I not be able to see my father until next summer?"
"No, you go back with your father."
The child couldn't wait to ask: "Where is the Queen Mother?"
Emperor Hongwen paused for a moment: "Queen Mother, if she is willing, we can go back together. But, she probably won't go back. She doesn't like Pingcheng."
The child lowered his head and walked silently. This time, he no longer cried, and he was not a child of two or three years old who cried endlessly when he heard that he was going back to Pingcheng alone.
After such a long period of education by the prince, both his father and the queen mother made him understand one thing: as the young prince, he must have half a year to return to Pingcheng.
Even if I leave the Queen Mother and am alone, I must go back.
Emperor Hongwen said softly: "Hong'er, you are already six years old. You are a big boy and the prince of our northern country. You must return to the palace in Pingcheng regularly. Otherwise, the people of the northern country will not know where our little prince is.
.”
The child bit his lip gently: "Why doesn't the Queen Mother like Pingcheng?"
Emperor Hongwen reluctantly said after a long while: "Because the Queen Mother is not used to the climate in Pingcheng, she is always acclimatized when she goes to Pingcheng."
The child was very curious: "Has the Queen Mother never been to Pingcheng?"
Emperor Hongwen felt unable to resist.
How could Fangfei not go to Pingcheng? When the late emperor was here, she lived in the Lizheng Hall every day. However, after the late emperor died, she stayed in Beiwudang and never returned to Pingcheng.
Even though it was because of Hong'er, I never went back.
"Father, can we persuade the Queen Mother to go back this time?"
Emperor Hongwen shook his head, this was impossible. She didn't go back when Hong'er was sick; what's more, now, the two of them are in such an embarrassing situation.
There is absolutely no way that Empress Dowager Feng can go back.
The maids are already announcing: "Your Majesty has arrived..."
Fang Fei had already washed herself and was just waiting for her son to come back to rest. Suddenly she heard Emperor Hongwen bringing his son back. She was sitting on a chair, and Emperor Hongwen had already strode in.
"Queen Mother, have you eaten? You see, my father has sent a lot of meals..."
One of the eunuchs was carrying a food box, which Hong'er had chosen himself and thought was the Queen Mother's favorite food.
Fang Fei glanced at it lightly: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Emperor Hongwen didn't know if the lights at night were too dim. The woman sitting on the chair now was very different from what he saw in the evening: tired, profoundly tired.
She just sat on the chair, her mood waning, as if she had been walking for a long time and was extremely tired.
"Queen Mother, my father gave you these medicines. My father said they are very effective. Can Hong'er apply them on you?"
"No need, Hong'er. The queen mother had already changed the dressing when she was washing." She said gently, not to disappoint her son, "Let's do it tomorrow. When I change the dressing tomorrow, I will use this. Then, call Hong'er to help.
I smear it.”
Hong'er was in high spirits, but when he saw the Queen Mother and his father sitting together, their attitudes were very gentle. He had never seen them so polite in a long time.
He sat on the small chair in the middle, looking at this and that, and said with excitement: "Father, can we eat bear meat together tomorrow?"
Emperor Hongwen said very simply: "Okay. Tomorrow my father will come to Cining Palace to eat bear meat."
Fang Fei said nothing and closed her eyes slightly.
"Hong'er, it's getting late, you should go and rest first."
This was an order to expel guests. Emperor Hongwen heard it completely. However, he sat without moving and only said to the maids: "You take the young prince to rest first. I have something to discuss with the Queen Mother."
Hong'er cleverly said: "Good night, Queen Mother, good night, Father."
He walked out, reached the door, and looked back at the two of them. He happened to see his father's eyes looking at him, full of smiles. He was very happy. His father had a lot to say to the Queen Mother. This time, he hoped that the two would reconcile.
That's good.
The broad hall of Cining Palace felt extremely lonely and cold when a gust of wind came and the snow-white curtains moved slightly.
Only Emperor Hongwen and Empress Dowager Feng were left. According to etiquette, they sat very close to each other, but they seemed far away.
When the two people's eyes met, they quickly looked away. Emperor Hongwen sighed secretly, he didn't know how long it had been, but the two of them had never sat together like this.
When did the alienation begin?
He said in a low voice: "I didn't know you were in such danger... Queen Mother, I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. Your Majesty, the kid is exaggerating. I'm just a little scratched, it doesn't bother me at all."
"Where are your eyes? I'll ask the imperial doctor to take a look at them."
"No need. My eyes have fully recovered. At that time, I was only dizzy due to shock. Now, I have completely recovered."