When I saw Shen Lan again, it was at the family dinner on New Year’s Eve
It’s not a family banquet in the prime minister’s palace, but a family banquet in the palace, for the emperor, the queen mother, the princesses and their concubines.
At the Queen Mother's request, Xichen not only allowed Shen Lan to enter the palace, but also released Concubine Pei, who had been in confinement. The Queen Mother said that everyone should be happy during the Chinese New Year, but Shen Huan couldn't help but be reunited after hearing this. Sneer, the joy is that your Chu family is happy, the reunion is also the reunion of your emperors, but our Shen family is falling apart, separated by yin and yang!
Standing next to the high throne of Linde Hall, looking at the brightly lit hall and the people toasting in celebration, Shen Huan clenched her fists again
The haggard and bowed figure next to Princess Zhenyin was lonely and incompatible with the entire banquet... My heart trembled and I couldn't help but whisper: "Second brother..."
Xichen sat alone on the dragon chair, with the Queen Mother diagonally behind her. Concubine Pei Qing and others were sitting down. Xichen's eyes crossed Shen Lan's pale profile, he raised his glass to Shen Huan and said: "Pour the wine."
Shen Huan suddenly paused, holding back the tears in her eyes, and took the wine flask and filled the cup. Finally, she couldn't help it, she actually shed a tear in the cup and was stunned for a moment. Before she could remind her, Xichen didn't know if she would notice it. He drank the wine in one gulp, played with it gently, and whispered: "Why is this wine so bitter?"
Eunuch An didn't know why. He really thought there was something wrong with the wine, so he hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, this wine is wrong? Can I give you a different jar?"
Xichen smiled slightly and said, "No need."
Taking advantage of the situation, he squeezed Shen Huan's cold and stiff hand. Shen Huan trembled all over. Xichen said to the maid beside him: "Move the stove closer."
The Queen Mother looked at the Emperor and asked, "Your Majesty, are you feeling cold?"
Xichen said: "No, I'm just afraid that some people are afraid of the cold and can't stand it."
The Queen Mother glanced at Shen Huan. Shen Huan immediately felt envious, jealous or even hateful looks coming from her concubines. She turned her head and ignored them. However, she felt that there was a trace of pity and compassion in these complicated looks. Feeling the emotion, she followed her gaze and saw her second brother raising his head and looking at her infatuatedly. She hesitated to speak, bit her lower lip lightly, and slowly shook her head.
Shen Lan gritted his teeth and stood up suddenly. He stared straight at Xichen and Shen Huan's heart tightened. He saw Princess Zhenyin quietly pulling Shen Lan's sleeve. Shen Lan's voice trembled slightly and he raised his glass and said to Xichen: "Your Majesty, I, Chen Lan, would like to toast your Majesty! Thank you for your kindness in not killing me!"
With a smile on her lips, Xichen said: "Sister-in-law, I'm serious. We are all one family. Even if your father made a big mistake, for Zhenyin's sake, I will naturally not kill you."
Shen Lan's hand holding the wine glass trembled, and a few drops of cold wine spilled out. Zhen Yin quickly stood up and said: "Prince-in-law, you drank too much..." She held his sleeve tightly and turned around. He glanced at his wife, raised his head, drank the wine in the glass, and sat down silently.
Shen Huan breathed a long sigh of relief, and Xichen also drank a little symbolically. Then, the concubines came over to toast one after another. Xichen did not refuse anyone who came, and Shen Huan poured wine frequently.
After the singing and dancing, the banquet has ended
Returning to Shangyang Palace, Xichen was slightly drunk. According to past practice, the emperor was going to sleep with the queen tonight, but Xichen's queen was poisoned to death by his glass of poisonous wine, so tonight, he still slept alone Yang Palace
"I asked Shen Lan to leave later, and you two brothers and sisters can talk to each other." Xichen walked back to the bedroom with messy steps, surrounded by several palace people, not caring at all what Shen Huan would say to Shen Lan.
Shen Lan had been waiting in the outer hall for a long time. He had many things to say to Ah Hu and many questions to ask her.
But when Shen Huan walked in front of him, he could not speak a word. Shen Huan lay on his chest and cried softly, and he could only stroke her soft hair without saying a word.
There are only two of them left in the Shen family. They should depend on each other for life, but one was demoted as a slave in the palace and the other was imprisoned in a small place.
Ah Huan finished crying intermittently, then raised her head and said with tears in her eyes: "Second brother, you have lost a lot of weight."
Shen Lan gently stroked Ah Huan's thin chin and couldn't bear to say: "Huan, you have lost a lot of weight."
After saying this, Ah Hu's tears fell again. Shen Lan wiped away her tears and said softly: "Don't cry, Ah Hu. The way you cry makes my second brother feel distressed."
Ah Hu tried her best to hold it back and choked out: "Second brother, we are the only ones left in our family."
Shen Lan whispered: "Second brother knows."
Ah Hu held his hand and said: "So we must live well."
Shen Lan held her hand in his hand and said, "Second brother also knows."
They stared at each other, they understood each other's pain, each other's forbearance and the hatred deep in their hearts!
"He... didn't make things difficult for you?" Shen Lan asked after a while.
A-Han knew that the second brother was talking about Xichen, so she shook her head and said, "No."
"Where are the other people in the palace?" He couldn't figure out how his pampered sister could be a serving maid.
Ah Hu still shook his head and said: "Second brother, don't worry too much. Since he spared my life, why would he make things difficult for me? Naturally, he won't tolerate making things difficult for others."
Shen Lan was stunned for a moment, as if he just figured it out, and said angrily: "He likes you?!"
Ah Hui covered his mouth, motioned for him to speak lower, and then said in a low voice: "This is better, isn't it?"