Hearing her words, Hongshi came back to his senses, leaned forward and said, "Hongshi has met Concubine Xi, the concubine is so lucky!" Although he was talking to Ling Ruo, his eyes still did not leave Xu Changzai.
Ling Ruo turned a blind eye to his gaze and said: "Second brother, no courtesy, did you enter the palace just to see the queen?"
Hongshi finally took his eyes away from Xu Changzai and said, "Yes, today the Queen is released from confinement, so Hongshi will naturally come to pay her respects to the Queen."
Ling Ruo chuckled and said: "The Queen must be very pleased that my second elder brother is so filial. Speaking of which, I haven't gone to pay my respects to the Queen yet, but I can't forget it later."
Hongshi lowered his eyes and said: "During the period when the emperor was banned, she has been thinking about the imperial concubine. If she sees you, she will be very happy." After saying this, he glanced at the lady who just raised her head again.
Xu Changzai was so frightened that the latter quickly lowered his head, fearing that he would stare at her again, "Mother, I don't know who this is..."
Seeing Hongshi, he finally couldn't help but ask about Xu Changzai. Ling Ruo smiled and said: "Seeing that I was so busy talking to the second elder brother, I forgot to mention that this is Xu Changzai who just entered the palace last year."
Hongshi's heart sank. Although Xu Changzai had already seen that she was a palace concubine from her dress, he was still quite disappointed when Ling Ruo confirmed it.
If it were a palace maid, he could ask the emperor's mother for it and ask her to follow him, but the palace concubine... not to mention that the emperor's mother would not agree, even he himself would not ask for it, because... this is simply impossible
When the concubines were selected into the palace, they were already destined to be the emperor for the rest of their lives. Unless they died, they would not be able to leave the palace, and even if they left, they would not be able to get rid of their status as royals.
He suppressed the disappointment in his heart, cupped his hands and said, "Hongshi has met Xu Changzai."
Xu Changzai said quickly: "Second brother, you don't have to be polite." While talking, Hongshi happened to see the silk handkerchief she was holding. One corner of the silk handkerchief was embroidered with a forsythia flower.
For a moment, the past came back again, confusing his thoughts. He remembered that his favorite thing before he was a stranger was forsythia. You can often see the lifelike forsythia embroidered on handkerchiefs or between the sleeves of clothes.
Thinking of this, Hongshi asked tentatively: "Does Xu Changzai also like Forsythia?"
"Huh?" Xu Changzai didn't react for a moment, but Ling Ruo saw the opportunity quickly and said with a smile: "The second elder brother looked very carefully and even discovered this. Xu Changzai's favorite is this embroidered on the handkerchief.
of forsythia.”
Hearing this, Xu Changzai also reacted and whispered: "Yes, although the forsythia flowers are small, they bloom full of golden branches, which are gorgeous and cute."
Hongshi nodded without saying a word. After a moment of silence, he cupped his hands towards Ling Ruo and Xu Changzai and said, "Hongshi still has things to do, so I'll leave first."
"Second brother, walk slowly." In Ling Ruo's words, Hongshi turned and left. When his eyes passed over him, Xu Changzai unexpectedly saw a trace of reluctance in his eyes.
After Hongshi walked away, Xu Changzai whispered: "Madam, do you think the second elder brother looks at people strangely?"
"Really? I don't think so." Ling Ruo said in an understatement, and then said: "That's all, let's not talk about it anymore. Seeing that it's getting late, why don't I accompany you to see Concubine Jin?"
Xu Changzai was about to nod when he suddenly remembered the purple magnolia that Cai Die mentioned before and said, "Cai Die said it was near the palace gate, why didn't you see it?"
Cai Die hurriedly said: "I remember that I saw it here, but for some reason I can't find it now. Maybe I remembered it wrong."
Ling Ruo pretended to be displeased and said: "Girl, how can you be so reckless in doing things? It makes me and Xu Changzai go all out in vain."
Hearing this, Cai Die quickly knelt down and said, "This slave deserves to die. Please forgive me, Master and Xu Changzai."
Seeing this, Xu Changzai advised: "That's all, it's not a big deal, please don't blame her."
Ling Ruo thought for a moment and said to Cai Die: "For Xu Changzao's sake, I won't blame you this time. I can't be so reckless in the future."
"This slave will remember your master's teachings and will never do it again." With that said, Cai Die thanked Xu Changzai for a while, and then followed her all the way to Xianfu Palace.
For some reason, Xu Chang didn't feel anything wrong when he came to Xianfu Palace in the past, but this time he felt something was wrong as soon as he stepped into the palace gate, but he couldn't explain the details.
When the two of them walked into the courtyard, Guarjia also walked out of it. Her eyes, which were always calm, now contained a hint of coldness that Xu Changzai could not understand.
Guarjia glanced at Ling Ruo's face, and then knelt down and said: "I have met the noble concubine, Jin An." When outsiders are around, Guarjia will look at Ling Ruo like others.
The imperial concubine bowed to avoid picking the wrong one.
"Sister, please get up." When Ling Ruo stretched out her hand to help her, Guarjia moved away without leaving a trace, leaving Ling Ruo to help her in vain and just retracted her hand silently.
On the other side, Xu Changzai saluted Guarjia and said: "I did not come to see you in time, please forgive me. I did not mean it, but..."
Ling Ruo explained: "I asked Xu Changzai to accompany me for a walk in the Royal Garden, so I came late. Please don't blame her, sister."
Guarjia said calmly: "It's an honor for Xu Changzai to accompany the queen to visit the imperial garden. How could I blame her? Besides, I just have nothing to do. I asked Xu Changzai to come over and talk. There is no such thing."
What's important?" After that, she said to Xu Changzai: "It's nothing, you can go back."
"Yes, I, my concubine, retire." Xu Changzai had always felt that the Xianfu Palace today was strange. Now that Guarjia asked him to leave, he naturally left quickly.
After Xu Changzai left, Guarjia also turned around and walked in. Seeing her like this, Ling Ruo sighed softly and followed her into the hall. After Guarjia sat down, she whispered:
"Sister, are you angry with me?"
Guarjia glanced at her and said coldly, "I don't dare!"
"Sister!" Ling Ruo knelt down in front of Guarjia, held her hand and said: "I know you are angry with me, but I told my sister very clearly at that time that I will handle this matter. Please
Sister, please don't interfere, why is sister still doing this and why won't you listen to my advice?"
Guarjia looked at her steadily for a long time, and then said: "What about you? Anyway, I have already intervened in this matter, why don't you let me continue to do it, why do you have to intervene and ask yourself
Do you know that it will be dangerous to bring Xu Changzai in front of the second elder brother?" Although Guarjia was very angry, she couldn't help but show worry after speaking.