In the teahouse, Du Zhenghai listened to Mo Shuiling's maid Xiu Ju say: "As the personal maid and confidant of Concubine Ling, I know best about the affairs between Concubine Ling and Mr. Du..."
He couldn't help but feel a little frightened, and said in a trembling voice: "Miss Xiuju, there are some things you shouldn't say nonsense!..."
Xiuju smiled and said, "Master Du, there is no need to be afraid. If this slave is really that unreliable person, the empress will not send her here to bring a message for Master Du."
Du Zhenghai's gloomy eyes trembled to the point of a flash of stunning light, and he said in a trembling voice: "What letter?..."
Xiuju took out a brocade book from her arms and handed it over carefully.
Du Zhenghai took it and opened it, and saw that the pink letterhead was dotted with small regular script, but what was written was a poem by Li Yu, the empress of the Southern Tang Dynasty: "Wu Ye Cry":
The forest flowers faded in spring, too hastily;
Helplessly, the cold rain comes in the morning and the wind comes in the evening.
Rouge tears can make people drunk, no matter how long they last;
Since life is long and hates water, it is always east...
Du Zhenghai recited silently, and his eyes were covered with a thin layer of mist; Mo Shuiling's beautiful and sad face appeared in his tearful eyes.
After breaking up with Mo Shuiling, Du Zhenghai was frustrated and melancholy. He often drank to get drunk. When he was bored, he occasionally filled the void with some poems and songs.
Among them, his favorite is also Li Yu’s song [Wuye Cry].
Now that he saw Mo Shuiling's poem, he couldn't help but feel excited and full of thoughts. Thoughts to myself: Li Shangyin, a poet from the previous dynasty, once said in the poem "Untitled": "There is no colorful phoenix flying in the body, but there is a clear connection in the heart" - and isn't this the same kind of connection between myself and Mo Shuiling?
But he was such a confidante, but he had a close relationship with him, and he just missed her... Thinking about it, he couldn't help but feel sad.
Xiuju looked at him with deep eyes and said softly: "Master Du, what's wrong with you?"
Du Zhenghai came back to his senses, blinked his eyes wetly, and said dumbly: "It's nothing..."
Xiu Ju lowered her eyebrows slightly and sighed softly: "I understand Master Du's mood at this time. Tomorrow, Concubine Ling will go to Xiangguo Temple to see the incense. She will get up at the third quarter of the morning and turn around at the second quarter of noon. If Master Du is interested, you can Go to the temple in advance and wait for me. Your Majesty has something to say to Mr. Du."
Du Zhenghai has been experiencing countless blows and setbacks since he was a child, and he gradually became insensitive and extremely indifferent to everything; it seemed that nothing could make any more waves in his heart.
But after listening to Xiuju's words, he felt that his heart was beating crazily again, his face was hot and hot, and it seemed that the blood all over his body was rushing to his head in an instant.
His lips moved awkwardly, and he wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to start. He just nodded with complicated emotions...
Entering the ancient temple early in the morning, the first sunlight shines on the high forest.
The bamboo path leads to a secluded place, and the Zen room is surrounded by flowers and trees.
The light of the mountain is pleasing to the birds, and the shadow of the pond is empty of the human heart.
Everything is silent except for the sound of bells and chimes.
The next day at three o'clock in the morning. The world-famous imperial concubine Mo Shuiling was accompanied by personal maids such as Xiuju and Caiping, and escorted by the palace guards. The group of people left the palace in a mighty manner and arrived at the Daxiangguo Temple outside the capital.
After finishing seeing the fragrance according to all the established procedures, she turned around and asked Xiuju, the maid next to her: "What time is it now?"
Xiuju lowered her eyebrows and said, "Your Majesty, the time has come."
Concubine Ling then said angrily to the abbot of Xiangguo Temple: "It's still early, I just want to walk around and enjoy the beautiful scenery in the temple. What do you think, Master?"
Jie said angrily: "Your Majesty, you are too polite. Our temple is in a remote place, and it is difficult to get into the elegant hall. As long as the Ling Concubine does not dislike it, it will be fine."
Concubine Ling smiled sweetly and said, "Master's words are serious."
Jie Hui clasped his hands together and said, "That's it, my queen, please!"
Ling Fei was accompanied by Xiuju, Caiping and other maids, and walked around Xiangguo Temple.
In fact, Concubine Ling had no pleasure in admiring the scenery. Her thoughts were only on Du Zhenghai, and she felt uneasy.
Xiuju already knew what the empress was thinking, so she said, "Empress, are you tired? How about we sit in this small pavilion first."
Concubine Ling nodded understandingly and said to Caiping and the other maids, "You should step back first."
Backing away, Xiuju helped Ling Fei sit down on the wooden bench in the small pavilion.
It was late spring, and the garden was filled with purple and red colors, the pear blossoms were like snow, and the fallen flowers were colorful; the green water was swaying, swaying the beautiful and pale face of Concubine Ling.
Looking at the beauty and prosperity in front of her, her eyes suddenly became wet and she softly chanted:
The forest flowers faded in spring, too hastily;
Helplessly, the cold rain comes in the morning and the wind comes in the evening.
Rouge tears leave people drunk, no matter how long they last.
Naturally, life grows and hates water. …
There were footsteps behind her, and when she turned around, she saw Du Zhenghai, dressed in black, walking towards her silently.
Concubine Ling felt her heart beating wildly, and tears filled her cheeks unconsciously. The two of them stared at each other affectionately, silently for a long time.
Xiuju quietly dodged away knowingly.
Du Zhenghai also came to his senses at this time. He bowed and gave a salute, and said in a cold voice: "Du Zhenghai, a common man, congratulates the empress to live a thousand years."
Looking at Du Zhenghai's cold and distant expression, the sadness on Concubine Ling's face froze in her eyes, and she said sadly: "Master Du, there are only two of us here, why do you still say such things? Do you mean to mock me? Can’t do it?”
There was a faint coolness in Du Zhenghai's eyes, and he spoke without any emotion in his tone, "You are the king, and I am the minister; you are the aloof empress Qiantui, and I am just a commoner that everyone despises..."
There was a hint of resentment in Concubine Ling's dark eyes, "It's hard to see each other and say goodbye. Are we meeting just to say these sarcastic words?..." Her voice was choked.
Du Zhenghai felt his heart shaking violently.
Looking at the crying Yi Ren'er in front of him, he could no longer suppress his surging emotions and opened his arms tremblingly; Ling Fei fell into his arms.
The two hugged each other tightly, and tears flowed freely.
The clouds in the sky are light and the wind is gentle, the peaches and plums on the ground are fragrant, and a pair of beautiful and gorgeous butterflies are dancing gracefully; in the small pavilion, a pair of people who have been separated for a long time are talking to each other and whispering.
The two chatted freely about the topics they wanted to talk about, releasing the emotions that had been deeply suppressed for a long time; only at this moment did they truly experience the sweetness and happiness that they had never experienced before...
As we chatted, the topic of Du Zhenghai turning danger into danger and escaping from death came to mind.
At this point in the topic, Du Zhenghai couldn't help but frowned and said, "I still don't understand why the emperor suddenly issued a decree to pardon me? Is there any hidden secret in it?"
Concubine Ling's watery eyes flashed and she said, "It's a long story, and I have to thank Commander Ling for this!"
Du Zhenghai's eyes were shocked, he was stunned for a moment and said: "Ling Yun?..."
Concubine Ling nodded and said, "Yes! It was he who asked Princess Huanyu to enter the palace to ask for help from the Queen Mother, who then went to the Emperor to plead for mercy."
Du Zhenghai lowered his head and looked speechless for a moment.
Concubine Ling added: "Also, in the afternoon of the first day before the Holy One pardoned you, a beautiful woman sneaked into the palace and told me many things about you; she also gave me guidance and told me how to rescue you—— "
Then, she briefly recounted what happened in the palace yesterday.
Du Zhenghai's face was moved, and he murmured: "I see... By the way, who is that beautiful woman who sneaked into the palace?"
Concubine Ling said: "At that time, I asked her her name again and again, and she told me that her surname was Lian, and she was entrusted by Commander Ling. Hai'er, in fact, you and Commander Ling were good friends; Commander Ling's ancient roads are warm and righteous. Bo Yuntian, it is only reasonable for him to save you and help you."
Du Zhenghai's narrow eyes showed obvious annoyance, and he said angrily: "Don't mention him again!..."
A trace of surprise flashed across Concubine Ling's pure eyes, "What's wrong? It's thanks to him that you were rescued this time!"
Du Zhenghai turned his eyes coldly and said angrily: "I would rather die than owe him anything!"
Concubine Ling's beautiful eyes raised slightly, and she asked in confusion: "Why?...Since you are friends, why do you still say such things?"
Du Zhenghai's eyes, as deep as the cold night, were filled with a heavy layer of sadness, and he said in a thick voice: "He and I are...not friends anymore!"
Concubine Ling said faintly: "What's wrong? What unpleasant things happened between you two?"
"Don't ask anymore..." Du Zhenghai looked sadly at the green water under the pavilion, with falling flowers, silently lost in thought.
At this time, Xiuju walked over with light lotus steps and whispered: "Mother, it's almost noon, we should go back."
Concubine Ling felt miserable. She didn't understand that time was so hard to endure in the palace; why was the time in this once-in-a-lifetime date in the temple so short?
Du Zhenghai's expression was blank for a moment, as if something had broken apart, making no sound. He was silent for a long time, and when he spoke again he was calm, "Ling'er, it's time for me to leave. Please take care of yourself."
Concubine Ling looked at him with tears in her eyes and said: "Haier, your escape from death this time is indeed hard-won after many twists and turns. Many people have tried their best to save you.
"For the sake of those who saved you, and for me, promise me to take good care of yourself and stop seeking revenge on He Yuting, okay?"
Du Zhenghai said bitterly: "But parents' hatred is irreconcilable..."
Concubine Ling sighed: "When will retribution happen? Besides, didn't He Yuting lose his favorite son because of this? He Yuting is so powerful, and if you go to him to seek revenge, it's like throwing an egg against a stone! As the saying goes, He Yuting is so powerful. "Evil people will have their own troubles," so why are you willing to die and make this unnecessary sacrifice?"
Du Zhenghai felt very conflicted, "Ling'er..."
Concubine Ling sobbed: "Although I am in the palace, the person I care about in my heart will always be you. The reason why I live in such a state of confusion and walking like a zombie is because there is an eternal belief in my heart that supports me - that belief It’s my love for you... If you have any problems, then what’s the point of my life?”
Du Zhenghai's heart ached, "Ling'er, please stop talking..."
Concubine Ling said: "Haier, I only ask you one thing now: don't go to He Yuting to seek revenge, okay?..." As she said this, she burst into tears.
Du Zhenghai's heart couldn't help but twitch in pain when he saw that Concubine Ling's beauty was pale, her pear blossoms were covered with rain, and she looked pitiful.
He clenched his teeth tightly, but the courage and strength to speak out were all gone. He shook his head hesitantly at first, and finally nodded weakly.
