In the days that followed, Shen Dingzhu felt that he was living very peacefully, and Xiao Langyan was no longer so busy. Although the two of them were separated by a wall, they could see each other just by looking at the hole in the wall. figure.
Shen Dingzhu's daily meals were very simple, delivered personally by the imperial army, consisting of two plates of side dishes and a bowl of cold porridge.
Xiao Langyan held the scroll in his hand and glanced at her next door from time to time.
Shen Dingzhu held the bowl of cold porridge and drank it in small sips. After three or four days of nursing, her body recovered slowly, and most of the redness and swelling on her face disappeared.
"Xu Shou said that what you drank was cold porridge, and someone gave you hot porridge in the morning. Why did you take it back?" Xiao Langyan put down the scroll and spoke coldly in her direction.
Shen Dingzhu put down the bowl, and her black hair was tied with only a jade hairpin, falling on her neck. Under the loose robe, her delicate figure was as delicate as a flower.
She blinked her pretty eyelashes, looked at Xiao Langyan, and said in a calm tone: "I know, that is the prince's porridge. If I drink it, the prince will be gone."
Xiao Langyan's expression paused, and then he sneered, his thin eyes loose: "I am a prince after all. Unlike you, if you want to drink porridge, it's easy."
Shen Dingzhu lowered her slender eyelashes. She hadn't eaten well these days, and Xiao Langyan always felt that her oval face seemed to be smaller.
At this moment, a pair of beautiful eyes didn't know what they were thinking. All they could see was that her hair was like a heavy dark cloud and her skin looked fair.
Shen Dingzhu's voice came along with the footsteps outside the door.
"I don't think it's hard for me, so the prince doesn't need to go to this extent for me. If the prince wants to remember my goodness, then please take good care of my family when I leave tomorrow."
After hearing her words, Xiao Langyan frowned indifferently for a moment.
He raised his thin eyes and looked at the door. The figures of the Imperial Guards were shaking outside. After a while, the door was opened, and the Imperial Guards handed over their hands and said: "Your Majesty, Concubine Xian has received permission from the Emperor to come to visit you."
Concubine Xian walked in with tears in her eyes: "Lang Yan, my concubine is here. You have been suffering here these days. Let me take a good look at you... Hey! You have lost weight!"
Xiao Langyan was dressed simply and sat in a chair with a casual attitude. When he saw Concubine Xian, his attitude was cold and indifferent.
"Concubine, there is no need to be anxious. Just take care of yourself. How is your father lately?"
"The affairs of the court are busy, and your father is very worried. He has recalled Jiu'er from the south of the Yangtze River to the palace." Concubine Xian frowned, as if there was a cloud of sadness hanging over her well-maintained face.
Shen Dingzhu listened quietly next door. She knew that the Jiu'er mentioned by Concubine Xian was her biological son, the Ninth Prince, Prince Ming.
According to the time of the previous life, soon after King Ming returned to Beijing, he would take away part of the political power from Xiao Langyan, and the two men would start a battle between dragon and tiger.
Xiao Langyan was not moved when he heard the news that King Ming was returning to Beijing.
He stood up, as usual, walked over and sat by the chair under the wall, blocking the hole with his tall body.
Shen Dingzhu was startled, then couldn't help covering her lips and snickering. She guessed that Xiao Langyan didn't want Concubine Xian to see the hole.
The next second, Xiao Langyan's cold voice came from over there: "It's good that the ninth brother can come back, and my mother and concubine will be happy every day."
Concubine Xian was filled with emotion: "Don't you know Concubine Mother? My biggest wish is that you, Jiu'er, and Puyue can always be by Concubine Mother's side. Concubine Mother doesn't want anything else."
Shen Dingzhu secretly clicked his tongue after hearing this. Concubine Xian was not a loving mother. Xiao Langyan was brought up under her knees in his early years. Concubine Xian was scolding him for a long time.
His experience was simply cruel, and he rarely even bothered with Xiao Langyan's daily life.
When Concubine Xian really started to pay attention to Xiao Langyan, it was when Xiao Langyan was thirteen years old. He shot three arrows in a row and killed three assassins who had surrounded the emperor.
From then on, he could gradually stand out among the many princes.
On the other side of the wall, Xiao Langyan obviously knew about Concubine Xian's pretended motherly love.
He dealt with her words calmly, and finally Concubine Xian came to her goal.
"Lang Yan, the power of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household Affairs is still in your hands. This time your brother Jiu'er comes back to help you share your worries, but your father still wants to trust you."
"But there are important matters in the court, especially the Ministry of War and Household Affairs, which have the largest backlog. The emperor said that you have to ask for this matter. As long as you agree, Jiu'er can help you share the burden. Although the emperor has sent people to investigate thoroughly for your sake, Jiu'er can't help you." My son will be going to Beijing soon. If you don’t want to delay government affairs, you might as well..."
Before Concubine Xian finished speaking, Xiao Langyan pursed her lips, turned to look at her, and spoke lightly to interrupt Concubine Xian's words.
"Mom, you are too worried. Although I controlled important positions such as the Ministry of War and Household Affairs in the past, no matter how big or small the matter was, it was my father who made the final decision."
"Now that my son is an idle king under house arrest, what my father said to you is probably just an excuse. So what? Why don't you wait until your ninth brother comes back and appeal to your father in person?"
The implication is that the power still lies with the emperor, and he is the reason the emperor gave for rejecting Concubine Xian.
Concubine Xian's face paused, she was not sure why, but the father and son were pushing the blame with each other, and it was clear that all it took was Xiao Langyan's nod, and she could go to the emperor to intercede.
Xiao Langyan disagreed and was cold-tempered. Concubine Xian couldn't persuade her several times, so she found reasons to leave.
"Wait a minute." Xiao Langyan suddenly spoke and stopped Concubine Xian, "My father will not let go of the rights of the Household Department of the Ministry of Punishment, and I can't do anything about it, but in the Ministry of Rites, I alone have the final say."
"When my ninth brother returns to the capital, he might as well start managing the affairs of the court from the Ministry of Rites, or he can go step by step and slowly find the rules. What do you think, concubine?"
Concubine Xian was a little overjoyed. There was an incredible look in her eyes. She didn't expect that Xiao Langyan would take the initiative to give up power.
"I... naturally put your thoughts first. Your brother has been exposed to government affairs late and his talents are not as good as yours. It would be good if you are willing to support him and let him have a good experience." In this way, it was agreed.
Xiao Langyan smiled calmly, his dark and handsome eyebrows seemed to be covered with frost all year round, and no one was allowed to get close to him.
He looked at Concubine Xian: "It's just that it's very inconvenient for me to live here, especially in terms of food. I'm often sent cold soup and leftovers, which is really unpleasant."
Concubine Xian only hesitated for a moment before she understood.
Xiao Langyan, as a dragon descendant, is now only under house arrest by the emperor, and has not even been removed directly to deprive him of his rights. Therefore, the people in the palace who follow the wind will not dare to really neglect him.
The so-called leftovers are probably aimed at Shen Dingzhu.
Concubine Xian's eyes turned slightly, trying to figure out the original meaning of his words. Unexpectedly, at this moment, Xiao Langyan was still thinking about Shen Dingzhu next door.
She is really a coquettish person, even the deposed prince died in vain for her.
A slow smile appeared on Concubine Xian's face: "Concubine I know, please have a good rest. Concubine Mother will go back first."
After she left, Xiao Langyan stood up and glanced at the next door calmly.
Shen Dingzhu was wrapped in quilt again, lay on the couch and fell asleep again.
Xiao Langyan knew that she was weak and always lethargic, but he could not help but sneer in his cold eyes: "Heartless."
at night.
Shen Dingzhu sat at the table and looked at the imperial army in astonishment as he brought a meat, a vegetable and a soup.
The soft white rice is still steaming.
She looked at the Imperial Guards in surprise: "Did you send it to the wrong person?"
The imperial guard said angrily: "Aunt Shen is blessed with great blessings. Concubine Xian felt sorry for His Highness Prince Ning, so she went to the emperor to ask for a gift. This is your share."
Not only were they given fresh and fragrant hot meals, but they were also given two oil lamps.
After the imperial army left, Shen Dingzhu held the chopsticks, turned his head silently, and glanced at Xiao Langyan across from him through the half-open hole.
I saw that he was also holding a jade chopstick, and the dishes in front of him were almost the same as his own.
Xiao Langyan probably knew that she was looking at him, but he didn't have a special look on his face. He just tilted his head in her direction and said in a cold tone: "Let's eat."
