Wei Li must have taken a risk if he dared to appear here today.
Overtly and covertly, how many pairs of eyes were staring at him.
Xu Zhihuai was not afraid of this. She was walking openly in the palace, and when he came to her so unexpectedly, she was still able to speak gently and kindly. She was already in good temper.
"Master Hou should not appear here."
"I have been ordered to act with integrity and integrity."
Wei Li's eyes were fixed on her body for a moment, looking her up and down.
His aggressive gaze made Xu Zhihuai disgusted: "Didn't the Marquis say that he had to do something? Then he shouldn't delay here."
How could Wei Li leave? Instead, he took a big step and got closer to Xu Zhihuai.
The tall shadows fell down, blocking out the entire light.
There was a hint of uneasiness in Xu Zhihuai's eyes, which was quickly suppressed.
She couldn't show any timidity or fear in front of someone like Wei Li.
Otherwise, she will be bitten by him again.
"Master Marquis, please be more respectful, okay?"
"Xu Zhihuai, you can negotiate terms with me if you want, but don't talk about this. It sounds annoying to me. You know better than me what it feels like when I am upset."
"condition?"
Xu Zhihuai raised his eyebrows in confusion.
Wei Li looked down at her and said, "You are a smart man. The prince is about to ascend the throne. When the time comes, he will fill the harem with three thousand beauties. What's the matter with someone like you?"
Xu Zhihuai calmed down and listened to him continue.
"Xu Zhihuai, I know who you are. If I don't give you benefits, you won't stay here. I know what you want better than you."
Xu Zhihuai frowned: "What do you mean?"
"The position of queen, this is what you want most right now."
Wei Li didn't just talk casually. Just as Zhu Xuxing knew his thoughts well, he knew Xu Zhihuai even more clearly.
Her meekness and charm are just means.
Xu Zhihuai's eyes narrowed slightly and his brows furrowed further.
Seeing her reaction, Wei Li snapped his fingers neatly: "I'm hit." After saying that, he smiled evilly, with a look of success.
"Xu Zhihuai, as long as there is something you want in this world, you can't get around me! Because you can't get anything by yourself!"
Xu Zhihuai sneered: "Master Hou underestimates me, just don't drag the prince into trouble. Your highness can give me everything I want, and you don't need to make irresponsible remarks."
Wei Li shrugged: "Okay, let's wait and see. See if the position of the Lord of the Central Palace belongs to you."
He couldn't wait to throw out the bait, like an impatient and nagging child.
Xu Zhihuai is his fish.
No matter what method she uses, she must return to him.
Wei Li turned around to leave, but did not forget to leave a message: "Don't be in a hurry to draw a clear line with me, otherwise, you will regret it."
Xu Zhihuai stood there, staring at his back and sighing softly.
When she returned to her daughter, the bright smile returned to her face.
Zhu Qingruo fed the fish for a while, then gradually lost her patience and said, "Mother, how much do they need to eat before they are full."
The white steamed buns were broken into fine pieces and thrown out in handfuls, and they were all eaten in an instant.
Xu Zhihuai knelt down and looked at his daughter's side face: "What's wrong? Don't you like koi fish very much?"
"I like it. But they can't get enough no matter how much they eat. They're so greedy."
Xu Zhihuai fell into deep thought after listening to his daughter's words.
"Yes, if you are too greedy, you will become annoying."
Wei Li suddenly appeared, dropped a few words and then left. Such arrogance made Xu Zhihuai feel scared and depressed.
However, she knew very well in her heart that after Zhu Xuxing ascended the throne, he would be inseparable from Wei Li's assistance. Let's say less for three years and more... She didn't even dare to think about it.
Jinhua brought hot tea and gestured towards the inner hall to indicate that Zhu Qingruo was asleep.
"Sit down too, let's stay together for a while."
Jinhua nodded repeatedly and sat down, but her hands were not idle.
She peeled an orange and ate it. Xu Zhihuai split the whole orange into two and gave half to Jinhua. He suddenly said with emotion: "Do you still remember that when we first met, we always shared everything together."
Jinhua took the orange and nodded with a smile.
"At that time, I lived in a ruined temple and lived very hard every day. I didn't have enough to eat and couldn't wear warm clothes..."
Xu Zhihuai suddenly paused mid-sentence: "Everything is different now."
Jinhua didn't eat the orange. She lowered her head. As if thinking of something again, she raised her hand to dip some tea in it and wrote two words on the table: Worry.
"I'm not that worried anymore. Even if we can't get rid of Wei Li, we can still survive in this palace, for An'er, for His Highness, and for myself."
Jinhua nodded and wrote the word "An" again, which was the An of An Xin and An'er of An'er.
Xu Zhihuai pursed his lips and smiled.
In the dead of night, it is not a blessing to have someone to accompany you like this.
Xu Zhihuai said again: "In a few days, it will be time for me to organize things for you."
Jinhua was surprised and shook her head repeatedly.
Xu Zhihuai held the back of her hand and said softly: "It's time for you to start a family at your age. It's good to have more people to rely on in the future. Don't worry, I won't point you out to just one person. You must know the basics. The most important thing is to If you like it, you must really like it."
Jinhua blushed with embarrassment and lowered her head without saying a word.
…
After the New Year, spring is not far away.
The Queen's health has been good and bad, but her spirit is stronger than before.
Xu Zhihuai brought An'er over to say hello to her, and saw that she had a lot of gray hair on her temples, most of which were caused by sadness and boredom.
Zhu Qingruo jumped over and ran over, hugged Grandma Huang with her little hands, and showed her her cloth cat doll.
The queen was very happy to be coaxed by her, and her eyebrows curled up in laughter. But with a smile, her eyes turned red again, and she turned around again, took out the handkerchief and touched the corners of her eyes.
Three days later, the emperor died peacefully in his sleep.
This is the most honorable ending.
Zhu Xuxing shed tears in front of his father's coffin. He didn't eat a drop of rice all day long. Xu Zhihuai knelt behind him, watching his shoulders trembling, feeling secretly distressed.
Zhu Qingruo is also dressed in white filial piety today, and is led by the old nanny to kowtow and salute.
In the solemn white hall, only her little shadow is vivid and lively.
She knelt on the ground, looked at the coffin in front of her and said, "Is Grandpa Huang sleeping in it? Don't sleep, Grandpa Huang. An'er has come to say hello to Grandpa Huang."
She has grown up and has never met her grandpa.
The Queen burst into tears instantly, hugged Zhu Qingruo and burst into tears: "An'er, be good... be good..."
Xu Zhihuai hurriedly knelt down and took his daughter back. He accidentally glanced at Zhu Weizhen opposite him. She was pale and haggard, as if she had lost her soul. There was no expression on her face and her eyes were empty.
She just knelt down quietly like that, as if she couldn't see or hear anything.
