The Gilded Cage

Xiao Yu finally didn't make the appointment as scheduled, but went to Xu Rong's residence instead.

In the slightly narrow and simple house, the two monarchs and ministers sat facing each other under the lamp, silent to a letter.

This is a letter written by Zhao Lun who is far away in Bozhou. The end of the letter is also stamped with the seal of Zhao Lun as the general of Zhen Guo. Before Zhao Yu'e left, she was quietly held by the maid beside her to Xiao. Yu's hands.

What was written in the letter was indeed the same as Zhao Yu'e's rhetoric. The two brothers and sisters deliberately invested in the Eastern Palace to help him find the throne.

Xiao Yu sat quietly for a while, stretched out his hand to uncover the lampshade, raised the letter and handed it to the flame. Watching the flame grow stronger, he quickly swallowed the letter paper, and when he was about to lick his fingertips, he threw it into the censer beside him.

"I have read the letter, I don't know what Xu Qing thinks?"

When Xu Rong heard this, he knew that he was hesitating in his heart, brewing for a moment, and whispered: "His Royal Highness, the minister thought, this is a great opportunity for His Highness Heavenly Help! If you can hold the Bozhou Army in your hand, your Highness won't have to worry anymore. Being controlled by the saint, you only need to plan carefully, just like the saint at the time of the death of the first emperor, it is no problem to win Chang'an in one fell swoop!"

He had thought before, that Zhao Erniang deliberately approached the saint, there must be some hidden secret. The saint's temperament is so unruly, facing the Zhao family's goodwill but not accepting the slightest intention, now it is good, and they are taught to reap their profits!

Knowing that Xiao Yu was suspicious, he thought about it, and said: "The letter has been stamped with General Zhao's seal. If we hand over the letter, the Zhao family will undoubtedly die. They are willing to take such a dangerous move, which shows that they have been forced to do so. , I would never dare to deceive anymore. The officials thought that their words would be more credible for your Highness."

Xiao Yu had no expression, just staring at the candlelight in a daze.

He naturally knew that the Zhao family did not dare to make jokes about this kind of thing, and the commander with a heavy army in his hand made a private relationship with the prince, intent on rebellion, and the charges were no less than the crime they had extended to the enemy country in Banzhou.

Even if Zhao Lun had repeatedly run into walls with the emperor, he had no choice but to retreat and choose him as the crown prince. This was definitely a golden opportunity for him.

It was Zhao Yu'e's request that made him both unhappy and hesitant.

"The dignified prince, how can I marry a widow who is not clean? Besides, I have a true wife."

Although he had moved his mind to accept a concubine, he had never thought of moving his wife's position. Aning is the wife he is marrying by the Ming media. Even if his family is not here, he is still a decent princess.

Xu Rong understood. Not only did the prince look down on Zhao Erniang, but more, he was reluctant to bear the Chu family.

However, such a good opportunity can't be slipped away in vain. He thought for a moment and carefully persuaded: "His Royal Highness, the hero does not ask for the source. Although Zhao Erniang's identity is not worthy of His Royal Highness, the Zhao family's military power is worthy. Besides, the prince. Concubine... Your Majesty might as well think about it. If you are elected to the throne in the future, wouldn't it be your Royal Highness who decides who will be the queen? However, for temporary grievances, the princess has always been respectful and meek, and she will not care about the overall situation. "

Xiao Yu sullenly, rubbing the rough lines on the case with one hand, as if thinking about his words, after a long time, suddenly asked: "But if Zhao Yu'e is such an identity, if I want to marry her rashly, how can I avoid the suspicion of others? Saint, Even the queen mother, I am afraid that not only will it not be allowed, but doubts will arise."

Xu Rong saw that he meant to waver, and he didn't care that he hadn't thought about a countermeasure, so he promised: "His Royal Highness does not have to worry about this. As long as His Highness responds, the minister will arrange everything properly."

Xiao Yu looked at him blankly, but after all he could not make up his mind, but just got up and said, "This matter, let me think about it. It's not early today, so I will go back first."

Xu Rong responded with a pile of voices, and took the initiative to bend and walk in front to lead him, and he was sent straight to the carriage before he sighed and slowly straightened up and went back.

…

In the sleeping hall, Chu Ning was sitting with a few maids reading the script by the charcoal fire with great interest.

Several chubby chestnuts were placed in the charcoal fire, which were being toasted to the full, exuding a sweet and inviting aroma.

Halfway through the script, Cuihe took one of the chestnuts with tongs and looked at it, and said, "Lady, it's baked!"

Several people laughed and put the hot chestnuts on the fruit plate. When they got a little bit cooler, they carefully peeled off the blackened hard outer shell, exposing the yellow inside.

Chu Ning twisted it and tasted one, only to feel that the taste was powdery, sweet but not greasy, smiled and nodded, let them eat together.

Today the prince was out for a banquet. According to the situation a few days ago, he should come back very late. Therefore, the maids were not restrained, thanked them with a smile, and handed out more than half of the plates.

While talking and laughing, there was a burst of cheerful and passionate silk and bamboo sounds outside the hall, listening to the direction, it seemed to come from the direction of Feishuang Temple.

The maids stopped talking, looked at each other, and said, "This voice, I'm afraid it's the saint who has called the musician and singer to Feishuang Hall again!"

Prince Tang was closest to Feishuang Hall, and the movement of Zhaole was naturally heard clearly. In the past few days, every night at night, there will always be a sound of silk and bamboo in the Feishuang Temple.

"In the past few days, there is music every day. Since the New Year's Eve banquet, the saint has become more and more informal. I have never heard of Tai Chi Palace calling singing and dancing before."

"Yes! Now, everyone says that what the saint reveals at this time is the true temperament. The cleanliness and selfishness of the past and the lack of femininity are not true."

…

Seeing that the words of a few people became more and more unobstructed, Cuihe couldn't help but shouted: "Well, don't talk about the saints, be careful to cause trouble to your Highness!"

Having said that, he glanced at Chu Ning worriedly, for fear that she would be unhappy.

Chu Ning's expression remained as usual, and she only said indifferently: "It is one thing to provoke me misfortune. You have to be more careful. If you teach someone to hear it, you will be hurting yourself."

She was not as unhappy as Cuihe was worried. Xiao Kezhi had never told her about the daily singing in Feishuang Temple, but somehow she always felt that he was so successful, and he must have his own reason for doing so.

Besides, her identity does not have the right to question him, so why bother?

The maids looked at each other, knowing they had made a mistake, and immediately bowed their heads to admit their mistakes.

Upon seeing this, Chu Ning regained his smile, ate a yellow chestnut, and picked up the script to read to them again.

The atmosphere gradually eased, and everyone began to laugh from time to time.

Zheng felt comfortable and happy, but suddenly a servant ran up outside and said in a low voice: "His Royal Highness is back!"

Chu Ning was taken aback for a moment. I don't know how he went out today and came back in just over half an hour. Before he could think about it, he waved his hand and asked a few people to quickly tidy up the room, and he straightened his dress and opened the door to welcome him.

In the courtyard, Xiao Yucai brought people back with great anxiety and entered his bedroom. Seeing Chu Ning coming over, he subconsciously smiled, but it was only a moment, as if he had remembered something, and quickly put it away.

"Why is your Royal Highness so early today? He came back only half an hour." While observing his expression carefully, Chu Ning approached naturally and stretched out his hand to undress him.

The gentle and watery beauty was just an inch in front of him, untying the belt around his waist, and if the fragrance of the hair penetrated into his nose, it made his already heavy mood even more upset.

"Suddenly remembered something. I didn't go to the banquet. I came back after finishing it." He rubbed his tired forehead and stared down at her eyebrows soaked in the warm candlelight. "You don't want me to come back sooner?"

Chu Ning paused, shaking his head a bit aggrieved: "His Royal Highness always talks like this, how can I not want His Highness to come back?"

Her voice was gentle, soft, and soft, falling in his ears, and it was more instructive than usual, and her eyes were shimmering, making people unable to move them.

He took a deep breath, squeezed her hand that was holding the clean robe for him, pulled her into his arms, and bowed his head and kissed it involuntarily.

"His Royal Highness, what's wrong—" Chu Ning was startled, and hurriedly put aside his face and wanted to reach out and push him away.

He was tougher than usual, and directly clasped her hand, forcing her to stand up and voluntarily send it to him, her cheeks turned away, and the kiss fell directly on the side of the neck, unable to bite and suck, her white smooth neck The imprints of magnificence were quickly dropped.

He saw that his eyes were reddish, and he simply tore her outer shirt with one hand, and threw it aside, patted her buttocks lightly through the thin skirt, and said dumbly: "Kneel down."

Her breathing was unstable, her cheeks were already red, and she hadn't applied the powder, but she was like a layer of rouge, plus the clothes that were difficult to cover and the marks on the neck, showing a kind of embarrassing beauty.

She bit her lip and knelt down on the bed with difficulty, closing her eyes to feel that the remaining long skirt was hurriedly opened and torn apart by him.

She was trapped by his arms on both sides, unable to move, she could only soften her body and wait for everything.

I don't know if it was an illusion, she always felt that Xiao Yu today seemed very eager and anxious, as if she wanted to prove something, and as if she was afraid of losing something, the whole person was in a state of hesitation and restlessness.

…

I don't know how long it took, he went out of the house directly holding her naked, and soaked in the soup just placed outside.

Under the moonlight, the water mist was curling and rippling softly, and the dried petals and herbs were soaked in the pool water, making the air also stained with a bitterness and fragrance.

"A Ning," Xiao Yu leaned against the pool, squeezing the snowy soft flesh of her with one hand, and rubbing the smooth stone with the other, "If one day, I have to make you feel wronged. Not willing?"

His voice was hoarse and ethereal, and it sounded low in the dark, making Chuning couldn't help opening his tired eyes and looking at his expression vigilantly.

"What happened to Your Highness today? Suddenly said something like this."

"It's nothing, just answer it." He pinched her chin blankly, staring at her complicatedly, not letting the slightest expression go, "Will you?"

Chu Ning intuitively felt that he must have decided what to do, and couldn't help holding back the wild beating of his heart, and tried his best to say softly: "As long as your Highness said, Aning has never violated it."

He met her bright eyes, and suddenly his eyes flashed, as if being burned by something, he quickly turned away.

"Does Your Highness want Aning to do anything?" She put her hands on his wet arms and asked him carefully, raising her head.

"It's nothing, don't think too much." He didn't want to say much to her, he just reached into the water and hooked his slender fingers.

Tang Quan was flowing, shining brightly, Chu Ning stopped talking immediately, and blushed again with his movements.