Chapter 5 Chapter Four Mossy Money in the Wind and Rain

In the 396th year of the Qingkui calendar, there was a severe drought throughout Qingkui. Natural disasters often signaled the condemnation of the Lord from the heavens, and ministers of Qingliu also took the opportunity to write a letter to remonstrate, accusing King Qing of doing something wrong.According to the usual practice, Qing Ren issued several edicts in succession to review his various mistakes since he took the throne.He fasted and bathed in the palace, went to the temple three times a day to worship, and even held amnesty.However, after several tosses, the sky in Yingdu was still pale yellow, and it didn't look like it was going to rain at all.

"Nearly 50% of the early rice fields in the nine counties in the south of the Yangtze River have no harvest. If there is no rain, the late rice will be delayed. This year's harvest is really worrying, and people will starve to death in winter." "Oh," Qing Ren nodded, "People will starve to death in winter. ——According to what you say, that's okay. At least so far, there have been no hungry people—is that so?" In fact, even on the streets of Yingdu, deserters have appeared one after another, but because they have nowhere to file complaints, they become "dead corpses" in broad daylight.Qing Wang Qingren knew all these things clearly.Waiting for these officials to report to him, the truth will never be known.They never complained.

When the king asked this question, Shang Shu was really frightened, and said loudly: "My lord, I have to say that someone has actually starved to death!" "Oh," Qing Ren raised his eyebrows, and said calmly, "I have already ordered warehouses in various places to be opened, to release food for disaster relief, and not to sway the hearts of the people. I think Lai Qing and others have done a good job?" When Shangshu heard this, he was sweating profusely.Such things as disaster relief have never been clear. Qing Ren smiled wryly.Although he was well aware of the situation where local officials in various counties withheld disaster relief food in every possible way, he was helpless, and it was not the time to pursue it at this moment, so he could only pretend that he hadn't seen it.He lowered his head, drinking tea, and said: "Mianzhou is not seriously affected by the disaster, and has always been prosperous. Let the Mianzhou government transport grain to Bingzhou, Fuzhou and other places where the disaster is serious."

"My lord..." "Ok?" "Should we think of another way?" Mianzhou is the fiefdom of the Qing family.As a foreign relative, the Qing family is favored and has power in the government and the public.Even with King Qing's order, who would dare to collect grain seriously on their fields? "Any other way?" Qing Ren murmured, "The grain must still be collected, and other things must be done. But I have done almost everything that can be done." Shangshu carefully mentioned Yi: "My lord, why don't you try Yuji, in fact, the drought in the country has always been solved by Yuji..."

Of course, Qing Ren understood the importance of Yu Ji.However, he did not do it for a long time, but he had his reasons.The yu sacrifice must be presided over by the high priest, and it is very troublesome to invite the great witch to come out of the mountain. Although Qing Ren ascended the throne with the support of the Great Witch, he didn't want to give the Great Witch faction too much power and honor.Of course Da Wu also understood Qing Ren's thoughts.He simply hid in the temple and did not come out all day, demonstrating to the young monarch with a seemingly forbearing but arrogant attitude.

Qing Ren didn't want to talk to him at all, he just treated him as an old fairy.But at this time, you have to ask if you don’t ask for it.He pondered for a long time, first invited the queen Qing family and the first assistant Qing Yannian to discuss first, and then discussed the rewards, and then entrusted the Qing family to contact the great witch, and talk about it from them.Every day, I go into the temple in plain clothes and white horses, and sincerely beg the great witch to save the common people.As usual, the great witch still pushes back and forth, saying that it is not the responsibility of the wizard to interfere with the destiny with manpower.After three days of this, the great witch finally replied, agreeing to preside over the Yu Ji, and appointed his disciple Wu Li to start arranging rituals and music sacrifices, demanding perfection in everything.

Yu Ji is praying for rain.However, this request for rain is unusual.When the drought first appeared, there were already people begging for rain one after another everywhere.In his own palace, Qing Ren led his courtiers to beg several times.However, since it is a yu sacrifice, it is necessary to pray for rain in the ancestral temple, which is a national ceremony that cannot be more solemn.If this kind of national ceremony fails, it means that God has really been offended and cannot be redeemed. Therefore, the Yu Festival is naturally extraordinarily grand.Qing Ren also let go of his words, saying that when the great witch prayed for rain, no matter what request he had, he would do his best to satisfy it.Be sure to let it rain this time.

Dragon god Siyu.Wu Li sent people to Dayuling in the south to cut down the thousand-year-old white sandalwood, gathered hundreds of craftsmen, and carved a giant dragon overnight, built a three-foot-high platform with blue soil, and enshrined the white dragon on it.On the other hand, more than a thousand rice men and dancers from middle schools were summoned to fast for three days, bathe and change clothes. Under the scorching sun, the great witch wears a snipe crown, a green robe, and holds a long sword.Thunder in all directions spread throughout the city of Yingdu. After three days of busy work, there is still no cloud in the sky.

This is almost never the case.The great witch is a god-like person, and if he asks for rain, even if the situation cannot be reversed, it can still bring a little rain and slightly improve the drought.However, this time it was a fiasco, and the big witch's face became more and more gloomy.And Qing Wang Qingren was also full of annoyance, but seeing the dejected look of the big witch, he still couldn't help showing an imperceptible smile, so he turned around and ordered Mrs. Queen Qing to arrange rewards to comfort the big and small witches. Mrs. Qing went to comfort the witches, and also visited Dawu by the way.Unexpectedly, as soon as she came back, she said this sentence: "Actually, the great witch also knows that it is impossible to pray for rain like this."

"Huh?" Qing Ren thought to himself, what else could he say. "The great shaman said that there are two ways to go about the technique of praying for rain. Right now, we are just blindly begging the dragon god for rain, but it doesn't work. From this point of view, we have to use another method to solve this drought." "You mean - burning witch?" Qing Ren asked with narrowed eyes. Mrs. Qing Anxin wanted to sell a trick to Qing Ren, but she didn't expect Qing Ren to know everything well, so she couldn't help admiring: "My lord is really very knowledgeable."

Qing Ren smiled, this is the knowledge he stole from the black pagoda of Gaotang Temple.According to legend, in ancient times, the daughter of the Emperor of Heaven left the world as a demon, causing a severe drought in the world.People in later generations believed that wherever there was a drought, there must be a witch. They also believed that such a witch with magic power must be a witch.As long as the witch who caused the disaster was found and burned in the hot sun, the drought would be relieved.It's just that burning in broad daylight is too cruel, and it is not uncommon for witches to be burned to death in the past and still have severe droughts, so the big witch hasn't used this method for a long time. Only this time the situation is special.There are not many witches in Qing Kui Kingdom.Moreover, who else could be called evil? Qing Ren looked at Mrs. Qing, "What does the queen mean?" Mrs. Qing lowered her eyes, "You must listen to the opinion of the great witch." After a pause, she continued: "My father also said that if the drought continues like this, I'm afraid... the people's hearts will change. Anyway, if even the method of burning witches is used Now, at least everyone won’t blame the Lord for not doing his best.” It makes sense, Qing Ren thought viciously, if I burn the big witch to death, wouldn't I work harder? Then, Madam Qing lamented, "It's just——I don't want to see such a terrible scene." Qing Ren suddenly felt disgusted and wanted to vomit, but he still smiled slightly, "Okay, please wish Princess Nan tomorrow." "Your Majesty is holy." Mrs. Qing knelt down and bowed.Unexpectedly, Qing Ren agreed so quickly without showing any anger when she summoned up the courage to say that Yao Ji should be burned to death. Ever since she became queen, the woman in the Gaotang Temple has become her confidant.Although there was no entanglement between the two, Qing Ren's understanding and trust in Yao Ji far exceeded that of a monarch in name of a princess.He even acquiesced in her meddling in Qing Kui's state affairs overtly and secretly.Even Qing's backer, the great witch who presides over the Qingkui Kingdom Temple, can't do anything to her.It seems that the rumors before the big wedding were not lies.As a queen who is not very favored, she cannot but be jealous.As an ally of the Great Witch, she had to guard against it. However, at this time, Qing Ren had no intention of protecting Yao Ji at all.As she walked, she rejoiced that maybe the saying in the harem that King Qing was bewitched by a witch was just a misunderstanding.Perhaps Qing Ren actually didn't take this subjugated princess seriously.If I knew this earlier, why bother to get rid of her so much. However, getting rid of hidden dangers is always a good thing.The young queen thought to herself, and felt content. In the next room, Qing Ren heaved a sigh of relief.A woman in white came out from the shadows, "Let me tell you, they will speak first. So—is it settled?" Qing Ren nodded. "Just undo my spell now." Yaoyao said. Qing Ren said with a smile: "If your spell is undone, you will run away in the dark, and still leave the disaster victims of our country alone. What should I do?" "Do you have any other options?" Yaoyao sneered. Qing Ren took her hand, loosened the jasper ring on her wrist, and said: "Tomorrow, you have to be careful." Yaoyao said: "I'm not that stupid, I would willingly let people put me on fire. It's just for my own freedom, don't worry." Qing Ren glanced at her, hesitated to speak, but took out something as white as moonlight, and stuffed it into her hand. "Huo Huansha?" "Well, I must wear it tomorrow." Yaoyao was dumbfounded.Huo Huansha is woven from the back hair of Huo Raccoon, a mythical beast in the Eastern Wilderness. It will become brighter even if it is not melted by fire. It has always been a treasure of the fairy family, and even she has never seen such a rare thing. After receiving the gauze, he just said: "After you get the rain, you must let me go, and you must not go back on your word." Qing Ren nodded. Even so, Mrs. Qing brought her four concubines from spring, summer, autumn and winter to the "Witch Burning" ceremony.During the rain-seeking period, one must "open the yin and close the yang". Men live in seclusion and women show their faces. Of course, as a queen, you must practice it yourself.Qing Fulan raised her eyes from behind the curtain and saw a bullock cart approaching slowly, she couldn't help but sighed slightly. "Even if you can't ask for rain, it would be the best thing to take this opportunity to burn this demon girl to death." The one who spoke was Concubine Qiu, the most beautiful of the four concubines. "What are you talking about!" Mrs. Qing immediately stopped her.Although Concubine Qiu seems to be quite favored by Qing Ren, she cannot be allowed to stir up trouble. The Ice Tribe witch was dressed in white and slowly climbed onto the fire.The posture of ice and snow reminds us of a celestial being.The crowd of onlookers seemed to be infected by a melancholy emotion, and they fell silent for a while, watching the woman walk towards the altar. Qing Ren saw it and was startled.Why, she didn't wear Huansha?How could she be so proud!Just as he was about to say hello, he saw a flash of fire, billowing thick smoke rising from Yaoyao's feet.The great witch raised his voice to pray, and the sound of praise, dance and music gradually became louder, permeating the smoke and dust.However, what Qing Ren could hear most clearly was the crackling sound of flames.Maybe it would be better if I could close my eyes and not look at it.The raging fire devoured the misty white clothes, and the scarlet was like burning human blood.And his palms were full of sweat. Suddenly, the center of the red flame exploded.The dazzling seven-color light hit Tianyu directly, and all the people were stabbed in the eyes by the dazzling sunlight, and they couldn't help but lower their heads.Suddenly, a louder sound broke out from the crowd. They saw a pure white phoenix soaring into the sky. The phoenix raised its head slightly, shook off the smoke and ashes from its wings, and slowly hovered over Yingdu with a light and proud posture.The noise of the crowd was suddenly choked up by pious and excited emotions. Some people were moved to tears because they could see the divine bird once in their life. Even Qing Ren couldn't say a word.It was the spirit of the phoenix bird hidden in her body.Qing Ren suddenly understood why she refused to wear Huo Huanyi. If she was bound by such a thing, she might not be able to change. In the sandalwood white dragon, a silvery white light suddenly flashed.The crowd was in an uproar again, and a dragon was also seen rising into the sky.Enraged by the phoenix dance, the Dragon God dashed in the air, aggressively.For a while, Bai Feng could only vacate to a higher place to avoid temporarily. All the spectators ran outside the house to watch the spectacular battle between dragon and phoenix. The dragon god ran wildly for a while but failed, and began to chase after Feng's footsteps, trying to wrap her body around her.The phoenix nimbly dodged it, but the dragon god moved even faster.For a moment, the clouds turned into cloud flowers, covering the figure of the phoenix. People let out a sigh of regret, watching the phoenix bird being entangled by the dragon god, unable to breathe.Suddenly, there was a slight mournful cry in the sky, and then the pale white feathers floated down. Qing Ren jumped up, pulled out his bow and arrow without thinking, and shot towards the eyes of Dragon God.One hit. The dragon god suddenly suffered pain, let go of the phoenix bird, and suddenly swooped down to the ground, rushing towards Qingren.Before everyone could applaud King Qing's unparalleled archery skills, they were all stunned suddenly. Qing Ren's face turned pale, and he released the second arrow at the Dragon God, barely hitting the sharp claws that were stretched towards him.The Dragon God became even more enraged, and he rushed down roaring loudly, seemingly not afraid of the pain.Before Qing Ren touched the third arrow, he saw the bloody dragon tongue. Just at this moment, a gust of smoke blew past. The moment Qing Ren put the arrow on the bow, the Dragon God had already disappeared from sight.I saw that the white phoenix had grabbed the dragon god with its claws in time.The dragon god fought fiercely, and the wind and clouds suddenly rolled up, and the clear sky changed.And Bai Feng did not relax, clutching the dragon's neck tightly to fight with it, enraged and ferocious, and did not let the dragon god in the slightest.The Dragon God was gradually lost, and after holding a cup of tea, Bai Feng finally pecked out the other eye of the Dragon God amidst the cheers of the crowd. The dragon god mourned, blood was sprinkled on the clouds, and the sky turned red.Bai Feng led him straight up into the sky, then suddenly threw him down from a high place, and hit the ground with a bang, shocking everyone.The dragon god immediately returned to the white sandalwood dragon, merged into one body and fell down quietly, and there was no more movement. The phoenix bird tamed the dragon god, proudly circled a few times in the air, then rushed back to the ground, picked up a piece of burning wood from the fire, and threw it at the white sandalwood dragon.With a bang, the wooden dragon turned into a white fire, which burned completely in an instant. Before everyone recovered their senses, they saw a flash of white light in the sky, and then rolling thunderstorms swept over from the sky, and the wind and clouds surged in an instant.The bright day, which was originally sunny, suddenly seemed to be dark.Amidst the excitement and panic, huge raindrops slammed onto the long-dried ground. The cheers of the whole country could be heard in Wanlizhong, and Qing Ren couldn't contain his excitement, and stood up from his seat. In the shadow behind Qing Ren, a female voice said in a low voice: "The Dragon God is tired and lazy. If he can't get what he wants, he will rise up agitated. If he subdues it, it will naturally rain." Qing Ren nodded.Only the phoenix is ​​the creature that can control the dragon god.He turned his head to look, only to see the figure of a woman in a green skirt flashing past. At this time, a feather fell in front of him.He bent down to pick it up, and wiped the rainwater off it with his hands.Even under the gloomy sky, the white feathers of the phoenix shone beautifully.Looking at the white feather, Qing Ren suddenly had a feeling of déjà vu, but couldn't remember where he had seen its splendor. There is a faint scent of white sandalwood in the rain.Mrs. Qing led everyone to the hall to shelter from the rain.Qing Wang Qingren leaned forward slightly in the corridor.In the white heavy rain, only a white shadow could be seen faintly in the extinguished fire, "Why doesn't Yaoyao come here to shelter from the rain?" Others replied: "I'm afraid it's a bit disrespectful." Qing Ren was stunned, so he ordered the palace servants to fetch the robes and send them over.At the side, Madam Qing had already ordered someone to prepare a set of items for Princess Zhu Nan to wash and change her clothes.After a while, a group of jubilant maids meandered towards the throne.Yaoyao in white was surrounded by the crowd, like a rising crescent moon.She walked two steps in front of Qing Ren, stopped, did not kneel down, but stretched out an arm to him, and smiled meaningfully.Qing Ren was puzzled. "You saved me with an arrow, but I still owe you. Then I won't leave for now." Yaoyao said. "Are you sure?" Qing Ren was a little surprised. "Master," Yaoyao said coldly, "Your archery skills are really good." Her tone made Qing Ren a little dazed.Qing Ren looked down at her slender body like a bird, like a beautiful phoenix dancing in the air.While he was admiring, some deep doubts quietly rose in his heart, but he couldn't confirm it to her, let alone face the fear after confirming it. He grabbed her outstretched arm, and still fastened the jasper bracelet of the forbidden curse on her. All the ministers came to congratulate.Only the great witch still sat quietly in a corner, and his disciples could only sit silently.Qing Ren almost felt that Da Wu was really old. Yaoyao followed behind Qing Ren, although she was tired, she had an undisguised pride on her face. Qing Ren took her hand and praised loudly in public: "Princess Zhu Nan has worked so hard and made great achievements. It is really the good fortune of my people." Yaoyao raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Then I will ask the Lord for a reward." Someone frowned below.A witch of a foreign race, who was favored by King Qingkui, and occasionally made a small contribution, dared to think so wrongly. Qing Ren pampered her, "What reward do you want?" Yaoyao said seriously: "I want Brother Wang to rectify the name of my Ice Clan wizard." There was an uproar in the hall. Not to mention the confrontation between the Great Witch faction and the Tianque Mountain faction, it is quite embarrassing to point out that the Ice tribe wizards are the direct descendants of the Iceshmiya royal family. Yaoyao raised her head and talked eloquently: "I, a wizard of the Ice Clan, is a descendant of Emperor Jinyun in ancient times, the blood of the great god Chisongzi, and the immortal law is upright and unfailing for thousands of years. But I was slandered by the big witch for being a demon. In the name of the rain, I fell to my death. May I ask you that you are upright, why the heavens refuse to listen to your pleadings? Some people violate the will of the heavens, and the drought will come from the sky. Those who are self-willed have always only known to blame others. Now, is the great witch? Have you thought about it, maybe it is you who went against the law and caused the disaster?" "Presumptuous!" Wu Li stood up, "Occasionally, when the demon tricks succeed, you will speak nonsense and confuse the crowd. How can God's will be decided by you?" "Oh?" Yaoyao opened her eyes wide, and said with a sneer, "Of course I can't decide God's will. But who has the final say on the rain in front of me?... The Dragon God only obeys the gods and witches who can defeat him Or, I asked him to stop the rain for you to see? It also saves you from being dissatisfied." "Don't mess around—" Qing Ren shouted. Yaoyao couldn't help being angry when she heard his tone, she simply said: "My lord, to tell the truth, I am a phoenix bird, and the dragon god is also afraid of me. I didn't want to ask for rain before, but this dragon didn't dare to see me. It’s because of ordinary wizards. If today, as the great witch wished, I was burned to death, I’m afraid that Qing Kui will never rain. Isn’t the great witch’s suggestion intentional to bring disaster to all people? At least it should be judged. It's a crime of old age and ignorance. Excuse me, if you can't even ask for rain, is the great witch still qualified to continue to be the leader of the Qingkui wizard?" Qing Ren was speechless, looking at Da Wu, Da Wu still looked calm and relaxed. Chief Assistant Qing Yannian couldn't bear it any longer, he stood up and said: "Remove the great witch, I fear that the people will not follow me." Even though the witch in front of me subdued the Dragon God, it wouldn't make her rise to the sky in one step, right?A great witch is a great witch after all.Qing Ren smiled and said: "Why is the princess so fond of talking about grievances today? I will never forget Princess Zhu Nan's hard work. You don't have to worry about other things." Just as Yaoyao was about to say something more, she suddenly heard Ren say: "The Ice Tribe wizards are also righteous. From now on, wizards from all countries will be equal to Qingkui wizards, and no one is allowed to slander them. Princess—I remember that you practiced Taoism in Tianque Mountain back then. Want to become Aunt Wu?" Aunt Wu——Yaoyao's heart was shocked.Princess Xinyuan's orchid-like figure in the wind appeared before her eyes again. "—But it's not in time." Qing Ren said earnestly, "From now on, Qing Kui will also have a witch, and that is you. The witch is the head of witches, second only to the great witch, and occupies the Gaotang Temple. The position of witch aunt has been passed down from generation to generation after Princess Zhunan Yaoji." Yaoyao knelt down and thanked her. It was night, deep in the Gaotang Temple, the moonlight was like water. The silver scissors are particularly conspicuous in the night.With a flash of the knife, a clump of Angelica dahurica fell into Qing Ren's palm.He carefully returned to the inner room with the bouquet in his hands. A calm girl in white took the flowers and threw them into a crystal basin.Candlelight shines from behind the crystal basin, flickering.And the distant fragrance of Angelica dahurica, like this faint candlelight, swayed gently in the room. "The great witch left after all. He left a letter, claiming that he was too old and weak to continue to serve as the high priest, so he left Yingdu and wandered. Are you satisfied?" Qing Ren asked. "I am satisfied?" Yaoyao snorted, "Actually, you are the one who is most satisfied." Qing Ren smiled, "Okay, then I would like to thank you for helping me to ask him to leave. In fact, Dawu is an upright person, but I can't let Qing's influence grow." "What's wrong with your relative sitting in the big seat?" "If the powerful and nobles are indulged too much, the people of Li will suffer. If the people do not live well, Qing Kui's national strength will be weakened, and I will end up like your father." Qing Ren sighed, "So, I must I have to be able to control them and not let them be too strong. If my strength alone is not enough, I will look for other allies, such as soldiers like Bai Dinghou, or wizards like you." Yaoyao glanced at him and sneered, "So I'm your ally." "I don't want to involve you either, but there are not many people I can trust." He smiled wryly. "It was his disciple Wu Xie who took over the position of high priest of the temple. Was it recommended by the great witch before he left?" Yaoyao said. "It's also the meaning of Shoufu. However, it's just a matter of time. I won't give Wu Xie too much real power, and I won't even let him sit in this position for a long time." Qing Ren said, looking at her meaningfully . "I understand." Yaoyao smiled.He thought that Qing Ren was just letting her try to get rid of the person who controlled him, but he didn't expect that he was still planning to let her get more things. It seemed that he planned to use her as a pawn for a long time. "It's good that you understand." Qing Ren smiled wryly. Yaoyao looked at the Angelica dahurica flowers in the pot.This kind of flower is so weak and sensitive that it has a yellowish color after being baked by the light.She sighed. "Why are you..." Qing Ren suddenly spoke again. "Why what?" "When you become a phoenix, you can fly away." Across the crystal-like flowers, his searching eyes were also bright. Yaoyao lowered her head and was silent for a long time, "I'm just used to this." Qing Ren's heart fluttered for a while, and he grabbed her sleeve unconsciously.She hurried out of the way and hid behind the light. "Qing Ren," she said suddenly, "you have been married for a long time, do you have any children?" Qing Yi was taken aback.When she asked this out of the blue, the mist of tenderness between the two was instantly broken.He twisted his head irritably, "No." She stared at him with an unpredictable smile on her face, "Why not?" "I don't know," he replied coldly, "It's God's will." The new high priest, Wu Xie, is the nephew of Chief Assistant Qing Yannian and the cousin of Queen Qing Fulan.His real name is Qing Boxie, and he was already forty years old when he got the title of Wu Xie.He is not the most outstanding disciple of the Great Witch. Before him, there are several brothers who are outstanding wizards. For example, the spells of witch rituals are very high.But Dawu finally made him his heir.This is also due to Qing Kui's actual situation.A wizard who wants to gain the highest power cannot escape the support of the powerful and nobles.On the one hand, Dawu is the patron of the Qing clan in Mianzhou. On the other hand, to a certain extent, Dawu also relies on the Qing clan to win connections for him and improve his reputation.Therefore, Wu Xie, who was born in the Qing family, naturally became the heir of the Great Wu, which was a tacit understanding between both parties. Sitting under the dripping eaves of Fenghua Garden, Wu Xie licked the secret snow pea and chrysanthemum tea made in the palace one mouthful, while listening carefully to Qing Fulan's talk about the right and wrong in the palace.The Qing family in Mianzhou has a strict family, before she married, Qing Fulan only saw this cousin from afar at one or two family ceremonies. On the contrary, after she got married, as a queen, she often went to the shrine to worship, and Wu Xie often came forward to be courteous, so they became acquainted with each other. "The last time I asked for a child for the queen, I wonder if it worked?" Wu Xie asked cautiously. Qinghou frowned, "Concubine Qiu is pregnant." Wu Xie was surprised, "How? How long has it been?" "How do I know—I haven't even heard the news." Qinghou shook her head, very annoyed, "Yesterday they quietly went to the Gaotang Temple and asked Wugu for a signature. I didn’t know until I was older. Hmph—it’s a good concealment!” It has been several years since King Qing succeeded to the throne, one empress and four concubines never gave birth, and even the inferior concubines and maids were silent.As the queen, Mrs. Qing needed a prince to consolidate her position, so naturally she was most anxious.However, it was Concubine Qiu who was the first to conceive. "Don't be nervous," Wu Xie said, "Concubine Qiu's background cannot be compared with yours." Concubine Qiu's father Shi Xiangluo was Shi Huiming, a scholar of Longyuan Pavilion.Although Shi Dashi's reputation was great, he was only a clear stream, far from being able to compete with the powerful Shoufu family. Qinghou was silent.Among the women in the harem, although she is the most prominent one, she is also the one Qing Ren dislikes the least.Qing Ren treated the concubines with a pleasant face and respect.But even the little court lady who sweeps the floor knows that when the king is away from the festival, he rarely visits the queen's bedroom, Fenghuayuan. "What should I do?" Qinghou said to herself, "Go and ask Aunt Wu for me? What happened yesterday." Wu Xie felt very embarrassed.In his eyes, Aunt Wu was a cold and arrogant woman who would not buy it from anyone except King Qing.Moreover, he also knew that Aunt Wu's magic power was higher than his, and she was his biggest enemy.After the ceremony of praying for rain, half of the people in Yingdu visited the newly built Gaotang Temple.As the high priest, he felt quite uncomfortable. But the queen's confession must be fulfilled.With the support of the Qing family, his position as the high priest was secured. Seeing Aunt Wu, she didn't mind at all, and the ambergris was burning in her stove.Wu Xie smelled it as soon as he stepped into the Gaotang Temple.This kind of rare overseas famous incense is only qualified to be used by King Qing, not even in the queen's bedroom.But speaking of it, Aunt Wu is a princess conferred by the current king in order to win over the survivors of the Ice Race. "What's the matter? I heard the queen talk about it today, and the queen is also very concerned." "It's because I'm not good enough, I'm not cultivated enough, I can't hold my breath," Yaoyao blamed herself, "I made the high priest laugh at me." "where." "Actually, it's nothing," Yaoyao said lightly, "Concubine Qiu is pregnant for the first time, she is a little nervous, so she said a few more words. In my Gaotang Temple, there are virgins serving the gods. Well, it would be inappropriate to listen to what she said. As a princess, she left the palace without permission and came to me, which is really disgraceful. That's why I said a few words to her. " "I see." Yaoyao smiled.The situation of yesterday is still vivid.That woman came here like crazy.She said that her palace maid had gone to inform her. She had secretly kept the child and didn't dare others to know about it. Now she couldn't survive.After much deliberation, I had no choice but to ask Aunt Wu. She asked for the protection of Aunt Wu, did she think that Aunt Wu had boundless magic power, or did she think that Aunt Wu was more favored and powerful than her in front of King Qing?Yaoyao's face sank for a moment, how could the affairs of the palace disturb the worship of the gods?What's more, she doesn't want to take care of the jealousy among "they". But Concubine Qiu said that the matter had come to an end, if she went back to the palace, it would be a dead end.Then she might as well die here with Aunt Wu. Yaoyao had to calm down and think. This had nothing to do with her, but she suddenly thought of the woman called "Queen" in the palace, with a pale complexion and a gentle expression, with emerald rings on her slender fingers.Such a slender hand actually controlled the fate of so many weak women. King Qing didn't know why, but he didn't care much about women.On the one hand, it led to the decline of children, and on the other hand, it also made the queen more powerful, almost doing whatever she wanted.There have always been rumors in the palace that the queen charged all pregnant maids with the crime of adultery and quietly executed them; if the concubines were pregnant, they would have abortions without exception.In order to have a child, Concubine Qiu kept it a secret for three months, not even letting her close maid know about it, because the queen's eyes and ears are everywhere.But there are always times when I can't hide it, and I find that the wind has leaked, so I rush out. Maybe the woman has already heard the news.Why should I let her be proud. —she said to herself.So Concubine Qiu was left behind. However, there are so many artifacts and medicinal herbs in the Gaotang Temple, and if you don't pay attention to it, you will violate the taboo, so it is really not suitable for pregnant women to live in.Moreover, Yaoyao couldn't bear such a woman dangling in front of her eyes, so she turned around and asked someone to inform Qing Ren, and did not forget to add an inscription that she should rest outside so that the mother and child can be safe.Everything was arranged for this unlucky woman. In the evening, the palace sent a car to take Concubine Qiu directly to the mansion of the Grand Scholars. The mansion was closed at the time of Jiaoshi, no one was allowed in, and assassins were strictly guarded against. She arranged these things very skillfully, and when Qing Ren got the news, she would be aware of it.This time, that woman's hatred for her probably swelled up again like the green water in the flood period, right? Wu Xie in front of him is easier to deal with.In front of Wu Xie, she is just a witch of Gaotang Temple, she is only responsible for divination, and doesn't like to ask about the rest. It's just a witch, although it's a bit special, it won't pose too much threat to him.Wu Xie looked at Wu Gu Qingyao's back, thinking about it in his heart. "Then—from Aunt Wu's point of view, this baby is indeed a boy?" "It's inconvenient to talk about it." Yaoyao said with a smile, "My lord ordered that no discussion is allowed." Wu Xie was slightly disappointed. "I've put a bunch of day lilies on Concubine Qiu," Yaoyao said, "After July, we will see the result." "What does day lily mean?" "Hemerocallis Yinan." "Aunt Wu knows a lot." "The high priest has given me the honor. Some knowledge of herbal medicine was learned in my home country. Look at the fragrant herbs in my garden, many of which are collected from the mountains in the upper reaches of Qingshui." Wu Xie suddenly seemed very interested. Yaoyao showed him one by one, "Rainbow Grass can indicate auspiciousness, Dream Grass can know the likes and dislikes of dreams, Qingtian Kernel can turn water into wine, Immortal Grass can prolong life..." "So—what should we avoid?" "Eh? What are you avoiding..." Yaoyao couldn't help but her eyes flickered when she heard this. Could it be that this person asked her for something. As she was thinking, she said casually, "For example, red medicine can hurt gold and stones, Baishan plover can cause strong wind, flying grass can hurt children, flying grass can hurt women, all kinds of taboos, it's hard to describe in detail." "It sounds amazing. Qing Kui doesn't have so much knowledge about medicinal herbs." Wu Xie rubbed his hands and said. "Jinyun, the founding emperor of our country, was the first outstanding pharmacist throughout the ages. He compiled a volume of "Pharmacist's Genealogy" and passed it down from generation to generation. The knowledge of these herbs is just the surface." Wu Xie asked: "That is really a wonderful book. I don't know if there is a complete copy of the "Pharmacist's Manual" in the world today?" "Yes, there is." Yaoyao thought for a while, and said, "If the high priest is interested, there is a "Pharmacist's Manual" in the library of my temple. There are some records on it, which are worth reading." As he spoke, he beckoned.The maid came out with a handful of thick scrolls.Wu Xie did not expect Yaoyao to take out the book so generously, and was overjoyed.When he turned the pages of the book with great interest, he found that the "Yao Shi Pu" was written in the ancient Ice language, and he couldn't understand it, so he couldn't help but secretly complained.He had to flip through the old book and pay attention to the diagram of the grass.Finally he said with a smile: "I have never been able to understand the knowledge of Baicao, and I can't even understand it. It's better to ask Aunt Wu for advice on everything, it's more convenient." "Don't dare to take it seriously. This book is a bit difficult, and ordinary people just look at the pictures." Wu Xie looked at the picture carefully, hesitated for a moment, and said: "After reading the atlas, I am even more curious about the real thing. I heard that there are many herbs raised in Aunt Wu's yard. I wonder if there are varieties in the book. Let me Open your eyes?" This remark was very abrupt, Yaoyao couldn't help being startled, after thinking about it, she understood a little bit, so she said: "It's a great honor for the high priest to show his face to look at my flowers and plants." Wu Xie's face almost glowed, "That's great." "Then ask the high priest to follow me to the backyard to have a look." Wu Xie got up and followed, with a silly smile on his face.So Yaoyao completely understood his intention.As she introduced her medicinal herbs to him, smile lines appeared in her heart, like ripples on the surface of dark water.The seeds have been sown, and how they will grow in the future will depend on the stormy season. At that moment, Yaoyao seemed to see a figure in a green dress swaying under the pillar outside, with a serene and gentle smile, with a hint of sarcasm faintly.She froze. "Princess, why are you bothering?" Xue Li said. "It's because they have malice in their hearts, so it's none of my business." She regretted it in her heart, but still insisted. "That's not what I meant," Xue Li said, "You could have done nothing, so why bother. Have you forgotten? In fact, no matter what, Qing Ren's children will not survive." "Shut up!" Yaoyao's eyes widened. Xie Li's words made her shudder.For the first time in so many years, she scolded her intimate puppet. "Don't mention that to me, I don't want to hear it!" "Princess..." The puppet shook his head and let out a pitiful sigh. In the autumn of the three hundred and ninety-seventh year of the Qingkui calendar, the concubine Qiu gave birth to a Lin'er, and the whole country celebrated with joy.青王大喜，赐名“赤乐”。宫中喜气洋洋，大臣家眷竞相入宫，向秋妃和小赤乐王子送礼道贺。就连秋妃的母家，时大学士的府上，也是门庭若市，车马喧嚣。青王清任多年无子嗣，头胎男孩生得活泼健壮，备受宠爱。虽然清任冷淡寡情，素不以后宫为念，但这小公子的情形却是一日都要问起两三回。大家都说，这小公子必然是要登大统的。 一个月后，小公子出水痘，着太医看过。神堂大巫亲自祝祷，为小公子乞福延寿。王后庆氏更是在宫中带头斋戒沐浴，甚至祈求神明将灾病转到自己身上。其实小儿出水痘，乃是常见的症候。只是小公子太过宝贵了。这一翻折腾忙碌，似乎还真有效验。小公子的病，看似渐渐好了起来。 清任却总有些不安。他悄悄来到高唐庙中，向巫姑问卦。 瑶瑶一言不发，抓了一把蓍草洒在地上，看了一眼。 "how?" 瑶瑶说不出话来。 “你说啊。” 瑶瑶掐指算了算，忽然苦笑，“你回去就知道了。” 清任顿时如五雷轰顶，飞马奔回宫中。看见宫门口停着巫谢的车架，于是立刻知道瑶瑶的警告应验了。这时他悲极，反倒沉静下来。跨入秋妃的宫殿，正看见后妃几个都在，围在小小的摇篮边低声啜泣。 太医惶惶地扑在青王脚下，“禀王上，小公子因……因……因水痘不治……而亡。” “昨天不是说已经缓过来了？”清任冷冷问道。 “臣……臣……”太医不停地磕头。 清任捏紧了拳头，此刻他一定要忍住自己的爆发。然则他实是忍无可忍。 末了他低低吼了一句：“限你们十天，给我查清楚！” 几个妃子都猛然扬起泪眼，王的声音都变了，可见这场暴风雨势必要来临。 太医双膝发颤，根本不能站起来了。倒是巫谢于心不忍，说：“小孩子体弱，病中反复也是常见……”他说到一半就打住了，因为清任凌厉的眼风扫了过来。 太医们查了几天，断定小太子死于中毒。然而追问是什么毒，却始终查不出个所以然出来。青王下了旨意，免除太医院一个月的俸禄，同时责令大祭司巫谢主持占卜，请出神示。巫谢选用了扶鸾请乩的方法，并请青王观看。他备下沙盘，画上脸谱，焚香祝祷，等候神明附着在他自己身上，然后用木笔在沙盘上写出答案。不一会儿，巫谢似乎神上身了，手中的木笔缓缓移动起来。 青王带着一众后妃，都死死地盯住了那支笔。 结果沙盘上只有两个字：“扶摇。” “扶摇是何意？”清任拧起了眉头。 巫谢摇摇头。 “你都不知道？” 巫谢慌忙跪下，“主上恕罪，臣才疏学浅……臣想……” "what?" “臣的师父应该知道。” 清任紧紧地瞪着巫谢，看得他直发毛，末了终于说：“那就去问你师父，快！” “师父归隐之后，无人知道他的所在。”巫谢小心翼翼道。 清任忍无可忍，“就算你不知道，首辅总是知道的！” “是——”巫谢战战兢兢地说，“我这就派人通知首辅。” 秋妃忽然扑了上来，“主上，主上，我的王儿死得冤啊……主上，请您为我做主啊……” 清任只觉得一种强烈的厌倦涌入胸臆，猛然退了两步。 “主上——这宫里就是杀人的地方，是地狱啊——” 这话说得过份了，庆王后皱了皱眉头，忍不住开言道：“人有祸福旦夕。小小孩童，更是难保。难道我们不心疼？难道小公子只是你一个人的小公子？你拖着主上的袍子，口口声声说主上的王宫是杀人的地方，究竟什么意思！” 秋妃猛然站起来，睁着一双布满血丝的眼睛，向庆后冲过去。大家还没反应过来，只听见“啪”的一声，庆后脸上留下了红红的几道指印。 庆后吓呆了，竟然毫无反应。 秋妃疯了似地尖声高叫：“你敢说不是你——你敢说不是你！这宫里谁的孩子不是死在你手里——” 庆后终于反应过来，“哇”的一声大哭起来。秋妃索性扑在她身上，又扯又抓。 “放肆！”清任压低声音吼道。 还是春妃白雍容实在看不过去，冲上去把秋妃拉了下来。旁边的宫女们也才醒悟过来，忙忙地扶起哭成泪人儿的王后，掺了她下去更衣梳洗。 清任有些头晕，一刻也不想在这神庙中待下去了。扔下一句“看好她们”，匆匆便往外面走。 隔了几日，信使携着大巫的亲笔信回来了，神情满是古怪。 “这么快就找到了大巫？”清任翻了翻信纸，居然轻轻一笑。使者注意到青王的表情，心下惊疑不定。 “大巫来信的内容，想来你已经知道？”清任看见信使的踌躇之态，遂问。 “呃，微臣并不知道。”信使说，“不过大巫已经向微臣说明情况。” 清任冷笑：“我派你去，只是当个信鸽子。有什么话，他在信里告诉我就是，我自有定夺。他要向你说明个什么？” 信使一听，扑通一声就跪下了，“主上恕罪。” 清任道：“你见我之前，先去见了庆首辅，对吧？” 信使听得浑身直冒冷汗，“主上恕罪，主上恕臣不告之罪……” “你讲。” “大巫说，兹事体大。扶摇草是一种冰族上古相传的一种仙草，极为稀罕。当年，缙云帝在天阙山梦华峰中觅得一株，移植皇宫内苑。故当世别无第二，寻常人也是得不到的。冰族传说中，扶摇草伤孩童，所以，当是一种剧毒的草药。如此看来，作恶的乃是……只能是……冰族公主巫姑瑶姬。” 清任点了点头。大巫会如此说，并不出他的意料。 “大巫又说，巫姑法力强大，若惊动了她，让她风闻消息有所准备，只怕不容易擒住了。”信使偷偷地抬眼看了下青王，“故交待微臣，回到郢都，当先面见首辅，请首辅拿下巫姑再说。” 清任猛然震了一下，“首辅已经发兵了？” “是……应该已经将巫姑带往狱神庙了。”信使战战兢兢道。虽然铁证如山，但是没有青王的旨意就捉拿巫姑，到底也是犯上僭越的事情。 “原来你们眼里，只有大巫，没有主上啊，”清任瞳孔明显收缩了一下，“也难怪，大巫身在江湖，不忘庙堂。倒是尔等的绝佳榜样。” 信使伏地不起，“大巫绝无犯上之意。” “是了，我料大巫也不会有这种吩咐。大巫在朝中多年，克己奉公，谨小慎微。他怎么会这么傻，教你们做这种事情，他自己担责任？”清任冷冷道。 “主上明鉴。” “其实，你们根本就没有去见大巫，想犯上的是你们罢！” 信使瘫软了。 清任立刻吩咐左右押下此人。 清任是真的怒了。在他匆匆赶往狱神庙的路上，首辅庆延年的使者才赶过来禀明此事。清任窝了一肚子的火，默不做声。走过来的时候，注意到狱神庙内一路设了重重关卡，清任看见地上门楣上还画了符咒，想是连巫谢都已经来过。当真是轰轰烈烈如临大敌，看得清任愈发恼火了。直到他看见瑶瑶静如春树的身影，心里才略微宽了宽。他们到底也不敢虐待瑶瑶，把她关在了一间雅洁的房间里。 “王上，”首辅庆延年专侯在门外，一脸愁苦地进谏，“事已至此，请王上尽快裁夺。” 清任点点头，推门就进去了。瑶瑶转过身来，望了他一眼，一脸不忿和嘲笑。 庆延年连忙跟进，继续道：“恕老臣直言，这些冰族遗民，贼心不死。不思图报王恩，竟然加害王储。此番若不严惩……” “庆大人，”瑶瑶冷冷地打断了他，“我说过找巫谢过来对质，你倒是叫没叫他啊？” 庆延年被这种倨傲的腔调狠狠地噎了一下，正欲反唇相讥，只听见青王清任也跟着说：“那么叫巫谢也过来。” “他即刻便到。”庆延年鼓了嘴，再不说话。 清任和瑶瑶都不吭声。庆延年心里在打鼓，照理说铁证如山，清任也难以维护她，却不知道瑶瑶葫芦里卖的什么药。一会儿巫谢来了，瑶瑶便冲着巫谢道：“祭司大人，我一早便被关在这里，未知今日天气如何？” 巫谢一愣，并未反应过来她在说什么，随口便道：“我来的时候黑云满天，怕是要下雨了。” “那好啊，”瑶瑶道，“主上，我们是否可以回高唐庙去看个明白。” “主上，万万不可。”庆延年一步上前，拦在前头说，“高唐庙是这个妖女栖身之地，早被她做尽手脚，主上不可涉险。” “庆大人，”瑶瑶厉声道，“我在向主上申诉，可没有问你的意思。纵然是我犯下过失，也应由刑部处置。庆大人身为首辅，就该去天枢院料理文书去，跑到这里来做什么。您的手也未免伸得太长了。” 庆延年青筋暴起，喝道：“来人，给我将这妖女捆上。” “慢着，”清任终于开言，“既然巫姑的园子里发现了扶摇草，自然还是应该去高唐庙。” 这等于是当面反驳庆延年。老头儿怒极反笑，“那是否臣就不用陪同了？” 清任道：“首辅同去吧。” “不错，”瑶瑶立刻道，“有些事情，庆大人也应当看看。看了才明白。” 天气正如巫谢所说的那般阴沉。高唐庙后院的花圃里，像是被暴雨冲刷过似的狼藉不堪，为了寻找扶摇草，庆延年带来的卫队把药草毁损得七七八八的。瑶瑶轻轻叹了一声。 “扶摇草正是在这里发现的，你还有什么话可说？” 瑶瑶并不回答。她在草丛中寻觅了一会儿，发现还剩有三两株扶摇草，于是请众人静观其变。 庆延年皱紧了眉头。他感觉到瑶瑶的有恃无恐，这个“恃”来自何处，他当然清清楚楚。 刮风了。带着雨水腥气的风卷入庭院，在墙脚打着漩涡儿，把尘土和残破的草叶拨弄得团团转。 清任他们惊讶地看见，那几株残留的扶摇草一根根竖了起来，迎风起舞。而在扶摇草的周围，渐渐绕起了一圈圈黑色的旋风。那旋风越来越大，越来越高，就像一卷黑色的长鞭，在风中一下下地抽打着。 “巫谢大祭司，”瑶瑶冷然道，“直到现在你还以为，扶摇草致人死地是因为它的毒性，是吗？也难怪，连你师父都那么说。” 巫谢白了白脸，“我对草药，自然远不及你精通。” “那么你可看好了，”瑶瑶说，“扶摇草并不是什么毒药，它之所以可以伤人，是因为它可以召唤飘风之气，尤其是在风雨天里。飘风之气，其实也就是雨天的湿寒之气，中了飘风之气，每每易患伤风。伤风感冒，大人尚可，小孩子体弱，最难抵御，所以也有扶摇草伤孩童一说。不过这小小的伤风，也不会让孩子送了性命。所以扶摇草根本不是厉害的草，要破解它也极其容易。” "how?" 瑶瑶不言语，走到那小黑旋风的旁边，敏捷地将最后三根扶摇草连根拔起。 风顿时停了。 “你们也看见了，扶摇草离开土地是绝不可能兴风作浪的。所以，不要说我从未进宫，即使是我进得去，带上草叶子，小公子绝不可能被我的扶摇草所伤害。小公子定是死于普通毒物，凶手故意引用扶摇草之名，想要一箭双雕，嫁祸于我。” “你这是诡辩。”巫谢青挺着脖子争论道。 “何以是诡辩？” “什么召唤飘风之气，只不过是你的术法罢了。我师父的信已经说了，扶摇草是剧毒的草。你莫非想要说，是大巫嫁祸于你。” 瑶瑶微笑，“大巫是怎样想的，我不知道。不过对于扶摇草的性质么……他毕竟不是冰族巫师，或者只是道听途说。” “师父博闻广识，严谨端方，怎会用道听途说之辞敷衍主上？” “我想也是，大巫是不会轻信道听途说之辞的。他老人家向来明辨是非，不会使用自己不了解的东西。”瑶瑶意味深长地点点头，“那么……又是谁听信了道听途说之辞？把扶摇草当毒药了呢？” 巫谢看着她漆黑的眼睛，不禁打了个冷战。He understood a little bit. “那封信，真的是大巫亲手写的么？还是有人僭越……其实大巫避居深山已久。要访问他，几天之内怎么可能走个来回。恐怕根本没有人去找大巫，而是有人出马代替大巫写了回信吧？” 巫谢哑口无言。 瑶瑶不管他，自顾自继续道，“就不知道，这样的做法是大巫早就默许了呢，还是庆——” “——好了！”清任忽然出声喝止了她，“不用再说了。” 瑶瑶顿住了。事情到了这一步，清任不能允许她再说下去了。 首辅庆延年一声不吭，已然面如死灰。 清任冷笑一声，竭力遏制住自己的震怒，用一种不耐烦的语气道：“既如此就简单了。虽不知小公子究竟死于何种毒物，但是下手的必定是冒充大巫手笔的人。” “主上觉得是谁？”瑶瑶试探道。 清任冷笑了一声：“还会是谁？就是那个熟悉大巫的人，也就是那个在沙盘上写下'扶摇'两个字的人！” 巫谢张大了嘴。阴谋的牢笼，不偏不倚地罩到了他自己头上。他主掌神殿的时间，还不超过一年，是青夔历史上最短命的大祭司。 “我真想杀了那个女人。” 庆延年和巫谢走的走，被抓的被抓，众人散去。等到高唐庙中再次只剩下了清任和瑶瑶二人，愤怒的清任终于咬牙切齿说出了这句话。 但是他不能真的那么做。首辅的权力还很大，背后还有诸多贵族的支持，现在还不是杀他女儿的时机。 容许这样的女人继续做王后，清任已经是忍而再忍。瑶瑶淡淡道：“你会怎么处置她？ “从此以后，将她彻底置入冷宫，只保留王后的名义。”清任道，“我只能让到这一步。如果这样她的父亲还有不满，那就不能客气了。他也该知道，我本来有理由灭了他一族。现在只杀他一个巫谢，已经格外开恩。” “现在要拔除庆氏是不可能的。不过他的父亲对于这件事情，当不敢再置一词，毕竟你们讨价还价这么半天了。”瑶瑶说，“只是这一次以后，主上和庆氏也差不多势同水火了。主上你这一方固然开始咄咄逼人，而首辅那一方也会格外留意。” 其实，挑起矛盾的开头，再慢慢撕裂，才是清任的本来目的。不过此时，听见瑶瑶的正确分析，他感到索然无味，身体和头脑都一样的疲惫，像是蒙了一层厚厚的灰烬。 “还要多谢你，”清任道，“不是你帮忙，没有那么快就把他们抓出来。” “呵，为主上效劳么……也是没办法的事情呀，”瑶瑶顿了顿，忽然道，“你一直怀疑是王后的？” 清任点头，“一开始我就认定是她。” “那么多人，偏偏怀疑她。王后也不好做啊。”瑶瑶敷衍着。 “只是，如今虽然有了证据，我总有些不踏实的感觉。王后毕竟是大家闺秀，用堕胎药损害那些怀孕宫人，她真的做得出这种事情么？” 杀死小公子固然是庆后自己拿的主意，但是扶摇草的说法分明是她暗示给巫谢的。巫谢已经没有辩白的余地，就算有，不学无术的他也不可能知道事情是怎么回事——当初瑶瑶指给他看的草药，并不是扶摇草，而真正是一种剧毒的草药，形貌很相似。他收买了高唐庙的侍女，从瑶瑶的苗圃里偷走了这种草药，并且用它毒死了小公子。瑶瑶就在原来的地方补种上了扶摇草。 那个侍女已经被巫谢杀死灭口，没有任何证人留下。 这一切都是在瑶瑶的周密注视下进行的。 “你——就没有怀疑过，会不会是我？”她忍不住冲口而出。 “怎么可能是你。”清任喃喃地说。这话他自己都觉得无力，一方面他也有些恐惧地想到，为什么瑶瑶能揭出真相呢？难道她一直都冷眼旁观、心知肚明？他摇了摇头，努力把这可怕的念头从脑子里驱逐出去，“不可能是你，你一向那么冷静。” 冷静，这个词语让她一颤。 她冷静吗？根本就不是。如薜荔所言，不管她是否插手，小公子终归是会死的。所有的青夔国王室后代，都会死于非命。她只需要心平气静地看着就可以了。可是她起身行动了，用了阴谋去报复庆拂兰。 原来她也是在嫉妒着，在疯狂地嫉妒着他的“那些女人”。 “我是化外之人，不懂得人世间的感情，所以当然冷静。”她索然地说。 他静静地看着她，不懂得她何以说出这样的话，同时却顷刻间气息慌乱。 夜雨敲窗，院子中间那个飘满浮萍的小水池，大约已经涨满了，呖呖啦啦的水声不绝于耳，敲打着长夜的遐思。瑶瑶有些恍然。只是她不能再去看他的眼睛，生怕里面的痛楚太硬太脆，硌到了自己。 “我的孩子，毕竟还是死了。”良久，他说道，“也许我永远不会有孩子了。” She froze.他的脸上，分明写满了深切的痛意。她接不上他的话，只是沉默着。 “瑶瑶，瑶瑶，”他像是在自言自语，“你是爱我的人，你怎么能无动于衷？我的孩子死了，生下来不到一个月