C73

"Your majesty, the empress dowager invites the emperor to visit the Shoukang Palace." The palace maid stopped in front of the emperor and gave him a proper bow.

Lin Yi felt a little guilty, although his mother's relationship with royal father was shallow, they were still husband and wife. With the death of his father, his mother's heart would definitely ache, but he, his most beloved son, had never gone to comfort his mother.

"I'll go now." Lin Yi hesitated for a moment, then walked back into the hall and changed into his dragon robe.

The empress dowager had already moved to the Shoukang Palace for several days, but she hadn't seen Lin Yi come to set the province for good. She thought he was busy, but when she heard that he had left the palace today, she immediately became angry.

Lin Yi entered the palace, but there was no sign of the empress dowager.

The palace maid who brought him here pointed at the buddhist hall and said, "The empress dowager is waiting for the emperor at the buddhist hall."

Lin Yi nodded, leaving the eunuchs and palace maids behind him outside the door as he walked in.

The Buddhist hall was dark, with only a few oil lamps lit. In front of a shrine made of sandalwood, a few Buddhist scents burned, causing people to feel a little stifled.

Her Majesty was forty-three years old this year, and was well cared for without showing any signs of old age. She was dressed in plain clothes, and on her head was a white silk flower. She knelt in front of the Buddha, closed her eyes, and began to chant.

"Greetings to mother." Lin Yi bowed and said respectfully.

Her Majesty acted as if she hadn't heard anything as she continued to play with the buddhist beads in her hands, softly praising the buddhist scriptures.

Lin Yi guessed that the empress dowager was angry, so he obediently kneeled on the ground and waited for the empress dowager's anger to dissipate.

The buddhist hall was paved with bluestone bricks and was extremely cold. The empress dowager still felt sorry for her son, so she didn't have the heart to make Lin Yi kneel for too long.

"Get up." Her Majesty slowly stood up and turned around to look at her son.

Lin Yi stood up, a head taller than the Empress Dowager.

"You've grown up." Her Majesty sighed.

"Mother, you've worked hard." Lin Yi bent his waist and said.

"With the Yan Clan killing them all, the harem has also quieted down. Thinking about it, it really is rather boring." Her Majesty pointed out.

The former Imperial Concubine Yan was involved in the Yan family's rebellion, but after remembering that she had a son, Lin Yi ordered her to be buried in the Royal Tomb.

Lin Yi knew what the empress dowager was thinking and hesitated for a moment. "This child already has someone he likes, but …"

The empress dowager raised an eyebrow. "Which lady is it?"

"Su Clan." Lin Yi gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"Su Clan?" The empress dowager's mind quickly ran through all the famous doors in the capital with the surname Su. After thinking it over, she could only think of the former justice court official.

"Su Shao's daughter, Su Mu. Even though she is a woman, there is still a deep ravine in her chest. It could even be said that she is an extremely virtuous person. " Lin Yi said confidently.

The empress dowager forced herself not to interrupt Lin Yi. After Lin Yi finished speaking, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath: "Su Shao is dead, Su Mu is only an orphan. She can't help you in any way." Your foundation in the dynasty is still shallow. What you need is not a good wife, but a girl that your family can depend on. "

Hearing Lin Yi's words, the empress dowager continued, "If you want to marry Su Mu, that is fine. However, the position of empress must be left to others, such as the daughter of the governor of Jiang and Zhe provinces, Hu Chi. Similarly, even if it's Qingfeng, I won't let her sit in the position of Empress. " The empress dowager did prefer light wind, but in front of the imperial power, all friendship was as thin as a piece of paper. One poke and it was easily broken …

When Lin Yi heard the Empress Mother mention Huzi, he guessed that someone on HuRui's side had raised the matter and wondered if this was HuRui's idea. He knew that the empress dowager's words were reasonable, but he couldn't bear to make Su Mu suffer such grievances.

When the empress dowager saw Lin Yi shake his head, her heart was filled with anger. However, she knew that Lin Yi was no longer a child she had requested from her before, so she replied with a face full of love, "If you insist, mother won't force you. I just hope that you can make the right choice. "

Lin Yi supported Her Majesty out of the buddhist hall. The outside of the temple was much brighter than the inside, and there was no strong Buddhist scent.

"Have you gone to see the empress dowager?" Her Majesty went out into the courtyard, squinting at the blue sky.

The empress dowager had been poisoned by her imperial bodyguards, but because it looked bad on the outside, it was said to be an occasional chill on the part of the outside world. As a result, he had just recovered from the poison. Not long after he woke up, he realized that he had been bitten by a wolf that had been raising him for more than ten years.

"Once." When the empress dowager had just collapsed, Lin Yi found time to take a look. Although the empress dowager's style wasn't too good, she wasn't a traitor. Although her mother wasn't very obedient, if she didn't cause trouble, Lin Yi was still willing to respectfully pamper her and allow her to live the rest of the year.

"Time flies so fast. Unknowingly, I have also sat at the same spot where she used to sit. Time passes by without anyone noticing." Her Majesty sighed with emotion.

Lin Yi folded a white hibiscus flower in the courtyard and stuck it behind the empress dowager's ear. "Mother is at the prime of her life."

"You're the only one who knows how to make a fool of people." The empress dowager shot a pout at Lin Yi and caressed the flowers behind her ears, her heart churning with an indescribable emotion.

Lin Yi grew up in her palace, and when he was young, he was very close to her. He would gather all kinds of flowers in the courtyard, and then cry and bring them to her. Afterwards, as he grew older, he was brought up by the Emperor and moved to live in the East Palace.

Lin Yi smiled at her.

"You have a lot to do recently, so go and busy yourself first. You don't need to accompany me anymore." The empress dowager was well aware that the royal family didn't have so many tender feelings for their children.

Lin Yi bowed and left.

Looking at Lin Yi's vigorous back, the empress dowager sighed and removed the hibiscus in her hair. After a while, the hibiscus had withered away from the branch. The Empress dropped the hibiscus on the ground and went gloomily back to her room.

Lin Yi thought about it for a moment, then changed his clothes and left the palace.

Lin Yi first went to look for a bag of Floating Life. Bao Liusheng was framed and sent to the justice courts. Although Lin Yi was on full guard, he still let Bao Fu Sheng be suppressed by the strict party to go through a round of torture.

Bao Fu was lying on a deck chair in the courtyard, both of his hands wrapped into a steamed bun.

"Are you better?" Lin Yi greeted.

Bao Fu Cheng stood up to pay his respects and said extremely helplessly: "I have already recovered a long time ago. I'm only slightly injured. It's just that my mother is worried and won't let me remove it."

Lin Yi smiled, waving his jade bone fan as he elegantly said, "You should listen to your mother. How can you look down on a finger bone injury? If you fall ill, you will suffer."

Lin Yi took out a jade bottle and placed it on the tea table. "This is the medicine made by the imperial physician in the palace. You can use it."

Fu Cheng used his teeth to break open the white silk cloth covering his hands, allowing the maid who was standing by the side to apply the medicinal paste on his malevolent wound.

Bao Fu Sheng had always been a man of his word. Even if it was inconvenient for his hands, he still had to tease the servant girl a few times with his mouth.

The maid couldn't stop covering her mouth as she laughed at him.

Lin Yi coughed, only then did Bao Fu Sheng retract his smile. That maid was also very tactful, swiftly wrapping the silk cloth back up.

Chapter 74

Lin Yi waved his jade bone fan as he paced back and forth. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "I've come to ask for your help."

"What is it? If you have any orders, just do it." Bao Fu Huan's eyes were wide open as he curiously looked at Lin Yi.

"I want you to call Qingfeng out." Lin Yi said.

"What's the point of calling her? Stupid and boring." Bao Fu Yun turned his head away, refusing to look into Lin Yi's eyes.

Lin Yi had been friends with Bao Fusheng for many years, so he naturally understood his thoughts. While he said no, he was actually eager to have the opportunity to get along with him.

"I sent people to investigate. She and Su Mu are best friends. I want you to come with me to the Su family. Su Mu might be hiding something from me." Lin Yi had always felt that his guess was right, but since the king wasn't willing to tell him, there was only one reason. Su Mu didn't want this child.

Judging from the current situation, this child truly did not come at the right time. The late emperor had not passed away, and now that he was so busy with matters, he could not marry Su Muwen into the palace before she became pregnant. Beating the child away, whether it was him or her, was the best choice.

But reason is reason, emotion is emotion. Lin Yi could not bear to part with this child.

"Then why don't you go and ask directly?" Bao Liusheng did not understand Lin Yi's thoughts.

"The empress dowager might have planted someone by my side, so I didn't dare look at Su Mu." Lin Yi shook his head.

Bao Fu immediately understood. Lin Yi was the empress dowager's only surviving son. He was highly valued by the empress dowager, and upon reaching a certain level, he became possessive and controlled.

"If you have time, help me check on the situation with Governor Hu Rui of Zhejiang Province." Lin Yi closed his jade bone fan and said with a straight face, "Today, the empress dowager mentioned to me the matter of marrying Hu Rui's daughter, Hu Chi."

Bao Fusheng's expression turned serious. "In order to overthrow the Yan family, Hu Rui led troops to the capital and has been stationed outside the city ever since. If they really have other intentions …"

"I'm counting on you." Lin Yi had a smile on his face as he patted the bag on his shoulder.

Bao Fu Cheng shouted, "There's no justice in this world!" "Is there anyone who would squeeze a patient like you?"

"I think you're doing very well. You even have the mood to tease the maid." Lin Yi said.

Bao Fu Xu pouted.

"I'm going back to the palace first. It's so easy to settle this."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Bao Fusheng said helplessly.

Bao Liusheng sent Lin Yi away from the quiet Bao Mansion. The house was spacious and only the two of them lived in the house, while Madam Bao stayed in her own house all year round. She had even dismissed a large number of servants the year before yesterday, making it seem that the house was devoid of any fumes.

If he didn't cause trouble for Bao Fusheng, Lin Yi was afraid that he would be unable to hold his breath and cause trouble.

Bao Fu Yun waved towards the distant Lin Yi and called over the coachman of the Bao Residence to escort him to the Zhuo Residence.

Compared to the Bao Clan, the Zhuo Clan was much smaller. In the end, there was only one person, Qingfeng.

After Bao Fu told the coachman not to tell his mother about his visit to the Zhuo Mansion, he knocked on the door. The Zhuo Family butler opened the door, big and tall, with muscles visible through his wide sleeves.

The butler was expressionless at first, but when he saw the young man, his face was filled with anger.

The steward himself, one of Zhuo Tianxing's soldiers, had his leg chopped by the enemy in a certain battle. The battle was tense, and he went to war with an illness. Afterwards, Zhuo Tianxing died in battle and after Madam Zhuo lost her life, the housekeeper came to the Zhuo Mansion to take care of the Zhuo Family's eldest daughter.

Most of the people in the Bureau knew that the conspiracy had been set up by Bao Fu Sheng's father, using the lives of Zhuo Tian Xing and thirty thousand soldiers as bait in exchange for peace in the southwest.

In the eyes of the common people, no one was wrong. Bao Qingyu was a wise man, and his death was worth it. However, to the relatives and friends of the deceased, Bao Qingyu was a schemer and a villain.

"What are you doing here?" The butler picked up the broom on the side and was about to kick the bag out.

"Uncle Xu, who's here?" Zhuo Qingfeng wore a light yellow summer dress. His eyebrows were as slender as a painting and his eyes flickered like stars. There was a pearl flower on his bun with tassels hanging off it. As she walked over, the tassels swayed gently.

Every time he saw a light breeze, he would always remember a sentence he had seen before: When there was nothing to do, he was like a flower in water, and when there was no action, he was like a weak willow in the wind.

Bao Fusheng was dazed for a moment.

When Qingfeng saw Bao Fu's face, he instantly gripped his skirt and forgot to take a step forward. He kicked on the doorstep and was about to fall to the ground.

The butler quickly threw away the broom and was about to pick it up when he saw Bao Fusheng hug Zhuo Qingfeng.

Zhuo Qingfeng held onto the bag of floating sleeves and looked up at him in his arms.

"Let go." The butler stepped forward and pulled the two away, protecting Qingfeng behind him.

The housekeeper's figure was majestic, and completely covered Qingfeng's petite body.

Bao Fu Sheng couldn't help but tilt his body, looking at Qing Feng's tightly pursed lips.

"Uncle Xu, let him in. There must be something." With a sad smile on her face, she naturally knew that if it wasn't for something else, Bao Fu Yun would not have come to find her.

Since Zhuo Qingfeng opened his mouth, the butler would naturally not stop him. However, he still vigilantly followed behind Bao Fusheng.

Along the way, Bao Fusheng had already thought of an excuse, but when he stood in front of Qingfeng, he was at a loss for words.

Zhuo Qingfeng had a faint smile on his face as he walked in the yard with his bag. The Zhuo Mansion only had one or two servants. They spent most of their time in the servants' courtyard and the two maids that the empress dowager had bestowed upon them. However, they rarely served Qingfeng.

Bao Fu Yun never met anyone after coming in for so long.

In the Zhuo Family's courtyard, there was a deep pond. The blue-green water in the pond was rippling under the sunlight. From time to time, the red carp would stick its head out.

Zhuo Qingfeng carried his bag up to the pavilion by the side of the pond. On the pavilion, there was a small bowl of fish food.

The breeze scooped up a spoonful of fish food and sprinkled it onto the pond. In an instant, a large group of red carp surrounded the pond.

Ye Zichen didn't want to disturb the peace at this moment.

"Why did you come here?" Zhuo Qingfeng looked at the fish in the pond, and the smile on his face became much more real.

"Your majesty is worried about Su Mu's health and wants to find someone to accompany her. When I heard that you and Su Mu are close friends, I wanted to find you, but I was afraid that the empress dowager would misunderstand, so I asked me to come."

"How did he know I wouldn't misunderstand?" The sound of the breeze was extremely soft. Before it could even reach Bao Fusheng's ears, it had already been blown away by the wind and scattered across the lake surface.

"I have indeed not seen Su Mu for a long time." Qingfeng had been to the Su Clan several times, but he had been stopped by someone. Now that he thought about it, it should have been someone that Lin Yi had left behind.

Now that he told her to go and see him, perhaps Su Mu had already woken up.

The butler brought the carriage over, and Bao Fusheng also sat on the carriage with a straight face.

The butler's face darkened and was about to pull him down.

Bao Fu Cheng extended two hands that were wrapped up like pig's feet: "Uncle Xu, you can't possibly let a patient run two streets, can you?"