The Gilded Cage

Chu Ning paused, and there were ripples in his heart, then he stood up straight, followed him back to the front of everyone, and Chong Guoer said: "Okay, the lights are over, I want to thank Guoer for his kindness."

Guoer seemed very happy, shook his head at her, and whispered softly: "His Royal Highness waits for Guoer to be good, and Guoer wants to make lights for His Highness!"

Xiao Kezhi laughed, rubbed her head, and said loudly: "Yes, that's how it should be. Treat whoever treats you well, treat whoever treats you well, and if someone treats you badly, you don't have to be polite with him. "

These words are not only to encourage Guo'er, but also to warn others around.

When the ladies heard the words, they were a little guilty. One of them said in a rounded-out manner: "Your Majesty said, Wei Xiaomao is your majesty's cousin, who dares to wait?"

The others were reminded and hurriedly nodded in agreement.

A few days ago, Mrs. Xu had tactfully mentioned to her Majesty that there was no need to let Zhao Erniang teach the little lady to ride a horse. Her Majesty Zhao ordered it personally, and Madam Xu refused so. Not only did her majesty never get angry, she readily agreed, which shows that she has maintained and tolerated Lu Guogong.

If it were two months ago, everyone still didn't care so much, but as the days passed, the situation in the central government became clear day by day, and no one would dare to underestimate the current majesty.

Xiao Kezhi saw everyone's reaction in his eyes, and didn't repeat any more words. He just waved his hand and said, "Okay, it's all gone, you don't need to be here."

When everyone heard the words, they retreated, and Chu Ning also turned and left, but Guo'er pulled his sleeves and asked in a low voice, "Can Your Highness and Guo'er enjoy the lights together?"

Chu Ning paused, remembering the words of Xiao Kezhi just now, and didn’t know how he arranged it, and couldn’t agree to it for a while, so he could only use his peripheral vision to look at Xiao Kezhi who was still on the side and shook his head with a smile: "Sorry, today I feel a little uncomfortable, and the prince is still waiting, I'm afraid I can't watch the lights with you."

Guo'er looked regretful, but nodded sensibly.

After Mrs. Xu said goodbye quickly, she took her daughter away.

Chu Ning turned his head, bent his knees towards Xiao Kezhi, and took Cuihe away.

When I walked to a place with few people, I saw that one of the servants of the imperial front was standing by the corridor and bowing to her, then turned to go further, as if to signal her to follow.

Chu Ning paused, and seeing that no one was paying attention to this place, he stepped forward and followed.

In order to prevent water leakage, most of the servants and palace servants in the palace were transferred to the lantern fair to hold water and guard them. As a result, other places seemed deserted.

Under the secluded promenade, the servant walked a dozen feet in front, and took her to a remote palace without any hurries.

This is a room for people to rest. In addition to the couch, there are also bookcases. In order to prevent occasional needs, even the pen and ink are prepared.

There was no one else in the room, only a woman's dress hung on the shelf by the bronze mirror.

The color of the dress was very bright and eye-catching, and it looked a bit similar to what the dancers of Jiaofangsi often wore, but when you look closely at the shape and system, they are all well-regulated, with no exposed places at all.

Only under the innermost tube top skirt, there is a thin layer of gauze. The texture is clear and the color is beautiful. Looking at the length, it can only cover about two or three inches below the hip.

She immediately remembered that when she was still in the Tai Chi Palace, she had remade the obscene clothes, holding the gauze and standing in place, thinking about whether to change it now, and suddenly heard a low voice behind her: " Why not change it? I specially prepared it for you."

"Your Majesty?" She moved her eyes, turned her head, and saw that Xiao Kezhi had sneaked in at some point, and she was standing on the side looking at her with a smile.

She touched the thin fabric in her hand and couldn't help asking: "If I change it, will your Majesty take me to see the lamp?"

Xiao Kezhi nodded, couldn't help taking a step closer, carefully examining her face in the warm light.

"Then your Majesty will replace Aning personally, okay?"

As she said, she took the initiative to approach, holding his two broad and rough palms, and gently placing them on the collar of her shoulders.

The winter clothes were a little thicker, but his palm was on her shoulder, but he still seemed to touch the smoothness and fineness underneath.

"You let me come?" His voice became a little dull, and his eyes darkened.

"Yes, I beg the emperor to change the clothes for my niece." She raised her head, and gazed with those watery brows.

His palm became warmer and hotter, and his fingers spontaneously moved, peeling off layers of complicated and dignified clothing.

The water lilies that should be closed at night are quietly blooming in his palm again, and the white petals are dyed with a layer of light powder, as if they were colored with a brush.

He admired the delicate flower in his palm, but was not in a hurry to bring the garment over, but rubbed it carefully under the light of a candle.

The lotus branch shook gently, the petals were full, and the sweet honey slowly oozing from the stamens, melted into the dew, and rolled down silently.

I tapped the stamen hidden among the petals with my fingertips. The water lily floated and swayed between the water waves. It was about to close and sleep, but I didn't get any chance. The tip of my nose came close, sniffing and touching it from time to time.

"Your Majesty, I don't want to appreciate the lights..."

She had a delicate face, her slender fingers went deep into his dark hair that was tightly tied in the crown, as if she was pushing.

"The lamp will be rewarded later, I will reward you first."

He swept his gaze over the book case, and suddenly became interested, he hugged her directly, and let her turn over and lie down on the case.

"Be good, don't move."

He held one of her hands and took the ink ingot she picked up to grind the inkstone in circles.

"What will your Majesty do?"

Chu Ning was full of cold book cases, and couldn't help shrinking.

He pressed her tightly, seeming to sharpen the ink very intently, and when it was finished, he said: "I will mark you first."

After all, without waiting for her to react, after the soft and cold pen nib licked the ink, she drew the white greasy patch on her shoulder, stroke by stroke slowly.

"Your Majesty, don't!" She squeezed the corner of the book case suddenly, thinking of getting up and avoiding it, but she was firmly restrained by him.

"Good boy, don't move. If the painting is crooked, I will have to repaint it later." He drew carelessly, not hurriedly, as if to paint some rare treasure.

Chu Ning couldn't move, and could only endure the cold and soft behind him, trying to suppress it.

I don't know how long he finished painting, but he didn't let go, but bent down| and lightly blew the wet ink.

He leaned very close, as if he was about to blow the ink dry, so that the water lily petals were trembling, and the dew rolled off.

He let her kneel on the case facing him, turned her face, and looked at the bronze mirror with her.

In the bronze mirror, the beauty leaned back in his arms, and the smooth back was painted with an ink-colored lotus, the lotus branch grew to the left waist, and the petals were opened under the right shoulder blade, against the white skin. Both simple and elegant, more beautiful.

"It's done." He squeezed her cheek, kissed her sideburns again, took the thin gauze and put it on for her.

The lotus was covered, leaving only a hazy shadow.

Across the gauze, he lowered his head and kissed the outline of the lotus, the ink scented faintly, penetrated into the tip of his nose, making his mind tremble.

"Your Majesty, Aning is uncomfortable..."

He stopped, took other clothes, and helped her put them on one by one. He was not very proficient, but he was very patient. He buttoned his clothes until he didn't mess around, before he kissed her ears and asked: " The lotus flower painted by the imperial brush, after enjoying the lamp in a while, I still have to check it, but it must not be broken."

Chu Ning trembled, and a layer of lumps appeared on his body quietly, so he blushed and nodded.

He took out a bright mask occasionally used by the dancing girls in the Jiaofang Division from the box on the side to put it on for her, and then stood aside and looked at it.

Slightly tightened clothing lined up her slender waist, as soft as willow branches, and a gorgeous mask inlaid with gems blocked her appearance.

In this way, no one can tell her identity, except that she is a beautiful young woman.

"Let's go."

He was very satisfied in his heart, and took her hand directly, pushed the door out without shy away, and walked in the direction of the lantern festival.

…

At the lantern festival, people were still crowded, with songs and laughter intertwined constantly.

Guoer followed Lu Guoguo and his wife for a short half an hour in the lantern festival. Although he was still interested, his eyelids were a little drooping.

After all, she was still a little girl who had just turned ten years old, and she had been emotionally high since daylight, and by this time she had been sleepy.

Wei Shou rubbed his daughter's head and asked with a smile, "Guoer is tired? Should I go back to sleep first?"

Guoer was stunned for a while, then realized what his father had said and nodded blankly.

"This child has played a lot more recently, and I am tired now." Madam Xu reluctantly patted her shoulder and took her hand to send her back, but she withdrew her hand and shook her head.

The maid on the side understood what she meant, and hurriedly said: "Madam should stay and have a look with Lang Jun. It is rare in the palace to have such a grand occasion. The slave maid sends the little lady back on behalf of the lady."

Guo'er nodded: "Guo'er goes back, mother and father stay."

Mrs. Xu was worried, but Wei Shou sighed: "Guo'er is really big and understands his mother. Madam will stay. It is a rare opportunity for the two of us to walk together. Anyway, it is in the palace, and someone is leading it. , Nothing will happen."

With such persuasion, Mrs. Xu also hesitated. After thinking about it, she nodded and said to the maid: "No, please send Guo'er back well. Remember to be tighter by the quilt for her. She sleeps well at night. If you are not practical, you will always be kicked down by the quilt."

The maid responded to her explanation one by one, and after bowing and saluting, she took Guo'er through the crowd and walked to her residence.

When I got out of the song station, I suddenly became secluded, and the bamboo shadow swayed and rustled in the moonlight, listening to Guo'er's ears as if hypnotic singing.

Her eyelids drooped, and the steps she took became smaller and slower.

The maid took her by the hand and felt her sleepiness and weakness. She couldn't help but stop and asked: "Little lady, the road is still far, and the slave and maid will be returned by you, how about it?"

Guo'er looked at her blindly, then nodded and shook his head quickly: "Far, you can't carry it."

The maid was a little moved. Although the little lady was shy, she was really gentle and delicate, and very kind to her servant.

She thought for a while, took Guo'er to a big rock under the shadow of the tree and sat down, and whispered: "The servant girl will ask someone to take a step to send the little lady back. The little lady will wait a moment here, okay?"

Guo'er nodded, and when the maid walked away quickly, she leaned her small and thin body against the tree trunk, instantly hiding in the darkness so that she couldn't see it.

The sleepiness hit her after she stretched out her hand to hold the tree trunk before she was about to fall asleep. Suddenly, there was a sound of extremely fast footsteps in her ears.

By the promenade, a familiar girl stopped on one side and looked around, as if waiting for someone.

After a while, on the other side, a young and elegant man approached quickly.

The two looked around together, and quickly flashed under the shadow of the tree on the side of the corridor.