The woman said, "You must've investigated the past since you're living here, right? Don't deny it. I know better than you what books are in the study. The world is unstable, and there are many contradictions in the court. Mother spends fourteen to sixteen hours a day busy with court affairs. You can follow the grand tutor into the palace and see her a few times a year. What about me? When you're tired of studying, you throw a tantrum and refuse to learn. The grand tutor patiently coaxes you, but what about me? I can only be accompanied by books, and I can't finish learning every day. In my spare time, I'm even taken to the common people to experience their situation. I've been a dock laborer, learned to beg on the streets, and hid in the countryside to investigate the people's situation … Wei Cong, can I hate you too? I don't even dare to fall sick. Other than the maids, no one is by my side. When you're slightly ill, the grand tutor stays up all night watching over you. Mother is so busy that she even grabs the imperial physician for questioning. Wei Cong, you live a relaxed and happy life, but have you ever thought about the suffering of others? "
Outside the room, Wanyue listened with worry.
"Mother also said before she passed away that she regretted letting you live too comfortably! That's why she had so much time to think. The grand tutor feels guilty for spoiling you too naively. Just a mere rumor can make you feel uneasy? Tell me, other than the throne, what do you have that makes you feel uneasy? " The woman continued, "Mother fought for the world. You're only her son, not her. She can give the world to whoever she wants. So what if you're her son? Must she leave the world to you? "
The youth couldn't bear it any longer. "I never wanted the world! I only hoped that she would acknowledge me, that I could properly call her Mother, and that I could be recorded in the genealogy … But everyone told me that I was only a disgrace to her! "
He was young and insensible, and he was used as a sharp knife to stab his loved one in the chest. How could he want this?
He watched over the coffin for twelve years. Did she really think that he was an unfilial son and wasn't sad at all?
"You're recorded as a legitimate son in the Wei family genealogy," the woman said. "In the genealogy, the legal wife next to the grand tutor is Liu Lanting."
The youth didn't recover for a moment.
"Back then, mother only wanted to have one child. However, she was concerned about the Grand Tutor, so she took the risk to give birth to you. Her original intention was for you to accompany the Grand Tutor and inherit the Wei family." The woman suddenly said, "In front of others, I can only call him Grand Tutor. I also want to properly call him Father."
The young man was speechless.
"Forget it. It's all history from more than a decade ago. I didn't come here today to talk nonsense with you." The woman said, "It's about time for you and Ning Wanyue to get married. As your older sister, I should send you a congratulatory gift. If you and her descendants can be of great use, I will pardon them and allow them to enter the imperial court. If you think it through, send someone to let me know. If you haven't figured it out, you can continue to be the guardian. "
Before his mother passed away, she had left behind a posthumous edict that punished Wei Cong to guard the coffin for twelve years. Now, the time limit was up.
This was the first time Ning Wanyue saw Wei Cong's older sister, Jiang Yan, for the last time.
Upon seeing the other party, Ning Wanyue hurriedly greeted him.
The other party stood by her side and said, "Take good care of him for us. Don't spoil him too much."
We?
Ning Wanyue's eyes widened in fright. By the time she regained her senses, the other party had already left, leaving behind only countless "betrothal gifts" and "dowry."
"Langjun? Your older sister … "
The young man's face darkened. He was in a very bad mood as he plucked the zither from time to time.
"Call me Fushou. I want to hear someone call me that again."
The young man had a name. His surname was Wei, and his given name was Cong. His courtesy name was Tingzhang. He was one of the people involved in the once sensational "Crown Prince Zhang Zuo Case."
"Fushou … She …"
Before Ning Wanyue could finish, the young man said hoarsely, "She won't come again. You should also … leave."
"You want to drive me away?" Ning Wanyue tugged at her sleeves and bit her lower lip. "That's right … How can my identity be worthy of you …"
How could she have imagined that the young man, who wore plain clothes all year round, was actually a member of the imperial family?
Ning Wanyue was just a country girl. Even though she had studied with the young man for several years, she was still lacking something.
To put it bluntly, she didn't look like a crown prince when she wore a dragon robe.
The young man plucked the zither in silence. After a while, he said, "Your life will be so boring if you follow me."
Ning Wanyue said, "I've lived here with you for six years. Have you ever heard me say that it's boring?"
The young man was distraught. He put the zither to the side.
"Shout for me again."
Ning Wanyue had thought that there was no hope. After hearing his words, she hesitated and called out, "Fushou."
The young man said, "When I was young, I made a huge mistake. Even though I guarded the coffin for twelve years, I still couldn't erase the wound in my heart. "
Ning Wanyue said, "Since you're so remorseful, why did you talk back to that lord just now?"
The young man didn't answer.
He was afraid that if he admitted defeat, even the last family member who was willing to pay attention to him would ignore him.
He had guarded the coffin here for twelve years and had only seen his older sister twice in total.
The first time was when he had just been sent to the back mountain of the imperial mausoleum. The second time was today.
He was a commoner, while the other party was the emperor sitting on the dragon throne.
If the other party didn't think of him, he wouldn't even be able to enter the imperial city, let alone see her.
"There are some things … you don't understand …" The young man hung his head, half of his face buried in the shadows.
Ning Wanyue really didn't understand.
The young man continued, "She's still patient with me. I can beg her to bestow you a good marriage."
No matter what, she was a student taught by the young man. In terms of talent and learning, few noble ladies in the imperial city could compare to Wanyue.
If she had a good identity, she would definitely be rich for the rest of her life.
Ning Wanyue was originally sad, but when she heard the young man's words, she suddenly laughed.
The young man asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Ning Wanyue said, "I just feel that there's still hope for me to stay by your side. If you don't care about me, why bother using the word 'beg'? I've been with you for many years, but I've never seen you use such a word. Now that you're willing to use it for me, it shows that I still have some weight in your heart. Tell me, shouldn't I be happy for myself? "
The young man was speechless.
Ning Wanyue said, "I'm just a country girl, but now that I have the chance to tie the knot with you, I can't be more than happy."
The young man looked at Ning Wanyue and faintly understood why Jiang Yan's confidant chose her and sent her to his side.
"Fushou, is your sister … really Her Majesty?"
Ning Wanyue rested her cheeks on her hands. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were sparkling.
It was said that both empresses were wise rulers who loved the people like their own children.
Especially the current empress, who was honest and loved the people. When the empress ascended to the throne, she swore to follow her mother's example and never got married.
Although she never got married, she gave birth to a daughter a few years ago. Her biological father's identity was still unknown.
However, the people were more concerned about achievements and didn't pay much attention to the emperor's private life.
When Ning Wanyue was young, she often heard her father talk about the achievements of the two emperors.
Her father was born in troubled times, and he admired the two emperors the most. In her father's words, an emperor who could let the people live a good life was a good emperor. As for the disputes in the imperial court, they were too far away from the common people.
Under her father's influence, Ning Wanyue was also a die-hard fan of the empress.
The young man saw her blushing cheeks and thought of his biological sister's appearance, and he felt inexplicably suffocated.
Ning Wanyue asked him, "That … Does Fushou still have to keep vigil here?"
The young man said, "Mother … The former empress punished me to keep vigil for 12 years … At first, I wanted to leave at all times, but now I don't want to."
Ning Wanyue asked doubtfully, "Because the knot in Fushou's heart hasn't been resolved? Or is it because the 12 years haven't passed? "
"The time limit is up. Otherwise, why would Her Majesty condescend to come all the way here?" The young man spoke insincerely. He clearly looked forward to this day. He occasionally knew how busy this imperial sister was from the books in the market. She wasn't as leisurely as his mother back then, and it wasn't easy for her to take the time to make such a trip. "I just don't want to leave."
Ning Wanyue said, "Why?"
"I'm afraid you don't know … If I hadn't been too stupid back then and made a huge mistake … How could the former empress have died so early?"
Ning Wanyue somewhat disagreed. She said, "But I heard … I only heard Father mention that the former empress's health wasn't very good, and she had the intention of abdicating the throne back then … I think, with the former empress's temperament of being responsible for the people, she wouldn't have easily abandoned her heavy burden and let Her Majesty succeed the throne unless it was something beyond her control, right? Perhaps the former empress's health really wasn't good back then and she wanted to abdicate the throne … "
What she said next might touch the young man's sore spot, so Ning Wanyue didn't dare to continue.
The young man said, "Just continue."
Ning Wanyue scratched her head and said, "This … I'm thinking, maybe the former empress's condition wasn't good back then, so she wanted to unload her burden and take a good look at her empire? The former empress sacrificed most of her life to end the chaotic era. It would be a pity if she didn't take a good look at her empire. "
The young man looked at Ning Wanyue silently.
"Since your period of vigil is up, why don't you walk around and take a look at the former empress? Your painting skills are excellent. You can draw it. "
Ning Wanyue originally wanted to persuade the young man to let go of the knot in his heart, but when she saw his slightly red eyes, she didn't know how to continue.
"Let me lean on you … I'll be fine in a while."
The young man leaned on her shoulder and didn't say anything for a long time.
Night fell outside. The young man restrained his emotions and got up to open the boxes placed in the corner of the study.
There were a total of sixteen boxes, and they were neatly stacked.
Ning Wanyue had never seen him open any of the boxes in the past few years.
"These are my father's brushes and ink." The young man opened the boxes one by one. Ning Wanyue could still smell the fragrance of the ink on them. After they were unfolded, a magnificent scene appeared in front of her eyes. She finally knew where the young man learned his exquisite painting skills from. "He rarely painted people. Most of his paintings were landscape paintings. When I looked at his paintings in the past, I always felt that he had a knot in his heart. Now that I look at it again, I realize how shallow I am. "
Ning Wanyue finally understood that these boxes contained the belongings of the young man's father.
They were all books, poems, and paintings. Apart from a few land deeds, there were no other yellow or white objects.
"The cool breeze never stops, the fragrance of flowers fills the path, and the red clouds ripple for thousands of miles …"
The painting depicted a lotus in full bloom. The lotus leaves seemed to sway with the wind, and one could faintly smell a sweet fragrance.
A graceful figure stood in the pavilion in the middle of the lake. She seemed to be looking at the person in the painting with a smile.
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