Died from poisonous bees? Ning Shu furrowed her brows and said, "This servant remembers that His Highness' Mufei, Wen Cairen, was infected with an epidemic six years ago."
"No!" Xiao Zhangping almost broke her fingernails. She tried her best to widen her eyes with a broken light.
In the past, her Mufei had grabbed her hand tightly and begged her not to say anything because she wanted her to live. She wanted her to live like her name, to live peacefully and peacefully in the palace.
But even if she lived like a humiliated dog in the palace, not daring to speak the truth to anyone and allowing her mother to die in vain for many years, she still encountered everything that happened today. The matter of the curse was exposed. If the culprit could not be found in the end, then according to Qi Fei's domineering nature, she would definitely plant this disaster on her and make it difficult for her to live.
So, did she have a choice?
No, no.
After a long period of silence and soundless wails, Xiao Zhangping stood stiffly like a puppet. He stood in the empty palace that seemed to be emitting a moldy smell from every corner, silently competing with fate.
Ning Shu had experienced this kind of heart-wrenching struggle before. She didn't say anything. She only took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to Xiao Zhangping, holding a tear for her.
A water droplet splashed onto the handkerchief, creating a water mark.
Xiao Zhangping took a deep breath and slowly opened her mouth, "Guess, from the time I was born until I was nine years old, how many times did I see Father Emperor?"
She raised the corner of her mouth and smiled as tears fell. She answered her own question, "It can be counted on one hand. Even if I did see him, it was only during festivals and celebrations, mixed in with other brothers and sisters to pay my respects from afar. However, I didn't feel too sad because I had my mother by my side.
There were countless beautiful imperial concubines living in this palace. Each one of them had a face that was many times more beautiful than my Mufei, but none of them had a pair of gentle eyes like my Mufei. However, Father Emperor only saw those pleasing faces and never noticed the warmth in my Mufei's eyes and the softness in her heart.
Therefore, from childhood to adulthood, the impression we had was that we wore clothes that couldn't protect us from the cold in the winter and felt hot in the summer. We ate simple meals that even some eunuchs and maidservants couldn't compare to. Because in this palace, Imperial Concubine Mother and I are invisible. No one can see us. But fortunately, his mother was very capable. She always thought of ways to take me to have snowball fights in the winter, to make swings in the spring, to set up awnings in the summer, and to weave grasshopper cages in the autumn. She made all kinds of interesting toys to play with me. Occasionally, she would secretly conjure up a candied fruit to make me excited for an entire day … I should be the most unpresentable princess in this palace. But even so, I was still happy. I was even willing to rely on my mother for the rest of my life and live such a simple and happy life.
Until he was nine years old.
I suddenly realized that my mother, who had always been smiling gently, had suddenly fallen ill for some unknown reason. In just a few days, her face had turned sallow and pale. Worried, I asked her, "What's wrong? Do you want to see the imperial physician?" Imperial Concubine Mother repeatedly forced a smile and coaxed me that it was nothing. Until one night, she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
I panicked and cried to find the imperial physician, but Imperial Concubine Mother stopped me and didn't allow me to go. She held my hand tightly and held me in her arms. She cried and said,
'My Ping' er is still so young. How will he live in this palace in the future … Heavens, I am willing to be a pig, a dog, a cow, a horse in the next life, in exchange for my Ping 'er to grow up safely …'
I was also young at that time and didn't know what to do. I could only cry. Mother gently licked my tears and took out a handkerchief from her bosom. In her hand was the corpse of a dead bee. She said, 'Ping' er, remember! You have to take good care of yourself. You must be wary of bees that look like this. They will take your life. And … and … '"
Xiao Zhangping's eyes trembled as if a dam had burst. He couldn't breathe. The memories that had been deliberately sealed were released today. Every drop of water was like the kiss of his mother when he licked away his tears, carrying the taste of blood.
"Before she died, she clutched her chest tightly, as if there was a broken bellows there. Every breath she took was intermittent. She opened her eyes wide and looked at me pleadingly, saying, 'Mother's good Ping' er. My Ping 'er, you must remember … Don't mention … My … Cause of death to anyone. Just treat it as if I died from an epidemic … Epidemic … "
Xiao Zhangping's pale face was full of ridicule. "But I didn't give up. I ran out barefoot and knocked on the door of the Imperial Physician Hospital. When the imperial physicians arrived late, my Imperial Concubine Mother had already taken her last breath. They diagnosed her for a long time before making a decision. Sure enough, it was as my Imperial Concubine Mother said.
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