"Qing Zhu."

A lazy voice sounded. Qing Zhu, who was dozing off outside the door, suddenly woke up. She hurriedly responded, "Hey, I'm here."

After she finished speaking, she raised her head to look at the sky, which was still dark. She felt strange, "Why did Prince wake up so early today?"

Qing Zhu couldn't be blamed for feeling strange. Her Prince didn't have a real position in the imperial court. He just had the title of Prince in name, so he usually slept until late in the morning. It was strange that he woke up today.

Although she didn't understand, she didn't dare to delay her work. She slowly opened the door and walked in quietly. She called across the screen, "Prince."

Yan Heng was still lying on the bed. He stretched a little and said, "Let's freshen up."

"Ah, I'll go and prepare now." Qing Zhu responded and then carefully retreated.

.....

"Prince, did you not sleep well last night?"

Qing Zhu lowered her head and tidied up Yan Heng's clothes. She asked respectfully in a low voice.

Yan Heng was picking up the teacup on the table. He held the teacup in one hand and tapped the rim of the teacup a few times. He blew gently and took a sip of the tea.

Hearing Qing Zhu's words, he said carelessly, "What's wrong?"

"Master, you don't usually get up so early, so I boldly guessed that you didn't sleep well last night." Qing Zhu answered in a low voice.

Yan Heng put down the teacup and didn't answer. He turned his head and looked out of the vermilion window. He found that the sky was just beginning to turn white.

After a long time, he said in a low voice, "Order someone to prepare a carriage. I'm going to the palace."

When Qing Zhu went out with the copper basin, she was still thinking hard. What day was it today? The Prince actually took the initiative to go to the palace. Usually, if the Emperor didn't call him, the Prince wouldn't go to the palace.

"Right!

Today is old Concubine Rong's birthday! "Qing Zhu patted her forehead and almost knocked over the copper basin.

It was a long story. The Former Emperor did not have many children. During his twenty-three years on the throne, he only had two princes: the current Emperor and Yan Heng.

Although the Emperor was the First Prince, it was a pity that his mother, Concubine Shu, had a low status and was only a lowly official's daughter. Because of her beautiful appearance, she was favored by the previous Emperor. Sadly, in the depths of the palace, there were many beautiful women. The previous Emperor lost interest and did not have a prominent family to establish themselves in the court. When the First Prince was five years old, he passed away early. Coincidentally, at that time, Concubine Rong gave birth to the Second Prince. Naturally, she received the favor of the Former Emperor and was the most favored in the six palaces.

It was said that the Former Emperor once preferred the Second Prince, Yan Heng, to be the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, in the thirty-third year of Yong Kang, the Former Emperor, who was in the prime of his life, suddenly fell ill and could no longer handle state affairs. As a result, he appointed the First Prince, Yan Heng, to be the Regent.

Unexpectedly, at that time, Yan Heng was in the palace and was kidnapped by spies from the neighboring country. When the Former Emperor found out, he was greatly shocked and his illness worsened. He was powerless and died.

To make matters worse, Yan Heng's mother, Concubine Rong, was heartbroken after the Former Emperor's death. Three months later, when Yan Heng was finally rescued, his left leg had been injured. With this handicapped body, he naturally had no chance to be the Emperor …

…

A horse carriage slowly traveled on the official road. When the pedestrians saw a banner hanging on the eaves of the horse carriage with the word "Heng" written on it, they respectfully moved to the side.

Yan Heng was sitting upright in the horse carriage with his eyes closed expressionlessly. Only his left hand was placed on the small table placed on the horse carriage. His fingers were tapping on the table as if he was thinking about something.

Suddenly, the horse carriage staggered and the tea pot placed on the small table rolled down due to the shaking. At this time, Qing Zhu, who was driving the horse carriage, angrily rebuked, "If you want to fight, then fight somewhere else!

Look clearly whose path you are blocking! "

Yan Heng opened his eyes and revealed a faint trace of coldness. His face darkened and he said in a deep voice, "What's going on!"

"Prince, please wait a moment. This little one will go and take a look." Qing Zhu's voice came through the curtain. Then, the sound of him getting off the horse carriage could be heard.

After a while, Qing Zhu returned to the horse carriage. She slightly lifted the curtain and said respectfully, "Prince, it's nothing serious. It's just a couple arguing on the road."

"Then let's continue." Yan Heng ordered and then slowly closed his eyes again …

Qing Zhu jumped onto the horse carriage and swung the reins in her hand. With a "Jia" sound, the horse started to move again.

Qing Zhu, who was driving the horse carriage, touched the back of her head in confusion and whispered, "Just now, Prince's eyes … I don't know why, but it felt like he was a different person …"

The horse carriage traveled for more than an hour before it slowly stopped. Qing Zhu got off the horse carriage and carefully placed a footrest. Then, she helped her Prince get off the horse carriage.

Yan Heng stood in front of the horse carriage and looked at the dark red palace walls. He took a deep breath and was in a daze for a moment. The place he grew up in was so familiar yet strange.

"Greetings to Prince Heng."

The guard at the door respectfully greeted him. Only then did Yan Heng come back to his senses. He calmed himself down and slowly walked towards the royal study.

…

"Now it's hard for me to see you …"

In the royal study, looking at Yan Heng kneeling in front of the dragon table, the King of Yan stopped correcting the memorials. He sighed and slowly said.

"Brother, you're too kind. It's just that I don't dare to disturb you because you're usually busy with government affairs …" Yan Heng still bowed his head respectfully.

"That's enough. Do you think I don't know your temperament?

Don't kneel. Your legs aren't good. Get up. "The King of Yan waved his hand and signaled Eunuch Hongde to bring a chair over.

"Thank you brother for giving me a seat."

Yan Heng slowly got up, bowed, and retreated to the chair and sat down.

"Look at this memorial."

The King of Yan pulled out a memorial from the pile of memorials on the dragon table. He handed it to Yan Heng and signaled for him to take it.

Yan Heng saw this and said with a bitter smile, "How can I understand this memorial? Brother, aren't you making things difficult for me?"

But this was something the Emperor gave him. Even if there were ten people, they wouldn't dare to not take it.

Yan Heng helplessly took the memorial with both hands. But after opening it and reading it, he awkwardly found that the memorial was referring to him …

"What do you think?"

The King of Yan picked up the weasel brush and dipped it in cinnabar ink. He slowly wrote on the paper as he calmly asked.

Yan Heng's gaze fell to the bottom of the memorial. There were the three words "Liu Weimin". He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What kind of enmity did the Minister of Rites have towards him …

Thinking about it was one thing, but he still had to answer the Emperor's question. Yan Heng thought for a moment, then sighed and said, "Brother, it's not that this subject brother doesn't want to shoulder the responsibility of being a child of the Imperial Family, but my legs … You know, I really don't have the strength."

"Then you still want to continue being the free and unfettered Prince. You don't want to bury your talent?

Thinking back, father once praised you for your outstanding intelligence … "The King of Yan stopped writing and said thoughtfully.

Yan Heng hurriedly waved his hand and said with shame, "My little intelligence is really not good enough to bear the responsibility.

Imperial Brother, please spare me. "

"Alright, alright, I won't force you.

We know the reason why you came to the palace today. Thinking back, Old Concubine Rong also raised us. We will never forget the kindness of raising us. It's just that we are too busy with government affairs and can't leave. You can go and pay your respects with us. "

The King of Yan's expression was a little moved. He looked at Yan Heng and said in a deep voice.

Seeing this, Yan Heng got up and knelt down again. He kowtowed heavily and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

Then he raised his head and said with red eyes, "Mother's spirit in heaven will definitely be happy."

"Alright, you can leave.

We still have government affairs to attend to. "The King of Yan waved his hand.

Seeing this, Yan Heng got up and respectfully bowed to the Emperor before leaving.

… …

Yan Heng carried a bamboo basket and walked for a long time before arriving in front of Qingrong Palace.

Qingrong Palace, Noble Consort Rong's palace.

He pushed open the pearl red palace door which had not been opened for a long time. Looking up, he found that his mother was standing in the crimson pavilion and enjoying the flowers. Yes, his mother loved the precious petal orchids the most. He still remembered that his father sent people to look for them everywhere to make his mother happy. On the day of his mother's birthday, there were a total of 999 petal orchids in the imperial garden.

The magnificent scene of the sea of flowers on that day appeared in his mind. He held the palace door with a smile and slowly lifted his feet to step in. His mother was smiling and waving to him. She called him again and again, "Heng … Heng … Come here."

He continued to walk towards the crimson pavilion. From a distance, he heard that his mother asked the maid Hongtao to go to the Imperial Kitchen to get his favorite honey cake and mung bean soup.

When she finally arrived in front of her mother with great difficulty, she wanted to hold her mother's hand, but it was only empty air …

The scene in front of him suddenly disappeared without a trace like smoke.

When Yan Heng realized that it had been the Qingrong Palace of Yuan Xi for ten years, he found that he had already burst into tears.

His mother was gone, and so were the petal orchids in the garden.

Now the Qingrong Palace was as silent as a cold palace. It was cold everywhere.

… …

Yan Heng wiped the tears on his face and murmured with a wry smile, "Don't cry. My mother is still waiting for me to offer incense."

He slowly walked into the main hall of the Qingrong Palace and took out the sacrificial items he had prepared beforehand. He neatly arranged them on the desk in the inner chamber before walking to the desk and kneeling down. He heavily kowtowed three times before continuing to kneel and remain motionless …

After kneeling for two hours, he slowly stood up. However, his left leg was not very strong since he was injured. He could barely walk, but he had been kneeling for too long. He lost his balance and fell on the desk.

His forehead happened to touch the leg of the desk, and he immediately felt a burning pain. He touched the injured place with his hand and found that the skin was broken and bleeding.

Yan Heng collapsed on the ground. He had to wait for the numbness in his leg to subside before he got up. His left face was against the cold floor, and his tears suddenly fell down. Only his sobs could be heard in the huge palace.

"Erm, Mother, are you blaming your son for being useless …"

"It's not that I don't want to get up. It's just that my leg really hurts."

"Can you tell me what to do?"