The Changchun Palace has lost its former bustling atmosphere since the illness of Queen Ma.
The woman Song Yinghuai saw after entering the palace was still as elegant and stately as in his memory.
Although eroded by illness, her face was much haggard, but her noble and elegant appearance was still there.
The room was filled with the smell of medicine, airtight.
When the maids and ladies-in-waiting saw Song Yinghuai coming, they were about to wake Queen Ma up, but were stopped by Song Yinghuai with a wave of his hand.
Song Yinghuai lifted his clothes and knelt down under the bed, kowtowing respectfully, "Your humble servant, Xuan Yao, pays respects to Your Majesty the Queen."
Hearing the long-lost voice, Queen Ma, who had her eyes closed and was resting, immediately opened her eyes. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes, and she turned her head.
Song Yinghuai's handsome and elegant features came into view.
"Xuan Yao is here! Hurry up and get up..."
A gratified smile appeared on Queen Ma's face as she motioned for the maid to help her up.
Song Yinghuai took a step ahead of her. After getting up, he helped Queen Ma sit up and placed a soft cushion behind her back.
Then he sat on the round stool beside the bed.
Queen Ma stared at Song Yinghuai with her kind eyes, without blinking, for a long time.
Song Yinghuai didn't say a word either, allowing her to size him up for a while.
After a long time, Queen Ma sighed with emotion, "Xuan Yao has grown more and more handsome and steady."
Song Yinghuai also said with a gentle smile, "Your Majesty the Queen has become more and more imposing as the mother of the country."
Queen Ma was immediately amused, "You used to be taciturn when you were young. Why have you become glib after not seeing each other for seven years... Is it because there is a woman you like in your heart, so your tongue is coated with honey?"
The matter of Caiyu has indeed been known by the Emperor and the Queen Mother.
Perhaps, there are no secrets in the court.
Song Yinghuai's eyes flashed, "Your Majesty the Queen lives deep in the harem, but still misses your humble servant who is far away in the land of Yan. Your humble servant failed to serve you by your bedside when you were ill. Your humble servant is ashamed."
Since Queen Ma had asked, Song Yinghuai didn't deny it either. He just glossed over it lightly.
Queen Ma looked at his introverted and deep appearance and sighed with emotion, "I haven't seen you for seven years. My fourth son has become more and more cautious. Even in front of your mother, you are not willing to say a few more words of truth..."
Seeing that Song Yinghuai wanted to speak, she lightly raised her hand to interrupt him, "I know that your father has not lifted the ban on your Buddhist cultivation. If there is a close woman by your side, it is deceiving the emperor. It is right for you not to say it..."
"Your Majesty the Queen." Song Yinghuai responded in a low voice. A trace of pain flashed across his eyes.
It was not the ban that made him feel embarrassed.
The love poison he was poisoned with in the battle of Na Wu'erhai seven years ago was thanks to the Crown Prince. Queen Ma still didn't know about it.
She only knew that her son's blind actions in the rear had led to the defeat of the army, and then had implicated Song Yinghuai in carrying the blame. She didn't know that Song Yinghuai couldn't get close to women because of this, and had also cut off the inheritance of his family ever since.
Queen Ma sighed, "If you really have a woman you like, your mother will go and talk to your father for you. Take advantage of your entry into the capital this time to lift this ban... You are already an adult. Whether it is your elder brother, or your younger brothers in other fiefs, who doesn't have a large family with children? It is only you who has been delayed for seven years and is still alone to this day."
"Your mother knows that you carried the blame for the Crown Prince back then. You have been in the land of Yan for seven years. Your mother has been feeling restless day and night because of this..."
Nanny Yang, who was standing on the side, interrupted, "The Queen has been thinking about this matter day and night. That's why she has been worrying and hurting herself. She has been bedridden for several years. The Queen has proposed to the Emperor many times to let the Crown Prince issue an edict of guilt to the world and take on what he should take... But the Emperor doesn't allow it..."
"Nanny, there is no need to say these things." Queen Ma said, "The process is not important. After all, this matter has been delayed for seven years. Now it is still Xuan Yao who is carrying it. What's the use of what I said?"
Nanny Yang sighed and silently lowered her head.
Queen Ma hadn't seen Song Yinghuai for a long time. She only wanted to ask some nice questions, "Xuan Yao, what does that woman look like and what kind of personality does she have?"
Caiyu?
When Song Yinghuai was asked, the charming and ferocious appearance of Caiyu immediately appeared in his mind. His eyebrows twitched a few times.
He smiled, "Your Majesty the Queen, she is just a maid. Your Majesty the Queen doesn't need to worry about it so much."
Queen Ma said, "You are wrong. Your mother once taught you that there is no self and no others. All sentient beings are equal. You have been cultivating Buddhism for seven years. Haven't you ever read the Buddha's words that all sentient beings are equal, just like thousands of lotus flowers blooming with light together. All phenomena are empty. All sentient beings are equal, without any distinction between high and low, noble and humble?"
"A maid is also born by her parents. What's the difference between her and us? Moreover, your mother and your father were also born from the grass roots back then. This throne of the Great Ye was also supported by countless ordinary people... You can't look down on any life in your eyes, especially when facing the people you like and the people who like you. Do you understand?"
Song Yinghuai's expression turned solemn. He respectfully lowered his head, "Your humble servant understands. Thank you for your Majesty the Queen's teachings."
Queen Ma didn't give up, "Then you should tell me. Your mother has not heard any new things in the palace for a long time... Now that you are here, don't think about going back to the mansion. Your mother wants to hear you tell me all about her."
Song Yinghuai was both amused and helpless.
They all said that when people get old, they are like children. It is really true.
The imposing manner that Queen Ma had when she taught him back then was really worlds apart from her current rascal-like appearance.
Helpless, he had to pick some things that Caiyu had done to tease him to tell. Queen Ma listened with a red face.
She never expected that Song Xuanyao, who was smart all his life, would be led around by a little girl.
Song Yinghuai looked at Queen Ma helplessly.
Queen Ma was happy for a while. Suddenly, she said, "Xuan Yao has fallen in love but doesn't know it!"
Song Yinghuai was stunned.
When Queen Ma saw his appearance, she knew that although this kid was shrewd in the battlefield and officialdom, he was not so good at matters of the heart. She could only wake him up and say:
"Xuan Yao is cold-blooded and ruthless on the battlefield. When has he ever been merciful to his enemies? But you have tolerated a little girl playing tricks on you again and again. Don't you think it's because you are in love with her?"
Song Yinghuai's fingertips suddenly tightened!
He was not so stupid that he couldn't even tell matters of the heart.
It was just that there was an insurmountable gap between him and Caiyu, which made him have to restrain his feelings.
If he didn't restrain himself, if he really fell in love with a woman uncontrollably.
If one day, that woman couldn't bear to live a normal married life with him and turned around to fall in love with someone else.
What should he do?
When Song Yinghuai thought that if one day, Caiyu abandoned him and wanted to turn to Sheng Jiangli's arms.
His heart was like a sharp cone stabbing at him, and he felt so painful that he couldn't breathe.
It was a pity that Queen Ma would never understand.
Song Yinghuai secretly took a breath and suppressed the boredom in his heart. He said with a smile, "Maybe. Your Majesty the Queen is a person who has come here. You always see more clearly than your humble servant."
Queen Ma nodded, "Since you know, then in the future, don't be fierce to that little girl all the time..."
She paused for a moment and then said, "Forget it. What am I worried about? From what you said, that little girl is really fierce. Even as a maid, you can't handle her. If one day in the future, you help her become a concubine, you will probably have to apologize to her every day."
What Queen Ma mentioned was a concubine, not a wife.
But neither of them had any objections to this matter.
In Queen Ma's eyes, the wife of the King of Yan must have a powerful family background to help Song Yinghuai guard and recover the lost land on the border.
And she... had someone in mind.
As for Song Yinghuai, ever since he noticed that Caiyu minded her identity last time, he was thinking of giving her the title of a concubine.
It wasn't that he couldn't marry Caiyu under pressure. It was just that after thinking about it, he thought that the wife had to bear the obligation of giving birth to children.
If Caiyu became the wife, he wouldn't be able to let Caiyu have children...
Then the pressure and attention that Caiyu had to bear would be great.
Queen Ma and Song Yinghuai chatted for a long time. Finally, she was still tired.
She forced herself to cheer up and finally said the thing that she had been most concerned about in her heart:
"Xuan Yao, it has been so many years. Your mother has always wanted to ask you for a favor..."
When Song Yinghuai saw her hesitant appearance, he knew what Queen Ma wanted to say.
He remained silent and only listened to Queen Ma's voice that was as light as a floating duckweed:
"I know that the Crown Prince has made you suffer so much for so many years. He is also an unpromising person... But what can I do? After all, he is your mother's own son..."