I followed Nan Chengyao onto the imperial sedan chair, heading in the direction of the Ziying Palace. My mind was unsettled and I remained silent, while Nan Chengyao also closed his eyes and didn't speak. The whole way was spent in silence until the sedan chair stopped in front of the Chentian Gate.

  "Your Majesties and Your Royal Highnesses are requested to enter the palace."

  The eunuch's voice, respectful yet slightly sharp, echoed outside, and I was about to get up and turn my gaze towards Nan Chongyao, but he didn't move.

  "Your Highness." I called out softly to him.

  He opened his eyes, gazed at me deeply, and suddenly reached out with his right hand to stroke my cheek.

  I didn't think of it for a moment, and instinctively retreated backwards, but he didn't let go, his left hand tightened, firmly holding my waist.

  "Your Highness..."

  His fingers, with the thin calluses left from practicing swordplay, gently and slowly stroked my cheek, I called out to him in a somewhat unclear tone, but under his dark and profound gaze, I gradually felt a sense of nervousness.

  He locked his gaze onto mine, then opened his mouth. His voice was very soft, only the two of us could hear it, yet every word fell with a heavy tone: "Qing'er, I want you to remember what I said last night at 'Maple Forest Evening'. No matter what happens, I want you to trust me, don't bear everything alone, and don't torment yourself."

  As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't wait for me to respond, nor did he give me time to react. He simply withdrew his hand and responded faintly towards the outside of the carriage.

  Someone immediately opened the car curtain for us, and I saw a faint smile on his lips again. His eyes were clear and calm, and he got out of the car slowly, standing with his back to the light, without looking back at me.

  I slowly extended my hand to the eunuch who was guiding me, bowed my head and followed behind Nan Chongyao, passing through the Gate of Supreme Virtue, the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Gate of Auspicious Light, the Gate of Two Principles, and finally arrived in front of the Hall of Imperial Declarations.

  My cheeks still retain the warmth of his palms, and the warm sunshine is shining on me, but for some reason, I inexplicably feel a chill in my heart.

  "His Majesty has decreed, proclaiming the three princes and three princesses to enter the palace——"

  In the prolonged tail tone of the eunuch's declaration, I accompanied Nan Chengyao into the palace at a slow pace. At a glance, I saw the Son of Heaven sitting high on the jade throne, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, and his complexion looked better than when I saw him yesterday.

  The Empress Qing, who had not been seen for a long time, wore a lake-blue embroidered peony satin skirt today, holding a scroll in her hand, and was accompanying the Emperor with a clever smile and soft words, saying something, but seeing the Emperor's expression was extremely joyful.

  After the ceremony, the emperor's favor was high, and he granted me and Nan Xiangyao to sit on the first-grade jade step, while Zhao Mo and Ouyang Xian had arrived early and were sitting in the front row below the jade step.

  "Yao'er, come and take a look at this painting."

  The Emperor took the scroll from Queen Qing's hands, gesturing to the eunuchs behind him to slowly unroll it for us. I and Nan Chongyao stood up together to look at it. The snowy sky was vast, iron horses and golden spears, the fierce battle was in full swing, with an atmosphere as magnificent as a rainbow.

  The emperor smiled and said: "Qing Fei specially painted this Snowy Day Breaking Array Map to congratulate our army's triumphant return."

  Nan Chengyao smiled and replied: "Your Majesty's brushstrokes are like those of a god, I will lead the three armies to thank you first."

  The gentle and soft Queen Qi smiled: "The Third Prince led the army to a great victory over the Northern Hu, spreading the prestige of our Southern Dynasty. His divine bravery and heroic bearing are not something that can be fully expressed in words. I am only moved by the fact that our Holy Emperor has such a loyal and filial son who is good at war, and that our Southern Dynasty has such a virtuous and talented minister. It was just a moment of emotion that prompted me to take up my brush and paint this Snowy Day Breaking the Enemy Lines picture. Please, Third Prince and two generals, do not laugh at it."

  Nan Chengyao and Zhao Mo, Ouyang Xian heard the words naturally stood up to thank him, Queen Qing's eyes were filled with warmth as she glanced at Nan Chengyao, then pulled back her gaze and turned to the Emperor with a charming smile: "Your Majesty, I just asked you for something, Your Majesty will agree to it, won't you?"

  His Majesty smiled and said: "How could I not allow the queen's good intentions? Even if you didn't ask, I was going to inscribe this painting anyway."

  As he spoke, he ordered the eunuchs behind him to prepare his writing instruments.

  The people who served in front of the emperor naturally handled matters with great agility and efficiency. It was probably when Empress Qing asked for the writing, this brush and ink had already been prepared, so as soon as the emperor's voice fell, a small eunuch immediately came from outside the Xuanzheng Hall gate, holding the brush and ink and rushing in one after another.

  His Majesty concentrated his mind for a moment before picking up his brush and writing...

  "The snow-covered banner waves its shadow, and hastens the flying general to pursue the northern barbarians."

  The general wears golden armor in a hundred battles, the husband makes a promise to his country with one vow.

  The auspicious energy is surging and spreading in all directions, with a brilliant light shining like gold scales.

  "Victory achieved, all men envy; prestige extends to the southern dynasty, with rivers and mountains vast."

  The last stroke of the word "阔" was just finished, and Qing Guifei had already applauded and laughed: "Good poem, good words! If this painting can be worthy of Your Majesty's personal inscription with these wonderful sentences and beautiful characters, it is truly a lifelong satisfaction without any regret!"

  His Majesty handed the brush with a smile to the little eunuch, his face showing a hint of pleasure.

  Nan Chengyao also smiled and said: "The Emperor's casual writing is already a brilliant strategy, with an extraordinary air, quick thinking and not weaker than in his heyday."

  The queen held the painting in her hands, admiring it endlessly, and laughed as she praised it without stopping: "Let's not mention the wonderful poem for now, just look at the characters - the brushwork is bold and powerful, with a strong and spirited charm. Your Majesty's calligraphy is truly lovable!"

  Nan Chengyao smiled and replied, "When Father Emperor was young, he already had a good hand at writing. Now, as he writes with his heart, it's even more divine. Unfortunately, no matter how I try to imitate him, I just can't replicate that elegance."

  His Majesty chuckled: "You weren't by my side when you were young, and after your writing style was formed as an adult, it's not easy to change. However, your current calligraphy is quite impressive, even if it's not like mine."

  The queen carefully handed the painting to the eunuchs, indicating that they should bring it over for Zhao Mo and Ouyang Xian to also pay their respects to the emperor's calligraphy. At the same time, she smiled and spoke to the emperor: "I haven't seen much of the Third Prince's writing, but in my opinion, among all the princes, the one who writes with the most imperial style is probably the Crown Prince. Last year at the emperor's birthday banquet, the Crown Prince personally wrote a copy of the 'Classic of Filial Piety' as a gift, and I saw that his handwriting had learned from Your Majesty's brushwork to about 70 or 80%."

  The emperor smiled and nodded: "His characters are what I taught him personally from a young age, one stroke at a time, so it's only natural that they resemble mine."

  On the other side, Zhao Mo looked at the painting and couldn't help but agree: "Indeed, the Crown Prince's handwriting is extremely similar to the Emperor's. It's true that a tiger father has no inferior son, truly a royal demeanor."

  Ouyang Xian smiled and punched him: "What are you blindly shouting about? You and I are both big rough men in the army, and we've always been stationed in the north of the desert. When have you ever had the chance to see the prince's handwriting? Besides, let alone us, who in this world doesn't know that the prince's handwriting is worth a thousand gold coins and never leaked out? Where did you go to see it?"

  They were originally unrestrained in the military, and fortunately, the emperor had also spent his early years in the midst of war horses. He didn't mind, but Empress Qing couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh out loud when she heard this.

  Zao Mo's face turned red, and he hastily explained: "Really, when I led the team to seal off the Dong Mansion earlier, there was a calligraphy piece written by the Crown Prince hanging in Dong Di's study, that's how I knew..."

  "Zhao Mo, stop your nonsense." Before he could finish speaking, Nan Chengyao cut him off decisively: "Dong Di is a treasonous criminal, how could the Crown Prince's calligraphy possibly be in his mansion?"

  Zhao Mo's expression changed suddenly, and he stood there frozen, unsure of what to do.

  I already understood in my heart, and slightly lowered my eyelashes without making a sound. All I could hear was the emperor's voice devoid of any emotion echoing within the quiet and solemn Proclamation Hall: "Since you had never seen the crown prince's handwriting before, how can you be so certain that the calligraphy came from his hand?"

  Zhao Mo suddenly knelt down on the ground, knocked his head and said: "Your humble servant deserves death!"

  His Majesty looked at him through the twelve-layered crown and said expressionlessly: "I am asking you a question."

  Zhaomo gritted his teeth, still kneeling on the ground and not daring to get up. Then, with a trembling voice, he replied: "Your humble servant, your humble servant only saw that the calligraphy had the seal of the Crown Prince, so I thought... Your humble servant deserves death! Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

  The colorful jade of Zhu, Bai, Cang, Huang and Xuan swayed back and forth. The emperor's expression was indistinct, but his voice still came through calmly: "Where is that calligrapher now?"

  Zhao Mo fell to the ground, his voice trembling even more: "The items confiscated from the Dong Mansion have all been handed over to the Ministry of Justice and are now on file. That calligraphy must be among them..."

  Without waiting for him to finish, the Emperor waved his sleeve and ordered: "Come, go to the Ministry of Punishment immediately and open the boxes of items seized from the Dong Mansion. Find that piece with the Crown Prince's seal and bring it to the palace at once! Do not make any mistakes!"

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