White Fence Dream

Chapter 296 Stability
"Peace and peace."

Zhou Jiuniang squeezed to the front and threw a flower at Zhou Jingyun.

"Brother Prince, these are the flowers for the Buddha statue that we brought from Dajue Temple."

Zhou Jingyun reached out to catch the flower that slipped off his body and thanked him with a smile: "Be safe."

After returning to the Dongyang Marquis Mansion, there was still a ceremony waiting. Zhou Jingyun did not get impatient and watched his family members going about their business with a smile.

They said they were praying for him, but weren't they praying for themselves? When one prospers, all prosper, and when one suffers, all suffer. During this period, everyone was locked up in the cell, anxiously waiting for the verdict.

Fortunately, everything is safe and sound.

"I really don't know what to do back home." Mrs. Dongyang looked at Zhou Jingyun who was being escorted into the room by everyone and complained unhappily, "I have been living peacefully for eight or nine years outside."

How could she have such an attitude when seeing her son who had survived a great disaster? Mother Xu scolded: "Madam."

Shouldn’t I hug the prince and cry?
How did the lady's heart become so hard?
The wife of the Marquis of Dongyang didn't know what was wrong with her. She had been unhappy every day before, and seemed to cry every night when she thought of Zhou Jingyun in prison. Now, looking at Zhou Jingyun, she was indeed very sad, but also inexplicably annoyed, as if she had forgotten something that made her sad and annoyed.

She became even angrier.

"Come back and get married." Zhou Jiuniang shouted from the side.

The nanny hurriedly pulled her back to stop her from talking nonsense.

After Zhou Jiuniang finished speaking, she was also a little confused. She seemed to be thinking about something but couldn't think of it. Finally, she muttered something.

"Brother Crown Prince should get married and hold a wedding. I want to receive gifts."

The wife of the Marquis of Dongyang did not scold her, thinking that she actually had the same intention, but.
".It was bad luck to have such a mess with the Lu family." She said, "Bad luck brought about today's bad luck, because the Lu family and Zhang Ze were involved with the ladies in the palace."

After saying that, he waved his hand.

"You'd better not stay in the capital, go out."

Zhou Jingyun smiled and said, "My mother and I are thinking the same thing."

The wife of the Marquis of Dongyang glanced at him.

"I originally wanted to come back and try to do something else," Zhou Jingyun said, "so I chose the Ministry of Revenue, but after working there, I felt that I was more suitable to be a supervisor of schools."

After saying this, he bowed.

"So when I was released from the cell, I also submitted a request to His Majesty for release."

The room was quiet for a moment, Zhou Jiuniang felt a little regretful, "Brother Prince is leaving again."

The wife of the Marquis of Dongyang looked at Zhou Jingyun for a moment. In fact, according to reason, she said that Zhou Jingyun should leave out of anger. Now when she heard that Zhou Jingyun was really leaving, she should be angry, but inexplicably she was not angry, only sad.

She sighed.

"You are my child, but you are already grown up. You should make your own decisions."

After saying that, he waved his hand.

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. We've been waiting for half a day. Let's eat."

Following her command, the maids signaled to the outside, and the servants who had been waiting for a long time brought in the dishes and wine. The hall was filled with laughter and joy.

Zhou Jingyun sat there chatting and laughing with his family, but from time to time he glanced across the hall.

Zhou Jiuniang noticed his action.

"Who is Prince looking for?" She also looked around.

Zhou Jingyun smiled and said, "No, I just came to see if everyone in my family is here."

Zhou Jiuniang said, "Brother Prince is looking for father. Father won't come back. He said the chrysanthemums in the other courtyard are about to bloom and he can't leave. He asked us to go to the other courtyard to meet him."

Father? Zhou Jingyun nodded with a smile, his eyes still sweeping across the hall.

But I always feel that there is one person missing.

"Who's missing?" Zhou Jiuniang stood up and looked carefully. "Except for those who are away, all the family members at home are here."

Zhou Jiuniang's actions also attracted everyone's attention and the laughter stopped.

"what happened?"

"What are you looking for?"

A questioning voice sounded in the hall.

The wife of Marquis Dongyang beside him frowned and looked at him.

Zhou Jingyun quickly stood up with the wine glass in hand: "I want to offer everyone a glass of wine to apologize for scaring everyone." After saying this, he bowed, then stood up and drank the wine in one gulp.

Everyone in the hall laughed, raised their glasses and drank together, and the atmosphere became lively again.

Zhou Jingyun didn't look around again. He focused on eating the food and wine in front of him and chatting with the people around him.

Mrs. Dongyang took her eyes off him, held the wine glass, and couldn't help looking around. She heard what Zhou Jiuniang and Zhou Jingyun said just now.
She also felt like someone was missing.

But that shouldn’t be the case. Everyone who is at home is here, and there are only a few people who are not at home.

It was really inexplicable. Maybe it was because I was worried about Zhou Jingyun. I hadn’t slept well for a long time and I felt dazed.

The wife of the Marquis of Dongyang drank the wine in her hand.

Now that the bad news has been resolved and the future is secure, I can sleep well and have sweet dreams tonight.

Perhaps because he drank a few too many glasses of wine, Zhou Jingyun was a little sleepy.

He has always slept well, whether he was studying outside or in the cell of the Supervisory Court. Why is it that he can't sleep well when he returns home?

Zhou Jingyun turned over in bed and reached under the pillow to pull out a book.

He sat up and saw that it was a volume of strange records.

When did he start to like reading this kind of book? It was placed on the bed, obviously for bedtime reading.

And it’s the lower volume.

So he has finished the first volume?
How come I have no impression at all?

Zhou Jingyun was looking at the book in his hand. He saw a figure outside from the corner of his eye. He subconsciously raised his head and opened his mouth.

It seemed like there was a name I wanted to blurt out, but my mind was blank and I couldn't say it.

"you--"

He finally uttered this word and looked outside. The night lights were dim, the autumn wind was swaying, the shadows of the trees were cast on the window, and there was no one outside.

A soft questioning voice came from outside the door.

"Prince? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Maid Chunyue, Zhou Jingyun thought, this name popped up without any hesitation, which showed that his mind was still normal.

"It's okay, you can go down," he said.

The maid outside the door answered yes and retreated with light footsteps. Soon, the low voices of the maids' laughter could be heard in the night.

".Sister Chunyue, isn't it good for you to stay in the palace?"

"Do I still need to keep watch in the palace?"

"Is that maid, not the queen, of good character?"

Yes, the maidservant and daughter of the King of Chu had been fostered in his home before. That woman was also married from the Dongyang Marquis’ Mansion, and Chunyue had served that woman.

Now she has been crowned as queen.

This also represents the special friendship between the new emperor and Zhou Jingyun, so even though Zhou Jingyun has been locked up in the cell, no one feels that his life is in danger.

The voice of Chunyue floated in through the window with the autumn wind.

". is a very good person."

"But don't discuss it, it's the Queen."

The laughter of the maids faded away, and the night returned to peace. Zhou Jingyun was distracted as he held the book in his hand. The next moment, he turned on the night lamp, sat against the head of the bed, and turned a page.

".Wang Li, the lieutenant of Yuqian County in the Tang Dynasty, was selected to work as a servant in Daningli" ".Walking on foot and returning late at night, I happened to be on the same road with a beautiful woman. She followed me in front or behind. Because of her sincerity and words, they got along very well." (Note)
In the bright imperial study, a gaze was cast from the front, examining him.

Zhou Jingyun raised his head and met the young emperor's gaze.

The young emperor's face was a little pale. He leaned back in his chair and seemed a little tired, but his eyes were bright.

The children who once squatted in fear outside the princess's mansion and the young men who once laughed and played in the brothels and boats in the capital have all disappeared.

He had a clear gaze and a faint smile, which was somewhat friendly, but more unpredictable.

"Prince, did you not sleep well?" Li Yu asked with a smile, his eyes wandering over his face, "You look unwell."

Zhou Jingyun bowed his head and said, "I read too much and didn't sleep well. Your Majesty, please forgive me."

Li Yu smiled and said, "The prince is a scholar. He cannot read to his heart's content in prison, so it's not surprising that he is immersed in the sea of ​​books now."

He did not continue the topic and looked at the memorial requesting the release of the throne on the table.

"Do you want to continue to be a supervisor?"

Then he asked with a smile.

"Or do you want to stay away from me?"

If this was said by the dandy Shangguan Yue, it would only make people want to beat him up, but if it was said by the emperor...
It will make people tremble with fear and dare not sweat.

Zhou Jingyun raised his head and smiled at Li Yu: "I originally wanted to return to the court to do something different, but after trying it, I feel that I am more suitable to be a supervisor. The supervisor will not be far away from Your Majesty, and the students selected by the supervisor will all be Your Majesty's ministers in the future."

Li Yu also smiled, lowered his head and flipped through a few books on the other side: "I see that what you have done in the past few years in the outer school is more to protect the late emperor, or in other words, the admission and selection of officials issued by Empress Jiang."

Zhou Jingyun lowered his eyes: "Yes, I think the policies implemented by Empress Chiang were more able to select talented people."

Perhaps because Zhang Ze and others from the Supervisory Board were investigated, Zhou Jingyun no longer hesitated to mention Empress Jiang.

There was no sound from above, and the spacious hall was quiet.

It seemed like a long time had passed, yet it seemed like only a moment, and then Li Yu's voice rang out.

"Okay," he said. "It doesn't matter when it's from. As long as it works well."

Accompanied by the sound of a soft musical piece being thrown on the table.

"I agree, you go ahead."

Zhou Jingyun raised his head and looked at Li Yu.

Li Yu lowered his head and didn't look at him. After noticing his gaze, he raised his head, looked at him, and smiled: "Why, Prince, you can't bear to leave me?"

Previously, it seemed that there were still some ridiculous words between him and the King of Chu.

However, Zhou Jingyun did not expect to hear such a ridicule from Li Yu.

At this moment, the person standing in front of him seemed to have turned into that playboy again.

Zhou Jingyun smiled, bowed and said, "Thank you for your grace, my lord." Then he took his leave.

Just as he took a step back, he was stopped by Li Yu.

"Prince, before you leave, would you like to see the Queen?"

Queen?

Zhou Jingyun raised his head and saw Li Yu leaning back in his chair, looking at him quietly, with a hint of inquiry, as if he wanted to see something from his eyes.
The Queen had some connection with him, after all, she married into a marquis's mansion, but that was all.

"I wish your majesty and the queen to continue loving each other as before." Zhou Jingyun said, bowing again and facing the harem, "Long live the queen."

Li Yu laughed out loud, leaned forward and patted the table, then choked and started coughing. He held his chest and groaned a few times.

Zhou Jingyun saw that his face turned pale instantly and his lips lost all color.

this.
"Your Majesty?" He turned around and took a few steps forward.

Li Yu raised his hand to stop him.

"I'm fine." He said, pressing one hand on his chest, looking at Zhou Jingyun with a smile on his pale face, "You can go."

Zhou Jingyun looked at him for a moment, and finally did not ask any more questions. He bowed and walked out.

This time Li Yu did not call him back. He watched Zhou Jingyun disappear, watched the hall become quiet, and watched the late autumn sunlight move across the ground.
It seemed like a long time had passed, and Li Yu, who was sitting on the chair like a stone sculpture, murmured.

"I am the only one who remembers her."

"So pathetic."

He sat up straight and called for help.

A eunuch came in hurriedly and responded respectfully, watching Li Yu pull out a scroll from the table.

"Give this to the Prince of Dongyang."

Zhou Jingyun had already walked outside the imperial city and was about to take the reins from Jiang Yun as he looked at the eunuchs chasing after him from inside.

"Your Majesty's reward?" he said.

The eunuch handed over the scroll: "Yes."

Zhou Jingyun first expressed his gratitude, then took the scroll with both hands and watched the eunuch leave.

"I admired a painting." Jiang Yun said beside him, curious, "I want to see what famous work it is."

Zhou Jingyun smiled and stretched out his hand to open it as he was told. As the scroll unfolded, he first saw a jeweled bun, and then a woman's eyes as clear as mountain spring water.
portrait?

woman?

Zhou Jingyun was a little surprised. He unfolded the scroll completely and a young girl appeared before him.

Her face is like a full moon, pretty and bright.

this.
Zhou Jingyun looked at the portrait, and as his eyes swept across it, it was as if a stream of water was flowing through his heart.

"Who is this?"

Jiang Yun's voice asked in my ear.

"Your Majesty, did you ask me to help you find someone?"

"This is..." Zhou Jingyun heard his own voice, "someone I know."

Jiang Yun was a little surprised: "Who?"

Zhou Jingyun raised his head, opened his mouth and stopped, a trace of confusion flashed across his face: "I don't know."

Jiang Yun was stunned. Did he know him or not?

Zhou Jingyun lowered his head and looked at the portrait again. There seemed to be a mist lingering in his consciousness, and a figure could be vaguely seen.

The figure was smiling at him and gradually merged with the person in the portrait.

Although there was confusion on his face, his eyes gradually became firm.

“I don’t know, but”

He must know her.

And we know each other very well.

Because there is a voice in my heart shouting, find her.

Zhou Jingyun looked up again and gazed into the distance.

Go find her.

Go find her.

He rolled up the scroll and held it tightly in his hand.

Then go find her.

(End of text)
(Note: You can read "Ji Ren Qi" by Xue Yongruo. This story was inspired by it. Haha)

The main text ends here, and there is an epilogue to explain what happens next.