The carriage was shaking, and the noise from the street echoed around the surroundings.

The Empress Dowager leaned alone by the car window and wandered around, still recalling Ning Yuhe's affairs. From time to time, she picked up the bronze mirror in her hand and looked at it, as if she was doing some comparison.

I don’t know how long it took, two light sounds in the carriage awakened the Queen Mother who was thinking about it.

"Empress Dowager, the lanterns on the street are pretty. Do you want to come down and have a walk?"

A gentle voice called out, but Xu Buling.

The Empress Dowager was a little confused, raised her hand and opened the car window and glanced out, but she arrived near the Fairy Bridge.

The night has quietly arrived without realizing it. The long street is brightly lit. There are a string of lanterns hanging by the eaves of buildings with a hint of water town on the inland river. It sways gently with the evening breeze, emitting a dim light.

On the long bluestone street, beside the quiet inland river, a few small willows drooped willow branches, young men and women wearing scholarly robes and ladies' clothes went down together. The boatmen holding small boats on the river occasionally shouted, carrying passengers through a stone arch bridge mounted on the river in the distance. On the stone arch bridge, several young men and women were talking in a low voice.

The stone arch bridge is a building of the previous dynasty. It is rumored that a celestial girl came down to earth to meet a scholar on the bridge and fell in love with him, so she was named "Fairy Bridge". No one knows the truth or falsehood of the legend. However, this place has always been a good place for men and women to meet. The night view is beautiful, and there are many places where evening clouds and morning rain are used.

The Queen Mother also came here to enjoy the scenery, but after entering the palace, she never came here again. After all, this is the place for young people.

The Empress Dowager looked at the beautiful scenery outside the car window, and after a long time, she shook her head and chuckled: "Just look here, you will have to fight when you go out, and it will be a big fight and stir up the interest of the little mandarin ducks." As the Empress Dowager, she would inevitably be in a hurry when she went out, and she would not have the opportunity to stroll on the streets alone. As soon as she showed up, the scene would be cleared along the streets.

Xu Buling stood outside the car window with a smile: "The Queen Mother can change her clothes. As for safety, with me, no one in the world can get close to the Queen Mother, just follow her far away."

The Queen Mother blinked her eyes, hesitated for a moment, looked at Xu Buling, and then looked at the small street buildings full of spring breeze. Finally, she moved and closed the car window:

"Qiao'e, come in."

"yes!"

Qiao'e hurried into the carriage, a little confused.

The empress dowager closed the doors and windows, then took off the doors and windows in a few seconds. She pulled Qiao'e over and took it clean, changed the usual maid's uniform, and found a veil for sunshade from the small cabinet in the carriage to cover her face. She picked up the bronze mirror and looked at it for a few seconds. After confirming that there was no problem, she threw down the naked Qiao'e and left the carriage alone.

Xu Buling stood outside the carriage and waited, but when he saw her coming out, he raised his hand to support her.

The Empress Dowager naturally would not have contacted the man easily. She quietly glanced at Xu Buling, then jumped off the waist-high edge of the car, and waved casually: "Hurry up, hurry up, I won't be able to go back after the palace gate is closed later..." As she said that, she trotted to the bustling streets of pedestrians.

Although this impatient appearance is not suitable for the metaphor, it really looks like a fierce horse that has broken away...

There was Xu Buling naturally not a big problem. The Empress Dowager asked the guards to keep a suitable distance from the palace maids, but she took Xu Buling to the streets.

The streets of Fairy Bridge are not long, and the shops on the street sell rouge, jewelry, books, scrolls and other items.

There are many men and women coming and going, either smiling cleverly or chatting and laughing. There is no unrestrained behavior. The street is full of a warm atmosphere of "feeling from love and ritual".

The empress dowager is not very old, but her figure and temperament are outstanding. Needless to say, Xu Buling can attract shy or jealous eyes when she walks there. At this time, walking on the street naturally attracts a lot of gazes.

The empress dowager put her hands on her waist, trying to treat herself as the lady who took her juniors out for fun, and she looked at the various things on the street with her eyes calmly. After walking a few steps, she couldn't help but feel a little restrained. She looked back and said softly:

"Bo Ling, it's the first time I've been on the street alone since I entered the palace ten years ago... Haha... I almost forgot what it feels like..."

Xu Buling walked beside him and nodded slightly: "If the Queen Mother likes me, I will come to accompany you more in the future, and it is not a big deal."

The Empress Dowager frowned and thought for a while, shook her head gently: "I really liked to go out for a walk in the past, but after living in Changle Palace for so many years, I have been used to it... As the Empress Dowager, you must pay attention to your demeanor and behavior, and wander around all day long. If the royal family knows it, it will be difficult for the emperor to explain..."

Xu Buling didn't talk much, so he swept around and raised his finger to the small pier by the street: "Does the Queen Mother want to take a boat?"

The boats on the river are used to enjoy the view of flowers and street lights, and boatmen often wait for guests on the street.

The empress dowager looked at it for a few times and chuckled: "I've come here, it's nothing to sit for a while... Let's go." Then she set off and walked in front, from the stone steps to the riverside, and jumped gently with her skirt, jumped onto a small boat, and rippled in the calm river surface.

Xu Buling followed him on the boat and sat on the futon prepared for the guests. The Queen Mother leaned on the edge of the boat and looked at the rows of lanterns hanging on both sides of the river.

The boat slowly floated down the street, and the Queen Mother kept watching the scenery on the street, which was very fascinating because there were too few opportunities to go out and enjoy the scenery. She would soon have to return to the birdcage of Changle Palace. She might never have the chance to sit on the boat again and visit the streets without restraint.

Xu Buling didn't say anything, but just untied the wine gourd around him and poured it on his own.

The Queen Mother watched alone for a while, and the boat slowly passed through the Fairy Bridge across the long street, blocking her view. The Queen Mother then took her eyes back from the street, feeling that Xu Buling was neglected, sat upright slightly, and returned to her former dignity and grand appearance. She asked with a smile:

"Xu Buling... Do you have something to do with me?"

Xu Buling put down the wine gourd and smiled warmly:

"Why did the Queen Mother say this?"

The empress dowager's eyes showed a little scrutiny, looking up and down at Xu Buling: "I am not Hongluan. I have been learning power and scheming since I was a child. Although I am not good at studying, I also know a little... I have been attentive to show my responsibilities and either traitors. You have been a little too enthusiastic about this palace recently..."

Xu Buling shook his head slightly, revealing a little helpless: "Isn't this apologizing to the Empress Dowager? As long as the Empress Dowager doesn't blame me secretly."

"If you return the things to me, I will naturally not blame you."

The Queen Mother snorted lightly, supported her cheeks with her hands, looked at the streets with bright lights again, and thought about it carefully:

"I know how powerful the Dragon Lock Gu is, and the Xiao family has no way to detoxify it. It's not that I won't tell you... You are a descendant of Xu Lie, so you have to have some responsibility and courage. A real man should live, and die if he dies. It's not good to do something against his will to protect himself... For example, if you ran to my bed last time, if General Xu knew, he would have to break your three...two legs..."

"Mrs. Xie's teachings."

"Put yourself in your shoes and put your heart in mind. I am afraid that I am more anxious than you, but as a king, you must be more mentally and resilient than ordinary people. No matter how dangerous the situation is, you should focus your attention on the people of the world instead of just looking at your own life...

... My Xiao family in Huainan said that it was a minister across three dynasties, in other words, it was also a fence-branded slave of the three surnames, but my Xiao family has always had a clear conscience because my Xiao family's ancestors were to plan the world for the people, not for the whole family..."

The Empress Dowager was so good at temptation. In fact, she wanted to enlighten Xu Buling and let him shift his eyes from the Dragon Lock Gu to other things. After all, in her heart, it was meaningless to have no medicine to solve the problem of the Dragon Lock Gu.

Xu Buling's expression was as calm as ever, nodded slightly and looked at her with a smile:

"In the future, I will focus on the people of the world."

The Empress Dowager had no choice but to know that this kind of thing was useless to persuade him, so she had to take a break and look at the lantern above: "It's getting late, so let's go back to the palace to avoid gossiping... By the way, in a few days, the emperor welcomes the envoys of Northern Qi, and you can come and have a look. After you become king, you will also deal with Northern Qi..."

After saying that, the empress dowager stood up, let the boatman dock, took Xu Buling to the small street together, and walked side by side towards the carriage on the other side of the street.

The lights enter the dream, the sparks are hazy.

At this time, on the way home, the Empress Dowager slowed down again. After taking a few steps, she would look back, but she didn't know what she was looking at.

Xu Buling walked in front of her, noticed her movements, and whispered:

"The Queen Mother wants to go for a walk again?"

The queen mother came to her senses and shook her head and smiled gently: "I can't see enough, I just can't bear to leave it... No matter how high the identity is, it's in vain. This opportunity for hiking and parading may be this time... I always feel that there are some shortcomings..."

Xu Buling frowned slightly and looked back at the street lanterns: "What are the shortcomings... um..." He turned around and walked towards the street.

The Queen Mother looked a little confused and looked back.

Unexpectedly, I saw a beautiful young man in white dress standing next to the candied haws on the street, with a serious expression but a little childish behavior.

No one can buy candied haws in person...

The Queen Mother suddenly walked in place, with lights reflected in her eyes, but she didn't know how to describe this feeling.

In a daze, the young man in white ran back, holding a rosy candied haw with a smile:

"The Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother stood among the lanterns all over the street and blinked, looking down at the candied haws in front of her. It was a little funny, but for some reason she couldn't laugh. After a long time, she pursed her lips, raised her hand to take the candied haws that the child would eat, and said softly:

"You kid, I am so old, you are not young anymore. Pay attention to the demeanor of the prince..."

"Does the Queen Mother like it?"

“…”

The Queen Mother glanced at Xu Buling, turned around and continued walking, and whispered in a low voice:

“…I like it if I like it…”

"Just like it, why bother to be surprised by the eyes of people."

“That’s right…”

The queen mother held the candied haws and covered her sleeves with her red lips. She held the fresh and crisp candied haws. She bit off one and found Xu Buling laughing. She glared fiercely again and ran to the front quickly.

The evening breeze is gentle on the small street, and the willows swaying by the river.

The talented man and beautiful woman walk on the roadside, with the lights on the calm river surface, making it difficult to tell whether it is the reflection of the lights or the stars in the sky.

The two men, who were a few steps away from each other, seemed to be no different from the young men and women on the street at this time, but the gap between them was a little further away than the stars in the sky.

The Queen Mother walked out with the sweet and sour candied haws in her mouth, and suddenly looked back at the young master in white walking behind her back, raised her hand and smiled.

She hurriedly turned back and walked forward with her head down. Before she knew it, an idea came to her heart for no reason: It would be great if it was ten years earlier, who would have been willing to enter the palace to be the queen...

But no matter how much I think, the empress dowager quickly suppressed this inappropriate thought. After all, this is the fact. She is Dayue's empress dowager...

"Oh~"

A faint sigh sounded silently on the street.
Chapter completed!