The autumn wind blew, and the flowers behind Penglai Temple were filled with falling leaves.

Imperial Concubine Yin De stood in front of a garden of withered peony flowers, her clothes fluttering, her white hair winning over the snow.

“Spring and autumn are coming, the sun and moon are shuttling … Time passes so quickly!” She muttered softly, picking up a withered flower petal and sniffing it lightly, leaving behind a lingering fragrance.

Everyone in the world had sorrowful feelings for autumn, not to mention Yin De Fei, who had suffered many setbacks in her life.

In the past two days, the autumn weather had turned cold. Her heart was depressed for no reason, and many years of memories had surged into her heart, causing her to feel somewhat depressed and unhappy.

“Your Highness, Princess Gaoyang has come down from the palace.” The maidservant behind him reported.

Imperial Concubine Yin De turned around and saw Princess Gaoyang walking over from the corridor with a happy expression.

“Why is Ling’er so happy?” Imperial Concubine Yin De asked.

“Retreat, all of you!” Princess Gaoyang rejected the left and right handmaidens and happily grabbed Imperial Concubine Yin De’s hand and whispered, “Mother! Third Brother has let me return to Lanzhou and reunite with Mubai!”

“Really?” Imperial Concubine Yin De was also overjoyed, “Is there such a good thing?”

“Father wants me to go to Lanzhou to persuade Mubai to return to the court. Third Brother will let me go!” Princess Gaoyang said, “Mother, third brother still loves me!”

“Silly child …” Imperial Concubine Yin De caressed Princess Gaoyang’s face lovingly and said, “Can’t you see that this is exactly what your Royal Father meant?”

“Uh … this …” Princess Gaoyang was stunned. “Is that so? My father tried to persuade me before, but I refused. He was very angry at that time, saying that I was an outgoing girl.”

Imperial Concubine Yin De smiled and said, “It has been so many years. Don’t you know your father?” He was the king of a country, and in order to take into account the dignity of the Son of Heaven, he always spoke softly. Think about it, Zhi Zi is like a father. How can you hide this little trick from your third brother? If it wasn’t for his acquiescence, King Wu wouldn’t have dared to act so recklessly even if he had the guts to do so. ”

“That’s right” Princess Gaoyang finally understood and nodded. “So, Father Emperor is willing to let me go back?”

“He has never detained you before. What should we talk about?” Imperial Concubine Yin De smiled and said, “You have already married into a woman. You are a member of his Qin Family.” It’s not reasonable to keep you in Chang’an so that your mother and daughter can’t be reunited. Although your father is strict, he is always reasonable and will never do such a thing that goes against the rules of human relations. Moreover, will you be detained in changan, what benefits? Will he be able to reach Qin Mubai and have him come back? Even if he has a deep affection for you, if he comes back, this method would be too shameful and inhumane. “Your father is determined to be a wise ruler of the generation, so why didn’t he give the people of the world the right to criticize him for this, causing future generations to criticize him?”

Princess Gaoyang nodded, “I understand …”

Imperial Concubine Yin De smiled. She raised her hand and gently stroked Princess Gaoyang’s face. She said softly, “Ling’er, the more you grow up, the more you look like your mother. Seeing you, it’s as if she saw her young self. However, your life is much better than yours. You should cherish it …”

“Mother, I have something to say!” Princess Gaoyang suddenly said.

“Speak!” Concubine Yin De smiled.

Princess Gaoyang gritted her teeth and summoned her courage, “Why don’t you … you! You can come with me!”

“What?!” Imperial Concubine Yin De was slightly shocked, “Why did you say that?”

Princess Gaoyang held Concubine Yin De’s hand tightly and said, “Mother, I wonder if I can return to serve you after this farewell.” From now on, you have no relatives in Chang’an! I can’t bear for you to stay in the palace alone and guard the cold every day for the rest of your life. Mother, come with me! Chang’an, the Imperial Palace is like a cage that has imprisoned you for half your life! For the rest of your life, let your daughter spend it with you, carefree and free, okay? ”

“Foolish!” Imperial Concubine Yin De’s expression changed as she scolded, “As one of the Fourth Imperial Concubines, I am the mother of a country. How can I leave with you privately?”

“What one of the Fourth Concubines! Mother, can’t you throw away this fake title?” Princess Gaoyang was anxious. She held Concubine Yin De’s hand tightly and said, “Didn’t Father Emperor always pamper Xu Hui in recent years? Go tell Father Emperor that you are willing to give up Concubine De’s position, obey his wishes and let him make Xu Hui Concubine De!”

“Impudent!” Imperial Concubine Yin De was enraged. She lowered her voice and scolded, “This is a national matter. How can you be so arrogant?”

“Mother, stop pretending!” Princess Gaoyang pleaded bitterly, “Could it be, could it be that you are willing to spend your entire life like this and die in this palace alone?”

Imperial Concubine Yin De turned around and narrowed her eyes as she looked at the broken flowers and leaves in the pond. She sighed softly, “This is my destiny!”

Princess Gaoyang hurriedly turned to Princess Yin De and said, “Mother, don’t you want to live with your daughter? Don’t you want to see Little Di’er?”

“Of course I do …” Imperial Concubine Yin De knitted her eyebrows and said softly, “If there is anyone else in this world who worries about mother, who else besides you and your daughter?”

“You don’t want to … look at Mubai?” Princess Gaoyang said.

Imperial Concubine Yin De’s eyebrows flickered with fear, but she instantly regained her calm. “What am I looking at him for?”

Princess Gaoyang was stunned. She knew that she had said something wrong and hurriedly said, “Aren’t you close friends? Didn’t you like to hear him play the pipa?”

“Such a trivial matter, what’s there to worry about? Can I risk the world’s condemnation and elope with you?” Imperial Concubine Yin De turned around and continued to look ahead. “Ling’er, go! Go to Lanzhou and live with Mubai. He is the man of your destiny. In this life, you are destined to be happy and perfect. For a woman, meeting the man of her destiny is a hundred times more precious than any princess.”

Princess Gaoyang’s heart was instantly depressed and she bit her lips to suppress her words-“What about being more honorable than Concubine De?”

“What are you talking about?!” Imperial Concubine Yin De was instantly enraged. She turned her head and glared at Princess Gaoyang, “When did you become so ignorant and talk nonsense?”

Inexplicably, Princess Gaoyang’s innate rebellious energy was stimulated and she blurted out, “Mother, do you think I don’t know that you’ve always liked Mubai?”

“Pa–”

A heavy slap slapped Princess Gaoyang in the face.

Princess Gaoyang was stunned!

“You go, don’t come back from now on!”

Today was the first time Concubine Yin De was furious, and it was also the first time she had attacked Princess Gaoyang!

After reprimanding her, she left with a flick of her sleeve. She walked quickly and hurriedly, as if she had escaped.

Princess Gaoyang covered her fiery face and stood in front of the flower bed in a daze. She looked at Concubine Yin De’s back and muttered to herself, “Mother, why are you doing this?” … Actually, what does it matter? Although it’s impossible for you and Mubai to be together because of the ethical code, wouldn’t it be a blessing if you were able to escape from the imperial palace’s Sea of Misery? To be able to live with someone you like, even if you can’t be a husband and wife, it’s still better than being trapped in this cage! In any case, in the eyes of Father Emperor, you are already dispensable. Big brother is dead, and I’m gone again. Even Mubai, who was the only person in the harem that scared him in the past, has resigned. In the future, you will remain in this palace. How can you establish your footing? … Mother! ”

A few days later, Chu Suiliang and the officials of Zongzheng Temple, who had been appointed by the Emperor to Lanzhou, were all ready. They came to the Imperial Palace to welcome Princess Gaoyang and set off for Lanzhou together.

Princess Gaoyang didn’t dare to meet her mother again after being slapped by her mother that day. She was leaving today. From now on, she didn’t know when to meet each other. Her heart was filled with worry, so she ran to Imperial Concubine Yin De’s bedroom to say goodbye. However, Concubine Yin De was not in the palace, so she inquired carefully and found out that she had lived in the Protector’s Heavenly Monastery for the past few days.

So Princess Gaoyang came to the Protector’s Heavenly King Temple and asked to see Concubine Yin De.

Imperial Concubine Yin De refused to see the door and said to Princess Gaoyang outside through the door, “Let’s go! Take care of yourself along the way!”

“Mother …” Princess Gaoyang’s tears flowed out and she knelt outside the door crying. “You have raised me for so many years, and we have always been dependent on each other. Now that our daughter is about to leave, are you not willing to show yourself?”

Imperial Concubine Yin De did not respond.

Princess Gaoyang couldn’t stop sobbing and couldn’t get up from her knees.

After a long time, the door opened and Master Qingshan walked out. He called out a Buddhist nickname and said to Princess Gaoyang, “Your Highness, please rise. There are thousands of years old trees in the mountains, and it is rare for a hundred-year-old person to live in this world. How could there not be distant lovesickness and tears, inferior to Gao Tangnianzi’s heart?”

Princess Gaoyang was stunned. “What does Grandmaster mean by that?”

“Imperial Concubine De’s liver and intestines are broken. I can’t bear to say goodbye to the princess anymore.” Master Qingshan said, “The princess shouldn’t be crying in sorrow. Otherwise, the Empress will feel even more uncomfortable in her heart!”

Princess Gaoyang nodded and stopped crying, but her tears still fell like broken beads. She choked and said, “Mom, I’m leaving. I’ll live a good life with Mubai. Take care of yourself, too!”

“Let’s go … let’s go …” Master Qingshan gently waved his hand, then put his hands together, “Amitabha!”

“Mother!” Princess Gaoyang hissed. “I’m leaving!”

Then, he turned around and ran without looking back.

Master Qingshan shook his head and sighed.

In the room, Concubine Yin De knelt in front of the Buddha. She closed her eyes and shed tears silently. Her tears drenched the futon in front of her.

Master Qingshan returned to his room, closed the door and sat down beside Concubine Yin De. He said, “Your Highness, the princess is gone.”

“Mm … Thank you, Master.”

“I don’t know when the princess will return. Mother and son are connected. I understand the pain in your heart.” Master Qingshan said, “Furthermore, in this life, I’m afraid the Empress is no longer destined to meet him.”

Imperial Concubine Yin De’s body trembled slightly as she closed her eyes and said, “Disciple’s heart has long since turned ashen.”

“If your heart is truly dejected, Your Highness might really leave with Her Highness the Princess.” Master Qing Shan said, “Although I am from outside the palace, I live in this palace. I know that there are many things happening in the world and the court is in turmoil recently. The harem is also full of storms and undercurrents. Who knows what will happen in a few years, generation after generation? It would not be a bad thing for Your Highness to leave this vortex.”

‘”I am a dignified imperial concubine. How can I leave in one go? Apart from the maids who were expelled from the palace walls, have you ever seen any imperial concubine who can return to the people or marry another woman? Even if a woman like us falls out of favor or or is abandoned by the emperor, we will never see the light of day in our lives.” Imperial Concubine Yin De opened her eyes and smiled bitterly, “Actually, I don’t want to escape from this place. Who is really willing to despise me?” However, the commoners who had their wives seized were still furious at the crown, what about the king of a country? If I really go with Ling’er, I will not only offend His Majesty the Emperor’s face, but also the dignity and morality of the entire Tang Empire! At that time, not only will I not be able to enjoy any peace and freedom, but I will also harm Ling’er and Mubai! ”

“Ah, that’s right.” Master Qingshan also sighed, “The world is like a shackle, and morality is like a cage. Your Highness, this is your destiny in your previous life. In this life, you can’t get rid of it, you can’t leave it.”

“In my previous life … Master, do people really have a past life and a present life?” Imperial Concubine Yin De raised her head to look at the statue of Buddha Tuo above her head. She clasped her hands together and said, “Will a person like me have another life?”

“Amitabha” Master Qingshan chanted in unison, her voice filled with bitterness and helplessness.

“I’ve thought of a story from a Buddhist scripture that Grandmaster once told me … If there was a previous life, it would probably be my Corpse Burst Wilderness. As he passed by me, he put on a corpse robe for me.”

“In this life, we are destined to be completely doomed, never to see each other again …”

“Then, if there is an afterlife, this disciple sincerely prays–”

“This disciple is willing to transform into a stone bridge and be blown by the wind for 500 years, and be exposed to the sun for 500 years. I only hope that he can look back once!”

“Disciple is willing to use it. Looking back five hundred times, we will meet again!”

“Even if this disciple encounters him and explodes into the wilderness again, this disciple will still be willing, willing, and willing!”

“I only beg him … to bury me!”