Xiao Jiu

40.

The young prince is over [-] years old, it is not appropriate to continue living in the palace. He had someone choose a house in the capital, and Ji Guan moved in that day.

The little prince moved to his new house very low-key, he didn't even have a congratulatory person, he only invited a neighbor who was one street away from his palace.

This neighbor is Master Yan.

Lord Yan came to visit after he came down from court, and when he entered, the young prince was making tea in the courtyard.

The courtyard of the entire Wangfu is modeled after Jiangnan gardens, with stone bridges and creeks, as well as water pavilions and pavilions.The little prince proudly puffed out his chest and said, "These are all designed by me."

Lord Yan saw more than a dozen orange-yellow koi carp raised in the pond, and the young prince introduced, "This fish will bring good luck to people."

Lord Yan saw a group of pigeons cooing and flying around the courtyard again, and asked, "What can these pigeons bring?"

The little prince smiled and said, "You can bring Brother Yan's letter."

Master Yan laughed: "I am so far away from the palace, and I can walk faster than a pigeon."

"That's different." The little prince explained, "I want to relive the feeling that brother Yan wrote to me in the military camp."

After finishing speaking, the little prince thought of something again, and asked Lord Yan with blinking eyes: "Brother Yan, do you still keep the letters I wrote to you back then?"

Master Yan was taken aback, touched his nose and said vaguely: "I still keep it."

41.

The little prince led Lord Yan around all corners of the palace, and was about to go back to continue making tea, but was blocked by the tall figure of Lord Yan.

The little prince looked up at him puzzled.

Lord Yan looked dignified, deliberately lowered his volume and asked in the little prince's ear: "What's the matter with the guards outside the gate of the prince? I recognize those people from the palace. The emperor is putting you under house arrest?"

The smile on the little prince's face gradually faded, he bit his lips and remained silent.

Lord Yan waited for a while, thinking that he would not be able to wait for the answer as before, at this moment the young prince suddenly spoke and said in a low voice: "Brother Yan, if you want to hear, just follow me."

Master Yan followed the young prince into the bedroom, watched the young prince carefully close the doors and windows and checked it before returning to sit beside him, took a deep breath and said, "Actually, this king is the one who should inherit the throne." people."

42.

In the autumn of two years ago, the old emperor suddenly became seriously ill, and the imperial doctor went back and forth to make diagnoses for several months to no avail. The whole court knew that the old emperor's time was numbered.

The old emperor had always loved the little prince the most, and the little prince would accompany and take care of him by the bed every day.Wiping sweat and feeding medicine are all done by myself.

In the last few days, the old emperor's mind was sometimes sober and sometimes confused. One day, the prime minister was answering his official business, and the old emperor suddenly stood up and said that he would pass on to the little prince.

The young prince and the prime minister were both shocked, saying that this matter must never happen, but the old emperor seemed to have made up his mind, and insisted on issuing the imperial edict regardless of dissuasion.A few days later, the old emperor drove the crane west in a coma.

After the old emperor passed away, the young prince and the prime minister wanted to keep the matter hidden for the sake of the overall situation, but what they didn't expect was that the matter was leaked overnight for some reason, and it was spread as a rumor in the palace.

Later, although the current emperor ascended the throne smoothly, he was always wary of the little prince.As Lord Yan saw, at first he was allowed to stay in the palace and not go out without permission, later he used the prime minister's daughter to prevent the prime minister from defecting, and now he sent heavy soldiers to guard and monitor the little prince's every move...

43.

The little prince told Master Yan all the ins and outs, and after speaking, both of them were silent for a long time, the room was so quiet that only the sound of breathing remained.

Pearl shouted bluffingly from outside the door: "My lord, your tea is ready."

The little prince sniffed, tried to calm his breath and said, "Leave it alone."

When Pearl's footsteps were far away, Master Yan asked in a low voice, "Where is the imperial edict now?"

The little prince got up and went to the bookshelf, and turned one of the jade bottles, a hidden compartment was immediately revealed in the middle of the bookshelf, and a golden scroll was lying inside.

Lord Yan was stunned on the spot, the little prince choked up and grabbed Lord Yan's sleeve, his voice was full of grievances and uneasiness that no one had talked about in these years.

"Brother Yan, I never thought of snatching the throne. I know that I don't have the foresight and foresight of the emperor's brother. I am not suitable, but no one wants to believe me..."

The little prince's voice became smaller and smaller, and he stared at Mr. Yan with eyes glistening with tears. At that moment, Mr. Yan felt his chest sore, and he hugged him into his arms without thinking much.

Lord Yan understands the situation of the young prince. If the imperial edict is not handed over, the young prince will always be a serious concern to the emperor. However, if it is handed over without the protection of the edict, his life may really be in danger.

Master Yan closed his eyes, pressed the little prince's head tightly to his chest, and comforted him one after another.

The little prince's body was stiff, since his father passed away, he hadn't had such an embrace for a long time.In such a huge capital city, he couldn't find a single person he could trust, and now his life was struggling, only Master Yan was his only reliance.

The little prince lay softly on Lord Yan's chest, and the tears that had been accumulated for a long time finally burst out unscrupulously at this moment, with fear and anxiety, wetting Lord Yan's lapel bit by bit.

Lord Yan rubbed his chin against the top of the young prince's head, patted his back with his palm, his chest trembled slightly: "Don't be afraid, prince, I'm here."

The voice was gentle and steady, and it went straight into the little prince's heart, and suddenly made him feel at ease.

The little prince wiped away his tears, raised his head from Lord Yan's chest, and asked with tears on his face, "Brother Yan, can you call me Xiaojiu from now on?"

The words were soft and soft, like a feather brushing over Master Yan's heart, his eyes moved slightly, and the soreness in his heart became even worse.

He opened his mouth and said softly, "Understood, Xiao Jiu."