In a short while, Lin Zikui became Prince Shuo's "good nephew". Lin Zikui answered all the questions asked by Prince Shuo truthfully, including where he lived, in a street near the Imperial Examination Hall, with his wife, and their place of residence was his wife's home.

"So you've already married," Prince Shuo pondered, "Then when your teacher comes, he has to stay here with me. If he wants to teach you, you have to come to Prince Shuo's mansion. Anyway, bring your wife with you to my mansion!"

In the final analysis, he just wanted Can Ge'er to be Lin Zikui's teacher.

Yuwen Can is the only son of King Shuo. He was very smart when he was young, but he had a high fever and his brain became unclear. It’s not that he became a fool, but he could not become a talented person anyway.

This is what worries Prince Shuo, and what's more, Xue Xin said in his heart that this student of his is a talented person chosen by his father to assist the king. This makes Prince Shuo hesitant. Is this true? When did the Prime Minister meet his father? Who is this Lin Zikui, and why did he get the appreciation of his father who has become a monk? !

When Duke Changguo saw Prince Shuo's kind-hearted appearance, he frowned and subconsciously felt that something was wrong.

Although King Shuo has always been approachable, he would not treat someone differently just because he is Prime Minister Xue's apprentice.

"Lin, his name is Lin what..." Duke Changguo couldn't remember his name for a moment, and Prince Yan reminded him: "Uncle, it's Lin Zikui."

Duke Changguo: "Oh, Lin Zikui, who are you?"

Prince Yan was at ease: "He has a great background."

Duke Changguo glanced at him and said, "What are you talking about, kid?"

Here, Lin Zikui was forced by Prince Shuo to stay and have a drink. Although Lin Zikui was humbled by the approach of such a noble person, he did not get carried away. He just tried it briefly and said enough is enough.

Prince Shuo only knew how to serve wine and nothing else. He had no common topics with Lin Zikui, a scholar, and many uncultured jokes were made at the banquet. They chatted about everything. Lin Zikui told a story about an anecdote, which he said was a little tune composed by the girl from Qing Yuanchun. Everyone else was laughing at him, Prince Shuo, but Lin Zikui didn't laugh. His cultural level was about the same as his wife's. His wife couldn't even recite a poem from the Book of Songs. There was nothing funny about it.

As the time went on, Jinzun came in and called out "Young Master".

He was always brief and to the point, meaning it was time to go.

Lin Zikui wanted to leave and mentioned it several times, but was blocked by King Shuo without leaving a trace. When he saw Jinzun, he shouted, "Are you a guard? Such a small guard, go and fetch your young master's wife and tell him that King Shuo wants her here!"

Jinzun frowned, as if he was about to have a fit.

Lin Zikui was a little panicked. Why did his Xiao Lang come out to see people? He hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, my wife...is ill and can't see anyone. Yes, she is ill, so I have to go back early to take care of her."

"Are you sick?" King Shuo said, "Then I'll ask my court doctor to go to your house and I guarantee that the disease will be cured."

At this moment, Xiao Fu was still in the palace. He had just finished his work when Xie Lao San came and shook his head at him, saying, "His Highness Xiao Si fell ill and his mother is gone. When I came back, his mother was already terminally ill and there was no way to save her. I was helpless."

Xiao Fu: "Xun'er is sick? Is it serious?"

Third Master: "He was sick because of his mother's illness. He was young and was too sad. I prescribed some medicine for him and he is fine."

"It's good as long as it's OK."

At this moment, the sun was setting in the west, and the palace walls were dyed red. Xiao Fu was in a hurry to leave the palace and return to the villa, but the eunuch of Qiyang Palace came to the imperial study and asked him: "His Royal Highness Prince Kang is ill, my lord, please go and see him."

Xiao Fu frowned and glanced at the sky. It was the end of the evening hour. He called Yuan Qing, who was now the commander-in-chief, and whispered, "Go back to the other garden and tell Zikui to eat first. Don't wait for me. I will be back in three quarters of an hour at the latest."

"Yes." After Yuan Qing left the palace, Xiao Fu went to see Yuwen Yan. The child had a high fever. He opened his eyes and saw Xiao Fu, calling him in a daze: "The emperor is back. The emperor begged my father, but he didn't..."

Xiao Fu said: "Your father appeared in the emperor's dream. He said that he couldn't bear to leave your mother, so he took her to live a good life up there."

The comfort of these words suddenly made the ignorant child tear up, and he sobbed, "My third brother told Xun'er the same thing. It's not that mother doesn't want Xun'er anymore. It's that mother has turned into a star in the sky, always, always watching over Xun'er."

"Yes, my mother has become a star." Xiao Fu carried him out. There were sporadic twinkling stars in the sky. "That's the one." He pointed casually.

The Fourth Prince lay in his arms and looked at the stars. Xiao Fu tilted his head to look at this young and sad little face. He couldn't help but think of Lin Zikui's life experience. His parents passed away late, and when they left, Lin Zikui had grown up and knew the taste of sadness better. How sad must he be?

Xiao Fu went to visit the grave and saw the tombstone. He knew that Lin's father's death anniversary was at the end of May, which was just a few days away.

Thinking of this, Xiao Fu turned around without saying anything and carried the little prince back to the room.

Yuwen Xun refused: "Father, Xingxing, Mother..."

"Would you like me to watch the stars with you?"

"I want the Royal Father, I want the Royal Father..." The little prince was cute and pitiful, but Xiao Fu's patience with the child was limited: "The Royal Father has something important to do, be good, my dear."

Yuwen Yan: "Yes, is it a state affair?"

Xiao Fu said: "It is more important than state affairs."

Yuwen Yan was not ignorant. The little hand that was holding his clothes gradually loosened. He sat on the bed and watched silently as his father left without looking back in the night. The nanny came in with medicine and said, "Your Highness, it's time to take the medicine."

Yuanqing was the first to return to the villa, and saw only Mo Liu.

"Shu Tong, where is Master Lin?"

Mo Liu was sulking because he couldn't go to Prince Shuo's Mansion. He lay on the table and said awkwardly, "Young Master took Jin Zun to Prince Shuo's Mansion. Although I am a book boy, I also have a name."

Yuan Qing was puzzled: "What did they go to Prince Shuo's Mansion for?" Prince Shuo's Mansion and Duke Changguo's Mansion are next to each other, and the two families are close.

Mo Liu said, "I'm delivering a letter to the Prime Minister."

Yuanqing asked: "How long did you go there?"

Mo Liu replied: "I went there before the hour of You, why hasn't the young master come back yet?"

Yuan Qing turned around immediately and said, "Shu Tong, I'm going to Prince Shuo's mansion to pick someone up. When the master comes back, tell him."

"'Master' is back?" Mo Liu looked up and asked, "Wait, which master?"

Prince Shuo's Palace.

The banquet was half over. Duke Changguo was not a big drinker, so he left after he had eaten his fill. The two mansions were close to each other and shared a wall, so it only took a short carriage ride to get there.

Duke Changguo came out of Prince Shuo's mansion, still saying, "Lin Zikui is a low-key person. When asked to write a poem, he said that he was not very talented and did not know much, so he refused to show off his skills."

Prince Yan: "Uncle, do you think he is hiding his abilities on purpose?"

"It's okay to hide one's shortcomings. This boy has a good character, he is modest and polite, but he is not smooth enough, he can't even flatter. Of course, being smooth is not a necessary quality, being pure and upright is also good."

As soon as Duke Changguo stepped out of Prince Shuo's Mansion, he saw someone coming.

"Is that Chen Yuanqing?" Duke Changguo lifted the curtain while sitting in the carriage and saw that it was indeed Chen Yuanqing. He seemed to have something urgent to do and he actually took out a token to enter the gate of Prince Shuo's Palace.

"Commander Chen." Duke Changguo called him.

Chen Yuanqing turned around immediately and said, "Master?!"

Sir, have you just come out from Prince Shuo’s Mansion?

Yuan Qing immediately felt uneasy and bowed respectfully. Duke Changguo waved his hand and said, "Forget it. What about Zhao Ling? He has returned to Nanjing after the wake. Why doesn't he go home to see his mother?"

Yuan Qing: "There are some important matters in the palace that need to be dealt with."

Duke Changguo said, "Go back to the palace and tell him to come back for a family dinner tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

Duke Changguo: "Hey, what are you doing here at Prince Shuo's mansion so late?" I've never heard that Commander Chen and Prince Shuo have a personal relationship.

Yuanqing couldn't find a reason for a moment: "Come... come to pick up a friend."

What friend is here to trouble the commander of the imperial guards to come here? Duke Changguo knew that this was not his concern, so he waved his hand lazily and let the carriage go. Prince Yan was still looking through the curtain, and he probably knew who Commander Chen was here to pick up.

King Shuo was about to sober up from fright.

He Changguo was openly laughed at, but he couldn't make fun of Xiao Fu.

Sure enough, as soon as Commander Chen arrived and the butler whispered in his ear, Prince Shuo immediately stood up and said, "My dear nephew, you eat first. I'm going to go out for a while."

He stumbled out and nearly fell over. "Commander-in-chief Chen, Commander-in-chief Chen is here! Come on, come in!"

Yuan Qing shook his head: "Your Majesty, I have already eaten. I am here to pick someone up."

King Shuo was surprised and asked, "Who are you here to pick up?"

"Mr. Lin Zikui, is he in the prince's mansion? Has the prince made things difficult for him?"

King Shuo: “…………”

King Shuo sobered up: "He, he is your, friend? No, no difficulty!"

"Your Highness, I am joking. I am here to serve you. Please keep your mouth shut about the fact that I took Master Lin away, including Master Lin himself."

When the night wind blew, King Shuo felt cold all over.

The commander-in-chief of the imperial guards said personally that he was serving below. What does that mean?

Prime Minister Xue has not accepted any students for many years. In the past, he only taught two princes, both of whom were the sons that his father valued the most.

This Lin Zikui, could it be that he is the illegitimate son of my father when he went to Huainan? !

Jin Zun already knew that Yuan Qing was coming. Hearing his voice, he bent down and helped Lin Zikui, who was unsteady on his feet, up: "Sir, we can go now."

Lin Zikui can't drink much. He gets drunk after three cups, and he's like this after two.

He felt dizzy, and didn't know what King Shuo said. He just felt that his attitude became more enthusiastic. He looked at his face up and down for many times, as if confirming something, and said, "My dear nephew, you must come to play. Your teacher told me in the letter to take good care of you. I feel like I have known you for a long time and I treat you as my own brother!"

Lin Zikui leaned on Jin Zun and said, "Your Majesty, your words are too kind. How can I, a humble commoner, do this..."

"You are a handsome man, virtuous and capable. How come you are like this after drinking two cups? Oh, is your wife sick? I'll go call the court doctor. I'll go call the court doctor right now!"

At this time, Xue Xiang, who was far away in Huainan and had not yet set out, was muttering: "The letter should have been delivered. According to Prince Shuo's slow-witted and overthinking personality, when I pass away in the future, Huaifu will have someone in the court to take care of him..."

When the court doctor arrived at the gate of the palace, Yuan Qing dismissed him with aloofness: "Your Majesty, please go back to the palace. There is no need for a court doctor. We have the imperial physician."

Lin Zikui got on the carriage and leaned against the side wall: "Is it Yuanqing? Yuanqing is here too. I haven't seen you for a long time. I missed you for a long time and asked my wife about it. He said you were busy in Jinling."

Yuanqing was sitting in the front of the carriage. He saw Master Lin reach out and open the curtain, then lie down and look at him like a little animal.

Yuan Qing's heart trembled for a moment, and he immediately looked away.

"Yes... the master asked me to pick you up."

"Your master, can he come back today?"

Yuan Qing hesitated: "My master said that I can be back in three quarters of an hour."

"Three quarters of an hour? OK, I'll count." Lin Zikui had that feeling again. Xiao Fu was covered with an elusive mist. He couldn't reach his hand in and couldn't touch the entity.

When the carriage was halfway there and had not yet returned to the villa, Xiao Fu came riding a horse at full speed. Before the horse stopped, Xiao Fu dismounted and touched the ground with his toes.

Yuan Qing stopped the carriage and Xiao Fu got on.

When he lifted the curtain, he saw Jin Zun sitting inside with his hands in his pockets, while Lin Zikui was actually lying in the car, counting: "Six hundred, six hundred and one, six hundred and two..."

The moonlight poured in, dyeing the hair silver.

"I counted to half a quarter of an hour." Lin Zikui lifted his eyelids, and in his watery black eyes, he reflected Xiao Fu's face. Suddenly, an east wind blew, and his dimples bloomed. "Xiao Lang is back."