3 003

"Forget it, let Lin'er ride with me."

Because of the age difference, the three princes did not study in the same lecture hall and could only see each other during short breaks.

Prince Yong held his little niece and went to see the third prince Qin Ren first.

The summer heat was scorching, and the lecture hall's doors were closed but the windows were open. Prince Yong walked lightly to a window at the back of the lecture hall. As soon as he stopped, Qingyang couldn't help but put one hand on his uncle's shoulder and peered curiously into the window. He saw his third brother and Zhang Su sitting behind two tables, one in front of the other, books in hand, their backs to him.

The teacher who was teaching the class noticed them, nodded slightly, put his right hand behind his back, and continued to stroke his graying beard with his left hand.

Prince Yong whispered to his niece, "Look, the teacher is about to ask the questions."

Sure enough, after Qingyang surveyed the lecture hall once more, the teacher spoke, "'When in a high position, do not be arrogant; when high, do not be dangerous; when moderate, be prudent; when full, do not overflow.' Third Prince, please explain the meaning."

Qingyang: “…”

She looked at Uncle Wang blankly.

Prince Yong: “…”

His family was poor when he was young and he couldn't even afford to go to a private school. When his elder brother was young, he liked to run to the private school to eavesdrop. While doing so, he was dragged in by the teacher and given a desk. Prince Yong had no interest in studying and just played all day long. It was not until he was thirteen or fourteen years old that he was sent to the military camp to learn martial arts by his elder brother who had some connections.

King Yong believed that he had good martial arts skills, but he might have read less classics, history books, and collections than his nephews, let alone recite and interpret them.

At this time, Qin Ren stood up and said fluently, "The meaning of these two sentences is that as a prince, if one is superior to others but not proud, then no matter how high his position is, he will not be in danger of being overthrown; if one lives frugally and carefully abides by the law, then no matter how abundant his wealth is, it will not be lost."

The gentleman nodded with satisfaction and motioned for the Third Prince to sit down.

Prince Yong then praised his niece, "I can see that your third brother is doing his homework seriously and not being lazy."

He came to see his nephews and had no interest in Zhang Su's conversation. He directly carried his niece to the next lecture hall.

Qingyang was lost in thought and had forgotten about Zhang Su. After Prince Yong took a few steps, he asked, "Uncle Wang, why don't princes fall from their heights if they aren't proud?"

Prince Yong stopped in surprise, looked down, and met his niece's big eyes, which were clear and full of doubts.

Obviously, my little niece really wanted to know the answer.

King Yong pondered for a moment and said according to his own understanding: "A proud person is not liked by others. If there are enough people who dislike him, they may join forces to bring him down from his high position. Therefore, we should not be too proud and should be humble and polite."

Just like the foolish emperors, princes and corrupt officials of the previous dynasty, they were overthrown by the emperor because they were in high positions and did not treat ordinary people as human beings.

Qingyang: "Then what is pride?"

Prince Yong suddenly regretted bringing his little niece in. Although the little girl was cute, she asked endless questions and he didn't have the patience.

"Shh, you can't keep talking when you come to Chongwen Pavilion. The gentlemen will be angry if they hear them." Uncle Wang, who was in his thirties, looked around and said vigilantly.

Qingyang didn't ask any more questions. He looked through the window and saw his second brother Qin Bing looking towards them. Then he immediately turned his head and sat up straight.

Prince Yong snorted, "He must have known I was coming, otherwise he would have been lying down again."

The teacher asked Qin Bing to recite an article. Qin Bing stuttered and scratched his head while reciting it, and the further he went, the more he needed the teacher to remind him of a word or two.

Qin Bing secretly resented his teacher for deliberately making him look bad in front of his uncle. He silently waited for Prince Yong to scold the Second Prince for him.

Prince Yong had an extremely intelligent, self-disciplined and sensible son who had never worried about this. So he was a little happy that his second nephew could let him satisfy his desire to be a strict father. So he criticized Qin Bing mercilessly and finally said, "I have told you so many times, but you have turned a deaf ear to me. Well, the emperor will be back in a few days. If you have the guts, you can still fool him like this in front of him."

Qin Bing whispered back, "You're pretending again. When my father scolded me, he always said I was just like you."

Prince Yong raised his eyebrows: "What did you say?"

Qin Bing stood up straight and said loudly, "I remember everything and I will definitely change it!"

Prince Yong didn't believe it, but he didn't bother to care. He carried his little niece to the last lecture hall.

The eldest prince Qin Hong and the prince of Yong, Qin Liang, were older and had read more deeply, so Qingyang couldn't understand them. Prince Yong was also afraid that his little niece would chase him for questions, so he didn't listen much and quickly left Chongwen Pavilion with his niece in his arms.

Prince Yong wanted to hand his niece over to the wet nurse and send Jie Yu back to Concubine Li. Qingyang, who hadn't had enough fun, immediately hugged his uncle's neck tightly and said, "I don't want to go back. I want my uncle to play with me."

Prince Yong said worriedly, "My uncle has to go to the Council of State to listen to the two prime ministers and the ministers discuss government affairs. He is really busy today. I will accompany Lin'er next time."

Qingyang: "I'll go with Uncle Wang. I promise to be a good boy."

Prince Yong's face darkened slightly. "No, you can come to Chongwen Pavilion, but the Political Affairs Hall is not a place for children."

Qingyang pouted: "Why can't I go?"

Prince Yong's patience ran out. He stuffed his niece into the wet nurse's arms and said sternly, "If I say no, then no. Go find your mother. Be obedient."

After saying this, King Yong strode away.

Seeing the little princess still staring intently at Prince Yong's back, Xie Yu pouted her lips and said with a smile, "The martial arts hall is right next to it. There are swords and spears that the princes use for martial arts training. Princess, do you want to go and see it?"

Qingyang glanced at him and then looked away sullenly.

.

Before the sunlight turned poisonous, Jie Yu and the wet nurse sent the little princess back to Xianfu Palace.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, Qingyang immediately ran to his mother's bedroom. When he entered, he saw his mother still lying on the bed. Qingyang lay beside the bed and asked fearfully, "Is mother in pain?"

Concubine Li smiled softly: "It doesn't hurt, just my waist is sore. It's more comfortable to lie down. I will be fine tomorrow."

She turned sideways and reached out to touch her daughter's white forehead, which was covered with sweat. "Where did Lin'er go to play?"

Qingyang immediately complained to Uncle Wang: "He didn't take me with him and was mean to me."

Concubine Li: "Really? Why is Uncle Wang so mean to you?"

Qingyang puffed up her cheeks and imitated Uncle Wang's glaring at her.

Concubine Li suppressed her laughter and told her daughter that the Zhengshi Hall was where officials handled state affairs. Not only were children not allowed to go there, but even she, the imperial concubine, and most of the officials were not allowed to go there.

Qingyang: "How can Uncle Wang go?"

Concubine Li explained, "Because my father has gone to war, he has ordered my uncle to work with the two prime ministers to govern on his behalf. If my uncle does a good job in the capital, my father won't have to worry about bad guys bullying us."

Qingyang seemed to understand: "Mother and the Imperial Concubine must obey Father, my elder sisters and brothers must obey Father, and my uncle must also obey Father?"

Concubine Li nodded.

Qingyang was even more excited about his father: "Does the emperor really like me?"

Concubine Li smiled and said, "Yes, when you were sick, the emperor stayed with you all night. He was relieved only after you got better. He would come to see you and hold you whenever he was free."

Of the five royal children, the first four were born during the period when Emperor Xingwu was busy recruiting troops and conquering cities. He could only return to his post briefly to see his young children, leaving him with little energy to spare. During his busiest times, his appearances would last only a year or two. When the situation finally stabilized, Emperor Xingwu was finally able to spend time with his four children. However, the long separation deterred them from approaching their unfamiliar father, especially the older Princess Yongkang and the eldest prince.

Under such circumstances, her little daughter was born. She was ignorant and let her father hold her in his arms and love her. She grew up under the supervision of Emperor Xingwu day and night until she was almost two years old when Emperor Xingwu went on another expedition. It would be strange if Emperor Xingwu did not love her.

Qingyang believed that her mother would not lie to her, and thought that when her father came back, she would ask him to take her to the places she wanted to go, and see who would dare to object.

Because of this, although the little princess had forgotten what her father looked like, she became more eager for him to return to the capital than her mother.

.

In just one and a half years, Emperor Xingwu successively conquered the capitals of the three kingdoms of Shu, Xiang, and Yue in southern Xinjiang, destroyed their countries and took their people, completely unified the north and south of the country and achieved his grand ambition. Now that the imperial teacher has returned triumphantly, the two concubines in the harem, the princes and princesses, and all the civil and military officials in the court should come out of the city to welcome him.

The adults were busy with various ceremonial celebrations, and the three-year-old princess was accompanied by her wet nurse and Jie Yu, who took care of everything she ate and drank. She didn't have to worry about anything. Even on the morning of the seventh day of June, when it was time to wait for the emperor outside the city gate, Qingyang was carried into the carriage by her mother while she was sleeping. When she woke up, it was already dawn!

Concubine Li's carriage was very spacious, with a bed and a cupboard. Three layers of gauze curtains were hung over the windows, allowing for ventilation while blocking the view of the subjects outside.

For convenience, Concubine Li ate and drank very little this morning. She herself did not need to go to the toilet, but she prepared a toilet and clean clothes for her daughter in the car.

The little princess's portable toilet is made of golden brass, with a backrest, footrest and armrests, and is inlaid with various gems.

The little princess urinated in a daze. The palace maid covered the chamber pot and moved it aside. The wet nurse helped the little princess wash her face and change her clothes. Concubine Li watched her tenderly from the side.

After washing his face with clean water, Qingyang was completely refreshed. He looked out the window and asked, "Has the emperor arrived yet?"

Concubine Li: "About another half hour."

After Qingyang finished his breakfast and rinsed his mouth, about another quarter of an hour passed.

Qingyang, who was full of energy, could not sit still and wanted to go outside to look for his third brother. Concubine Li did not allow her daughter to get out of the car, so she had to allow her daughter to pry open the curtain and take a peek.

The carriages of the two concubines stopped on the side of the official road so as not to block the view of the ministers who were paying homage to Emperor Xingwu. The princes and ministers had already stood in a dense row according to their official rank.

Standing at the front of the procession, facing the windows of the two concubines' cars, were Prince Yong and the three princes. Bright sunlight streamed in from the east, and the faces of the four uncles and nephews were all flushed.

Qingyang asked his mother quietly, "How long have they been standing there?"

Concubine Li sighed, "It's almost an hour and a half."

Qingyang had never experienced this before and couldn't imagine how tiring it was, so he didn't pay much attention to it. He pointed at the two purple-robed officials in the row behind his brothers and asked, "Who are they?"

Concubine Li also wanted to find something to pass the time, so she simply leaned over to her daughter's ear and introduced them to her: "The tall one is the left prime minister. He is the father of the imperial concubine. His surname is Yan, so everyone calls him Prime Minister Yan. The shorter and fatter one on the right is the right prime minister. His surname is Dai, so everyone calls him Prime Minister Dai."

Qingyang: "Is the Prime Minister a high-ranking official?"

Concubine Li: "Yes, they are the head of all officials, so they stand in the front."

Qingyang: "Then they must both be very powerful."

Concubine Li nodded in admiration. Just as she was about to tell her daughter about Erxiang's deeds, the little princess had already started asking other people. However, Concubine Li didn't know all of them.

After looking around, Qingyang asked in confusion, "Where is Zhang Su?" She had already seen her cousin Qin Liang, who always accompanied her eldest brother to study.

Concubine Li: "Those who can come to greet the emperor today are all civil and military ministers, princes and nobles. Although Su Ge'er is the son of a prince, he does not hold a proper official position. He and his two brothers are in the back of the queue and cannot be seen here."

Qingyang: "He has a brother too, but I haven't heard him talk about it."

Concubine Li laughed. The child hadn't said a word of gossip at all. She didn't know how he could hold it back at such a young age.

About two quarters of an hour later, a palace maid came over and asked the Imperial Concubine and the Beautiful Concubine to take the two princesses out of the car, which meant that Emperor Xingwu was about to arrive.

Concubine Li got off first, then took her daughter and followed Concubine Gui and Princess Yongkang, and finally stopped on the side of the princes.

After a simple exchange of positions, the five princes and princesses lined up in order of seniority, and Qingyang happily held his third brother's hand.

Qin Ren looked at his sister's carefree appearance, and silently worried about his own row of "B" grades in major and minor exams.

Time passed slowly under the increasingly hot sunlight. Just when Qingyang wanted to move his feet, a cloud of yellow smoke suddenly rolled up in front of him.

Qingyang held his third brother's hand tightly.

Qin Ren comforted his sister: "That's the dust kicked up by the galloping horses. It will dissipate in a moment."

As Qin Ren finished speaking, tens of thousands of cavalrymen stopped and kept their distance. Only a team of personal soldiers escorted the emperor and several generals and continued to move towards the city gate.

Qin Ren was so excited that his whole body was shaking. He let go of his sister's hand and said quickly, "The one riding the white horse the fastest is my father!"

Qingyang saw a white horse, its snow-white fur sparkling in the sun, and on its back sat a man wearing yellow gold-woven satin armor.

Before Qingyang could see the man's face clearly, Uncle Wang's short and powerful voice came from the side of his head: "Kneel down."

Qin Ren immediately took his sister's hand and knelt down together, and shouted congratulations to his father in unison with the officials behind him.

The sound of horse hooves stopped, and Emperor Xingwu, the founding emperor of the Great Qi Dynasty, who had been fighting for more than a year, finally arrived at the gate of the capital city that he was familiar yet not so familiar with.

The emperor's gaze swept across the two concubines in front of him, the ministers in the middle, and the towering city walls and gates behind him like a wave, then gradually withdrew like the tide. He stared at the little princess who, although kneeling, looked up at him curiously. The little princess was the only one who dared to raise her head among the people facing her. Emperor Xingwu smiled and said loudly, "No need to be polite!"

All the ministers stood up in a rush.

Emperor Xingwu jumped off his horse, strode over and picked up the little princess. His eyes couldn't hide his longing and love, and he teased, "Lin'er, do you still remember your father?"

Qingyang didn't remember, but she found that her father was somewhat similar to Uncle Wang, but he was taller and stronger than Uncle Wang, and also more handsome and more imposing!

It turned out that this person was my father, the most powerful father in the world in my mother's eyes, the father to whom everyone inside and outside the palace had to listen.

The little princess just kept staring at her father and forgot to answer, but there was no timidity or fear of a stranger in her clear and watery black eyes. Instead, her eyes became brighter and brighter as she looked at him, as if she had discovered some rare treasure. The look in her eyes was full of love no matter how you looked at it, as if she had come to see her father, and this father made her very satisfied!

Emperor Xingwu was amused and surprised by his daughter's gaze. He tapped her cheek and asked, "What are you looking at? Have you finally remembered your father?"

Qingyang felt her father's fondness for her from his smile and actions, and immediately hugged him, put her arms around her father's neck, and pressed her face against the armor on his shoulders, continuing to look at his profile and chin.

Emperor Xingwu was extremely soft-hearted. Due to the wrong timing, he just held his daughter and spoke to the other four children separately before going to talk to Prince Yong and the two prime ministers.

The procession outside the city is just a ceremonial procession to welcome the emperor, and the real welcoming ceremony is the palace banquet.

After talking with his ministers for about two quarters of an hour, Emperor Xingwu was about to enter the city. He chose to continue riding his horse, and before getting on the horse, he wanted to hand the little princess over to Concubine Li.

Qingyang clung to his father's arms and said, "I want to ride a horse, too."

The carriage was blocked on all sides and you couldn't see anything while sitting inside.

Concubine Li felt nervous, fearing that the emperor would blame her for raising her daughter to be a little naughty, so she tried to coax her daughter while trying to take her over.

Emperor Xingwu, however, thought his daughter loved him so much that she couldn't bear to be separated from him. He laughed and pushed Concubine Li's hand away, saying, "Forget it. Let Lin'er ride with me."

Concubine Li became anxious and began to worry that Emperor Xingwu would throw her daughter off the horse.

Emperor Xingwu gave Concubine Li a warning look.

He has been single for more than a year and deliberately didn't look at her much, but she still wanted to get close to him and pester him. Did she think his passion was not strong enough?

【Author’s words】

Here I come, 100 red envelopes, see you tomorrow, [kiss]

ps: "When in a superior position, do not be arrogant; when high, do not be dangerous; when in moderation, be prudent and measured; when full, do not overflow" is a sentence from "The Book of Filial Piety", and the third prince's explanation comes from the translation and annotation of "The Book of Filial Piety".