The carriage that Jiuzhu was riding in stopped beside the dismounting stone of Prince Chen's Palace.
"The palace ahead is the Prince Chen's. May I ask where you are from?" The guards of the Prince Chen's palace stopped in front of the carriage and said, "If you want to enter the palace, please hand your badge to me and I will pass the message on your behalf."
Jiuzhu didn't expect that there would be so many rules when going to the palace. She held the small box tightly in her arms, opened the curtain and looked at the guard who was talking: "I am the daughter of Minister Ming. I have something to ask His Highness. Please let me pass it on."
The guard looked at the woman in the carriage, and saw only a pair of beautiful eyes like a spiritual spring, which was very moving. He did not dare to look at her any longer, and lowered his head in panic: "Please wait a moment, sir, I will go and report now."
"Thank you." Jiuzhu picked up the wooden box with one hand, opened the curtain and walked out of the carriage.
"Miss." Chunfen opened the umbrella to shield Jiuzhu from the falling snow: "It's snowing heavily outside, please go to the carriage and wait."
"It's okay, I'll just come down to take a look." Jiuzhu took the umbrella from Chunfen: "Sister Chunfen, hold an umbrella for yourself."
"I know that the young lady is caring." Chunfen and the other servants held up their umbrellas and whispered, "It's snowing so heavily, we should send someone to the palace first and then come here."
"It doesn't matter. I'm just taking a walk anyway." Jiuzhu looked around Prince Chen's mansion curiously. The mansion was very beautiful. Even the dismounting stone was taller than other people's mansions.
"Your Highness," Fugui whispered to the bulging quilt on the bed, "It's already two quarters past four."
"Get out!" A soft pillow flew out from the bed and fell to the ground.
Fugui hurriedly retreated.
"Eunuch." The palace steward saw Fugui coming out of the prince's bedroom and ran to him and whispered, "The doorman came to report that Miss Ming is here to visit."
"Miss Ming?" Fugui asked in confusion, "Did you send a visiting card in advance?"
The steward shook his head.
"This..." Fugui looked back at the bedroom, feeling a little embarrassed. His Highness was very angry. He had been getting up early every day to go to the Ministry of Rites. Today he finally had a day off, and it was snowing. How could he dare to wake this little ancestor up?
Thinking of how the prince cherished the painting given by Miss Ming and how he was reluctant to even let him take a look at it, Fugui gritted his teeth and turned back into the house.
“Your Highness…”
"Why did you come in again?" Prince Chen sat up from the bed and said, "Get out! Anyone who dares to come in before noon will be kicked out of the palace."
"Your Majesty," Fugui said with a smile, "It is not that I want to disturb your rest, but I have something important to report."
"What's the matter?" Prince Chen slid into the warm quilt, unwilling to move.
"Miss Ming is here to visit, would Your Highness like to see her?"
"Who are you talking about?" Prince Chen sat up suddenly, and Fugui hurriedly helped him to dress.
"The daughter of Minister Ming."
"Where is she now?" The Prince put on his robe and stepped into his deerskin boots.
"Still at the dismounting stone..."
"You are all pigs. Why don't you use your brains when doing things?!" Prince Chen took the water and rinsed his mouth hastily. He wiped his face with a towel, picked up the nearest cloak, and strode out: "In such a heavy snowstorm, you let the little girl wait at the dismounting stone?!"
"Your Highness, you haven't tied your hair yet..."
Fugui ran out and scolded the servants waiting outside, "Hurry up and get the hand warmer and chase him."
"Miss, the snow is getting heavier." Chunfen whispered, "Go wait in the car."
Jiuzhu shook her head, and in the next moment she saw a man walking out of the main gate of Prince Chen's mansion. She recognized him as Prince Chen at a glance.
"Your Highness." Jiuzhu ran to the Prince of Chen with an umbrella in her hand. Seeing that his long black hair was untied and was blown all over the place by the cold wind, she was stunned: "Your Highness, you still look good without your hair tied up."
Upon hearing this insincere compliment, Prince Chen was furious. Who was he doing this for?!
Just as he was about to speak, another gust of wind came and his hair blew into his face.
Jiuzhu couldn't help laughing. Seeing King Chen staring at her, she blinked her eyes and asked softly, "How about...I'll help you tie it?"
Seeing that the Prince of Chen had no objection, Jiuzhu stuffed the wooden box and umbrella in her hand into the Prince of Chen's hand, took out a ribbon from her purse, and walked behind him: "Your Highness, don't move."
"Your Highness..." Fugui led his servants to the door, took a look outside, turned around and said to the servants, "Everyone wait at the door, don't disturb Your Highness."
"Grandpa, the snow is so heavy..."
"It doesn't matter if the snow is heavy." Fugui said mysteriously, "As long as my heart is warm, that's all."
"Your Highness's hair is so smooth." Jiuzhu stood on tiptoe and gently gathered all of Prince Chen's loose hair behind his back with her fingers, tied it with a ribbon, and thoughtfully tied a bow.
There was a faint itching sensation on his back, and Prince Chen moved his shoulders uncomfortably: "Are you done?"
"Alright." Jiuzhu walked up to the King and curtseyed before him. "I am sorry for coming here so hasty today, Your Highness. Please forgive me."
The bright red cloak she wore made her face look even more delicate, innocent, warm and bright.
Prince Chen reached out his hand and touched the white rabbit hairpin in her hair. "It's snowing so hard. It's rare that you still remember to come and see me. I won't bother with you. Come on, follow me in."
Moving the umbrella towards Jiuzhu, the King shook the wooden box in his hand, and a crackling sound came from inside: "What's in it?"
"Your Highness, don't shake it." Jiuzhu jumped up and held the wooden box in her arms, smiling mysteriously at the King: "You will know in a moment."
Prince Chen raised his eyebrows. What new and interesting things could the child come up with?
Half an hour later, the King of Chen looked at the little snowmen in various shapes of pigs, cows, sheep and horses placed in front of him and fell silent.
"Put snow into the ceramic mold, press it, knock it, and the little duck will come out." Jiuzhu placed the little duck in front of the prince: "Your Highness, look!"
"Ming Xiaozhu, how old are you this year?" Prince Chen stretched out his finger and poked the little duck, accidentally making a hole in the duck's belly. He glanced at Jiuzhu who was squatting on the ground with a ball of snow, bent down, picked up some snow at his feet, and filled the hole in the duck's belly.
"Your Highness, you asked me about my age not long ago." Jiuzhu handed the pottery model filled with snow to the King of Chen: "Your Highness, please try it."
What's so fun about this little thing? Only a girl like Ming Jiuzhu, with a brain of only six years old, would be so childish.
He slapped the pottery model onto the snow, and a puppy with a docked tail lay on the ground.
"Your Highness, before you take the photo, you need to press the snow on the tail, otherwise the tail will break."
"Of course I know." The Prince grabbed some snow and stuffed it into the ceramic mold. He pressed it a few times and successfully made a puppy out of the snow. He raised his chin proudly. How could such a childish trick stump him?
"Your Highness is amazing." Jiuzhu stuffed another pony pottery model into his hand: "Try this one."
What's the difference between a dog and a horse? Isn't it the same fun?
Looking up and seeing Jiuzhu looking at him eagerly, Prince Chen sighed helplessly in his heart. Forget it, just think of it as trying to make a child happy.
The steward walked into the yard and saw a long row of snowmen in the yard. His Highness and Miss Ming were squatting on the ground, playing something, but they were laughing happily. He walked to Fugui and whispered, "The Prince of Qi's mansion sent a basket of fresh bamboo shoots, saying that they were from the Prince of Qi's villa, and sent them here for you to taste."
"Got it." Fugui nodded: "I will report this to His Highness when I get back."
"Ouch." Jiuzhu squatted on the ground and suddenly cried out in pain.
"What's wrong?" Prince Chen dropped the pottery model in his hand, walked to Jiuzhu and looked down at her.
"My feet are numb." Jiuzhu looked up at Prince Chen pitifully: "Your Highness, please help me."
Prince Chen sighed helplessly again. Although he had not yet become a father, he seemed to have begun to experience the troubles of being a father. He bent down and put his hand in front of Jiuzhu: "Give me your hand."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Jiuzhu gave him a flattering smile and placed her hand in his palm.
"You really are..." The King of Chen pulled Jiuzhu up and turned to get the hand warmer on the table. Just after taking a step, he felt a heaviness on his back and fell to the ground with a thud. His handsome face smashed the two puppies that were pressed out of the snow into pieces.
Jiuzhu looked down at the cloak under her feet, silently...silently retracted her feet, and endured the pain and numbness in her calves. She carefully squatted beside the prostrating Prince Chen: "Your Highness, are you okay?"
Prince Chen sat up, glanced at the snowy footprints on the edge of his cloak, and silently wiped the snow off his face.
Jiuzhu quickly took out her handkerchief and wiped the snow off Prince Chen's face: "Your Highness, I really didn't mean it. You... don't be angry."
"Did I ever say I was angry?" Prince Chen took the handkerchief from Jiuzhu's hand and wiped his face with it: "Are your legs still numb?"
Jiuzhu nodded slightly, glaring at Prince Chen's face from time to time, like a guilty puppy who had done something bad but didn't want to be punished.
The next moment, she was lifted horizontally and carried on the shoulders of the Prince of Chen, like a sack.
After carrying the person into the room with a heater, the Prince of Chen placed Jiuzhu on the couch, picked up the quilt and roughly covered Jiuzhu with it: "Sit still and let the maid massage your legs. I don't have any women's clothes here, take off your shawl and socks, and let the servants dry them for you."
"Where are you going, Your Highness?" Jiuzhu asked.
"I'm going to change." He didn't leave the room. Was he going to stay here and watch the little girl take off her shoes and socks?
After leaving the house, Prince Chen untied his loose hair, stuffed the colorful brocade into his sleeves, and said to the maid guarding outside the door: "Serve Miss Ming well and don't neglect her."
"Your Highness." Fugui stepped forward, shook out the clean cape in his hand, and replaced the cape that was stained with snow particles on Prince Chen's body: "The Prince of Qi's Palace sent someone to deliver a basket of young bamboo shoots."
"Got it." Prince Chen nodded. "What time is it now?"
"It's almost noon."
"Send someone to Minister Ming's residence to tell him that I have invited Miss Ming to have a meal at my residence and will personally send her back in the afternoon." Prince Chen thought for a moment and said, "Don't go empty-handed. Pack a basket with the fresh vegetables sent by Wenquan Villa, so that people won't think that my residence is stingy."
"Your Highness, please rest assured. I will handle this matter myself." Fugui accepted the order and said, "Your Highness, please rest assured. Your Highness, please rest assured. Your Highness, please do not worry. I will handle this matter myself."
At the Ming Minister's residence, Shen listened to the servant's report and said, "Did the Prince of Chen really come out to greet us in person?"
"Yes, when Prince Chen left the house, his hair was untied and he walked hurriedly. He was not angry at the young lady's sudden visit."
"Okay, you can go down." Shen grabbed a handful of money and gave it to the servant: "It's cold, use this money to buy new clothes for the child."
"Thank you, ma'am." The servant took the money and left with a smile on his face.
"Madam deliberately didn't tell Jiuzhu that there are many rules for paying respects to the prince's mansion. Is this the reason?" Ming Jingzhou sighed: "Prince Chen is a better person than you and I thought."
"Whether he is sincere or not, at least he has not let Jiuzhu down." Shen smiled bitterly: "Since Jiuzhu and Prince Chen got engaged, I have been worried that Prince Chen would bully and humiliate her because of his overbearing personality. After today, I can finally rest assured that he is willing to welcome her. At least he has some feelings for Jiuzhu."
"It's strange, if other princes did this, I would just think they were thoughtful. But when Prince Chen did it, I looked up to him." Shen laughed at herself and said, "It shows that I am a vulgar person who nitpicks at the perfect and is tolerant of the bad."
"It's not that Madam is worldly, but that she doesn't behave like a human being on a daily basis. Only when she accomplishes something does it become precious." Ming Jingzhou smiled: "Everyone in the world is like this. Perhaps... this will also become the advantage of the Prince in the future."
Shen suddenly realized and nodded after a while: "My husband is right."
"Master, Madam." The steward came in and bowed, "Fugui, the chief eunuch of Prince Chen's palace, wants to see you."
"Please come in."
Shen and Ming Jingzhou exchanged glances. What was the chief eunuch of Prince Chen's Mansion doing in their house?
After they met Fugui and heard his purpose, the couple immediately understood that sending vegetables was fake, and the real purpose was to invite their daughter to have a meal at the palace.
After Fugui left, Shen was silent for a long time before she spoke: "Men, there are few good things."
Ming Jingzhou: "..."
Why would one single disagreement involve the entire group?
"Madam is right, I think so too, some men are really not good!"
"Aren't you a man too?"
"For you, I am willing to be a traitor among men."
"Women are such a hassle." Prince Chen changed his clothes, picked up the brocade on the table, hesitated for a moment, and put it into a box containing a hair crown.
"Your Highness, I am a eunuch, and I don't understand women." The eunuch who was close to the king combed his hair and said jokingly, "I think Miss Ming is a perfect match for you."
"If I say something harsh, I'm afraid she'll cry. If I'm angry, I'm afraid she'll be unhappy. Even if I don't accompany her, I'm worried that she'll be unhappy." Prince Chen sighed and said, "I never thought that I would have to coax a little girl when I'm this old."
"Your Highness is a royal relative and has a noble status. Even if you don't coax them, those women won't dare to be dissatisfied." The attendant said, "In this case, Your Highness doesn't have to worry so much."
"You know nothing!" The Prince glared at the attendant and even cursed: "She is just a little girl, and it's not pitiful when she cries? It's not pitiful when she hangs her head and is sad? It's not pitiful when she looks aggrieved?! I am a grown man, how can I do such a thing?"
The attendant quickly apologized: "Please forgive me, Your Highness. I am a stupid slave. Not only do I not understand women, I can't even speak."
He finally understood that in the eyes of His Highness, as long as he failed to make Miss Ming happy, Miss Ming would be pitiful.
"Forget it. What's the point of me telling you all this?" Prince Chen walked out of the house and went straight to the guest house.
"Your Highness." The maid saw Prince Chen standing at the door, walked up to him and whispered, "Miss Ming is asleep."
Through the door, Prince Chen glanced at Jiuzhu, who was wrapped up like a round ball on the couch, and did not enter the room: "Wait for Miss Ming to wake up and send someone to tell me."
"Yes." The maid saw the prince preparing to leave and immediately called him, "Your Highness, please wait."
She returned to the table and picked up a small purse: "This is what Miss Ming asked me to give you before she fell asleep."
The prince opened his purse and found a few mints inside.
On a snowy day, who would eat mint candy?
He walked to the corridor with his purse, stopped, opened his purse, took out a small piece and put it in his mouth. The sweet scent of mint instantly filled his lips and teeth.
When Jiuzhu woke up, it was already more than half an hour later. She put on her warm socks and sat in front of the bronze mirror to do her makeup: "Excuse me, sisters."
"Miss, you are too polite." One of the maids said, "Please sit for a moment. His Highness will be here soon."
Jiuzhu smiled a little embarrassedly.
"Awake?" Prince Chen walked into the room. It was a rare occasion that he wore a fox fur cloak and a jade crown today, looking like a handsome young man in troubled times.
Jiuzhu couldn't help but look at it a few more times.
"It looks great?" Prince Chen walked up to her and took a pearl hairpin from the table and played with it in his hands.
"It looks good." Jiuzhu nodded with a blushing face.
"Are you hungry?"
Jiuzhu continued to nod.
"I think you shouldn't be called Jiuzhu, you should be called Xiaozhu." Prince Chen handed the pearl hairpin to the maid.
Jiuzhu looked up at him.
"Being able to eat and sleep is a blessing, don't you think?" Prince Chen coughed and said, "Come on, I'll take you to have lunch."
Jiuzhu quickly picked up her skirt and followed. She had heard from Brother Fu Liu that the Prince Chen's Mansion had many chefs and the food must be delicious.
At the dining table, Prince Chen saw Jiuzhu eating with gusto and asked curiously, "Is it delicious?"
"It's delicious." Jiuzhu nodded: "The food at your highness's house is indeed as delicious as the rumors say."
"Oh?" Prince Chen asked curiously, "How did the outside world spread it?"
"They said that His Highness has many cooks in his house."
The Prince of Chen laughed with an ambiguous tone.
"I thought at that time that the food at His Highness's house must be delicious." Jiuzhu put down his bowl and chopsticks: "After eating it today, I found that it was just as I imagined."
"When you heard people say that I have many chefs in my house, you thought of eating?" Prince Chen was shocked by Jiuzhu's focus on him. "Didn't you think of anything else?"
When a normal person hears this, shouldn't the first thought be that he is extravagant and greedy for pleasure?
"Isn't a chef's job to cook?" Jiuzhu saw that the Prince of Chen looked a little strange, and thought that she had made a joke, so she asked in a low voice: "Could it be that these chefs are chefs on the surface, but in fact they are all martial arts masters, silently guarding the safety of the palace?"
"Little girls should not read the messy novels outside, as it will affect their brains." Seeing that Jiuzhu liked boneless goose feet, Prince Chen picked up two and put them in her bowl.
He was not very smart to begin with, and after reading such a messy story, he really turned into a fool.
"I'm smart. My teachers all say that I'm naturally intelligent and I learn things very quickly." Jiuzhu was already full, but when she saw two extra goose paws in the bowl, she happily picked up her chopsticks.
Prince Chen sighed again, saying that Ming Jiuzhu's master could really lie with his eyes open.
He ordered his servants to bring some hawthorn tea to help digestion. After Jiuzhu finished eating the goose paw, the king asked Jiuzhu to drink a few sips. "Now that you have eaten and drunk enough, can you tell me why you came to see me in such a heavy snow?"
"No reason." Jiuzhu held the teacup and said with a smile: "I woke up in the morning and opened the window, and found that it was snowing heavily outside. I was so happy and wanted to play with His Highness. This is the first time I have seen such heavy snow."
Yun Duqing didn't expect to get such a simple answer. She just wanted to share with him the joy of the first heavy snow in her life.
The girl's smile was childish and innocent, and her eyes showed her unconditional trust in him.
"Ming Jiuzhu."
"Hmm?" Jiuzhu looked at him confusedly with her watery eyes.
"Nothing, I'll go play in the snow with you." Yun Duqing stood up: "I'll take you back before dark."
"Okay, okay." As a poor girl who grew up in the south and had never seen heavy snow, Jiuzhu was very interested in playing in the snow. She threw the teacup on the spot, got up and walked outside.
The two of them worked together to build an ugly snowman. Jiuzhu stood up and stretched his arms and legs: "Your Highness, I forgot to ask you last time, do you like the brocade carp and lotus I drew?"
When the King of Chen heard Jiuzhu mention painting, he almost broke the snowman's nose. He looked at Jiuzhu's hair, the furry rabbit hairpins swaying in the cold wind: "Not bad, the brushstrokes are vivid and interesting, very energetic."
"As long as Your Highness likes it." Jiuzhu said happily, "When I go back today, I will draw a snow scene for Your Highness."
Prince Chen: “…”
There is no need to waste paper and ink like this.
"OK?"
Prince Chen nodded: "Okay."
It's really troublesome to coax a little girl.
When he came out of the Ministry of Revenue, it was already snowing outside, and the ground was covered in white. The King of Qi got on his horse, took the cloak handed to him by his attendant, put it on, and drove back to his palace.
With such heavy snow, he could have avoided going to the Ministry of Revenue, but he was strict in his work and never allowed himself to slack off on his work.
Halfway through the journey, he saw a girl in a big red crane cloak, holding a roasted sweet potato, standing on tiptoe in the snow, handing the sweet potato to the man on horseback.
He stopped his horse and watched the scene quietly.
"Your Highness, it seems that the person in front is the Prince of Chen?" The attendant whispered, "Why is he here?"
Prince Chen is lazy by nature and loves to enjoy himself, so it is surprising that he is willing to go out on such a snowy day.
King Qi watched King Chen hurriedly take a bite of the sweet potato, then hurried the girl back to the carriage. He reached out as if to throw away the sweet potato, but after glancing at the carriage twice, for some reason he ate the whole sweet potato with a look of disgust on his face.
After wiping the corners of his mouth, Prince Chen seemed to have just noticed Prince Qi on horseback, and he lazily bowed, "Fourth Brother."
"Fifth brother." Prince Qi patted his horse and came to Prince Chen. Looking at the roasted black sweet potato skin in his hand, he smiled and said, "Fifth brother, you are in a good mood."
"Fourth brother wants to eat too?" Chen Dynasty's long-servant raised his chin slightly and said, "Go, buy some for His Royal Highness Prince Qi."
"You are too polite, Fifth Brother." The King of Qi said softly, "I have just resigned from the Ministry of Revenue and have many things to deal with. I am afraid I cannot accompany you to enjoy the food here."
"That's a pity." Prince Chen sighed. "The Ministry of Revenue has many capable officials. How can we let Fourth Brother do all the hard work alone? Fourth Brother, remember to use people wisely and don't tire yourself out."
"The more capable you are, the more work you should do. I am lucky to be able to share the worries of my father." The King of Qi glanced at the carriage and said, "My fifth brother will be getting married in a few months. It's time for me to share the worries of my father."
"Fourth brother is right. Tomorrow I will go to the palace to pay my respects to my father and make him happier and less worried." Prince Chen said lazily, "As a son, making my father happy is to relieve his worries, isn't it?"
"Your Highness?" Jiuzhu saw that the carriage had not moved for a long time, so he stuck his head out from behind the curtain and asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's okay, put your head back. It's snowing heavily outside." Prince Chen rode his horse to the carriage and pushed Jiuzhu's head back into the carriage.
"Even riding in a carriage can't make people worry-free." He closed the curtain and turned to look at King Qi: "Fourth brother, I'm in a hurry to send my fiancée home. If you have anything to say, we can talk next time."
"If you're not in a hurry..." Prince Chen raised his eyebrows: "Then move aside?"
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