Xu Lanyin held Chai Zixiao on her lap and said with a smile, "It's not the monkeys that are scary, but the human heart. If you want to see the monkeys, go ahead. But remember, don't follow others without permission, and don't trust people lightly..."
Chai Zixiao looked at Xu Lanyin in confusion and asked, "Aunt, who can't we trust?"
This question is really difficult to answer. Both the father and the wet nurse are trustworthy, but they are a disaster for Qin and Xiao Xingxing.
Xu Lanyin said, "Don't trust others easily except your closest relatives. Usually, you should use your heart to feel who is truly good to you..." At least, his closest relatives are all truly good to him.
Chai Zixiao nodded and continued, "I feel it with my heart. The people who are kind to me include my great aunt, Sister Jia, Uncle Ting, Aunt Yue, Uncle Zhao, Uncle Min, and Aunt Qian."
He didn't mention Xu Lanyin because he regarded her as his closest relative.
Xu Lanyin understood what he meant, kissed him, and smiled, "You're such a good boy who remembers kindness." Although everyone who worked in the government office or went to school had a day off today, the Xu family still had no master. Xu Lanzhou and Qin Ru went out to play in the street, while Xu Qingyan was on duty.
Xu Lanyin was also unfamiliar with this home. She took Chai Zixiao around to play and could hear shouting outside from time to time.
Chai Zixiao was very happy and said with a smile, "Aunt, I feel like I'm back to our old home."
Suddenly, the sound of people selling candied haws was heard.
Chai Zixiao stretched out his little hand, and Xu Lanyin placed a few copper coins in his palm. The two of them took a group of maids, old women and guards to the entrance of the alley to buy candied haws.
At midnight, when Little Star had already fallen asleep, Xu Qingyan returned and sent someone to ask Xu Lanyin to see him.
When we arrived at Xu Qingyan's yard, Xu Lanzhou and Qin Ru were also there.
When Xu Lanyin saw the happy look on his face, she knew that Chai Jingjing must have achieved good results.
Xu Qingyan smiled at Xu Lanyin and said, "I heard that Miss Chai was chosen as the first place winner in the talent competition. She is the first person to win first place by playing a piece of music at the Wanshou Festival since the founding of this dynasty. People say that Miss Chai plays the flute well, and the music she adapted is even more beautiful. Lord Cao even said that 'Plum Blossoms on the Western Hills' is comparable to 'Moonlight on the Evening River'..."
"Moonlight on the River at Dusk" is a famous song of this era.
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "Such a high evaluation?"
Xu Qingyan nodded and smiled, "This is also the first person from the royal family to win first place. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager are very happy. And Miss Chai's makeup is said to have been praised by the Empress Dowager and the other female relatives."
Xu Lanyin only told Zhao Wu and Xu Qingyan about the song she presented. Her excuse was that she accidentally heard the song while picking herbs...
Xu Lanyin laughed and said that she had helped with Chai Jingjing's makeup today. This surprised Xu Qingyan, Xu Lanzhou, and Qin Ru.
Xu Lanzhou smiled and said, "The Nanyang Princess's Mansion is grateful for your kindness, sister. We will do our best to help you in the future."
As Princess Nanyang had predicted, the song "Xishan Nongmei" quickly spread throughout Daming, where it has been passed down through history. Chai Jingjing's makeup was also admired by the women of the palace and other nobles. First popular in the palace and among the aristocracy, it later spread to the public, earning it the name "Qingzhuang."
Chai Jingjing, who created these two miracles, was not only regarded as the first of the "Four Beauties", but also respected as the "Talented Man of Clean Makeup".
Of course, this is a later story.
In the imperial palace, the Taiji Hall was brightly lit.
After the music ended, the crowd dispersed, leaving only Emperor Liu Tong and the chief eunuch Wu Lian in the hall. The emperor sat for a while, then stood up and walked out of the hall.
Wu Lian knew that on this day, the emperor would go to the Cining Palace to accompany the sad empress dowager.
In the side hall of the Cining Palace, there were only Empress Dowager Pu and an old nanny.
Empress Dowager Pu was looking at the swallow on her hairpin and she shed tears. She murmured, "They say swallows always remember their old nests, but you left before you could even get home..."
The eunuch's voice outside the door said, "Your servant greets the emperor."
Empress Dowager Pu put down her hairpin and wiped away her tears. The Emperor had already walked in.
Seeing the Queen Mother's red eyes, the Emperor sat down beside her and said, "Is your mother thinking about her again?"
Empress Dowager Pu nodded, tears welling up again as she said, "I don't know why, but in recent years, I always dream of her at this time every year. In previous years, I dreamed of her as a little five-year-old. But last night was strange. I dreamed that she had grown into a big girl, smiling at me and saying, 'Mother, I am your Ying'er.' I called out 'Ying'er,' but suddenly woke myself up, and Ying'er was gone. My son, do you think that my time is up and Ying'er has come to take me? If that's the case, it's a good thing. She didn't stay with me in her lifetime and went to another world. I hope we mother and daughter will never be separated."
The Emperor said, "Mother, if she were still alive, she would be forty-six years old today. How could she be a grown-up girl? You must have missed her so much that you had that dream. You are still in good health and can live another twenty years without any problem."
These words did not make the Queen Mother smile.
The emperor continued, "Let Zhaoyin and Zhang go to Baoguo Temple in person tomorrow to copy scriptures and observe vegetarianism for nine days. My birthdate and hers have the same eight children, one for me and one for her."
Empress Dowager Pu was shocked and said, "In this case, could it be that the emperor has run into great luck?"
The emperor waved his hand and said, "No. When I was young, I never thought of becoming emperor. I watched my brothers fight each other, but in the end, I sat on the throne. My sons fought fiercely for the throne, and some even colluded with the enemy. In the end, I set things right and dealt with the third son. From my birth to my forty-sixth birthday, everything has been smooth sailing. I always feel that I have taken away all her good luck, and I feel sorry for her..."
The emperor sent his legitimate son, who was in poor health, to go, which showed how much he valued her. He also said, "When Zhaoyin returns, he will be made the crown prince, and Yuanming the crown prince."
Empress Dowager Pu never interfered in state affairs. She neither said anything good nor bad. She simply said, "Zhaoyin is a good child. Losing his left arm and being deposed as Crown Prince haven't changed his temperament drastically. He remains peaceful and virtuous. It's just a pity that he's in poor health..." It's uncertain whether he'll live to inherit the throne.
Of course, the last sentence was not spoken.
The mother and son talked for a while, and when the emperor saw that Empress Dowager Pu looked tired, he took his leave and returned to the Yangxin Palace to rest.
The next morning, Xu Lanyin went to Xu Qingyan's yard to have breakfast, and Xiao Xingxing continued to sleep.
Only Xu Lanzhou and Qin Ru were at the table.
"Where is Dad?" Xu Lanyin asked.
Xu Lanzhou said, "I heard from Uncle Fang that Dad was called away before dawn. He was told that he had to escort the prince and princess to the Baoguo Temple in Xishan to pray for blessings early this morning. He'll be gone for nine days and won't be home until the 30th."
Xu Lanyin asked, "Didn't they go to pray for blessings before the Wanshou Festival?"
Xu Lanzhou said, "Before the Wanshou Festival, we prayed for the late emperor, and this time we pray for the emperor."
The only ones to whom the King of Wu and his wife could personally pray for blessings were the late Emperor, the Emperor, and the Empress Dowager.
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