Chapter 115: Deposed Emperor Becomes a Slave (6)
6
Chu Yunyang and Wei Yuan officially became the emperor's study companions.
The two men lived in a side hall of the emperor's bedroom. They got up at dawn every day and studied and practiced martial arts with the emperor.
Wei Yuan is good at literature and Chu Yunyang is good at martial arts. One is literature and the other is martial arts, so they both make up for Xiao Chengan's shortcomings.
The three of them were of similar age and quickly became familiar with each other. They stuck together all day, eating and sleeping together.
Zhu Qingchen can now be lazy.
That afternoon, the Duke of Zhenguo entered the palace and taught them riding and archery at the stable.
Xiao Cheng'an is not very good at riding a horse. He once fell off a horse and is a little afraid of riding.
But the autumn hunting was about to begin, and as the emperor, he needed to shoot the first prey in front of all his ministers. It would not look good if he could not ride a horse.
Chu Yunyang didn't say anything. He skillfully helped him tie up his sleeves, then brought him to the horse and asked Xiao Chengan to smooth the horse's mane first to build a relationship with it.
After the man and the horse were almost familiar with each other, he helped Xiao Cheng'an onto the horse.
Xiao Chengan whispered to him: "Chu Yunyang, why are you silent today? I'm not used to it."
Chu Yunyang didn't say anything and glanced at his father.
Nonsense, his father is watching here, how could he possibly contradict the emperor?
Chu Yunyang cleared his throat and said, "Your Majesty, please get on the horse. Let's walk around the horse field twice. I will hold the reins."
The Duke of Zhenguo stroked his beard, very satisfied, and turned to instruct Wei Yuan.
They were practicing horse riding and archery here, and Zhu Qingchen lay down beside them to rest.
He leaned back in a recliner, sitting in the shade of a tree, with tea and snacks at hand.
The system said, "You're retired, right? Just sitting here and watching?"
Zhu Qingchen picked up the tea, took a sip, and said with emotion: "Being a teacher is so easy. I can still teach another hundred students. All, I want a pair of modern sunglasses that suits my current elegant and casual situation."
"Chenchen, I want to beat you up. It fits my current mood of being pissed off at you, this damn kid."
Zhu Qingchen silently moved away, turned his head, and watched the students learning to ride horses with a look of satisfaction.
*
Half a month later, Xiao Cheng'an learned how to ride a horse, and also learned how to loosen the reins on horseback and draw a bow and shoot arrows.
Although I am not very skilled yet, it is enough to deal with autumn hunting.
Before we knew it, the autumn hunting season had arrived.
Daxia had the custom of hunting in spring and autumn. Every year, the emperor would take his court officials to the hunting grounds to practice riding and shooting and to train the army.
This year is slightly different, as the Northern Zhou delegation will also go with us.
Although the two countries were negotiating, the Northern Zhou was still an enemy country after all, and they could not lose face in front of the enemy country. The imperial guards began training early, and even the civil servants secretly exercised at home, trying to build up their muscles and make a stunning appearance in front of the Northern Zhou delegation.
When Zhu Qingchen was dragged by a group of civil servants to practice riding and archery, he was completely confused.
Until he saw the ninety-year-old historian draw the five-stone bow, the eighty-year-old censor shoot an arrow into the bull's eye, and the seventy-year-old minister pick up the millstone.
Zhu Qingchen squatted on the ground, holding his cheek, and raised his hand weakly: "Can I stay as regent?"
Several old civil servants sternly rejected his proposal: "No, the young master is the face of our Great Xia civil officials, how can he stay as regent? We will stay as regent, and the young master can just go to the autumn hunt without worry!"
Zhu Qingchen was pulled up by the old civil servant and forced to use a longbow: "Quick! Shoot!"
So, on the day of the autumn hunt, Xiao Cheng'an wore riding clothes and armor, rode a tall horse, and stood at the front of the team, with Chu Yunyang and Wei Yuan beside him.
The imperial guards stood on both sides, carrying weapons, looking majestic.
The ministers of Daxia were ready to go and in high spirits.
Zhu Qingchen looked back at the long line of people on the street, then turned back again and sniffed: "Your Majesty, how about I stay..."
Xiao Chengan said to him seriously with a serious face: "Teacher, don't worry, I won't embarrass Da Xia!"
"I mean, I want to stay..."
"I won't embarrass the teacher!"
"but……"
Everyone was in high spirits, except Zhu Qingchen who looked listless.
He is a sick beauty and he is not suitable for wielding swords and guns.
Not long after, Yuwen Shu also arrived with the Northern Zhou delegation.
Yuwen Shu did not bring many people with him, only about a dozen personal guards, which were enough for him to command and also showed his trust in the Xia Kingdom.
Yuwen Shu walked in front, stood in front of the emperor and the grand tutor, raised his right hand, patted his left shoulder, and saluted them.
Yuwen Zan followed behind, and Chen Xun, as a servant, hid behind Yuwen Zan.
Yuwen Zan didn't want to be left behind as a hostage, and Chen Xun didn't want to be caught making any mistakes.
So both of them lowered their heads quietly, trying their best to hide their tracks and not wanting to be seen.
Xiao Cheng'an said to Yuwen Shu: "You are polite, Prince Regent. The carriage prepared for you is in the back."
"Thank you very much."
Yuwen Shu did not ride in the carriage, but asked the soldiers to bring the horses. He then mounted the horses and stood side by side with Zhu Qingchen.
Zhu Qingchen smiled at him and turned to look at Yuwen Zan and Chen Xun.
Chen Xun bumped into a pillar a while ago. The wound on his forehead has almost healed now, but his complexion still doesn't look very good.
Yuwen Zan seemed to be coaxed by him and took him towards the carriage.
That was a carriage specially prepared for the Northern Zhou delegation.
Yuwen Zan lifted the curtain and got on the carriage. Then he reached out his hand to Chen Xun and pulled him up. The two of them smiled at each other with deep affection.
Zhu Qingchen didn’t want to watch the following scene anymore and turned back quickly.
Zhu Qingchen asked quietly: "Does this mean they have reconciled?"
Yuwen Shu nodded: "Yes, Yuwen Zan did not give Chen Xun a name, but gave him a lot of gold and silver. Chen Xun promised not to cause him any more trouble. Now they are newlyweds and in love."
Zhu Qingchen frowned. It seemed that the villain really didn't know how to use idioms.
The two men had just spoken a word when the herald came up from behind the team on horseback.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready, we can set off now."
"Okay." Xiao Cheng'an nodded slightly and said loudly, "Let's go!"
He waved the whip and squeezed the horse's belly, and the horse raised its front hooves and walked forward.
Chu Yunyang and Wei Yuan followed beside him. The sound of horse hooves sounded like drums, and the long dragon-like team slowly marched forward.
*
Two hours later, the team arrived at the royal hunting ground.
The rolling hills were fenced off as royal hunting grounds.
A temporary palace was also built on the largest hill to facilitate the emperor's daily life.
Xiao Cheng'an rode on a horse, stood at the foot of the mountain, and looked up at the towering peaks and the magnificent palace above the clouds.
Xiao Chengan ordered: "Stay where you are!"
At the emperor's command, the imperial guards responded "yes" in unison and dismounted from their horses. The Duke of Zhenguo took charge personally and arranged the hunting camp as if it were a war camp.
It was Xiao Cheng'an's first time to come to the hunting ground, and he came here on horseback, but he didn't feel tired.
He turned around and said to Zhu Qingchen, "Teacher, I'll go around and see how they set up their tents."
"Hmm?" Zhu Qingchen perked up, "Let Yun Yang and Xiao Yuan follow you, and bring Eunuch Cheng along as well."
For safety reasons, Zhu Qingchen has been giving Xiao Chengan a "hunting ground safety education class" these days.
The hunting grounds are covered with dense forests and mountains. Due to the emperor's special status, he cannot act alone. Wherever he goes, he must bring his attendants with him.
Xiao Chengan didn't feel annoyed and replied with a smile: "I won't run around. I'm nearby, don't worry, teacher."
Chu Yunyang and Wei Yuan nodded to Zhu Qingchen, and Zhu Qingchen let them go.
Xiao Cheng'an led a group of people on horseback and ran away laughing.
Just at this moment, Yuwen Zan lifted the curtain of the carriage, but before he could get off, a group of young men in bright clothes and riding horses passed by him like the wind.
Yuwen Zan held the carriage door, turned his head and looked at the young men.
Until Chen Xun behind him was puzzled and called out softly: "Your Highness?"
Only then did he come to his senses, retract his gaze, and get off the carriage.
After getting off the carriage, Yuwen Zan couldn't help but turn around to look at Xiao Chengan.
The young emperor, wearing luxurious riding clothes and riding on a horse, was curious about everything in the hunting grounds and chatted and laughed with his study companions.
During this period, he stayed with Chen Xun. Chen Xun snuggled in his arms and talked a lot about the Emperor of Xia.
For example, the emperor of the Xia Kingdom was mean and would either beat or scold the eunuchs.
For example, the emperor of the Xia Dynasty was cowardly and could not even ride a horse steadily. He once fell off the horse.
For example, the Emperor of the Xia Kingdom was insidious and looked down on the people of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. He also did not want to negotiate peace with the Northern Zhou Dynasty in private.
These lies were all very crude, and Chen Xun had lied before, so Yuwen Zan certainly wouldn't believe them.
However, he had always looked down on the Emperor of Xia and thought that he came to power by sheer luck. Although Chen Xun's words sounded fake, they touched his heart.
He liked to hear Chen Xun say bad things about the Emperor of Xia, no matter whether it was true or false, as long as he could belittle the Emperor of Xia and it made him feel good.
So he never stopped Chen Xun, but listened to Chen Xun with a smile.
When Chen Xun saw that he didn't say anything, he spoke even more excitedly.
In this way, the image of the Emperor of Xia in his mind continued to deepen.
He was vicious, mean, cowardly and incompetent, but he was lucky enough to become the emperor. He was simply a waste among emperors.
But see you today...
Yuwen Zan stared in amazement at Xiao Chengan's back as he rode away on horseback.
He was dressed in fine clothes, riding a horse, and full of vigor and vitality, which was completely different from the emperor of Xia Kingdom that he had imagined. Chen Xun stood beside him, followed his gaze, and saw Xiao Chengan not far away.
In just a few months, he seemed to have been reborn, and there was no trace of the cowardly King Kang left in him.
He turned around to look at Yuwen Zan and saw his fixed eyes. What was there that he didn't understand?
Chen Xun tentatively stretched out his hand, wanting to put it on Yuwen Zan's arm: "Your Highness..."
Yuwen Zan seemed to be scalded, and quickly brushed his hand away, shouting in a low voice: "Let go."
Chen Xun timidly withdrew his hand and took two or three steps back: "Yes."
Yuwen Zan did not give him a formal status. They had done everything inside, but outside, they were still master and servant.
Yuwen Zan had no intention of coaxing him. He cleared his throat, looked away, turned his head as if nothing had happened, and directed the Northern Zhou soldiers to set up tents.
Yuwen Zan originally wanted to ride a horse, but Chen Xun had just hit a pillar a while ago, so he accompanied Chen Xun in the carriage.
But now, he regretted it very much.
He should have ridden the horse with Xiao Cheng'an.
At this time, Zhu Qingchen was sitting by the river, propping up his head, and taking in all of Yuwen Zan's actions.
"He wouldn't fall for Cheng An, would he? Didn't he look down on Cheng An before?"
Yuwen Shu handed him the opened water bag and sat down beside him: "Master Zhu."
"Thank you." Zhu Qingchen took the water bag and took a sip. Only then did he realize that it was milk. "There is a river here. Why doesn't he come over and look at himself?"
The system said: "It seems that the plot correction has begun to take effect. The plot will bring the protagonist and the top closer and closer."
"I won't allow it!" Zhu Qingchen took the naan handed over by Yuwen Shu, took a big bite, and chewed it hard, "I won't allow students to be abducted under my nose!"
Zhu Qingchen ate some naan with milk, and when he had recovered a little strength, he went to find the Duke of Zhenguo and asked him to make the emperor's tent bigger.
"Yun Yang and Xiao Yuan both live with His Majesty."
The Duke of Zhenguo asked in confusion: "Is this in accordance with the rules?"
"It's against the rules." Zhu Qingchen looked back at the three people who were stuck together, "But I made the decision, we sleep together."
Three people slept together in the tent, and Eunuch Cheng and his men were guarding outside the tent. He wanted to see how Yuwen Zan could get close to Xiao Chengan.
*
The imperial guards moved quickly. In less than three incense sticks, they had set up the tents and arranged the deployment. After a simple lunch, the group returned to their tents to rest.
The camp was quiet, with only the sound of patrolling soldiers' boots stepping on the grass.
In the Northern Zhou camp, Yuwen Zan was wearing a single layer of clothing and sitting on a small couch. Chen Xun knelt behind him and rubbed his head.
"Your Highness has worked hard, sitting in the carriage for a whole day. Take a rest for a while."
"Yeah." Yuwen Zan said casually, "The emperor of your Xia country has made a lot of progress recently."
Chen Xun echoed and laughed dryly: "Yeah, it's all because of Master Zhu's good teaching."
"I mean, he seems like a different person." Yuwen praised, "In the past, he seemed timid and unworthy of being an emperor, but now..."
Chen Xun hugged him from behind: "I don't understand these, I only know that your highness is brave and valiant, and is worthy of being the emperor, not only the emperor of Northern Zhou, but also the emperor of Xia."
Yuwen Zan laughed, turned around, and hugged Chen Xun into his arms: "You are so sweet-talking. When I conquer Zhou and Xia, I will make you the..."
Before Yu Wenzan finished speaking, he suddenly frowned.
"What?" Chen Xun asked him with a smile, "Your Highness, what do you want me to do? Are you going to make me a eunuch?"
Yuwen Zan pushed him away, covering his head with a painful expression.
Chen Xun then felt something was wrong and rushed forward: "Your Highness? Your Highness, what's wrong with you?"
Yuwen Zan slapped his head hard, and in an instant, many different images flashed before his eyes.
He saw him being sent to the Xia Kingdom's palace as a hostage.
He saw that he was being bullied in the Xia Kingdom Palace.
He also saw that there was someone who had been helping him, bringing him food, drinks, and medicine.
But he couldn't see the man's appearance clearly.
The more Yuwen Zan opened his eyes wide to see more clearly, the blurrier the man's face became.
Seeing his hideous face, Chen Xun rushed out to find the imperial physician: "Someone come! Someone come!"
Yuwen Zan covered his head, curled up on the bed, his face distorted with pain.
Unconsciously, he seemed to see the scene of the hunting ground again.
——As a hostage, he was bullied by a group of young masters in the hunting ground, and his head was broken and he fell to the ground.
The man who always saved him walked up to him, patted his face gently, called him "Yuwen Zan", and asked him if he was okay.
But Yuwen Zan still couldn't see the man's face clearly.
Yuwen Zan banged his head hard, trying to drive all these scenes out of his mind.
Are you kidding?
How could he stay in Xia as a hostage? How could he be bullied by these ignorant young men? How could he need someone to save him?
The next second, a strange man's voice came to Yu Wenzan's ears: "Found it."
As soon as the man finished speaking, Yuwen Zan rolled his eyes and fell on the bed.
Just at this moment, Chen Xun came hurriedly with the imperial physician.
"Hurry up, hurry up, can you afford to delay His Highness's treatment?"
The accompanying imperial physician was annoyed by him and followed him, carrying his medicine box.
But when the curtain was lifted, everyone was stunned.
The doctor's gray beard trembled: "You are making fun of us. Doesn't he look like he is seriously ill? Isn't he just asleep?"
I saw Yuwen Zan lying on the bed, his face rosy, his breathing even, and he was sleeping soundly.
When Yuwen Zan started snoring, the doctor turned around and left: "Really? This is the first time I've seen someone who can't even tell the difference between sleeping and coma."
"This..." Chen Xun was also confused and could only follow him in a gentle voice, "It was my negligence for a moment, please don't blame me, doctor."
This Yuwen Zan might be playing tricks on him on purpose. Chen Xun sent the imperial physician away, returned to the tent, and raised his hand to slap the sleeping Yuwen Zan.
But in the end he didn't dare to fight back and could only make a note of it in his heart.
*
The autumn hunt will officially begin tomorrow, and the imperial guards are still setting up a stage not far away.
The three students, along with a group of attendants, went into the woods to play.
Zhu Qingchen sat alone by the river, holding his face, staring at the river flowing in front of him in a daze.
Not long after, Yuwen Shu came to him and said, "Master Zhu."
Zhu Qingchen turned around quickly: "How is it?"
Yuwen Shu shook his head and sat down on the stone beside him.
Zhu Qingchen asked: "Didn't you find out?"
Yuwen Shu whispered, "He said he didn't remember, but it doesn't look fake."
Zhu Qingchen had made full preparations for this autumn hunt. From the accompanying officials to the imperial doctors, they had all been screened by him personally, and the entire camp was under his control.
So just as Chen Xun ran to find the imperial physician, someone came to report to him.
Zhu Qingchen felt something was wrong, and he carefully questioned the previous imperial physician, but could not find out anything, so he specifically asked Yuwen Shu to ask. What was going on with Yuwen Zan? Sometimes he was sick, and sometimes he was not?
Although Chen Xun is short-sighted, he can't be so unable to distinguish between sleeping and fainting, right?
"Tongtong, did you detect any abnormalities?"
"No."
It's strange, it's impossible that Yuwen Zan and Chen Xun would perform this act for no reason, right?
Could it be that the two of them are planning something again?
Zhu Qingchen held his face in his hands, lost in thought. Yuwen Shu knew he was thinking about something, so he did not disturb him. He just stayed beside him quietly and picked up some weeds.
After an unknown amount of time, Zhu Qingchen scratched his hair and said, "I can't figure it out. Forget it. Let's just take it one step at a time."
He picked up a stone and threw it into the water.
With a "splash" sound, water splashed everywhere. Yuwen Shu wiped his face and turned his head away quietly.
Master Zhu, I didn’t offend you.
Zhu Qingchen finally reacted: "Why haven't you left yet? I thought you had left a long time ago. I'm sorry."
Zhu Qingchen frantically felt his sleeves and lapels, took out a handkerchief and wanted to wipe him.
Yuwen Shu took a few small bracelets made of wild grass, wrapped them around his hands a few times, and tied them together: "Catch you! Put you in jail!"
Zhu Qingchen was about to take off the bracelet when Yuwen Shu said, "This is a hemp rope, and it is tied with a pig's hoof buckle. Master Zhu can't break free. Why is it called a pig's hoof buckle? Because it is tied with a pig's hoof..."
The last bit of guilt Zhu Qingchen felt was gone in an instant, and he threw the handkerchief in his face: "Wipe it yourself!"
You are the pig's trotter!
The two men squatted on the stone, ignoring each other.
Zhu Qingchen lowered his head and saw the bracelet hanging on his wrist. He felt something and turned to look at Yuwen Shu: "You..."
Yuwen Shu wiped the water stains off his face with a handkerchief, looked at Zhu Qingchen, and raised his chin at him timidly: "What?"
Zhu Qingchen forgot what he wanted to ask, and when he turned around, he bumped into Yuwen Shu.
But Yuwen Shu squatted steadily, without shaking at all.
Zhu Qingchen turned around and pretended nothing had happened, but in fact he was quietly moving closer to Yuwen Shu, wanting to hit him again.
As he bumped into him, Yuwen Shu grabbed his arm.
"Hey! Let go! Yuwen Shu!"
With a loud splash, Zhu Qingchen and Yuwen Shu fell into the river, splashing a lot of water. It was autumn, and the river was not deep.
Yuwen Shu was a tall and strong man. He sat in the river, supporting himself with his hands. Zhu Qingchen lay on top of him and was also splashed with water.
Zhu Qingchen pursed his lips, clenched his fists silently, raised his head, and met Yuwen Shu's innocent little eyes.
"Master Zhu, I didn't sit still. Fortunately, this is downstream and the soldiers are fetching water from upstream. Master Zhu, go back and change your clothes quickly. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Zhu Qingchen was filled with anger, clenched his fist, and hit him hard on the chest.
Yuwen Shu cooperated by letting out a loud "ow".
Zhu Qingchen used his hands and feet to climb out of the river, then turned around and left.
The sleeves of his wide robe were soaked with water and were cumbersome to move around. Zhu Qingchen was like a duckling that had just come ashore, unable to walk steadily.
Yuwen Shu was still sitting in the river. When he saw him trip over his wet clothes, he couldn't help laughing.
As soon as he laughed, Zhu Qingchen turned around and walked towards him angrily.
Yuwen Shu subconsciously raised his hand and covered his chest that had just been hit.
But this time, Zhu Qingchen didn't hit him. He just walked up to him, waved his fist at him without any deterrent effect, and then picked up the bracelet woven from wild grass from the water.
Zhu Qingchen dragged his wet clothes back to his tent, opened the box, and rummaged through it casually, trying to find a set of clean clothes.
Suddenly, he saw two pieces of paper pressed at the bottom of the box.
Zhu Qingchen felt strange, pushed aside the pile of clothes and took out the paper.
There were some scriptures on the paper, written in his handwriting.
Oh, Zhu Qingchen remembered that at that time he was in the royal temple and he copied some scriptures casually.
I guess the guards saw it when they were helping him pack up and stuffed it in together.
But he was too lazy to clean up and just left it there without taking care of it. He came to the hunting ground the same way he had gone to the temple.
The system said: "You never pack your suitcase, do you?"
"It's convenient this way. Just put the lid on and go."
only--
Zhu Qingchen tilted his head and looked at the words on the paper.
I don't know who was so careless that he scribbled on the scriptures he copied and filled in the holes in every word.
For example, in the first sentence "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva", this person painted the place where the word "Avalokitesvara" was sealed with black, covering it completely.
The same thing happened to the other characters, making the whole paper full of ink spots. The system said again: "Is this person crazy? I bet a cup of milk tea that it was definitely Yuwen Shu who did it."
"I bet it's him too." Zhu Qingchen pursed his lips and was about to crumple the paper into a ball and throw it away. Just as he was about to reach out, he suddenly remembered something. He rushed to the tent, opened the curtain, and took a look outside.
Yuwen Shu had just climbed out of the river.
Just at this moment, three students who had gone to play in the woods came back surrounded by a large group of attendants.
Seeing him like this, Xiao Chengan asked, "What's wrong with the Regent?"
Yuwen Shu lifted up the hem of his clothes and wrung out a puddle of water, saying calmly, "I was watching the scenery by the river, and was pushed into the river by a little pig."
Xiao Chengan looked around: "Really? There are piglets here?"
Just as "Zhu Qingchen Piglet" was about to rush forward, Yuwen Shu raised his hand and pushed his nose.
——Only piglets would rush over and nudge people.
Zhu Qingchen was annoyed by him so much that he waved his fist at him, turned around and went back into the tent.
He looked at the black-painted scripture in his hand, then looked at the straw bracelet, hesitated for a moment, wrapped the bracelet with the scripture, and put it in the innermost part of the box.
The system was shocked: "Chenchen, what are you doing? He said you are a piglet, and you still..."
"I always feel that..." Zhu Qingchen paused and didn't continue, "You don't understand, this is to preserve the evidence. I'm going to change my clothes, you go out."
"Oh." The little ball of light flew out of the tent obediently.
Zhu Qingchen untied his wet clothes and threw them on the clothesline.
At this time, Xiao Chengan's voice came from outside the tent.
"Prince Regent, please go back and change your clothes."
"good."
Zhu Qingchen turned his head and looked outside through the tent window.
Yuwen Shu seemed to always catch his gaze, turned his head and smiled at him. !
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