Chapter 2 Chapter 2 If the beauties of Kyoto are like clouds, Wen Feng...
Without further ado, Zhu Song's visiting card was delivered to the Eastern Palace early the next morning. However, Zhu Song had just arrived at the Dali Temple and had not even finished reading a file when the bailiff came in with a message from the Eastern Palace.
"Sir, the steward of the Eastern Palace just said that the Crown Prince is not feeling well and is not in a position to see guests."
This was the first time that Zhu Song's visiting card was rejected. He was unhappy but did not show it. He just nodded and let the bailiff go out first.
Gu Huaiyu, also a junior official at the Dali Temple, happened to come in from outside. Upon hearing the bailiff's words, he chuckled slyly and said, "Oh, I was wondering why you've been asking about the Eastern Palace these past few days. So you want to see the Crown Prince?"
The two were good friends who grew up together. Zhu Song looked up at him, feeling very happy. "Yes, my father told me a few days ago that the prince is good-looking, so I wanted to go and see how good he is and whether he is as good-looking as our beautiful Lady Gu."
Gu Huaiyu was a chubby child. When Zhu Song first saw him, he was wearing a pink dress. Zhu Song was naughty every day and was tanned like charcoal. But when he saw such a beautiful sister, he forgot himself and ran after her happily. Later he found out that it was his younger brother, and he was sad for several days.
But Gu Huaiyu liked Zhu Song very much and ran after him happily. Zhu Song originally disliked him as a younger brother, but as they ran together, he took a liking to him and accepted him as his younger brother.
But later, when they grew up, the younger brother became a brother. The only thing that remained unchanged was Gu Huaiyu's androgynous appearance. He was as beautiful as a fairy. In the capital city where there were so many beauties, he was even given the title of Gu the Great Beauty.
After hearing Zhu Song's words, Gu Huaiyu said, "Can you change your obsessive love for someone? Stop going after someone you hear is pretty. I heard the Crown Prince is very ill this year. He's gasping for breath and coughing up blood from time to time. He's emaciated and looks terrible. You better not try to bring bad luck upon him."
Zhu Song thought, it’s not like he can just not go if he doesn’t want to.
"Yeah, yeah, got it." Zhu Song didn't want to say more about this matter and changed the subject. "I heard that some people saw a strange person appear a few nights ago. What happened?"
Gu Huaiyu sat down in front of him and leisurely brewed tea. "Lao Qu told me yesterday that there was a vendor who saw a man in a black robe jumping on the street with his hands stretched out when he was closing his stall at night. He said that the man with a green face and fangs was scarier than a ghost. He fainted after just one look.
The area in the middle of Changxi Road has been under renovation these days, so there aren't any lanterns at night. I guess someone just jumped a few times while passing by. But he yelled in the middle of the night, waking up everyone nearby, and his exaggerated story made everyone panic. Unfortunately, Concubine De's second nephew was there that day and reported the incident to Prince Jin.
Prince Jin gave Lao Qu a task, asking him to investigate the matter thoroughly and restore peace to the capital.
Lao Qu couldn't find anyone and was as worried as a grasshopper. He even came to me for help yesterday, but I turned him down."
After he finished speaking, the tea was ready. Gu Huaiyu's skill in making tea was superb, and even people who didn't like tea originally fell in love with it.
The clear tea tastes fragrant on your lips and teeth.
Zhu Song put down his teacup and said, "Tsk, Old Qu is the same. He comes to you instead of me. Everyone knows you are afraid of trouble. Nine times out of ten, he fails to get what he wants from you. You still don't learn your lesson."
Gu Huaiyu said, "Come on, you're just capable. How could Old Qu become the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture without some ability? He just wants to complain to someone, but you're the only one who takes it seriously and actually goes to help."
Speaking of this, Zhu Song had to say, "There's nothing I can do about it, Lao Qu is really handsome."
Qu Zhoubai is different from Gu Huaiyu. When he was a child, Qu Zhoubai was just like Zhu Song, a dark and skinny monkey. But from the age of ten, he began to transform madly, changing almost every day. In just two years, he turned from an upright ape into a handsome young man.
Qu Zhoubai's beauty is different from Gu Huaiyu's beauty of red lips and white teeth like peach petals. He is elegant and romantic. Although he has a bright appearance, he doesn't like to smile. He has a melancholy and decadent temperament. But his eyes are bright and shining, and there is deep affection in his eyes, especially when he stares at you, making people willing to agree to anything.
Gu Huaiyu sighed, "If you hadn't been outstanding in everything when you were young, we wouldn't be able to compete with you, and Old Qu wouldn't have been depressed since childhood."
Zhu Song was very happy to be praised, "How can I be your big brother if I am not outstanding?"
The Dali Temple hadn't been busy recently, so Gu Huaiyu stayed a little longer. Before leaving, he sighed, "The Crown Prince is truly a good man. Even with his own poor health, he still came out to stabilize the government. I just don't know how long this situation can last."
This is not to say that Wen Fengxuan can really stabilize the court, but because in the past two years since the establishment of the crown prince, the fighting among the three kings has obviously subsided, and even the Dali Temple has become less busy, so the two of them have time to chat here early in the morning.
Zhusong said, "Didn't Abbot Liaoji say that even if we count until we're twenty-five, there are still seven years left."
Gu Huaiyu lowered his voice and replied, "He won't live past 25, and he didn't say he could live to 24."
Zhu Song was stunned for a moment. He had never thought about this before. Abbot Leji passed away last year, so there was no way to ask. What if Wen Fengxuan died this year? Wouldn't their family affairs be exposed?
No, no, he has to hurry.
After chatting, Gu Huaiyu returned to his own room. The two did not work in the same office, but they were not far apart, only about a hundred meters away.
Zhu Song thought all day but couldn't come up with a way to get Wen Fengxuan to agree to let him enter the Eastern Palace, but he really couldn't wait any longer. So, in the dead of night, Zhu Song climbed up the wall of the Eastern Palace in his nightgown.
The night is beautiful tonight. The round moon hangs in the sky and is so close that it seems you can touch it with your hand.
Zhu Song deliberately found the most remote courtyard in the East Palace and climbed over the wall. As soon as he emerged, he saw a stunningly handsome man in white clothes drinking alone under the moon in the courtyard.
His hair was untied, tied loosely around his waist, a few strands dangling by his ears, fluttering in the breeze. The cool moonlight shone on him, as if he were covered in a flowing, dreamy silk shawl, his entire body radiating. He lowered his head slightly, his eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, and the tip of his upturned nose was slightly red, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Zhu Song froze. He probably guessed that this must be the Crown Prince Wen Fengxuan of the Eastern Palace.
Didn’t you say you were not feeling well? Why were you drinking in the yard wearing such thin clothes so late at night?
Zhu Song stayed on the wall for half a minute, unable to decide whether to go down directly or come back tomorrow. Suddenly, Wen Fengxuan, who had been keeping his head down, looked up at him straight, and was amazed at first sight.
If the beauties in Kyoto are like clouds, then Wen Fengxuan is the moon, and she is indeed as beautiful as the sky.
The water is as clear as jade and as bright as the sky.
Wen Fengxuan seemed drunk, tilting his head slightly and asking doubtfully, "Are you the little immortal official my mother sent to pick me up?"
His movements were somewhat childish, his red eyes were filled with tears, and he looked at Zhu Song with grievance. Zhu Song's heart softened and he jumped down from the wall.
As he approached, he could smell a strong odor of alcohol. Zhu Song bowed and called out, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Wen Fengxuan placed his slender white hand on the back of his hand and used it to stand up. "Let's go now. Today is not over yet. I can still celebrate my birthday with my mother in heaven."
It turned out that today was his birthday and also the anniversary of the late queen's death. No wonder he was so sad. Zhu Song comforted him gently, "Your mother asked me to tell you that you must live well. She will always protect you in heaven."
As soon as he finished speaking, a crystal tear rolled down from Wen Fengxuan's red eyes and hit the back of Zhu Song's hand, burning him.
"It's all my fault. If it weren't for my mother, she wouldn't have died."
His voice was low and hoarse, filled with deep sadness. Zhu Song comforted him, "It's not your fault. Your mother also wants to accompany you to grow up well, but she hopes that you will grow up well more than accompanying her. If she sees your self-blame in heaven, she will be sad too."
Suddenly, Wen Fengxuan started coughing violently. The coughing became more and more severe, and he couldn't even straighten his back. Zhu Song hurriedly tried to pat his back, but ended up touching his protruding bones. He looked so thin that he was like a skeleton.
Zhu Song had never seen anyone like him before. He was as fragile as a glass doll and seemed like he would break at any time. He didn't even dare to pat his back hard.
After coughing for a long time, Wen Fengxuan finally stopped. He fell back onto the stool, still holding Zhu Song's hand tightly. "You...you go back and tell my mother that I will be fine. Tell her not to be sad."
His eyes were stubborn, as if he regarded Zhu Song as a lifeline, which made Zhu Song feel sad. He replied, "I will. It's getting late and the dew is heavy. Your Highness should go to bed early."
Wen Fengxuan responded and withdrew his hand, "Okay, you should go back soon."
Zhu Song finally got in, so he couldn't leave so easily. So he said, "No hurry, I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."
Wen Fengxuan nodded obediently, "Okay."
Zhu Song stepped forward to support him, "Let me help you into the room."
"Thank you very much."
Zhu Song helped Wen Fengxuan walk into the room. As soon as he pushed the door open, he was surprised. The room was empty. There was no decoration except the necessary table and chairs. There was not even a screen to block the inside and outside partitions. He could see the end at a glance.
It was almost summer, but the bed didn't even have a mosquito net. A thin quilt lay on the bare bed. When Zhu Song lifted it, he found it was frayed. It was no exaggeration to say that even the lowest-ranking servant in the Zhu Mansion wouldn't use such an old quilt.
Zhu Song frowned slightly, "You live here?"
Wen Fengxuan sat on the bed and tilted his head to look at him. There was no light in the room, only the moonlight. Perhaps because of the red face from drinking, he looked very childish. "Well, I coughed a lot at night, and staying here won't disturb anyone."
Zhu Song didn't understand, "Who are you disturbing?"
Wen Fengxuan replied, "As for the other people in the palace, when we were in Changqiu Palace, they always complained that I was too noisy at night and that they couldn't sleep well. But Changqiu Palace isn't very big, so I couldn't go further away. Later, when we moved here, it finally became spacious, and everyone can sleep well. They're happy, and so am I."
This was the first time that Zhu Song had a real feeling about Wen Fengxuan's life. He was an unfavored prince and even his servants could bully him at will.
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