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◎Zhang Su changed his clothes.◎
Even though Qingyang acted nonchalant in front of his elder sister, saying that he had other playmates and didn't care at all that his three brothers were under house arrest, in fact, Qingyang missed his brothers after a few days.
The eldest brother was of noble status and had a quiet temperament, so the two siblings didn't play around much. However, the eldest brother's house arrest also resulted in the eldest sister-in-law, whom Qingyang liked to be close to, being confined as well.
Her second brother often annoyed her, but he was the most relaxed when he was having fun. He could do almost anything, from climbing trees to catching birds to diving into the water to catching fish.
Third brother Qingyang, who was always available, wanted it even more. Moreover, during the ten days when those noble sons were also under house arrest, Qingyang couldn't ask Zhang Su to come and play with her, for fear that Zhang Su would be envied by the other sons. Qingyang also knew that Zhang Su definitely didn't want to show off during these ten days.
As for female playmates, older sisters who are more than ten years younger than her have never been a good choice. Meng Yao was at home mourning her mother and did not come to Xiyuan. Yuan Jie is definitely not an option. Yan Zhenzhen is very cute, but the little princess who thinks she knows more, can do more and is much braver than an ordinary nine-year-old girl is not very patient to stay with Yan Zhenzhen for a long time. I guess it is for the same reason that the older sisters are too lazy to play with her.
After waiting patiently for more than ten days, Qingyang sent someone to the official residence to summon Zhang Su.
The eunuch who delivered the message returned on his own, lowering his head as he spoke, "Your Highness, Young Master Zhang said he would be confined to his house for a full month with the Third Prince."
Qingyang: "...Did you encounter any other young men being punished along the way?"
The young eunuch said, "I saw the fourth son Peng from the Jinghai Marquis family and the third son Li from the Jining Marquis family riding west."
Qingyang was immediately unhappy. Other young masters were able to return to their homes after serving ten days' punishment, but Zhang Su was too rigid.
"Go and tell him I want to go riding, and I want him to lead the horse for me."
The eunuch took his orders and left. Qingyang packed up, took Jie Yu, and went to wait outside Xijing Gate. But the eunuch returned alone, panting, "Your Highness, Zhang Su sent me a message, saying he begs Your Highness not to embarrass him."
Qingyang: “…”
Not wanting to be a little princess who made things difficult for others, Qingyang angrily asked Jie Yu to hold the horse for her. Because she was angry, she also wanted Jie Yu to loosen the reins so that she could ride by herself.
Xie Yu laughed and said, "Your Highness doesn't have the heart to embarrass the Third Young Master, but you have the heart to send this servant to the Emperor to be beaten with a stick?"
Qingyang: “…”
Out of spite, she deliberately ignored Zhang Su for three days, and then attended classes for three consecutive days in early July. In total, Qingyang hadn't seen Zhang Su for twenty days, and she began to think about asking Zhang Su to play with her again.
Knowing that sending the eunuch to deliver the message was useless, Qingyang put on the golden waist badge that also allowed him to move freely around the Western Garden, and led Jie Yu to the official residence in a swaggering manner.
The official residence was on the southwest side of the front court, and one had to go around the south of the six ministries and other official offices. So when the little princess was walking towards the front court, the guards and palace people on the road thought that the little princess was going to the official office again, and they all had a familiar look on their faces. Even the two guards in front of the outer door of the official office had already bowed, ready to welcome the little princess in.
Qingyang smiled at them and continued walking west.
Guard: “…”
There were also guards outside the gate of the official residence. They were also transferred from the Imperial Guard of the Capital. They recognized the little princess, and the little princess also thought they looked familiar.
"Your Highness, the official residence is divided into three blocks. The inner block is occupied by the imperial family, the middle block is occupied by ministers with their families, and the outer block is occupied by officials or young nobles. Would you like to go to the inner block or the middle block?"
For example, the wife of Marquis Pingliang and her daughter lived in the inner block, while the three members of Xiang Yan's family, including their grandfather and grandson, lived in the middle block.
Qingyang guessed, "Are the two young masters of the Duke of Wei's Mansion in the outer district?"
Guard: "...Yes, the Second Young Master went to the military camp to work, and the Third Young Master did not go out today."
Qingyang: "Has he been out recently?"
The guard thought for a moment and said, "It has been a long time since I last saw the Third Young Master."
Qingyang completely believed Zhang Su's voluntary house arrest, and he and Jie Yu stepped into the outer gate indicated by the guards.
Only high-ranking civil and military officials and their children were allowed to accompany the emperor. There were not many of them to begin with. At that time, all the officials were on duty, and the young men either slept in or went out for a stroll. The entire outer district was very quiet.
Jie Yu called a palace maid who was sweeping the floor and asked him to lead the way to the courtyard where the Zhang brothers were.
The palace has limited space, and the brothers' private courtyard is very small, with only three rooms on the north side. In addition, because the palace has strict rules, in order to prevent any servants from being instructed to harbor evil intentions, except for the emperor's family, Prince Yong, and the eldest princess, other accompanying officials, wives, and children are not allowed to bring their own servants. The palace will arrange palace servants to be responsible for cleaning, washing and other trivial matters.
The gate to the courtyard was ajar, and the palace attendant who led the way said, "Shall I go in and deliver a message to His Highness?"
Qingyang: "No need, go and get busy."
Jie Yu took out a piece of silver from his sleeve pocket and gave it to the palace maid as a reward.
Qingyang leaned over to the crack in the door and watched for a while. She pushed the door open and walked in with Jie Yu first. She closed the door again. Seeing that there was no movement inside, Qingyang whispered, "I'll go in and take a look. You wait here."
At such a time, Zhang Su was definitely not the type to sleep in, and he was probably reading. Jie Yu did not dissuade the little princess who occasionally liked to play tricks on others.
It was the first time for the little princess to do such a sneaky thing, so she took every step very carefully. When she arrived at the door of the main hall, she found that the door was also ajar. However, Qingyang did not dare to push it open directly, for fear that Zhang Su inside would hear the noise and she would not be able to play a trick on him.
There was no one in the main hall. There were two rooms, east and west. According to the rule of east being the most honorable, Zhang Su should live in the west room.
Qingyang walked to the west eaves with lighter steps. Among the row of windows, only the innermost one was open. Qingyang stood carefully and then looked inside little by little.
The room inside was not very big, and the little princess saw Zhang Su standing in front of the north wardrobe with his back to the window at a glance. He was only wearing a pair of trousers, revealing his entire upper body.
The unexpected scene made the little princess stunned, but her eyes moved up and down involuntarily, falling on the young man's back, which was as white as her third brother's but stronger, on the young man's broad shoulders, and on the young man's narrow waist. She then watched him raise his hand to take out a white silk dress from the cupboard, put it on, and then took out a green brocade robe from inside.
The outer robe must be put on after the single garment is fastened. After putting on the outer robe, Zhang Su held the edge of the robe with one hand and closed the cupboard with the other. He turned around naturally and was about to continue fastening the outer robe when he looked up and saw a head with only half of it exposed outside the window. Perhaps he was shocked and alert for a moment, but then Zhang Su recognized those beautiful black eyes and the familiar face that he had not dared to look at for too long.
While Zhang Su was still stunned, the little princess outside the window smiled without feeling guilty, and strayed her gaze towards him...
Zhang Su suddenly turned around and faced the cupboard again, while tidying up his outer robe as quickly as possible.
Since he had been discovered, Qingyang no longer needed to hide. He stood between the windows and asked curiously, "Did you just get up?"
Just after asking, Qingyang saw Zhang Su's desk. On the table was an inkstone with ink stuck on the edge, and a piece of paper with half a small word written on it but spilled with thick ink. Another outer robe was draped on a chair that was moved away.
Qingyang understood: "You knocked over the inkstone, how could you be so careless."
Zhang Su, who still had his back to the little princess, felt a burning sensation on his face and a terrible headache. "Why is Your Highness here?"
It was almost time for the palace servants to come and help them clean the room. Zhang Su had already placed his dirty clothes from last night in his second brother's room, opened the two outer doors, and then concentrated on practicing calligraphy. He only needed to greet the palace servants through the door when they came. He didn't expect that just because he was lazy for a while, the little princess would take advantage of him and...
Qingyang snorted, "The palace maids couldn't get you to come, so I had to come find you myself."
The little princess didn't sound frightened, but Zhang Su couldn't pretend nothing had happened. He lowered his head, turned around, and knelt down again, saying, "I didn't know Your Highness would come, so I was dressed in disarray. I beg Your Highness to forgive me for my rudeness."
Qingyang smiled and said, "I don't blame you. Get up and stop kneeling like I usually like to lose my temper."
Zhang Su couldn't stand up, lowered his eyes and asked, "Is Jie Yu outside?"
Qingyang: “Yes.”
Zhang Su then stood up and approached the window at a speed the little princess had never seen before. He glanced outside and confirmed that Jie Yu was there. Zhang Su immediately closed the window, blocking the little princess's view and said, "This is the outer quarters. Your Highness should leave as soon as possible. I am still under house arrest, so I will not go to see you off."
Qingyang, who was suddenly turned away, said: "..."
She was unhappy and patted the window and said, "Father said you were innocent, but you punished yourself. Could it be that Father made a wrong judgment?"
Zhang Su: "Your Majesty is right. I volunteered to accompany the Third Prince under house arrest."
Qingyang: "Third brother doesn't need you to accompany him. It's so comfortable to sleep in every day. Why don't you spend more time with me?"
Zhang Su: "Everyone in the outer quarters knows that I will be staying indoors for a month. If I leave now, it would be considered as me going back on my word. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."
Qingyang gritted his teeth, wanting to understand him but also annoyed that he refused to show up.
Jie Yu came over and coaxed the little princess away for a while, and finally got her to leave.
Zhang Su stood silently by the window. After the footsteps of the two people disappeared, he leaned against the window panel with his eyes closed.
Yuan Chongli is no longer qualified to be the second prince's study companion. Although he has not done anything wrong to the third prince, after what happened today, how can he face the little princess again?
The emperor trusts his father and him, and he cannot just let it go just because the princess is young.
In mid-July, after the house arrest ended, Zhang Su went to ask for an audience with the emperor.
Looking at the young man who knelt before him as soon as he entered, Emperor Xingwu asked with a smile, "What happened?"
Zhang Su lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, please dismiss your attendants."
Emperor Xingwu became even more curious and winked at He Yuanjing.
Zhang Su then whispered that he had no intention of offending the little princess, and begged the emperor to find a new study partner for the third prince.
The little princess will always grow up. When she truly understands the differences between men and women, it would be better for him to stay away from her instead of letting her feel embarrassed when she sees him.
Emperor Xingwu: "...Didn't you ever expose your shoulders in front of Lin'er when you were taking martial arts lessons together?"
Zhang Su: "I dare not."
Emperor Xingwu smiled, helped Zhang Su up, and said, "What's the use of being a humble official? In my opinion, you are Lin'er's other brother. Lin'er is only nine years old. She can see the whip marks on the third brother's back. It's no big deal if she accidentally saw you changing clothes. Don't overthink it, silly boy. Go to the lake and find them. You're all under house arrest, and Lin'er has been unhappy this month."
The emperor asked him to continue to be his study companion, and Zhang Su had no choice but to obey.
But he didn't go to the lake, but went back to his official residence and locked himself in.
【Author’s words】
Here I come, 100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow [poor]
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