Chapter 240 The Little Buns' Gang Fight (First Update)
Prince Yu understood that his wife had been wronged all these years. Although his elder brother had been declared dead in battle, he had actually committed a serious crime before his death and deserved to die. The emperor, who was their father, was so angry that he wanted to exile his brother's entire family to the frontier and demote his grandchildren to commoners.
In order to save his children, he requested permission to have them adopted into his own name.
She treated them as her own children, especially Ming'er, whom she raised with great care.
He also wanted to give her a child, but unfortunately they were not blessed with good fortune. They finally conceived, but the child tragically died young.
He knew she had never truly recovered from the pain of losing her son.
As Prince Yu and his wife were talking, a palace attendant came to report: "The Crown Prince and Princess of Zhao have come to visit."
Princess Yu then looked at Prince Yu with a puzzled expression: "Why did they come here? What are they visiting for? Is it about Ming'er's illness? But I didn't say that Ming'er was sick."
Could it be that word got out that I went out for medical treatment today?
"It wasn't Ming'er, it was me." Prince Yu downplayed the incident and told his wife about the boat catching fire. "The boat was on fire, but everyone is actually fine."
Princess Yu was worried that she was being watched, which was not a good feeling.
Thankfully, it wasn't.
"Are you really alright?" Princess Yu asked her husband.
Prince Yu smiled and shook his head: "It's really nothing. I'll let you investigate tonight if you don't believe me!"
Princess Yu gave him a reproachful look.
This lighthearted banter eased Princess Yu's earlier grief, but she was still in no mood to receive guests.
Princess Yu stayed in her room to rest, while Prince Yu went to see the Crown Prince and his wife.
The Zhao Kingdom's royal family is quite good-looking; at least the princes are all handsome. Unlike the Liang Kingdom's royal family, apart from Ming'er who is exceptionally beautiful like her mother, the rest of the royal family's looks are really not as good as the Zhao Kingdom's royal family.
The Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country. In terms of demeanor and behavior, he is most similar to the Emperor of Zhao, yet he also has a mature-beyond-his-years feel, and is still elegant and refined.
In fact, Prince Yu originally intended to marry his daughter to the Crown Prince of Zhao. He had met the Crown Prince when he came to Zhao five years ago and thought the boy was good and of suitable age. At the same time, the two countries had a plan for a marriage alliance.
But then his young son died, and he lost his mood, so the matter was delayed.
When he came back to arrange his daughter's marriage, he heard that the crown prince of Zhao had already been betrothed by imperial decree.
The two countries ultimately failed to form a marriage alliance, which had little impact on Liang. After all, Liang was a superior country, while Zhao needed Liang more.
The Crown Prince and his wife took their seats with Prince Yu in the flower hall.
The Crown Prince brought the imperial physician and had him take Prince Yu's pulse.
Prince Yu waved his hand: "No need, I'm fine."
Prince Yu and his wife lived in Zhaoguo for nearly a year, and both of them spoke the Zhaoguo language very well.
The Crown Prince said with remorse, "This was my third brother's negligence, which almost caused a disaster. Fortunately, Prince Yu is unharmed."
Ah, your third brother's oversight?
Prince Yu pretended not to know that the Crown Prince's faction and Prince Ning's faction were fighting fiercely, took a sip of tea, and remained silent.
The Crown Prince originally intended to get closer to Prince Yu, since the Crown Princess had been to Liang and had met Prince Yu.
Prince Keyu had absolutely no interest in the Crown Princess.
The main reason is that he really doesn't have much of an impression of the Crown Princess.
When the Crown Princess accompanied the envoys to the Liang Kingdom, it was because her mentor, Zhuang Xianzhi, was one of the envoys, and also because she was a talented young woman from the Zhao Kingdom, which was counting on her to bring glory to the country.
Unfortunately, the status of Zhao was too low. On that occasion, Jin and Yan, both of which were superior states, were also sent as envoys to Liang.
They don't need to prepare any geniuses; the spotlight is all theirs.
Unable to use her skills, the Crown Princess could only watch helplessly as the two fools from Jin and Yan made a mess of the problems she knew how to solve, without even having the chance to pick up a pen.
Ten years ago, Wen Linlang was just an eleven-year-old girl. You can't expect her to be so stunningly beautiful and unforgettable at that age.
Now it is truly breathtakingly beautiful.
Unfortunately, Prince Yu was not a womanizer.
The scene became awkward, and the crown prince forced himself to engage in a forced conversation.
A child's voice came from the courtyard, and the Crown Princess suddenly spoke up: "Is that the young master outside?"
Prince Yu nodded: "Ah, it's my son."
The Crown Princess smiled slightly: "I'll go keep the young master company."
Prince Yu dotes on his son, which is one of his weaknesses.
He did not object to what the Crown Princess said.
The Crown Princess went to the courtyard.
Ming'er was swinging alone in the yard. She wasn't like this a few days ago; she was very listless. It must be that Gu Jiao's medicine has taken effect. Children can't pretend; once they feel comfortable, they start playing everywhere.
Even when playing, Ming'er is quieter than most children.
Qin Chuyu wouldn't sit obediently on the swing set; he would insist on climbing up the pole or coiling himself around a rope like a monkey.
"Ming'er".
The Crown Princess came to his side and gently called his name.
Ming'er turned her head strangely: "Who are you?"
The eunuchs and palace maids bowed to the Crown Princess.
The Crown Princess smiled and said, "My surname is Wen, you can call me Sister Wen. Do you like swinging? Or would you like to play something else?"
"There's nothing here," Ming'er muttered.
The Crown Princess smiled, held out her hand, and in her palm was a crystal-clear bead: "This is for you."
Ming'er hesitated for a moment, then reached out to take it.
However, just as he was about to touch the bead, the Crown Princess clenched her fist, and when she opened it again, the bead had turned into a red flower.
Ming'er's eyes widened.
The Crown Princess tossed the red flower into the air, and a miracle occurred: the red flower turned into a small bird, flapped its wings, and flew away!
Ming'er stared in disbelief: "Wow!"
"Oh dear, your hair." The Crown Princess reached out to stroke Ming'er's hair, her fingertips twirling behind his ear before bringing it to Ming'er's eyes, her fingertips still holding the jade bead from the beginning.
The usually reserved Ming'er couldn't help but clap her hands: "Amazing! Is this some kind of magic?"
She smiled and said, "It's a magic trick."
It's just a trick; the item is hidden in her sleeve. The technique has to be quick and graceful so that no one notices anything amiss.
Ming'er was deeply attracted by the Crown Princess's magic tricks.
"Would you like to see more?" the Crown Princess asked.
“Mmm!” Ming’er nodded vigorously.
The Crown Princess said, "Then let me play on your swing for a bit, and in exchange, I'll perform a magic trick for you."
The pleasure gained at a cost is always more precious than the pleasure gained without effort.
Ming'er had a lot of fun.
After Prince Yu and the Crown Prince finished their awkward conversation, they came out and saw this scene. A hint of surprise flashed across their eyes.
Prince Yu was surprised because Ming'er was not an easy child to approach. He was intelligent and knowledgeable, and ordinary people could not attract him.
The Crown Prince was surprised because he had never seen Wen Linlang with such a childlike heart. She was always dignified and reserved in front of him, never overstepping her bounds, but she also lacked some of her lively spirit.
But he discovered that when she was comforting the child, she herself laughed like a child.
He seemed to see Linlang with Aheng many years ago.
It was getting late, and the Crown Prince and his wife bid farewell to the father and son.
"Sister Wen, are you coming to play tomorrow too?" Ming'er called out to the Crown Princess.
The Crown Princess glanced at Prince Yu, then looked at Ming'er, and said softly, "I won't be able to leave the palace tomorrow. If you'd like, you can come to the East Palace to find me."
Ming'er knew that going to the palace was a big deal, so she looked up at her father with a pleading expression that said, "If you don't let me go, you're not a good father."
Prince Yu cleared his throat and said, "You have to ask your mother before you can go out. If she agrees, then you can go."
...
We left the royal garden.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess boarded the carriage to return to the palace.
The Crown Princess in the carriage regained her former poise and reserve.
The crown prince sighed.
The Crown Princess looked at him: "What is Your Highness thinking about?"
The Crown Prince truthfully replied, "I was wondering... did you used to coax Aheng in the same way?"
The Crown Princess was slightly taken aback.
The Crown Prince said, “When Aheng was little, he was a crybaby and I couldn’t do anything about him. But I heard that he listens to you and stops crying as soon as you coax him.”
The Crown Princess laughed and said, "Those were all things from when I was a child. I had almost forgotten them. How could Your Highness still remember them? Your Highness is destined to be the emperor. You can't keep these useless things in your mind all the time."
The Crown Prince thought for a moment, nodded, and took the Crown Princess's hand: "Linlang is right, I won't do it again. You did very well this time. Prince Yu and his wife love their son dearly, and for the sake of their son, their attitude towards the Eastern Palace won't be too bad."
As the Crown Prince predicted, when the Liang Kingdom's envoys met again at the palace the following day to discuss technology and trade, Prince Yu's attitude towards the Crown Prince softened considerably.
Princess Yu was worried about her son going to the palace alone, so she personally took Ming'er to the East Palace.
She was still thinking about the child she had met at the clinic. She kept wondering if her child hadn't actually died, or if they had made a mistake. The child was dug out of the coffin after being buried.
This has happened before.
Several hours after the child was buried, a faint cry was heard again.
Could it be that some kind person passing by heard the child crying?
Could that orphaned little monk be—
Princess Yu was eager to see Xiao Jingkong again.
"Mother, mother!"
Ming'er shook Princess Yu's shoulder.
Princess Yu snapped out of her daze and looked at her son sheepishly: "What's wrong?"
Ming'er said aggrievedly, "I called you so many times just now, but you didn't hear me."
Princess Yu touched her son's cheek: "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. What do you want to say to me?"
Ming'er said, "I want to go fishing with Sister Wen, and Mother will come too!"
Princess Yu looked troubled; she had no mood to do anything right now.
The Crown Princess said gently, "Ming'er, the Princess Consort has worked very hard to take care of you. The Princess Consort must be tired. How about letting the Princess Consort rest here for a while? The two of us will go fishing and catch two big, fat fish to nourish the Princess Consort."
Upon hearing this, Ming'er exclaimed, "Alright then, Mother, I'll wait for you here!"
Princess Yu hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.
The Crown Princess said, "It's not far, just by the small pond in front. You can see us from the corridor of the pavilion."
Hearing this, Princess Yu was relieved.
Ming'er may seem quiet and well-behaved, but in reality... she's not such an ordinary child.
Princess Yu went up to the attic.
The palace maids of the East Palace were very thoughtful. They brought a soft couch and placed it in the corridor, and also brought a wooden table with tea and snacks.
The railings are made of individual bars, and Princess Yu, lying on the rattan chair, can see the scenery below.
The sun is particularly strong today, and it's very comfortable to lie here.
Princess Yu looked at Ming'er, who was feeding and fishing at the pond, and a smile flashed in her eyes. But when she thought of the child who died young, her smile gradually faded.
Today, the Imperial Academy's elementary school dismissed students early. After obtaining Gu Jiao's permission, Xiao Jingkong went to Xu Zhouzhou's house to play.
Qin Chuyu also went.
Recently, the three of them have become known as the "Three Scoundrels of Early Childhood Education," a terrifying little gang that all children avoid.
Xu Zhouzhou's family has been doing house repairs lately, and the knocking and banging are making a lot of noise. Qin Chuyu couldn't stand it anymore, so he invited the two of them to the palace.
Xiao Jingkong and Xu Zhouzhou went to the palace once. When they came back, Xu Zhouzhou showed off to his father and grandfather what he had seen and done, which made his father and grandfather very envious.
This time, I didn't say anything and just let him go.
Xiao Jingkong didn't have time to inform Jiaojiao. He planned to act first and ask questions later. Anyway, it was all just for fun, so it didn't matter where they played.
The three of them went to the palace.
Practice makes perfect, and the little eunuch beside Qin Chuyu already knew what to do, safely bringing his young master and his classmate into the palace.
The arrival of the Liang envoy didn't affect them much, except that they were no longer allowed to carry their little buckets to paste the walls. Fortunately, the three of them had enough of that and no longer craved it.
Qin Chuyu suddenly said, "Let's go feed the fish! The other day, the Crown Prince bought so many koi, they're so fat!"
Speaking of this, Xiao Jingkong feels a little sad.
Because the piranha that Xu Zhouzhou gave him was eaten by Xiao Jiu...
This is a truly tragic story.
Although Xu Zhouzhou said she didn't mind at all and even comforted him, saying, "You actually raised it for so long before feeding it? Mine was taken away by my cat on the second day!"
Xiao Jingkong: "..."
Okay, thinking that Yu Yu has lived in her home for a longer time, Xiao Jingkong felt that she could be less sad.
The three of them went to the small pond in the East Palace.
At this moment, the Crown Princess and Ming'er were also by the small pond, with only two palace servants by their side: one was the Crown Princess's female official, and the other was the Princess Consort's eunuch.
Ming'er had long lost interest in fishing, and the Crown Princess was telling him stories.
Upon seeing Qin Chuyu, the female official whispered to the Crown Princess, "Your Highness, the Seventh Prince has arrived."
The eunuch did not recognize Qin Chuyu, but he knew that there was an eight-year-old prince in the Zhao Kingdom's palace.
His gaze lingered between Qin Chuyu and Xu Zhouzhou. The two were of similar age and both wore the uniforms of the Imperial Academy, making it impossible to tell who was who.
The Crown Princess turned her head and saw Qin Chuyu and his two classmates beside him. She smiled slightly and said, "Little Seven is here?"
"Huh? You're also called Xiao Qi?" Xiao Jingkong tilted his head and looked at Qin Chuyu.
Qin Chuyu explained, "I am the seventh son in my family."
Xiao Jingkong opened his eyes wide, with an expression of "What a coincidence!": "My chickens are the same!"
Qin Chuyu: ...I feel offended.
"Are these the two friends you often mention to me?" The Crown Princess's gentle gaze fell on Xu Zhouzhou and Xiao Jingkong.
Xu Zhouzhou had never seen such a beautiful person before, and she was so amazed that she couldn't close her mouth.
Xiao Jingkong remained calm.
She is not as beautiful as Jiao Jiao.
Jiaojiao is the most beautiful.
The Crown Princess couldn't help but glance at Xiao Jingkong again.
Qin Chuyu introduced his friends to her, and then introduced her to his friends: "My sister-in-law."
It didn't mention the Empress Dowager's sister-in-law.
Children's social logic didn't lead Xiao Jingkong and Xu Zhouzhou to wonder why Qin Chuyu's sister-in-law would appear in the palace.
Instead, another uninvited guest caught Qin Chuyu's attention. He pointed at Ming'er and asked, "Who is he?"
The Crown Princess introduced in a gentle voice, "This is a little guest from Liang Kingdom. You should call him Brother Ming'er."
They all studied several languages at the Imperial Academy and knew that the world was divided into six parts, one of which was the Liang Kingdom.
This is one of the advantages of studying in the capital; the experience is incomparable to that in the countryside.
Ming'er was a bit aloof and initially didn't want to play with the three of them. However, the three of them were very interesting children, and Ming'er was gradually attracted by their interactions. In the end, she didn't know who called out to whom first, but they ended up playing together.
The four of them fed the fish, caught the fish, spun tops, and even played tag while blindfolded.
The three of them had a great time, and of course, Ming'er was happy too.
The Crown Princess smiled with satisfaction.
The female official also said, "The Seventh Prince is much more sensible than before. It seems that his guidance by your side during this period has been very effective."
The Crown Princess smiled but didn't say anything.
She was menstruating today and wasn't feeling well. She said to the lady-in-waiting, "I'm going to the restroom. Keep an eye on things."
"Yes," the female official replied.
But who would have thought that in the time it took to go to the toilet, the four children would start fighting.
To be precise, it was three little kids who ganged up on Ming'er!
(End of this chapter)
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