Seeing that Xu Nuo was asleep, He Ye left the yard and went straight to the study.
In the study, the tip of the pen dipped in ink hovered over the rice paper for a few seconds, until the ink gathered into a drop and could no longer hold on, and fell onto the paper with a "plop".
He Ye woke up as if from a dream, realizing that he had been lost in thought for a long time without realizing it. The sullen-faced man angrily crumpled up the ink-stained white paper and threw it to the ground.
"Master... Master," Ah Fu clumsily dodged the oncoming paper balls while carrying a few bags of pastries. His round face, which had just been so cheerful, suddenly fell, and he muttered to himself, "Why are you angry again?"
"What's wrong?" He Ye pinched his eyebrows, put down the brush and leaned back in his chair.
"I bought some cakes from South Street, thinking the young master might like them, so I came to ask you..."
Only then did He Ye notice the faint sweet fragrance lingering in his nose, but it seemed that there was too much sugar in it, making it too sweet and greasy, and not as pleasant as Xu Nuo's smell.
As he thought about it, his thoughts jumped back to Xu Nuo. He Ye was a little annoyed. He used to sneer at the love stories in those storybooks, and claimed to be heartless and loveless. But now he was repeatedly uneasy because of a young man he had just met.
"What kind of cake?"
Ah Fu watched his master's expression change from one moment to the next, looking quite frightening. He lowered his head and whispered, "There are peach blossom cakes, jujube paste rolls, and osmanthus cakes."
"Is this popular in Beijing now?"
"Yes, many young ladies and gentlemen often buy them."
He Ye nodded and raised his chin towards the desk in front of him, "Put it there."
Ah Fu didn't expect that all his snacks would be lost here, and he didn't dare to resist this evil god, so he put it down with a bitter face.
"Eat less of these things. If you get fatter, how will you ever get married?"
Having lost both the wife and the army, Ah Fu ran away without looking back.
He Ye took a few packages of pastries from the corner of the table and weighed them in his hands. There were three oil paper packages in total, which were heavy and still warm. He could smell the fragrance of the pastries even before they were opened. He didn't know if he would like them.
"General!"
A figure in a black nightgown climbed in through the window, half-knelt on the ground, and presented a letter with both hands.
"Why are you wearing night clothes during the day?" He Ye glanced at the secret guard on the ground in confusion, took the letter and unfolded it.
It was a letter from Emperor Xu Min, "Go to the palace quickly and don't make any noise."
He Ye held the piece of paper between his slender fingers and nonchalantly lit it in the stove beside him. The flickering flames reflected the cruel expression on his face, which was completely different from the cold and indifferent expression he showed in front of Xu Nuo. He watched the paper burn out in the sparks, leaving only a small pile of ash.
In less than a cup of tea, the study was empty, leaving only the pastries on the table still steaming.
…
In the imperial study, the servants who were originally serving on the side had all retreated. Xu Min, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, sat in the main seat, lowered his head and reviewed memorials, his face showing unconcealable fatigue.
"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."
The emperor waved his hand, and He Ye stood up and walked to sit next to him with his horse and sword.
"What happened?"
"The Southland has been very restless lately."
He Ye scoffed, "Hasn't that always been the case?"
"The old and incompetent ruler of the Southern Kingdom sent a spy here, and it is said that he has been placed in a good position."
Cui Xing's words suddenly rang in his ears, and He Ye thought of the slender boy sleeping in his yard again.
"The best position is either in the palace or where you are."
He Ye looked up and asked, "Did your secret guards also discover this kind of thing?"
"Why use a butcher knife to kill a chicken?" the emperor sneered disdainfully. "That old fellow has been confused for too long. He smugly revealed everything while drinking with his confidants, without even sending a single servant away."
"I'll pay more attention," He Ye nodded, his fingers gently circling the edge of the teacup in front of him, "Are you going to take over Nanguo?"
"It's not time yet. Even if we win too many battles, it will only waste our resources. Besides...it's almost Mother's birthday. Let them be proud for a while."
"This year's birthday banquet for the Empress Dowager..."
He Ye didn't say the rest of the words. The Queen Mother hadn't even attended birthday banquets for several years. Ever since the death of her second son, the Seventh Prince, her condition had been getting worse and worse.
"She's still nagging about Xiao Qi being alive," Xu Min sighed, "and she still goes to the temple every day."
When He Ye was a child, he studied at the Imperial College like other princes. He had the best relationship with Xu Min, who was then the second prince, and was almost his study partner. At that time, Xu Min's mother, the queen, was pregnant and would occasionally come to Li Min's palace with her belly bulging to bring him some food and cakes.
Usually at such times, He Ye would also be able to take advantage of the situation. The queen had a quiet personality and was of noble birth. She was the most beautiful woman of her time. Later, she married into the deep palace and lived a smooth life, giving birth to a son.
But nothing lasts forever. The emperor soon found a new lover and seldom visited the mother and child. The empress was very well-educated and did not care. Moreover, she was pregnant at the time and her heart was completely devoted to the child in her belly.
She had no desire to compete for favor, but others all desired the position of Master of the Six Palaces. The Empress gave birth to the Seventh Prince during the first snowfall, hinting at a return to the Emperor's favor.
When the seventh prince just turned one year old, the queen took him back to her parents' home to visit her relatives. Li Min did not go with them because of his schoolwork.
Perhaps because the queen's family home was also in the capital, not far away, people were not very vigilant, which gave those with ulterior motives an opportunity to take advantage of the opportunity.
The queen's motorcade was attacked. The queen herself was injured but rescued, but the seventh prince fell off the carriage and his life or death was unknown. In the end, the royal guards searched almost the entire capital, but neither found him nor his body.
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