a pillow in autumn

"Your Highness! Your Highness Third Prince!" A group of servants stood up under a big tree and shouted with their heads up, sweating profusely in the cold weather.

The tree has been around for a hundred years, and its canopy is like an umbrella. Zhou Mubai tried his best to climb out with a stretched branch. This is the tree closest to Nanhua Gate. He pursed his lips and turned a deaf ear to everything around him. place.

Suddenly the branch swayed, and people below him exclaimed in alarm. Xiaobai felt that the branch was slowly pressing down, and his heart sank along with the branch. Suddenly, he could no longer bear the weight and broke the branch. Xiaobai I had to let go of my hands and let myself fall.The branches and leaves in front of him blocked the originally dazzling sunlight, and for a moment, his heart seemed to be covered as well.

There was another exclamation in his ears, there was no pain as imagined, the attendants caught him in time, and sent him back to Quanqing Palace with shouts and hugs.

No one asked him why he climbed the tree.

Shuyao pushed open the door of the study, and saw Xiaobai sitting at the table in a daze.There is no snow in Ruijing's winter, and the dry and cold wind blows in from the window, flipping a few jade tablets in front of him.

"Your Highness." She stepped forward, put the hand warmer filled with plum pancakes into Xiao Bai's hands, and turned to close the window: "Why are you sitting here by yourself, and you don't close the window? If the wind blows it down, what's the matter?" good."

Xiaobai sneered: "Can the wind blow me away? Once upon a time, I lost my way in the mountains and fell asleep leaning against a big tree. At night, the wind was high and the dew was heavy. When I woke up the next day, I returned home alone. I don’t see what’s going on.” He said with naughtiness on his face: “It’s a good thing I didn’t call the wolf to take it away at that time.”

"You are so courageous." Shuyao has become familiar with him after getting along for a long time, and made a cup of hot tea and put it on the desk: "Your Highness, you said that you used to live by the sea, what was the sea like?"

"Have you never seen the sea? The sea is..." Xiaobai thought for a while, "Boundless blue water like the sky."

"Water like the sky?" Shuyao shook her head, unable to imagine what the sea looked like.

"When we can go out in the future, I will take you to see..." Before the little vernacular was finished, I suddenly heard a loud voice singing outside: "The emperor is here!~~~"

Xiaobai was startled, Shuyao had already stood up and pushed open the door of the study, Xiaobai was a little apprehensive, but quickly went out to the main hall, Zhou Lin had already walked in from outside the hall.

All the servants knelt in the hall, and Xiaobai also knelt down respectfully: "I pay my respects to my father."

There was half a sound.No one dared to look up, Xiaobai's heartbeat was so loud that he could hear it.Zhou Lin asked lightly: "Who is following the third prince today?"

Xiao Guozi, the servant on duty in Quanqing Palace, Xiao Tuanzi climbed up on his knees, and replied tremblingly, "Go back to the emperor, you are a slave."

Zhou Lin's voice fell coldly from above Xiaobai: "Drag it out, and hit [-] boards each."

"Father!!!" Xiao Bai was anxious.

Zhou Lin didn't give him a chance to speak, and continued: "All the rest of the servants will be fined for two months."

"Father...Father, it's my son's mistake, father—" Xiao Bai knelt and kowtowed: "My son is wrong, please forgive them." Tears welled up as he spoke.

Xiaoguozi and Xiaotuanzi had been dragged out by the guards, and dozens of servants in the main hall knelt quietly without making a sound.

Zhou Lin said calmly: "Go down." Looking at Xiaobai again: "Follow me to the study."

The door of the study room was closed, and Zhou Lin stood by the desk, flipping through the jade plate spread on the table, transcribing an article in "Zuo Shi Biography", which was writing "Leopard Wenzhi, the Supreme Master Li Virtue, secondly there is meritorious service, and secondly there is the establishment of words, although it will not be abolished for a long time, this is called immortality."

"Do you know why I punished them?" Zhou Lin sat down behind the desk.

Xiaobai raised his head: "It's the minister who did something wrong. The emperor punishes the minister if he wants to punish him. It has nothing to do with others."

"Some time ago, the general Lu Yushi led his troops to station ten miles outside the imperial city, intending to force the palace to rebel." Zhou Lin said calmly: "If we can't get back to the palace in time, the world will be in chaos. The soldiers who followed him may They had no intention of treason, they were just obeying orders, but I still executed the general and his cronies." He looked at Zhou Mubai who was kneeling in front of him: "You have done something wrong, and those who follow you must do it for you. You are punished for your mistakes, and they are your responsibility, do you understand?"

Tears filled Xiaobai's eyes: "My son, I understand."

"Get up." Zhou Lin's face softened a little: "Then, do you want to tell me why you climbed a tree today?" He seldom used such a discussion tone, but he knew that this child was no better than someone who grew up in the palace. For the other princes, haste makes waste.

"I want to see what it looks like outside the city wall." Xiaobai replied calmly, but also a little depressed: "I miss the sea in my hometown, Brother Chen's family, and my small yard."

Zhou Lin didn't continue his words, but picked up the calligraphy post on the table again: "Teacher Shen said that you have made great progress in your studies. These are the books that princes should read at your age, but you have delayed them for a few years. The book is probably a little deeper. Did the Taifu tell you what the words you wrote mean?"

Xiaobai nodded, and knelt down on one knee again: "The Grand Tutor said that there are only three immortals: virtue, meritorious deeds, and words. Although they will not be abandoned for a long time, they will last forever."

Zhou Lin put down the book and walked to Xiaobai, and helped him up with his own hands: "If you want to go back to your hometown, I will send someone to escort you back to Haiping Town, and Pei Li will naturally take care of you. If you want to study medicine with him, you can follow him." Studying medicine, even if you don't want to do anything, I can make your life worry-free. But," Zhou Lin looked into his eyes: "Do you still remember why I brought you back to Beijing? You stood in the courtyard of Pei's house that day Do you remember what you said to me?"

Xiaobai raised his head and looked at Zhou Lin. It was about half a year ago. Half a year ago, he was still a thin and thin boy, and he stood in front of Zhou Lin with such pride, and said in a clear voice: "I only want this There is no one in the world who died of cold and starvation like my parents, and I hope there will be no one in this world who needs to sell coffin boards to cure their son like that old couple."

So he nodded.

"So, do you want to go back to the small town and live as before, but see the poor people struggling to make a living in front of your eyes, or stay and learn the way of governing the country, making good deeds and making contributions, and benefiting one side? " Zhou Lin let him decide for himself: "You think it through yourself. If you think it through, don't regret it."

Xiaobai lowered his head, thought for a while, and when he raised his head again, his eyes were as firm as ever: "I understand. From now on, I will concentrate on learning from the Taifu, and I will never do anything wrong again."

It was the end of the new year, and the golden and silver carvings in the imperial garden, and the silk palace flowers all over the trees, even though it was still extremely cold, they were still beautifully decorated.Zhou Mubai and Shen Youtang walked across the Jiuqu Bridge while looking at the novelty, Xiaoguozi and Xiaotuanzi followed along with their pens and inks in their arms.This Shen Youtang is Taifu Shen's eldest grandson, more than a year older than Mubai, specially arranged for him to accompany him, studying homework together every day, so he can point out some things that Mubai doesn't quite understand.

When he was approaching the Yiran Pavilion, he saw two people sitting in the pavilion from a distance, Mubai's eyes were sharp, and he knew that they were the second emperor's brother Zhou Muye and his companion Liu Xun.

Stepping forward to salute each other, Zhou Muye saw the Four Treasures of the Study in the arms of the little attendant outside the pavilion, and smiled: "Teacher Shen won't let you idle during the first lunar month?!"

Shen Youtang was naturally not easy to answer, so Mubai said quickly: "Teacher didn't arrange homework, but he is diligent in his work. Youtang and I thought about doing some poems when we went out to enjoy the occasion."

"Alright, every year on the Lantern Festival, my father has to study hard. You two are newcomers, so you should be more diligent." Zhou Muye dusted off his robes and stood up: "If that's the case, I won't hinder you any longer." He followed Liu Xun and a group of attendants and left.

Shen Youtang could hear the provocation, his face changed slightly, and he looked at Xiaobai who was on the side. After more than half a year of experience, Xiaobai had become much calmer, and now he only smiled slightly: "Then let's practice hard, don't let people Look down on it."

On the day of the Shangyuan Festival, Zhou Lin ordered people to hold a family banquet in Nuanhui Hall. The masters and masters of each palace attended in turn according to their status and seniority. It is not necessary to elaborate on the bustle and bustle, but this year is different from previous years in terms of the emphasis on learning.

In previous years, each person would fill in a few poems according to the occasion, and then Zhou Lin would determine the merits and demerits, and reward things. This year, perhaps after the disaster in Haiping Town, Zhou Lin often felt that the world was changing and needed to practice more adaptable methods to deal with it, so he ordered the Ministry of Rites Many lantern riddles were made, and countless red palace lanterns were set up outside the Nuanhui Hall, and a lantern riddle was placed under each lamp. The princes and princesses picked them at will, but whichever one they picked would answer the riddle of that lantern riddle. Naturally, there are rewards, but if you guess wrong, you will be punished.

There are many concubines in Zhou Lin's harem, and they have five sons and two daughters in total. The third son died early, and the other children have all grown up. Now at the family banquet, Mu Bai happened to fill the seat of the third prince. My child, I love him even more in my heart.

After a while, the family banquet was over, the attendants withdrew their seats and replaced them with fine fruit and wine, and the princes and princesses all went to watch lanterns and guess riddles outside the Nuanhui Hall.

The prince Zhou Muchen is already a handsome man of fifteen or sixteen years old, but he is more bookish. At this time, he is wearing a lotus-colored tufted Xinhua robe, which looks even more heroic under the red palace lantern.

"Just this one." He pointed to one of the lanterns, and the attendants who accompanied him helped him take it down. He looked at the red light, guessed the answer after a little thought, and smiled. Nuanhuitang went.It is customary for the other princes and princesses to submit papers after receiving the New Year's reward.

Zhou Mubai is still not very familiar with Yiying palace rules, so he is a little cautious during the festival, and just watches from the sidelines.Suddenly, he saw a little boy standing beside a clump of flowers and trees. He was also looking up at the palace lantern, and when he got closer, it turned out to be Zhou Muyi, the younger brother of the Fourth Emperor.Mu Yi was only seven years old, supposed to be a mischievous age, but standing alone in the cold, amidst the noise of the courtyard, he seemed even more lonely.

Mu Bai went up and took his hand: "Why are you here alone, go, let's guess lantern riddles too."

Mu Yi blushed and said nonchalantly, "I can't reach it."

Mu Bai looked up, and indeed he couldn't reach him, so he asked, "Where are the people following you?"

Mu Yi shook his head.Looking around again, the brothers and sisters are already holding up lantern riddles and guessing.

Mu Baiyuan also wanted to ask Xiaotuanzi for help, but then he turned his head to look at the other people, and became angry, and thought for a while and said, "Just wait, I have a way to get the lantern riddle without asking for help." Turning around and running to Nuanhui Hall, first asked Eunuch Liu for a whisk, and then moved Zhang Gaoji out.Mu Yi watched Xiao Bai climb up the high table, his little face flushed with excitement, Xiao Bai held up the fly whisk and slapped the hanging lantern riddle vigorously, Mu Yi yelled to cheer him up.

After finally taking pictures of the lantern riddles, Xiaobai jumped down from the high table and found that there was a thick blanket on the ground. It turned out that Zhou Lin had noticed it when he moved up, and ordered someone to follow him out, so don’t startle him. , spread a blanket to prevent him from falling.

Seeing that no one scolded him, Xiaobai was even more happy. He took Mu Yi's hand and looked together under the lamp. The lantern riddle was guessed by Mu Yi before, so he immediately shouted happily: "I know this, I know this, Brother Huang, let's go find Father Huang."

"This is for you, I'll type another one." Xiao Bai stuffed the lantern riddle into his hand.

Mu Yi shook his head and stuffed it back: "No, you shot it down, here it is. I'll make one myself."

Xiaobai wanted to fight again, but Zhou Lin had already walked out of the Nuanhui Hall: "This lantern riddle belongs to both of you. If you guess it correctly, you both will be rewarded."

The two looked over together, Zhou Rin didn't mean to blame, but a little bit of appreciation.