Suo Diling

I thought that Xiao Lan would ground me or transfer me away from the imperial city of Mianjing during his northern tour, but I didn't expect him to make such an absurd decision.After the eunuch who announced the decree left, I felt uneasy, so I opened the window, threw the white feather out, and waited for Bai Li to appear.

After a while, the wind suddenly picked up, and a person fell from the eaves in front of my window, silently.

I raised my wine glass and nodded to let him in.Bai Li leaped in lightly, closed the window, and knelt down on one knee in front of my case: "See Your Majesty, I have neglected my duties in the past few months, and I deserve death."

"Get up quickly. Why are you taking the risk to come back?" I waved my hand to signal him to take the seat, "Come on, it's rare for someone to accompany me for dinner. Sit down, I have something important to discuss with you."

Bai Li nodded, and sat down cross-legged: "What the emperor wants to say is about accompanying the army on the northern tour? Don't worry, the emperor will send white guards to snatch the emperor on the way."

I waved my hand: "It's so inappropriate, there are too many variables."

"What does the emperor mean?"

"Can you bring Bai Chen to see me quickly?"

Bai Li's eyes fixed, and he immediately understood what I meant. He replied "Yes", then turned around and retreated. Within a short while, he brought in Bai Chen who was disguised as an eunuch.

"The emperor urgently summoned his ministers late at night, why?"

Seeing Bai Chen kneeling before me respectfully, I bent down to help him up.He raised his head, and the candlelight outlined his face which was very similar to mine. His eyes met, and I suddenly realized that I was looking at myself in the mirror, and through him I saw the shadow of my late biological mother, Mrs. Yu.

It's just that his eyes are transparent and warm, like jade, unlike mine, whose eyes are like cold stars.

But I clearly felt the blood connection from him, which I haven't felt for a long time since my mother died.This may be because I heard my mother mention that she has been close to my little uncle since she was a child, and the sister and brother hugged each other and wept on the night of parting.

Such a thing, even though he regards me as a monarch, he will not be willing in his heart.I need to move with emotion and understand with reason.I heard that he is loyal and tough, if I ask him so, he will definitely not refuse.

Siding, I sighed: "Uncle, to tell you the truth, I have a difficult matter to ask for."

Hearing me call him that, Bai Chen was clearly startled, he stared at me with concern.

"Your Majesty, please tell me that if you can do what you can, you must go all out."

I nodded, and sat down cross-legged in front of him. I was thinking about how to speak, when my eyes passed over his neck inadvertently, I saw a faint red mark on his Adam's apple, and my heart skipped a beat.

That's the trace of love affairs.

I remembered that day, when he came out of Xiao Lan's bedroom, he had a vaguely absurd guess.

I don't want to speculate, I just ask: "If this matter will put you in danger, would you be willing?"

Bai Chen didn't hesitate: "Your majesty might as well speak bluntly. Before my sister died, she entrusted me to go to Beijing to assist the emperor. Because I was studying outside the customs at that time, I didn't have the skills to separate myself. I still feel ashamed to this day."

I personally poured a glass of wine for him, and said bluntly: "I want to switch identities with you."

Bai Chen was startled, not knowing why.

I stared at him and said word by word: "Xiao Lan ordered me to accompany him on the northern tour. If I leave with him, I will miss the opportunity. You just need to keep Xiao Lan away from Mianjing, and Bai Li will bring the white guards to rescue you The day when I come back to the throne will be the day when you will become Shang Shuling and rank first among all officials."

Bai Chen closed his eyes and frowned. After a long time, he took the wine and drank it in one gulp.

"Sir, obey."

I felt relieved and had a drink with him.

"I'm weak now, you..."

"I know what to do, so the emperor doesn't have to worry about it. It's just that I was appointed by the emperor as the prince and tutor the day before yesterday..."

I was surprised: "Prince Taifu?"

He nodded and said: "The crown prince supervises the country, and I need to fulfill the duty of supervision and assistance, and always accompany him. I know that the crown prince is very intelligent, but has a bad temper. I am worried that he will not be easy to deal with."

I am in a complicated mood, but I know that there is no other choice at this time.This move can only be done in this way.

At night, at midnight.

I packed up my important things, changed into the eunuch's robes, looked back at Bai Chen lying on the couch, followed Bai Li, who was disguised as a bodyguard, out of the bedroom, and headed for the scholar-bureaucrat's quarters.

The scholar-officials held high positions, and the house garden was located in the Forbidden City of the Imperial Palace, to the north of the main hall, not too far from the Xia Yao Hall.But before I took the chariot, I realized that the Xia Yao Hall, which is less than one-third the size of the main hall, is so big. I didn't know how long I walked before I came to the palace road leading to other palaces.

Walking near the Chunxu Palace, there was the sound of carriages and horses approaching in front of me. The imperial chariots that Xiao Lan and Wu Jia were riding slowly approached, and the palace people knelt down to greet them. I was afraid that he would find out my existence, so I had no choice but to condescend to salute. He lowered his head very low and greeted him in unison.Fortunately, the sky was dark, so Xiao Lan didn't pay attention to the palace people on the road. When the chariot passed by me, it didn't stop for a moment.

After he walked away, I breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to Bai Chen's residence.

The place where he lives is quiet and secluded, with more than a dozen osmanthus trees planted around him, matching his temperament.It's almost late autumn now, the sweet-scented osmanthus has almost withered, and the ground seems to be covered with a thin layer of snow.I walked into the forest, took off the eunuch's robe, and walked into the arched door of the front garden wearing only my underwear.

Seeing me coming in, an old eunuch came forward with a lantern.

"Oh, where did the young master's robe go? Wear so little, be careful of catching a cold."

My voice was different from Bai Chen's, so I covered my mouth and coughed a few times without responding.But since he called Bai Chen that way, it must be a slave brought by Bai Chen, not someone from the palace, so that's good.

"Young master, hurry up and go in, the slave has lit the stove for you, it's very warm."

I nodded and looked back, seeing that Bai Li had followed, I felt relieved.

Pushing open the door, a room full of refreshing osmanthus came rushing towards my face, which immediately made me feel very refreshed. I looked around. Although the furnishings in the room are far less luxurious and elegant than the royal palace, they are neat, simple, orderly, and look like a literati and hermit. It is the residence of upright officials.

I walked into his study, found a hidden place on the bookcase, and put "Tianshu" in it.During this period of turmoil, I have no time to carefully review the parts repaired by Xiao Du.Now, staying in the palace as Bai Chen, I think I will have a lot less trouble.

As long as Bai Chen can hide the truth and play my role well.

Thinking about it, I sat down in front of the desk and flipped through what Bai Chen wrote on weekdays.Picking up the folded and opened memorial book, the ink on it is not completely dry, it is written about the pros and cons of the mutual trade market between the two countries, the analysis is sharp and insightful.I admired this little uncle more and more, and I even worried about his safety.It would be a pity if such a good minister died in the hands of Xiao Lan.

You have to think of a proper way to save his life.

White Yiwei alone is not safe, why not ask Xiao Du to send Wusha to help...

At this moment, the old eunuch came in with a candlestick, illuminating the dark study: "My lord..."

I raised my head, and he looked at me for a moment, his cloudy eyes slightly narrowed: "My lord, it seems that he looks different from usual...why is his face so pale?"

I shook my head without answering, and waved him out, but the old eunuch was still standing there.

"You...you are not the son. You are..." He knelt down with a "plop" and kowtowed tremblingly, "You are the son of Concubine Yu Gui, and you are the emperor! Your majesty, don't you recognize this old slave?"

I frowned slightly, and looked at him carefully for a moment before realizing that he looked familiar.This old eunuch was my mother and concubine who entered the palace back then. He used to be the chief servant. After the death of my mother and concubine, he disappeared. I think he left the palace. I should be very impressed with him, but eunuchs always age too much.

I couldn't remember his name for a moment: "You are..."

"Old slave Bai Yi."

I nodded: "What are you asking for when you enter the palace this time?"

"To fulfill the Emperor's wish... Yu Guifei's wish."

I smiled and said: "It's hard for you to be so loyal. I won't treat you badly in the future. Now that the position of the chief servant is vacant, I will find a way to push you, and you should pay attention to yourself. Put yourself down."

Bai Yi was a little excited, and stood up tremblingly: "Thank you, Lord Long."

I clenched the memorial in my hand, and suddenly felt that I was sitting on the dragon chair again.These years have been a long nightmare, and the dream is about to wake up.This premonition was so strong that it made my heart surge.

"My lord, my lord—"

The door of the study room was knocked loudly, and someone whispered outside.

"What's the matter?" Bai Yi asked.

"The emperor sent his lord to the banquet."

I waved my hand at Bai Yi and coughed a few times.

"Master Bai is sick in bed, it is really inconvenient to attend the banquet, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

But the man outside did not leave: "The emperor is going to have a banquet with his close ministers before going on a northern tour. As the prince and tutor, how can Lord Bai not go? Could it be that Lord Bai is rich and precious, so he is not afraid of offending the emperor?"

I heard the tone was not kind, if I didn't go, it might cause Xiao Lan's suspicion instead.

In addition to Xiao Lan, several heirs of the emperor must also be present. In this situation, it is really easy to reveal flaws.

Without further ado, I ordered Bai Yi to dress up in disguise for me.

Bai Chen has a darker complexion than mine, and is taller than me, so I asked him to take a ochre-colored paint and mix it in beeswax, apply it on the skin that would be exposed, and put on a thicker autumn robe to cover up the difference in body shape , and finally painted the eyebrows and eyes to be older, and added a little healthy red to the lips.When he looked in the mirror again, he saw a refined civil servant with a crown in front of him.

I hope that neither Bai Chen nor I will reveal any flaws.