Suo Diling

Picking up the silk fan that Bai Chen carried with me, I followed Bai Yi out.

The eunuch who received him said with a smile, "Master Bai, is he alright?"

After finishing speaking, he stretched out his hand to invite me to come up to the sedan chair to receive him.

The eunuch came up and handed over a golden nanmu brocade box: "This is the medicine given to you by the emperor, so please keep it."

Hearing the ambiguous words, my heart moved, I nodded condescendingly to the eunuch, thanked the eunuch with a low voice, and got on the sedan chair.This sedan chair is narrower than I usually sit in, and there is no soft blanket on the couch, so people have to sit upright, presumably to prevent the court officials from being disheveled.The whip wound on my back has not healed, and I adjusted several postures, but I am still very uncomfortable.

Opening the brocade box, there was actually a box of ointment inside, which smelled a cool fragrance, and it was amber borneol ointment for stopping bleeding and promoting muscle growth.I couldn't help thinking that I always used this every time I visited Liang Sheng in the past.It seems that Bai Chen was indeed lucky enough to be passed by Xiao Lan.

This little uncle is unlucky, he only wanted to go to court to help me, he is such a loyal minister, but he was forced to bear the stigma of being a sycophant, I don't know how he could bear it.

I feel a little sad, but also a little happy.

It was because of him that Xiao Lan didn't attack me directly.

Just as he was in a daze, he suddenly heard the commotion in front of him, and the sedan chair wobbled to a stop.

"See Empress Taiji—"

I lifted the curtain of the car, and I saw people from ten palaces coming over carrying a chariot. On that chariot sat a graceful and luxurious woman, holding a civet cat in her hand. She was Xiao Lan's adoptive mother, Taiji Yu.

Under the Queen Mother was Taiji, I had no choice but to get out of the sedan chair and knelt down to salute her.

"My next official, Baichen, pay my respects to Empress Tai Ji."

She said: "Pingshen."

I stood up, lowered my head, her sedan chair was being lifted, my eyes flicked across my face, then froze for a moment, then I stretched out my hand, and the pointed golden armor raised my chin.

"Your face looks so familiar... Who are you... to Concubine Yu Gui?"

I knew she was not thinking well, so I had no choice but to answer: "Go back to your mother, I am the younger brother of Imperial Concubine Yu."

"Oh," she smiled mockingly, "just like her, with a vicious look on her face."

My heart shuddered, killing intent abounded.

This arrogant and lowly woman dared to insult my late mother and concubine, and the death penalty is not an exaggeration.

"Oh, I just remembered, so you are the servant of the Ministry of Rites. No wonder you can confuse the emperor with the body of a man. What a servant of the Ministry of Rites is really a virtuous minister who knows the book and respects the etiquette."

I lowered my brows and narrowed my eyes, without saying a word, and let her sneer and sneer.Because I am not Bai Chen, I don't feel how humiliating it is, but if he hears this with his own ears, it will definitely be unbearable.

"Empress Taiji, don't embarrass me, I have to go to the banquet."

"Okay, let's go." Yu Taiji smiled eccentrically, "Get up."

Watching her go far away, I let go of the silk fan that was about to be folded in my hand, and was about to get on the sedan chair, when I saw aristocratic children walking out in twos and threes from the corner of the palace road ahead, I remembered that it was Han Yuanting.

Hanyuan Court is the place where the heirs of the royal family and nobles practice. The crown prince and the kings will also listen to the lectures and lectures of the cabinet's grand scholars, learning astronomy, geography, economics and etiquette.

I don't know if they are here now.I should go to Hanyuan Court to get familiar with Bai Chen's usual environment, so that I can play his role at the banquet later.After thinking about it, I made an excuse to take the things that had been set in the sky and came to the gate of Hanyuan Court.I haven't been here for several years, Hanyuan Court has not changed at all, the ivory gate is spotless and white.

Several noble children came out of the door talking and laughing, just like me and my brothers back then.

The green years have passed, things are still there, but people are not.

I actually miss the brothers who were killed by me.

The light reflected on the door made my eyes hurt. I opened the silk fan and walked into the door with my head down.

"Hey, isn't that Mr. Bai? Isn't he not going to teach today?"

"Hey, isn't it because the prince is still inside?"

I paused, thinking to myself, this little wolf cub Xiao Du is here, should I go in or not?

Shall I tell him who I am now?

While hesitating, I caught a glimpse of a person being pushed out in a wheelchair, who happened to put down the scroll in his hand and raised his head.It was too late to avoid Xiao Yu, so I had no choice but to bow to him.

"See Prince Yu."

My voice was extremely low, a humble tone I had never used before.

"Yeah." He glanced at me, and passed me casually, "The Taifu is here to look for the crown prince. The crown prince is inside, still studying his homework."

This little wolf cub actually works so hard?

I crossed the threshold, walked around the screen that separated the seats of nobles and heirs, and walked in. I saw Xiao Du was still sitting there, reading a scroll of silk books, with his legs folded on the desk. The uninhibited posture reminded me of the absurd and charming dream of the night before. The difference is that the Xiao Du in front of me is neatly dressed, while in the dream his pajamas are open, revealing...

I closed my eyes, stopped the picture that appeared in my mind, suddenly let out a chuckle, and couldn't help being startled.

"His Royal Highness is working so hard, it only makes us good students who are masters gratified."

Through the screen, I saw a slender figure walking to the case, it was a young female officer.

Xiao Du closed the scroll, nodded at her slightly, and smiled: "Teacher Lou."

When I thought about it carefully, I remembered who this female officer was.There are very few female officials who can enter the cabinet, and most of them are from prominent families. This female official with the surname of Lou is the second daughter of Lou Cang, Shangshu of the Ministry of War, and the younger sister of Xiao Lan's new favorite Lou Guiren. Manage finances.

"Your Highness can just call me Lousheren. I really can't bear the title of Grand Tutor."

Lou Sheren stepped up to Xiao Du and bowed.Her posture is soft and gentle, her pupils are like autumn waters, maybe the candlelight is dim, her eyes seem to be full of affection, as if she admired Xiao Du very much.

My heart skipped a beat, I must have thought too much.

Xiao Du looked at her with interest: "It's just right that the Tai Tuo didn't leave, and I have a question to solve."

The man in Loushe pulled up his skirt and knelt in front of Xiao Du: "Please, Your Highness."

Xiao Du supported his head with one hand, leaned on the reclining chair, did not move, and said lazily, "What do you think of the Mianqi Two-country Interchange Market?"

My eyelids twitched, and I suddenly realized what was going on.

"The minister's thoughts are consistent with what the prince said in class. The benefits of the two countries' business cooperation outweigh the disadvantages."

Xiao Du wanted to use Lou Sheren's mouth to express his wish to Xiao Lan, so that the two kingdoms of Mian and Qi could be united more closely.If Loushe people are interested in Xiao Du, and Xiao Du is willing to accept her as a side concubine, wouldn't it be because of this that he would get closer to Lou Cang, Minister of the Ministry of War?Little wolf cub, what a clever abacus.

I squinted my eyes, and saw Xiao Du's eyebrows raised slightly, his face showing a cheerful expression.

"I didn't expect Loushe people to be so congenial with my king's thoughts, and they are different from other cabinet bachelors."

Lou Sheren covered his lips and smiled: "Excuse me, bluntly, how can those old people compare with the prince?"

I heard her contemptuous tone, as if deliberately trying to please Xiao Du, and a wave of anger rose in my heart.

Nonsense!The benefits outweigh the disadvantages of the exchange of commercial markets between the two countries?It is only for the country.

If you open the door and allow barbarians to swagger in, occupy the land and resources of the Mian Kingdom, and attack the local market of the Mian Kingdom, I don't know how much chaos it will cause.In addition, the barbarians have extremely strong reproductive ability. If they mix with the Mian people, it won't take many years for the Mian country to become the barbarian's world.

Although I want to take advantage of Xiao Du's power to regain the throne, I will never allow the pure land of Mian Kingdom to be touched by Qi Kingdom.

He is so oriented towards the country, does he really think that his surname is not Xiao?

I looked up and saw that the man in Loushe had sat beside Xiao Du, writing something to him, I was even more unhappy, I turned around and wanted to leave, but accidentally bumped into the screen, and the contents of the bookcase were scattered all over the floor.

"Who's there?"

Hearing Xiao Du's soft shout, I froze, I just wanted to find a place to hide, but there was nowhere to escape, so I had no choice but to turn around, walk out from behind the screen with my head bowed, and said in a low voice, "It's...my minister."

"It turned out to be Taifu Bai, I think someone is eavesdropping here."

I was really angry and didn't want to talk to him: "I've disturbed the crown prince, I'm going to step down first."

"Wait a minute. This king has a question and asks the Taifu. The people of Loushe should step down first."

"Yes." Lou Sheren bowed and backed out.

Considering that there were still servants around, I had to pretend to be Bai Chen, so I had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk forward.

When I approached, Xiao Du was willing to put his legs down from the table and move a place.

"Teacher, please sit down."

I took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in my heart, and knelt down beside him.

"Yesterday, I did a painting, and I haven't finished it yet, so I want to ask the Grand Tutor to give me some pointers." Xiao Du took out a scroll from the pile of silk, and unfolded it in front of me.Suddenly, what came into my eyes was a magnificent city, from an overlooking angle, and the foreground was actually the top of the Nine Lights Palace.

And on the top of the hall, there is actually a red-clothed figure painted on the back, as if stepping on the rising sun, ruling the world.

In the sky above his head, a goshawk soared high.

Such a magnificent scene made my heart tremble and my anger disappeared.

His ears became hot, and his voice sounded from very close: "What do you think the Tai Tuo thinks?"

I suddenly woke up: "...the artistic conception is lofty, it can be called a masterpiece."

Forgetting to lower my throat, I immediately silenced and faked a sneeze.Although Xiao Du will find out about the swap of identities between me and Bai Chen sooner or later, I really don't want to be recognized by him at this time.

Xiao Du smiled silently: "I am relieved to be praised by the Grand Tutor."

I squeezed my throat: "The prince...does he want to give it to the emperor? Wouldn't it be just right tonight?"

Xiao Du was noncommittal, picked up the pen resting on the inkstone, rolled up his sleeves, and dipped a stroke of cinnabar.

"It's still short of the last few strokes. This king can't always draw well."

As he spoke, he took up the pen, and the tip of the pen fell towards the figure in red, actually sketching the dragon pattern on the hem of his clothes.I held my breath and concentrated on it, seeing his pen tip trembling slightly, and he was about to draw crookedly, so I hurriedly put his hands together, and finished the stroke of the dragon pattern, my palm was sweating.

"The Taifu's hand...does it often have a wrench?"

The thumb tightened, and Xiao Du gently grasped it, pinched the joints and kneaded them.

My pulse numb from his rubbing, the pen rolled off the table, and a little cinnabar splashed on the corner of my lips.

I raised my hand to wipe it off, but my chin was held up by something, it was his phalanx.A finger caressed my lips, caressing slowly, my neck was numb to my body, and I couldn't move for a while. When I heard whispers behind the screen, I realized it and stood up immediately.

With a "crash", the bookcase swept across the table, sweeping the whole pile of scrolls to the ground.

"I...retire first, and the prince will hurry up, lest the emperor wait for a long time."

After that, I bent down to pick up the bookcase, without paying attention, stepped on a roll of silk books, and fell backwards, Xiao Du stretched out his hand to help, but I staggered, fell down, and fell into the pile of books together .In the confusion, my hat was knocked off, and my hair was scattered all over the floor. I reached out to grope, but found Xiao Du's hand clasped on the back of my neck. When I looked up, I saw him staring down at the corner of my lips.

I took a tight breath, feeling bad, knowing that the wolf cub probably recognized him.

Hearing the whispers around me, I didn't dare to reveal my identity, so I had to reach out and push his chest hard.

"Teacher, don't move, there's still a little bit that hasn't been wiped clean."

The silk fan spread out beside my face, covering one side, and the other side was the corner of the wall. I wanted to hide, but there was no room at all, and I was pushed into the pile of books by this daring wolf cub.

He lowered his head, licked the corner of my lips, and kissed me firmly.