long friend

It took only half a day for His Royal Highness the Sixth Prince's private fight to reach the ears of the Lord of the East Palace. At dusk, Su Yan and several others were called to the main hall.He looked up anxiously, but saw that the prince's face was normal, and he could not see any joy or anger.

He took a sip of tea in a leisurely manner: "Even though he is a prince, he has nothing to do all day long and is still fighting privately in the Eastern Palace... Qi Chen, this is really outrageous. Tell me, what's going on?"

Xiao Qichen said in a calm manner: "Brother Ping, today I was wandering around in the garden. When I passed by the side hall, I wanted to pick up a book to read. I happened to meet Liu Qingyan. I just exchanged a few words with him, but he looked impatient and said You insulted my mother with outrageous words. I was angry with my younger brother, so I got into a fight with him, lost my sense of proportion, please punish me, Brother Ping."

When the young man named Liu Qingyan heard that he was confusing black and white, regardless of his dignity, he immediately retorted: "Your Highness, I didn't..."

"Don't worry, just listen to him." Xiao Qiping was obviously used to this kind of thing, his tone was the same as usual, and he said to Xiao Qichen, "They bullied you, they just came to me directly, why bother?"

Xiao Qichen said: "It's not that my younger brother wanted to get rough with them, but that Liu Qingyan pushed me. There were so many of them, how could I beat them? Fortunately, when Su Yan came, they all dispersed. Brother Ping, you Look, my face is scratched."

This was an understatement, but Xiao Qiping couldn't take it seriously.

He looked at Su Yan and said, "Ayan, have you seen everything?"

Su Yan didn't dare to lie, nodded and said: "It is indeed what His Highness Sixth Highness said."

Xiao Qiping's complexion suddenly turned a little bit wrong.

No matter how bad his family background is, and no matter how mediocre his mother and concubine, his cheap younger brother is still a real golden branch and jade leaf. How can he let a few courtiers bully him?What's more, even if Liu Qingyan didn't start this matter first, it was a certainty that he and a few students later bullied Xiao Qichen, which was too disrespectful!

Xiao Qiping frowned slightly, and waved: "Come here, show me."

Xiao Qichen has an innocent and innocent face, coupled with his young age, his aggrieved look is very cute and cute.He stood in front of Xiao Qiping, and wept as he stared at him: "I didn't feel uncomfortable just now, but now it hurts...Brother Ping, is this all right?"

Su Yan, who was standing at the bottom, had never seen a person who was so skilled at changing faces in his life, let alone a child of a few years old, so dumbfounded that he could hardly speak.I also saw him acting like a baby in front of the prince for a while, which made the prince's face darker and darker.

"...Lvyi, take the Sixth Highness to the imperial doctor to have a look, it won't leave a scar." Xiao Qiping's "slight frown" between his brows turned into a "tight lock" after seeing the injury, and he said, "Ah Yan, I'm lucky to have you today, so I'd like to trouble you to accompany His Highness the Sixth Prince to take him back to Chenglan Palace, how would you like it?"

Su Yan could understand his face, how could he dare to say "no", and hurriedly followed the maid in green.

After that day, it was heard that Liu Qingyan who insulted His Royal Highness's mother and concubine was expelled from the East Palace, implicated his uncle and the son of the state Jijiu Master Liu to be demoted three levels in a row, and almost went to prison.As for His Royal Highness's concubine, Zhou Liangren, who was promoted to Ronghua, many people didn't know about it, but only those close to the prince knew. This was regarded as his favor to the sixth prince.

That was the first time Su Yan knew that Xiao Qiping was indeed the heir apparent taught by the emperor himself.Rewards and punishments are clearly defined, decisive and unfeeling, but it is clear that emotions and anger are not displayed - later he heard from Xiao Qichen that this is the demeanor of an emperor.

But Su Yan was still young at that time, and knew nothing about the various entanglements and metaphors.He only followed Lvyi and Xiao Qichen back to Chenglan Palace, and passed on the imperial doctor.

The imperial doctor who came was an old man with a gray beard, as soon as he stepped into the palace gate, he didn't even ask for greetings, and said directly: "My lord, you want to torture this old minister to death, you almost broke your leg the day before yesterday, what happened today? Don't be naughty anymore, if you bump into something, if the old minister can't cure it, you will take my life directly!"

Xiao Qichen just laughed when he heard his rebuke, and let the old imperial doctor prescribe medicine for him.He sent people to the gate of the main hall, but when he came back, he saw Su Yan standing there, wondering: "Why are you still here?"

Su Yan said truthfully: "His Royal Highness wants the minister to accompany you."

Xiao Qichen sat on the couch - he was so small that he had to stretch his hands to get up - someone immediately made tea for him.He patted the seat next to him: "Come and sit."

Su Yan hesitated for a moment, saw Xiao Qichen patted his side again, and then went to sit next to each other.

Xiao Qichen said again: "Physician Sun treats me well because he is afraid of offending me and losing my head. As for sister in green, it is His Highness the Crown Prince's order, and she dare not disobey. The Crown Prince's brother cares about me, but he doesn't really love me. I just want to be a brother and sister in front of my father... How about you? Come here, just like Sister Luyi?"

Su Yan was stunned, opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

He thought that most of the children of the same age were the same as himself, and they had been sheltered by their parents since childhood. Even if the family education was stricter, they would still grow up innocently.But he never thought that the Tian family is really different, Xiao Qichen is younger than himself, but his words and scheming are not what he should be at this age.

Seeing that Su Yan was silent, Xiao Qichen didn't ask any further questions. He silently peeled a peanut and asked, "But I vaguely feel that you are still different. I don't have any playmates by my side... From now on, you will come here often accompany me?"

Su Yan lowered his head and stared at a small shadow under the corner of the table not far away. He was not a very eloquent person, so he couldn't see the situation clearly, so he could only be silent.He was in a daze, and a peanut was handed over under his eyelids.

"I reward you for eating." Xiao Qichen said, when he smiled, he finally became childish, "Su Yan, you should come and accompany me more in the future."

"I am studying with you in the East Palace, and I will go to the Imperial College in the future." Su Yan took the peanut, put it in his hand and observed it repeatedly, and said, "The Sixth Highness must have reached the age of studying, why don't you study with us?"

Xiao Qichen smiled without saying a word, and did not express his position immediately.

Su Yan stayed in his Chenglan Palace for a while and then left. When he walked out of the palace wall, he seemed to feel someone behind him, so he turned his head.Outside the gate of Chenglan Palace, Xiao Qichen stood there with the green clothes behind him.Seeing Su Yan turning around, he still stood upright, but joy could be seen on his face.

After a few days, Xiao Qichen really appeared in the Imperial College.

The prince is taught by a special doctor, so he doesn't need to be in the Imperial College.Therefore, when Xiao Qichen first arrived, Grand Tutor Zeng Xu was really surprised, he is an experienced gentleman after all, and after being settled properly, he still taught on his own.

The troubled times between the previous dynasty and the present are a little longer, so that Confucianism of the Han family is no longer the top of the hundred schools, and Buddhism and Taoism have risen to keep pace with Confucianism.And because the late emperor believed in Buddhism, he built Changlu Temple in Jiangbei, where he often went to worship, so Zen and metaphysics were more valued by the upper-class families.

It's just that what is learned in the Imperial College cannot be all metaphysics.Zeng Xu was the Taifu of the current dynasty, and his ancestors were great Confucianists of the former dynasty.Most of the chapters of his lectures are from the Four Books and Five Classics. If older children come to listen to the content of the lectures, they should find it interesting. However, there are still Su Yan and Xiao Qichen in the Imperial College who can't read all the words, and listening to them is boring. .

Xiao Qichen sat next to Su Yan, writing and drawing on the paper, looking hardworking, Su Yan poked his head to look, but saw that the white paper was full of ink dots - it looked like plum blossoms.

He couldn't help laughing to himself, Xiao Qichen heard it and turned his head to look over.The two caught off guard and looked at each other. Su Yan pointed to the scriptures and motioned him to listen carefully to Mr. Xiao Qichen, noncommittal, and continued to draw his plum blossoms.

"...Respect is not insulting, generosity is winning people, trustworthiness is doing things, being sensitive is meritorious, and benevolence is enough to make people. A king must do these five things in order to benefit the world and benefit the people. This is to be a benevolent king. As a minister, those who do these five things can also be benevolent ministers. Governing the world is not the work of one person, so restraint, suppression, resentment, and desire cannot be fulfilled." After Zeng Xu finished speaking, he could not help but nod frequently when he saw that the next prince was listening intently. , said kindly, "Does Your Highness know?"

Xiao Qiping nodded and said, "I would like to follow Mr.'s instruction."

Zeng Xu stroked his gray beard in satisfaction, and glanced casually at Xiao Qichen, but saw that he ignored him and only drew strange patterns on the white paper.Although he was dissatisfied, Zeng Xu looked down on him after all, so he didn't say a word.

Later, Su Yan was picked up and answered several times, so that he was sitting on pins and needles, wishing he could go home quickly - Su Yan is very self-aware, he is not a student, when he was a child, he studied with his brothers at home, and the other party was more calm than him , chanting "Zhihuzheye" in such a large audience, it is really calloused ears.

It was hard to get through this day, Zeng Xu was merciful, sympathetic to His Highness the Sixth Highness's first study, and released everyone two hours earlier than usual.However, His Royal Highness still had many issues to discuss with Zeng Xu, and no one dared to leave early after suffering a group of companions who followed him.

Su Yan yawned, leaned over on the table, and thought: Where does His Royal Highness have so many questions?

Just when he was depressed, his elbow was lightly touched suddenly. Su Yan turned his head and saw Xiao Qichen in the seat beside him with a contented smile, showing him what he had done today.

Princes and aristocrats love elegance, and they must play piano, chess, calligraphy and painting.However, Su Yan's family was a military general, and he never liked these romantic things. He didn't know how to appreciate painting skills, but for the first time in his life, he felt that this painting was very beautiful: plum blossoms by the lake, there was no water in the lake, and the plum blossoms withered For the most part, it is really not a positive sign, but the just right decadence in it is particularly vivid through the young man's pen.

Seeing his eyes flickering, Xiao Qichen handed it over and whispered, "See you off."

Su Yan still remembered not to lose courtesy, and hurriedly said: "Thank you, Your Highness Six."

Hearing this, Xiao Qichen narrowed his eyes with a smile.He was originally a good-looking person, and when he was not holding it deliberately or trying to achieve some purpose, he could almost be said to be cute.

Su Yan slightly staggered his eyes, sandwiched this picture of plum blossoms in the calligraphy paper, and brought them back to the residence together.

From the beginning of that painting, Su Yan felt that Xiao Qichen often showed affection to him.It is not accurate to say that it is a show of favor, he is born noble, and there is no need to be so flattering to his courtiers, but Xiao Qichen does come to him whenever he is free.

The prince Xiao Qiping is happy to see it come to fruition, because of the previous private fight in the East Palace, he has always felt guilty towards Qi Chen, seeing that the other party seemed to let go of the rift and played well with Su Yan, so he let them stick together all day long.Now that the matter has come to this point, Su Yan can't help but say anything.

Fortunately, the Imperial Academy is full of young people who are not yet aware of the world, and Zeng Xu has repeatedly ordered him not to form cliques. He and Xiao Qichen are good friends, so no one will hold prejudice against it.

On this day, Su Yan got up early in the morning, preparing to practice a set of boxing in the courtyard to exercise his muscles and bones.It's early winter now, and the other companions are the sons of civil servants, and their physique is not as good as he was trained by his father since he was a child. At this point, he is still reluctant to get up under the covers.Therefore, the courtyard is very quiet, and the birdsong cannot be heard.

Su Yan actually yearned for martial arts, and Su Zhi promised to teach him when he was ten years old. Before that, there was only a set of simple boxing techniques for physical fitness.

Just after finishing this set of boxing techniques, a thin layer of sweat broke out on Su Yan's forehead, but he didn't feel any better.He was about to fetch water to wash up, when suddenly he turned his head and saw a figure standing in the corridor, wearing apricot-colored clothes, which looked extremely thin.

After Su Yan saw who it was, he walked quickly and said, "Your Highness, why are you wearing so little clothes? Isn't it cold?"

Xiao Qichen waved his hand: "It's not cold, Chenglan Palace has always been like this in winter, I'm used to it - what kind of boxing technique did you practice just now, is it good for your physique?"

Su Yan nodded: "My father taught me."

Xiao Qichen walked side by side with him, slowly walked towards the end of the corridor, and said: "Your father is really devoted to you. Since I can remember, I have rarely seen my father a few times a year, let alone what he personally said to me. I've said it myself. In fact, that day, Liu Qingyan and the others bullied me, and later I lied to Brother Ping—although he spoke rudely, I did it first. Now that you know it, don't sue His Highness behind your back."

Su Yan didn't know how to answer, so he said "hmm".Xiao Qichen smiled, and reached out to pat Su Yan on the back: "You are too stupid, no wonder I like talking to you."

His bad words were misunderstood by Xiao Qichen as dull, Su Yan couldn't refute, so he had to admit it.He didn't know how to get along with the members of the emperor's family, whether it was the crown prince or the sixth highness, even though they had different personalities and styles, they were born as princes and could not be offended at will.

Xiao Qichen asked again: "That boxing...can you teach me?"

Su Yan was taken aback for a moment, then nodded with a smile.

It turned out that the matter of Liu Qingyan still left a shadow in Su Yan's heart. For a long time, he was not able to speak naturally nice words to Xiao Qichen.

When Xiao Qichen asked him, Su Yan answered, knowing everything about everything.

The winter of the 23rd year of Tongning was extremely cold. Su Yan lived in the East Palace and never returned home.After school, he was often dragged by Xiao Qichen to the Chenglan Palace or the Imperial Garden. Both of them were small in stature, but they had already traveled to many places.

Waking up to exercise in the morning, and going to Guozi to monitor and learn, Mr. Zeng Xu occasionally gave each of them individual advice.Even if you don't like the Four Books and Five Classics like Su Yan, you have listened to the words of the saints in this subtle influence.

Time flew by like this day after day, and Su Yan became Xiao Qichen's only good friend in the deep palace.Although most of the time, it was he who said that Su Yan just listened, but he still felt that something was impossible to ask for. When the emperor gave food, Xiao Qichen would definitely give half of it to Su Yan, but if he didn't do his homework seriously, he would be punished together .

As time goes on, even Xiao Qiping likes to tease the two of them for being inseparable from each other, Mengmeng Bujiao: "Gu, this companion hangs out with you all day, how can I spend time with Gu?"

And Xiao Qichen said: "Brother Ping, you have read so many times with me, I only like him, so what's the matter if I let him play with me more? I don't like to ask you for anything, and I won't agree to this. I'm petty."

So Xiao Qiping was left speechless by what he said, and asked Su Yan's opinion again, and simply asked Xiao Qichen to stay in the East Palace from time to time.

In the next two years, people from Guozijian came and went, and the prince's companions changed several times. Except for Han Guang who was still there, everyone else became familiar faces.I heard from the maids in the palace that it was His Royal Highness who was too suspicious, for fear of offending the eldest son of the emperor.

"Why are they so unfamiliar, aren't they blood brothers?" Su Yan asked Xiao Qichen, he had completely passed those dull days, and began to reveal his true nature.

Xiao Qichen peeled the chestnuts slowly, and handed one to Su Yan from time to time: "Who knows? Brother Yu has long been in charge of the court, and I heard that he will go to southern Xinjiang with the army after the next year. It is not a dangerous place. In my heart, he does have a place. Brother Ping will also celebrate his sixteenth birthday after the new year, and he will also go to court as the crown prince at that time..."

When he said this, the chestnut in his hand could not be peeled.Xiao Qichen stubbornly fought against it for a long time, but in the end Su Yan couldn't see it, took the chestnut, and teased him: "Your Highness, you are not old, but you know a lot."

"That's it." Xiao Qichen didn't hear the sarcasm at all, and smiled, "I listen to those servants gossiping all day long. They don't take me seriously, but I know what they said."

Su Yan peeled off the tender yellow flesh of the chestnut, handed it to Xiao Qichen, and said solemnly: "Your Highness, don't underestimate yourself."

Xiao Qichen said disapprovingly: "It's not that I underestimate myself, but that there can only be one crown prince in this inner palace. You said, brother Yu is so eager for quick success, so he can only be a servant of brother Ping in the future. I won't fight for anything, and in the end I will still be crowned king. Open the mansion and enjoy the glory, why should I?"

Su Yan pondered for a moment. From these words, he vaguely glimpsed the sharpness of the prince's struggle. He was about to say something, but saw the palace maid serving Xiao Qichen running in green clothes from a distance, with an anxious face:

"Sixth Highness, Your Highness, Mr. Su, His Highness the Crown Prince, he -- something happened to him!"

The author has something to say: If it is necessary to correspond to the historical period, "Long Friends" draws on some elements of the Southern and Northern Dynasties' Nanliang. Although it is not all the territorial divisions of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it can be considered that the background is around the sixth century AD.

In this context, the article involves a minority regime, that is, the Turks mentioned in a few words and described in more detail later.The reason for choosing Turkic is to maintain a consistent sense of age, nothing else.In terms of Turkic culture, I refer to an academic paper, "Wolf Totem", "Worship of the Sun God of Heaven and Earth", etc., and each chapter will be marked when it is written.

But it is still different from the Southern and Northern Dynasties, so after thinking about it, it is more convenient to think it is overhead.

In this article, for some of the proper nouns mentioned, my thinking is relatively rigid, so I will make do with other systems under the feudal system.Most of them can be found in history, relatively less popular, and my original (hu) created (zhou) parts will be marked in the "author has something to say" in the corresponding chapters.

If you encounter bugs, I hope you will correct me a lot, bow~