bluestone

It didn't take long for the questions to be answered and calm to return to the street.

"Come here, take the two of them into the sky prison and wait for the trial."

"Yes."

"You can't do this, Ji Yuehuang, don't forget, my father is your uncle and your mother's brother, you can't do anything to me... Did you hear that, Ji Yuehuang~" Zhu Gan shouted excitedly, and was beaten by the officers and soldiers. Bet down.

The remaining people began to disperse the onlookers.

Qing Ming pulled the reins, and the whole team moved again.

Different from the previous indifference, the common people chanted "The prince is a thousand years old" and knelt down to welcome the prince back to Beijing.

The people lying on the ground lined up to the end of the street, and there was no end in sight.

Seeing this, Old General Han took a few quick steps on his horse, lowered his voice, and reminded Qingming, "Your Highness, is this a little too hasty?"

"Old General Han is overthinking," Qing Ming said in a gentle voice, looking ahead, "Originally, Yue Huang also planned to start with Zhu Gan, since he came to pave the way for me to stand up, how could I let it go so easily."

Seeing his calm side face, Old General Han didn't even change his expression, let alone what he was thinking, so he sighed, "It's good that His Royal Highness knows what's going on in his heart."

Until now, he really felt that the prince's chest was deep and unfathomable, and he looked very much like the emperor when he was young.

The team moved forward all the way, and finally left the market, entered the imperial city, and came to the gate of the palace.

At this time, several young princes had already occupied the gate of the palace.

Qingming got off his horse and faced them.

Those people hurriedly bowed and saluted, "See His Royal Highness~"

"Please, everyone, there is no need to be polite, but Yuehuang has been away from home for many years, so he has neglected etiquette." Qing Ming hurriedly helped them up, "Brother Dahuang, Brother II, Brother Fourth, Brother Fifth," he went over one by one Seeing the last pause, he touched his head tenderly and amiably, "This is the sixth emperor brother. When the emperor was born, Yue Huang failed to come back. It's my brother's dereliction of duty. What happens in the future?" , you can come to the Prince's Hall to find him as your brother."

The sixth prince, Ji Yuezhen, who was originally timid, was instantly subdued by this gentle and amiable brother of the third prince, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."

After comforting the youngest brother, Qingming turned his head and looked at the few people who had greeted him in front of him.

"I heard that big emperor brother got married, although it's a bit late, Yue Huang still wants to say congratulations!"

"Where, it's not too late, it's not too late." The eldest prince with the most ordinary appearance was, as usual, honest and reticent.

"I haven't seen you for a few years, but the Second Emperor's style is still the same."

"How can it compare to the peerless elegance of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" Ji Yueliu, the second eldest, blinked her beautiful peach eyes, and smiled flamboyantly. The slightly lighter pupils of her pupils belonged to his mother and concubine who came from the Western Regions.

"Second brother is too modest."

"The fourth emperor's younger brother is talented and knowledgeable. Although the prince is not in the imperial capital, he has heard of the emperor's younger brother's poems." The fourth eldest Ji Yuelin looked like a scholar, full of bookishness.

"I haven't seen you for a few years, Brother Wu Huang has already grown so tall." The old fifth Ji Yueyan looked like a teenager, and her facial features had not yet opened.

Qing Ming greeted each of them one by one, not like a person who had been away from home for ten years, but as if he had never left home.

"Father is still waiting for Yue Huang to see him, so we won't talk any more, we will talk about it when we have time."

Everyone said yes.

At this time, the little eunuch who came out to greet him had already arrived at the gate of the palace.

"It was passed on to the Holy Lord that Prince Yuehuang and his senior brothers will enter the palace immediately. Old General Han has worked hard all the way, and remembering his hard work, he does not need to enter the palace. He will be reunited with Young General Han at his residence."

"Thank you, my lord." Old General Han and Han Tuo received the order, "If that's the case, the two ministers will not go in."

"Well, Mr. Han has worked hard all the way, so go back home and rest."

Han Lao turned and left.

Han Tuo and Qing Ming met their eyes for the second time.

Qing Ming smiled back, Han Tuo's face was as dark as ink.

For a moment, Han Tuo turned and left without saying a word.

The rest stayed behind, Qingming and Zigui followed the little eunuch and headed towards the imperial study.

"Prince's cousin~" Before reaching the door of the imperial study, he saw a young man running over excitedly.

"Cousin Yunshu~" Qing Ming also replied.

"We haven't seen each other for so many years, except for his appearance and height, nothing has changed at all!" Lu Yunshu smiled and looked at Qing Ming, his words were very familiar.

"You haven't changed much. When you were young, you didn't like to move. Now it's even worse than before. You can't breathe after running for two steps!"

"It's not that exaggerated. I have never liked martial arts, but I still complete the basic physical exercises."

"Hehe~ I was just joking." Qingming was infected by him, and his smile became a little more real, "By the way, I will introduce you to someone, I mentioned it in the letter before," he turned sideways, and introduced, "He is Zigui."

"Brother Zigui, I have admired your name for a long time."

"I also heard His Royal Highness mentioning you, the right minister's son, Lu Yunshu, seeing you today, you are really extraordinary."

"Haha, brother Zigui is really polite." He approached Zigui slightly, lowering his voice, "My mother has been nagging you all the time, come back this time, go to my house to meet her sometime~"

"I know." Zigui nodded.

Lu Yunshu turned around and pulled Qingming over, "Let's go, go in quickly, if you wait a little longer, Father and Uncle Huang won't be able to wait."

Pushing open the door of the Imperial Study Room, the Great Zhou Emperor dressed in a dragon robe sat on it, beside the emperor's attendants and eunuchs, Hai'an, Eunuch Hai; the person sitting in the first place was the current prime minister, Lu Zhili .

Qingming entered the middle of the imperial study room, lifted the front of his robe, knelt on the ground, kowtowed and said: "Father, my son is back." Then he straightened up and looked directly at the father whom he hadn't seen for ten years.

Emperor Wu sized him up with scrutiny, and after a long time, he said, "Be flat."

"Thank you, Father."

"I already know what happened outside the imperial city just now, and I did a good job. I will hand in the prepared memorial later."

"Yes, Father."

"If there is no objection, I will announce tomorrow morning that I will pass it on to you in three months' time. Would you like it?"

"Your majesty..." The prime minister stood up quickly when he heard this.

"My son is willing." Before he could say anything to dissuade him, Qing Ming had already answered.

"His Royal Highness? Three months is too short!" the prime minister said in surprise.

"It's not short, it's enough for Yue Huang." Qing Ming looked at him and said with a smile, his face was full of strategizing confidence.

"Okay, you are indeed the crown prince I chose, and I did not misunderstand the person!" Emperor Wu walked down from the top, patted him on the shoulder as he spoke, and praised him.

"My son will definitely not disappoint my father."

"Eh? You..." The Prime Minister trembled his fingers, not knowing what to say.

Lu Yunshu approached him comfortingly and said, "Trust him, the prince's cousin never does anything that is not sure."

"The matter has come to this, I don't believe what can be done!" The prime minister sighed wearily.

Lu Yunshu could only shrug his shoulders and laugh dryly.

"By the way, father, he is my senior brother, son Gui." Qing Ming introduced to Emperor Wu.

"Zigui?!" Emperor Wu was a little excited when he saw the familiar face, and said with relief, "Okay, okay, just come back!"

"Zigui pays homage to the emperor." Zigui hastily knelt down and saluted.

Emperor Wu stretched out his hand to help him up, "You don't need to be too polite, according to your seniority, you should call me Uncle Huang."

"Uncle Huang." Zigui called out respectfully.

Emperor Wu nodded in satisfaction, "Just come back, just to announce your identity by the way tomorrow morning."

Hearing this, Zigui knelt down, "Uncle Huang, the reason why Zigui came back this time is to visit you and my aunt who have always cared about me, and to assist Qingming and help him ascend the throne smoothly. Therefore, there is no need to express Gao Zigui's identity, and Zigui has been used to being free all these years, he really doesn't like the life of huddling and hugging, and I hope Uncle Huang will make it happen."

"If you don't restore your identity? How can you help Qingming if you don't restore your identity?"

"Staying in the palace as his bodyguard is the way I came up with."

"..."

"My son thinks this is very good, so that the senior brother can stay in the palace and not be bound by his status. If necessary, it is okay to announce it to the world later." Qing Ming clasped his hands in agreement.

"Since you have made up your mind, then do as you say. You young people can make up their own minds. I am getting older, so I can worry as little as I can. When I step back from that seat, I can completely relax. Come down." Emperor Wu waved his hand indifferently.

"Thank you, Uncle Huang, for making it happen." Zigui kowtowed to thank him.

"Okay, don't kneel down, get up quickly."

Only then did Zigui stand up.

"In a while, Zigui will go with Lu Xiang to the mansion to meet your aunt. She has talked about you a lot these years. On weekdays, you just listen to Qingming's arrangement and live in the Prince's Palace," Emperor Wu said after finishing his speech. , looked at Qingming again, "Have you met Xiaoliu just now?"

"I have seen it, not only the sixth emperor brother, but also the other brothers."

"Well, tonight, you can follow me to Fengyi Hall to meet your mother and concubine. I will accompany you mother and son to have a home-cooked meal."

"Yes, Father."

"There is also the handling of memorials and appointment of officials. You can do as you see fit. Although you have been away from Beijing for ten years, I have sent someone to send you news of all the changes that have taken place in the government and the public in the past ten years. Your teacher should have pointed out Let me tell you how to deal with government affairs..." Next, Emperor Wu briefly explained what he was going to do next.

Qing Ming listened carefully and recorded them in his mind one by one.

In the evening, after dinner, I said goodbye to the Queen and returned to the Prince's Palace.

Qingming washed up and relaxed for a while, after some exhaustion, the palace servants had already moved some of the memorials into the hall.

"You all step back, the prince doesn't need a vigil here."

The palace people responded yes, and retreated one after another.

Qingming, with half-dry long hair hanging loose, was wearing a white unlined garment with only a layer of outer garment on the outside. He stood in the familiar yet unfamiliar Prince's Hall, watching calmly.

Nothing here has changed.

This was his first thought.

Walking to his own desk, he opened a hidden drawer, which contained some scattered things, dried flowers, bird feathers, a worn-out stove from his mother... and a circle Round, adult thumb-sized bluestone.

The bluestone is very ordinary, not a very valuable jade, but an ordinary blue stone, not too clear, and even some impurities can be seen, the color is close to indigo, but lighter.

"...Hey, this bluestone is given to you as a token of love. The uncle and brothers in the camp said that if there is someone you like, you should immediately settle down, lest you regret it after being preempted..."

A piece of childish words echoed in my mind along with the memory.

"Oh, it's just a child's speech." Qing Ming pushed the drawer disapprovingly, and locked everything back to the original place.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, and the candle flame flickered.

Qingming seemed to have noticed something, and raised his head clearly, looking at the shadow of the backlight.

"You really came."