Stranger and Chen in the Palace

After coming out of the cherry garden, the emperor did not bury Concubine Yun's ashes, but put them in his bedroom.Ling Yichen moved into the Guanlan Palace. Although the Guanlan Palace was not as big as his original residence, the items used were very elegant, and I don't know how many times more luxurious. The Guanlan Palace has a large group of eunuchs and maids.Ling Yichen had long been used to a quiet life, and didn't like the noise of people, so he always ordered them to wait outside, and Shunde became the chief eunuch of Guanlan Palace as a matter of course.

Shunde had told him that he had two elder brothers, the eldest prince Ling Yihong who was 6 years older than him, and the second prince Ling Yihao who was 3 years older than him.In addition, there is a younger sister Ling Muxue who is 1 year younger than him, and a younger brother Ling Yize who is 2 years younger than him.

The eldest prince, Ling Yihong, has been conferred the title of King of Yu and has moved out of the palace; the second prince, Ling Yihao, was born of the queen's younger sister and has always been favored and is the most likely candidate to inherit the throne.The princess Ling Muxue was born to the empress. The empress had no son and loved her very much. As for the fourth prince Ling Yize, it was heard that his mother was humble and he had no status in the palace.

"Your Highness, it's time for you to go to court." Shunde approached Ling Yichen and gently reminded him.

"Let's go!" Ling Yichen said calmly.

Shunde silently followed behind Ling Yichen, thoughtful. It can be said that the Third Highness was watched by him, although he was not much older than him.Shunde still remembers that when he entered the palace, he was 12 years old. Because he had no money to bribe the eunuch in charge, he was sent to deliver meals to Concubine Yun and His Highness the Third Highness who lived in the cherry garden as soon as he entered the palace. Future errands.His Highness was only seven years old that year, but he was different from all the children in the palace, he was so silent and quiet.Shunde thought, maybe this is because of living in the cold palace for many years.

The life in the cold palace is actually very hard. Although Concubine Yun and His Highness the Third Highness assume the status of masters, their life is not much different from that of servants.Originally, the cost of food and clothing in the cold palace was poor, and the eunuchs in charge often cheated, and no one would bother when they were sick.According to their words, it is fate to die of illness, and the superiors don't care about it, so they can't control it.Shunde often saw His Highness the Third Highness doing all kinds of rough and heavy work at a young age.

After Concubine Yun passed away, the queen kept him by the side of His Highness the Third Highness, and spent two years together day and night, but Shunde knew little about him.His Highness the Third Highness was always calm and indifferent, showing no emotions, except that Concubine Yun lost control of her emotions when she was cremated, and there has been no such thing since.On weekdays, he seldom said unnecessary words to him, so that he never knew what the Third Highness was thinking.

Although His Highness was indifferent, he treated him well. He never put on airs like a prince, and never ordered him to do this or that. His Highness still did everything by himself as before.Rather than saying that he came to take care of the Third Highness, it would be more appropriate to say that the two of them are companions.In this imperial palace, the eunuchs and maids are as humble as ants, if you are not careful, you will lose your life. How dare you expect the master to treat you as a person?It's not his luck to meet a master like His Highness the Third Highness, especially now that he has been promoted to the head of Guanlan Palace at a young age, and many people are jealous.Thinking of this, Shunde felt more grateful to His Highness the Third Highness, and he was also very happy from the bottom of his heart to see the Third Highness living well.

After a while, the two came to the jade steps outside the Golden Luan Hall, and Shunde respectfully said: "I can't go any further, so I will wait for Your Highness here." Ling Yichen nodded slightly, turned around and went up the jade steps, towards the Golden Luan Hall go.

The hall was full of officials in red court uniforms. His father, the emperor, was sitting high on a dragon throne inlaid with gold and jade.Ling Yichen knelt down and saluted: "I see my father, may my father live forever."

"Chen'er is free of courtesy." The emperor said kindly.

At this moment, whispers began in the hall: "So this is His Highness the Third Highness. Didn't you hear that you have been in the cold palace all this time? Why did you come out suddenly?" Although the voice of the discussion was small, it reached Ling Yichen's ears word by word, and he didn't care Laugh at yourself.

At this time, the emperor's voice sounded at the right time: "Chen'er has been living in Yingyuan before, and now that he is older, it is time to share his father's worries."He paused, and his eyes fell on the two leaders on the left side of His Highness: "Yihong, Yihao, you two are elder brothers, you must take good care of your younger brother in the future." Then he said to Ling Yichen who was standing in the middle of the hall : "Chen'er, you also need to learn more from the two imperial brothers, you know?"

In fact, when he first entered the hall, Ling Yichen had paid close attention to the two of them, not to mention that their attire was different from other officials, even judging from their positions, they should be his two imperial brothers, as expected.As soon as the emperor's words fell, the two sides began to look at each other, and nodded in return with a friendly smile, and said in unison with a tacit understanding: "Your servant obeys the order."

The emperor smiled with satisfaction, and all the ministers could see clearly that the three princes did not fall out of favor as in the legend, but the emperor's love for him was beyond words, and he would have to curry favor in the future.

After coming down to court, all the officials discussed the matter, and one of them said with emotion: "The third highness is so handsome, he really deserves to be the child of Concubine Yun."

"You want to die, you dare to mention Concubine Yun, who doesn't know that she belongs to the entire palace." Another person hurriedly reminded.

"Hey, I don't think so. Your Majesty's sudden intention to pick up His Highness the Third Highness from the Cherry Garden must not be simple. Given how much His Majesty loved Concubine Yun back then, this Third Highness is very likely to be the real successor in His Majesty's heart. .”

Mo Qi, the Minister of the Ministry of War who is always talkative, couldn't help pulling Xue Jingting back, and asked in a low voice: "Mr. Xue, what are you talking about, this majesty calls His Royal Highness Yi Hong and Second Highness Yi Hao, but calls Third Highness Chen'er. The distinction can be said to be straightforward, will these three highnesses replace the second highness in the future?"

Xue Jingting was funny: "I said your parents named you Mo Qi, just to ask you not to be curious. Why are you so curious about everything?"

Mo Qi made a bitter face: "It's not that there is no way, try to figure out the holy will, so that you won't be on the wrong team!"

Xue Jingting deliberately lowered his face: "Heaven's power is unpredictable, we can guess it at will, let alone this important matter, be careful that you didn't figure out the holy will, but gave your head away instead."

Hearing this, Mo Qi flinched, speechless, and walked behind Xue Jingting.

In the distance, there are two people standing on the jade steps.

"Your Majesty, it seems that His Majesty is very pleased with the Third Highness, shall we..."

Ling Yihong raised his hand and interrupted his subordinates, with dark eyes in his eyes: "Father wants us to take good care of this younger brother, I want to see how the second brother is going to take care of him."

The people around him immediately understood and said with a smile: "Your Highness is brilliant."

After leaving the Golden Luan Palace, Ling Yichen was about to go back with Shunde, but was stopped by the emperor's close eunuch, Eunuch Xu.

"Your Highness, please stop. Your Majesty invites you to go to the Imperial Study Room." Eunuch Xu said respectfully.

Ling Yichen nodded, turned to Shunde and said, "Go back first."

"Yes." Shunde agreed.

Passing through the corridor of the imperial garden, the two came to the door of the imperial study, and Eunuch Xu made a gesture of invitation.Ling Yichen glanced at him, then turned around and opened the door. As soon as he entered, the door behind him was closed by Eunuch Xu.

The emperor was sitting behind a big desk, Ling Yichen was about to salute, but the emperor waved his hand and said: "No need, come here, Chen'er."

Ling Yichen approached as he said, the emperor stood up and looked at him for a while, then handed him a gold medal the size of a jade pendant.This gold medal is extremely finely crafted, engraved with dragon and cloud patterns, and the word "Yun" is clearly visible in the middle. Ling Yichen knew that it was a word in the emperor's name.

The emperor said slowly: "I will give it to you. This gold medal is the only one in the world. Seeing it is like seeing me. You can freely go in and out of the palace with this, and all officials in the world are at your disposal. But, Chen'er, no As a last resort, don't use it lightly, you know?"

Ling Yichen looked at the gold medal in his hand, and said, "My son, please remember, thank you, Father."

"Okay." The emperor patted him on the shoulder and said again, "I have sent forty dark guards to protect you personally. They are all the top masters in the palace. They have been specially trained since they were young. They will not show up at ordinary times, but if you are in any danger, they will come out to protect you, and you can entrust them to do whatever you want."

After the emperor finished speaking, he clapped his palms, and the secret door behind the imperial study opened, and two black-clothed secret guards walked out, who looked about the same age as Ling Yichen.

"They are twin brothers. The one on the left is the eldest brother, named Lianfeng; the one on the right is the younger brother, named Lianhuang. They are the leaders of these 40 people." After the emperor explained to Ling Yichen, he stared at the two with majesty, "In the future His Highness the Third Highness is your master, you only obey him, and don't care about anyone else's words, including me, understand?"

The two immediately knelt sideways to Ling Yichen, and said in unison: "Subordinate Lianfeng, subordinate Lianhuang, swear to die to serve His Highness." Ling Yichen glanced at them, hesitantly said: "Father, this..."

The emperor's tone was quite helpless: "Chen'er, this is not the cherry garden, and you are no longer the third prince in the past. They are by your side, so I can feel a little more at ease." Ling Yichen naturally understood the emperor's implication, and he no longer After talking more, he only said: "Your servant obeys the order." Then he said to Lian Feng and Lian Huang who were kneeling beside him: "Get up."

"Go, go to a place with the emperor." The emperor said gently.

"Yes." Ling Yichen nodded.

Ling Yichen followed the emperor, Lian Feng and Lian Huang accompanied him, and more than a dozen court ladies and eunuchs, the group came to Wu Yixuan in a mighty manner.

Wuyixuan is the place where princes and princesses study.Generally speaking, as long as the prince has no major faults, he will be crowned king at the age of twenty, and then move out of the palace. Before that, he must study here.The same is true for the princess, who has to study here before she leaves the cabinet.

The emperor was about to tell Ling Yichen about going to school, when a girl in yellow trotted over cheerfully, took the emperor's hand, and said softly, "Father, why are you here?" Kneeling on the ground, Ling Yichen thought to himself, Princess Muxue was really favored, and she didn't even salute the emperor, her words and demeanor were very intimate.

The emperor was in a good mood, patted Ling Muxue's hand, and waved to everyone: "You all get up, come and meet my third prince."

Only then did Ling Muxue focus on Ling Yichen, and said in an arrogant tone: "Are you the Ling Yichen who has been living in Yingyuan?"

The emperor was not happy when he heard the words: "No big or small, he is your third brother."

Ling Muxue curled her lips, and reluctantly called out to Ling Yichen: "Brother Three Emperors."

Ling Yichen nodded lightly, and stopped looking at her, but focused on the few people who had just got up.

Suddenly, a white figure fell into his eyes, it was the boy asking for directions that he met in Yingyuan two years ago.A flash of surprise flashed in Ling Yichen's eyes, and the man in white in front of him was slightly taken aback when he saw him.This scene happened to be seen by Ling Yihao who was paying attention to the man in white. He looked at Ling Yichen thoughtfully.

The emperor turned his head to Ling Yichen and said, "Come on, let me introduce you—" He pointed to the man in white, "This is Xue Zimo, the number one talent in my court, and he is Xue Xiang's beloved son. You should learn more from him in the future!"

Ling Yichen nodded, Xue Zimo bowed to him and said: "Your Majesty is too famous, Zimo is just a scholar, I hope His Highness will give you more advice." Ling Yichen responded with a slight smile.

Afterwards, the emperor's eyes fell on the remaining few people: "Yihao, you just met in the hall, this is your fourth brother and Mrs. Qu." Ling Yichen looked in the direction of the emperor, and saw a gentle-looking man , a pale teenager and a serious middle-aged man.

"From tomorrow onwards, you will also be attending classes here, so let's meet people first," said the emperor.

After Ling Yichen finished greeting them respectively, the emperor took him away again.