Jingrui five years, winter.
In the early days of the court, a group of courtiers once again talked about the establishment of the Empress in a cliché, and Zhu Yunxuan listened to their impassioned petition in a daze, without making any statement, and directly announced his withdrawal from the court.
The ministers knelt on the ground and refused to get up, but the emperor on the throne had already walked away.
In the past three years, Zhu Yunxuan has become more and more indifferent, majestic and uncompromising. In the past, Liang Zhen said that he was soft-tempered and could not sit firmly in this position. Now he does not need to rely on anyone, and he has finally secured the throne completely.
After all, Liang Zhen was still wrong, and looked down on him too much, and it's not like he couldn't do without him.
Today the world is peaceful, except for the occasional pirates coming from the south, it can be considered that the weather is smooth and the world is peaceful, the only thing that worries the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty and the subjects of the world is the always vacant middle palace.
Because of the matter of establishing a concubine, the conflicts between the emperor and courtiers escalated again and again. Zhu Yunxuan would use various excuses to prevaricate. In the past year, he has not even found excuses. In Liuzhong, whenever someone mentioned it at the court meeting, they would directly announce the dispersal of the court. No matter how much the officials begged on their knees, or even forced them to die, they remained indifferent.
The emperor, who was in his prime, did not have a queen or concubine, the harem was empty, and there was no heir under his knees. Rumors abounded, Zhu Yunxuan ignored him, and no one knew what he was thinking.
In the afternoon, seeing that the snow that had been falling for several days outside stopped, Zhu Yunxuan stood under the corridor outside the hall for a while, and softly told Gao An: "Come with me and go outside for a walk."
"Your Majesty, do you want to go to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the scenery? Is this servant going to ask someone to prepare a chariot for you?"
Zhu Yunxuan was noncommittal, and Gao An took it for granted. It was rare that Zhu Yunxuan was in the mood to go out, so he immediately made arrangements.
In the past few years, if it wasn't for the necessary celebrations and sacrifices, let alone going outside the palace, Zhu Yunxuan rarely even went out of the gate of Ganlin Palace. The chariot carried him all the way back along the criss-crossing paths of the imperial palace. Zhu Yunxuan raised his head and looked at the gloomy sky. After a long time, he gently closed his eyes.
While in a trance, there was a sound of a heavy object hitting the ground in front of him. Zhu Yunxuan withdrew his thoughts and looked over with a frown. Behind the palace wall, a figure suddenly shrank from the dead tree branch.
Gao An raised his voice and shouted towards the other side of the palace wall: "Who is hiding there?! Come out!"
It was a desolate and dilapidated palace. The gate of the palace was closed tightly, and it looked as if no one lived there. The crying voice begged: "I... I didn't mean to... don't hit me..."
Zhu Yunxuan's brows frowned even tighter, he had already recognized that the emaciated child in front of him, with thin and shabby clothes, was his ninth younger brother, Zhu Yunqiong.
When Liang Zhen bestowed the death of Concubine Chen, he left the child's life behind and kept him under house arrest. Several years later, Zhu Yunxuan had almost forgotten the existence of this child, and even when Liang Zhen left three years ago, he used this child again He threatened him, but he didn't kill it.
I haven't seen him for a few years, Zhu Yunqiong is already eight years old, but she is too thin to look like she is only four or five years old. Now she is kneeling in front of him tremblingly, and there is no trace of the spoiled bully in Zhu Yunxuan's memory.
Zhu Yunxuan lowered his voice: "What were you doing just now?"
The child stammered: "Small... smash the sparrow, I'm hungry..."
Zhu Yunxuan signaled Gao An: "Go and find out what's going on."
"promise."
Looking at the shivering child curled up on the ground, after a moment of silence, Zhu Yunxuan seemed to be sighing, and ordered: "Tell the imperial physician Fang to go to Ganlin Palace."
The child who was taken to Ganlin Palace, cleaned up and had a full meal finally came back to his senses, recognized Zhu Yunxuan as his elder brother, and looked at him timidly. Don’t you have enough to eat? Why did you smash the sparrow?”
The child shook his head, drooped his head, and answered him: "Mama won't give it to me, I can only eat what they left. I was hungry, so I secretly smashed sparrows, and when I hit them, I jumped out of the tree and picked them up. They don't pay attention to roasting and eating."
Zhu Yunxuan took his hand and looked at his arm covered with bruises: "How did this happen?"
"Mama beat me, they beat me if I didn't obey..."
Zhu Yunxuan's eyes turned cold, and he didn't ask any more questions. He asked Imperial Physician Fang to take him to the side hall for pulse diagnosis. Gao An had already returned, and told him that he had asked clearly. The non-cold palace is no different from the cold palace, there are not many waiters in it, and they are all unscrupulous, and when they see no one cares about him, they neglect and abuse him: "Your Majesty, don't worry, the servants have already asked people to put all those daring things under custody. , I will re-arrange some people to serve His Highness the Ninth Prince in the future."
Zhu Yunxuan didn't say a word, his expression became even darker.
Two quarters of an hour later, Imperial Physician Fang came to report that he had carefully checked the pulse of the Ninth Prince. This child has lost his health in the past few years, and the root of the disease has fallen. He will be weak in the future, so he can only recuperate slowly. It is impossible to recover.
Zhu Yunxuan? For a while? Speechless, just now on the way back he had murderous intentions several times in his heart, but at this moment, his heart suddenly softened again.
After all, he is still a child, and his health is not good, so it doesn't matter if he is spared, just treat it as... just accumulate blessings for his young son.
After being dazed for a while, he told Physician Fang: "From now on, I will see His Highness the Ninth Highness on time, and just prescribe whatever medicine you need, don't worry about it."
Then tell Gao An: "Change him to a cleaner place to live, call more experienced nuns who can take care of children, and don't ask people to treat him badly."
Gao An told him that Zhu Yunqiong had already fallen asleep in the side hall, Zhu Yunxuan nodded: "Let him sleep, when he wakes up, send him to the newly arranged residence, you stare at the person who nodded."
"promise."
Gao An complied, and quickly went to order the secretary to do things.
Zhu Yunqiong woke up after a nap, and was called to her again by Zhu Yunxuan before being sent away. Looking at the child's bright eyes with fear and gratitude, Zhu Yunxuan's heart softened a little, and he raised his hand to touch his head: "Go, no one will bully you in the future, come and tell me if you need anything. .”
The child obediently responded, and thanked him: "Thank you, Brother Emperor."
Zhu Yunxuan was slightly taken aback, a rare smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
After sending Zhu Yunqiong away, Gao An handed over the letter he had just received to Zhu Yunxuan. It was from Zhu Yunjing. In the past few years, Zhu Yunjing still sent a letter every two months. Talk to Zhu Yunxuan about that child, even though Zhu Yunxuan never avoids mentioning that child in his reply letters.
Three years ago, Zhu Yunjing took her child who was just full moon to go to southern Xinjiang alone, and it was not in vain. After staying in southern Xinjiang for half a year, the child's problems brought out from the womb were basically cured, but he was more sensitive than other children. Weaker, after a few years of careful nurturing, he is no different from an ordinary child.
Zhu Yunxuan never saw that child again. At midnight? When he dreamed back, there was only the crying appearance of the child when he was carried away from his arms. Every time he read the letter written by Zhu Yunjing, he imagined what the child might look like , the emptiness and loss in my heart deepened.
I thought that sending people away would gradually make me forget and let go, but only now did I realize that everything was in vain.
Even '暥', the name that Zhu Yunjing seemed to call out casually, was also written down on the paper when the child was in critical condition when he was upset.
Good day.
This was his only expectation for that child, he knew it, and Zhu Yunjing knew it too, but neither of them mentioned it tacitly.
In the letter, Zhu Yunjing said that he was going to enlighten Min'er after the spring of next year, and invited a great Confucian who lived in the south of the Yangtze River to teach him at home, and reminded Zhu Yunxuan in every line that if he didn't want to be born and have no other heirs, don't delay It is the best policy to take him back as soon as possible and be the orthodox heir to teach him.
Zhu Yunxuan's expression was gloomy, Zhu Yunjing never gave up persuading him about the same thing in the past three years, it was because he couldn't get out of it himself, and refused to let go of it.
Later, Zhu Yunjing also talked about some trivial things among the children, saying that Min'er is the best-behaved and obedient of the three children in the family, and his soft temper is extremely painful. Rob, whoever sees him probably has a preference for him.
Besides, next month will be Min'er's third birthday, so I told Zhu Yunxuan not to favor one another, but to reward this little "nephew".
Most people only know that the Dingguo Palace has two sons, the eldest son will inherit the title of Dingguogong in the future, and the second son will inherit the title of Dingguogong's wife. The emperor favors Dingguogongfu very much , the two sons will be rewarded generously every year on their birthdays. But few people know that in the Duke's mansion, there is also a young son who has hardly shown his face in front of outsiders.
Zhu Yunxuan was almost indifferent to Xiao'er, forcing herself not to put too much emotion and thought on that child. How could Zhu Yunjing not know his entangled thoughts, but deliberately brought them up in front of him, just to want to He really faces up to the existence of Yu'er.
Seeing that Zhu Yunxuan looked at the letter and suddenly became dazed again, the tea in his hand was almost cold, Gao An signaled someone to come over to change him a cup, and called him softly: "Your Majesty..."
Zhu Yunxuan came back to his senses, pursed the corners of his lips lightly, and told Gao An: "Go and prepare another reward according to the reward you prepared for Duke Ding's son's birthday last time, and send it to Minzhou..."
His eyes fell on the window sill by the side of the couch. The row of bamboo dolls had been placed there for several years. Although the little eunuchs often wiped it spotless, the color had become dull.
Back then... what Liang Zhen said back then, "I only have these little gadgets to leave to him, and please give them to him no matter what", he actually always remembered, but his attitude towards children has always been To escape, he didn't even dare to give things to his children, let alone help Liang Zhen.
After a long silence, Zhu Yunxuan spoke again: "Send those bamboo dolls too."