When Xue Yan returned to the west hall, it was already late at night.
He sat alone under the lamp, playing with the copper coin in his hand.
It is an ordinary copper coin, plain and unremarkable, with the words "Qingping Tongbao" engraved on it, reflecting a dull color under the lamp.
But he looked upside down, his eyes never looking away from above. Jin Bao didn't dare to disturb him, and only glanced at his expression occasionally.
I saw Xue Yan drooping his eyes, his eyelashes cast long shadows under the lamp, his eyes were calm, but his eyes were deep, making Jinbao unable to guess what he was thinking.
So Jinbao sneaked out and gave him hot water for washing.
But not long after he left, he turned back. Hearing the door slamming, Xue Yan raised his head and glanced at him, and saw Jin Bao standing at the door, looking hesitant and hesitant.
"There is something to talk about." Xue Yan's expression was indifferent, and he focused his eyes on the copper coins again, not caring why he stopped talking.
"Master, outside Mingluan Palace... Little Weizi is here," he said. "Said there is a father-in-law who wants to meet His Highness."
Xue Yan paused and raised his eyes.
Jin Bao said tremblingly, "He said that His Highness should go out through the side door, and it must not be noticeable... Master, could it be...!"
When he said this, he was almost speechless.
Xue Yan raised his eyebrows and looked at him suspiciously: "Why are you scared like this?"
When Jinbao heard the words, he couldn't hold on anymore. His legs softened, he knelt down on the ground, and said with a crying voice: "Is it because the slave is following him, let him find out! Now that the master is asked to go out, he must be silenced! The master should not go, just be a slave If you don't spread this sentence, if you want to kill or cut, just let them do it..."
With that said, Jinbao whimpered and was about to cry.
Xue Yan showed a speechless expression. He stood up from the table, pulled the cloak and put it on, and walked out while wearing it. When he passed Jinbao, who was kneeling at the door, he even kicked his ass, motioned him to block the door, and told him to move away. .
"How long ago is the old Huangli, can you scare you like this?" Xue Yan lowered his eyes condescendingly while tying the belt, looking down at Jinbao. "Get up and cry, this is a good thing."
Jin Bao was wiping away his tears in fright. Hearing that, he raised his eyes hazy with tears and met his master's amber eyes.
Those eyes were cold and calm, but the flames of power and power were burning inside, as well as a smile that was under his control.
"...What good thing?" Jinbao was puzzled.
Xue Yan fastened his cloak and looked up at the dark night outside.
He hooked his lips and looked down at Jinbao. "In the near future, the director of the Dongchang factory will kowtow to you, is it a good thing?"
Jin Bao was so frightened that his liver began to tremble.
It's over, is the master scared out of his mind
He hurriedly walked over, trying to stop his master who had started talking crazy. But Xue Yan had already raised his legs and stepped over him.
into the dark night.
Jin Bao didn't see that, at the moment when he walked out of the door, Xue Yan raised his hand and calmly put the copper coin in his hand into the position of his heart.
—
Sure enough, as Xue Yan guessed, in the empty alley on the side of Mingluan Palace, there were two people standing, all wearing the clothes of ordinary eunuchs.
He calculated that this person should have been found during these days.
Now that the winter is deep, it is already cold, and the palace people are afraid of the cold, so it is easy to be lazy. In addition to today's winter solstice, half of the palace staff on duty have gone on holiday for the festival. For Dongchang, it is a good time to enter the palace.
He didn't have a lantern, and they didn't see him until they got close. The one who was waiting on the side hurried up to meet him, and Xue Yan saw from a distance that he knew it was Xiao Weizi.
Xiao Weizi greeted him in front of him, bowed and saluted him, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, you are here? Eunuch Wu is already waiting for you there."
Xue Yan looked over there and saw an old eunuch standing not far away.
It must be that person.
His mother-in-law's personal eunuch back then, is now the most capable subordinate of Duan Chong, the director of Dongchang Factory, Wu Shunhai.
Xue Yan's movements paused, and at the right time, he put on a timid gesture of being close to the country. Then he quickened his pace and walked in front of the man.
Before he could speak, Wu Shunhai had already plopped, knelt in front of him, and kowtowed in tears: "Your Highness, the old slave finally sees you!"
The sharp hoarse voice, with a mournful cry, echoed in the palace alley where the night was cold as water, it sounded particularly desolate and very moving.
Xue Yan understood.
If you have to pinch someone, you always need someone who sings a red face and someone who sings a white face. Only by pulling and pulling can you play this person with applause.
The one in front of him is specifically responsible for tying him up with his old feelings, making him feel that Dongchang has a deep friendship with him, and the other is to be the taciturn Buddha behind him, to control him and let him follow Dongchang's arrangements. direction go.
After all, they are trying to push themselves to the top, and there is always the risk of being out of control. In this case, it is necessary to both deter him and move him with true emotion.
It's just for acting, for Xue Yan, it couldn't be easier.
Xue Yan bowed and supported Wu Shunhai's arm, his voice trembling and he was at a loss: "Eunuch Wu, get up quickly, what are you doing!"
Wu Shunhai insisted on kneeling and hunched over to touch the ground with his head. The more he cried, the more sad he was, and he was trying to suppress others' attention, which sounded especially pathetic and pitiful.
"Minions are useless, they are useless!" Wu Shunhai cried. "Let the little master suffer for so many years of grievances, and the servant will die in the future, how can I still have the face to see Concubine Rong!"
Saying that, he whimpered again. The little Weizi next to him also stood and wiped away his tears, feeling sad for a while.
Xue Yan sneered in his heart, and his voice was also filled with suppressed sobbing: "My father-in-law broke me... How can I blame my father-in-law? My father-in-law still remembers me now, and if he can come to see me, I have already... "
The next words disappeared in a choked sound.
Xue Yan had been impatient for a long time, but felt that this old guy was too good at acting. He didn't show any sign on his face, and after persuading Wu Shunhai for a long time, he finally helped him up.
"Seeing that His Highness is in good condition now, the servants are relieved." Wu Shunhai wiped the tears on his face and said. "It's just that I always hear that His Highness is not doing well, and the servant can't bear it!"
Xue Yan showed a helpless smile and comforted him: "Father-in-law doesn't have to worry, I... can bear it."
"If Concubine Rong was here, how could His Highness have such a miserable life!" Wu Shunhai said. "Old slave now... It can be regarded as a bit of an identity that is not on the table. His Highness is now almost sixteen years old, and he is about to enter the court. Today's affairs in the palace, the slave can't get involved, but in the future, when he arrives at the former court, The slaves will try their best to help you!"
really. Xue Yan sneered in his heart.
Helping an unloved prince in the harem was a thankless task, and Wu Shunhai would not be willing to take this risk under the control of Lingfu.
But in the past it was different. The East Factory has the position of supervising officials, even if the power is low, there is still prestige, and it is much more convenient to do things. And he is a prince who has stepped into the previous dynasty. If Dongchang spends a little bit of heart to help him, he can immediately get the benefits on the bright side, which can be said to be a huge profit.
Therefore, Wu Shunhai gave him a promise first, so that he could see hope in his eyes, so that when he was struggling in the dark, he could remember more of their goodness.
Xue Yan's heart was clear, and there was a look of panic on his face: "This... Father-in-law, I never thought about it so far."
A trace of disdain flashed in Wu Shunhai's eyes, but he soon became complacent—surely, this kind of prince is the easiest to handle.
He comforted him with kind words: "Your Highness, you are not too young, so you should always plan for the future. Your Highness can't be bullied for the rest of your life, and this... this old slave can't explain it to Concubine Rong!"
"...You're right." Xue Yan said. "However, I only learned how to fight since I was a child. I don't know how to do anything else."
He looked at Wu Shunhai uneasily, his amber eyes were full of helplessness, and he had some expectations for a high position.
Wu Shunhai, who had relaxed his vigilance for a long time, naturally did not see that there was a wolf ready to go in these seemingly harmless eyes.
Wu Shunhai was even more satisfied when he heard the words.
With a loving look on his face, he said kindly, "Don't worry, Your Highness, everything has servants."
Xue Yan looked relieved: "Then I'm relieved, I just want to trouble my father-in-law."
Wu Shunhai was too happy to see him obeying his words like this. With a gratified smile on his face, he said, "What are you talking about, Your Highness? Back then, as a servant, this life belonged to Concubine Rong, and now I naturally have to do my best for His Highness, so that I can live up to the kindness of the Empress! "
Xue Yan was also very face-saving, and moved: "No matter what Xue Yan does in the future, I will remember the grace of my father-in-law today!"
Wu Shunhai hurriedly squeezed out two more turbid tears, but did not dare.
Then, he asked again: "How is the little master living here now?"
He hid the temptation in a concerned look.
After all, Xiao Weizi came to report these days, saying that Xue Yan walked with the prince of the Jun family and the sixth prince every day, and it seemed like they had become friends. However, the fifth prince has always followed silently, and the two of them didn't pay much attention to him, thinking that they were just treated as small followers, and it was not a big problem.
But he was still a little worried. After all, the palace is heavily guarded, and it is difficult for them to release people to the palaces of the empresses in the various palaces, so they don't know what the situation is.
Xue Yan heard the words, with a natural demeanor, lowered his eyes, and said lightly, as if he didn't want to mention more: "No one in Mingluan Palace usually makes things difficult for me, please rest assured."
Seeing him like this, Wu Shunhai was relieved 80% of the time. He seemed concerned again, and followed him with a word.
"This Concubine Shu is not difficult to deal with." Wu Shunhai said. "If you can win her favor, you will be better off in the palace."
Xue Yan showed a puzzled look: "Father-in-law...?"
Judging from his appearance, it was obvious that he was not having a good time in Mingluan Palace, and he didn't believe what he said.
Wu Shunhai was completely relieved.
He was a little proud and said casually: "Yes. Although she is favored, she is also confused. Why does she have no children yet? It's not even the people around her who are not well disciplined."
After all, although Dongchang is weak in the palace, there are still some eyeliners outside the palaces. The big maid in her palace often sneaks in and out of the imperial pharmacy, and also meets privately with people in the Yijieyu palace. What good things can she do
However, because of that old incident, Yijieyu broke up with Dongchang, and he held their hands again, so he didn't want to have any quarrel with Yijieyu over an irrelevant matter.
After all, the woman in the palace can't even protect her own stomach, so who can she expect to protect her
Wu Shunhai, who casually mentioned it, naturally did not notice the exploration and calculation hidden in Xue Yan's eyes when he heard this.