There was silence in the room for a moment.
After hearing this, Chang Sun looked dazed and murmured, "Nature has endowed us with divine beauty, Yin and Yang divide the day and night... The clouds are rising in my heart, and the returning birds are seen in my eyes..."
In her mind, she seemed to recall the magnificent and beautiful scenes she saw when she climbed the towering mountains as a child.
Chang Sun Wan'er, who was standing by, kept repeating: "I will climb to the top of the mountain and look down on all the other mountains..."
Then she suddenly bowed and said with a complicated look, "Mr. Luo's poem is dominated by the word '望' in the title. Every sentence is about looking at the mountain, but there is not a single word '望' in the whole poem. It can give people a sense of being there. It can be said to be exquisite and unique, with profound philosophy, which makes people applaud. Mr. Luo is a great talent, Wan'er is not as good as him!"
Empress Dowager Changsun also nodded and praised: "It is indeed a good poem. Luo Qing's talent has opened my eyes. He is indeed worthy of being chosen by His Majesty and Huo Yue."
Then he looked at Nangong Yang and said with a look of relief: "Your Majesty, I am relieved to have Luo Qing accompany you to study."
Nangong Yang said with a smile on his face: "Luo Qing, please listen to the order."
Luo Qingzhou bowed his head and listened attentively.
Nangong Yang said: "Today I will appoint you as my imperial companion. You can come to the palace at any time to read and talk with me."
Then he directed his order to the door: "Li Gui, inform everyone that Luo Qing can enter and leave the palace freely from now on. Do not stop him and do not search him!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Li Gui agreed, bowed and left immediately, his eyelids twitching.
Luo Qingzhou bowed his head to thank him, and then said: "Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your kindness. However, I will take part in the imperial examination next year, and I will be busy studying and preparing for the examination every day. I may not be able to come to the palace often to serve Your Majesty."
Nangong Yang smiled and said, "Mother, sister, you see, scholars are aloof and stubborn. If it were someone else, they would come to me every day to curry favor with me so that I can favor them in the palace examination next year. Look at Luo Qing, I asked him to enter the palace to study with me, but he refused and was not happy."
Chang Sun smiled and said, "This is a capable minister who does practical work and does not engage in deception. Your Majesty should stay away from those who flatter and fawn on you in the future."
Nangong Yang smiled and said, "What the Queen Mother said is true. Luo Qing's character is destined to be an upright and loyal minister in the future."
Then he looked at the girl beside him and said with a smile on his face: "Royal sister, what do you think? From now on, Luo Qing will assist me. Do you think I can govern the world well?"
Chang Sun also looked over there.
Nangong Huoyue said calmly, "Some people appear respectful and upright on the surface, but who knows what dirty things they might do behind the scenes. Your Majesty should not judge people by appearances alone, but should get to know them better before making a decision."
Nangong Yang smiled and said, "If it were anyone else, I would definitely give it more consideration. But Luo Qing was chosen by my Imperial Sister herself. My Imperial Sister has always been better than me, so the person she chose must be right. I trust my Imperial Sister, and naturally, I also trust Luo Qing."
Nangong Huoyue didn't say anything else.
At this time, Chang Sun stood up from her chair and said with a smile, "Well, Your Majesty, Huoyue, the food is getting cold, you guys should eat first. Queen Mother is a little tired, so she will go back to rest first."
Nangong Yang quickly supported her and said, "Mother, don't you want to have dinner together?"
Chang Sun patted his hands gently and said, "My mother has already used it. Huoyue has just returned. You two siblings haven't seen each other for such a long time. Have a good meal together and talk about the border. You can't relax while my mother is here. Let Luo Qing accompany you. My mother will go back to rest first."
Nangong Yang said: "Then I will take you out."
Changsun nodded.
Luo Qingzhou quickly bowed and said, "Farewell, Queen Mother."
Changsun looked at him and said kindly, "Mr. Luo, study hard when you return home and try to get a good score in the exam next year. Then you can assist the Emperor Zuo. You are only a few years older than the Emperor. In the future, you can be both the Emperor's minister and teacher, as well as his friend. If you work hard for the country and the people together, it will be a good story if it gets out."
Luo Qingzhou said respectfully: "I will keep this in mind."
Changsun nodded, and slowly left the room surrounded by the young emperor and palace maids.
As Changsun Wan'er passed by, she glanced at him again and bowed her head slightly, saying, "Master Luo, I will ask for your advice again if there is a chance in the future. I am convinced of my defeat tonight. I am deeply impressed by your talent. I hope I will have the opportunity to meet you again in the future."
Luo Qingzhou bowed his head and saluted, not looking away: "Miss Wan'er, you are too kind."
Changsun Wan'er looked at him again before slowly walking away.
The room became quiet.
Luo Qingzhou raised his head and looked towards the door, then turned his head and met the eldest princess's eyes.
The two looked at each other, both silent and silent.
Luo Qingzhou withdrew his gaze and continued to stand with his head lowered.
Not long.
Nangong Yang returned from outside, surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids, and said with a smile: "Royal sister, come, eat, and we can talk while we eat."
Then he said, "Luo Qing, you sit down too."
Luo Qingzhou was about to refuse, but Nangong Huoyue suddenly said in a cold voice: "Your Majesty, since he is a minister, he must abide by the rules. How can a minister and a monarch be equal?"
Nangong Yang glanced at her, smiled and lowered his head and said, "Imperial sister is right."
Then he walked to the table and ordered, "Luo Qing, you come and pour wine for me and my sister. How do you think?"
Luo Qingzhou walked over, picked up the wine pot and said, "I am flattered."
Nangong Huoyue glanced at him coldly, then walked to the table and sat down.
Nangong Yang smiled and sat down as well.
Luo Qingzhou had just poured him a glass of wine, and when he reached out to take it, it suddenly fell to the ground.
The wine glass broke and the wine splashed everywhere, soaking his shoes.
Seeing this, Li Gui hurried over, knelt on the ground, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to wipe it.
Unexpectedly, Nangong Yang kicked him away, raised his palm, and slapped him in the face, raising his eyebrows and angrily said, "You bastard, are you blind or dumb? Luo Qing is a weak scholar who has just come to the palace to serve. It is understandable that he can't pour the wine, but don't you know how to do it? Luo Qing poured it so full, didn't you remind him? My hand slipped, didn't you crawl over to catch it immediately? Blind idiot, what use do you have?"
Li Gui was so frightened that his face turned pale. He knelt down and kowtowed quietly, trying his best to admit his mistake.
Nangong Yang's face was full of sinisterness. He kicked him in the face again, knocking him to the ground, and shouted angrily: "Get out!"
Li Gui rolled and crawled out.
Nangong Yang turned around, smiling again, and said, "Luo Qing, ignore that servant, pour the wine."
The palace maid had already brought a new white jade wine glass.
Luo Qingzhou held the wine jug and carefully poured half a cup.
Nangong Yang smiled, raised his wine glass, and was about to toast the princess when a palace maid squatted down, brought out a pair of new shoes, and prepared to help him change into them.
Nangong Yang glanced at her, then suddenly kicked her in the face, knocking her to the ground, and angrily said, "Did I let you have extra hands? Are you blind? Luo Qing is here to serve you, put your shoes down!"
The maid hurriedly put the new shoes on the ground and retreated in panic.
Nangong Yang smiled again and said, "Luo Qing, these servants are all ignorant and are far inferior to you."
As he spoke, he lifted his foot and said, "My shoes are wet. They are a bit uncomfortable to wear."
Luo Qingzhou paused, put down the wine jug, squatted over, picked up the shoes on the ground, lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, I will help you put them on."
Nangong Yang smiled and looked across, saying, "Royal sister, the person you helped me choose is truly loyal."
Luo Qingzhou was about to lift his foot when Nangong Huoyue suddenly stood up and said coldly, "Put your shoes down!"
The room suddenly became quiet for a moment.
Luo Qingzhou raised his head and looked at her.
Nangong Yang's eyes flashed, but his face was still full of smiles.
Luo Qingzhou retracted his gaze and was about to lower his head to continue doing his own things when Nangong Huoyue suddenly came over and kicked him on the side of his back. She said with a cold face: "As a scholar, you are so flattering and have no integrity. It's a pity that I had a high opinion of you and placed high hopes on you!"
Then he shouted coldly: "Get out! I can't even eat when I see you now!"
Luo Qingzhou stood up, lowered his head and stood aside, but did not go out.
Nangong Huoyue stared at him with a cold gaze, slowly clenching the fists in her sleeves, and her long black hair fluttered behind her without wind.
Nangong Yang suddenly smiled and said, "Sister, don't be angry, it's just a small matter."
Then he waved his hand and said, "Luo Qing, please go out and wait first."
Luo Qingzhou then bowed and took his leave. When he reached the door, he saw Li Gui's face full of hatred and contempt.
“Bang!”
Luo Qingzhou went up and slapped him, but didn't say anything. He walked out and stood in the corridor outside.
Li Gui froze for a moment, covering his burning cheek, stunned for a few seconds. He opened his mouth to curse, to fight over, to go into the house and complain, but he dared not do anything. He could only stand there, gritting his teeth.
"Imperial sister, I offer you a toast."
Nangong Yang's voice was heard from inside the room.
The two siblings chatted for a while, all about trivial matters in the palace. Neither of them mentioned anything about border matters or national affairs.
Not long after, Nangong Huoyue stood up and said goodbye.
Nangong Yang tried to persuade her to stay for a few words, then personally escorted her out with a smile on his face.
When they walked out of the door, Nangong Yang looked at Luo Qingzhou standing in the corridor and said, "Luo Qing, please send the imperial sister out. It's getting late, so you should go back early. Study hard when you go back. If you want to enter the palace, you can come anytime."
Luo Qingzhou bowed and said goodbye.
Nangong Huoyue walked in front in a fiery red dress with a grim look on her face.
Nangong Yang looked at the backs of the two people walking one in front and one behind, still with a strong smile on his face.
Li Gui also hurriedly followed him out and prepared the carriage.
After passing through the long courtyard, exiting the palace gate, and walking through the long alley, Nangong Huoyue stopped in front of the luxuriously decorated sedan chair, turned her head, and looked behind her.
Luo Qingzhou raised his head, met her gaze, then lowered his head and said, "Your Highness, take care."
Nangong Huoyue was silent for a moment, without saying anything, she dragged her long skirt and went straight into the sedan chair.
Yuewu and Yueying, accompanied by their guards, quickly left with the sedan chair.
Luo Qingzhou withdrew his gaze and got on the carriage.
Li Gui and the guards escorted the carriage out of the palace and headed towards the outer city.
Luo Qingzhou sat in the carriage, closed his eyes, and slowly clenched his fists in his sleeves.
At this moment, the curtain next to him moved suddenly.
Then, a ball of paper rolled into the carriage.
Luo Qingzhou picked up the paper ball from the ground, slowly opened it, and looked carefully at the words on it.
"Sir, I am sorry for making you suffer. It is my incompetence. I am sorry."
Luo Qingzhou stared at the line of small words for a long time. Only after the carriage left the inner city did he hold it in his palm and crush it to pieces.
What he wanted to hear was not an apology.
At this moment, the communication token on his body suddenly vibrated.
He took it out. It was a message from the princess: Mother promised to help me convince my father. I should be able to go to the Qin Mansion tomorrow. Although I really hope to go tomorrow, to see you and to secretly bite you a few times, I still want to remind you that if you want to leave, leave early, otherwise you will be unable to leave. Don't worry about your family. As long as I am alive, no one dares to touch any woman in your harem. I will fight them to the death.
Luo Qingzhou paused and replied: Princess, thank you
Xiao Meijiao: Is that just a verbal thank you
Luo Qingzhou closed his eyes and was quiet for a while, then opened his eyes and replied: I will come back to find you when I come back.
Xiao Meijiao: Where can you find me
Luo Qingzhou: Your Boudoir
Xiao Meijiao: Why are you in my boudoir? Are you trying to take advantage of my snow coat
Luo Qingzhou: Taking advantage of you
Xiao Meijiao: You're just dreaming. Are you taking advantage of me as a way of thanking me
Luo Qingzhou: Princess, I want to make it a done deal with you
After the message was sent, it took a long time to reply: OK, I'll wait for you
Luo Qingzhou: Yeah
Xiao Meijiao: Don't cheat! Otherwise, I will tell Wei Mo and my aunt what I recorded last time, and you will be too embarrassed to see anyone in the future, humph!
Luo Qingzhou: I won't cheat, Princess. I will definitely be responsible for you.
Xiao Meijiao: No need, my father and mother will not agree, you can just come to accompany me secretly in the future, let me secretly get pregnant with your baby, then I will secretly run away from home, secretly help you give birth to the baby outside, and finally I will pretend nothing happened and go home. As for the baby, let Wei Mo and Chan Chan raise it, what do you say
Luo Qingzhou lowered his head and read these words without replying.
Little Meijiao: Brother Feiyang, Meijiao loves you. Meijiao does not ask for any status, but only asks you to be well, and then come to accompany Meijiao occasionally. Meijiao will never marry, and will always be your little lover secretly, and Meijiao will be satisfied with this.
Luo Qingzhou: Silly girl
Xiao Meijiao: I am not the only silly girl. Xueyi seems to have discovered your identity. Every day, she either reads your "The Story of the Stone" or reads your poems. Every night, she frowns and sighs like a woman in the boudoir. She always asks me about your recent news and asks me why I don't bring you to play in the mansion. Brother Feiyang, you'd better pray that my father and mother don't discover your secret, otherwise, you will definitely die.
Luo Qingzhou: Princess, good night
Xiao Meijiao: Awoo, I’ll bite you! You bad guy, you just like to seduce beautiful sisters, humph!
Luo Qingzhou did not reply.
Just as I closed my eyes, the message in my hand suddenly lit up. I opened my eyes and saw that it was from Xiaoyue, who had not spoken for a long time.
Xiaoyue: Brother, I’m in a bad mood. Can I see you tonight