April 6th, in the Yongning Hall of the Imperial Palace in Beijing.
Xin Ya finally received the letter from Lord Marquis today.
These days, I see His Royal Highness looking forward to it day and night, even running with him four or five times a day, asking if there is any letter from the Marquis outside the palace today.
As for Xiao Zimu, he wrote a letter to Xia Chu last month. He thought he would not reply, but he did.
This made Xiao Zimu ecstatic, and he quickly wrote him a second letter, counting the days until he would reply, but he never replied.
On the one hand, Xiao Zimu was worried about his health on the mountain, and on the other hand, he remembered his instructions before leaving.
When Xin Ya entered the palace, he happened to see Xiao Zimu who was looking at the green bamboo lantern in a daze.
He quickly stepped forward, took out the letter and said to Xiao Zimu: "Your Highness, this is a letter from the Hou Mansion."
Xiao Zimu turned around suddenly, and there was a crack in his jade-like face.
He stretched out his hand to take the letter, suppressing the joy in his heart. He was about to open the letter, but suddenly stopped.
"Your Highness, stop guessing. Once you open it, you will know if it belongs to the young Marquis." Seeing his hesitation, Xin Ya couldn't help but mention it.
"Talk too much." Xiao Zimu scolded him, feeling as if he was being said to be embarrassed.
He stretched out his two slender fingers and took out the letter inside. Before he opened it, through the white paper backing, he could faintly see the writing inside, which was the crazy writing he had been looking forward to for more than half a month.
The breath he was holding finally came out gently.
Xin Ya watched Xiao Zimu's frown slowly loosen, until his last eyebrows were filled with a layer of joy, and then he exhaled a breath.
These days, Xiao Zimu has been waiting with eager eyes, and he is also looking forward to it.
After all, only when his master is happy can he feel relieved.
"Let's go and say goodbye to our father, the emperor, mother and concubine." Xiao Zimu ordered Xin Ya, who was looking happy.
"Huh? Your Highness won't reply to the young Marquis?" Xin Ya asked instinctively. This is not quite like His Highness's style.
"It seems that you don't want to leave the palace with me tomorrow." Xiao Zimu glanced at him and walked past him.
"Farewell, Your Highness..." Xin Ya chased after him with a sad face.
Xin Ya, who was following behind dejectedly, didn't know that Xiao Zimu in front of him was slightly raising the corners of his mouth.
The reason why he didn't rush to reply was because Xia Chu told him that the mountains were no longer so restrictive. After he left the palace tomorrow, the Hou Mansion would send someone to protect him secretly. Secondly, it would also make it easier for them to communicate at any time.
He was naturally extremely happy in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face.
Xiao Zimu first went to Qingxin Palace. When he learned that the emperor happened to be having dinner with Concubine Lian today, he turned around and walked towards Yaohua Palace.
Entering the mother-in-law's palace, Concubine Lian was painting a picture for the emperor.
Xiao Zimu's paintings were excellent, and Concubine Lian had taught him well since he was a child.
"At this hour, I'm not here to pay my respects, right?" The emperor saw him coming and asked.
"My son came all the way from Qingxin Palace." Xiao Zimu replied after bowing.
"Why are you looking for me?" the emperor asked, raising his eyebrows.
"It's a good time for my father to be here with my mother and concubine. My sons and ministers are here to say goodbye."
As soon as Xiao Zimu finished speaking, Concubine Lian's painting stopped. She looked at Xiao Zimu and asked doubtfully: "Mu'er is leaving the palace?"
Xiao Zimu nodded and said, "I have mentioned this to my father before."
Concubine Lian's eyes moved to the emperor. When he saw the emperor nodded, she put down her pen, walked to Xiao Zimu's side and said: "I have never heard you mention it before. It is a big deal for the prince to leave the palace. It has to be done." Let’s discuss it in detail.”
"I will arrange for people to escort him, you don't have to worry." The emperor patted Concubine Lian's hand to comfort her.
"But..." Concubine Lian hadn't finished her words yet.
Xiao Zimu then took it over: "Father, there is no need to send someone to escort me. My son wants to conceal his identity and travel. How can we understand the sentiments of the people with such a big fanfare?"
"You are thoughtful, so let's send some people to protect you secretly." The emperor looked happy and nodded with satisfaction.
"My son, I thanked my father." Xiao Zimu knew that he couldn't refuse, so he thanked him generously.
"When will we set off?" Concubine Lian's face was instantly filled with worry.
"tomorrow."
"So fast?" Concubine Lian asked in surprise
"If we leave earlier, we might be able to come back in time to drink Fourth Brother's wedding wine." Xiao Zimu wanted to make his parting words as easy as possible.
"Go early and come back early. Zi Mu is no longer a child." The emperor said to Concubine Lian.
The emperor didn't think much of Xiao Zimu's travels.
After all, he himself fights the world on horseback.
Now, in his opinion, he just gave his son an opportunity to go out of the palace and travel around.
"He is only sixteen, why is he not a child?" Concubine Lian refused and looked at the emperor with resentment.
"When I was sixteen, I had already been fighting for two years with Zhao Dingshan, Gu Shiqing, and Xia Weimou." The emperor said with a straight face, pretending to be angry.
At this moment, Xiao Yanjun laughed softly.
The emperor continued to ask with a serious face: "Why are you laughing? You should be thrown into the military camp to have some experience."
"Yes, my father's ambition is far beyond the sky, and his ambition will not change in the world. The heroic deeds of those years have long been recorded in history books and will be remembered through the ages." Xiao Zimu said softly.
The emperor was caught off guard and flattered, and his majestic face did not tense up for a moment before he laughed.
"At that moment, I just felt that my father and mother were as strict as an ordinary couple, which made Zimu feel very warm in his heart." Xiao Zimu said sincerely.
Some of the children of this emperor's family can feel tenderness.
After the emperor heard this, he was stunned for a moment. After thinking deeply, he looked at Xiao Zimu with an even more kind expression.
He spent most of his life on horseback.
After ascending the throne, naturally he can no longer go to war.
Correcting memorials every day made him very anxious, even though he had been practicing writing since he was a child.
But after joining the army, I could never hold as many pens as swords, guns, swords and bows.
Therefore, after ascending the throne, he relied heavily on Du Hanfei, which allowed him to dominate the government and the public.
By the time I realize it, I can no longer eliminate it easily.
Therefore, he is also secretly supporting some rookies.
For example, for this year's top pick, the Ministry of Industry still lacked a right minister, so the emperor directly named him Xie Ji Ming.
He was a senior official of the fourth rank. The government and the public were shocked, but he still insisted on his own way.
In these years, he only focused on fighting in the first half of his life, and in the second half of his life, he only focused on stabilizing the government.
There really wasn't much time to devote to the harem and heirs.
Now, seeing Xiao Zimu growing up so well alone, the emperor pulled Concubine Lian into his arms and said something to her happily.
"You gave birth to a good son for me."
(End of chapter)