Mu Lin's riding skills were taught by Qin Zishu himself. If he were here, he would probably be relieved that she did not embarrass him.
The young man with red lips and white teeth was lying on the horse's back, riding a white horse skillfully and galloping on the official road. He looked calm and composed beyond his age, his movements were sharp and graceful, and his light purple clothes fluttered like a dream.
The woman in the carriage lifted the curtain and happened to see this scene. She thought that when this young boy grows up, he will surely charm thousands of girls and become the dream lover of countless girls.
Seven days later, the exhausted young lady arrived at the imperial city, entered the inner palace, went back to Qinghan Palace to bathe and change clothes, played with her delicate and pretty brother for a while, and then went to pay a visit to her father, the emperor, as a princess.
Emperor Ming looked lovingly at his little daughter, whom he had not seen for more than half a year, and held her hand, unwilling to let go.
"Lin'er, you've lost weight."
"… Father, I have gained weight." Mu Lin's eyes were slightly red. "Father, how could you be so thin?"
Emperor Ming waved his hand and said, "No problem. I caught a cold in the beginning of winter and it's gone very quickly. Father has just recovered from a serious illness, so it's inevitable that his complexion is a little worse."
A cold caused Emperor Ming, who was only thirty years old, to be bedridden for two or three months. Mu Lin thought of how strong his father was when his mother was still alive, and his throat felt a little dry, as if he had swallowed a plum.
"The dead are gone. Three years have passed. Please don't grieve too much. Before my mother passed away, she held my hand and said that she would watch over us and protect us from heaven... Father, how can she rest assured if you are like this?"
This was the first time in three years that Mu Lin mentioned Queen Mu. She thought the topic was too heavy to talk about, but she finally spoke to him.
Emperor Ming's expression darkened, and for the first time he opened his heart to his daughter.
"I have been a prince and an emperor all my life, and I have never failed the people of the world, except your mother. Lin'er, since your mother left, your father has always felt empty in his heart, and it can never be filled. Sometimes, I really feel that I can't hold on any longer..."
"Father..."
"You don't need to persuade me. Father knows that the living should look forward. But I am afraid that I will never be able to overcome this hurdle of separation between life and death in this lifetime..."
"Father is also sorry for you. The title I originally gave you was 'Changle', but I can't let you be a carefree Princess Changle. Instead, I force you to bear the heavy responsibility of Jingsheng's national destiny..."
"Father, as long as you and Xi'er are safe and healthy, I am willing to take on anything."
Emperor Jingming touched her head and said meaningfully:
"Lin'er, all your father can give you is power. Your father will give you as much as you can take."
"What if I want to be the Crown Princess?" Mu Lin looked up at Emperor Ming with a gaze as clear as a knife.
Hearing this treasonous remark, Emperor Ming remained calm and said word by word with certainty:
"I can tell you clearly that I have considered this matter. I originally thought that I would only have you as my child. Although you are a girl, I am willing to hand over the Tan family's kingdom to you. However, your mother does not want to. She only wants you to be a carefree princess, with fine clothes and horses, and a happy life. Your mother loves you to the core. She would rather take a big risk to get pregnant again than let you be bound by the imperial power for the rest of your life."
Mu Lin felt mixed emotions. She said she would protect her mother for the rest of her life, but it was her mother who always protected her. The love between mother and daughter is hard to repay in this life.
but…
Mu Lin has always had a doubt.
"Father, have you ever considered expanding your harem and allowing other women to expand the royal family?"
Although she admired her parents' love and did not want to destroy anything, for the sake of the royal offspring, she had to admit that the existence of a harem was necessary.
A gentle smile flashed across Emperor Jingming's eyes, and he recalled the year when the apricot blossoms were in the rain and the talented scholar and beautiful woman promised to spend their lives together.
"I and your mother secretly got married when I was sixteen. I swore to be together forever and never have children of the opposite sex. If you break this oath, Jingsheng will be doomed and the country will be ruined."
"It is indeed a poisonous oath..." Mu Lin was stunned.
She knew that her adopted father was a love-struck man, but she didn't expect that his deep affection could always exceed her limit. You know, Emperor Ming was canonized as the crown prince at the age of ten, and he dared to make such a vow after being the crown prince for six years. His determination to be together for life is evident.
How much love does one have to have for one's mother
This must be my love for my mother!
Mu Lin finally understood why her mother was trying so hard not to give him a son.
Which woman in the world would not be moved by such a man? They were a couple for life, and thousands of troops welcomed her as their queen. After death, she became haggard for him, and raised her children alone to miss him all her life.
After this conversation, Mu Lin felt much more relieved towards Emperor Ming.
People are used to forgetting the painful past, as if this would stop them from being sad. This is a kind of cruelty, but also a kind of salvation. However, there is a kind of person who would rather punish himself by enduring pain every moment than forget anything.
Emperor Jingming was such a person.
He will never forget it and can never let it go.
Mu Lin admired him, but would never want to be him.
Princess Jingxuan, who had lived in a Buddhist temple for a long time to pray for Emperor Ming and the Crown Prince, returned to the palace, took charge of all the affairs of the inner palace, and accepted the ladies of honor to come to the palace to pay homage.
At the palace banquet on New Year's Eve, the eldest princess attended the banquet in a purple and gold palace dress, holding the little prince's hand and accompanying Emperor Ming. Her innocent face gave a glimpse of her future beauty, and her aloof and calm demeanor overshadowed the precious clothes and pearls.
The ministers and noble ladies exchanged glances, and the rumors that had been circulating for the past six months about the eldest princess falling out of favor were proven false.
Princess Jingxuan is the apple of the emperor's eye. The father and daughter don't interact frequently, occasionally chatting a few words, and their demeanor is very close and natural. People can't help but sigh that the eldest princess has been favored for many years and is more favored than the little prince.
That's right, there is only one princess in the royal family. For a long time before, Emperor Ming had only this precious bloodline, and he was not as good as a pearl in pampering? As soon as the late queen passed away, the most precious title of the country was given to the eldest princess. The prince's tutor and a group of scholars in the upper study room taught the eldest princess to study alone, and this year even the power of the inner palace was given to her.
If the crown prince had not been appointed early, some officials would have suspected that His Majesty was planning to train the eldest princess to be the "Crown Princess"! Fortunately, the crown prince is as talented as the eldest princess. If he can grow up safely, he will definitely be a wise ruler.
The court officials once again thanked the late queen for giving birth to the prince at the risk of her life.
All in all, the princess's ability to reincarnate is truly enviable.
Mu Lin and his younger brother sat on the left and right of Emperor Ming, slightly higher up. Looking down from the high platform, it was hard to tell whether the smiling faces were loyal or treacherous.
Mu Lin drank some fruit wine and his cheeks felt a little hot. He quietly left the table halfway through the banquet, intending to go outside to sober up.
As the cold wind of December blew, the drunkenness really dissipated. Mu Lin walked slowly in a white cloak, with half of his face buried in the furry fox collar. He looked up at the crescent moon in the bright sky and suddenly felt a little lonely.
If her father had not found her and her son, she should be in Qingyuan Town cooking New Year's Eve dinner with her mother, right? On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, she went to watch the Lantern Festival. The moon in the sky was round and warm.
Mu Lin wanted to see the Lantern Festival, but she couldn't wait for the Lantern Festival in the Imperial City and had to leave for Baihu Academy. And what she wanted to see was not the Lantern Festival in the Imperial City.
I feel a little depressed.
"What are you sighing for?" A clear voice sounded behind him. Mu Lin turned around in surprise and saw Zijian.
No, to be precise, he now looked more like Zhongli Jian whom she met in the mortal world. He was elegant in green clothes and had unrestrained eyes.
The scene that I had long forgotten now emerged clearly in my mind.
Mu Lin's mood improved and he smiled:
"How did you come?"
"The war will not start for the time being, the spirits are resting and recuperating, and I am done with my work... My Highness, do you not welcome me?"
"How could that be? I am very happy to see Zhongli."
"Humph, sweet talk..."
Zijian poked her forehead unhappily, but the corners of his lips could not be seen raised in the darkness.
"Well, after listening to my sweet words, Lord Pluto, are you willing to help me?"
"Hands-off. This king cannot interfere in the affairs of mortals."
"I know, I just need you to help me find out some information, okay?"
Zijian knew what she was planning just by thinking with his knees, "To find out the news about the emperor's reincarnation?"
"Um."
"It's good enough that I've preserved your memory. Don't try to use the power of ghosts and gods to take these crooked paths."
"… "
Mu Lin sighed, and said unwillingly: "It was you who tricked my master into the human world, and yet you are so unkind. Don't blame me for not pleading for you when my master comes back to kill me!"
"Please, I work like a slave for you in the underworld, and it's fine if you don't support me, but you even threaten me to run errands for you in the human world. Is this reasonable?"
Good guy, he actually got the upper hand over her!
"Why are you staring at me?" Zijian felt uneasy when she stared at him.
"I think you are becoming more and more sinister..."
"You heartless little girl, I won't help you, I won't help you even if I see you again!"
Mu Lin didn't want to finish the matter, and changed the subject and sneered: "Let's not talk about the matter of Master for now. You arranged such an identity for me, shouldn't you talk about it?"
So what if she was reborn as a princess? Who would have thought that this imperial family was so strange? It was completely different from what she had seen in the historical records of various dynasties. Instead, it had some flavor of a storybook. They were a pair for life, and the emperor and empress were so affectionate that it made her doubt her life.
"You entered the human realm of reincarnation and were randomly reborn into this or that. What does it have to do with me?"
"Haha! Do you think I believe you? Without your intervention, how could I become a princess with such a complicated background?"
Mu Lin sincerely felt that it would be better to be a beggar, at least it would be cheaper.
"This is really not something I did. Jingchen specially arranged this identity for you. She said you would definitely be satisfied."
"… "
It would be fine if it was a secret operation, but couldn't it be done more successfully
Mu Lin gritted his teeth and said word by word:
"I will definitely thank her when I get back!"
Zijian heard a hint of murderous intent.
“A-choo… A-choo!”