When the queen passed away, Emperor Xuande was in unbearable grief. Later, he found out that the queen had been framed, and he became furious and demanded a strict investigation. Everyone in the concubine palace was in danger.
Ten days later, the truth came to light. It turned out that the concubine Shu, who was born in the Duke's palace of Qi State, colluded with the eunuch, the leader of the imperial family, to take the queen instead.
Emperor Xuande was so angry that he had all the people involved killed and punished. He also wanted to work hard in Qi's palace, so he only revoked his title and did not raid his home.
Afterwards, Emperor Xuande endured his grief and arranged for the two princesses born by the queen, the eldest princess Yongle to be sent to Pixiang Palace to be raised by Concubine Zheng Xian; the third princess Jiaojiao was raised by Concubine Luo of Changxin Palace.
Concubine Zheng Xian was born in the Zheng family of Xingyang, Yaohan's top and most prestigious family, and gave birth to the second princess Sissi, who was only two years older than the third princess;
Concubine Luo's mother's family is the Marquis of Changping. Her father, Marquis Changping, is the general of Zhenxi. Half of Yao Han's military power is in his hands. She gave birth to the second prince Ji Yun. Unfortunately, he was weak and sick since he was a child, and he got strange illnesses during the Zhongyuan period. , people secretly call him the Ghost Prince.
Both of them are popular candidates for the new queen. They come and go with each other in private, which is very lively.
Time flies, five springs and autumns have passed in the blink of an eye, and the position in the middle palace is still unresolved.
Imperial Garden, southeast corner.
A young girl in lavender palace clothes is kicking the shuttlecock. She is as light as a swallow. Sometimes she uses her left foot, sometimes her right foot, and sometimes she kicks with left and right casters. The shuttlecock also rises and falls, and moves forward and backward. Afterwards, it looked like a graceful and agile little swallow.
The seven or eight-year-old girl next to her was so impressed that she clapped her hands and jumped up and down cheering: "Big sister is so awesome!"
At this time, the wisteria bushes beside the flower bed began to sway, and a chubby little girl emerged from them. She ran over and said, "Sister, I also want to learn to play shuttlecock."
Yongle's body stiffened, and the flying shuttlecock suddenly fell to the ground. She turned around and glanced at the chubby little girl with a complicated expression, and said: "I haven't finished my homework yet, you can play."
Then he turned and told the second princess's servants: "Watch them and don't let them get near the water."
After saying that, he turned around and left with his maid.
Sissi pursed her lips and stared at her back without saying a word. Sissi, who picked up the shuttlecock, was stunned for a moment and pouted unhappily: "It's all your fault. What are you doing here, you broomstick?"
Hearing this, Jiao Jiao immediately put away the grievance on his face, clenched his small fist, raised his hand and waved it up, yelling fiercely: "I am not a broom star."
She was extremely strong. Sissi, who had just celebrated her seventh birthday, was no match for her and was immediately knocked to the ground.
The palace maids and eunuchs were shocked and rushed forward to pull her. She grabbed the little eunuch's wrist with her backhand and bit it hard.
"ah--"
The screams of the little eunuch resounded through the imperial garden, and the two palace maids felt their hearts tremble when they heard it. Seeing their second princess's tearful face, which was covered with dust, they hurriedly pulled her away.
Sissi got up from the ground and was about to fight back. At this time, the palace maid and eunuch who was thrown away by Jiao Jiao also arrived and stepped forward in time to separate the two.
After receiving a few punches in vain, Sissi cried and shouted: "You are, you are the broom star! You killed your mother as soon as you were born. My eldest sister doesn't want to care about you, and my father doesn't like you either!"
Jiao Jiao broke away from the two palace maids, raised her right hand, revealing the blood-red gemstone bracelet on her wrist, and shook it: "You - don't - have -"
Sissi cried louder. This was a tribute sent by Gao Fan. There were only two strings. Obviously she and her eldest sister saw them first, but her father gave them to her eldest sister and third sister.
She wiped her tears and shouted angrily: "Why are you so proud? My father's favorite is my eldest sister, and you don't even have a title."
Although he didn’t know what banning an account meant, Jiao Jiao still refused to be outdone: “You don’t have one either.”
"You, you, you! Wow, concubine..." Sissi, who couldn't be beaten or made any noise, ran away crying.
In the evening, Ji Yun went to the imperial study to report his errands and was about to leave. Emperor Xuande stopped him: "Take care of her when you have free time. Don't let her tear down my palace."
Ji Yun nodded blankly, and as soon as he left the royal study, he asked Xiao Xizi: "What has the princess done in the days since I left?"
"Seven days ago, the princess's bamboo dragonfly flew onto Wang Zhaoyi's roof. She went up to pick it up, and when she encountered an insect, she was frightened and trampled on Wang Zhaoyi's roof."
"She's not injured, right?" Ji Yun was shocked.
"No, Xiao Chunzi called the guards in time to take her down. It was Wang Zhaoyi's roof. More than ten tiles were broken and a beam was broken."
Ji Yun breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."
Xiao Xizi rolled her eyes secretly, what's so good? It rained heavily that night, and Wang Zhaoyi's palace was almost flooded. Five or six repairmen worked hard all night in the rain to repair it.
"Six days ago, the princess destroyed the night-blooming night-blooming flower carefully cultivated by Princess Yingxuxuan."
"Epiphyllum? It won't bloom until after midnight. Why is she going to Yingxuexuan if she doesn't go to bed so late?"
"The princess came specifically to see You Tan bloom. Five days ago, the princess..."
Ji Yun's mouth twitched. He had only been away for seven days. He was causing trouble every day!
"Today at noon, I beat the second princess to tears in the imperial garden. After lunch, we were plucking the goose feathers in our Linhua Palace. Xiao Chunzi didn't hug her tightly, and the goose flew out and threw Wei Jieyu who was passing by into the water."
Ji Yun held his forehead and said feebly: "Get the gifts ready and send them to each palace tomorrow."
Xiao Xizi raised her head, looked around, and after making sure no one was there, she lowered her voice and said, "Your Majesty, it would be better for Your Majesty to take charge of this matter. Please advise Your Majesty."
Ji Yun sighed softly. Why didn't he hope that his father would discipline her as an ordinary daughter? After all, it was her wish to grow up like an ordinary child.
It's a pity that no matter how much he tried to persuade her, his father still avoided her like a snake or a scorpion. If he didn't have a deep love for the late empress, and under the guise of seeing Jiao Jiao, she would be easily reminded of the late empress. The spies saw the clue.
When he arrived at the gate of Changxin Palace, the little person crashed into his arms like a cannonball, raising his head and complaining: "Second brother, why did you come back? I miss you so much."
The clear black and white almond eyes are bright, and the tone of voice is crisp and sweet, which makes my mood become a little brighter.
Ji Yun glanced at her sideways, raised his eyebrows and said, "Really? Why did I hear that you were busy causing trouble?"
"I didn't. It was the second sister who scolded me first."
"Where's Madam Wei?"
"That was her own bad luck. I just wanted to use goose feathers to make a shuttlecock, but the goose ran away when I plucked the feathers. I didn't expect that Madam Wei is even afraid of geese!"
Ji Yun glared at her: "You still have a point. If you want shuttlecocks, just ask Xiao Chunzi and the others to buy them. Do you need to make them yourself?"
As he walked inside, he scolded, "There are also bamboo dragonflies, the roof is so dangerous, what if they fall..."
As they talked, he heard no argument, and he couldn't help but wonder that this was not her temperament.
Turning around, he saw Jiao Jiao standing there, wringing his index fingers unconsciously, with a very tangled look on his face, as if he wanted to argue but was worried at the same time.
"What are you doing standing there? Go in, my mother-in-law is waiting for us."
Jiao Jiao looked up at him and said softly: "Second brother, from now on I will be obedient and never cause trouble. Don't ignore me."
Ji Yun was stunned, waved the palace people to disperse, squatted down and asked softly: "Who told you what? Why did you remember to be obedient?"
Jiao Jiao bit her lip, fear flashed across her face: "Concubine Luo took me to apologize to the second sister in the afternoon. The eldest sister told me that if I keep disobeying and causing trouble, you will ignore me.
I asked Xiao Chunzi, Aunt Xu, Bi Fu, Huang Tao and Concubine Luo. They all like obedient children, and I will be obedient in the future. "
Ji Yun's heart was extremely complicated. He had never seen such caution in her eyes. During the Nanming period, she was cold-hearted and cold-hearted. She didn't take anything or anyone to her heart. She even held the knife to her neck without blinking. , not to mention being cautious.
In this life, she is no longer cold and lively. She is careless and gets into trouble all day long. She even argues confidently after the incident. Being cautious has nothing to do with her.
After a moment of silence, he said softly: "You can be disobedient and ignorant. I will always be here and will not ignore you just because you are disobedient."
"Really?" Jiao Jiao's eyes lit up.
"When did I lie to you?"
"Second brother is the best!" Jiao Jiao cheered, hugging his arm and rubbing him affectionately.
Suddenly, her dark eyes rolled, and she asked expectantly: "Then can I make another request?"
"Tell me about it." He really knows how to push things further, Ji Yun laughed.
"Can you not be brave? Some things are too scary."
Ji Yun was a little confused. He never expected that she would make such a strange request. As a five-year-old girl, she just needs to be healthy and happy. What should she do bravely at this time?
After thinking for a while, he asked: "What are you afraid of?"
"A lot, ghosts, bugs, snakes, rats, pain, and ugly and disgusting things."
Ji Yun was even more confused. Most girls are probably afraid of this. "Why do you ask that? Isn't there someone who doesn't scare you?"
Jiao Jiao nodded: "Someone told me that I can't be afraid. If I am afraid, I will make mistakes and the consequences will be very serious."
"Who said that?"
Jiao Jiao tilted her head slightly, her eyes flashing with confusion. After thinking for a long time, she scratched her head and said, "I forgot."
Ji Yun exhaled deeply and said slowly: "Of course you can be afraid. Everything in the world has something to be afraid of, but you can't always be afraid. You have to overcome it slowly."
Jiao Jiao thought about it seriously and nodded heavily: "Yes."
Ji Yun stood up and was about to take a step when he remembered something, "When did you take your eldest sister's words so seriously?"
"Eldest sister said that it's not because she doesn't like me that she ignores me. It's just that Concubine Luo and Concubine Zheng don't get along. She and I belong to two palaces and we can't be too close. In this case, Concubine Luo will be angry and Concubine Zheng will be too. angry."
Ji Yun was filled with emotions for a moment. Looking back on the past, that little girl in Yongle was proud and willful, but now she has learned to be patient, be patient, and watch her actions.
The next day, Jiao Jiao woke up and ran to Linhua Palace, only to learn that Ji Yun had already left the palace. She pouted and sat on the stone steps: "Why are you leaving again!"
Xiao Xizi hurriedly explained: "His Highness is checking the salary. This is a big deal, but His Highness has not forgotten the princess."
He pointed to the room, "I brought you your favorite candied haws. I went directly to Changxin Palace after the interview yesterday and didn't have time."
"That's pretty much it."
Five days passed when Ji Yun returned to the palace. When he heard the news, Jiao Jiao ran towards Linhua Palace without even bothering to have breakfast.
After entering Linhua Hall, I found that the entire palace was silent and empty.
She was a little confused and was about to go out to ask someone when she suddenly heard a soft murmur from the direction of the bedroom, "It's cold."
It's the second brother's voice!
She hurriedly ran in and saw her second brother huddled on the couch by the window, shouting that he was cold.
Strangely, his face was covered with sweat.
"Second brother, what's wrong with you?" She hurriedly ran up, "Are you sick? I'll call the imperial doctor. Xiao Xizi - Xiao Xizi -"
After shouting at the top of his lungs for a long time, no one responded. Jiao Jiao felt strange in his heart. He glanced worriedly at Ji Yun, who was shivering from the cold, and turned around to call the imperial doctor in person. The moment he turned around, his hand was grabbed.
"Second brother, you're awake! Why are you sick? Why aren't Xiao Xizi and the others here?"
"I'm... fine. There's no need to... call the imperial doctor. You go back to Changxin... Palace. My brother can't play with you today." He spoke intermittently and weakly, as if he would completely stop breathing in the next moment.
Jiao Jiao was in a panic, and her words came with tears rolling down her face, "You are so cold, you will die if you don't see the doctor."
Ji Yun cheered up: "Jiao Jiao, be good, brother is fine, he will be fine tomorrow. Today Zhongyuan, please go back to Changxin Palace as soon as possible."
"I do not want!"
Ji Yun was so anxious that he couldn't help but the yin energy soaked into his bones, and his consciousness fell into darkness again.
"Second brother."
Jiao Jiao screamed and saw that he was crying out cold again, so she climbed up to the balcony, lay down beside him, stretched out her short hands to hug him, the extreme coldness passed through her clothes, and she couldn't help it. She started to tremble, but she didn't let go. She shivered and said, "I can hug you and it will stop the cold."
Outside Linhua Palace, Bifu looked in and quickly retracted, saying anxiously: "What should I do? The princess has gone in!"
Xiao Chunzi was panicked and scared: "Why don't you hold the princess? Today is Zhongyuan!"
Huang Tao trembled: "Let's go quickly, someone is blowing on my neck."
Xiaochunzi's face instantly turned pale, and she said bravely: "What nonsense are you talking about? It's broad daylight now."
The three of them hesitated for a long time, but still did not have the courage to step into Linhua Palace, so they had to retreat to a palace alley and wait outside, hoping that Jiao Jiao would come out on his own.
