In the imperial capital, except for the crown prince and the second prince, all the other princes have already joined the vassal. Although the thirteenth prince is middle-aged, he is weak and has insufficient congenital qualities, so Emperor Shenwu allows him to stay in the capital.
The eighteenth sister mentioned by Li Xian is Princess Yong'an, who is fifteen years old, smart, beautiful, lively and cute, and is loved by Emperor Shenwu. He put down the book in his hand and said in a deep voice, "Go down first and entertain them properly. Don't lose your etiquette. I'll be here soon."
After the chamberlain left, a white-faced scholar wearing a Confucian shirt walked in from outside and said, "Your Highness, the second prince is here to celebrate his birthday tonight. Does Your Highness want to come forward?"
We really have to be careful. Although the prince and the second prince are fighting to the death in the court, they are not absolute enemies in politics. If the meeting between the two arouses His Majesty's suspicion and thinks that they are secretly working together, then they will have to Have a drink.
Although this possibility is very slim, His Majesty is now seventy-five years old. What if he is old and stupid, what can't he do?
Almost instantly, Li Xian understood what he meant, but he shook his head and said in a deep voice, "The second brother, the thirteenth brother, and the eighteenth sister came together to celebrate my birthday. How could I not come forward? If My father has to blame suspicion for this, so from now on, it is better for me to study behind closed doors and stop participating in court affairs. Just rest assured, my father is not old enough to be a fool yet."
Moreover, this is his mansion. If he can't avoid it in his own mansion, then he is too cowardly a prince. If word spreads, his reputation as a prince will be even worse.
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In the courtyard, there are carved jade railings, intertwined wood and stone, and a lotus pond on the left side. In winter, the water is clear.
The pond is filled with lotus flowers of various colors, some as white as warm jade, some as red as flames, some as golden as gold, cyan or emerald, and as big as wheels. Even in winter, they are still blooming.
A pond of lotus flowers, the breeze blows, and the fragrance of lotus fills the air.
Among all the lotuses in the whole lotus pond, there is a nine-grade white lotus that is particularly eye-catching. It stands gracefully and gracefully, and its bright lotus petals are like thin jade pieces made by the best craftsmen in the world, crystal clear.
In the Prince's Mansion at night, the lights shine warmly, and the jade color is dizzy.
The breeze blows, the lotus petals tremble slightly, and the shimmering light on them is like broken gold. The jade light and the golden light intersect, blending into an intoxicating color.
"Wow, what a beautiful lotus. It's rare even in the palace." By the pool, a girl in palace clothes pulled the lotus and smelled it, with a look of satisfaction on her pretty face.
She is wearing a pink palace dress with a snow-white fluffy coat. She is light, tall and slender. Her eyes are bright, long, sparkling and charming, and her eyes are lively and cute.
Although the girl marveled at the beauty of the lotus flowers here, she did not pick them. Instead, she left after viewing them for a while. Verandas connect. There are several rocks lining the courtyard, with several banana trees planted on one side and a rich crabapple on the other side, which looks like an umbrella and has green silk threads hanging down from it.
Here, Prince Li Xian met the girl.
As soon as they met, the girl excitedly ran forward holding up her skirt and said, "Brother Prince."
"Yong'an, long time no see." Seeing his sister, Li Xian stepped forward and touched her head, his slender eyes full of doting.
For this sister, several brothers doted on her very much. After all, the age gap between them was too big before. At sixty years old, he could be her grandfather among ordinary people. Therefore, whether it is the crown prince or the second prince in the imperial capital, , and several princes who went to various places to serve as vassals, all showed great care for this sister.
Coupled with the favor of Emperor Shenwu, Princess Yong'an is really loved by thousands of people. Such an environment did not develop her arrogant and domineering attitude, but instead magnified her lively and lovely side. Even the courtiers were very fond of her. Good impression.
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"Second brother and thirteenth brother rarely come to the house once. We brothers want to have a good drink tonight." After bringing Princess Yong'an to the hall, Li Xian also met King Qi and King Ye.
When two rivals who also had ambitions to succeed met, the scene was not tense, but rather a happy one, and they seemed to have a deep brotherhood. Of course, under such circumstances, if you engage in some disputes of will, you will fall behind.
The battle for the throne has always been bloody and brutal, and the brotherhood has been wiped out in the open and covert attacks. How could they still live in such harmony?
And all the reasons came from a reward in the palace. On the prince's sixtieth birthday, Emperor Shenwu ordered a picture of pine and crane to prolong life. The meaning is self-evident.
The competition for the throne has always been bloody and cruel, but it is hidden under the water. Once it surfaces, the Ninth Five Emperors who are in charge of the country will not allow it. At that time, all efforts will be in vain under the thunder's wrath.
Therefore, at this time, it is the scene that the emperor and the court officials want to see, showing that the brothers and sisters of the Tian family are respectful and affectionate.
However, this scene is indeed a bit strange. A seventy-five-year-old father congratulates his son on his sixtieth birthday... It doesn't matter among the people, but in heaven, it is unique in ancient and modern times.
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Imperial City.
The clear windows are clear, the smoke from the cauldron is new and green, and the inkstone on the table is filled with the fragrance of ink. The night gradually rises, approaching from far away, permeating the color of wisteria and pine, like smoke and mist, and like light veil, floating in the air. Entering the jagged palace, you can see red walls and green tiles, painted sills and carved railings.
Ouchi's bedroom is at the very back. Lotus lanterns have been lit in the palace early, and the lights are shining brightly like daylight.
The rich and fragrant sandalwood dispels the coldness.
The old emperor changed into his court clothes, put on a mink coat, and leaned on the dragon couch. Beside him, a chamberlain was reporting to him. After listening, there was a trace of amusement in his eyes, and he immediately raised his hand to signal him to get down.
For him, the prince's birthday is just a trivial matter, and giving birthday gifts is just a casual thing. It has no other meaning, but they like to over-interpret it.
Afterwards, he forgot about it. On the other side, under the leadership of the chamberlain, Su Ming entered the palace. This was his first time here.
On the dragon bed, the old emperor was white-haired but energetic, and his words were full of energy. He did not look like a seventy-five-year-old man at all. When he saw Su Ming, a trace of undetectable anger appeared on the old emperor's face. With a smile, "I haven't seen you for a long time. The master's Dharma has become much more sophisticated day by day."
"Amitabha, there are so many books in the palace. The poor monk only glanced at a few of them and gained a lot of insights. Thank you, Your Majesty." Su Ming said the name of the Buddha, his expression as usual.
The smile on the old emperor's face grew stronger, and he asked again, "That's good. Is it still customary for the imperial master to live in the capital now?"
"Cultivation in the mountains is comfortable, but it is a little less popular. The bustling capital and the world of mortals can also temper the Buddha's heart." Su Ming's answer was stern. With his handsome and extraordinary figure, it seemed that he was really worthy of success. Taoist monk.
