The soft sedan chair was stable, but Xiao Wanqing was restless. She glanced at the legendary second uncle of the emperor from time to time, and her heart was pounding.
"This...elder master, where are you taking this little girl?"
Zhu Qiyu opened his squinted eyes and said with a warm smile: "Girl, do you know who I am?"
"Young girl, I don't know." She shook her head innocently, with a little curiosity in her confusion, but she suppressed it, her eyebrows lowered and her eyes very well-behaved;
At the same time, there was also a hint of fear and uneasiness.
This time, the acting is impeccable, and the emotions that should be expressed are perfectly and harmoniously expressed, which is extremely wonderful.
"I am the emperor of Ming Dynasty." Zhu Qiyu said.
"Ah?" Zhu Wanqing opened her mouth in shock, "You, you... you are the emperor?"
Zhu Qiyu nodded with a smile, "Why, do you think there is someone pretending to be the emperor here in the capital?"
"Young girl of the common people don't dare." Zhu Wanqing shook her little hands hurriedly, then knelt down and kowtowed, "Young girl of the common people is blind and cannot see Mount Tai. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Child, get up quickly," Zhu Qiyu hurriedly helped her up, looking at the slightly red and swollen white forehead, his face full of distress, "Don't do this again in the future, don't break your head."
Zhu Wanqing nodded: "Young lady, please obey the imperial edict."
Zhu Qiyu burst into laughter, this eldest niece is really cute, "Don't be so divided, if one family doesn't speak the same language, we..."
He suddenly paused, hesitating whether to tell the truth.
Zhu Wanqing: (⊙o⊙)…
The little girl follows her brother, matures precociously, and thinks too much.
She became anxious immediately and said calmly: "Your Majesty, do you want to bring a commoner girl into the palace?"
"Yeah." Zhu Qiyu didn't shy away from anything and asked with a smile: "Do you want to know what the palace looks like?"
"No, no, no," Zhu Wanqing almost shook her head, "I want to go home."
Zhu Qiyu asked with great interest: "Where is your home?"
"In Jin... Jiaozhi." The little girl's head was quick, and she suddenly remembered her great-grandfather's words, and quickly changed her words, "The Ming Dynasty is very good, but the girls of the common people are not used to living there."
"Stop talking about being a little folk girl, do you know..." Zhu Qiyu thought for a while and asked: "Girl, have your parents told you about the past?"
"The emperor's words are somewhat difficult for me to understand." Zhu Wanqing said cautiously.
Zhu Qiyu sighed: "Since they didn't say anything, I won't talk too much."
After a pause, he said, "Yongqinghou Mansion is too small, and it is not convenient for you as a girl to live at home. There are many idle palaces in the palace, so I won't wrong you."
"Your Majesty, a commoner girl is still young..." Zhu Wanqing was about to cry.
Zhu Qiyu was startled, then he raised his hand and gave her a slap in the face, laughing and scolding: "What are you holding in your little head? Really... I asked you to live in the palace because Yongqing Hou's family has no land. Stay, do you understand?"
"Yes," Zhu Wanqing lowered her eyebrows and said in a low voice, "Can a commoner girl live in the palace at night and return to Yongqing Hou's house during the day?"
"Of course." Zhu Qiyu nodded with a smile, "As long as you are happy."
Seeing that the emperor's second uncle was so easy to talk to, Zhu Wanqing felt much relieved. At the same time, she also became uneasy, faintly aware that the emperor's second uncle might have seen the clues.
Did he mean to corrupt me with the extravagance of the palace, and then follow the clues and find out his parents... Zhu Wanqing quietly looked at Zhu Qiyu and thought to herself:
"I'm not going to be fooled. Hum, I can learn from Uncle Li. I won't do anything after getting the benefits. I'll leave after eating and drinking. Let's see what he can do."
How did Zhu Qiyu know that his eldest niece, who looked cute and cute, could be such a playboy? But even if he knew, he would just be happy and maybe add: My niece is really smart.
The sedan enters through the Meridian Gate, crosses the Jinshui Bridge, and goes straight into the harem.
The little girl did not dare to look around blatantly. She only looked at the structure of the palace through the gap in the sedan curtain. But this tip of the iceberg shocked her:
Is this the royal palace? It's really grand.
In the past, she might have felt a sense of yearning, but since she knew Princess Ming's sorrow, she didn't feel better at all.
No matter how good it is, what's the use? You won't live long, and you won't have any freedom after getting married. How can you be as comfortable as being a rich girl in Jinling?
My father loves me, my mother loves me so much, and I have my big brother to protect me. How lucky I am that I don’t want to be a princess... Zhu Wanqing curled her lips quietly, inadvertently showing a arrogant look.
Zhu Qiyu was very amused when he saw it.
A quarter of an hour later, the sedan stopped. Zhu Qiyu led her out of the sedan and said to Xiao Hengzi: "Arrange a good place for her and assign twenty maids to serve her. Don't let her suffer any injustice."
"Yes, I obey your order." Xiao Hengzi hurriedly bowed his head and said yes, "Miss, please come with us."
Zhu Wanqing was a little frightened and said bravely: "Your Majesty, I still... still want to go back... to the home of Marquis Yongqing."
Although she could only live in the east kitchen, there was oil smoke and even small mice in the room, but at least she felt at ease. She didn't feel safe at all in the splendid palace here.
"It's better to live here." Zhu Qiyu said warmly, "You are ten years old, so you have to avoid some taboos. Hygiene is a problem there. Do you want to stink?"
"emmm...Okay." The little girl nodded sadly, followed Xiao Hengzi for two steps, then turned around and said: "I don't know anyone, what if...how can I find you?"
Zhu Qiyu pointed at Xiao Hengzi and said, "His name is Xiao Hengzi. You ask the waiter to find him, and then he can find me."
It's really troublesome... Zhu Wanqing nodded: "I understand."
…
Small courtyard.
"Godfather, I'm sorry." Li Hong lowered his head, "My child is in trouble and has failed to live up to your usual teachings."
Li Qing said 'hmm': "I won't do this next time."
"Will sister Wanqing live in the palace from now on?" Li Hong asked in a low voice.
"The imperial palace is much better than our small family. Besides, it is somewhat inappropriate for a little girl to live here." Li Qing joked, "You don't want her to live in the East Kitchen all the time, right?"
Li Hong nodded: "My godfather is thinking about it, but... I heard that there is intrigue inside and outside the palace, and sister Wanqing..."
"Think too much. Intrigues are driven by interests. She is a little girl and her movie has no impact on anyone's interests at all. No one is willing to do a thankless thing." Li Qing shook his head and immediately expressed a serious expression:
"Regarding Xiao Wanqing's family background, it must be kept secret. It will not be good for anyone if it spreads."
"I understand, kid." Li Hong nodded heavily. Until now, he still couldn't believe it. He smiled bitterly and said, "Uncle Zhu is actually the Ming Emperor. I... am under a lot of pressure!"
Li Qing said with a smile: "There is no need to put any pressure on him. Just treat him as an ordinary person. He is just your Uncle Zhu."
"My child understands." Li Hong sighed, "But...after all, I am the one who has the upper hand. I thought that sister Wanqing is just an ordinary person. Who would have thought... My child is also a prince-in-law, right?"
"..."
~
At the end of the Shen Dynasty, the imperial palace.
After Zhu Qiyu finished his official duties, he took Zhu Wanqing around the Imperial Garden while introducing her.
Gradually, the little girl was no longer so repellent, and her wariness was still strong, but she also got a lot closer.
"The emperor is so comfortable. He lives in such a big house and is served by so many people every day. No one dares to say no..." The little girl muttered, unconsciously complaining about her father.
"You are wrong, the emperor is not feeling well." Zhu Qiyu said softly, "If the national crisis had not been imminent, uncle, I would still be a happy prince."
The little girl said this completely subconsciously. As soon as she said the words, she realized that something was wrong and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, please calm down, little common girl..."
"Don't be a little girl, just call yourself 'I', and don't call me the emperor." Zhu Qiyu said with a warm smile, "No need to be formal, just do what you want."
"Little... I don't dare." The little girl said tentatively, "Then what should I call you?"
"Call me uncle."
Zhu Wanqing was stunned and smiled unnaturally: "This... How dare you reach such a high level? If my family has such a relative, why can't we take off?"
"Hahaha..." Zhu Qiyu was overjoyed, "You are really good at speaking."
Zhu Wanqing smiled along and asked, "Then I want to go to Yongqing Hou's house tomorrow, is that okay?"
"Call my second uncle and I'll let you go."
"...Second uncle." Zhu Wanqing blurted out, and then her face turned bitter: It's over, he tricked her out.
"Okay, I'll make some arrangements with my second uncle tomorrow." Zhu Qiyu said with a smile, "But I still have to go back to the palace at night. It's too inconvenient to live there. If you were a boy, my second uncle wouldn't care too much, but you are Girls."óΠъ.oяＧ
"Yes, listen to my second uncle." Zhu Wanqing shouted again out of nowhere, and then she became worried.
She was afraid that she would make too many mistakes, so she hurriedly said: "I'm tired and want to take a rest, is that okay?"
"Well, let's go." Zhu Qiyu nodded, looking at the little girl's back under the afterglow of the setting sun, with a smile on his lips.
Finally, his smile gradually turned bitter, and he sighed: "It's really uncomfortable to be an emperor..."
…
The next day, at the end of Chen hour.
Zhu Wanqing got off the sedan and said to Xiao Hengzi, "Father-in-law, please go back. Shen Shi will pick me up again."
"Hey, our family will go back then." Xiao Hengzi was very polite and did not dare to neglect at all. Although the details were not clear, the emperor allowed him to be escorted by a eunuch who was responsible for the ceremony, which was enough to prove the emperor's importance.
"Goodbye, miss."
"Goodbye~" Zhu Wanqing waved her little hand, then turned around and pushed open the door of the small courtyard, with her hands on her waist: "I, Zhu Wanqing, am back again!"
Li Qing glanced up and said, "Come back as soon as you come back. Why are you making such a fuss?"
Zhu Wanqing: ??????"Uncle Li, I haven't settled the score with you yet?"
"You want to settle accounts with me?" Li Qing sneered, "Why, your skin is itchy again?"
"...Rude!" The little girl made a face, a little fiercely, and then trotted up behind Zhang Sloppy, pressing her shoulders earnestly, "Grandpa Zhang, look at Uncle Li, he doesn't kiss me at all... "
"Well, I'll talk to him later." Zhang Sloppy nodded happily, "Girl, is the food in the palace delicious?"
"It's delicious." Zhu Wanqing raised a small eyebrow and made a demonstration gesture towards Li Qing, "It's much better than Uncle Li's craftsmanship. Wanqing will bring some back to you tomorrow."
This girl is very clever and knows that as long as it doesn't involve issues of principle, Uncle Li won't be angry if the little tsundere occasionally hits her.
Yesterday, when Li Qing refused to save her, she felt some emotions in her heart and used this to express her emotions.
Li Qing was not used to it and said: "Go, go to Dongchu."
"I won't stay here at night." The little girl raised her face.
"I didn't let you stay, I asked you to work." Li Qing said, "Help your elder brother wash and choose vegetables."
Zhu Wanqing: -_-|| "Uncle Li, please take a step to speak."
She became serious: "My niece is not messing around, something is really wrong!"
"Well..." Li Qing stood up and walked to the side of the courtyard wall, and the little girl quickly followed.
Li Qing stopped at the corner, turned around and looked at the little girl who was following him, "What's the matter?"
"Uncle Li, does the emperor know my identity?" she asked, nervousness written all over her face.
"I know." Li Qing didn't hide anything, "I know everything."
Zhu Wanqing trembled and said anxiously: "Did you tell him? How could you..."
"He guessed it, but it doesn't matter." Li Qing said, "If he really had bad intentions, he wouldn't let you come back."
After a pause, he said seriously: "Little girl, please remember that he did not snatch the throne, but your father lost it. He was just forced to come up. Being the emperor was not his intention. Speaking of which, it is not him who feels sorry for you. Dad, but your dad is sorry for him;
He is not a scourge, he is your second uncle, do you understand? "
Zhu Wanqing said worriedly: "But... dad said that if he is exposed, our whole family will be finished."
"It scares you, but it would be like that for an ordinary emperor, but he is different," Li Qing said warmly, "He is just your second uncle. He has no bad intentions. He is a very good person."
"Is it true... Mom and dad are really going to be okay?"
Li Qing nodded with a smile: "Uncle Li is here, there is nothing to be afraid of."
"Uncle Li...you are so kind." Zhu Wanqing was moved to tears, "Actually...the food in the palace is delicious, but it is not as good as what you cook. This time I am telling the truth."
"Well, next time you lie, I'll slap you."
Zhu Wanqing: "..."
~
Five days later.
Zhu Gaoxu got up just after midnight. After washing, he combed his hair and beard in front of the mirror, and specially changed into new black clothes.
Today is the day to worship ancestors.
"Sir, Mr. Li, Li Qing..." Zhu Gaoxu shouted at the top of his lungs.
"What?"
"Don't you know that we are worshiping our ancestors today?" Zhu Gaoxu said in a low voice, "Get up quickly. It's true that you can forget the anniversary of Taizong's death."
"...Start now."
Li Qing quickly dressed up and walked out of the small courtyard. Looking at the sky full of stars, he couldn't help but get angry: "What time of day is this? Are you in such a hurry?"
"It's getting late. We'll set off in an hour at most." Zhu Gaoxu said, feeling a little nervous but also looking forward to it.
Li Qing understood Hanhan's mood and didn't say much. After washing, he sat with Hanhan in the living room and waited.
Waiting and waiting, half an hour, an hour, an hour and a half...until dawn, no one came to knock on the door.
Zhu Gaoxu couldn't sit still: "Isn't this grandson just like you and has forgotten the anniversary of Taizong's death?"
"Absolutely impossible." Li Qing told him to calm down. "Your status is sensitive. If we go too early, we will attract attention. When they are almost here, we will have time to set off again."
"Ang, okay." Zhu Gaoxu worried about the gain and loss, "If he dares to forget, I will have to beat him up. I may not be able to catch up next time."
Li Qing patted him on the shoulder and said, "Calm down, it's okay."
'Dang Dang Dang...' The door was knocked, and a high-pitched voice came: "Is Marquis Yongqing awake?"
"Come right now." Li Qingyang replied, stood up and said, "Let's go."
Zhu Gaoxu stood up and his body, which had always been stooped, became much straighter today...
