On the next day, Chun Yuhua came to see off Yin Shang and others as usual, and all the due etiquette was fulfilled.
The royal families of the two countries were traveling together, and Dongpei's carriage naturally left the border town with them. However, no one tried to talk to each other for a while. The two teams only moved forward and backward without disturbing each other.
After entering Dingzhou, there was no need to stay in the wild. The official road was much easier to walk than the forest trails. We passed the two places in one day and entered a small town called Ming'an before dark.
Today is no different from yesterday. They were all greeted by local officials. Several people checked into the official post. After having a good meal and wine, Yin Shang washed and rested as usual.
She was somewhat interested in the man yesterday, and her homesickness was no longer so strong for a while. She waited quietly for Lin Boyu to fall asleep, then she repeated her old tricks, climbed out of bed quietly, and gently Open the door gently.
Sure enough, in a dark corner not far away, a small figure was huddled there, motionless.
Hearing the sound of the door opening and closing, he immediately raised his head and looked this way warily.
Seeing that it was the person from last night, Jiang Yixue moved slightly, and his body tensed up to look at her.
Yin Shang still had a calm expression and was not frightened by him at all. After confirming that he was there, he turned around and took his cloak and food, nimbly slipped through the crack of the door and walked towards him step by step.
About a few steps away, she stopped moving, squatted down and put her things away. She looked at him and found that he seemed to have some new scars on his body.
But she didn't say anything, put down her things and turned around to leave.
Seeing the door close not far away, Jiang Yixue relaxed slightly. Looking at the food and clothes, a trace of confusion appeared in his cyan eyes.
What does she want to do...
…
When he got up the next morning, Yin Shang opened the door as usual while Lin Boyu was not paying attention, and found that the plate of cakes had not moved, and the clothes had been folded and put aside.
...I should give it a try next time, he is so wary.
Yin Shang took the things back and put them away one by one.
In the next few days, Yin Shang roughly figured out when he would run out of the room and where he would stay. Every time, he took food and clothes out, and he would break some cakes to taste before giving them to him.
For seven or eight days, the two of them repeated this behavior, but never said a word.
At dusk on the ninth day, two days before the autumnal equinox, the two teams successfully entered Yi'an, the capital of Dingzhou.
The sixty soldiers escorting Yin Shang were ordered to return home, while Yin Shang and others were sent to the official post first, waiting to enter the palace to see Emperor Yongzai on the autumnal equinox.
Qi Hui and Dong Pei arrived late. When they entered the official post, it was already full of people. In addition to the kings and queens living on the top floor, the lower floors were also occupied by attendants and guards. .
After entering the official post, two officials came up to greet them and lead the way.
Jin Chengyi and Lin Boyu lived downstairs, while Yin Shang and Jiang Yixue were taken to the top floor.
In the fifteen kingdoms of Dingzhou, except for the two sons and one daughter of Emperor Yongzai, almost all the queens and queens from the remaining fourteen kingdoms were here. When Yin Shang went upstairs, he could still see a few doors open, and several Tao's eyes swept towards her in unison.
Yin Shang's face was calm and she kept looking back, while Jiang Yixue followed her without raising her head.
The official sent them to the door of the room, bent down and said with a smile: "The meals will be delivered to your room later. Just tell the attendants what you want."
Yin Shang nodded, indicating that he understood.
The official quickly went downstairs and left. Yin Shang went down one floor first, checked the rooms where Lin Boyu and Jin Chengyi were, and then returned to the top floor.
In the evening, the attendants brought the meals and knocked on the doors of their rooms one after another. They arranged the dishes one by one and stood by to wait for them to finish eating before collecting the meals again.
For a while, the corridor was a little busy with attendants going back and forth. The doors of every room were open, and many children couldn't stop and looked outside.
Yin Shang also took two steps outside and quickly threw the thing in his hand towards Jiang Yixue's room. The thing was wrapped in cloth and hit the ground without making any obvious sound.
After throwing it away, she quickly returned to the room and closed the door with her hand.
…
The attendant who was accompanying him today was not here, and Jiang Yixue breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was a bit uncomfortable to be served like this for the first time, he could not resist the hunger in his belly and finished the meal awkwardly.
However, when the waiter collected the dishes and left, he still saw the slight contempt in his eyes.
But he didn't care, he just sat there, waiting for the waiter to finish collecting the dishes, and when he was about to get up and close the door, something was suddenly thrown into the room.
He was startled and took several steps back. It took him a while to realize what he was doing, and he carefully looked at the dark blue thing, which should be wrapped in cloth, to see what was inside.
...Who threw it in?
He thought for a long time before he remembered that the Queen of Qi Hui was next door.
Pursing his lips, he walked over and closed the door first, then slowly moved in front of the thing. After squatting down, he touched it carefully through his sleeves.
After a long time, he finally lifted the turned-up corner of the fabric, and the contents immediately rolled out.
It was a bottle of something and a note.
The font on the note was made of silver and iron, and was extremely sharp. It was difficult to tell that it was written by an eight-year-old child.
——But Jiang Yixue couldn’t read the whole word.
He reluctantly looked at it and could only roughly understand that the bottle should be medicine. As for how to use it, whether to eat it or apply it, he had no idea at all.
He stared at the little piece of paper, almost making a hole in it.
After a long time, he picked up the things and rewrapped them into the dark blue cloth. There seemed to be a word on the corner of the cloth. Jiang Yixue turned it over and looked at it, and found that it was the word "上".
...is that her name?
…
Jiang Yixue couldn't fully recognize the thing, and in the end she didn't dare to use it. She just wrapped it and put it on the table and ignored it.
————————————————
In the morning of the next day, the attendants knocked on the door again and brought breakfast in.
Jiang Yixue woke up a long time ago. It should be said that he hasn't slept much - he hasn't slept so peacefully on the bed for a long time. He is not used to it. In addition, some children were crying and making noise last night, so it was difficult for him to sleep peacefully. .
Hearing the knock on the door, he focused his eyes, caught a glimpse of the thing on the table, paused, suddenly turned over and got out of bed, put the medicine bottle in his arms, and hid it under the quilt.
After doing all this, he said uncomfortably: "Come in."
The attendant pushed open the door and entered, still the same person as yesterday. He wanted to serve him, but he stammered and refused.
The waiter said nothing, only stood aside, waiting for him to dress and wash himself, then sit at the table to eat, and then collected the food as usual.
Tomorrow is the autumnal equinox, and today the last Wang Ji has also arrived at the inn. Everyone has gathered, and several officials have been ordered to come to announce the decree and tell them some things they need to pay attention to.
Among the fourteen kings who came to Dingzhou, the oldest one was Zhan Lubo, the second king of Lingzi, but Zuo was only twelve years old, and the youngest was Suo Qianyu, the fifth king of Yuezhi, who was only five years old this year. age.
The official looked at the little carrot heads sitting below, a trace of pity flashed in his eyes, and said: "Your Highnesses will enter the palace tomorrow. You need to pay homage to His Majesty first. After paying homage, you will stay in Purantai, study and practice martial arts. Every month On the tenth day of the lunar month, you must go to Xuanshi Palace to pay your respects to His Majesty. You can enter and leave Pulantai, but you are not allowed to stay out at night. You are not allowed to break into the palace..."
He spoke a lot eloquently, and most of the people listened carefully. Only a small number of people had blank faces, and some even lowered their heads and sobbed.
After he finished speaking, he finally said: "I hope all of you, Your Highnesses, will behave themselves and do not have any rebellious intentions."
Yin Shang's eyes were indifferent and he sat aside without saying a word.
Sitting on her left is the five-year-old Yuezhi Wang Qing Suo Qianyu, and on the right is Xi Di Wang Ji Zhou Xiangxun. Suo Qianyu only brought one attendant and was still downstairs at the moment, surrounded by strangers. people, leaving him at a loss for a while.
Soon, he flattened his mouth, as if he was going to burst into tears the next moment.
Yin Shang quickly reached out to cover his mouth, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to him, saying softly: "Don't cry."
He looked confused and a little scared, and he didn't know how to react for a while.
It wasn't until the official bowed and left, and began to cry gradually when he sat down, that Yin Shang let go of his hand and allowed him to cry.
But she handed him the veil and said symbolically: "Don't cry."
Suo Qianyu didn't answer, but still cried for him. While crying, he said: "Dad... ow wow wow..."
Yin Shang did not coax him, but only wiped his tears. She would wipe his tears while he cried, and she would be very patient.
Behind her, Zhou Xiangxun was a little impatient because he was crying, and he put his hands on his hips and said arrogantly: "Why are you crying!"
Suo Qianyu was stunned for a moment and cried even louder.
Yin Shang didn't say anything, he just repeated his actions. Zhou Xiangxun glared at him, left the hall, and ran back to his room.
Some of the older ones were also comforting the younger ones, while a few left with indifferent expressions.
Jiang Yixue sat in the corner, silently stared at Yin Shang's back for a few times, and left expressionlessly.
After all, Suo Qianyu was young and soon got tired of crying. Yin Shang sent him back to his room. He was still very scared. He took Yin Shang's hand and asked, "Sister, can you stay with me for a while."
Yin Shang opened the door and entered his room together.
He clutched the square handkerchief Yin Shang gave him tightly, and said with great grievance: "I miss my father, I miss my mother... wu wu wu..."
Yin Shang said: "I think so too."
Suo Qianyu was stunned and asked, "Why don't you cry?"
Yin Shang said: "It's useless to cry, you can't go back."
Suo Qianyu suddenly couldn't hold it in any longer, and burst into tears, crying: "Wow... I want to go home!"
Before Yin Shang could say anything, a person broke in at the door over there. It was the angry Zhou Xiangxun. As soon as he came in, he opened his mouth and said, "Cry, cry, cry! I'm so annoyed!"
Suo Qianyu flattened his mouth and stopped crying in fear.
Seeing this, Zhou Xianxun proudly raised his chin to Yin and said, "That's what keeps him from crying!"
Yin Shang said: "He will cry even harder after a while."
Sure enough, before Yin Shang finished speaking, Suo Qianyu immediately burst into tears again, his eyes closed tightly, and his little face turned red from holding back.
Zhou Xiangxun frowned and said to Yin Shang: "Don't talk to him! He will stop crying when he is tired of crying!"
Yin Shang nodded and said to Zhou Xiangxun: "You go ahead. He will stop crying soon and won't disturb you."
Hearing this, Zhou Xiangxun snorted, turned and left.
Yin Shang said to Suo Qianyu, "Look, if you cry again, you will attract others here. This is not your home."
Suo Qianyu sniffed and looked at her blankly for a long time before asking: "Sister, when can we go home?"
Yin Shang took the handkerchief to wipe away his tears and said, "I don't know, but there will definitely be such a day."
…
After a while, Suo Qianyu was tired of crying and fell asleep on the table. Yin Shang closed the door for him and returned to his room.
The doors of the surrounding rooms were closed tightly. After Yin Shang closed the door, he discovered a familiar thing on the ground not far away.
She walked closer and saw that it was the medicine bottle thrown into the next room yesterday.
Opening the bupa, the medicine bottle and note inside were exactly the same, and there was no missing ointment at all. Yin Shang frowned with confusion on his face.
She put away her things and stopped trying to find Jiang Yixue.
————————————————
In the morning of the next day, the attendants from all sides were finally able to go to the top floor. They cleaned up the clothes of Wang Ji and Wang Qing, changed their court clothes, and gave instructions on the etiquette and other matters for the audience before taking them out of the official post and sitting on them one by one. He took the carriage to the Forbidden Palace.
Emperor Dingzhou Yongzai was nearly forty years old. He was dissatisfied with the late emperor's appointment of his eldest brother as emperor, so he rebelled. After he ascended the throne, he imprisoned his brother for three years, and then murdered him one night. All of this was not even concealed from the public eye.
After Ting Xi rebelled, he felt deeply that the power of the vassal king was growing, so he decided to let the princes of various royal families enter the palace as hostages. If someone wanted to rebel, he would hold his son hostage and give him the title of Ting Xi. Wang's sister, Princess Yongning, also sent her two daughters.
Entering the palace path of Xuanshi Palace, there are ninety-nine jade steps above it, on which dragon and phoenix totems are exquisitely carved and touched with gold and jade.
A group of fourteen people, divided into two columns, followed the eunuch up the jade steps step by step and entered the majestic and magnificent Xuanshi Hall.
Civil and military courtiers lined up on both sides, and the Lord of the World was high in the temple.
The golden bricks shimmering under the feet, the huge pillars on both sides are surrounded by lifelike golden dragons, the fragrant and elegant Ruinao incense in the hall...
This is the highest position in the world.
Withered bones and loess, the power of heaven is achieved.
…
When the eunuch sang loudly, they knelt down. They were all children who had not yet grown up, but they knew how to bend their knees neatly and shouted long live in their immature voices.
Long live Long live Long live.
After the ceremony, the eunuchs called the names one by one, and they walked to the top one by one, saluted each other, and handed over their identity tokens and the gift lists prepared by various countries.
Emperor Yongzai never said a word, only silently standing at the top and looking at the young sons below.
"..."
"Xidi Wangji looked for each other, handed over tokens, and presented gifts."
Zhou Xiangxun, who was kneeling in front of Yin Shang, stood up and walked to the front of the team. He took out the jade order and a gift list and handed them to the eunuch. He leaned down again, touched the gold brick to his head, and said, "I have seen your majesty. Long live your majesty." .”
Zhou Xiangxun's mother was the sister of the deposed emperor's mother. She married to Xidi many years ago and often returned to Dingzhou. Later, when Yongzai Emperor seized the throne and ascended the throne, he killed the deposed emperor, and she never came back.
The king of Xidi's surname was Dong. However, because Dingzhou was very powerful at that time, the two children of the deposed emperor's sister followed the Zhou family.
Hearing this, Emperor Yongzai glanced at Zhou Xiangxun coldly and said nothing.
The eunuch then continued singing as he was told.
"I order Wang Qing Zhan Lubo to hand over the token and present the gift."
"..."
"Wang Qing from Dongpei, Jiang Yixue, hand over the token and present the gift."
It turned out that his name was Jiang Yixue.
The eunuch put away his jade order and gift list and spread them out for Emperor Yongzai to see. However, Emperor Yongzai, who had been silent all this time, said in a deep voice: "Raise your head and let me see."
In front of Yin Shang's eyes, Jiang Yixue's clothes could only tremble slightly.
After a few breaths, Emperor Yongzai chuckled and said, "Jiang Mingwu will be born." Jiang Mingwu was King Dongpei, and it was said that he was also a favorite of the late Emperor Dingzhou.
After saying this, Emperor Yongzai waved his hand and said nothing more.
The eunuch then continued: "The king of the moon branch asked for Qianyu, handed over the token, and presented the gift."
Before going out, Suo Qianyu seemed to have been carefully warned by the attendant. Although his voice was stammering, Emperor Yongzai would not really get angry with a five-year-old child, so he still said nothing.
"Prince Qi Hui, Ji Yin, please hand over the token and present the gift."
"..."
Until the end, Emperor Yongzai remained silent. It was not until Tingxi's Queen Zhou Yuan came forward that he said in a deep voice: "How is your mother?"
Zhou Yuan said: "Thanks to Your Majesty's concern, my mother is safe and sound."
Emperor Yongzai said: "That's good."
Soon, the last Princess Wang also finished her gift, and Emperor Yongzai said: "Don't worry, your parents, I will send you to Dingzhou to accompany you. I will not treat you badly. You can live in Dingzhou with peace of mind."
Everyone said in unison: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
