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Chapter 49 Birthday Gift
Jingrui five years, winter.
During the early court, a group of courtiers once again talked about the matter of standing up.
The ministers knelt on the ground and did not want to get up, but the emperor on the throne had already left.
In the past three years, Zhu Yunxuan has become more and more indifferent to the emperor's indifference and majesty. In the past, Liang Zhen said that he was too soft to sit in this position, but now he doesn't have to rely on anyone, and finally he has completely secured the throne.
Liang Zhen was still wrong after all. He looked down on him too much, and it wasn't that he couldn't do without him.
Now that the world is peaceful, except for the occasional pirates from the south, it can be considered that the weather is good and the world is peaceful. The only thing that worries the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty and the subjects of the world is the always-hanging post of the middle palace.
The conflict between the emperor and his courtiers has escalated again and again because of the matter of his succession, and Zhu Yunxuan will still use various excuses to prevaricate. In the past year, he has not even looked for an excuse, and all the requests for the empress and concubine have been exhausted. Staying in China, whenever someone mentions it at the court meeting, it will directly announce the dismissal of the court. No matter how the ministers knelt down and begged, or even forced them to death, they were indifferent.
The emperor who was in his prime did not have an empress or concubines, his harem was empty, he had no children under his knees, and rumors abounded. Zhu Yunxuan ignored it, and no one knew what he was thinking.
In the afternoon, seeing that the snow that had been falling for several days had stopped outside, Zhu Yunxuan stood for a while under the corridor outside the hall, and whispered to Gao An: "Let's go outside with me."
"Your Majesty, would you like to go to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the scenery? The servant will ask someone to prepare a chariot for you?"
Zhu Yunxuan was noncommittal, Gao An pretended that he agreed, and it was rare that Zhu Yunxuan was in the mood to go out, so he immediately arranged things in front of him.
In the past few years, if it is not necessary for the celebration and sacrifice, let alone going outside the palace, Zhu Yunxuan rarely even leaves the door of the Ganlin Palace. Bu Nian carried him back along the criss-crossing path of the palace, Zhu Yunxuan raised his head, looked at the gray sky, and after a long time, he gently closed his eyes.
In a trance, there was a sudden sound of a heavy object hitting the ground in front of him. Zhu Yunxuan retracted his thoughts and frowned as he looked over. A snowball broke into flowers on the ground, and there was a sparrow that died instantly. Behind the palace wall, a figure suddenly shrank from the dead branch.
Gao An raised his voice and said to the other side of the palace wall: "Who is hiding there?! Come out!"
It was a desolate and dilapidated palace. The gate of the palace was tightly closed, and it looked like no one lived there. The guard stepped forward to break open the gate, and the trembling child climbed out, prostrate on the ground, with his head lowered, carrying The crying voice begged: "I...I didn't mean to...don't hit me..."
Zhu Yunxuan's brows furrowed even tighter. He had already recognized that the frail, shabby child in front of him was his ninth brother, Zhu Yunqiong.
When Liang Zhenci died, Concubine Chen left behind the child's life and kept him under house arrest. A few years later, Zhu Yunxuan had almost forgotten the existence of this child, and even three years ago, when Liang Zhen left, he used this child again. Blackmailed him, but he didn't cut it down.
I haven't seen each other for a few years. Zhu Yunqiong is already eight years old, but she is too thin and looks like only four or five years old. Now, kneeling in front of him tremblingly, there is no trace of the spoiled little bully in Zhu Yunxuan's memory.
Zhu Yunxuan lowered his voice: "What are you doing just now?"
The child hesitantly said, "Smash... smash the sparrow, I'm hungry..."
Zhu Yunxuan motioned to Gao An: "Go and find out what's going on."
"promise."
Looking at the shivering child who was huddled on the ground, after a moment of silence, Zhu Yunxuan seemed to sigh and instructed the human: "Trust the imperial physician to go to Ganlin Palace."
The child who was taken to Ganlin Palace, cleaned up and had a full meal finally recovered his senses, recognized Zhu Yunxuan's brother, looked at him timidly, and Zhu Yunxuan called someone to him and asked him, "How do you usually Can't get enough to eat here? Why smash sparrows?"
The child shook his head, lowered his head, and answered him: "Mummy doesn't give them anything to eat, I can only eat what they have left. When I'm hungry, I secretly smash the sparrow, and if it hits, I dig it out of the tree to pick it up, and take advantage of it. They don't pay attention to roasting and eating."
Zhu Yunxuan took his hand and looked at his arm full of bruises: "How did this happen?"
"Mummy beat me, they beat me if I didn't obey..."
Zhu Yunxuan's eyes were cold, and he didn't ask any more questions. He asked Imperial Physician Fang to take the person to the side hall to diagnose the pulse. Gao An had already returned and told him that he had asked clearly. The ninth prince has been locked in that palace for all these years. Feilenggong is no different from Lenggong, there are not many people serving in it, they are all stingy, and seeing no one cares about him, they neglect and abuse him: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, the slaves have asked people to hold those daring things down. , after that, some people will be rearranged to serve the Ninth Highness."
Zhu Yunxuan didn't say anything, his expression darkened a bit.
Two quarters of an hour later, Imperial Physician Fang came over to report that he had carefully checked the pulse of the ninth prince. The child had lost his body in the past few years, and the root cause of his illness will be lost. He will be weak in the future. It is impossible to heal.
Zhu Yunxuan was speechless for a while, and just now, on the way back, he had murderous intentions in his heart several times, but at this moment, his heart suddenly softened again.
After all, he is still a child, and his body is not very good. It is nothing to save his life. Just treat it as... just as a reward for his Xuer.
After being stunned for a moment, he instructed Taiyi Fang: "Go to see the doctor on time for His Highness the Ninth Highness in the future, just prescribe the medicine directly, don't have any worries."
Then he instructed Gao An: "Give him a cleaner place to live, and send a few more nannies who have experience in taking care of children, and don't ask people to treat him badly."
Gao An told him that Zhu Yunqiong had already slept in the side hall, and Zhu Yunxuan nodded: "Let him sleep, and when he wakes up, he will be sent to the newly arranged accommodation, and you will stare at the person who nodded."
"promise."
Gao An responded and quickly ordered the ** to do things.
Zhu Yunqiong woke up after a sleep, and was called to him again by Zhu Yunxuan before being sent away. Looking at the child's bright eyes with fear and gratitude, Zhu Yunxuan's heart softened a little, he raised his hand and touched his head: "Go, no one will bully you in the future, just come and tell me anything you want. ."
The child responded obediently and thanked him: "Thank you, Brother Emperor."
Zhu Yunxuan was slightly startled, and a rare smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Sending away Zhu Yunqiong, Gao An handed the letter he just received to Zhu Yunxuan. It was sent by Zhu Yunjing. In recent years, Zhu Yunjing still sends a letter every two months. Talking to Zhu Yunxuan about the child, even if Zhu Yunxuan never mentioned the child in his reply.
Three years ago, Zhu Yunjing took his child who was just one month old and went to the southern border alone. After all, it was not wasted effort. After staying in southern border for half a year, the child's problems brought out of the womb were basically healed, but it was better than other children. He was weaker, and after taking care of him in the last few years, he was no different from an ordinary child.
Zhu Yunxuan has never seen that child again, at midnight? In his dreams, only the day when the child was taken away from his arms was howling and crying. Every time he looked at the letter written by Zhu Yunjing, he imagined what the child might look like. , the emptiness and dazedness in my heart deepened.
I thought could gradually forget and let go by sending people away, but now realize that everything is in vain.
Even the name 'Xuan' that Zhu Yunjing called out casually was also the word he wrote on the paper when the child was in critical condition that day.
Good day.
This is his only expectation for that child. He knows it, and Zhu Yunjing also knows it, but they tacitly didn't mention it.
In the letter, Zhu Yunjing said that he planned to open the door to Xu'er after the spring of next year, and invited a great Confucian in the south of the Yangtze River to teach him at home. The words were reminding Zhu Yunxuan that since he didn't want to have no other children in the future, he should not delay. It is the best policy to take Xu'er back as soon as possible and be the orthodox heir to teach him.
Zhu Yunxuan looked sad, Zhu Yunjing never gave up trying to persuade him about the same thing for three years.
Later, Zhu Yunjing also talked about some trivial matters between the children, saying that Xu'er is the most obedient and obedient among the three children in the family, and his temperament is very soft and irritating. Rob, whoever sees it will probably prefer him a little bit.
Besides, next month will be Xu'er's third birthday, and I asked Zhu Yunxuan not to favor one over the other, but also to reward this little "nephew".
Most people only know that Duke Dingguo has two sons. The eldest son will inherit the title of Duke Dingguo, and the second son will inherit the title of Duchess Dingguo. The emperor favors Duke Dingguo. , The two princes will be rewarded every year on their birthdays. But not many people knew that there was a young son in this mansion who hardly ever showed his face in front of outsiders.
Zhu Yunxuan was almost oblivious to Xu'er, forcing himself not to put too many feelings and thoughts on that child, how could Zhu Yunjing not know his tangled thoughts, but deliberately mentioned them in front of him, just wanting to He really faced Xu'er's existence.
Seeing that Zhu Yunxuan was suddenly stunned when he looked at the letter, the tea in hand was almost cold, Gao An motioned for someone to come over and give him a change, and called him softly, "Your Majesty..."
Zhu Yunxuan regained his senses, pursed the corners of his lips lightly, and instructed Gao An: "Go and prepare another copy of the same reward given last time for the birthday of the prince and send it to Minzhou..."
His eyes fell on the window sill beside the couch. The row of bamboo dolls had been placed there for several years. Although the little eunuchs often wiped them spotlessly, the colors had become dull.
Back then... Liang Zhen said back then, "I have only these gadgets to leave to him, and I also ask Your Majesty to give it to him no matter what." He actually remembered it all the time, but his attitude towards children has always been the same. It was an escape, and he didn't even dare to give something to his children, let alone for Liang Zhen.
After a long silence, Zhu Yunxuan spoke again: "Send those bamboo dolls too."