Mu Xiang thought he was asleep and was about to quietly stretch her sore waist when she suddenly heard His Highness ask:
"What kind of person is that concubine?"
"Hmm..." Mu Xiang froze for a while, then Fang whispered: "Slaves can't talk about ladies."
"Come on." Zhu Zhen chuckled and said, "If you don't talk about it in private, the sun will rise in the west."
"This..." Mu Xiang couldn't help but raise her head and looked at Zhu Zhen in astonishment. Why is he so sophisticated? He doesn't look like the naive little highness before.
"Why are you looking at me?" Zhu Zhen turned his head, his big eyes shining like morning stars, how could he be half sleepy?
Just with those thick eyebrows and the baby fat on his cheeks, he looks very funny.
"I don't dare, I'm being rude." Mu Xiang quickly bowed her head and apologized, whispering: "I just felt that His Highness changed drastically after he fell into the water."
"You just changed a lot." Zhu Zhen had already thought of his words and said calmly: "I just grew up overnight."
"This is truly a blessing from the Bodhisattva." Mu Xiang cried with joy, "If the empress knew about it, she would be extremely happy."
"..." Zhu Zhen stopped talking, stuck his little buttocks and buried his head in the pillow, sobbing.
"Your Highness, do you miss your empress?" Mu Xiang hurriedly stepped forward and gently stroked his back.
"Yes." Zhu Zhen raised his head, his big eyes full of tears and said, "I miss my mother."
"It's all my fault. I made a mistake." Mu Xiang apologized hurriedly and took out a fragrant handkerchief to wipe his tears.
"It would be really happy if she could come back." Zhu Zhen said in a persuasive way.
"My maid also wants my empress to come back. Who in the palace doesn't want her to come back?" Mu Xiang also cried along with her.
"These days, we are being bullied by the people in Changyang Palace. They don't give us monthly quotas and deduct food. Other people in the palace have long changed into silk, but we are still wearing summer skirts."
"Changyang Palace is where Concubine Ding lives, right?" Zhu Zhen asked, unsure.
"yes."
"Why is it her turn to talk?" Zhu Zhen asked curiously.
"After the Queen's wedding, the Imperial Concubine was supposed to be in charge of the Sixth Palace. But as soon as the Queen left, Concubine Sun fell ill." Mu Xiang said angrily:
"The emperor originally intended for our empress to take over, but what happened happened and Concubine Ding took advantage..."
"Is it because of this?" Zhu Zhen slapped his hands in the air.
"It turns out that His Highness already knows." Mu Xiang covered her mouth in surprise. Then she stopped caring and said angrily: "The empress just fell into the trap of that thief named Da!"
"Concubine Ding's surname is Da?" Zhu Zhen asked curiously: "Is there such a surname?"
"She is a Semu person." Mu Xiang replied contemptuously. In the Ming Dynasty, both Mongolian and Semu people were called "Hulu" contemptuously, but Zhu Zhen's mother's concubine was named Hu, so people in the palace naturally avoided it.
"These Tatars are very ambitious. Although they don't dare to compete with the queen, they have always been eyeing the position of the imperial concubine. Now that Concubine Sun couldn't stand it anymore, she deliberately angered the empress and performed a cruel trick in front of the emperor so that she could get rid of her.
This is my rival!"
"You really know a lot." Zhu Zhen chuckled.
Mu Xiang's heart tightened, she bowed her head and said weakly: "I just don't dare to hide it from Your Highness."
"Then why don't you tell me everything you know!" Zhu Zhen sat up and asked to the end.
I poured the beans out of the bamboo tube while soaking the fragrance. It really said a lot of useful things.
For example, Concubine Nada Ding was actually Chen Youliang's concubine. After Boss Zhu defeated Chen Youliang, he took her for his own use.
Zhu Yuanzhang claimed that he would never seize a woman without permission. He made an exception this time, saying that he was angry with Chen Youliang for killing too many of his generals, so he took his concubine to vent his anger.
But the palace people said privately that it was because Nada was too charming and could confuse his master. Otherwise, Boss Zhu, who always strictly enforced military discipline and set an example, could not help but imitate Boss Cao.
Although no one can threaten Queen Ma's status, a man's spirit and body can be clearly distinguished.
In short, the Da family was still very favored. They gave birth to the seventh son, the eighth son, and a princess one after another. Their status naturally increased steadily, and they gradually became arrogant.
"Like mother, like son, her son King Qi is not a good thing either!" Mu Xiang said angrily: "He has been bullying the palace people all day long at a young age, and even the cats and dogs in the palace cannot escape his vicious hands.
"
"The swallows were making a nest in Changyang Palace. He was too noisy, so he had the nests destroyed, and then burned the chicks to death with his own hands!" Mu Xiang also gave an example: "The scar behind His Highness's ear was also beaten by him when he was a child!"
Zhu Zhen touched behind his ears and found a half-inch long scar on the left side.
"Even though he is half a year younger than His Highness, he is very ruthless. During the May Festival, he kicked a palace maid and broke her ribs." Mu Xiangyu said angrily: "It's a pity that Concubine Da Ding is sinister and vicious, and she is afraid of both sides.
If she takes revenge, no one dares to report it to the emperor..."
Zhu Zhen listened and fell asleep thoughtfully.
~~
The next day, Zhu Zhen slept until three o'clock in the morning before getting up.
Mu Xiang was on duty, and the person serving him was replaced by another smaller palace maid, whose name she didn't know.
After dressing neatly and having a simple breakfast, Zhu Zhen said he wanted to go out.
Wang Defa quickly ordered someone to prepare the car.
A small fireman presented an ebony waist badge to guard against entry and exit. Wang Defa took it hanging on his waist, then held His Highness's hand and bowed out of the palace door.
Ten little flamers are already waiting outside the door.
Two firemen led the way with red gauze lanterns. One lantern said "Wan'an Palace" and the other said "King of Chu".
The other eight small firemen followed behind, holding water pitchers, spit bowls, high chairs and suitcases, golden umbrellas, incense burners, etc.
Zhu Zhen glanced at Wang Defa and said, "Is there something missing?"
"It's a little less, but the rules are like this. Only when you leave the palace can you use full ceremonial guard. In the palace, you must be simple." Wang Defa explained gently.
"Wang Defa, you have to have a sedan, right? Can't you let the lonely prince walk out?" Zhu Zhen looked at Wang Defa. Isn't this old eunuch playing me?
"Hey, how many things did your Highness forget when he fell into the water this time?" Wang Defa said with an expression of caring for mentally retarded children: "This is because the Emperor has specially issued a decree to prevent His Highnesses from being idle and indolent, except for the Crown Prince.
Always walk in the palace!"
"Is there still such a rule?"
"But no, even if you leave the palace and leave Beijing, you can't just take a car or a sedan. You have to stop the car and walk three times out of ten." Wang Defa added to add insult to injury.
"Fuck..." Zhu Zhen was stunned and couldn't help but have an ominous premonition.
With such a "loving father" around, my dream of a prince living happily in peace may not come true.
~~
But one thing was clear to Zhu Zhen. In the Forbidden City, the words of his father were the golden rule, and there was absolutely no room for bargaining.
He could only open his legs honestly, and under the guidance of the two eunuchs, he left Wan'anmen and turned onto West First Street.
Xiyi Long Street is a street sandwiched between Xiliu Palace and Qianqing Palace. Inside the high red wall on the east side is Boss Zhu’s bedroom.
Zhu Zhen was a little confused. He didn't know whether to go in and pay homage. What did his father look like?
To be honest, Zhu Zhen has always been apprehensive about 'meeting his father'.
In front of others, it's not a big deal if you make some mistakes. You can always get by relying on your status and status.
But in front of His Majesty Hongwu, who starts with a bowl and kills people without batting an eye, it is difficult for him not to show his true colors. If Boss Zhu thinks that he is a monster, or possessed by a ghost, it will be cheap to peel off the skin and pull the grass with a single knife. It's not impossible.
Wang Defa observed his words, and when he saw that his face turned pale, he guessed something. "Your Highness, the emperor should be managing politics in Wuying Palace at the moment, not in Qianqing Palace."
"Oh, let's change it another day." Zhu Zhen breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then there must be a precise date so that I can prepare an invitation for His Highness in advance." Wang Defa reminded him: "The Emperor has many things to do every day and never has leisure. Only His Highness the Crown Prince can visit you at any time without having to inform him. Of course, the Queen can also... …”
The implication is that His Highness's level is still not high enough.
"Well, you'll have to wait and see." Zhu Zhen was a little hurt. It turned out that his father didn't just meet him when he wanted to. He was really being sentimental.
"Yes." Wang Defa responded and asked for instructions: "Then where should we go now?"