When Ma Jian first met Lin'an, he had just arrived in the capital.
He was only twelve years old at the time, less than half a year after the death of Prince Wuwei in battle. In order to find another way out, his family had to send him to the capital, where he found a vacancy in the Imperial Guard.
But the gentry in Beijing don't like people like them from outside Beijing. Even if he comes from Wuwei County Prince's Palace, even if Wuwei County Prince just sacrifices his life for the country, in the eyes of these dandies in Beijing who have never seen blood, they should always be inferior.
.
Even the hardest and most tiring work has to be done by him.
For example, the inner palace came to report that Princess Lin'an was missing.
The commander only sent him to search for the huge Daming Palace.
But in order to survive, he must obey whatever orders are given to him, not only obey them, but also do them well. Only then can he find his way out.
I just didn't expect that Princess Lin'an was even more unpopular than the rumors said. The maids who were supposed to serve her in Fulong Palace didn't know anything about her. Except for the boss who ordered him to find her immediately, no one knew where the princess often went.
He walked aimlessly in the inner palace.
Furong Palace is located in a remote place. Normally, no one is seen. Only one or two birdsong can be heard. The chirping sounds are clearer and more beautiful. They are singing the praises of freedom. It reminds him of his hometown where the yellow sand in the desert blows in the wind.
A place he can never return to in this life.
In fact, it is a good thing to have the opportunity to walk around casually like this, relax wholeheartedly, and not have to put on a fake smile in front of others.
Until the sobs mixed with the chirping of birds reached his ears.
It was supposed to be an irritable sound that destroyed the harmony, but because of the woman's deliberate suppression, it became as clear as the wind. Instead, it formed a piece of music together with these sweet sounds.
He paused for a moment, but finally couldn't bear to interrupt, and quietly turned into the garden, pushing aside the waist-high grass. A girl with a simple bun and a half-worn yellow palace dress hid herself in the grass, with her back
He was leaning against a tree, holding something in his hands.
He was thin and pale, and every contour of his profile was clearly outlined, as if he had been carefully carved for emphasis.
The goose-yellow palace is full of wrinkles, and the tender color has faded away. It looks more like it is wrapped in a pile of rice paper that has been soaked in rain and dried in the hot sun. Even the embroidery that should be exquisite looks like wine.
It's just like a drunk person randomly picking up a pen and writing on it.
"who?"
As if aware of something unusual, she looked over blankly, like a frightened baby rabbit, but it was the weakest of the baby rabbits. Because of her thin, pale, palm-sized face, her tear-filled eyes were particularly eye-catching.
He had no choice but to come out of his hiding place, knelt down and said: "Your Highness the Princess, Ma Jian, a humble imperial guard, is here to look for Her Royal Highness."
When she saw the stranger, she leaned back again, as if she wanted to hide herself in the tree trunk.
"You...are you here to find me?" She summoned up the courage to ask with a trembling voice of fear, with a few tears still remaining on her cheeks.
He frowned, feeling indescribably uncomfortable.
Unexpectedly, her life was even worse than the rumors said. Her Majesty, the princess, is so afraid of a guard. Or is she afraid of everyone in the palace?
He couldn't help but asked softly: "Why is Your Highness the Princess here? Are you hiding from someone?"
Thinking she felt the concern in his words, she relaxed a little, but when she mentioned this, she bit her lower lip and tears filled her eyes again.
He tremblingly extended his hands an inch outward: "It...it has no home. Its mother doesn't want it anymore."
Today, she was hiding in a quiet place in a daze as usual, hoping to avoid the malicious looks and teasing, as well as the pushing and bullying of the palace people.
But unexpectedly, a dying baby bird was found under the tree.
She tried to climb up the tree and put the bird back into the nest, but before she could get down from the tree, she watched the big bird push it out of the nest.
A bird as light as a feather made no sound even when it landed on the ground. But it still hit her heart hard.
Why doesn't the big bird want it? It has just been born, so how can it not be qualified to live?
But what could she do? Take the bird back? She didn't have enough to eat, and she was often bullied. Taking it back would only add to her life.
So she wanted to accompany it on its last journey, but seeing it gradually become silent in her hands, she still couldn't help but want to suffer. But she knew that she couldn't cry out. If someone found out, the little one would be hurt.
Birds will also suffer.
Even though Ma Jian had heard about Lin'an's life experience and experiences, he never expected that the princess of Dasheng would lead such a life.
But even in such hardship, he would still be cautious and give his all for a little bird.
He changed from kneeling to crouching and took the baby bird from Lin'an's hand. It looked like it was not born for a long time. It was a small black and gray one, like a clay ball with a few vague downs stuck randomly on it.
It was as light as nothing, but it made him aware of the weight of life for no reason.
Even though there is shade from trees and the scorching sun, it doesn't have much breath left.
Lin'an didn't dare to refuse, but looking at this man's expression, she felt vaguely hopeful for some reason. She hoped that he was not one of those people she had met in the past and would crush this bird to pieces.
"How?" she asked earnestly, taking courage.
Ma Jian raised his head and smiled lightly: "Your Highness, don't worry, I have a way to save it."
He took out the lambskin bag he carried with him from his arms, pulled out the stopper with his teeth, poured a few drops of water into the palm of the baby bird's hand, put some on his index finger, and brought it to the baby bird's beak, and saw it weakly
He opened his mouth and pecked his fingertips lightly.
The fine numbness, with some itchiness, made him laugh unconsciously. He noticed that Lin'an seemed to be looking at him blankly, and felt that it was a bit rude to do so. He blushed slightly and handed the bird over: "Princess, do you want it too?"
Try it?"
Seeing his palm approaching, Lin'an subconsciously hid back like a frightened bird. However, after seeing his smile, he imitated his example, tentatively stretched out a finger, touched his palm, and touched it.
At the young bird's beak.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Then I started to laugh. I think I also experienced that wonderful feeling of numbness and itching, but what is even more amazing is that those little pecks hit me.
The attachment she felt from the baby bird.
It was the first time Ma Jian saw her smile. Her face, where only her big eyes could be seen, was filled with a hint of pink, like the tender pink clouds before dawn on the Star Reaching Tower, dazzling and brilliant.
And the place on the palm where her fingers touched lightly seemed like a bird was pecking at it, which made him feel itchy, but he couldn't help but laugh along with her.
"Thank you... thank you... Ma Jian." She blushed and lowered her head, but she looked lonely for some reason.
This was the first time someone in the palace was willing to help her.
But just like Princess Changsi who only enters the palace once in a while, how long can they help her...
In the end, you are not alone?
"Your Highness, there is no need to be polite. If Your Highness trusts Beizhong, you can give this bird to Beizhong, and Beizhong will take good care of it."
"Really? That's great!" Before the tears had dissipated, his eyes suddenly lit up, like the rising sun in the water, and the sparkling light made his heart seem to be rippling with microwaves.
"Then...can you bring it to visit me often in the future?" She seemed to be looking forward to it, but also seemed to be afraid. She was still trembling slightly, and even her old clothes made a rustling sound.
"This is nature. This is the princess's little bird. I will definitely take it to visit the princess often and let the princess know its current situation."
This sudden beauty and kindness overwhelmed her. As if she was afraid that he would suddenly disappear, she suddenly grabbed one of his sleeves and asked, "Why are you so nice to me?"
There was also a moment of confusion on Ma Jian's childish face.
Why was he so nice to her? He couldn't figure it out either.
It's just our first meeting, just on business.
Perhaps it was because she was in a desperate situation, but she still had good intentions and was willing to give her all for a little creature.
There are also those faint pities that are as light as the chirping of insects.
She was a princess, and she should have been a noble person below one person and above ten thousand people. But she lived such a barren life in this prosperous world full of flowers.
"Because you are a princess..." Looking at her eager eyes, he could only say this.
Because she is a princess?
She was confused and confused for a moment.
But it is precisely because she is a princess that she has encountered so many things.
She was rejected by her mother and bullied by the palace people. Isn't it just because she is a princess?
She thought that this status was the most despicable existence, but why would someone treat her with such kindness because of this status?
"You... are so strange."
When Ma Jian brought her back to Furong Palace, she sat by the pond and recalled all this. She looked at the reflection in the pond and couldn't help but murmur.
I don’t know who I was talking to.
Sitting here in the past, she never once wanted to jump.
But she didn't dare. Although her mother had passed away, she still had family members outside the palace. In this deep palace, it was really difficult to die without knowing it.
Every time when she was about to die of illness, the group of people would find the imperial doctor to give her some medicine to keep her alive. Whether it was a sharp weapon or a blunt weapon, she would usually only see it when others used it to bully her. She herself
It is absolutely untouchable.
So, she thought more than once that it would be nice if someone pushed her from behind while sitting by the pond. Then she could leave this frightening place without any scruples and feel at ease. And her mother was outside the palace.
My family will not suffer any accidents because of me whom they have never met.
But today, when she saw her reflection in the pond clearly, she panicked and took a few steps away.
If you accidentally fall down, you will never see the bird again.
He will definitely take good care of it. He will definitely do it, he promised himself.
He also said: "Because you are a princess."
"Because you are a princess."
Later, Ma Jian often said this to her.
He said this when meeting her under the tree with the little bird that was gradually growing stronger.
So he said as he allowed himself to set the grown bird free.
He said this when he brought her exquisite and delicious snacks from outside the palace.
He said the same thing when he gradually gained a foothold in the Imperial Guard and began to protect her.
But the last time, when he wanted to take her away, it was she who said these words to him with tears in her eyes.
"Because, I am a princess."
So we can't abandon our duties as a princess and leave so irresponsibly.
"The position of the emperor's younger brother is very hard. He has no choice. I am his elder sister. I cannot leave him alone."
"Then have they ever taken care of you?" Those courtiers, those high-ranking aristocratic families clamoring to send her thousands of miles away, have they ever helped you? Have they ever lived the dark life you once had?
After the new emperor succeeded to the throne, she could not protect herself for a while, so what could the occasional favor do to her.
"Although you are a princess, you have never enjoyed the dignity that a princess should have. Why should you be pushed out to fulfill their world dominance now that they are using you?"
Therefore, he would not allow it, he would not let them push her from one cage to another.
What's more, getting married is not that simple. Someone has already found him and used family members to force him to do it.
But he couldn't tell her that she was so weak and pure, so he shouldn't have tainted her ears and let her know about the filth and dirt in the court.
He was afraid that after she heard that she was in danger, she would seek help from His Majesty, which would only put her in more danger.