For the next half month, Zhao Hongrun would go to Cuixiao Pavilion in Fangshui Pavilion every day, drinking while listening to Miss Su's gradually improving music, while silently calculating in his mind the gains and losses of the three father-son battles in the past few days.
Perhaps out of consideration to comfort his son, the Emperor of Wei not only restored Zhao Hongrun's monthly salary to the prince in Wenzhao Pavilion, but also turned a blind eye to his visits to the fireworks and willow alleys such as Yifang Water Pavilion.
Perhaps the best remedy for a frustrated man is the comfort of a woman. This is probably what the emperor thought.
However, the emperor's acquiescence did not bring the relationship between Zhao Hongrun and Miss Su any closer. On the contrary, after that skin-to-skin kiss, they became a little restrained. Sometimes the unintentional eye contact actually made the two
Everyone becomes embarrassed.
Perhaps neither of them is ready to move from confidants to a higher-level relationship. After all, there is a six-year age difference between them. This is currently the most embarrassing issue that cannot be ignored.
Apart from this point, the two of them got along well. They gradually opened their hearts to each other, talked and laughed, and their friendship gradually became warmer.
Of course, there were also not so good things. For example, on April 28, the 16th year of Hongde, Zhao Hongrun was just about to leave the palace to have a private meeting with Miss Su, but he was blocked by his brother Zhao Hongzhao, the sixth emperor.
At that time, when he saw the half-smiling expression of the Sixth Emperor Brother, Zhao Hongrun felt something bad in his heart.
As expected, the first words the Sixth Emperor Brother spoke left him speechless.
"Hongrun, Brother Yu's bedroom seems to have lost a few paintings recently... I wonder what you think about this?"
"Is this happening?" Zhao Hongrun pretended to be innocent.
Unexpectedly, the Sixth Emperor Brother ordered Fei Wei, the Zongwei behind him, to take out a few scrolls of paintings, spread them out and saw that they were exactly the same paintings that Zhao Hongrun had smuggled out of the palace and sold some time ago.
"Hongrun, do these pictures look familiar to you?" the sixth prince asked with a half-smile.
He glanced at the paintings in Zongwei Fei Wei's hands, and then at Zhao Hongzhao, the Sixth Emperor's brother who was smiling but not smiling. How could Zhao Hongrun not understand, he immediately raised his hands towards this brother as if begging for mercy, please.
This royal brother held his hand high.
Qilin'er Zhao Hongzhao didn't care about the bad deeds of the Eighth Emperor's brother, because he knew that the Eighth Emperor's brother had his monthly salary deducted by their father and had a very difficult life, so there was nothing wrong with using his brain.
In addition, the reason why he came here to investigate was not because he wanted Zhao Hongrun to compensate him for his losses.
"Next month, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, Brother Yu will prepare a banquet at Yafeng Pavilion for some young talents from Daliang, my capital city, to write poems and essays. Will the Eighth Emperor brother give me a favor?"
While speaking, Zhao Hongzhao deliberately waved a painting in front of Zhao Hongrun, causing the latter to roll his eyes.
"Brother, you are well prepared..." Zhao Hongrun smiled bitterly.
To be honest, he had no interest in the so-called "Ya Feng Poetry Club" held by Brother Sixth Emperor, let alone on the Dragon Boat Festival, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
You must know that on the Dragon Boat Festival, which is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, Chendu Daliang is extremely lively. Climbing mountains, racing dragon boats, and hanging lanterns. To put it bluntly, it is a day to have fun with the people. It is a day to play. Zhao Hongrun originally planned to
Take Miss Su with you and have a great day.
"On the fifth day of May... I can't leave." Zhao Hongrun said sarcastically.
"That's it." Zhao Hongzhao shook his head when he heard this, and deliberately whispered in a voice that Zhao Hongrun could hear: "Brother Yu spent more than two thousand taels of silver to buy these paintings..."
"Okay, okay, I'll go, okay?" Zhao Hongrun raised his hands in surrender. At present, he cannot afford to bear a debt of more than two thousand taels.
Zhao Hongzhao was satisfied after hearing this, and handed the painting to Zong Wei beside him, and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, brother Yu, just wait for the eighth brother to reward you."
Zhao Hongrun rolled his eyes speechlessly: "But brother, according to the previous arrangements, the emperor should summon us at the Wende Hall on the fifth day of May, right?"
Indeed, according to the arrangement over the years, on the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of May, the Emperor of Wei would hold a family banquet in the Wende Hall to entertain all the concubines in the palace, and all the princes would have a banquet together. After finishing the banquet, the emperor would receive
With the concubines and princes on the high platform, they admired the colorful lanterns all over the beams of Chendu.
It must be said that the Dragon Boat Festival is one of the rare festivals where princes can gather together throughout the year.
In the past Dragon Boat Festival, Zhao Hongrun simply showed his face in front of the emperor, and then quietly left the banquet to do his own thing, even if he could not leave the palace. As for this year, because he already had a token in his hand that allowed him to freely enter and leave the palace, he originally planned to do it before the emperor.
He showed up in front of the brothers and then slipped out of the palace. However, if the Sixth Emperor brother interfered, his plan would obviously come to nothing.
"Don't worry about this. Brother Yu's poetry will be arranged after the lantern viewing. My father has allowed Brother Yu to invite several outstanding figures from the capital to attend the banquet. They will sit with Brother Yu at the banquet. After the lantern viewing, we will come to Brother Yu."
The Yafeng Pavilion, watching the lanterns and reading poems, tut…”
At the end of the sentence, the Sixth Emperor brother looked intoxicated.
"Yeah, that means I can't sneak out of the palace."
Zhao Hongrun sighed helplessly.
"Right." As if he had thought of something, Zhao Hongzhao put away the intoxicated look on his face, frowned and asked: "Hongrun, have you offended Dong Palace recently?"
"Prince?" Zhao Hongrun was stunned and asked in confusion: "How do you say that?"
I saw Zhao Hongzhao looking around, lowering his voice and saying: "Brother Yu, I don't know the details. I only know that Donggong read a book about you in front of my father, saying that you have no knowledge or skills every day, and only know how to go out to the palace to play. This move
It’s not in line with the prince’s etiquette…”
"Is this happening?"
Zhao Hongrun was a little surprised. After all, he traveled between Wenzhao Pavilion and Fangshui Pavilion these days. Apart from visiting his mother, Concubine Shen Shu, and running out of the palace to have private meetings with Miss Su, he didn't pay much attention to the affairs in the palace. Furthermore, the Emperor of Wei did not pay much attention to the affairs in the palace.
There was nothing to accuse him of because of this matter. Therefore, Zhao Hongrun really didn't know that the Prince of the East Palace was poking his lungs from behind.
As for the resentment of the Prince of the East Palace towards him, Zhao Hongrun was not surprised. After all, the Prince Hongli had gathered a group of officials in the Ministry of Personnel. However, he did not expect that half of those officials would be kicked out of the Imperial Examination Committee.
If he leaves, it means that all the energy that Prince Hongli spent on the official department in the past has been wasted. No wonder he is angry.
However, Zhao Hongrun is not worried about this. After all, during the last scientific examination, his father secretly arranged for him to use his grievances with Luo Wenzhong to reorganize the entire staff. Therefore, during this period, his father treated him
His attitude was extremely tolerant, not only restoring his princely salary, but also acquiescing to his access to a waterside pavilion.
Therefore, Zhao Hongrun was not worried about the impact that the Prince of the East Palace would have on him in this regard.
In his opinion, the prince's anger towards him was only temporary. After all, he, Zhao Hongrun, was not the life and death of the prince of the East Palace fighting for the throne, so there should not be a serious dispute.
"Anyway, please be careful these days and don't get caught."
"Hmm."
After chatting for a few words, Zhao Hongzhao stood up and left.
In the blink of an eye, it was the fifth day of May, and Zhao Hongrun got up early on this day.
After bathing and changing clothes in the dormitory, Zhao Hongrun took the imperial guards to Ningxiang Palace to pay homage to his mother-in-law, Concubine Shen Shu.
Logically speaking, he should first go to Wende Hall or Chuigong Hall to pay his respects to his father, and then go to his mother and concubines. However, Zhao Hongrun didn't care. In his opinion, his father's place was full of princes paying him respects.
, one more of him is not more, and one less of him is not a lot, but from his mother-in-law Concubine Shen Shu, I am afraid that only he and the Hongxuan brothers will go to see him.
Unfortunately, Concubine Shen Shu reprimanded him for his emphasis on mother and neglect of father. Without a few words between mother and son, Zhao Hongrun was kicked out of Ningxiang Palace by Concubine Shen Shu, who ordered him to go to the Emperor of Wei to report to his father, the Emperor.
Please greet me.
Zhao Hongrun could not defeat this concubine who was soft on the outside but strong on the inside, so he had to lead the clan guards to Chui Gong Hall again.
At this time, the palace was already decorated with lights and colorful decorations, and it was full of festive atmosphere. The elegant ladies in the palace seemed to have put on brand-new palace clothes.
It's a pity that those pretty palace ladies still didn't dare to appear in front of Zhao Hongrun, the prince who had not yet left the palace. They only dared to look at him from a distance and then fled in groups.
As he was walking, Zhao Hongrun suddenly saw a person standing in the palace corridor in front of him. This person was dressed in rich clothes, with his hands behind his back, and was looking at him with a smile as he approached.
"King Yong...what is he doing here?"
The elders and younger ones were in an orderly manner. Even though Zhao Hongrun had no friendship with the other party, he had to take the initiative to come forward and pay his respects.
"Hongrun, I have met King Yong."
Unexpectedly, the other party grabbed Zhao Hongrun who was about to bow down and bowed. He winked and said with a smile: "Isn't he the second emperor brother but King Yong?"
Yes, this person is none other than Zhao Hongrun's second emperor brother, Yong Wang Hongyu.
"..."
Zhao Hongrun glanced at the Second Emperor Brother in surprise. To be honest, he had never interacted with the Second Emperor Brother and could not speak to him even a few words all year round. However, judging from the Second Emperor Brother's attitude, he was particularly fond of Zhao Hongrun.
He was so enthusiastic that Zhao Hongrun was slightly flattered.
"You and I are brothers, with the same blood flowing through our bodies. Why should we alienate our brotherhood by saying 'King Yong'?" Yong Wang Hongyu said with a smile.
"..." Zhao Hongrun glanced at the second emperor brother in surprise, and he really couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
You must know that the second emperor brother Yong Wang Hongyu is different from the sixth prince Hongzhao. He is a powerful prince in the direct struggle. If necessary, Zhao Hongrun does not want to have too much involvement with him, so as not to fall into the whirlpool of the direct competition and cause trouble.
Continuously.
But the problem was that the Second Emperor's brother treated him politely, and he couldn't just leave, so he had to go to Chui Gong Hall with him.
"When did the Second Emperor Brother enter the palace?"
"I just entered the palace because of my brother..."
"Why don't you go and pay your respects to your father and Concubine Shi?"
Zhao Hongrun knew that the imperial concubine Shi, who had always had a different relationship with Queen Wang, was the biological mother of the second emperor brother.
"Brother, I'm waiting for you." Yong Wang Hongyu said with a smile.
"Wait for me?" Zhao Hongrun looked at Yong Wang Hongyu in confusion: "I wonder why the second emperor brother wants to see me?"
At this moment, a sly look flashed in Yong Wang Hongyu's eyes, and he whispered: "We will discuss this later."
Zhao Hongrun was about to ask again when he suddenly heard Zong Wei Shen Yu behind him coughing.
He subconsciously raised his head and happened to see Hongli, the Crown Prince of the East Palace, surrounded by a large group of people at the intersection of the corridors in front, looking at them coldly.
To be precise, it was Yong Wang Hongyu who looked coldly at Zhao Hongrun.
"Please, do you want it to be such a coincidence?"
Zhao Hongrun was really speechless, and a strong bad feeling came over him.