After handling government affairs in the afternoon, Lu Fusu came alone to a house outside the capital.
After passing through the labyrinth-like path, I immediately felt a silence that had nothing to do with the season. I could only hear the gurgling sound of the river flowing through the garden and the sound of the wind blowing the trees.
Lu Wuxian neither fished nor tidied the garden today... Lu Fusu stood in the quiet garden for a long time, looking up at the sky.
"...is it the emperor?"
Hearing this calm voice, Lu Fusu looked back and saw that one of the two people living in this house... Lian Mei poked her head out of the window.
"haven't seen you for a long time."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I didn't notice it just now. Your Majesty, please come into the house."
Sister Lian immediately opened the door and bowed to greet Lu Fusu. The room was also quiet.
"Where's Lu Wuxian?"
"He's taking a nap, I'll wake him up..."
"This is a gift. Let me give it to you first!"
Lu Fusu handed the bag he brought to Sister Lian. Sister Lian saluted and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty is always so considerate... Is this a bulb?"
"It's Narcissus. I heard that you mentioned your liking for Narcissus in the letter you wrote to Shui Xinyuan."
"yes……"
Lian Mei narrowed her eyes and carefully held the sack.
"The Queen always takes the trouble to write letters to servants like me. I am really grateful...last time she even sent beautiful fabrics and asked me to make new clothes for the festival."
"Shui Xinyuan is also looking forward to receiving your letter. She often says she wants to see you."
"..."
Lian Mei remained silent and lowered her eyes.
Ranshui Pavilion.
This is where sinners live... Lian Mei's expression says so.
Lu Fusu smiled bitterly and sat on a chair nearby.
"Does Lu Wuxian usually take naps?"
"It's not every day... I go to make tea and wake up His Highness."
"...I was just wondering why it was so noisy outside. It turned out to be you..."
Lu Wuxian, wearing home clothes and messy hair, came from the next room with his shoes on, and fell down on the bench impatiently.
Lian Mei sighed softly.
"Since you are going to meet guests, you should sort out your affairs a little bit."
"Lianmei, tea."
"Pull your collar up, be careful you may catch a cold."
Lian Mei put on the top that Lu Wuxian put on the back of the bench and went to make tea.
"You look good."
"...What are you here for?"
"I'm here to send daffodils."
Lu Wuxian looked at Lu Fusu with sleepy eyes and snorted.
"I didn't expect the emperor to be so free."
"Where can I have free time? I don't even have time to take a nap. I really want to lie on the Queen's lap and take a nap once in a while."
"...Is this irony? I have never slept on Sister Lian's lap."
"You can try to please her."
"Who wants to ask her? Besides, even if I ask her, she wouldn't be able to do such a thing for me."
Lu Wuxian began to complain again that Lian Mei was not cute at all and did not listen to his instructions at all. Lu Fusu smiled softly.
"I feel relieved to see that your relationship is still so good."
"...If she even hates me, how am I going to live here?"
Lu Wuxian muttered and stretched.
"You get what you want, unlike me. She is the only one left now... No matter how poisonous her mouth is or how unlovable she is, she can only accept her fate."
"...Do you want a maid who is smiling and obedient?"
"ah?"
"I have not prohibited you from using other maids. If you insist..."
Lu Wuxian suddenly jumped up from his chair and grabbed Lu Fusu's chest.
"Are you here to take Sister Lian away?"
"Lu Wuxian..."
"I heard that your queen and Lian Mei have been communicating recently. What do you want to do with Lian Mei? Do you want her to become the queen's maid?"
"...Lu Wuxian, let go."
"You can't take her away. If you really want to take her away, I will really kill you this time."
His sharp eyes showed that he really thought so, but there was also a trace of sadness that seemed to be pleading... His clenched teeth were trembling slightly.
"Let go...I have no such idea at all."
Lu Fusu was a little out of breath and patted Lu Wuxian's shoulder gently.
"real?"
"Of course it's true, why would I do such a thing?"
"..."
Lu Wuxian clicked his tongue and let go of his hand.
Lu Fusu coughed a few times, pulled the wrinkles on his collar, and laughed.
"I didn't expect you to be so impulsive."
"Stop being so verbose..."
"So, you don't need to add more maids? I guessed it."
"You have such a bad character!"
When Lu Wuxian learned that Lu Fusu was just teasing him, he sat down on the bench with an unhappy look on his face.
"Because it involves the future, I wanted to ask you what you mean."
"……after?"
Lian Mei came back after making tea. Lu Fusu waited for Lian Mei to put the tea cup in front of him and then said: "There is a person who teaches archery in the Ministry of War who plans to retire and return home recently."
"Is he a military attaché named Yue... or something?"
"Yes, we are currently selecting a replacement, but the person whose archery skills are slightly worse than that of Yue Shilang either has a waist injury or is old and has resigned from the official position. A suitable candidate has never been found."
"..."
Lu Wuxian's eyes widened and he stretched out his neck.
Lu Fusu wanted to see what happened in his eyes.
"Lu Wuxian, you are very good at archery."
"Wait a moment……"
Lu Wuxian glanced at Lian Mei with his wandering eyes.
"I am a sinner."
"It turns out you know it yourself."
"Don't take me for a fool...what do you want? This kind of thing can't be what you want."
"I'm not saying that right away, for example, if you encounter something that warrants amnesty...if there is no proper reason, you can only wait a few more years."
"..."
Lu Wuxian's confusion can be felt from the deep frown on his face.
This is no wonder, because there have been precedents of sinners dying in Ranshui Pavilion.
"After I came to the throne, there have been two rebellions. The first was planned by you, and the second was the previous Xishen Pass Incident. Many people were punished in both rebellions. Because there were no casualties.
, so they are almost always sentenced to prison terms or exiled to a secluded place after being deprived of their status and property."
Lu Fusu took a sip of tea.
"...I am really ashamed that two rebellions occurred in such a short period of time, but it also gave me a good reason to reduce the number of nobles. When the first emperor founded the country, he rewarded those who had made meritorious deeds.
People, granted them official positions and territories, became the ancestors of these current nobles, but honestly, how many nobles are there now whose contributions to the country are consistent with their status?"
"In this case, it is even more impossible for you to restore those exiled guys to their original official positions, so..."
He hinted that it was impossible for him to leave here and return to the palace to teach archery.
"Of course I can't do this. Currently, the exiled nobles are under the supervision of county guards everywhere, living the same life as farmers, and this will continue in the future."
"In this case……"
"When you leave here, you will no longer have the status of a prince."
Lu Fusu put the teacup on the table, straightened his body, sat down on the chair again, and looked at Lu Wuxian and Lian Mei.
"At that time, your status will be just a simple archery master. You were not an official to begin with, and now you are not qualified to take the state examination, and you will have no chance to become an official in the future. You will be registered in the Ministry of War, but your salary will always be that of a new official.
The level of private property that can be owned is limited, and you can only live in official residences in the palace. Going out will be restricted, no maids or servants are allowed, only one wife is allowed, and you will be monitored by the censor at any time... How about
?”
"..."
Lu Wuxian slowly crossed his arms.
"So...except for teaching people how to bow, isn't there not much difference from our current life?"
"That's it."
"...Is this your kind intention?"
"No, it's our trick. Logically speaking, the successor should be selected from the Ministry of War, but you don't have to take it to heart."
Lu Wuxian turned his head to the side angrily.
"...I don't have a choice anyway, just do whatever you want!"
"If you want to stay here no matter what, I won't force you."
"You have a really bad character..."
Lu Wuxian picked up the tea cup and drank the tea in one gulp, as if drinking the tea to drown his sorrows, and then glared at Lu Fusu.
"After coming here, I haven't touched a bow and arrow at all, and my archery skills have become worse."
"Then practice hard, that's why I came to inform you early."
"Where's the bow?"
"I will temporarily allow you to use it in the garden here, and I will also ask someone to make a target for you!"
"...Practice in such a small place?"
Lu Wuxian's complaint was not without reason, because the garden here was really small.
Lu Fusu looked out the window, then looked around the room.
Lu Fusu last visited here in early spring. Now, although the garden scene has changed to summer colors, this dim room has not changed at all, and time seems to have stopped here.
A small and peaceful home that exists just for two people.
"...Back then, when you were singing and dancing in the Qinghe Hall, I was always alone."
Lu Fusu looked at the simple white porcelain teacup and murmured in a low voice.
"This house is very similar to Donghe Palace at that time."
"..."
Lu Wuxian tilted his head slightly, the confused expression on his face was much softer than before.
"It's always lively around you!"
"No, my mother passed away very early. Because I am the prince, I am strictly required to do everything. I have never had the opportunity to play with friends of similar age, and I am surrounded by teachers of all kinds of knowledge, so every time
I’m very envious of you going hunting or traveling with those noble gentlemen.”
At that time, Lu Fusu always felt that he was the only one in the quiet big house.
Although there were other people living in the house, he was still lonely, so he wanted to go for a walk in a brightly lit place... Then, while walking in the palace, he saw his younger brother traveling with friends.
While he was envious, he also felt that birth order had determined everything, so he no longer worried about such things.