Xie Yanfang? Eunuch Qi smiled. That aloof young master.
“Your uncle is very capable, so he must have other matters to attend to,” he comforted the young prince. “When he’s finished with his work, he’ll come to see you. We’ll be here for three days.”
Xiao Yu didn’t nod obediently as he used to, but shook his head instead: “That’s not true. You all say such things. Father also often says he’ll come see me when he’s done with work, but he’s never done. If he really wanted to see me, he’d come see me no matter how busy he was.”
Children raised in the imperial palace weren’t easy to coax either. Eunuch Qi sighed: “There’s another situation. With Your Highness’s status, not just anyone can see you whenever they wish. Your uncle is your uncle, but he’s also a subject.”
That was true. Xiao Yu thought about it and said: “But subjects can also see the sovereign. Every day there are countless people who want to see Father and Imperial Grandfather. They find ways and always manage to see them. If he doesn’t come, it’s still because he doesn’t want to.”
The child was still indignant, but no longer as dejected as before.
Eunuch Qi smiled and nodded: “Yes, this old servant will have Third Young Master Xie come pay respects to Your Highness later.”
Xiao Yu’s eyes brightened somewhat as he grasped Eunuch Qi’s hand: “Can I summon him to the palace?”
Eunuch Qi didn’t scold the young prince for overstepping, but readily nodded: “Yes, this old servant will personally go summon him!”
A smile finally bloomed on Xiao Yu’s face, exceptionally bright.
Children were still adorable. Eunuch Qi sighed, no wonder the Emperor kept the young prince by his side. But then he thought—every adult had once been a child—
He sighed inwardly, hoping the young prince wouldn’t grow up to become like those two princes.
“Alright,” Eunuch Qi said with a smile, taking Xiao Yu’s hand. “Your Highness, let’s return to camp. There are many snakes and insects on the mountain.”
Xiao Yu looked up: “I’m not afraid of snakes and insects. I’m very brave.”
Eunuch Qi laughed heartily and said in a low voice: “Then shall we catch a snake or insect and bring it to the Crown Prince to see if it scares him? What do you say?”
Xiao Yu giggled: “Father won’t be scared. Father is very strong.”
Though he said this, the child was already getting excited, pulling Eunuch Qi and calling to the attendants around them to catch snakes and insects.
The mountain slope also became lively.
……
……
Outside the capital, the civil and martial gatherings each had their own excitement. It seemed half the capital’s population had been drawn out, leaving the capital itself very quiet.
The alley where Deng Yi lived was in a remote location. Usually full of idle people, at this moment all the idlers had run out to watch the excitement, making it rarely quiet. Even carriages could drive in.
Unfortunately, they still couldn’t drive through the gate.
The driver looked at the gate and courtyard, somewhat regretful: “Minister Deng should move to a better residence.”
The young servant from Deng Yi’s household rubbed his nose: “No need.”
If they moved to a better residence, who knew when they’d have to pawn it off. Better to just find a random place to hole up—less worry, less trouble.
Of course, the driver hadn’t come to critique other people’s gates. He smiled and called to the servant, and together they lifted the boxes down from the carriage.
The unremarkable-looking boxes were quite heavy. The thin servant struggled a bit. Through the gaps in the wooden boxes, one could see flashes of light inside—some kind of gold, silver, or precious jewels.
But the servant’s expression was very calm as he carried the boxes into a storage room.
“Just put them on the ground,” he said.
The driver glanced at the servant. This servant looked like a country bumpkin who hadn’t seen the world. He couldn’t help but remind him: “The things inside are very valuable.”
The servant made an acknowledging sound, thinking—so what? Before long they’d be carried back out again. He’d seen too many of these boxes coming in and going out. He’d long grown numb to it.
In another area—also the only reception room in this house—Deng Yi sat across from the scholar Ning Kun.
Ning Kun said with a smile: “This is our prince’s token of goodwill, congratulating Minister Deng on your promotion.”
Deng Yi smiled: “It’s hardly a promotion—just becoming a gatekeeper.”
Ning Kun said: “How is it not a promotion? Minister Deng has freed himself from the constraints of the Zhao and Yang families and become an attendant before His Majesty.”
He finished with a meaningful smile.
Deng Yi picked up his teacup and took a sip: “The prince truly has keen eyes and ears to know of such a small matter.”
Ning Kun smiled but didn’t answer this question.
Deng Yi didn’t particularly care about Prince Zhongshan’s operations in the capital either. Even a small figure like him could be noticed by Prince Zhongshan. Who knew how many people Prince Zhongshan had gathered?
“What does the prince want me to do this time?” He set down his teacup and asked.
Ning Kun was also quite direct: “The prince has only one message: if danger should arise in the future, please open the gate for the heir apparent.”
Deng Yi was momentarily stunned. What did this mean? Was he worried the heir apparent would be plotted against by the Crown Prince or the Third Prince?
The heir apparent had recently gained some fame in the capital.
Originally he’d stayed holed up in the guest residence without going out, acting as if he didn’t exist in the world. But later, he’d gone to Chu Garden’s literary gathering several times, and had even heroically rescued someone at Chu Garden’s gathering, receiving Miss Chu’s maid as a gift—
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but smile. Others might not know, but he could guess as soon as he heard—what the heir apparent wanted to receive was probably not just the maid.
Now everyone in the capital was talking about the heir apparent. It was said the Third Prince was displeased with him going to Chu Garden and associating with the Chu family, while the Crown Prince was also displeased with him participating in the Third Prince’s affairs. When His Majesty was confused, he would occasionally ask a eunuch, “Why is everyone talking about A’Xun? Has A’Xun come to the capital?”
Now the Third Prince and Crown Prince had already brought their conflict into the open. When that time came, it was very possible Xiao Xun would be made the chicken killed to warn the monkeys.
If it really came to that point, given the Crown Prince and Third Prince’s cruel ruthlessness, coming to the Emperor would indeed be the only way to save his life.
Deng Yi nodded: “Alright.” He added, “But the old rule—this money is only for opening the gate. As for other matters—”
For instance, whether the heir apparent could keep his life after entering, or even whether he could reach the Emperor—
“That’s a different price.”
Ning Kun smiled: “Naturally.”
With that, he stood up, bowed, and took his leave. Deng Yi didn’t try to keep him and walked out to see him off.
“A’er, A’er, you’re back—” An old woman’s trembling voice came from a room to the side. “A’er, your father’s and your brother’s graves need repair. Don’t forget.”
As she spoke, a blind old woman felt her way out.
Deng Yi loudly agreed and stepped forward to support her: “Mother, I remember. I’ll have A’Cai send money back right away.”
The young servant to the side, A’Cai, also nodded along: “Yes, yes, Old Madam, don’t worry. The second master has money now.”
Only then did the blind old woman relax. She grasped Deng Yi’s hand and reached out to pat his head: “A’er is a good boy—”
As if treating a mischievous child.
Deng Yi showed no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, he lowered his body so his mother could reach his head.
“This is my mother,” he said, holding the old woman’s hand and introducing her to Ning Kun. Then he said to the old woman, “We have a guest. I’m seeing him off.”
The old woman quickly said: “A guest? Will the guest stay for dinner?”
Guest Ning Kun quickly bowed to the old woman: “Thank you, Old Madam. I’m in a hurry to return this time, but I’m grateful for your kind intention.”
The old woman didn’t insist, her blind, aged face full of kindness: “Good, good. Come for dinner next time.”
Though the old woman couldn’t see, Ning Kun bowed earnestly again, then gestured to Deng Yi that there was no need to see him out further, and quickly walked out himself.
Deng Yi didn’t see him off further. Ning Kun got into the carriage and could hear the small courtyard was very lively.
“—Mother, what would you like to eat? I’ll have A’Cai make it.”
“That’s right, Old Madam. We have money today, let’s eat more good food. Who knows if we’ll have any tomorrow.”
Ning Kun signaled the driver. The driver urged the horse on, and the carriage creaked its way out of the cramped alley.