HMAM CH 26 A Day In The Palace
It was almost evening.
Jing Ye came out of the imperial study, and Ye Mao hurriedly shook out his thin cloak and put it on him: "The weather has gotten colder these days, Your Majesty, be careful of catching the cold."
"En." Jing Ye let him tie the ribbon at the collar for him. Ye Mao seemed to have lost some weight. It seemed that he had spent a lot of time worrying about him in the past month.
Jing Ye suddenly said: "Are you going to follow zhen all your life?"
"What is Your Majesty saying?" Ye Mao smiled foolishly, "Where can this subject go if not to follow Your Majesty? Or could it be Your Majesty thinks this subject is too clumsy and wants to drive me out?"
Jing Ye thought for a while and said, "Don't you want to find a companion?"
“This subject has to serve Your Majesty day and night, where will there be the time for a companion.”
Eunuchs could not compare to palace maids. Palace maids could ask to leave the palace when they reach the age of twenty. Eunuchs were physically handicapped and would be spurned by others and have no future at all outside the palace.
Jing Ye looked at Ye Mao's moist cat-like eyes and remembered that on the way back to the capital, he stayed in a small farmhouse of a well-off family. The owner's child was eleven or twelve years old, a pampered child with delicate skin and big bright eyes.
If Ye Mao... could also be born in a family with no worries about food and clothing, he would definitely be more adorable than that little boy.
During his recent travels, he did not completely gain nothing, at least he was able to see the customs and lives of the people wherever he went.
The imperial carriage stopped not far away, but Jing Ye did not go in. Ye Mao said: "Your Majesty..."
Jing Ye passed the carriage and said with a smile: “Zhen's legs are stiff after sitting all afternoon. Let's take a walk and loosen up first."
Ye Mao hurriedly followed him. The master and servant walked slowly on the palace road, followed by the palace maids and guards.
There was some twilight colors in the sky, but it was still bright. When the palace people walking back and forth saw Jing Ye walking slowly by, they all knelt down to pay respects.
Jing Ye tilted his head, listened, and said with a smile, "It's so lively."
Ye Mao listened carefully, and sure enough, the sound of laughter could be heard from the other side of the wall, and he hurriedly said: "It should be the newly selected Yulin guards practicing in the training ground."
Jing Ye nodded and suddenly said: "Let's go and have a look."
Ye Mao: “Ah?" But Jing Ye had already turned around and headed in the direction where the laughter came from.
Ye Mao hurriedly stepped forward to lead the way.
Jing Ye had the palace guards wait outside, and followed Ye Mao to the palace wall. Looking down, he saw an open space that could accommodate hundreds of people. There were more than a dozen young people in their twenties, all dressed in black and red attire, a ribbon tied around their forehead, running around the field. One of them suddenly jumped up and kicked in the air, and the small ball rushed through the goal with the sound of wind.
"Good!"
Sitting or standing next to the open space were all handsome young men dressed in the same style, and they applauded from time to time.
Jing Ye watched quietly for a while, his eyes sweeping across the crowd. Someone seemed to notice when his eyes fell on them, and turned around and looked up.
Jing Ye raised a brow.
The person was also startled, then he knelt down on one knee and said loudly: “Paying respects to Your Majesty!"
This shout shocked everyone on the field. The young people looked up and saw Jing Ye, immediately knelt down on one knee and said in unison: "Paying respects to Your Majesty!"
Jing Ye gestured for Ye Mao to speak, and the latter said loudly: "Rise—"
Everyone took the order and stood up.
Ye Mao said again: "Young gentlemen, there is no need to be courteous, just continue as before."
"Thanking Your Majesty!"
The young military officers leaned over and clasped their fists, and then dispersed.
The person who knelt down first was still standing there, looking up at Jing Ye.
Jing Ye looked back at him once, then turned around and walked down the palace wall. Ye Mao followed him: "Your Majesty, do you want to summon General Li over?"
“There is nothing to say." Jing Ye still didn't understand why Li Tingqiu came back, and sighed softly, "Forget it. Let's go back to the palace residence."
"Ai."
When Jing Ye returned to his palace residence, he saw all the maids gathered in front of the bedroom looking in. Ye Mao coughed and they turned around and knelt down to pay their respects.
Jing Ye asked: "What's wrong?"
The maid in charge stood up and curtsied: "Just now Lin Gongzi came here with the young prince. He originally wanted to wait for Your Majesty, but because a long time passed without any sign, he left first."
Jing Ye entered the palace while listening. The palace maid looked inside the palace and said with a smile, "The young prince is eating snacks."
Jing Ye entered the hall and saw that the little glutton was sitting on the soft couch, holding the snacks sent by Lu Baizang at noon and gnawing away at them. His tender face was covered with crumbs.
He couldn't help but laugh. The little guy was very clever, when he saw that the person coming in was Jing Ye, he immediately threw down his snacks and reached out for a hug: "Susu!"
Jing Ye was surprised. He sat over and held Jing Xiaoyun on his lap, rubbing his little face: "You learned to talk?"
"Susu, miss... Susu."
Jing Xiaoyun waved his two chubby paws, and the crumbs and drool were all smeared on Jing Ye's robes. The palace maid spoke at the side: "Lin Gongzi asked this servant to tell Your Majesty that from now on, the young prince's food, clothing, and daily life will be entirely entrusted to Your Majesty, but he must be sent back to his original residence every afternoon to keep company with his elder brother."
"En." Jing Ye held the little guy's fist, "Has the side room been tidied up?"
"It was ready a month ago. The servants clean it every day. We also invited back the palace ladies and older maids who have served the prince or the little princes in the past to live in the palace."
"Good." Jing Ye stood up with Jing Xiao Yun in his arms, "Zhen will go take a look.”
There was only a wall between the side room and Jing Ye's bedroom. In the inner room was Jing Yun's small bed, which was made according to the little one's size and surrounded by safety fences. The whole room was covered with thick cashmere carpets, and every step left a footprint.
Jing Ye put him on the bed. Jing Xiao Yun looked up at him.
Jing Ye smiled and picked up the small toy drum on the bench next to them to tease him. The little guy jumped forward, hugged the toy drum and started chewing on it.
"Aiiii, put it down! You can't eat this!" Jing Ye quickly pulled the toy drum back, dumbfounded, "Who did you learn to bite whatever you grab from?"
Jing Yun looked at him innocently.
Jing Ye rubbed his little head: "You will live here from now on, so be good."
Jing Yun called in a sweet voice, "Susu."
"Ai."
The second day, morning.
Jing Ye was sitting behind the desk, looking through the memorials. Outside, Ye Mao knocked on the door and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Feng wants to see you."
"Feng Ling?" The hand turning the page paused, "Summon him in quickly."
"Yes."
Soon, the door creaked open, Jing Ye raised his head, and the young man brushed his robes and knelt down: "Paying respects to Your Majesty."
Jing Ye stood up and walked over to help him up: "Qing, rise quickly."
When his hand grasped his arm, he could feel the other trembling slightly: "Feng Qing?"
Feng Ling raised his head and looked at him, his expression so complicated that even he couldn't decipher it himself.
Jing Ye looked at him with concern: "What's wrong? What's the matter?"
Feng Ling suddenly grabbed his hand and opened his mouth as if he had a thousand words to say, but in the end he remained silent.
Jing Ye's left hand was held by him, his expression was slightly surprised, and he became more and more concerned: "Feng Qing?" He actually took the initiative to hold his hand. This was probably the most inappropriate thing Feng Ling had ever done.
"This subject... it's nothing." Feng Ling swallowed and didn't know what to say, "It's been a month."
A month? Jing Ye was stunned, what month?
“This subject has been waiting for Your Majesty to come back." Feng Ling gently let go of his hand, took two steps back, bowed and saluted, “This subject is relieved. Your Majesty is busy with state affairs, so this subject will retreat first."
"...En." Jing Ye watched him retreat out of the door, then turned around. His back was still upright, but he felt a little bitter for no reason.
Ye Mao came over and asked: "Your Majesty, shall the memorials be continued to be looked over?"
Jing Ye came back to his senses and said, "Continue." After saying that, he turned around and sat down. Ye Mao bent over and closed the study door with a creak.
The sky was getting a little dark, and the wind was picking up again, bringing with it a little bit of coolness. The palace people all raised their heads.
It was raining.