A few days later, the Seventh Prince’s birthday arrived as scheduled.
Early in the morning, as soon as Xiao Shen opened his eyes, he jumped out of bed neatly, washed and changed his clothes, and couldn’t wait to go to Jiuyue Pavilion to ask his master for his birthday present this year.
However, before the Seventh Prince left the outer hall, he heard the eunuch report: “Your Highness, Young Master Shen is here.”
“Master!” The dark pupils suddenly burst into light, and Xiao Shen quickly walked up to him.
Shen Qingzhuo stepped into the hall and saw his little disciple in a bright red dragon robe. He couldn’t help but praise him from the bottom of his heart: “What a handsome young man.”
The youth usually wears simple clothes or low-key black robes, but when he puts on the exquisite and elegant red dragon robe, his figure looks even more slender like jade and tall like bamboo, and he exudes a dignified and elegant temperament.
On his birthday, he received such high praise from his master early in the morning. Xiao Shen couldn’t help but smile, almost to the back of his ears. “Really?”
“When has Master ever lied to you?” Shen Qingzhuo looked at him with a smile, his admiring eyes mixed with a bit of relief.
His little disciple who rolled around at his feet finally grew up into a youth in his prime, and his literary and military skills were no less than any other princes. The sense of accomplishment in his heart was very strong.
“Master…” Being stared at by his master so seriously, Xiao Shen showed a rare shyness on his face and took two steps forward impatiently. “Master, what gift do you want to give me? Can you tell me now?”
“Look how anxious you are.” Shen Qingzhuo said in a teasing tone, “How can a little birthday star take the initiative to ask others for birthday gifts?”
“Master, you are not someone else!” Xiao Shen’s eyes were full of sparkling expectations: “Master, stop keeping me in suspense!”
“Fine, fine, I won’t keep you in suspense anymore.” Shen Qingzhuo looked at his little disciple with a smile and said, “Stretch out your hand.”
Xiao Shen immediately stretched out his palm, like a puppy waiting obediently for a high-five. If he had a tail, he would probably wag it happily.
Shen Qingzhuo found him more and more adorable. He took out a beautiful jewelry box with a carved butterfly pattern from his arms and placed it in the palm of his little disciple.
“What is this?” Xiao Shen withdrew his hand and quickly opened it, unable to suppress his curiosity.
A high-quality mutton-fat white jade Buddha pendant comes into view, crystal clear and white, as smooth as fat, with a warm and soft luster.
“Years ago, Master accompanied the Empress Dowager to Linglong Temple to burn incense and met the abbot of Linglong Temple by chance.” Shen Qingzhuo explained slowly, “The abbot said that Master was a predestined person, so Master asked the abbot to consecrate this jade Buddha pendant.”
Xiao Shen blankly stared at the jade pendant in his hand, feeling vaguely familiar.
He seems…
To have seen an identical jade pendant somewhere before.
“People often say that jade has spirituality. Hope that it can bring you good luck and become a lucky charm to protect you.” Shen Qingzhuo took the jade pendant and put it on his little disciple’s slender neck. “Of course, always keeping good thoughts and doing more good deeds are more useful than the blessed jade Buddha.”
To be honest, as a materialist, he does not believe in gods, Buddhas, or Taoism. Rather than saying that he believes that the blessed jade pendant can protect his little disciple, it is more like a kind of belief.
He held the jade Buddha pendant devoutly, burned incense, lit candles in front of the Buddha, kneeled down, and chanted scriptures, praying that his little disciple would have a smooth life in the future without having to endure hardships or commit murder again.
The warm jade pendant touched the skin on his chest, and his back trembled unconsciously. Xiao Shen suddenly came to his senses.
“Do you like it?” Shen Qingzhuo lowered his hands and took a step back.
“I like it!” Xiao Shen replied without hesitation, “As long as it was given by Master, I like all of them.”
This pendant is not only made of rare white jade but also a Buddhist pendant specially consecrated for him by his master. There is only one in the world, and he would not exchange it for any fortune.
“I think you are so sweet-talking.” Shen Qingzhuo’s lips curved slightly. “If Master is not by your side in the future, it can be regarded as a thought, let it accompany you on behalf of Master.”
“What?” Xiao Shen’s expression suddenly changed, and he subconsciously grabbed his master’s arm and said, “Why aren’t you here? Where is Master going?”
Shen Qingzhuo was speechless for a moment. He didn’t want to spoil his little disciple’s fun on such a good day, so he said casually, “Master was just giving an example. For example, if Master was ordered to go out of the capital to handle a case or go back to Youbei to visit relatives, we will always be separated from time to time.”
Xiao Shen’s breath, which he had been holding, finally began to flow again, but his expression remained solemn. “Master, next time… don’t scare me like this again.”
Shen Qingzhuo’s heart sank. His little disciple was more clingy than he had imagined. Every time the word “leave” was mentioned, he would overreact.
Maybe it was because he was too young. When he grew up, when he became the supreme emperor and had his own wife, children, and career, he would no longer be so dependent on him.
Thinking of this, Shen Qingzhuo pinched his little disciple’s cheek and joked, “You’ve already turned sixteen. Normally, teenagers your age can already buy soy sauce1It’s an internet term, which means that the child is already big and able to help out.. Why are you still so scared?”
“Others are others, and I am me ah.” Xiao Shen took the opportunity to rub against his master’s arms, “I don’t want a kid who can buy soy sauce, I only want Master.”
Shen Qingzhuo smiled helplessly, raised his hand and smoothed the youth’s stiff back, and said, “Fine, today you are the birthday boy, you have the final say.”
***
Time passed unknowingly, and when the sun set, Xiao Shen went to Changshou Palace alone.
The Seventh Prince’s first birthday banquet was hosted by the Empress Dowager in the Changshou Palace. From Emperor Guangxi to consorts and princes, everyone attended the banquet unless they had special reasons to be absent.
In order to avoid suspicion, Shen Qingzhuo deliberately drank two cups of tea and then slowly walked towards Changshou Palace.
As expected, apart from Emperor Guangxi, he was the last one to arrive.
“Qingzhuo pays his respects to the Empress Dowager.” Shen Qingzhuo lifted up his brocade robe and kneeled down to salute.
“Qingzhuo is here ah.” The Empress Dowager was talking to the little birthday boy. Upon hearing this, she turned around and said lovingly, “Get up. Today is a family dinner. Don’t be restrained.”
“Thank you, Empress Dowager.” Shen Qingzhuo stood up and bowed to both sides, “Greetings to all Niangniang and Your Highnesses.”
“Lord Shen, there is no need to be so polite.” In the silence, Consort Xian took the initiative to speak and show her goodwill, “Lord Shen, please take a seat.”
Shen Qingzhuo nodded slightly and sat down as he was told.
All consorts of the palace sat on the left according to their seniority, and the princes sat on the right according to their age. The only empty seat left for him was the last one next to the Seventh Prince.
Shen Qingzhuo observed with his eyes, nose, and heart while sipping hot tea, when he suddenly heard a curious voice beside him: “Are you Lord Shen from Beizhen Fushi?”
He turned his eyes to look at the strange youth sitting one seat away.
The Sixth Prince, Xiao Chengyun, is only one year older than the Seventh Prince. Like his mother, Consort Jing, he is the least visible of all the princes.
But compared with other consorts, Consort Jing’s family background could even be considered prominent. She was a princess of Nanle Kingdom, a small foreign country dependent on Dayong, and was presented to the Emperor of Dayong as a marriage partner.
It was precisely because of the sensitivity of her identity that after entering the palace, Emperor Guangxi was reluctant to give her an heir. However, she unexpectedly gave birth to the Sixth Prince by accident. After that, she tried her best to reduce the presence of both mother and son. For so many years, her life in the palace was stable.
Shen Qingzhuo smiled slightly, “Sixth Prince has heard of me?”
“I heard that you are very good at handling cases, but the key is…” Xiao Chengyun stopped talking halfway, subconsciously looked up at Consort Jing opposite him, and swallowed the rest of his words.
Shen Qingzhuo asked, “What is the key?”
Xiao Chengyun avoided his gaze and replied hesitantly, “Nothing…”
At this moment, the eunuch’s drawn-out announcement came from outside the palace gate: “His Majesty has arrived!”
Except for the Empress Dowager, everyone in the room stood up and bowed to greet Emperor Guangxi, who came in.
Emperor Guangxi waved his hand, his voice clearly lacking in strength: “No need to be polite.”
After Xiao Shen completed his ceremony, he returned to his seat.
When he sat down, he calmly touched his master’s shoulder with his arm. When his master gave him a puzzled look, he straightened his sitting posture as if nothing had happened, looking as if he didn’t want to talk to the person next to him.
Shen Qingzhuo thought to himself, Is this little disciple…
Going to start competing with him in acting again?
The banquet officially began, and the palace attendants outside the door filed in and carefully served the dazzling meal. Each and every delicious dish was delicious, and some of the ingredients were rushed from land and sea and smelled extremely delicious.
Shen Qingzhuo was a little hungry, but he couldn’t pick up his chopsticks until the Emperor spoke. He had to wait until the Emperor finished his pre-banquet speech.
“Today is Lao Qi’s birthday, and it’s also a rare family dinner.” Emperor Guangxi sat high in the main seat, looked around at everyone in the hall, and said slowly, “Zhen hasn’t seen some of you for a long time.”
There was silence on both sides of the banquet, and no one dared to admit that the person the Emperor was talking about was themselves.
“Your Majesty is very busy, and surely the sisters were afraid of disturbing Your Majesty as well.” Consort Xian pretended to make an excuse for the other consorts and said coquettishly, “Only Chenqie, who was ignorant, could not bear the deep longing and love, and took the initiative to disturb Your Majesty.”
Now that the throne of the Empress is vacant, Consort Xian is trying her best to show off in front of the Emperor while finding the right opportunity to step on other consorts.
Emperor Guangxi’s face darkened. “Is that so?”
“Concubine Xian was right. Chenqie was indeed worried that it would affect Your Majesty’s health.” The Eldest Prince’s biological mother, Consort Zhuang, gently and dignifiedly said, “But after seeing that Your Majesty is in good health today, Chenqie is relieved.”
Emperor Guangxi hated others saying that he was in poor health. After hearing what Consort Zhuang said, his expression lightened up a little. “Even Consort Zhuang can see that Zhen is in good health. It seems that the imperial physician did not fool Zhen ah.”
Shen Qingzhuo: “……”
Typical of someone who has no idea what he is doing.
“Alright, today is Shen’er’s birthday banquet, let’s talk about something happy.” The Empress Dowager changed the subject in time: “Shen’er, what gifts did you receive for your birthday this year? Pick out a few that you like and tell Grandmother.”
Xiao Shen raised his head and said, “Grandson did receive a lot of gifts, but my favorite is the precious horse Emperor Father gave.”
The smile on the Empress Dowager’s lips froze for a moment.
“Not bad, Lao Qi is a man of taste.” At the same time, Emperor Guangxi raised his eyebrows slightly and said in an admiring tone, “That horse has a very fierce temper, but can you still control it?”
“In reply to Emperor Father, Erchen is still working hard in training it. Erchen believes that in time, he will have no problem riding this precious horse.” Xiao Shen replied respectfully. After a moment, he continued, “I also like the parrot that Grandmother gave.”
The Empress Dowager looked slightly surprised: “Parrot? Didn’t Grandmother give it to you a long time ago?”
“Gold, silver, and other treasures are not rare, but the parrot that Grandmother gave Grandson is a rare thing.” Xiao Shen replied with a smile, “That parrot is very smart. Grandson taught it to talk every day to entertain and relieve his boredom. Grandson likes it very much.”
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager smiled and shook her head, saying lovingly, “You are a mischievous person.”
Emperor Guangxi asked again, “What gifts did the other palaces give to the Seventh Prince?”
His Highness the Crown Prince was reluctant to give birthday gifts, but now he was very active in showing off his achievements and was the first to speak in reply. He gave three gifts in total, and he counted them one by one, fearing that one was missing.
Shen Qingzhuo laughed secretly. Before he could make a move, the Crown Prince insisted on jumping into the pit by himself.
Could it be that the Crown Prince really thought that Emperor Guangxi was concerned about whether the Seventh Prince received enough birthday gifts or not?
So naive ah…
As he was thinking, he suddenly felt something touching his thigh.
He dodged aside reflexively, and when he lowered his eyes, he saw his little disciple’s hand touching him in an unruly manner under the cover of the tablecloth.
When he raised his eyelids again, the Seventh Prince was sitting upright, not even glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
The author has something to say:
The Master: It has started, right? You have started to show off your acting skills again, right?
The Wolf Cub: Having an affair in front of a bunch of idiots is so exciting…
