"Father Emperor treats this Jia person better than us, his own sons!"
Li Tianying said indignantly.
Li Tianjin smiled bitterly.
Li Tianying's heart was filled with jealousy.
"Not only was the Imperial Household prepared for a small coronation ceremony,
He also ordered Old Seven to attend the ceremony on his behalf.
I heard that he also found a lot of good things from the palace treasury.
He was waiting for tomorrow's coronation ceremony to reward them all!
"
He suddenly seemed to think of something and straightened his back.
He leaned forward and said carefully, "Eighth Brother, Ninth Brother,
Do you think... this Jia Lian... is Father Emperor's outside... "
"Nonsense!"
Li Tianjin immediately reprimanded.
"How can you talk nonsense about this kind of thing!
"
"Hey!
If you don't want to say it, then don't say it.
Ninth Brother,
When you talk about that Jia family boy,
Aren't you the most excited?
Why are you so quiet today? "
Li Tianying bowed in embarrassment.
He lay on the chair.
As the central figure of the eighth, ninth, and tenth brothers,
Li Tianlang's behavior today was really not right.
Other than greeting his two brothers at the beginning, he had been holding his teacup silently, as if he had encountered something difficult to talk about.
"Ninth Brother, Ninth Brother!"
After calling Li Tianlang twice, there was no response, so Li Tianying directly took action.
After being shaken twice, Li Tianlang blinked and looked at his younger brother in confusion.
"... What's wrong?"
"
"Yo!
Ninth Brother, don't scare me!
I've called you so many times, but there's no response! "
"
Li Tianjin was more steady and reliable than Li Tianying. He touched Li Tianlang's forehead.
He asked with concern, "Ninth Brother, are you feeling unwell?
Why don't you call the imperial physician to take your pulse? "
"
Li Tianlang came back to his senses.
He hurriedly said, "Eighth Brother,
I'm fine.
It's just that I didn't sleep well last night. It's nothing serious. "
"
"Alright then!
Li Tianjin did not force the issue. Inviting an imperial physician for the New Year was not a good idea. Furthermore, Imperial Father did not like it when someone invited an imperial physician to take medicine during the New Year. "There is still a palace banquet tonight. Take advantage of the time to rest in bed!"
I won't stop you from resting. I'll wake you up when it's time.
If you still feel uncomfortable, I'll find a doctor outside the palace to take a look at you. Your health is more important.
In addition to the banquet for the wives of foreign officials, there was also a family banquet for Emperor Wen Of Zhou, the princes, princesses, and many concubines to gather and share the joy of family reunion.
Then, Li Tianjin dragged Li Tianying, who was still clamoring to sleep with Brother Jiu, out of Li Tianlang's residence.
"Phew …" After the two left, Li Tianlang walked into his bedroom, lay on the bed, and let out a long sigh.
That night at the palace banquet, not only did he fail to impeach the Jia Lian, but he also lost a fine steed that he had obtained with great difficulty. Regardless of how Brother Jiu and Brother Jiu tried to persuade him, he was still unhappy.
He was the dignified Ninth Prince of Da Zhou!
Even if it was not for the sake of status, they had known each other since childhood. They could be considered childhood sweethearts!
Couldn't this stinky brat yield to him?
From childhood to now, he had never won against this stinky brat!
Whether it was a competition of literature, martial arts, fair and square, or playing dirty tricks behind his back, he had never lost even once!!
It was simply a disgrace!!!
Couldn't he win just once?
Even the Crown Prince had to give his younger brother some face!
Only he, the Ninth Prince, was magnanimous and cared about their childhood friendship. If someone else dared to be like this brat, he would have already sent someone to beat him to death!
This stinky brat was really not grateful at all!
He treated that lowly eunuch a hundred times better than he treated him!
Why didn't he think about it? If he really wanted to kill this brat, would he just ask someone to throw out such light and childish evidence?
He just wanted this stinky brat to bow his head to him once!
At that time, Li Tianlang drank three cups of wine. The more he thought about it, the more he felt wronged. He felt so wronged that even the water of three rivers would not be able to calm him down. He just wanted to roll up his sleeves and beat the Jia Lian until his peach blossom face split open to vent his anger.
When he saw the Jia Lian leave in a hurry right after the banquet ended, he took advantage of the time when Li Tianjin was happily chatting with the civil officials, and Li Tianying was chatting with the Marquis Of Changxing and Wen Hui about their relationship as uncle and niece. He quietly followed behind and wanted to take the opportunity to make a sneak attack.
When he saw Princess Mingzhu, who was only a few years younger than him, use a whip to sneak attack the Jia Lian, Li Tianlang's heart tightened.
When he saw that the Jia Lian dodged, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
After that, Mingzhu put on a play.
The play of "Infatuated Woman Misfortune Man." Li Tianlang watched the Jia Lian with great interest. He couldn't help but laugh wildly in his heart. He couldn't wait to call his eighth brother and tenth brother to enjoy it together.
After watching this play, Li Tianlang's anger dissipated. He had originally planned to leave, but when he saw the Jia Lian actually walking toward the northwest corner, his curiosity was aroused again.
After that …
Li Tianlang covered his eyes with the back of his hand, and the expression in his eyes gradually darkened.
They … they actually …
For some reason, Li Tianlang's first reaction was not to report this to his imperial father, nor to use this as leverage against the Jia Lian and Feng Zizhi. Instead, he felt very uncomfortable in his heart.
The Jia Lian's words that night seemed to still echo in his ears: "I like you … I … I really like you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.
"
"What … what kind of joke is this?!"
Li Tianlang subconsciously ignored the discomfort in his heart and covered his head with the quilt.
According to the rules of the ceremony, the crowned person needed to fast and bathe in the ancestral hall for three days. He didn't eat meat, didn't drink alcohol, reduced entertainment activities, and tidied his body and mind to show his piety.
Since Wang Yi wanted to separate the Jia Lian from the Jia family, naturally, he wouldn't ask him to go back to the Jia family's ancestral hall to bathe. He just asked Uncle Wang to prepare a side room for the Jia Lian to face the wall and meditate.
However, the Wolf of the Eastern Capital was a carnivore even when he was a pup, let alone a fully grown wolf.
It was too difficult for the wolf to change to eat grass.
"Coo coo coo coo coo coo!"
Even if the Wolf of the Eastern Capital was willing to suppress his nature for a while and change to eating grass, grass couldn't fill his stomach.
However, even if the Jia Lian wanted to rely on his agile skills to sneak into the small kitchen of the Wenhua Hall Grand Secretary Mansion to eat meat, he couldn't do it.
Because Wang Yi, who had anticipated the actions of his "inferior disciple", had already ordered Uncle Wang, the chief steward of the Wang family for three generations, to seal all the doors and windows of the side room so that even a fly couldn't fly in.
"Click!"
The bronze fish lock on the door was opened. Wang Yi came in with a lantern in one hand and a mahogany food box in the other.
"Master!"
The Jia Lian looked at the food box in Wang Yi's hands with shining eyes.
Wang Yi didn't show it on his face, but he was laughing in his heart. He opened the food box and there were two roasted chicken legs inside.
"Are you hungry?
Eat! "
"Yes."
The Jia Lian's eyes emitted a faint green light. He didn't hesitate and grabbed a chicken leg and gnawed at it with his mouth full of oil.
While eating, he said with joy: "Master really loves me the most."
He didn't remember who locked him in the side room and didn't allow the servants to deliver meat dishes.
Wang Yi said calmly: "No one is going to snatch it from you. Eat slowly."
"Okay."
"Okay."
After not eating meat for two days, he almost forgot what meat tasted like.
"Unknowingly, so many years have passed …" The little child back then was about to grow into an adult.
The Jia Lian threw away the chicken bone that had been chewed until only the skeleton was left. He picked up the other chicken leg and gnawed on it, revealing a handsome, but silly, smile in Wang Yi's eyes, indicating that he should listen attentively.
Wang Yi looked at his silly disciple with disdain. He took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and carefully wiped the grease on the Jia Lian's face.
"You!
Eleven years ago, you were just a little monkey. "
He used his hand to indicate the height of the chair next to him.
Wang Yi sighed softly: "In the blink of an eye, you've reached the age of going to war, killing enemies, and starting a family."
"Okay.
When you first became my disciple, I didn't know how to teach you. I was afraid that if I didn't pay attention, I would misunderstand you.
You didn't like to study and couldn't sit still, so Uncle Wang often hit you in the palm. Your little hand was beaten until it was red and swollen.
You liked to practice martial arts and spear. Every time you practiced, you would practice for hours, and you wouldn't stop screaming.
Once you set your mind on something, no matter what you said, scolded, or hit, you couldn't change it. "
When he first accepted the Jia Lian as his disciple, he only wanted to take ALKAID as his disciple so that he could train him and win his heart.
However, he didn't know when this idea started to change.
The more he paid attention, the more attentive he became, and the more he loved him. The relationship between master and disciple was like that between father and son.
The Jia Lian's chewing gradually slowed down. He lowered his head and didn't say anything, but his eyes unknowingly turned red.
He remembered.
When he was young, he couldn't concentrate on his books. All day long, he wanted to go out and play with Ben Xiao.
The words that Uncle Wang taught him, he relied on his intelligence and good memory to memorize them two or three times. However, he would quickly forget them again.
Every time he made a mistake, he would be hit in the palm of his left hand.
He was someone who didn't learn. At night, he would sob in pain and go to sleep. The next day, he would go to class and slack off.
Every night, he would feel a cool and comfortable sensation in his palm. Very quickly, the swelling in his palm would go down, as if nothing had happened.
He knew that his master had specially found medicinal herbs and personally brewed a kind of ointment. Late at night, he would apply the ointment for him.
When he practiced martial arts and spear, his master would always sit in the study with the windows wide open, accompanying him in his practice.
Only when he ate or slept, would his master rest with him.
Although his master had to go to court and work every day, his homework, study progress, and study direction were all done by his master at night. After his master was done, he would carefully instruct Uncle Wang early in the morning the next day.
"Tomorrow, when you have your hairpin ceremony and receive the crown, you will be a real adult. No one will treat you like a child anymore.
If you say something wrong or do something wrong, I can no longer use your young age as an excuse to protect you.
You have always been stubborn since you were young. You won't give up until you hit a wall. You are very stubborn and don't understand people's hearts.
Fortunately, you have that child, Zizhi, to accompany you. I don't have to worry too much. "
Wang Yi said lightly and dotingly.
The Jia Lian's eyes were red. He forced a smile and said, "Master, no matter how old I am, I am still your disciple. You can't ignore me!"
He knew that although he didn't show it on the surface, his master always doted on him the most.
Wang Yi paused and said with slight ridicule, "What's going on between you and that child, Zizhi?"
Based on his understanding of his disciple and his disciple's performance that night, his disciple and Feng Zizhi were definitely not as simple as other families raising young male attendants, or becoming sworn brothers and then marrying their own wives.
The Jia Lian smiled embarrassedly.
"Xiao Zhi is very, very good. I want to spend the rest of my life with him."
The cherishing and love in his tone was obvious.
Wang Yi's heart softened.
His expression didn't change as he asked, "Do you remember when you first went to the battlefield, there was a Dubo under your command called Wen Kang?"
"Yes."
"Wen Kang?
I remember!
During the surprise attack on Xiongnu, he suddenly had incessant diarrhea. I handed his team over to Huang Chun to lead. "
The Jia Lian might not care about other things, but he remembered every person and every matter in the army clearly.
"Then do you know why he suddenly had incessant diarrhea?"
"Yes."
"Didn't you say that he ate a steamed bun from last night, so …" The Jia Lian said hesitantly.
Wang Yi chuckled. "Would a strong and sturdy man like him have incessant diarrhea from eating a mere steamed bun from last night?"
"Yes."
Of course not!
He said meaningfully, "This Wen Kang's surname is Wen …"
The Jia Lian didn't quite understand.
"Wen Kang, a branch of the Wen Family, the nephew of the Marquis Of Changxing, Wen Hui."
"…"
"On the battlefield, swords have no eyes, and it's hard to guard against a hidden arrow."
No matter how good your martial arts are, as long as you can't dodge even once, you'll only end up dying before your ambitions are fulfilled.
"No way …" They were all brothers. They trained together, ate together, bragged, and went to the battlefield. They were all friends who had gone through life and death together.
The Jia Lian couldn't believe it.
Wang Yi sighed softly. Probably in the Jia Lian's eyes, Niu Jin and the others had exaggerated the feelings of comrades in the army to be incomparably noble. Only he, as the master, could be the villain.
He cruelly revealed the darkness of the world to the Jia Lian. He hit the nail on the head and said, "You ruined the legitimate son of the Marquis Of Changxing. It's normal for him to signal his branch to make a move on you.
Once Wen Kang succeeds, with the power of the Marquis Of Changxing, it won't be difficult for him to get promoted and get rich.
It's not convenient for me to get involved in the affairs of the army. Niu Jin, that rough person, won't care about these trivial matters. "
His tone softened, and he changed the topic. "Fortunately, Xiao Zhi is smart and attentive. He's also sincere to you. He sent someone to put some laxatives in Wen Kang's food.
Otherwise, when you first went to the battlefield that day, I'm afraid you would've been shot in the back! "
.
Hearing Feng Zizhi's name, the Jia Lian's heart warmed. "Xiao Zhi didn't mention this to me."
.
When Wang Yi heard this, he was even more satisfied with Feng Zizhi, his disciple's wife.
He said earnestly, "People need to be careful when flowers and plants leave their roots. Even if they come from the same mother, they may not necessarily be trustworthy.
It's hard to know what's in a person's heart. It's always good to be cautious. "
He didn't expect the Jia Lian to know how to harm people, but he just wanted to know how to protect himself.
"I understand, Shifu."
Did the Jia Lian really not understand?
No, he could be considered a child who grew up in the palace. It wasn't that he hadn't seen conspiracies, betrayals, and schemes before. He could even be considered experienced and knowledgeable.
However, with the protection of Emperor Wen Of Zhou and Dai Quan, he only saw these things as a big show. He never thought that it would happen to him.
Wang Yi reminded him again, "Don't let the Emperor know about you and Zizhi."
.
"Why?"
The Jia Lian didn't understand.
He was thinking of going to the palace to confess to the Emperor one day after the coronation. It would be best if he could ask for an imperial edict to let Xiao Zhi live outside the palace. That way, he could see Xiao Zhi every day.
He hadn't seen Xiao Zhi for more than two days. He missed him very much!
"Do you think the Emperor will let you be with an eunuch?
In his eyes, even if you don't marry Princess Mingzhu, you still have to marry and have children. "
It had to be said that in Wang Yi's opinion, Emperor Wen Of Zhou's control over the Jia Lian was a bit crazy.
He had to control everything from small things such as studying, the relationship between father and son, to career advancement, marriage, and having children. Even the princes under his command didn't have such a tight control over them.
"I've already made up my mind.
My brother and I are the closest. He has two sons. In the future, I can ask my brother for Lian 'er to be adopted.
As for the Emperor … even if he doesn't want to at the moment, he will eventually agree. "
The Jia Lian naively thought.
"Alas!"
In order to tie the Jia Lian's loyalty to Emperor Wen Of Zhou, Wang Yi directly and indirectly improved the relationship between them. As a result, the Jia Lian completely trusted and relied on Emperor Wen Of Zhou.
The little tricks he used on the Gongsun Family and the Wen Family were just for outsiders to see. He didn't want to make things difficult for Emperor Wen Of Zhou.
He really didn't know whether he was doing the right thing or not.
Wang Yi's temperament was mild. He was born to teach and educate people or to be a hermit in the mountains. However, Emperor Wen Of Zhou tied him to the imperial court.
"You have to remember that the Emperor is always the Emperor. The Emperor is the Emperor of the world."
No one could make him do anything he didn't want to do.
The Jia Lian was startled.
"If the Emperor finds out about what happened between you two, he might not do anything to you, but he will first cut Zizhi, the eunuch who seduced you, alive."
"…"
"This … this can't be … right …" The Jia Lian murmured.
Wang Yi looked at him with pity.
"Don't worry!
Master will do his best to deal with it for you.
It's just that you have to work hard and let the Emperor know that you've grown up. Only then will he consider your ideas. "
In Emperor Wen Of Zhou's mind, even if a Jia Lian was thirty or forty years old, he was still young. He had a straightforward temperament and was still unsettled.
"Master is proficient in the Four Books and Five Classics. I know astronomy and geography, astrology and divination, I know the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, I know economics and military strategy, and I know agriculture and water conservancy. However, your disciple is only good at military strategy. He only knows a little about astronomy and geography. He only knows a little about the Four Books and Five Classics. As for astrology and divination, the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, he only knows six out of seven.
Alas!
Master really doesn't have the face to let others know that the peerless Wang Yi has taken in such a stupid disciple! "
Wang Yi pretended to sigh.
The Jia Lian blushed slightly, but when he looked at those things, he was just like an arhat — he couldn't make sense of them.
"Then … Master, please teach Xiao Zhi!
He's very smart. He'll know as soon as you teach him! "
"Master.
He hasn't married anyone yet, but he's always thinking about others. He's a henpecked man! "
Wang Yi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This would ruin his image as an expert!
However … Wang Yi thought for a moment and felt that this suggestion was really good.
Feng Zizhi was born with the destiny of a scholar. As long as he didn't die prematurely or suffer from torture like now, it was possible for him to become a top scholar.