Si Tian Guan

As usual, the emperor still summoned Qu Shenzhou to divination in Qingxinju.

There are rules for walking, sitting and lying in the palace. He walked with a strict eye, but his pace was very slow. Seeing the father-in-law who led the way turned his head, he seemed to be urging him, and said apologetically, "Eunuch Shi, I'm sorry, Madam Chen is strict."

His voice was gentle and cautious, like a little beast that might be frightened at any time, so Eunuch Shi couldn't help laughing.

"Qu Sitian's time in the palace is still short, so it's understandable that he can't learn the rules. The emperor has shown you a lot of favor, so Qu Sitian doesn't have to be so constrained."

As if he didn't hear the meaning of encouraging him to be presumptuous in these words, Qu Chenzhou counted his steps carefully, and stood up tired after not walking far.

"Eunuch Shi," he asked cautiously and softly, "Where did those Sitian officials before me... go?"

Eunuch Shi looked at him with a smile for a while, and then said: "Qu Sitian, don't be afraid, since you have the support of the emperor, you will definitely not die without a whole body like them."

Qu Chenzhou stopped talking, looked at the time, didn't dare to delay any longer, and rushed all the way to Qingxinju.

The room was quiet, and Yu Dexi was standing beside him, waiting for Emperor Yu to look at the letter.

He didn't need to look up to see it, he also knew that it was a flowery note for divination to the ladies a few days ago, in duplicate, written by him himself, one was in the hands of the ladies, and the other was sent to the emperor.

Qu Chenzhou stood by the bead curtain with his hands down, listening to the sound of the flowers and grass paper being gently turned, it took a long time before he greeted him.

"come over."

He walked over lightly and knelt down before the steps.

Only then did Emperor Yu look up, and said with a smile: "I told you to come over and read the paper. Why can't you get rid of this habit of kneeling at every turn? Fortunately, Mother Chen said that you are a quick learner."

"Yes." Qu Chenzhou stood up: "I will remember that."

These days, Emperor Yu also knew his habit of being cautious and talking less, and seeing a lot of frizzy children at this age, he liked being so smart, knowing when to shut up quietly.

"Qingru's hexagram, what does 'cloud cover the moon' mean?"

"Your Majesty, forgive me," Qu Shenzhou said softly, "I can't think of any clues."

"The timing of this hexagram happened to be on the child. Although Qingru didn't say anything, I could see that she was worried and aggrieved. Even sending the imperial doctor to the doctor frightened her."

"Chen... I will go to the empress's palace to plead guilty later..."

Emperor Yu waved his hand: "How can it be your fault? If something happens, you have warned in advance, and Qingru should thank you."

"I dare not..."

Emperor Yu looked at him, picked up another copy, dusted off the flowers and grass paper, with a half-smile: "The peach leaves branches in March, sinking the boat."

Qu Chenzhou hurriedly straightened his body, cupped his hands and said: "The emperor orders."

"Do you know, who is Concubine Ming's son?"

"It's... Prince Qi."

Emperor Yu nodded: "I haven't figured it out for so long, but I let you make up my mind. You are so brave."

Qu Chenzhou's knees softened, and he knelt down heavily on the steps, his forehead pressed tightly against the back of his hands, trembling uncontrollably.

"The emperor spares my life...the emperor spares my life..."

"Huh?" Emperor Yu put down the letterhead and looked down at him: "Why do you beg me to spare your life? Do you know what crime you have committed?"

Qu Chenzhou trembled for a moment, then sobbed softly: "I actually don't know what crime I have committed... I can only divination, and I can only speak the hexagrams I saw. They taught me that I know my mistakes, but I don't I know, it's just that the emperor seems to be angry..."

"who are they?"

"Chen Nanny said, if the emperor is angry..." It's okay not to ask, after this question, his tears rolled down: "If I am angry, I should say that the minister knows his mistakes, and the minister deserves death .”

Emperor Yu suddenly burst out laughing, laughing so hard that Qu Chenzhou couldn't stop crying.

"Shen Zhou," Emperor Yu almost burst into tears with laughter, "I didn't believe it before. There is no one in this world who doesn't lie. It turns out that I was wrong. You are so sincere and cute."

Qu Chenzhou raised his head in a daze, the tears on his face were still wet.

"Do you still remember that half a month ago, you made a divination for me, saying 'Sprinkle salt to make the snow fall into the golden mountain'," Emperor Yu asked him, "Do you know where it came true?"

Qu Shenzhou shook his head.

Emperor Yu didn't explain to him, just said: "Get up, I know you can only divination, and you don't have any intentions. Why panic, you don't even remember to say, 'I' come 'I' go Yes, Nanny Chen should watch you more to learn the rules."

Qu Chenzhou didn't get up, but took a few steps forward on his knees, and muttered in a low voice: "Your Majesty, I... I want to ask you something."

Emperor Yu looked at him sideways, and sneered: "I am generous to you, but you will make progress."

"The emperor...forgive me..."

"Forget it, tell me."

Qu Chenzhou kowtowed, and there was a tear in his voice: "If I offend the emperor someday, I beg the emperor to leave a whole body for me."

"What are you talking about?" Emperor Yu's face turned cold: "Who told you what nonsense?"

Even Yu Dexi looked over and asked, "What did Qu Sitian say?"

Qu Chenzhou didn't dare to say it, and he didn't dare not to say it. After a while, he said softly: "They said that the Sitian officials before me... all died without a whole body. Let me be more careful."

"who are they?"

This time it was Yu Dexi who asked, the palace servants who were on duty next to Qu Shenzhou were all arranged by him, if there was any mistake, he would not be able to escape responsibility.

"It's... Eunuch Shi."

Yu Dexi looked into Emperor Yu's eyes, turned around and went out, someone in the distance seemed to let out a miserable scream, turned back after a while, and nodded.

Emperor Yu's eyes stayed on the flowers and grass paper for a moment, and suddenly he spat at Qu Chenzhou.

"Straighten your back for me!"

Qu Shenzhou didn't know why, but he still obediently straightened his back.

"You are also the official Sitian appointed by my relatives, the second rank of the official residence! Look at your current appearance! All cats and dogs are bullying you! Don't cry, I will support you in everything!"

Yu Dexi hurried forward: "Your Majesty, Qu Sitian is still young after all."

Of course Emperor Yu knew, and couldn't help sighing in a muffled voice.

"I heard that you had a bad relationship with Qingru and Chongming a few days ago?"

Qu Chenzhou's straight shoulders collapsed: "I know I'm wrong..."

"I asked you if you knew what was wrong!"

"I know," he was able to answer this time, "I couldn't hold it back, I retorted, I shouldn't contradict the imperial concubine and the eldest son."

"Stand up! Straighten your back!" Emperor Yu scolded him: "The next time I see you so dejected, I will hit you with twenty court sticks first! I will give you a long memory!"

Qu Chenzhou stood up without making a sound, and heard Emperor Yu sneer for a while.

"Haven't you 'can't hold back'? It's no wonder Chongming doesn't like you with your straight-forward temper. He's young, has a quick temper, and loves to hear nice words. It's only natural that he can't stand you."

"I'll just bicker like a child about the matter between you and him, and I'll talk to him later, don't care about it on your side!"

"It's just that you are too presumptuous for Qingru. She has a soft temper and is not good at arguing with others. She just said a word to you because she loves Chongming."

"Although Qingru didn't argue with you, she always puts up with her grievances. Now that she has a body, she shouldn't be sullen."

"I heard from the queen that your mouth is also poisonous. Are you just pretending to be cute in front of me, relying on me to favor you when you go out, and even dare to contradict Qingru? You should fight."

Qu Chenzhou lowered his head and replied weakly: "I dare not...just..."

"Just what? Have you learned to quibble?" Emperor Yu scolded him: "I think you are young and come from a difficult background. If you make a mistake for the first time, I will forgive you this time. Go to Qingru's side these few days and let Qingru admit your mistake." , ask her to forgive me."

"Yes……"

Qu Shenzhou responded softly, seeing Emperor Yu leaning on the soft pillow, he didn't speak for a while, and was about to retreat when he saw Emperor Yu raised his eyes.

"Yu Dexi, go get that for him."

Yu Dexi bowed and went out, and brought someone back with a tray after a while, the satin was lifted, and inside was a sandalwood coat with patterns embroidered with gold silk intertwined.

Qu Shenzhou's heart skipped a beat.

Yu Dexi stepped forward, unfolded the gown embroidered with gold silk in front of him, and personally helped him put it on, and couldn't help but praise: "Qu Sitian is so pretty, this dress adds to his beauty."

"How?" Emperor Yu looked at him with a smile: "How about this dress? Do you like it?"

"Looks good, I like it."

Qu Chenzhou pinched his cuffs. He used to get such a thing with bloody hands, but this time he got it so easily.

The reunion of old things, mixed feelings in my heart, but my face was extremely happy, I lowered my head and said shyly: "Yes... Yes, it's a bit long..."

Emperor Yu laughed again.

"Shen Zhou, it's been a long time since I've been so happy. The clothes are a bit long, and I originally planned to give them to you when you grow up and be more stable. Look at how pitiful you are now, let's wear them first, Yu Dexi I’ll make another one for you later.”

Yu Dexi smiled, smoothed the collar of his collar, and said with a smile: "Qu Sitian, this dress is not just good-looking, it's called Xuanmang Weaving Gold Clothes, and it's a gift from the emperor."

Qu Shenzhou repeated blankly: "Xuanmang weaves gold clothes..."

"You are young and promoted rashly, so there must be a lot of impeachments in the court." Emperor Yu rarely had the thought to explain a few more words: "This clothes is given to you, and you are a teacher of the same country."

Yu Dexi was afraid that he wouldn't understand, so he added: "Let's not talk about being the eldest son, even if you meet Lord Hou, Lin Xiang and Tang Shizhong, Qu Sitian can sit on an equal footing without bowing down."

Qu Chenzhou was about to kneel down to thank him, but was stopped by Emperor Yu's eyes.

"This is the courage I gave you. Stand up straight, don't embarrass me outside and cry and cry. But if you let me know that you are arrogant and unscrupulous outside, you can't forgive me lightly. you!"

"I dare not."

"You dare to talk back to Qingru, and you don't dare?" Emperor Yu scolded him with a smile, and then ordered: "Yu Dexi, the people in Guanxing Pavilion should not take turns, let Shen Zhou choose people by himself. After watching Both inside and outside the Star Pavilion are managed by Shen Zhou himself. Shen Zhou!"

"The minister is here."

"Ask for advice from Yu Dexi and Bo Yan when you have time, and learn to manage your own people. You are young, but since you are already in this position, put your airs on the line for me."

As if joking, Emperor Yu laughed again: "Next time Chongming will say stupid things to you, even if you kick him, he will suffer."

Only then did Qu Shenzhou bow down.

"I will do my best to live up to the entrustment of the emperor."

"Go down," Emperor Yu waved his hand: "When you go to Qingru's place to plead guilty, take off this clothes, lest Qingru be paranoid."

The bead curtain closed, and the swing gradually stopped, closing the gap where people left.

Only then did Emperor Yu pick up the flowers and straw paper on the table, looked at the hexagram of the Sanyue Tao, and asked, "Yu Dexi, what do you think?"

Yu Dexi quickly lowered his head and said: "This world belongs to the emperor, and all people are the emperor's subjects. Life and death, advance and retreat are all sacred intentions, and slaves don't know."

Emperor Yu leaned aside, brushed off the flowers and straw with his fingers, and laughed to himself.

"It's such a straightforward newborn calf, it's quite cute."

"Jing Yan!"

When Concubine Yu saw the person coming, she didn't even pretend to be sick, she tugged at her son's sleeve and begged.

"Make up your mind! Since the emperor has the first time, he will call that Qu Sitian to divination if he fails to keep it all right. I can't just get sick every time."

"Fortunately, I didn't go this time. This catastrophe fell to Mu Jingde's side. What can I do next time!"

Mu Jingyan drew back his sleeves, and carefully picked up the soup bowl on the table.

"Drink some medicine, the illness will heal faster, don't worry your son."

Concubine Yu had no choice but to drink the medicine first. She wanted to ask again, but she lost the courage.

"I've heard." This time it was Mu Jingyan who spoke first: "Qu Sitian does have some abilities. In the past two months or so, the Emperor Father has convinced him, which is not comparable to those lame people in the past."

Only then did Concubine Yu express her worry: "Yes, I heard that the hexagrams he gave to Concubine Gui and Concubine Ming all meant something, and it worked, what should I do?"

"Spiritual success?" Mu Jingyan sat down in front of the tea stove, gently waving his fan, and sneered, "How did Concubine Mu know that he is succulent?"

Concubine Yu was stunned for a moment: "Even the emperor believes it, and at the palace banquet..."

"Is it the first day for the concubine to enter the palace? The emperor wants to praise him, but it's just a stage show, does the concubine take it seriously?"

Concubine Yu couldn't help talking, but she felt uneasy, so she could only try to persuade her son.

"But look... it's strange for him to enter the palace. Mu Jingchen said that he told him very early on that he was asked to rescue him on the first day of November. How should this be explained?"

Speaking of this, Mu Jingyan stopped his fan.

This made Concubine Yu put her heart in her throat: "Jing Yan, what's wrong?"

"The concubine mother may not know, but he also begged me to save him."

Mu Jingyan stared at the flames in the tea stove.

"Compared with his deceptive tricks, I want to know who he really is."