The shadow of the country

Last New Year's Eve, the palace was brightly lit all night, and fireworks bloomed endlessly in the night sky.Mu Yan had only hoped to catch a glimpse of that person from a distance, but unexpectedly, he could still stay after this, and was so excited that he almost couldn't sleep all night.

Even so, Mu Yan didn't feel sleepy when he woke up the next morning.The first day of the new year is the day when the emperor and his concubines and princes gather for a banquet.The royal family enjoyed themselves happily, and Yuefu had nothing to do in their spare time.

After Mu Yan finished his breakfast early in the morning, he left Yuefu to wander around the palace alone.Thinking about a few months ago, he was still that person's bodyguard in the palace, and now he has become a musician just like that person's prophecy.But it is also my own willful, willing.Walking through rows of luxurious and exquisite palaces and pavilions unknowingly, looking down at the marble tiles on the ground, there is a sense of deja vu.Looking up again, I realized that I had unintentionally walked in front of Lan Lingdian.

While Mu Yan was still hesitating whether to go in, Eunuch An suddenly walked out of the hall.Seeing Muyan standing outside the hall, he was shocked and said, "Liu Muyan? You, why are you back again?!"

Mu Yan nodded and said, "Yes, it was Lin Yueshi who arranged for me to stay in the Yuefu in the palace as a musician."

Eunuch An was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said: "The palace seems to be stable, but in fact it is always in danger. The palace has never been a safe place. Besides, the master has spent a lot of effort to arrange for you to leave the palace justifiably. You shouldn't come back this time. .”

Mu Yan nodded and smiled slightly, "That's right...Your Highness...you don't really hate me. He deliberately arranged for you to leave that piece of paper stained with arsenic. From the Palace. Is that so?"

After hearing this, Eunuch An was slightly taken aback, "You, don't blame His Highness. His Highness said that he will take good care of you, and arranging you to leave the palace is to keep you away from right and wrong."

Mu Yan closed his eyes and shook his head lightly, "I never blamed him. Where is he... now?"

"The master should be with the emperor now. How about you wait here for a while, and I will report to him when the master returns?"

"Then there will be Eunuch Lao." Mu Yan thanked, and then followed Eunuch An into Lanling Hall to wait for Yilan.

It was not until evening that the emperor ordered all the concubines and princes to return to the palace.When Mu Yan was still holding the book in the Lanling Hall, flipping the pages absently, Yi Lan had already entered the hall, turned around and closed the hall door gently.Just now Eunuch An had said that Mu Yan was here waiting to see him, so he hurried over.

Seeing Yilan coming in, Mu Yan immediately put down the book, knelt down and said softly: "Your Majesty, please refer to the Fifth Highness."

Yi Lan shook her head and said, "There is no need to be so formal when there is no one else around. It's just that this time, you shouldn't come back."

Mu Yan didn't answer, but lowered his head and smiled bitterly.After a while, he said: "Eunuch An has already told me everything. It is only confirmed that His Highness does not really dislike me, so he still wants to come back."

Yi Lan was puzzled in her heart, although it was rare for her not to be able to see clearly the intentions of a person like this, she never asked Mu Yan much.After a while, he asked: "Then, has your injury healed?"

Hearing this greeting, Mu Yan's chest warmed up, and he replied, "Wen Cheng has taken good care of me these days. I'm fine now, thank you Your Highness for your concern."

Yi Lan nodded: "That's good. However, you should go out of the palace. There are many crises in the palace, and everyone has ulterior motives. You shouldn't have come back."

Hearing his words, Mu Yan raised his head abruptly, shook his head and gritted his teeth, and said, "This time, this subordinate also spent a lot of effort to stay in the palace as a musician, and I don't want to be sent away from the palace again with just one word from His Highness. I won't Leaving the Palace, I beg Your Highness to forgive me." Seeing that Yilan did not respond, she boldly continued: "Even if Your Highness makes up another reason to send me away next time, this subordinate will still find a way to come back. I beg Your Highness...don't No more trouble."

Yi Lan couldn't help but wondered, "Why do you insist on staying?"

Mu Yan blushed, turned away slightly, gritted his teeth and said, "Of course, there are some reasons..."

Yi Lan frowned slightly, and weighed it for a long time before slowly saying: "It's okay. The musician is only in charge of the rituals and music in the palace, and seldom competes for power. Qi Xuan is also considerate of his subordinates, and he is much calmer and more stable than other palace positions. "

Seeing Yilan finally acquiescing to him to stay, Mu Yan felt inexplicably relaxed, but asked strangely, "You know Qixuan?"

Yi Lan nodded and said lightly: "We met three years ago. In terms of music theory, he and I can be regarded as bosom friends. He always comes to my place every month when he is free, and Zi Feng sometimes comes with him."

Mu Yan nodded and smiled, "So..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Eunuch An knocked on the door outside the hall and reported: "Your Highness, lunch is ready. Shall we pass it on now?"

Yi Lan nodded, "Come in." Fu turned to Mu Yan again, "Use it together?"

Mu Yan's face was slightly red, but he didn't hesitate to refuse, and said: "Okay."

The two of them hadn't finished their lunch yet, Zi Feng hurriedly pushed the door and entered, seeing Yi Lan, he just bowed casually.Seeing that Mu Yan was also here, he was surprised and said, "You are here? Have lunch with the Fifth Prince?"

Mu Yan didn't know how to explain and answer for a while, so he nodded slightly to Zi Feng.

Seeing this, Zi Feng became even more anxious, and said anxiously: "You left Yuefu early this morning and have not returned until now, nor have you told Qixuan beforehand. Qixuan found out that you were not in Yuefu, and ordered us to look for you several times I was afraid that you would leave the palace privately. The guards at the four gates of the palace asked about it, but they all said that no one had ever gone out. Qixuan told me to take you back immediately when I see you."

Hearing this, Mu Yan couldn't help sighing in his heart, and accidentally dropped the silver chopstick in his hand on the table with a "slap".Quickly picked it up and apologized to Yi Lan: "I, I should go back to Yuefu."

Yi Lan smiled lightly, "It's okay, let's go back."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zi Feng bid farewell to him, and hurriedly dragged Mu Yan away from Lan Ling Palace and rushed back to Yuefu.

Along the way, Mu Yan was dragged by Zi Feng to rush to Yuefu, feeling panicked, and asked, "Zi Feng, Mr. Lin Yue...is he angry because of this?"

Zi Feng shook his head silently, "Did he get angry, and you still want to go back?"

Mu Yan felt helpless, and didn't ask any more questions, so he had to follow Zi Feng all the way back to Yuefu.Inside the Yuefu, Qixuan didn't raise his head when he heard the voices of Mu Yan and Zi Feng coming in, and just sat aside and wiped the jade flute in his hands coldly.

Seeing him like this, Mu Yan's heart tightened suddenly, and he stood aside and dared not say much.Zifeng was used to Qixuan's indifference, so he opened his mouth to explain and plead for Mu Yan: "Qixuan, Mu Yan probably didn't leave the house on purpose, but this is the first offense, can you..."

"You don't have to intercede for him. Let him tell where he went." Qi Xuan's indifferent voice interrupted Zi Feng. Although the voice was not loud, Mu Yan's heart trembled in fright, and he hesitated: "I didn't go anywhere, just... to catch up with old people in the palace."

Qixuan's tone was cold, "Did I say a few days ago that I would not help you clean up any troubles that happened to you in the palace? You just entered the Yuefu for the first day, and you forgot your status and rules?"

The palms of Mu Yan's hands behind his back had already unknowingly ooze a thin layer of sweat, and he lowered his head and said, "This subordinate dare not..."

At this moment, Qixuan turned to Zifeng, and said coldly: "Zifeng, what is Article [-] of the Yuefu Mansion Regulations? Recite it for him."

"Article [-] of the government regulations is that all musicians are not allowed to leave the Yuefu without the permission of the master musician. If you violate it, you will be punished twenty times."

"Do you have any objections to this treatment?" Qixuan looked at Mu Yan, his tone was light and no emotion could be heard.

Mu Yan was startled, but before he could answer, Zi Feng couldn't bear to plead for Mu Yan: "Hey! Qixuan, don't you really want to fight? Mu Yan just entered the Yuefu yesterday and doesn't know the rules. Why not make a little accommodation for the first offender..."

Qixuan thought for a moment, and still said coldly: "Show him the rules of this house, and don't say that he is new here and doesn't understand the rules. This time, I owe you first, and next time I dare to break it, forty boards." Said Forget it, took the jade flute just now again, and walked straight out of the mansion.

The author has something to say:

☆、Fifteen. Shangyuan (1)