Human dimension reduction

"Stupid! Daredevil!"

Richard's angry hair stood on end, his soft pale blond hair twisted like a messy straw by himself, and he sat upright between the silk and down quilts, his pale green eyes wide with anxiety and anger of.

"How dare you do this...I warned you that Stuart is not a good man! How dare you do this—use him so blatantly...you will cause big trouble!"

Richard's voice raised uncontrollably, and he tried hard to restrain himself from wanting to lower it, so it showed a slightly sharp and distorted effect.

The person whom he angrily accused was bending over, using the candle in his hand to light the golden candlestick on the bedside, the white candle engraved with spiral patterns lit up a steady light, illuminating the little king's soft and delicate face like an angel. Pale red lips.

"Hush...you don't want to lure Aiden here, do you? This poor man has been insomnia for several days." The king wore a white cashmere cloak loosely on his shoulders, and inside was a light blue silk nightgown with a neckline Covered with layers of lace, the cuffs are so loose that they can let in strong winds, and the wrists are tied with silk ribbons, but the owner's wrists are so thin that even the tightest ribbons can still allow the cold wind at night to blow into the soft silk.

He bowed his head, crossed himself with his free hand, and prayed for the poor steward who was troubled by insomnia. This bumbling set of actions made the Duke of York even more angry. Emoticons that don't have the right vocabulary.

Of course, the king’s bedroom will not be without gas lamps, as long as the gold-carved energy gate switch is pulled down, the room will be full of light, but the king still insists on lighting the candles used as classical decorations—the gas lamp gate is connected to the king’s master’s room, Once pressed it would ring the chamber bell, announcing the king's need for service.

Moreover, late-night secret talks need the dim atmosphere created by candles, don't they?

The king turned his head and blinked his right eye at his younger brother on the bed, receiving an angry stare from him.

The movements and changes at the dinner party will be spread to every corner with the ubiquitous tongue. The maids who accompanied the Duke of York in the king's bedroom thought the Duke had fallen asleep and laughed at the Princess Mary with confidence. In the court, The king's cousin was not a very popular lady with the maids and servants.

Before Edward IV died, the Duke of Gloucester, as the king's most trusted brother, had the No.1 status under the throne. Even Queen Elizabeth could not match the trust he received. As the eldest daughter of the Duke of Gloucester Therefore, Mary was treated no less than a princess in the Westminster court.

But this princess is really not a likable girl, she is much more arrogant than a real princess, and she is keen to scold the maids around her - you know, most of the maids who can hold important positions in the palace are also from noble families A major factor for them to enter the court is to represent their own family to be loyal to the royal family, and in addition to enhance their status to find a good son-in-law.

Behind every maid there are countless eyes and ears looking for the secrets of the court, and the young and energetic Mary has no intention of restraining herself.

Richard, who was pretending to sleep, listened to the whispers of the maids. The heavy crocheted curtains blocked the light of the gas lamp, but it couldn't stop the Duke of York's blood pressure from rising.

When there was a movement at the gate, the king, who had finished the banquet, returned to the bedroom. The maids bowed deeply to salute him with their skirts lifted, and then silently exited the bedroom. Richard, who was pretending to be asleep behind the heavy curtain, jumped up on the spot, A head with red cheeks protruded from the bed net, and a pair of emerald pupils sparkled with anger.

"I warned you!" Richard repeated angrily without getting a reply from Edward.

The king who lit the candlestick straightened up, blew out the candle in his hand, and sat down on a high-backed chair beside the bed. Stretching the king's back, he pressed his elbows on the armrest of the chair, his pale and slender fingers drooping naturally like spiders.

"There is no permanent enemy." Edward answered him softly.

Richard took a breath, his round cheeks glowed like pearls due to the gentle halo of candlelight: "He's different."

The Duke of York had a gloomy expression, which made him not like a child: "Stuart was the first to sign the decree declaring that the marriage between the father and the queen mother is invalid, and that the prince's brother has no legal support for the succession to the throne. of."

Sitting half full in the shadow of the candlelight, the little king stroked the crocheted satin on the armrest and asked softly, "What about Gloucester?"

The Duke of York's face twisted: "He is the one who drafted the document."

Edward nodded thoughtfully when he heard the words, and announced softly: "Then you won't have to worry about this soon... At least Stuart isn't worth your wasting your precious sleep time arguing with me."

As he spoke, the young king raised his head and looked at his younger brother for a moment. There was something thick and unquestionable in his eyes—something that only kings have.

Richard was stunned for a moment, the intense emotion that was still surging in his chest before was subsided by such a utterly illogical reassurance, he stepped back a little, and returned to his position with the soft quilt in his arms, hesitating for a while, Ask in a low voice: "You... who are you?"

The stranger with the face of his brother stared at him for a while, and raised the corner of his mouth: "I am your brother, Richard."

Richard looked gloomy and wanted to say something, but finally bit his lip.

you are not.

Richard thought so.

—But you may be better suited to be a king than he is.

Richard closed his eyes and let himself sink into the long-lost sleep. In the dream, he seemed to have returned to the endless cycle of reincarnation. He hugged the same young and immature brother Wang to keep warm, and tried his best to live in the gorgeous Palace of Westminster. At that time, Brother Wang was as desperate as he was. They all knew what was waiting for them in the future, but none of them knew what to do for the best.

Until they enter the darkened Tower of London.

To be honest, they felt relieved when they were sent to the Tower of London. Although they lost the throne, they at least saved their lives. Edward even happily told him that it was nothing to trade power for peace.

Then lost all of them and died in the Tower of London.

A hand stretched out and gently stroked the young prince's hair. The Duke of York, who was soothed by the familiar breath, stretched his brows and sank into the depths of an empty dream.

At noon the next day, the clock outside the Palace of Westminster struck ten. Richard, who woke up in a daze, remembered what happened last night. He sat on the bed with twinkling eyes, watching Aiden dress the king, and the Duke's attendant brought the Duke's clothes and knelt by the bed and waited.

"Richard, do you want to go to the market with me in the afternoon? You can bring your favorite partner." The king heard the movement on the bed, turned his face slightly, and asked Aiden to tie the short silk belt of the cloak for himself. Brother who just woke up.

"Market?" Most of Richard's sleepiness disappeared, and a trace of hesitation appeared on his face.

In the end, he was just a ten-year-old child, and even though he had been tortured many times by repeated plots of death, he still retained some curious nature.

"Yes, after the ball last night, William invited me. I think you would be willing to accompany me to see the life of the people in London?"

Richard had to react for two seconds after hearing the name "William". When he realized who he was calling, his whole body trembled with nausea.

"Have you guys reached the point where you can call names? What the hell did you talk to him about last night?!" Richard growled.

The king gave a "ah" and stretched out his hand so that Aiden could hang the long sword on his waist. After thinking for a while, he said, "We didn't say anything. To be precise, we only talked a few words at the end. He invited me today." Go out, I promised, it's that simple."

Richard's expression changed. Realizing that today's outing might not be that simple, he replied without hesitation, "I'll go too."

Edward, who was wearing the crown, rolled his eyes and glanced at him, and was amused by the vigilance on his face: "No...Richard, all you have to do is choose what you like and buy it, and I will give it to you Prepare enough money, and you don't need to worry about other things."

He raised his hand to the mirror to support the daily crown on his head, and reminded plainly: "After all, I am your king."

Richard stared at his back for a while, then murmured in a tone he didn't understand: "I follow your will...Your Majesty."

Aiden held the king's heavy scarlet cloak in his arm, and followed Edward out the door. The little king didn't need to dress so solemnly every day, but he was going to see the Duke of Gloucester, who was in and out of Westminster. The palace of Stern was like an uncle walking through his own courtyard, and he even ordered the chief of the palace to report to each other in accordance with the etiquette.

Such a change indicated that Edward was standing at a dangerous crossroads: either to establish the majesty of the king from now on, or to completely set off Gloucester's determination to rebel immediately.

In the drawing room hung with burgundy flannel hangings, a warm fire burned in the fireplace, a round brass table was covered with a linen tablecloth embroidered with white roses, and in the center stood a long-necked glass vase as thick as a wrist, with There is only a rose flower that is as crimson as blood.

When the little king entered the door, the Duke of Gloucester was sitting on a high-backed chair gazing at the rose. I wonder if it was some weird coincidence that the Duke was also wearing a gown studded with precious stones and pearls, with a diamond brooch on his chest pinned to the dark blue rose. Silk shoulder straps, the white roses symbolizing the royal family, the royal sword and the Duke's personal golden lion complement each other on the shoulder straps.

The Duke is less than 40 years old this year, and he is in the prime of life. The almost hereditary blond hair of the York family is combed back from his forehead obediently. He did not deliberately curl his hair like other nobles, but let every hair The hair is straight down against the companion.

It gave him a strange seriousness and an inhuman coldness about him.

"His Majesty."

After Edward entered the door, he went to his seat and sat down. After looking at the Duke of Gloucester for a while, the Duke stood up under Aiden's angry eyes, and bent down to the king.

Only then did the little king look away, and waved to his loyal steward, telling him to leave the room. This order obviously displeased the steward, who was wary of the duke, but he still obeyed the king's orders. Require.

"You have a very loyal servant." Gloucester silently watched the brief eye contact between the master and servant, and waited for Aiden to go out and close the door before saying.

"And Uncle Wang has more." Edward replied softly.

"More than a king?" Gloucester immediately asked with a sneer, and before his nephew could respond, he sneered, "More than a king."

The room fell into an uneasy silence again, save for the beeping of the charcoal burning in the fireplace.

"But these were given to me by my brother Wang and your father." Gloucester said coldly.

Edward set his eyes on him, without saying a word, as calm as if he was facing an insignificant person.

This sight made Gloucester feel more vigilant than ever before. Unlike the harmless and immature boy he saw when he entered the palace to report the Lancaster family's movements the day before yesterday, the little king in front of him——he used it subconsciously for some reason. This title——made him feel a little threatened.

You know, when he entered the Palace of Westminster the day before yesterday, the 13-year-old didn't even dare to look at him for a long time!

But today he was able to use his gaze to force his Uncle Wang to bend down to him...

They fell silent again.

This time the silence lasted for 10 minutes, Gloucester stood up, his tall body cast a long shadow, covering the young king: "Stuart is not a good choice, you are seeking skin with a tiger, you will soon will be punished."

Edward raised his eyelids, his fresh green eyes looked at Uncle Wang who had issued a warning, and the corners of his lips, which were as red as roses, curled up, showing a smile: "Whose punishment is it from?"

Gloucester did not answer this time, but raised his hand and grabbed the crimson and tender rose in the vase.

The nobles in the palace always like to use various things to make implicit hints. For example, 400 years ago, ancient Rome signed the "Law of Silence" declaring an armistice, because the place where the law was signed was located in the rose garden outside the capital, so " The Law of Silence also had another name, "The Law of the Rose". In later generations, the court used the rose to imply that the two parties in the conversation should keep the content of the conversation absolutely confidential. This is a typical case of elegance and subtlety.

Gloucester picked up the rose and snapped the slender branches with his fingers. The large, plump crimson flowers fell on the linen tablecloth, and the dew wet a small piece of fabric.

"It doesn't matter who it comes from, the important thing is that a rose without thorns will be broken in the end." Gloucester dropped this sentence meaningfully, turned and left.

The little king who was left behind by him looked down at the poor rose, stretched out his pale and slender fingers to gather the fallen petals in his palm, picked it up by pinching the stem, held it in his hand, and stared at it carefully. look at it.

"...a rose without thorns..."

Aiden watched worriedly as the Duke of Gloucester walked out more gloomy than when he came, and hurriedly turned back to see his majesty, only to hear his majesty murmur with a vague smile: "...so Which garden should Rose seek refuge in?..."