Chapter 19 019
In the martial arts training ground, in addition to Chu Zhen, the archer master of the royal father and son and four princes, Guo Boyan, who happened to enter the palace, was also there.
Behind Emperor Xuande's hands, he saw the three children walking towards him from afar. He unexpectedly raised his eyebrows, his eyes stopped on Song Jianing's face for a moment, and asked Guo Boyan: "Is that girl in pink, your newly recognized daughter?"
Guo Boyan said in a stern manner: "It is my second daughter, Jianing, the emperor. She has just entered the mansion and I have not arranged for the nanny to teach her the rules. Please forgive me if you are rude."
Emperor Xuande smiled and said, "Your dear words are serious, how could I argue with a little girl? But this child is really popular with a blessing."
While talking, Guo Xiao and the other two had already arrived.
"Father!" Princess Duanhui rushed into Emperor Xuande's arms with a bright smile.
Emperor Xuande hugged his daughter lovingly, patted his daughter on the shoulder, and looked at the Guo brothers and sisters.
"Guo Xiao pays homage to the Emperor." Guo Xiao led the way to salute. Because he often entered the palace and became familiar with Emperor Xuande, he didn't have to kneel down. Behind the young man, Song Jianing got Guo Xiao's guidance in advance. At this moment, he mustered up the courage to stand on Guo Xiao's right side, fell slightly behind, and then he was stiff all over to Emperor Xuande: "My daughter pays homage to the Emperor."
The ten-year-old girl has a soft and sweet voice. At this time, the face of the Saint is in awe, and her voice becomes lighter, looking like a little pitiful.
Emperor Xuande would not pay too much attention to a little girl and signaled that the two children would not be ungrateful. On the other side of Emperor Xuande, Song Jianing's appearance was like a spring breeze, rippling among the four princes. The eldest prince was eighteen years old, strong and burly, with outstanding martial arts skills. There were already room for the two children in the palace to serve him. Beauty would attract him, and a beautiful girl was not enough to make him moved.
The second prince was seventeen years old and was also enlightened in women, but like the eldest prince, he was not interested in children.
The third prince Zhao Heng, 15th this year, is a brother from the eldest prince's mother. He stuttered because of his natural oral disease. He has been withdrawn since childhood and does not like to be close to others, regardless of gender. Now, let alone a ten-year-old girl, even a charming beauty with a beautiful country, he may not be able to look at him directly.
Only the thirteen-year-old fourth prince fell in love with the new cousin at first sight. This kind of liking is not the man's desire to occupy women, but the simple favor. Just like the brothers Guo Fu and Guo Shu of the second wife of the Duke's Mansion, when they have a beautiful sister, they want to say a few more words to her and make her smile at her.
While Emperor Xuande asked Guo Xiao how he was practicing Kung Fu, the fourth prince remained motionless, but he secretly shook his eyebrows at Song Jianing.
Unfortunately, Song Jianing kept in mind the rule of "not to look around when entering the palace", stood beside his stepfather honestly, lowering his eyebrows and looking at him without looking at anything. The fourth prince was the youngest prince in the palace. Emperor Xuande was unable to avoid being vulgar and was more indulgent and doting on his youngest son, so the fourth prince was quite brave. He picked up a small stone and threw it to Song Jianing's feet under Guo Boyan's sharp gaze.
Song Jianing was startled and looked over in surprise.
The fourth prince smiled at her, revealing a few white and neat teeth, and there were pointed tiger teeth on both sides, adding a bit of naughty to the young man. Emperor Xuande Heaven was full of elegance, and the princess under his knees were all among the people. The fourth prince had thick eyebrows, big eyes and powerful eyes. He was handsome and handsome everywhere he placed. But at this moment, Song Jianing was uncontrollably attracted by the young man beside the fourth prince.
The third prince Zhao Heng, the future emperor.
Song Jianing had the honor of seeing this Qianlong once in his previous life. At that time, she knelt down and was numb and lay on the ground in a mess. Looking up from bottom to top, she felt that the emperor's mountains were as majestic as tall and majestic as jade face, and the mist lingering on the top of the mountain after the rain, and it was hazy. She could only tell by her feelings that he must be handsome and unparalleled, and could only vaguely feel the innate noble and gracefulness of the emperor.
Now, she has truly appreciated the style of the third prince. At the age of fifteen, he has not yet grown in size, and is more like a green fir tree growing alone in the mountains, slender and tall, and independent of the world. The fourth prince has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and the third prince has beautiful eyebrows and beautiful eyes, and is very handsome and elegant, but his eyes are like clouds and mist, cold and silent without any emotion. He glances at him lightly, as if a cool rain falls in his heart...
The coolness swept across his body, and Song Jianing suddenly woke up, and saw that the third prince had already looked away, and that glance just now was as trance as a dream.
Suddenly, Song Jianing didn't dare to look at anyone, and lowered his head again, not seeing the disappointed face of the Fourth Prince.
The princes' examination is about to begin.
"Father, it's boring to do something. Let's take a gamble? Please ask Master Chu to be the village." Princess Duanhui's voice was crisp, and she would do whatever she wanted.
Emperor Xuande smiled docilely: "Okay, then who are you going to beg for winning?"
Princess Duanhui glanced at Guo Xiao, took out a silver ingot from her sachet, and said openly: "I beg my cousin Xiao."
"Duanhui, please be fine, turn your elbow out, see if I will bring you gifts in the future." The eldest prince quipped loudly while pulling his bow. Among all the princes, he looks the most like Emperor Xuande, with a dignified and majestic appearance. He is the son of Emperor Xuande, and is also the only prince who can attend the political affairs of the Secretariat. This shows the high hopes of Emperor Xuande for his eldest son.
Princess Duanhui laughed: "You four are my emperor brothers, and I can't be partial to each other, so I have to bet my cousin."
The eldest prince hummed, and Guo Xiao, who was favored, did not see any joy.
Princess Duanhui happily handed the silver ingots to the bow and arrow master Chu Zhen. Emperor Xuande looked at the eldest son and ordered the eunuch to take out twenty taels of silver to bet on the fourth prince of the child. Who would win? Everyone had the answer in their hearts. Since the emperor deliberately bet on the wrong side, Guo Boyan took out ten taels of silver ingots and bet on the eldest prince.
"Who does Jianing think will win?" His daughter was ignorant, but Emperor Xuande wanted to be sympathetic to Guo Boyan's love for his daughter and asked Song Jianing kindly.
Song Jianing never expected that he would also participate. Facing Emperor Xuande's eyes, he suddenly became at a loss.
Guo Boyan handed his daughter a silver ingot and comforted her with a smile: "Jianning doesn't have to be nervous, you can bet whoever you want."
Song Jianing took the silver and secretly glanced at the third prince. There were five people in total, and now there was only the second prince left. No one chose the third prince. Who wouldn't want anyone to bet on her? If both of them were looking forward to her affirmation, she would bet on others and offend the two princes. If she had to choose one of them, no matter how stupid Song Jianing was, she would know that she would choose the third prince.
Although the third prince is not visible now, he is the future emperor and must not offend him.
"I'll bet the Third Prince." There are noble people around me, and every look is pressure. Song Jianing said it with a blushing face. After saying that, he looked at the third prince nervously, trying to see what the other party's attitude was, but he saw the third prince lowering his head and provoking the bowstring, as if he hadn't heard it. Song Jianing was inexplicably uneasy. What was this third prince thinking? He didn't show any joy or anger, it was too profound and unfathomable.
What is Zhao Heng thinking?
He casually swept through the pink figure in the distance, and a bit of bone-broken chilling deep in his eyes, the whole capital knew that he had a mouth disease, and that "the third prince had mediocre qualifications, and would not succeed in his literature or martial arts." He was least favored by the emperor. Guo Boyan's stepdaughter chose him, was he deliberately mocking him, or did he see him pitiful and sympathize with him?
He doesn't like any one.
After the second prince finished shooting, Zhao Heng pulled the bow and pointed the arrow, aimed at the target red heart, let go, and the feather arrow shot out quickly, instantly missing the position where the owner aimed. The second prince sighed regret from the right. Zhao Heng looked at Song Jianing with no sign when he turned around. Song Jianing was stretching his neck and looking at the target from a distance, and found that the third prince had missed the shot. The eldest prince and the second prince were all hit the bull's eye. She nervously grabbed her clothes, afraid that the third prince would shoot the worst, so he was unhappy.
In Song Jianing's eyes, Emperor Xuande is the old emperor and the third prince is the little emperor. If the emperor loses, how can it not be serious?
Zhao Heng withdrew his gaze. In the second round of the competition, he continued to aim at the outside of the red heart. However, before letting go, a fat girl suddenly appeared in his mind as she was nervously clenching her hands for him. His eyes moved slightly, and Zhao Heng's arm moved slightly.
With a "swoosh", the feather arrow hit the bull's eye.
"Okay!" The eldest prince who was watching the game sincerely praised him. He was the elder brother, so he naturally hoped that his younger brother would be outstanding.
Zhao Heng was calm and his light turned to Song Jianing. Song Jianing looked at the third prince's target and was very happy. His almond eyes were bright and moist, and his peach-like little face seemed to be more beautiful than the previous moment, brilliant and gratifying. He noticed that the fat girl was about to see him, Zhao Heng opened his eyes lightly, and his eyes accidentally flew past Emperor Xuande.
Emperor Xuande was calm and smiled with praise after the fourth prince shot the bull's eye.
Zhao Heng is not envious or jealous.
He knew that he was stuttering. When he was young, he had studied hard and practiced martial arts diligently, hoping to make up for his physical defects with intelligence. The eight-year-old second brother could not solve the questions, and at the age of six, he easily responded to them. After answering them, he observed his father expectantly. The father was indeed very happy, but the joy lasted only a few moments. Just when he was secretly satisfied, the father touched his head and sighed softly: "My son is talented, a pity..."
What a pity that he was a stutter?
But he just said something bad. He could do better with other brothers. Why is it a pity for his father?
He was dissatisfied, and he continued to work hard. At the age of ten, he practiced to pass through the glory of a hundred steps, but what he received was the father's departure from regret to indifferent, which was a pity that the second brother and fourth brother were the concubines praised him. He didn't like to listen, and he didn't need anyone's regret. Instead of being pityed, he would rather have a mediocre stutter as they wished.
It is normal for a stuttering prince to be mediocre. They no longer praise him, nor do they regret it anymore, and their ears are pure.
So his homework is mediocre and his martial arts are mediocre. Just like now, being able to hit the bull's eye, is just a lucky draw in the eyes of his father and others.
The third arrow, Zhao Heng hit the bull's eye again.
This was the last game. Zhao Heng handed the bow and arrow to the eunuch, walked to the side calmly, his eyes drooping, waiting for his father to comment.
The eldest prince won, Emperor Xuande smiled and reminded the boss to read more while practicing martial arts. The second prince ranked second, Emperor Xuande pointed out his son's shortcomings. When he came to the third prince, Emperor Xuande said nothing, and finally praised his youngest son who had made rapid progress. As for Guo Xiao, who ranked third, Emperor Xuande also encouraged him, and knew in his heart that Guo Xiao deliberately let the water go.
After Emperor Xuande finished commenting, Princess Duanhui ran to Guo Boyan with a smile: "Uncle, my money..."
Guo Boyan happily returned her niece's bet and gave her ten taels extra.
Princess Duanhui left happily, and Guo Boyan distributed the remaining two silver ingots to her younger daughter.
"Thank you, father." Song Jianing obediently continued to give the elders, thinking of the third prince who was at the bottom of the grade, she was still a little worried. She looked at him again. Unexpectedly, the third prince was also looking at her, and it seemed that she had been staring at her for a long time. Song Jianing felt panic and didn't dare to look at her again. She lowered her head and pretended to be serious about putting silver into her purse.
Zhao Heng saw the fat girl's heartfelt worry clearly. It was not until this moment that he was sure that she was so nervous about his winning or losing, not because of a few taels of silver, but simply caring about him.
Chapter completed!