Chapter 39: Playing Hooky

  Xu Ruo Xuan sat quietly beside Ming Lan, and there wasn't much about her afterwards. She was only two years old, and most of the talking was done by Madam Xu.

  She always felt vaguely that there was a gaze watching her, but when she occasionally looked up, she couldn't see anything.

  Xiangzhuang asked about Xu Niu's daughter, Xu Ruoxuan. Xu Niu couldn't help but redden her eyes: "This child is too clever. When she first came, she didn't say a word. You fed her what you gave her to eat, you told her to drink and she drank, you told her to sleep and she slept. She didn't say a word all day long. I thought the child was young but probably knew about things at home and was scared. Later, as she got familiar...I get up early to cook and she follows me, dresses herself, folds her quilt, and is too young to fetch water herself, but after using it, she must put it back herself. She doesn't let others help her. My family's circumstances are not good, in the morning I have to go to the alley to collect clothes to wash myself, she doesn't follow me, but when I return to the courtyard, it's all swept clean. At first, she wasn't very skilled at doing things, I did what she followed beside me, after a few days, everything was done just like mine. This child always says, 'I'll just eat a little, don't spoil me...'"

  Xu Niu said, and again choked up, which made Xiao Zhuang and Su Mo look at Xu Ruoxuan with even more pity than before.

  After a while, Mrs. Xu continued: "Such an obedient child, even if I were to exchange her for another, how could I bear to give her up? If Mr. Xu were still alive, such an intelligent and obedient child...in the future..."

  She seemed to have said something smoothly, but halfway through she realized it wasn't the right place and immediately became tongue-tied, hanging her head and sobbing softly twice.

  Everyone understood the meaning of Mr. Xu's words, if Old Man Xu were still alive, such a girl would certainly have great good fortune, and the girl's great good fortune would naturally be in the eyes of the world on the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

  But this cannot be denied either.

  Everyone fell silent, Minglan pulled Xu Ruo Xuan's hand and looked at it, exclaiming: "Sister Ruoxuan's hands are all cracked!"

  This child has become her sister Yu Xuan in just a few words.

  Empress Dowager Ci Xi beckoned Xu Ruoyu to come forward: "Are you willing to stay in the palace with me for a few days?" After a pause, she added: "You'll be staying with the younger sister of the Imperial Noble Consort."

  Xu Ruoxuan turned her head to look at Xu Niang, seeing Xu Niang nodding at her with a very large amplitude. She pursed her lips and turned her head again to look at Minglan who was sitting beside her winking at her. Raising her head to look at Xiaozhuang: "Will I be able to go back in the future?"

  Among these people, Su Mo was the most heartbroken. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said, "Alright, it's all right."

  Xu Ruoxuan finally smiled: "Whatever Empress Dowager says, I'll listen!"

  This time even Xiaozhuang couldn't help but laugh: "He's really a good kid."

  Empress Xiaozhuang rewarded Lady Xu with many clothes and jewelry, as well as 500 taels of silver, and even bestowed a banquet on her.

  Because of Minglan, Xu Ruo's residence was naturally allocated to Mingfei's Changchun Palace. Mingfei assigned two small palace maids to her and had someone take her down to wash up and change clothes.

  The noble aura on the little girl's body flowed out naturally after a slight convergence, and Mingfei thought for a moment before letting Nainai bring Abao in.

  When the fourth brother came, she looked at Xu Ruoxuan with a serious expression, and she was sure that there was not a hint of the expression she wanted on Xu Ruoxuan's face.

  Ah Bao saw Ming Fei and called out "E Niang", and her gait became even more steady, because she was about the same age as Xu Ruoxuan, and still carefully sized up Xu Ruoxuan: "Who?"

  Minglan had never gotten along with Ahbao since they were young, and she snorted: "At your age, you still can't speak properly! If Xiangyun's sister is not much different from your sister, she can say everything!"

  Ah Bao clearly knew that Ming Lan had said something unpleasant, and she scrunched up her nose at her. She walked over to Ming Fei with her short legs and pointed at Ming Lan, saying "How mean!"

  Minglan glared at him and pulled Xu Ruoxuan's hand, saying: "Ruoxuan sister, let's not be friends with him. Do you want to play with blocks? I'll take you there, it's more fun."

  Ah Bao heard that he had to go play with his blocks again and was unhappy: "No way!"

  Ming Lan's face pulled into a scowl: "You're still so petty? Be careful or Imperial Consort will take you in again!"

  Ah Bao finally managed to dredge up something from the depths of his memory, and immediately became listless.

  Mingfei was watching and listening when someone outside said that the Crown Prince had arrived with Da A Ge and San A Ge.

  It's said that an unfamiliar kid has arrived, and everyone is rushing to catch a glimpse of the novelty.

  The eight-year-old Da A Ge and the six-year-old Taizi already looked very much like princes, but the three-year-old San A Ge following behind somewhat ruined the image. He didn't want to be carried by his nanny, and when they passed over the high threshold, he almost hung from it. Da A Ge and Taizi had no choice but to support him a bit on the other side.

  A Bao looked at the excitement and also squeezed forward with his short legs.

  The prince arrived, and Mingfei naturally stood up. They exchanged polite greetings. Minglan led Xu Ruoqiang to pay respects to the Prince, Da A'ge (the eldest brother) and San A'ge (the third brother), while Da A'ge and the others also paid their respects to Mingfei.

  Mingfei smiled and said: "The prince and the three brothers, what's going on that you've all come?"

  The prince looked at Xu Ruoxuan standing beside Mingfei: "After finishing homework and having nothing to do, I heard that the noble consort had a guest here, so I came over to take a look."

  The eldest brother looked at Xu Ruoxuan and said in a loud voice: "I heard that your mother is very powerful?"

  Xu Ruoxuan glanced at her elder brother and lowered her head again: "I heard Auntie say that my mother is very fierce."

  The crown prince said in surprise: "You're younger than Third Brother, yet you speak so clearly."

  Ming Fei smiled: "Girls are naturally like this, they speak earlier than boys and also more clearly."

  The prince nodded, puffed out his chest and said to Xu Ruoyu: "You are the descendant of a meritorious official, both the Emperor and I will not mistreat you. If you have any difficulties, you can speak up to anyone here. Even if your uncle's family cannot support you anymore, the imperial family will take care of you."

  Mingfei's eyes lit up, this kid is growing up really fast.

  Xu Ruoxuan couldn't help but come out and pay her respects again.

  Ming Lan muttered to herself on the side: "The Crown Prince is really formidable!"

  The crown prince looked at him with a proud face, but still humbly said: "This is what I should have done."

  The elder brother held back for half a day and finally said: "The Empress Dowager praised me for shooting arrows well!"

  Mingfei couldn't help but burst out laughing, and Da Ge's face immediately turned red.

  Mingfei saw that the child was shy and couldn't help but mediate: "I've also heard the emperor say that Da A Ge is the bravest among all the brothers!"

  The big brother's eyes suddenly widened and his voice became even louder: "Did the Emperor really say that?"

  Mingfei patted Ah Bao, who was holding onto the jade pendant on the crown prince's body and wouldn't let go: "The emperor's words are like a decree from above; even if you gave me ten gallbladders, I wouldn't dare speak nonsense, so it must be true."

  The eldest brother liked it so much that he almost scratched his ears, but the crown prince was unhappy. Ming Fei smiled at him and said: "I don't know what it takes to be an emperor, but for anyone who wants to achieve something, they must first have a sense of dignity."

  The prince understood what Minnie meant and suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

  Xu Ruoxuan has been here for less than half a year, but everyone who should know already knows. In her opinion, the current situation is indeed somewhat beyond her expectations. How can the motherless prince and the noble consort with children have such a good relationship? But no matter how you look at it, their relationship doesn't seem fake.

  She stared blankly at Mingfei, coincidentally meeting Mingfei's gaze, but in an instant she felt like she had been seen through, the deepest secrets hidden in her heart that she couldn't tell anyone else were all exposed, and she was shocked to the point of trembling.

  Minglan thought Xu Ruoqiang was shivering and got a fright: "Sister, aren't you wearing enough warm clothes?"

  Mingfei's hand gently rested on Xu Ruoxuan's shoulder, softly saying: "She seems to be a bit nervous."

  Xu Ruoxuan trembled even more violently, and the heavenly voice sounded to her like a harbinger of death from hell.

  Minglan furrowed her brow: "Don't be afraid, little sister. The Crown Prince and the Imperial Consort are both very kind, they definitely won't let you suffer any injustice."

  Even she herself can't bear to think about it, let alone others knowing her fate... Borrowing a corpse to return the soul...

  Mingfei suddenly felt that this girl must not be from the future, because her fear far exceeded her expectations. Moreover, she seemed to be unaware of the history here, otherwise she wouldn't have been so calm when seeing A Ge and especially Fourth Brother and the Crown Prince.

  Although it can't be completely confirmed, at least her vigilance has decreased by half, and she has really become gentle with Xu Ruoxuan: "You don't have to be afraid, this is not a den of dragons and tigers, and nothing can happen to you. Besides, you are the descendant of a meritorious official, and it's already late for us to treat you well, how could we let you suffer any grievances?"

  As she gazed into those eyes, she felt a warmth like winter sunshine overflowing from them, and the person looking at her felt completely relaxed, even her fear gradually subsiding.

  She nodded obediently after all.

  The eldest brother laughed and teased her, saying: "Can't the women in the countryside be so timid? When they see us, it's like a sieve that can't stop shaking. We won't eat people."

  Ming Lan said discontentedly: "If Xiang'er is already so capable at such a young age, it's not easy, so Big Brother should say fewer cold words."

  Minglan is a favorite of the Imperial Noble Consort and the Empress Dowager, so everyone in the palace has to give her some face. The eldest prince just grunted and indeed didn't say anything else.

  Just then, Kangxi arrived.

  Kangxi walked in with a smile: "I've found some rare flowers and herbs from Yunnan, I had them moved over for you."

  As soon as he entered the door, he saw that the house was full of people and was stunned: "When did you all come? Didn't I tell you to write big characters properly?"

  Got it! It turns out he skipped class and got caught red-handed!

  Minfei glanced at the pleading eyes of several children and immediately smiled, saying: "The emperor is really thoughtful, remembering that I like these flowers and plants, and actually went to great lengths to transport them here. I've long heard people say that the weather in Yunnan is different from ours, and the things that grow there are also different. It's said that in the deep mountains and ancient forests where the sun never shines, a kind of thing called 'rou gui' sometimes grows. 'Calling it doesn't respond, stroking it only smiles', but it's actually something that grows on old trees, because over the years it absorbs the essence of the sun and moon, and has grown into human form. Eating one mouthful..."

  Mingfei had been talking for half a day when she went to see Kangxi, who was looking at her with an ambiguous smile. The several children standing beside him were listening very seriously, and her words got stuck in her throat.

  Kangxi sat on the chair and glanced at Da A Ge and the Crown Prince, saying lightly: "Today's assignment is to add one hundred more pages. If you can't finish writing before dinner, then don't have dinner."

  The Da A Ge and the Crown Prince both involuntarily stiffened for a moment before seriously nodding in agreement.

  "Go down."

  The Third Brother stood still and looked at Kangxi, then looked at his two brothers, for a moment he couldn't decide whether to follow them or not.

  "Alright, go with your two brothers."

  The Crown Prince and the Third Imperial Brother left, Kangxi paused for a moment, then turned his head to look at Mingfei: "Right, where did you just get to? Continue speaking, I'm still finding it quite interesting."

  "Take one bite and you'll live a longer and healthier life... it can cure all diseases..."

  Ming Lan excitedly pulled Ming Fei's arm: "Noble Consort sister, will using it make me look prettier?"

  Mingfei somewhat speechlessly patted her: "The emperor is still in front of you, don't be so presumptuous."

  Kangxi looked at her and didn't seem to mind, then looked at Xu Ruoyu and said: "You are the daughter of Xu Zhidu?"

  "Yes, your majesty."

  Kangxi nodded, and the people below had already moved some flowers and grasses into the inner palace. Minglan suddenly said: "Noble Consort, that palace maid is really beautiful!"

  Everyone looked back at this sentence.

  Among the people who moved the flowers and grasses, apart from the eunuchs, there were also several palace maids. Needless to say, these palace maids were all lowly-born servants of the imperial household.

  Xin Zhe Ku... Xin Zhe Ku... Ah yes, she almost forgot about Liang Fei.

  I've said that, I myself haven't thought it through yet, who exactly should cross over as Xu Ruoxuan, but at least before Qing, putting this character here has made my thoughts a bit jumbled, hopefully I won't mess up the writing.

  Beautiful people give more opinions ~~~~~ o (n_n) o ~ flower collection ah~~~~~~