Chapter 132: The Gift Arrives At The Imperial Palace
Qin Wanwan touched her small hands, “Daddy, did I play well?”
She turned her head and asked the two people full of confidence, her beautiful big eyes full of anticipation.
Rong Zhi pursed his lips and remained silent, placing the teacup filled with tea down.
Shang Wuyang walked over and picked up Qin Wanwan, moving her away from the guqin.
He stroked the little fatty’s head.
“Cub, don’t play randomly if you haven’t learned it.”
Qin Wanwan gave a soft “oh,” and suddenly her eyes sparkled as she stared at Rong Zhi.
“Lord Rong, you play so beautifully. Can you teach me?”
As for this matter, Shang Wuyang did not stop it, but instead looked at Rong Zhi with a hint of schadenfreude.
“Prime Minister Rong, this is the first time my Fatty has been so interested in something. How about you consider it?”
It was time to let others experience the pain of teaching children.
Qin Wanwan’s ears twitched, and she suddenly turned her head to stare at her daddy, “Daddy, did you just call me Fatty?!”
Those clear and bright big eyes seemed to hold a trace of disbelief.
Shang Wuyang said with an unflustered expression, “You misheard.”
Keke said, “Nonsense, I also…”
Before Keke could finish speaking, Shang Wuyang threw a teacup at him, and he fell down with a “ga” sound.
“Cub, you’re bullying me again!”
Keke cried out pitifully.
Qin Wanwan picked her up, walked back, and seriously said to Shang Wuyang, “Daddy, don’t always bully Keke.”
Shang Wuyang responded lazily.
But the matter of her being called Fatty was left behind.
Qin Wanwan was quite curious about new things, especially when she saw how good Rong Zhi looked playing the guqin. The little Qilin thought he looked very good-looking.
So she pestered Rong Zhi, wanting to learn the guqin.
On the first day, Rong Zhi did not agree.
However, he agreed to help deliver the fruit to Yin Yuanli.
Qin Wanwan brought over all the strawberries she picked today, “Lord Rong, you have some too. Here are two big strawberries for you. The rest are for Brother Yuanli first. Our two families live so close, if you want strawberries, I’ll bring them to you.”
The strawberries she planted, influenced by the Qilin’s spiritual charm, had not withered for so long and instead produced fruit every day, ripening some each day.
In the afternoon, Rong Zhi entered the palace with those things, while Qin Wanwan went to find the sheep with Shang Wuyang.
Rong Zhi only needed to inform His Majesty upon entering the palace, and then went directly to Crown Prince Yin Yuanli.
He encountered other Imperial Princes on the way, who were already adults. He bowed slightly.
“Prime Minister, why have you come to the Imperial Palace today?”
The First Prince enthusiastically came to greet him, “What are these?”
Rong Zhi replied, “Someone asked me to deliver some things to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Upon hearing this, the First Prince’s expression froze.
He forced a smile, “Heh heh, so that’s how it is. Prince, you are truly blessed.”
Rong Zhi said, “Since Your Highness has no other matters, Rong Zhi shall take his leave.”
The First Prince smiled and nodded. However, after Rong Zhi left, his expression immediately turned gloomy.
“Investigate when Rong Zhi and Ninth Brother became so close.”
Yin Yuanli was the Crown Prince, but ranked ninth.
He had eight older brothers before him, and the Princesses were ranked separately.
Yin Yuanli’s evaluation of his father was that he was very fertile.
Among Yin Yuanli’s eight older brothers, four were adults and had entered the Imperial Court, where they were now engaged in fierce competition.
Yin Yuanli was not very concerned about this, he carried out his duties step by step.
Those who wanted to harm him would ultimately harm themselves.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Rong Zhi arrived right on time, as Yin Yuanli had just finished class.
Currently studying at the Academy were the Seventh Prince to the Twelfth Prince.
The current Emperor had a total of twelve Imperial Princes, with the youngest, the Twelfth Prince, being three years old.
Imperial Princes had to enroll in the Academy at the age of three and could not be taught by imperial concubines. This was a rule set by the Late Emperor before his death.
Because the Late Emperor’s sons were raised and taught by imperial concubines, not only did his sons engage in various conflicts, but their struggles were also very underhanded.
Influenced by their surroundings, the Late Emperor’s sons learned all sorts of palace intrigues, which they then applied to the struggle for the throne. This ultimately led to the Late Emperor’s sons dying or being crippled, forcing him to hand over the throne to the current Emperor, who was almost an invisible non-entity.
Yin Yuanli and the other Imperial Princes at the Academy all looked at Rong Zhi.
Everyone was very respectful of him.
Even though they were Imperial Princes, Rong Zhi was a minister.
“Prime Minister Rong.”
Yin Yuanli walked to his side, “Prime Minister Rong, what brings you here?”
The small figure was proper and serious, looking exactly like an adult.
Rong Zhi stepped slightly to the side, “Someone asked me to deliver these to you.”
Yin Yuanli looked over, and in a flash of inspiration, he thought of something, and his eyes lit up.
This also made him appear more lively and vibrant.
“Did Qin Wanwan send this?”
Rong Zhi nodded, handed him the letter Qin Wanwan had written, and said, “This is her letter to you. Since the items have been delivered, I shall take my leave.”
Yin Yuanli said, “Wait, Prime Minister Rong, could you tell me her current residence?”
Speaking of this, Yin Yuanli was a bit annoyed. Last time, the Grand Tutor had informed him that Qin Wanwan had arrived in Shangjing, but did not tell him the address.
He thought Wanwan would go to the Duchy Mansion upon arriving in Shangjing, but when his people inquired, she hadn’t gone there at all!
However, how did she get involved with Prime Minister Rong?
Rong Zhi replied, “She lives right next door to my residence.”
Yin Yuanli did not expect that she lived next door to Prime Minister Rong’s residence. This was truly… quite fated.
“Thank you, Prime Minister Rong.”
Rong Zhi left, and the other Imperial Princes in the Academy gathered around.
They all spoke to Yin Yuanli, and some inquired openly or subtly.
Regardless of their private relationships, at least on the surface, they still acted like loving brothers.
“Brother Eight, you all share these things. I can’t eat them all myself.”
Although Yin Yuanli was young, he was a very charismatic Crown Prince.
The adult Imperial Princes basically had ambitions for that position, and those who had not yet reached adulthood and were still in the Academy also did.
However, many who did not yet have ambitions for that position studied alongside Yin Yuanli in the Academy, and most of them were won over by him.
Therefore, among the Imperial Princes in the Academy, except for two or three who had their own agendas, most of them had a very good relationship with Yin Yuanli.
“Ninth Brother, did Prime Minister Rong give this to you? This is the first time I’ve seen Prime Minister Rong give something to an Imperial Prince.”
“No.”
Yin Yuanli shook his head, “This is from a friend of mine.”
He then opened the envelope.
Several little heads leaned in.
When the letter was unfolded, Yin Yuanli’s eyelids twitched.
The few words on it made his head ache.
Even his youngest brother’s handwriting was not as wild as this.
“Wow, who wrote this? It’s so ugly, not even as good as Twelfth Brother’s writing!”
“What is this drawing?”
Yin Yuanli took a deep breath and tried to decipher it without using his brain.
Then he failed.
He didn’t punish his eyes, and put the letter back.
It’s okay. I’ll ask the Grand Tutor for leave and go talk to her in person. It’s better not to write letters.
