Chapter 280: A Heavy Entrustment
From the twelfth lunar month to the Lantern Festival, there were many miscellaneous affairs in the Palace, so there is no need to record them in detail.
After the Lantern Festival, the Young Prince of Chu, Ying Shan, was to enter the Palace.
Before that, Prince Chu’s Mansion invited Gong Changan to the mansion as a guest under Ying Bai’s name.
Gong Changan had only not seen him for a month, yet he saw that he was completely emaciated and dispirited, no longer like his former self. His heart could not help but feel pity.
“Heir Apparent, it has been a long time since I last saw you. I have been thinking of you.” Gong Changan stepped forward, behaving as they used to when they were together in the Palace.
Ying Bai let out a sigh that was barely audible, then smiled and said, “The things you asked someone to bring me from the Palace a few days ago were very good. I am bored now and can use them to pass the time.”
The things Gong Changan had someone send out was an ancient chess manual. Although some parts were incomplete, the chess games were all exquisite, and he would often spend many days engrossed in a single game.
It was indeed a good item to pass idle time.
“I am glad you like it. It is also a small token of my intention,” Gong Changan said.
“I haven’t returned your gift yet, so I invited you to my home today.” Ying Bai’s eye that had been blinded by an arrow was covered with black gauze, and he was only now gradually getting used to seeing with one eye.
As they were talking, the Princess Consort Chu led Ying Shan in.
Ying Shan was only six years old after the New Year. He looked more like his mother and was a very delicate male child.
However, it was evident that he was very pampered, and his face carried a hint of impatience.
“I don’t want to come here. My brother’s eye is scary.” Although his mother was pulling him, Ying Shan still stood at the doorway, unwilling to go further inside.
Ying Bai’s complexion immediately turned very unpleasant. That childish voice seemed like an invisible sharp arrow, striking his wound again.
The Princess Consort Chu became anxious and immediately reprimanded him, “I think you’re asking for a beating! If you say such things again, I will disown you as my son!”
“Waa…” Ying Shan retaliated with a loud cry, “You just want my brother and not me. I know, in a few more days, you will send me into the Palace! I will never see you again!”
When he cried, the Princess Consort Chu also felt heartache. How could she bear to be separated from her young son?
When Ying Bai entered the Palace, he was already ten years old, and besides, they could visit him at least three to five times a month.
Now, this child was so young, and they would soon be leaving the Capital City for Longxi. It was unknown when they would see each other again.
Thinking of this, she could not help but shed tears. She hugged her younger son and choked up, saying, “My dearest, your parents naturally cannot bear to part with you, but now is not the time to be willful. Didn’t Mother tell you that if you behave well in the Palace and listen to Empress, and with Mama Wang and the others accompanying you, you won’t miss home too much?”
At this moment, Ying Bai walked forward, crouched down, and said to his younger brother, “Shan’er, don’t cry. Brother will tell you, you must study and learn etiquette well in the Palace. You should recognize more characters so that you can write letters to Mother, Father, and Brother.
We will also write letters to you and have people send the fun and delicious things from Longxi to the Capital City.
See him? —”
Ying Bai pointed at Gong Changan as he said this, “He knows so many things, and he is also in the Palace. If you spend time with him often, you won’t feel bored.”
The Princess Consort Chu also quickly wiped away her tears and said to Gong Changan with a smile, “Good child, I invited you here today because I really want to ask a favor of you.”
“Your Ladyship is too kind. Please tell me whatever you wish,” Gong Changan replied with a smile.
“It is truly a request. Shan’er is too young and very ignorant. He will be alone in the Palace, and we will inevitably worry about him.
I know you are a good child, and you have always been close to Bai’er. Therefore, I ask you to spend more time playing with him in the Palace, so that he won’t miss us too much.” The Princess Consort Chu’s tone was earnest, even filled with humility.
In this situation, status and wealth were irrelevant. She was just a mother who wanted her son to have more people who treated him kindly by his side.
Moreover, Gong Changan was Tutor Zhuge’s favorite disciple. If he were willing to look after Ying Shan, the Tutor would naturally also pay more attention.
The Princess Consort Chu was not foolish. She knew that the Empress had no choice but to send her youngest son into the Palace, but what about the future?
Even if she could not come up with a perfect plan, she would do her best to protect her child.
That was all.
Ying Shan blinked his eyes and looked at Gong Changan, asking him, “Are you the prodigy my brother mentioned? He said you are very good at playing Cuju Ball, and you know how to use sleeve arrows and do inverted hanging. Can you teach me all of these?”
“If the Second Young Master wishes to learn, I can teach you everything,” Gong Changan replied with a smile. “There are many fun things in the Palace. I will take you to play when you enter the Palace.”
Ying Shan was, after all, a child. Although he was reluctant to leave his parents, his curiosity was immediately piqued when he heard about fun things. “Really? You’re not lying to me?”
“How could I lie to you? I despise people who break their promises the most in my life,” Gong Changan said. “I will perform a magic trick.”
Saying this, he took two glass balls from his pocket, held one in each hand, and blew on his right hand, saying “Go.” His hands did not touch, and when he opened his right hand, it was empty.
“Huh? Where did the ball go?” Ying Shan asked, grabbing Gong Changan’s hand.
“It’s here!” Gong Changan said, opening his left hand. Indeed, there were two balls in his hand.
Then he closed his hand again, shook it, and said, “Change!”
When he opened his hand again, they had turned into two copper coins.
“This is good, this is good! Can you teach me?” Ying Shan was overjoyed.
“There are many more interesting magic tricks than this. I will teach you this one today,” Gong Changan said, taking Ying Shan’s hand and walking to the side to begin teaching him the trick.
The Princess Consort Chu glanced at Ying Bai, her eyes filled with relief.
If Gong Changan could be Ying Shan’s playmate in the Palace, then he would miss home less.
Afterward, Gong Changan had lunch at Prince Chu’s Mansion and then took his leave.
Ying Shan was still reluctant to part and wanted him to stay a little longer.
However, Gong Changan had other matters to attend to. He said to the Princess Consort Chu, “Before I left the Palace, my Mother asked me to visit the Grand Princess. The mountain road is far, and if I go too late, I might not be able to return to the Palace in time, which would not be good.”
The Princess Consort Chu naturally understood and said, “Good child, you live in the Palace now and must abide by the rules everywhere. I understand, you may go. Take these things with you. Please do not refuse; it is a token of my intention.”
She gave Gong Changan a brocade box containing a fine jade pendant of a tiger-Chi pattern.
Gong Changan bowed to her and thanked her, and indeed did not refuse.
He had ridden a horse out of the Palace and headed straight for Bowang Mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, he saw a young maiden and a stout old woman standing together.
Gong Changan dismounted and ran towards the two.
“Zhang Ma! Sister Sang Er, I’ve missed you so much!”
“Oh my, my little ancestor! I finally see you.” Zhang Ma hugged Gong Changan tightly. “Let me take a look, you’ve grown so much.”
