02. Naturalization

"We have arrived." The driver pulled the reins, and he obediently took his bundle from the cart, which contained a few old garments neatly arranged by his great-grandmother, as well as a small wooden sword made for him by his second uncle Shi.

A whiff of urine wafted over, causing Liu Biqiang to hold his breath and frown. Liu Bingyi had finished urinating, and his face returned to a smile, looking quite content. Liu Biqiang, feeling disinclined to continue questioning him, waved his hand to call his young son, Zongzheng Cheng Liu De, and said: "Send this child to the palace, take him to the Yeting Ling Zhang He, and from now on, all matters regarding his daily life, care, and upbringing will be arranged by Zhang He's people."

The sky was a deep blue and transparent, with not a single cloud in sight. Liu Bingyi held a bundle in his arms, his mouth agape as he stared blankly at the towering roof above. Black birds soared through the sky, gliding like shooting stars, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The left wheel of the cart is somewhat cracked, and with each rotation, it emits an unpleasant creaking sound, causing the cart to jolt slightly. Liu Bingyi has been riding this dilapidated ox cart from east to west for over half a month before finally arriving in Chang'an. He has little impression of Chang'an; a year ago, when he left, he was directly taken from the county prison, and at that time, he only had a moment to glance at the tall city walls surrounding Chang'an.

My name is Liu Bingyi, and I am six years old

"Has the household registration been submitted? Even if it hasn't, you dare to send someone to the Weiyang Palace?"

Liu Bingyi noticed that the man's age was not much different from that of his own maternal uncle, making him seem less like his great-uncle. In contrast, Liu Biqiang, this kind and amiable elderly man, earned his greater trust. Thus, he waved to Liu Biqiang, saying, "Uncle Gao, Bingyi is leaving now, but you must remember to come and play with Bingyi!"

"Wait here." A row of guards holding halberds stood beneath the gate, with one guard stationed every few zhang, extending all the way to the palace gate. The towering East Sima Gate instilled a sense of awe, and the usually bold Liu Bingyi suddenly faltered, tightly clutching his bundle and crouching down with his head in his arms.

After waiting for a long time without hearing a response, Liu Biqiang could not help but raise his head in curiosity, only to see Liu Bingyi opposite him looking extremely embarrassed, his body twisting even more awkwardly.

"What? Has no historian ever told you?"

Zongzheng Liu Piqiang carefully examined the boy in front of him, whose face was somewhat sunburned and peeling. The child was not tall, and his oversized robe hung loosely on his thin frame. However, he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and his facial features were quite well-defined, making him not unpleasant to look at. Nevertheless, Liu Piqiang could not overlook the mischievousness in the child's expression; even now, standing before him, the boy could not shake off his restless nature. He occasionally twisted his waist and picked at his fingers, his distinctly black-and-white eyes darting around, unabashedly meeting Liu Piqiang's gaze.

Should it be delivered to the General's residence first

Liu Biqiang looked at the innocent and pure smile on the child's dark face; although he smiled on the outside, his heart was filled with sighs.

Liu Bing had completely lost understanding of what the adults were discussing, and he had no interest in trying to comprehend it. Seeing them argue incessantly, he took out a small wooden sword from his bundle and began to dance with it.

"How can you be so confused? General Huo is too busy managing state affairs to have the leisure to deal with this matter. Naturally, it should first be sent to the Zongzheng office to report the household registration before anything else is done"

Liu Bingyi curiously asked, "What should I call you then?"

"What I mentioned before..." his voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. He twisted his waist and replied in a deep, muffled tone, "My father's name is Liu Jin, my grandfather's name is Liu Ju, and my great-grandfather's name is..."

Liu Bingyi clutched his groin with both hands, hopping and jumping on his feet, sweating profusely, and his eyes were filled with tears as if he were about to cry. Seeing his urgent demeanor, it seemed he would wet himself at any moment. Liu Biqiang, fearing the unruly child, did not dare to take him to the backyard to relieve himself, so he ordered someone to bring a pot, attending to his needs right there in the hall.

The wooden sword danced in the air, creating a lively breeze as he played joyfully. Meanwhile, the adults seemed to have finally reached a conclusion, and they tossed him onto the ox cart, bumping along the road as they took a detour.

Liu Biqiang was astonished

Liu Bing slowly crawled down from the vehicle, and the first thing that caught his eye were two towering gate towers that seemed to reach the sky. He was already short, and now standing beneath the gate towers, looking up at the sky, he felt even smaller, like an ant.

"Isn't it said to be sent to the Yeting?"

Liu Bingyi was staring intently when suddenly someone from behind grabbed him and swiftly dragged him away. On both sides of the Que Tower, many luxurious carriages were parked. Liu Bingyi stretched his neck and saw from a distance the nobles and officials bowing to bid farewell under the tower, before each of them got into their carriages and dispersed

He couldn't help but chuckle, "How old are you? What is your name?" Although he was well aware of his background, matters of officialdom still had to be conducted in strict accordance with the established rules.

Liu Biqiang chuckled and said, "He is still young, and moreover, he has just re-entered the clan; how could he understand these things? In the future, you should teach him well."

Who is the father? Who is the grandfather? Who is the great-grandfather?

After waiting for about half an hour, the Eastern Sima Gate suddenly opened, the heavy bronze doors pushed aside, and the guards stood with their backs straight and expressions solemn. The sound of footsteps was faint yet distinct, and despite the distance, this peculiar noise could still be heard. In an instant, a group of officials dressed in long robes began to emerge one after another from the open palace gate

This child is naturally lively and active, but his upbringing is limited, and his behavior is coarse, lacking any royal demeanor. Although both are underage children, the current emperor, when compared to him, is like a phoenix to a chicken. Despite both having the blood of Emperor Xiaowu flowing through their veins, they are worlds apart.

Liu Dedao said, "You should respectfully refer to him as Uncle Gao, for I am your great-uncle."

Liu Bingyi saw Liu Biqiang, whose face was covered in wrinkles and whose hair and beard were as white as snow. When the wind blew, his long white beard fluttered in the breeze. Liu Bingyi had never seen such an old man before, and after following Liu De for a few steps, he couldn't help but turn back and say, "Grandfather, your beard is truly interesting"

Liu Biqiang did not expect that this child was so ignorant of taboos, actually calling out the name of his ancestor directly. Just as he was about to interrupt the child, who was about to blurt out the revered name of Emperor Xiaowu, the child suddenly shouted, "I need to pee! Oh no, I can't hold it anymore! I need to pee—"

Fortunately, this child still has a lively personality. I had thought that after experiencing so many hardships, he would be gloomy and taciturn, finding it difficult to connect with others. Liu Biqiang trembled as he picked up the pen to record his name on the register, and in the column for his ancestors, he wrote the name of the Emperor Shi's grandson, Liu Jin

"This is also good... also good..." he murmured as he closed the bamboo slip, placed it into the silk bag, sealed it, and stored it in the high cabinet

Liu De stumbled and nearly fell, while Liu Biqiang stared at him with murky eyes, smiling. Liu De quickly corrected him, saying: "My father is the grandson of King Chu Yuan, the brother of Emperor Gaozu. In terms of seniority, he is a cousin of Emperor Xiaojing. You, child, truly lack respect for your elders and are ignorant of proper etiquette"

How did he get taken to Dong Simamen?

Among the three uncles, the second uncle, Shi Zeng, had the most gentle temperament and treated him the best, often playing with him and telling him stories. The eldest uncle, Shi Gao, had a son named Shi Dan, who was younger than him but often bullied him in front of adults, and the eldest aunt never reprimanded him. On the contrary, the youngest uncle, Shi Xuan, although often wearing a stern face, treated his own nephew fairly and never showed favoritism. Shi Dan often received beatings and scoldings from Shi Xuan, especially when he bullied him...