Emperor Shao

Outside the Xu family home, there is a well. Liu Bingyi is circling around the well's fence, deliberately twisting his hips, causing the bamboo pole to sway from side to side. The yellow dog jumps left and right, occasionally pressing its front paws on the branches and leaves, and then bites at them wildly with its mouth.

The gardener of the Eastern Garden rose from his seat, holding the ceremonial tablet with both hands crossed over his chest, lowering his gaze to the tablet, and softly reported: "Your Majesty, the Cloud Tomb of Empress Dowager Zhao has been completed, and the temple of the Empress Dowager's Cloud Tomb also ... ... "

The young emperor raised his eyebrows slightly, and the hall fell into a profound silence. The officials under the Ministry of Revenue all bowed their heads and held their breath, not daring to move even a shoulder while seated.

He picked up the brush and then set it down, gazing at the character "Fu" on the silk, a character so esteemed that only he in the entire world could write it

However, ...! ... the corners of Zhang He's mouth slightly curled up; in comparison, he still preferred to see a lively and carefree Liu Bingyi, who was oblivious to sorrow!

The emperor's expression was extremely cold; Jin Shang, who had accompanied him since childhood, had rarely seen him display such a demeanor. Jin Jian was also a clever person and immediately realized that he had misspoken, thus he pressed his lips together and fell silent

A young boy runs towards the orange sunset, his cheerful and innocent laughter echoing all the way, "Silly dog, silly dog, come bite me! Bite me!"

The officials exchanged glances, and Zhang He let out a heavy sigh in his heart. The crowd whispered among themselves, and after a moment, the Music Bureau official leaned in close to Xu Ren and whispered a few words. Xu Ren exclaimed, "Ah!" in realization, feeling extremely vexed: "How could I be so foolish as to forget about this matter"

He hurriedly rolled up his sleeve and wiped his face, then looked at her with a silly grin on his face.

After finishing his bath, Jin Jian brought over the garments. He began to put on the undergarments, one piece at a time, layer by layer, and finally donned the outermost plain gauze robe. The robe was deep black, with a high collar and gold embroidery on the lapels and sleeves. Once he was fully dressed, two young attendants carried a copper mirror, as tall as a person, in front of him. He stretched out his arms in front of the mirror, allowing Jin Shang to smooth out the hem of his robe.

"Dirty," she said

Jin Shang and Jin Jian never expected such an event to occur. Throughout their lives, the Emperor had never exhibited such willful behavior, leaving the two of them momentarily at a loss on how to respond

A yellow dog wagged its tail and continuously pounced at the branches and leaves, yet it repeatedly missed its target, barking wildly and consequently eating a fair amount of dust.

The lamp in the bedroom shone as brightly as daylight. The two brothers kept watch for a quarter of an hour and found that the emperor was indeed lying still, seemingly fast asleep. Only then did they truly feel anxious, their nerves causing them to sweat profusely.

Hey, don't go..." He extended his right arm in disappointment, weakly waving his hand in the void. In the blink of an eye, the yellow dog had already disappeared from sight

As the crowd exited the Qingliang Hall, they were abuzz with conversation. On the way back to the Shaofu official residence, Zhang He remained silent. The faint fragrance of the Huawu incense from the Qingliang Hall seemed to cling to his garments, and as the evening breeze gently blew, it not only permeated his heart and mind but also stirred his spirit.

The person in the mirror wore a solemn expression, yet there was an indescribable maturity on his somewhat youthful face. Jin Shang knelt at his feet, helping him put on the brocade socks, "Your Majesty..."

Liu Bingyi chuckled as he dragged a long green bamboo into the house. Upon reaching the hall, he casually tossed aside the bamboo pole, kicked off his shoes, and boldly prepared to step into the hall. At that moment, Madam Xu emerged from the kitchen carrying a ceramic basin. Seeing his face covered in mud and his hands and feet blackened, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh dear, how did you get so dirty?"

The emperor lay on his side, covering his face with his sleeve

Zhang He's words were neither servile nor arrogant, and the young emperor smiled gently, nodding slightly, "The princess truly has a thoughtful heart." The emperor held the pen tube between his fingertips, his fair fingers turning slightly red from the tension.

I am here

Drive—Drive—

Hmm? Waving his hand to dismiss the young eunuch, the emperor turned and climbed onto the bed, spreading his arms wide and lying on his back.

Xu Renmen asked: "What does this mean?"

As soon as the question was asked, someone at the banquet immediately stood up, walked to the center, and held a tablet to report: "The Minister of the Yeting, Chen He, has another matter to present." The young emperor did not respond, and Zhang He paused for a moment before continuing, "The Princess of Eyi is residing in the capital, and has been gathering young women for Your Majesty. In August, she summoned the sons of noble families from Chang'an to fill the Yeting, and as of yesterday, the princess personally selected the young women, specifically choosing one from the Zhou family of Yang, who will be paired tonight in the Hehuan Hall.

Upon hearing the decree, the lizard official could not help but breathe a sigh of relief, his tense body slightly relaxed. After performing a long bow and saluting, he retreated back to his seat, while Xu Ren, who was seated at the head, gradually wore a smile on his face

With people shouting and dogs barking, he played with great delight, sweat mingling with dust, and he paid no mind to wiping it away, fully immersed in frolicking with the clumsy dog behind him

As Zhang He withdrew, he could not help but glance up at the young emperor seated regally on the high couch. The young emperor maintained a dignified posture, his expression showing no signs of impropriety, yet it was inevitable that Zhang He felt a sense of concern; after all, he was merely an eleven-year-old child. Did he truly understand the matters of love and relationships? Looking at this youthful sovereign before him, he could not help but recall the mischievous and unruly Liu Bingyi, another young boy of the same age, a descendant of Emperor Xiaowu. Why, then, did their words and actions differ so greatly?

As he drew closer, he could clearly see Madam Xu's delicate and smooth skin, and genuinely feel her gentle and kind gaze. The usually restless Liu Bingyi suddenly found himself unable to move, holding his breath and obediently allowing Madam Xu to clean his face.

Liu Bingyi sniffed slightly, and with a hint of shyness, walked over. Just as he was about to sit next to Xu Pingjun, she, with a serious expression, pointed her hand towards the opposite side. Liu Bingyi blinked, his eyes darting around. At that moment, Madam Xu came over carrying a basin of rice, and he pretended to make way for her, but took the opportunity to swiftly slip into Xu Pingjun's seat. Because he was too close and too eager, he accidentally knocked little Pingjun sideways, causing her to topple over.

Without the object of his mischief, he could only reluctantly sound the retreat, riding his bamboo horse and bouncing his way to the front gate. Xu Pingjun stared at him with her bright, round eyes, wearing a face full of disgust.

A beauty that can topple a nation and captivate a city

A-Huang's ears twitched, and he immediately stopped moving, his mouth wide open, his tongue extended long outside, panting heavily.

"Dinner—dinner—my mother is calling you for dinner—" Leaning against the door, she shouted seven or eight times, but Liu Bingyi didn't even lift his eyelids in her direction. Xu Pingjun was so angry that she trembled, stamped her foot, and let out a whistle.

The incense in the hall is too strong

Ah... you annoying brat, I don't want to sit with you..." The little girl who climbed up from her seat cried out loudly, using all her strength to push away the extremely irritating little rascal beside her.

Yet that little rascal wore a broad smile, completely unfazed, as he cheerfully raised his wooden chopsticks amidst the tremors akin to an earthquake

The Son of Heaven pinched the pen between his fingers, and his slender fingers trembled slightly. Sitting opposite Xu Ren, the attendant Jin Shang couldn't help but furrow his brows in response to that subtle tremor. After a moment, the young emperor slightly nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face, "In that case, let us relocate the people to Yunling, and grant them money, land, and housing."

"First wash your hands, how can you eat like this?" Madam Xu scooped up clean water and let him squat on the steps to wash his hands. Just as he finished washing, he was about to head into the hall when Madam Xu suddenly pulled him back, "Your face is not clean yet, there is still dirt..." As she spoke, she dipped a handkerchief in water, adjusted his face, and carefully wiped his forehead.

It is better not to mention this, as bringing it up is like poking a hornet's nest. The emperor sat up in bed, his face as cold as frost. Jin Jian hurriedly tugged at his brother's sleeve and smiled as he stepped forward to divert the conversation: "I heard that the lady Zhou Yang, who is to serve in the Hehuan Palace tonight, is exceptionally beautiful, possessing a beauty that could topple a city. She was specially selected by the Princess of Eyi from among three hundred noble families..."

In the Qingliang Hall, the fragrance of the fragrant herb wafts through the air, as the setting sun gradually sinks, casting a cold beam of light that slants in through the window, enveloping the youthful and handsome face of the young man. He leans forward, resting on the desk, his gaze distant and his expression serene. On the desk lie two exquisite jade emperor brushes, and he casually picks one up, slowly moistening the tip with warm water.

Jin Shang's brow furrowed even tighter

The young emperor pretended not to see and simply asked, "Do any of you have matters to present today?"

Liu Bingyi stood on the steps, surveying himself from all angles with an expression of indifference. Xu Pingjun had already taken her seat in the hall, with a food table set before her. Upon hearing her mother's words, she stuck out her tongue at Liu Bingyi and made a face to mock him

Jin Jian covered his face and made a painful twitching gesture, while Jin Shang turned a blind eye to the wrinkled imperial robe, merely lowering his voice to say: "Regarding the matter of recruiting people from Yunling for relocation, should we first discuss it with the Grand General and the others? At the very least, we should inform the Princess of the Long before proceeding."

This autumn, the rabbit hair brush is fine and pointed, dipping into ink to write with great elasticity. On the snow-white silk cloth, the brush tip glides silently; with a horizontal stroke followed by a bend and another bend, the force penetrates the back of the silk. His characters are not written with strictness; the structure is evenly turned and horizontal, yet very gentle.

Xu Renyi was momentarily taken aback, standing still in place. The Young Emperor did not wait for his response, already rising from the couch and walking into the inner chamber. Jin Shang offered a bow to the dazed Xu Renyi, not daring to linger, and quickly followed suit.

In this vast Weiyang Palace, in this grand Chang'an City, in this expansive realm of the Han dynasty, how many women of unparalleled beauty can there be

"Turn off the lights, go to bed." Gritting his teeth, he uttered these four brief words, lay down fully clothed, and turned over, facing inward with his back to the outside.

Very good

"Understood." The carpenter from Dongyuan also withdrew

"Dirtier than before." With a twist of her slim waist, she tossed her hand and entered the room, leaving him standing foolishly at the door. From a distance, her clear voice floated out like that of a lark, "If you dawdle any longer, I will throw your food to the dog."

"A-Huang, come back!" At the command of the young master, A-Huang barked once and immediately dashed home without hesitation

"Xu Shaofu!" The inner court meeting had concluded, and Xu Ren was about to lead his subordinates out of the Qingliang Hall when the Young Emperor called out to him.

This young sovereign, indeed, is rather too reserved in expressing his emotions; only the Grand General and Princess Gai Chang can truly comprehend his thoughts

"Alright, now it is clean again, indeed it looks much better this way, what a handsome young man you are." Madam Xu patted his head, signaling him to go to the hall for dinner

The gardener of the Eastern Garden sighed, saying: "Just now, when I presented the matters concerning Yunling, I felt anxious, fearing to displease the sovereign. I thought that tonight, with the joy in the Imperial Garden and His Majesty in good spirits, it would be well received, but unexpectedly..."

A long bamboo pole is straddled across his groin as he runs and jumps, with a green branch hanging from the tip of the bamboo. As he moves, the bamboo leaves sweep the ground, stirring up a cloud of choking dust.

Just as he was speaking passionately, he was unexpectedly kicked from behind by Jin Shang. His knees buckled, and he nearly fell over