newbobooks Chapter 229 Extra 2: Puppet Prince
Chapter 229 Extra 2: Puppet Prince
So from that day on, Xie Lang had his own place to live in the palace.
Wen Hemian did what he said. The next day, he had someone secretly send him warm clothes and bedding, as well as some food that could be preserved for a long time. Even if he was forgotten by the palace servants, at least he would not starve.
But to say that he paid much attention to him, that was not the case. After all, the affairs in the palace were complicated and Wen Hemian was not willing to deal with them. Every time he entered the palace, he had his own things to deal with and could not take care of Xie Lang too much.
When he was a little older, Xie Lang would find opportunities to secretly hide outside the school and listen to classes. Although this was a bit troublesome, at least he would not be bothered by his royal brothers.
Wen Hemian noticed her by chance once, and the next time she entered the palace, she carried books and some calligraphy copies in her arms so that he could copy and learn from them.
The little prince, who had rarely been exposed to warmth since childhood, looked at her, his puppy-like eyes silently filled with tears, with red at the corners of his eyes, looking pitiful and cute.
Wen Hemian has no brothers or sisters, and doesn't often come into contact with the noble ladies in the capital. At first, it was just a small gesture of kindness, but now he has become somewhat concerned about it, and the way he looks at this kid is slightly different.
It's not a bad idea to just think of it as raising a younger brother.
However, just as this thought came to my mind, my mother called me into her room to talk when I returned home that day.
"Hanshuang, talk to mother carefully about what you think of the little prince. Why have you been secretly helping him? He is a prince after all. You shouldn't get involved."
As their daughter, the apple of their eye, Wen Hemian was born a princess. Even the title of Hanshuang was carefully chosen, but she was rarely called that on weekdays.
At the end of his speech, Qin Yi's expression became serious and he looked at his daughter solemnly.
She understands the twists and turns best.
Wen Hemian had his own ideas and knew that his ideas were untenable. He paused for a moment and said slowly, "Mother, can't he be the crown prince?"
Among the several princes she had contact with, the eldest prince was stupid and incompetent, the second prince was greedy and lustful, the third prince was overly ambitious... Only Xie Lang, the youngest, was as pitiful as a puppy.
When he was very young, she saved his life by accident. Now they were getting along pretty well. He did have some strange thoughts, which were only pointed out in front of Qin Yi.
The Wen family is always there, and Wen Hemian finds it speechless just thinking about that kind of person who will come to power in the future.
In this case, it would be better to find a monarch that satisfies you.
Qin Yi was silent for a long time, and said with a slightly melancholy tone: "It is possible, but it is difficult."
It's hard for her daughter to pick out one who is barely presentable from so many ugly people. However, the current situation in the court is a headache for everyone. It may be difficult to turn the tide.
But rather...
Qin Yiwan's gentle eyes carried a hint of regret. She raised her hand and placed it firmly on Wen Hemian's shoulder, patting him gently: "Why aren't you... a man?"
Only if you experience it yourself can you have such a feeling.
Her daughter was very interested in all kinds of anecdotes when she was just starting to learn. Later, when she grew up, she could talk about the situation in the court. Her insights were so profound that even the teachers were impressed and called her a great talent.
Just because of her status as a girl, she has no way to enter the court to take the imperial examination. It’s sad to think about it, but this is the way the world is. Until it changes, women will always have to stand behind men.
Wen Hemian was not surprised to hear such words. She looked at her mother calmly and said, "If I don't try, how can I know that I can never change it?"
"You, you!"
From the moment she said this, Qin Yi knew that she could not change Wen Hemian's mind. She tapped the little girl's forehead angrily, but was reluctant to say anything harsh.
She finally sighed deeply and warned: "Don't get yourself involved."
Wen Hemian curved his eyebrows and said, "Don't worry, mother. It won't happen."
Being born in the Wen family allowed her to see a wider world. Naturally, she did not want to be confined to mediocrity in the future. Whether it was for her own sake or for her parents', she hoped that Dazhao could become better and better.
The prerequisite for improvement is to first have a wise monarch.
So when Wen Hemian entered the palace again, she looked at the little boy sitting in front of her, drinking water obediently with a teacup in his hand, and asked with a gentle smile, "Little Prince, do you want to leave the cold palace?"
Wen Hemian rarely called Xie Lang like this. In the past, he always did so with an indulgent and teasing tone, as if he was really raising an obedient puppy.
Xie Lang was stunned for a moment, and when he realized what she was saying, his eyes suddenly lit up: "I want to!"
He hated those who framed his mother, and he hated his own weak and vulnerable situation. It was not that he didn't want to think about it before, but compared to staying alive, he was unable to think more.
Wen Hemian was essentially putting this opportunity directly in front of him.
"If you want to do it, you have to do your best."
There is a gleam in the boy's eyes. He has ambition and desire, but he is not like his royal brothers who make people feel disgusted. He has just the right amount of sharpness and is very likable.
Wen Hemian propped up his chin and explained the current situation to him: "Your brothers are busy fighting among themselves, so they probably won't notice you. The court is too chaotic, so it's not a bad idea to stay here for a while."
The most important thing is that in the leaky palace, the sparsely populated area is more suitable for them to make moves.
No matter what Wen Hemian said, the boy listened attentively with a tense face. He was not perfunctory and was obviously paying attention and taking it all in mind.
So in the following days, Xie Lang had Wen Hemian who taught him patiently and carefully, and he no longer had to hide outside the school and listen to everything.
Besides, he is still young, which is a good age to learn martial arts. He can learn from the secret guards around Wen Hemian and can perform the movements quite well. It can be seen that he will be a good candidate for both civil and military skills in the future.
Although it is called the Cold Palace, it is not entirely a cold palace. Apart from the days when he was bullied in the past, Xie Lang has lived a carefree life for more than two years.
It was not until he was ten years old that a sudden change occurred in the palace and several princes died one after another for various reasons. Finally, people turned their attention to him.
That person is none other than the current Prime Minister of the Cabinet, Ning Hechu.
In fact, if Ning Hechu hadn't mentioned it, everyone would have forgotten that there was such a little prince in the cold palace. His presence was too low, and no one could even figure out how he survived.
But anyone with a discerning eye could see that Ning Hechu was pushing this person forward at this time not because he really had plans for him, but rather because he wanted to support a puppet and use him for his own purposes.
"Becoming a puppet prince is the first step you take."
Wen Hemian looked at the kid in front of him with a smile. He was still skinny. This was the result of their deliberate control after discussion, intending to play the pig and eat the tiger so as to relax the vigilance of outsiders.
"When you go to the west, everything you do will be justified."