The first time in history

Chapter 127 The Fifth Prince Ruichen

Qian Mingduo's name this time is Ruichen, a noble prince. After a period of understanding, he has completely adapted to his current identity.

At this moment, he was looking at a piece of paper in his hand. It was the news presented by his spy.

Feng Xianzhang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, redeemed Lan Cui from Cuiliu Pavilion as his concubine on the second day of May. She left Cuiliu Pavilion at twilight hour in a red velvet sedan chair and entered Feng's mansion through the northeast corner gate at twilight hour. The ransom was three thousand taels.

"Hmph!" Qian Mingduo casually put the paper on the desk and picked up another one -

Ruichen is the fifth among the nine princes.

His father, Emperor Rui Yuhuan, was determined not to appoint a crown prince. There was no reason, but he looked down on all the princes.

Fifteen years ago, Rui Yuhuan conquered the world, governed ten states and twenty counties, established his capital in Shangdang, and named his country Dalong.

This kind of emperor who governs the army on horseback and governs the country on foot does not trust almost anyone around him, including his sons.

In his eyes, these sons were all the same. Apart from their noble status as princes, they were good for nothing.

In the four corners of the palace, like a moon surrounded by stars, stood four princely palaces. These were the residences of the four adult princes.

The eldest and fourth princes died in infancy, and the other three underage princes temporarily lived with their mothers in the palace.

Ruichen's residence is in the northwest corner of the palace, with green bamboos swaying beside the wall, quiet and elegant. In the waterside pavilion beside the pond, there is a stone table and three or five stone benches.

The study was filled with books and the scent of ink filled the air. Qian Mingduo leaned back in his armchair, his feet resting on the desk. He carefully looked at the other piece of paper in his hand.

Han Yu, captain of the Lion Guard, lost thirty-one taels and two cents of silver at the Yinyue Casino on May 3rd, at midnight, without any surprise.

"Captain?!" Qian Mingduo frowned. He was a sixth-rank official with a monthly salary of three taels and five cents. He lost half a year's salary in one gambling house, but he didn't take it seriously at all.

"Interesting." Qian Mingduo read it carefully again.

"No surprise..." It seems that this little sixth-rank captain is also a man with a story. He smiled lightly and clapped his hands gently.

"What do you want, Your Highness?" A petite girl in red walked quickly into the study.

"Let Boss Guo check this person out." Qian Mingduo handed the note to the girl.

"Yes, Your Highness." The girl took out a light green paper sign from the desk, dipped the wolf hair brush in ink, and copied the words on the note onto the paper sign.

"Your calligraphy is becoming more and more neat." Qian Mingduo picked up the paper and took a look.

"Isn't it you, Your Highness, who urges me to practice calligraphy every day?" The girl spoke in Beijing dialect. She put the papers on the desk into a secret compartment on the bookshelf and put the copied paper into her belt.

She said in a delicate voice, "Your Highness asked us to write as neatly as possible, in case they don't recognize some characters and delay important matters?"

"Yeah!" Qian Mingduo smiled and said, "Go ahead. The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back. By the way, call your sister Ran'er over."

Ran'er's surname was Lu, and her given name was Ran. She was the daughter of Ruichen's wet nurse, and was more than a year older than Ruichen.

Lu Ran is tall and slender, wearing a light blue dress, with skin as white as snow, graceful and dignified. She has been with Ruichen since childhood, mature and steady, and has always protected Ruichen like the warm sun.

"Your Highness." Ran'er lowered his head slightly, squatted, and bowed.

"Ran'er." Qian Mingduo pointed to the armchair beside the desk, "Sit down!"

"Your Highness called Ran'er here...is it to celebrate His Highness's birthday?" Ran'er asked softly.

"My sister Ran'er is smarter than me!" Qian Mingduo said with emotion: "That's why!"

Ran Er stood up and took a scroll from the bookshelf. She said, "I have prepared a gift for Your Highness, but I don't know if it suits your Highness' taste."

Qian Mingduo looked at the scroll in Lu Ran's hand with anticipation in his eyes. Lu Ran gently held the celestial axis of the scroll with both hands, leaned forward slightly, and handed the terrestrial axis to Qian Mingduo.

Lu Ran slowly stepped back, and the scroll slowly unfolded.

Lu Ran bowed slightly and said to Qian Mingduo: "Your Highness, Your Highness is a heroine who fought with the current emperor to conquer the world. She is truly a heroine on horseback."

"What a great gift!" Qian Mingduo looked at Lu Ran with a smile and asked softly, "Did you draw this?"

Ran'er slowly rolled up the scroll, "Your Majesty is of extremely noble status, so you must have no shortage of rare treasures. Your Highness has not been at home these few days." Ran'er smiled and said, "I have been carefully painting in your study for a few days."

"If you practice some martial arts like Xiu'er, you will be a complete talent in both literature and martial arts." Qian Mingduo praised.

Lu Ran didn't say anything, just smiled slightly.

"Your Highness." A maid's voice came from outside the study, "The Third Prince sent someone to ask when Your Highness will go to the *** Palace. The Third Prince is ready to leave, and he said he wants to go with you."

Lu Ran picked up a cloak and said, "Your Highness, please go over earlier so that you can talk to ***."

Handing the cloak to the maid, Lu Ran said, "Give the cloak to the guards who accompanied His Highness. It will be cold when they come back in the evening. Tell them to take good care of His Highness."

"It's almost April." Qian Mingduo patted Lu Ran's shoulder gently, "It won't be cold anymore."

"It's better to take a cloak!" Lu Ran said softly.

The third prince Ruiyou's mansion was in the southwest corner of the imperial palace. When Qian Mingduo arrived at his gate, he was already waiting on horseback.

"Third brother." Qian Mingduo called affectionately.

"Let's go." Ruiyou knocked the stirrup lightly.

The two princes rode side by side, followed by a dozen guards in front and behind.

"What gift has fifth brother prepared for the imperial aunt?" Ruiyou asked with a sidelong glance.

"It's just a painting." Qian Mingduo replied: "Where's the third brother?"

"Glass Ruyi Lamp." Ruiyou said with some pride.

"This is a legendary treasure. Where did you get it, brother?"

"Oh!" Ruiyou glanced at Ruichen, "It's a coincidence."

In the secret compartment of Ruichen's bookshelf, there is a piece of paper, which reads: On February 28th, the 13th year of Ruihe, General Su Yan of the Cavalry captured the capital of the Northern Di Kingdom and obtained the Glazed Ruyi Lamp.

"It seems that Third Brother and Su Yan..." Qian Mingduo smiled slightly.

The current emperor strictly ordered the princes and concubines not to make friends with court officials, especially those who commanded troops. However, the princes were all eyeing the throne, and they knew the importance of military power, so they kept making small moves in private.

They either secretly win over court officials or try to establish connections with generals, all in an attempt to gain an advantage in the fight for the throne. The third prince accepts the Su Yan colored glass cup and presents it to the aunt, which seems to be a flattering move, but in fact it is a hidden conspiracy.

He wanted to use the power of the imperial aunt to expand his network and increase his bargaining chips in his fight to seize the throne.

If there is one person in this world whom Rui Yuhuan can trust, Rui Yulan is the only one.

Ruiyou and Qian Mingduo dismounted in front of the *** Mansion. They took the gifts from their respective guards and were about to go up the stairs.

Chu Xiang, the chief steward of the *** Mansion, walked down the steps lightly. He bowed and said, "Chu Xiang greets the two princes."