I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 457: The Young Man
Zhu Yijun grabbed the reins and shouted, "Who!"

Qi Yan hurried forward, standing in front of Zhu Yijun on horseback. Fang Liang led a few people to surround the bushes nearby.

The three of them stood up under the gaze of everyone.

It turned out that they were three girls, all no more than fifteen or sixteen years old.

The woman in the front is wearing a purple plum blossom silk sleeves with colorful lace and a short jacket with narrow sleeves, and a green pleated skirt. She has a golden hairpin across her messy hair, and a few strands of her black hair are stained with dry grass and fine leaves.

Her skin was white as jade and delicate as silk, she was panting, her chest was heaving, her pink and smooth cheeks were flushed, like a touch of morning glow. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes were full of spring water, and curved like the bright moon.

Xiaoyao has a delicate and pretty nose, her lips are rosy and crystal clear like gems, and there is a shallow dimple at each corner of her mouth.

Indescribably graceful and beautiful.

The two women at the back, one has slightly dark skin, distinct facial features, a heroic look, sparkling eyes, a tall figure, and a delicate and graceful figure, which is shocking.

The other one had rosy skin, a pretty face with a little baby fat, and a plump figure. Although she was not as graceful as the second one, she was still quite charming.

Fang Liang shouted, "Who are you three? How dare you disturb His Highness?"

The first woman stared at Zhu Yijun and asked, "Are you the prince?"

Zhu Yijun glanced at the three women and fixed his gaze on the first woman's face, guessing who she was.

"I am the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty. What is your name, young lady?"

"Xue Baoqin." The woman answered gracefully.

"Xue Baoqin, daughter of Yangwu Marquis Xue Han?"

"The seventh girl." Xue Baoqin corrected.

"Who are these two?"

The two women behind him knelt down quickly, "Dong Linglong, daughter of Dong Huli, Marquis of the Left Sixth Wing of Mongolia, and Ge Xiuyun, daughter of Ge Zhiwen, Marquis of Taining, pay their respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhu Yijun extended his hand and said, "No need to be polite, stand up!"

He turned to look at Xue Baoqin and asked with interest, "Why don't you pay homage to this prince?"

"Greetings, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" Xue Baoqin bowed perfunctorily, walked forward, and stroked the fire dragon colt's neck, her beautiful eyes sparkling with obsession.

"This is truly a rare divine horse in the world."

Zhu Yijun touched the shiny hair on the neck of the Fire Dragon Horse and said, "This horse was snatched from the hands of the Jilijisi Khan by Altan Khan during his expedition to the West against the Oirat. It is said that it has the bloodline of the Ferghana horse. During the peace talks, Altan Khan offered this horse as a tribute."

"Can I ride it?" Xue Baoqin asked expectantly, her head tilted upwards and her eyes sparkling.

"You're not wearing this kind of clothes. It's easy to hurt yourself." Zhu Yijun shook his head.

Xue Baoqin hugged the Fire Dragon Colt's neck, pressed her face against it, and said with great regret: "This is the most beautiful and handsome horse I have ever seen. I really want to ride it."

The fire dragon colt was suddenly hugged by the neck. It felt a little uneasy, its nose twitched a few times, and it dug the ground with its front hooves a few times.

Zhu Yijun turned over and got off the horse, stood beside Xue Baoqin, and stretched out his right hand.

Xue Baoqin's face was still pressed against the horse's neck, so she didn't see what Zhu Yijun was doing.

Dong Linglong quietly took two steps forward and quietly poked Xue Baoqin on the back.

"Ah, who poked me!" Xue Baoqin turned around and looked at Dong Linglong, "Why did you poke me?"

Dong Linglong was both angry and amused, and secretly pointed her finger at Zhu Yijun.

Xue Baoqin turned to look at Zhu Yijun again: "You poked me?"

"I invite you to mount your horse!"

Xue Baoqin smiled brightly, "Really?"

Before she finished her words, she lifted the hem of her pleated skirt, walked to the saddle, held the bridle with one hand, held the saddle bridge with the other, raised her leg and stepped on the stirrup, and with a dragon's tail, the green pleated skirt flashed in front of Zhu Yijun's eyes, like a peacock spreading its tail.

By the time he reacted, Xue Baoqin was riding steadily on the horse.

"You can ride a horse?" Zhu Yijun asked in surprise.

"Haha, we have many daughters in Yangwuhou Mansion, and also many fine horses." Xue Baoqin replied with a smile, "When I was six years old, I pestered my father and asked him to teach me how to ride a horse.

My favorite horse is called Hong Deng Zhao, which is also a red horse with big eyes that look like two lanterns. I named it Hong Deng Zhao. "

"What a nice name! Your literary talent is comparable to that of me, the number one poet in Xiyuan."

Xue Baoqin giggled.

"Bring three horses."

Following Zhu Yijun's instructions, three Jing soldiers brought three fine horses. One of them was completely snow-white without a single stray hair. It was ten feet long from head to tail and eight feet tall from hoof to spine. It was Zhu Yijun's other mount.

Xue Baoqin saw this and suddenly her eyes were full of stars.

"Wow, this white horse is so beautiful! Han Gan of the Former Tang Dynasty has a famous painting called "Zhao Yebai", which depicts Zhao Yebai, one of the two Ferghana horses obtained by Emperor Xuanzong of the Former Tang Dynasty. This horse is like it walked out of the painting alive."

The white horse seemed to understand what Xue Baoqin said. It tilted its neck, turned its head twice in the air, and snorted proudly a few times.

"Its name is Zhaoye Jade Lion." Zhu Yijun said as he stroked the white horse's neck and climbed onto the horse by pulling the saddle bridge.

Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun rode the other two horses, the big blue horse and the five-colored horse respectively.

Xue Baoqin stepped on the stirrups, pulled the reins, and sat upright on the saddle. Her movements were skillful and natural, and her expression was calm and composed. She was indeed an "old rider".

Zhu Yijun turned around and saw Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun riding their respective mounts, steady as a rock. Both of them were excellent riders, but what attracted Zhu Yijun's attention more were the other two places, the turbulent waves.

As expected, he grew up eating beef and mutton and drinking horse and goat milk. He is quite tasty.

Zhu Yijun's sharp gaze made Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun blush.

"Good horse, good riding!" Zhu Yijun answered awkwardly as if his thoughts were seen through, and turned around.

Xue Baoqin felt more comfortable riding, but also more uncomfortable. She glanced around and saw that no one was paying attention, so she pulled the reins, ready to throw the bridle and kick the stirrup to make the Fire Dragon Horse run. Zhu Yijun was quick-witted and reached out to grab the bridle of the Fire Dragon Horse.

"no!"

"Why not?" Xue Baoqin asked pitifully, with her big black eyes opening and her long eyelashes fluttering.

"You are wearing such clothes that it is easy to fall off the horse while running, breaking your arms and legs. I will not be able to explain to Yang Wuhou."

"Okay, okay!" Xue Baoqin bit her lip and gave up. "Your Highness, judging from your demeanor, you must be an expert in riding and shooting?"

"It's okay, so-so."

"Can you shoot with both hands? Can you kill two birds with one stone?" Xue Baoqin asked expectantly.

"No!" Zhu Yijun answered without hesitation.

"Ah, so your training wasn't in vain?"

"I am the crown prince. Practicing riding and archery is just to strengthen my body. Do you really want me to go into the battlefield to kill the enemy?" Zhu Yijun said unhappily.

"Oh, no wonder," Xue Baoqin's beautiful face showed a sweet smile, but her blinking eyes flashed with a cunning light.

"I heard that His Highness also said to Master Shilu and Master Taiyue so confidently that I am the crown prince and don't need to take the imperial examination. Why should I learn the classics so well?"

Zhu Yijun answered confidently: "That's how it is! Everyone has his own strengths. I can solve quadratic equations and find the area of ​​a sphere and the volume of a cone. Do Mr. Shilu and Mr. Taiyue know how to do that?"

Xue Baoqin's tone paused. What the hell is this about a quadratic equation that can calculate the area of ​​a sphere and the volume of a cone?
It sounds very grand.

She said hesitantly: "My father said that the sage's teachings are very important. We need them to cultivate ourselves, govern the country, and pacify the world."

"Haha, the sages' scriptures are fine for self-cultivation, and they have produced many sages and sub-sages, but it's too difficult for them to govern a country."

"Ah, why do you say that?"

"The Confucian classics have governed the country since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, when Confucianism was the only official religion. It has always been the case that long periods of unity will eventually lead to division, and long periods of division will eventually lead to unity. Has the world ever been well governed?
This shows that the sage's teachings still have flaws. What I, and all the capable officials and talents in the world need to do is to fill in the gaps in the sage's teachings."

"Oh, to make achievements, do good deeds and speak out!" Xue Baoqin's face was full of admiration.

Zhu Yijun was full of energy and said arrogantly, "Of course, don't you see that the horse I'm riding is white?
Can the person riding the white horse be an ordinary person?"

Xue Baoqin's eyes curved like a crescent moon, and the corners of her mouth raised like a jade hook, "Your Highness is right, the man riding the white horse is indeed not an ordinary person."

Zhu Yijun raised his head even higher.

"Besides His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, there is also Monk Tang who rides the divine white horse."

Zhu Yijun shook his body and asked awkwardly, "You also read the Journey to the West?"

"I love reading it. I also know that the author of the novel Journey to the West, Sheyang Jushi (Wu Cheng'en), is now in the court of Mr. Wang, the governor of the grain transport system." Xue Baoqin glanced at Zhu Yijun and giggled.

The laughter was so hearty, just like the strings of sunshine sprinkled through the clouds, so transparent and crystal clear.

Zhu Yijun also laughed, "Tang Monk is great! Eating a piece of Tang Monk's meat will make you immortal. On the journey to obtain scriptures, so many female monsters are greedy for him, how great it is.

With Sun Wukong leading the way in front, Zhu Bajie guarding beside, and Sha Seng carrying the luggage behind, when you have nothing to do, just recite "I am from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East". As you recite, you will get the true scriptures and achieve the golden body. Good!
Who doesn’t want to be Tang Monk! "

Xue Baoqin looked at Zhu Yijun who was shaking his head and laughed even more happily.

The two men rode side by side on horses, one wearing a red armor and the other a purple jacket, so well matched.

At this moment, the sunlight shining on these two young men is dazzling, and the breeze blowing on their faces is intoxicating.

Xue Baoqin rode the Fire Dragon Horse around the horse farm three times. Half an hour passed unknowingly and she was suddenly startled.

"Ah, the show in Qionghua Palace is almost over. Linglong, Xiuyun, we should go back."

Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun couldn't help rolling their eyes. You finally remembered this.

Xue Baoqin dismounted, and Zhu Yijun followed suit.

Handing the reins of the Fire Dragon Horse to Zhu Yijun, Xue Baoqin blushed and said, "Prince Tang Seng riding a white horse, we are leaving first."

"Okay, don't let the Queen Mother know. She is very strict."

"Yes, yes." Xue Baoqin turned around and took Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun with her, and walked out. After walking a few steps, she suddenly turned around and said, "My name is Xue Baoqin, her name is Dong Linglong, and her name is Ge Xiuyun. Your Highness, have you remembered?"

"remember."

Zhu Yijun watched the backs of the three people disappear into the shade of the trees by the lake. From time to time, Xue Baoqin's beautiful and innocent face flashed before his eyes, intersecting with the faces of Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun, as well as their unforgettable graceful figures.

With his hands folded in front of his abdomen, he stood straight, his head slightly tilted, looking into the distance.

“Spring is here, it’s so exciting.”

Qi Yan and Fang Liang couldn't help but look at each other.

Your Highness, have you made a mistake? It is already August and the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, so how can it be spring already?

Xue Baoqin, Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun hid in a secluded place outside the Qionghua Palace. They tidied each other up, straightened their clothes and hair, and pretended to be calm and quietly returned to their seats in front of the stage in the Qionghua Palace.

Song Liuli was peeling a pomegranate for Chen. Chen was eating the pomegranate seeds peeled by Song Liuli, staring at the actors on the stage, smiling happily.

Xu Youlian was peeling pomegranates for the other concubines, and Zeng Wan'er was holding Zhu Yihao, and neither of them noticed the actions of Xue Baoqin and the other two.

Wang Lan'er glanced at the three of them, kept them in mind, glanced at everyone else, and said nothing.

Back in the Qinzheng Hall, Zhu Yijun wrote down Xue Baoqin's name on a piece of white paper, and also wrote down the names of Dong Linglong and Ge Xiuyun. One was the daughter of a nobleman, and the other two were the daughters of the Left Six Wings Marquis of Mongolia, yet they got along so harmoniously.

interesting!
He suddenly remembered the words his father, Emperor Longqing, had said to him while holding his hand a few days ago. He did not comment at the time, but now he thought that his father was not confused, at least he was a bystander.

"Qi Yan, invite Minister Ge from the Ministry of Rites."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)