Xiao Rui breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This makes sense." This is a question that has been bothering me for years. I couldn't figure it out. Now I get it. Mingyue, you're right, this matter was not told to me by my father. Father just said that you have a secret mission to Ba Province. My main task is not to check on local officials. My main task is to keep you safe and cooperate with you in your mission. As for what the task, I don't know. I can probably guess it now, though. It was because of one of my experiences that I guessed. It's just that this matter of mine is too strange, I said it, I hope Mingyue doesn't talk about me. ”

Qin Mingyue was stunned, dream, what's going on?

Xiao Rui saw that there were only the two of them in this room, and even the maids who were waiting for Qin Mingyue didn't come over, and he sensed it with his divine sense, confirming that the guards were all outside, and Qin Mingyue's maids were waiting in the kitchen and bedroom in the garden. This tea room is indeed just the two of them, and this is how to relax.

However, his behavior made Qin Mingyue more and more confused.

Xiao Rui picked up the teacup and said slowly while drinking: "You are very clear about the situation of our Xiao family. My father liked Empress Yang very much. even favored the harem for her, and supported the Yang family. Therefore, for many years, there was only one prince in the palace, and that was the crown prince. The eldest brother of the crown prince has always grown up in a solitary environment. ”

Qin Mingyue sensitively noticed that Xiao Rui was talking about "Queen Yang" instead of "Queen Mother".

Xiao Rui continued: "Later, the relationship between my father and Empress Yang slowly changed because of some things. The father began to pamper the other concubines in the palace. Therefore, concubines are pregnant one after another. However, a pregnant concubine either can't give birth to a child, or she doesn't give birth to a girl. It's easy to have one or two princes, and they died not long after. ”

Qin Mingyue is clear about these things. I don't know much, but I probably know. Later, she also persuaded Xiao Xi about this matter, because Xiao Xi's harem was also made by Su Liuli, and for many years, no prince was born, even the two princes who already had were from Queen Song. For this, Su Liuli did not toss the two princes from Queen Song and Queen Song. Qin Mingyue had no choice but to send Empress Song and the two princes out of the palace and take refuge in the Star Picking Tower. Of course, this also made Su Liuli even more jealous of her.

Xiao Rui was still unhurriedly speaking: "At first, my father didn't understand it, although his grandmother reminded him, but he didn't want to believe it. However, later, he slowly understood. All of this was made up by Empress Yang. The father became more and more dissatisfied with Empress Yang. even snubbed Queen Yang and quarreled with Queen Yang. However, Empress Yang's influence in the palace is no longer small, and the Yang family is becoming more and more important in the court. Therefore, in addition, the father only has one son, the prince's brother, so the father can only continue to be patient, but he began to admit more palace concubines and promote some noble-born palace concubines to share Queen Yang's palace power. ”

"After a series of measures, finally the virtuous concubine Li, who was also from a family, gave birth to the second prince, that is, my second brother Xiao Xi. The birth of the second brother and the safe growth of the second brother put a lot of pressure on Queen Yang and the prince's brother. The prince's brother fought against the second brother everywhere, and Empress Yang and Concubine Li Xian also fought fiercely. ”

In this way, the palace struggled for a long time, and countless little concubines and countless dragonborns in their arms were sacrificed, and the two sides were evenly matched. At this time, my mother was favored by my father, and under the protection of the Queen Mother, she gave birth to me smoothly. I am the third prince of my father. For the prince's brother, although he also hates me. However, compared to the second brother, who is about to grow up, I am just a newborn child, so he doesn't bother to deal with it. For Empress Yang, although my mother is also one of the four concubines, she has a plain temperament and is not as competitive as Concubine Li Xian. So, there was less repression on my mother. In addition, my imperial grandmother blindly defended my mother and son, which made me grow up. Of course, during this period, Empress Yang and Concubine Li Xian both dealt with our mother and son, which made me weak and sickly when I was a child. ”

Although Xiao Rui said it plainly, Qin Mingyue felt a deep injury from it, and couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

Seeing Qin Mingyue's frowning eyebrows, Xiao Rui laughed instead: "What's the matter, Mingyue, but you think I'm more pitiful?" Actually, which is more pitiful, me or you? I was implicated by Gong Dou since I was a child, and I almost lost my life. You live in the Qin family, aren't you also bullied by a few brothers and sisters who are out of the house all day long? Even today, because your mother is noble because of you, isn't there often a concubine who doesn't open her eyes to jump out to find fault with your mother? ”

Qin Mingyue couldn't help but say, "How do you know? "I immediately remembered that my Qin family was loosely managed before, like a big sieve, any news can be penetrated, in the capital, not to mention Xiao Rui, almost all the families know it. It's not a secret. This is also the reason why, without Qin Mingyue's guarantee, the Niu family did not even dare to marry Qin Mingzhu.

Xiao Rui smiled and did not answer Qin Mingyue's question: "I digress again." Get back to business. The father attaches great importance to the eldest brother, because he is the crown prince and the future heir of the Great Zhou, and the father likes the second brother because he is brilliant, intelligent, virtuous, and is a virtuous king praised by the government and the opposition. Of course, my father likes me too. Because I am the youngest son. When my father gave birth to me, I was already very old, and I was almost an old man, so my father loved me very much. There is no such strictness as asking for the eldest brother and the second brother. I am very tolerant, even if I don't study the Confucian classics well, even if I run away from the Taifu who taught me, even if I go to the house to uncover the tiles, climb trees and fish. Both fathers and emperors were tolerant. ”

"It may be that I am too unsuccessful, or it may be that my father's attitude towards me is very different from that of my two elder brothers. Therefore, the two elder brothers slowly thought that I would be a rich prince in the future. So, they gave up on dealing with me and co-opted me instead. The age difference between my eldest brother and I is too big for me to go with him. The second brother and I are closer, and he deliberately made friends, and even asked the virtuous concubine in the palace to show favor to my mother, so I quickly got closer to the second brother. ”

Qin Mingyue couldn't help but snort coldly, this is not just closer. In the court, who doesn't know that the third prince is the follower of the second prince, and he has always obeyed the second prince. Look at the day I went to her house, and the two princes were together.

Xiao Rui ignored it and continued: "This kind of life goes by very quickly, if that thing doesn't happen, I think I will continue like this in the future, and be a flag-waving follower for the second brother." ”

Qin Mingyue couldn't help but laugh when she heard this.