Chapter 273 Sleeping Princess
"Axuan, what's wrong with you?"
Sensing Li Xuan's abnormality, Princess Ankang quickly asked with concern.
Li Xuan swallowed hard, then slowly shook his head, saying it was nothing.
Princess Ankang curiously looked in the direction where Li Xuan had gone, and happened to see Princess Yuanan.
Princess Ankang didn't say anything, she just curled her lips and shook her head.
At this time, Princess Yuan'an in the distance actually noticed Princess Ankang's gaze and nodded to her with a smile.
Princess Ankang immediately changed her expression, put on a gentle smile, and nodded generously as a greeting.
While Li Xuandong was looking around, the fourth prince had already walked down from the stage.
Li Xuan couldn't help but pull Princess Ankang, and then meowed twice at the fourth prince.
Princess Ankang naturally understood what he meant and nodded Li Xuan's head gently.
"You guy, you didn't look good just now, but now you're asking me."
Princess Ankang rubbed Li Xuan's head angrily, and finally told Li Xuan the answer.
"Brother Four Emperors drew 'Ten Thousand Years, Class A Four'. From my perspective, the first two characters should be the names of two counties. As for the numbers at the back, I don't know."
Li Xuan still knew about Wannian County and Chang'an County.
After all, he had gone out of the palace once before with Manager Shang and learned some basic common sense.
The capital is bounded by Zhuque Avenue, and is divided into Wannian and Chang'an counties from east to west.
Zhuque Avenue is the most central gate in the imperial city, the avenue in front of the Zhuque Gate.
The imperial city and capital of Daxing pay great attention to the aesthetics of symmetry. With the middle line of Zhuque Avenue as the boundary, the imperial city and the city on both sides are almost carved out of the same mold.
It seems that in this competition, everyone is going to a different place.
"What kind of competition has Emperor Yongyuan arranged for this month?"
“It’s okay to arrange the competition location outside the palace. The competition location will not be limited to the entire capital, right?”
If this is really the case, Emperor Yongyuan will be having a lot of fun this month.
And Li Xuan couldn't help but worry, if the scope was set so large, could Princess Ankang's safety be guaranteed?
In fact, after Li Xuan learned that this month's competition was scheduled to be outside the palace, his first reaction was not that he was happy to play outside the palace again, but that he was worried about Princess Ankang's safety.
During this period, Princess Ankang has won several competitions in the Royal Garden, and her points are far ahead. If she continues to maintain this momentum, she may be locked up by Princess Ankang for her solo New Year visit next year.
If Li Xuan remembered correctly, the current points should be: Princess Ankang has accumulated four points, the eldest prince has accumulated two points, and the other four princes, the sixth prince, and the eighth prince have accumulated one point each.
And now it is mid-July, and the remaining days of this year are getting fewer and fewer.
Under such a premise, the best way for others to win is not to work hard to accumulate more points, but to eliminate the largest candidate for victory.
That is Princess Ankang.
Although Li Xuan also believed that Emperor Yongyuan would definitely be on guard against such a situation, and that Manager Shang and Zhao Feng were secretly taking care of them, the real danger could be said to be minimal.
But don't be afraid of ten thousand in everything, just be afraid of the unexpected.
Now he was vaguely aware that the scope of this competition seemed to include the entire capital, which made him feel even more uneasy.
After the fourth prince, the fifth prince, whom Li Xuan met for the first time today, took the stage to draw lots.
What a coincidence, the lot he drew was the same as the fourth prince's, and it also started with "ten thousand years".
The fifth prince's expression did not change much. After putting away the signature in his hand, he slowly walked off the stage.
Judging from his attitude, he didn't seem to care much about the game, but was more happy to be able to leave the palace.
It's not just the fifth prince who has this mentality. Princess Ankang and other princes and princesses who have no chance of winning also have the same attitude.
The drawing of lots continued, and after the Sixth Prince took the stage after drawing the lots, the Eighth Prince who couldn't wait was about to go on stage when there was a rush of footsteps outside the Royal Garden.
"His Royal Highness the Eighth Prince, His Highness the Eighth Prince..."
"Please wait a moment!"
A little eunuch ran in panting and shouted at the top of his lungs.
He was not only afraid of disturbing the nobles here, but also afraid of failing to stop the Eighth Prince.
The feeling of wanting to shout but not daring to shout loudly made this little eunuch extremely anxious.
The nobles in the imperial garden all frowned and looked at the little eunuch.
This little eunuch is also a person who is good at observing people's words and emotions. When he saw that the atmosphere was not right, his face immediately turned pale.
But when he thought of his master's instructions, he could only bite the bullet and get close to the eighth prince.
When the Eighth Prince saw that he was unfamiliar, he couldn't help but ask:
"Who are you? Why are you stopping me?"
"The little ones don't dare, the little ones don't dare..."
The young eunuch accused him repeatedly, but he would not explain why.
The Eighth Prince couldn't help but frown fiercely:
"If you don't fart, get out of my way."
Seeing that the Eighth Prince was about to push him away and go on stage, the little eunuch was so anxious that he quickly stepped forward and whispered something to the Eighth Prince.
After hearing what the young eunuch said, the Eighth Prince's expression immediately became a little strange, and he couldn't help but confirm again:
"You said the sleepyhead is coming too?"
The little eunuch looked bitter. He neither dared to nod nor shake his head. He didn't know what to do.
However, the Eighth Prince became interested, smiled brightly, crossed his arms and looked in the direction outside the Royal Garden, and waited under the stage.
At this time, the fourth prince on the side urged:
"Old man, if you don't go on stage to draw lots, what are you waiting for?"
"Are you going to give up?"
After the last fight, the relationship between the two parties has not been very good.
When the eighth prince saw the fourth prince squeaking, he replied angrily:
"Why are you in a hurry? It's not my order yet."
After hearing this, the others couldn't help but frown, and looked curiously in the direction where the Eighth Prince was staring.
The next moment, a team of people came running like a gust of wind carrying a stretcher.
As soon as the stretcher entered the scene, everyone who had been looking forward to it all rolled their eyes, looking disappointed.
Li Xuan kept watching curiously, wondering who was so persistent, going into battle injured, lying on a stretcher, and still coming to participate in the game.
Carrying the stretcher were two sturdy eunuchs. These two people almost blocked most of the stretcher, and Li Xuan couldn't see the figures on it clearly.
The stretcher was carried directly onto the stage, and Zhao Feng couldn't help but twitching when he saw the person coming.
"It's rare that His Highness the Seventh Prince is also elegant."
Zhao Fengke greeted him politely, but the people on the stretcher ignored him and remained silent.
Zhao Feng's expression was a little unpleasant, but he still waved and asked someone to bring the lottery box over.
It's just that the lottery box was handed to hand, but the person on the stretcher still didn't even have the intention to move.
The maid waiting on the side was about to reach out and grab an arm on the stretcher, but Zhao Feng said leisurely:
"You must draw lots yourself, no one else can do it for you."
As soon as these words came out, the palace maid trembled with fright and did not even dare to look at Zhao Feng.
"Your Highness, Your Highness..."
The palace maid gently shook the person on the stretcher and called several times.
Li Xuan couldn't help but stood up in Princess Ankang's arms, put his arm on Princess Ankang's shoulders, and stretched his neck to look at the stage.
"Where on earth is this being staged?"
After struggling on the stage for a long time, an upper body stood up on the stretcher. Only then did Li Xuan see clearly who was lying on the stretcher.
She was a princess with thick dark circles, about the same age as the Sixth Princess, and pretty good-looking, but she kept her eyes tightly closed, as if she was paying no attention to anyone.
"ah?"
"Isn't she awake?"
Li Xuan made a bold guess, but he thought it was a bit outrageous.
He silently turned to look at Princess Ankang, but Princess Ankang also shrugged and shook her head silently, saying that she didn't recognize this person either.
"hiss--"
"Which princess is this that Ankang has never seen before?"
"From what Lao Ba said earlier, the unconscious princess in front of me seems to be Lao Qi?"
I don’t know how the palace maid did it, but the seventh princess opened her eyes leisurely.
It's just that those beautiful eyes were half-opened, looking dazed, and they looked like they hadn't woken up at all, and they still looked like they were dreaming.
When the palace maid saw her eyes open, she quickly raised her eyes to her ears and said hurriedly:
"Your Highness, please draw lots quickly. If you don't draw lots, you won't be able to leave the palace!"
After hearing this, the Seventh Princess cheered up in confusion, and stretched out a plain white jade hand towards the lottery box, but she did not aim in that direction from the beginning.
Zhao Feng sighed helplessly and took the initiative to put the lottery box into the hands of the Seventh Princess.
It's just that after she put her hand in, she had no intention of stretching it out.
I kept my hand in it for a long time and didn't move at all.
Zhao Feng looked around and found that the Seventh Princess had fallen asleep again with her head tilted.
"Your Highness, Your Highness..."
The maids on the side were almost crying and gently shook the seventh princess's body, trying to wake her up.
But the few seconds she opened her eyes just now seemed to be the limit for the Seventh Princess.
Now she can't wake up no matter how hard she calls.
This scene on the stage made the nobles in the audience couldn't help but snicker. There were even some strict concubines who were very dissatisfied with the performance of the Seventh Princess.
This is not only damaging to the personal face of the Seventh Princess, but also to the majesty of the royal family.
Seeing that this was not going to work, Zhao Feng took the initiative to slowly move the lottery box back.
The seventh princess took her hand out of the box.
Fortunately, she had a piece of paper between her fingers.
"Your Highness, please show me the sign in your hand."
Zhao Feng on the side reminded him.
The palace maid was also smart. She immediately stepped forward to hold the seventh emperor's hand, as if she was helping a weak patient, and helped the seventh emperor show the sign on her hand.
After completing these steps, the palace maid thanked Zhao Feng gratefully, asked the two eunuchs to carry the seventh princess down, and found a quiet corner below to wait.
As luck would have it, they happened to be standing next to the three little ones.
The three little ones couldn't help but look at the sleepy seventh princess curiously.
Even Princess Ankang saw this strange Seventh Emperor Sister for the first time.
Li Xuan was curious as to how the seventh princess could be so sleepy.
And judging from the dark circles on her face, I'm afraid she didn't get through it in a day or two.
"Is it the Royal Immortal Cultivation Party!?"
When the maid next to the Seventh Princess saw the curious eyes of the three little ones, she couldn't help but smile shyly at them, but she didn't seem surprised.
It seemed that it was not just the three of them who looked at the Seventh Princess like this.
Then the drawing of lots was carried out one after another, and soon everyone completed the drawing of lots.
What Princess Ankang got was "Ten Thousand Years, Ding Yi".
It seems that the three little ones are going to Wannian County to play this time.
Speaking of which, Baoningfang, where Li Xuan visited last time, was actually the boundary of Wannian County.
Boryeongfang is right next to Zhuque Avenue, just on the edge of the dividing line.
It's just that Baoningfang is very close to the South City Gate, where dragons and snakes are mixed, there are many businessmen from out of town, and there are also people who live in relatively poor life in the capital.
In addition, there are many people living around the capital who will enter the city to run their own businesses after the city gate opens every day.
The lives of these people are even more difficult than those of the common people in the capital.
As the saying goes, poor mountains and bad waters bring out unruly people, and there is actually some truth to this saying.
When there is no way to ensure one's own food, clothing, and clothing, it is difficult to ask others to pay attention to the so-called etiquette and integrity.
Therefore, although the economy of Baonyeongfang is not bad, because it is next to the city gate, there are many outsiders traveling from various places on weekdays, so the public security conditions are somewhat poor.
This does not mean that everything will be peaceful under the emperor's feet, because no matter where you go, there will be dark places, but no one will go too far and attract the attention of the superiors.
Otherwise, when that time comes, no one’s life will be easy.
Therefore, even the gangs in the slums have their own rules.
Anyone who breaks the rules will ruin everyone's job and will be attacked by a group of people.
These are some of the little things that Manager Shang told Li Xuan when he left the palace last time.
Li Xuan hoped that he would not need these things when they left the palace this time.
After all the royal heirs finished drawing lots, Zhao Feng did not continue to talk about it, but explained the content of this month's competition.
"Your Highnesses."
"The content of this month's competition is very simple. We have conducted a similar competition before."
"The two characters in front of the lots drawn by your highnesses represent the locations, which are Chang'an County and Wannian County respectively."
"And the number at the back..."
Zhao Feng paused slightly, glanced at the people in the audience, and then a smile appeared on his face.
"These are case numbers."
"Your Highnesses, you need to go to the corresponding county office and get the case with the corresponding number."
"Find out the case, arrest the criminal and bring it to justice, and successfully close the case, then the content of the game will be completed."
"The result of the final competition will be judged by His Majesty himself to determine the winner."
"While your Royal Highnesses are solving the case, there will be a dedicated person responsible for recording all the details. Your Highnesses can also tell them their own ideas for solving the case, so as to record it in the case."
As soon as Zhao Feng finished speaking, a group of eunuchs in colorful clothes holding a pamphlet and a small writing brush entered the imperial garden with neat steps and stood in a line under the stage.
"They will be responsible for recording the process of solving the case. Your Highnesses must stay within their sight."
"Otherwise, even if the case is solved, if the process is not recorded, the final score with His Majesty will not be high."
"After all, His Majesty needs these records to know how your Highnesses solved the case."
"Isn't it?"
When Zhao Feng asked the last rhetorical question, his eyes narrowed into two lines. There was a hint of warning in the seemingly harmonious words.
After hearing these words, Li Xuan's eyes rolled, but he still shook his head.
"If you just send someone to guard it, I'm afraid these guys will have many tricks behind their backs."
"I hope Emperor Yongyuan also sent people to watch secretly."
The eunuch in colorful clothes who was responsible for recording had nothing to do with the three little ones.
Even if the three of them want to cause trouble, they don't have the ability.
But others are different.
Many people's mothers and concubines have the most powerful people in the capital.
Li Xuan silently turned his eyes to the three eldest prince brothers and sisters.
According to the temperament of their mother-in-law, I am afraid that when she leaves the palace this time, she will definitely have to take care of her mother-in-law's family and take good care of the three little ones.
If others don't know, how can Li Xuan not know?
That Concubine Zhang now hated Princess Ankang who was suppressing the eldest prince.
Now that there is such a good opportunity, I am afraid that this imperial concubine will have to try something.
As the saying goes, if there are dates but there are no dates, it will take two shots.
With Concubine Zhang's character, she could not beat their jujube tree to death.
Li Xuan rolled his eyes, feeling that his future was a bit bleak, and couldn't help but look at Zhao Feng silently.
As a result, Zhao Feng secretly blinked his eyes on the stage, looking like he was watching the fun and not taking it too seriously.
"This old man!"
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See you all tomorrow
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