Three Years After Falling Off the Cliff

"Your Highness, spare your life!"
Without caring about his face, Lu Tanhua wiped the mud off his face and climbed up with difficulty, fearing that if he was a little slower, his body would be pierced like a sieve by the Jinwu Guards.

He wanted to crawl back to the pavilion along the path where he was kicked, but his feet were too slippery and he was still struggling outside the pavilion after flapping his arms for a long time.
Some people couldn't help laughing, but when they thought that the prince was still here, they quickly suppressed their laughter.

Lu Tanhua walked around, crawled into the pavilion and knelt in front of Sui Tingheng: "Your Highness, I am honored to see you. Please make the decision for me."

He glared at Fu Yi fiercely. With His Highness in front of him, he didn't believe that His Highness would tolerate these playboys beating up court officials.

"Is he an official appointed by the imperial court?" Sui Tingheng did not let Lu Tanhua stand up.

"Your Highness, this is the new Tanhua scholar, from Lingbei, and will soon take up a post in the Hanlin Academy." The imperial eunuch did not mention Tanhua Lu's name, because a person with a lost future was not worthy of being famous in front of Your Highness.

"You have just achieved fame and have not yet taken up your post in the Imperial Academy, but you have already driven the people away for your own selfish reasons. If you become a local official in the future, won't you bully the people and commit all kinds of evil?"

These words were like thunderbolts that made Lu Tanhua's head buzz. He no longer had the energy to blame Fu Yi and others. He panicked and admitted his fault to Sui Tingheng and begged for mercy: "I dare not, please forgive me, Your Highness, please forgive me!"

"You have talent but no virtue. If someone like you serves as an official, it will be a disaster for the people." Sui Tingheng took a step forward.

Lu Tanhua was afraid that the mud on his body would splash onto His Highness, so he knelt down and stepped back: "I will never dare to do that again. I beg Your Highness to show mercy."

No one dared to plead for Lu Tanhua. Everyone present knew that His Highness treated the people with kindness and hated corrupt officials who oppressed the people.

When the eunuch saw that His Highness was no longer talking, he winked at the Jinwu Guards and said, "Take this man away and wait for his punishment."

Lu Tanhua wanted to beg for mercy, but the Jinwu Guards covered his mouth and dragged him away, leaving messy marks on the ground with his struggling legs.

Seeing this scene, all the talented women and men lowered their heads and said nothing. Even the playboys who were happy for Fu Yi closed their grinning mouths.

"The spring scenery is just right, and the fragrance of apricot blossoms is everywhere." Sui Tingheng glanced at everyone and said, "If you don't mind, please accompany me to appreciate the apricot blossoms all over the mountain."

Who would dislike accompanying the emperor's only child to appreciate the flowers? Even the playboys wanted to go up and curry favor with the prince, not to mention those who were interested in seeking an official position in the court.

"Lord Yun, I'll hold the imperial edict for you. You can enjoy the flowers with His Highness at ease." The eunuch took the imperial edict from Fu Yi's hand with both hands and bowed to motion Fu Yi to come forward.

"Thank you, eunuch." Fu Yi gave a wink to the playboys, and they immediately followed Fu Yi, quickly stepped forward and surrounded His Royal Highness the Prince.

The talented men and women who were pushed aside by the playboys: "..."
You can't win by squeezing, and you can't win by scolding. There seems to be no better way than to endure.

They exchanged glances with each other: Don't panic, His Highness has always admired well-educated people. These playboys have never studied seriously since they were young, how can they compare with them in terms of talent and eloquence?
They still have a chance!

"I've heard that there's a waterfall near the apricot forest that looks like the Milky Way. I wonder where it is?" Sui Tingheng tilted his head and asked Fu Yi.

"Your Highness, there is indeed a waterfall nearby, but if you want to enjoy this wonder, you need to wait until after the summer rain." Fu Yi explained: "Besides, the terrain of the mountain behind is complex, the vegetation is lush, and there are wild beasts. Why not wait until summer comes and the Jinwu Guards make careful arrangements before making any plans?"

Sui Tingheng stretched out his hand and stopped the apricot branch above Fu Yi's head: "You... have you ever been there?"

"I have been there, but we have thick skin, so it doesn't matter if we get bit by mosquitoes or fall down accidentally." Yang Erlang grinned, showing his big white teeth: "Your Highness, you are delicate and precious, you can't be tortured like us."

Lin Xiaowu twisted Yang Erlang's arm and pulled him aside: "Your Highness, Yang Erlang meant that you are of noble status and should not take risks lightly."
If anything really happens to His Highness, no one present will survive.

"I understand your good intentions." Sui Ting let go of the flower branches and put his hands behind his back: "Since I don't have the chance to go to the back mountain to enjoy the scenery today, please tell me some interesting stories in the back mountain."

The playboys were talking about the jokes they had made. The talented men and women standing on the periphery saw that His Royal Highness the Prince nodded from time to time, as if he was having a very pleasant conversation with the playboys, and they all refused to acknowledge what was happening before their eyes.

Impossible, absolutely impossible.
His Highness must be a man of high moral character, respectful to the wise and virtuous, and he is so kind to these dandy elders just for the sake of them.

"Miss Yun, what about you?" Sui Tingheng asked Fu Yi, "Were you the same as them when you were young?"

"A little bit the same, but also a little different." Fu Yi didn't expect that even though she had remained silent, His Royal Highness the Prince would still ask about it. She looked a little embarrassed and said, "I'll just climb the mountain with them and enjoy the scenery."

"Fuyi, do you remember when I was seven years old and we went to the back mountain to dig ginseng and accidentally fell into a cave?" Lin Xiaowu recalled his childhood with great interest: "You wanted to pull me out, but I also fell into the cave. It was not until dark that our family found us. Later, my father said that our cries could be heard five miles away, and even wild birds were scared by us and ran all over the mountain."

Fu Yi looked at Lin Xiaowu silently and said, "Please say less. Is this so glorious?"

Cao Sanlang also joined in the fun: "And when I was twelve years old, you insisted that you had the ability to shoot an arrow through a target from a hundred paces away, and you took us to the back mountain to hunt. In the end, not only did we not catch a single sparrow, we also got lost..."

"Can you blame me?" Fu Yi gritted her teeth and said, "Didn't you say at the time that your horse knows the way and that it would be okay for us to follow you?"
You should also say less, this is even more dishonorable!
"It can indeed find the way, but I forgot that it has never been to the back mountain. That's my problem, not the horse's." As a descendant of a military general, Cao Sanlang cherishes the horse at home very much.

"That's right, your horse is really good." Fu Yi did not refute this statement, "Better than you."

Cao Sanlang said confidently: "My father has long said that the horse-falling stone at the door of my house is more useful than me. It's normal that the horse is stronger than me." The talented men and women became more and more confused as they listened. Which smart child would say such useless words in front of the future crown prince?
With such a good opportunity to get closer to each other, it would be fine if you didn't show off your abilities, but why are you exposing each other's shortcomings?

It is said that His Royal Highness the Prince is as dignified as jade. How tolerant is he that he does not even feel disgusted when hearing such foolish words?

"How did you get home later?" Sui Tingheng stopped and turned sideways to face Fu Yi.

Unexpectedly, His Royal Highness the Prince was actually listening to their conversation. Fu Yi raised her head slightly and saw white petals falling on his shoulders. Perhaps in order to hear her words clearly amid the chattering noise, he leaned forward slightly, and the petals slid down his shoulders and floated on the pouch around her waist.

"Later we met a kind-hearted herbalist who not only helped us get down the mountain, but also treated us to noodles she had made herself." Fu Yi patted her purse, and petals fell to the ground.

"The wind is blowing." Sui Tingheng swept his eyes across the ground and heard the sound of wind passing through the flower forest.

Fu Yi looked up at the apricot blossoms all over the sky: "Wow!"
Lin Xiaowu: “Wow!”

At this moment, both the playboys and the talented men and women were intoxicated by the beautiful sight of falling petals.

"Your Highness?" Fu Yi noticed that Sui Tingheng's gaze fell on her from time to time.

Sui Tingheng stretched out his hand, brushed his clothes and leaned back slightly.
He spread out his hands, and there were a few petals in his palms. Fu Yi shook his shoulders and said with a smile: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Sui Tingheng smiled faintly and put his hands behind his back: "It's getting late, I should go back to the palace."

The eunuchs brought the golden sedan chair. Sui Tingheng held out his hand to help the lady who was performing the ceremony, then turned around, sat on the sedan chair and left.

After watching the figure sitting upright on the golden chariot disappear into the apricot forest and parting with the talented men and women, Fu Yi whispered to Lin Xiaowu, "He is kind but not timid, lenient but not without dignity. A person as beautiful as His Royal Highness the Prince should have never made a mistake."

"Whether they are civil officials or military generals, they all speak highly of His Royal Highness." Yang Erlang continued, "Even an idle person like my father, when he talks about His Royal Highness, he praises him as a rare perfect person in the world."

"His Royal Highness has made mistakes before." Lin Xiaowu recalled an incident that happened before His Majesty ascended the throne: "Three years ago, my mother took me to the palace to pay homage to the late emperor. His Royal Highness was kneeling outside the imperial study, and his forehead was hit by the late emperor with a paperweight, and blood was pouring out. It was scary to see. Later, when my mother and I left, he was still kneeling outside the imperial study."

"It was the late emperor who hit someone, so it's hard to say whose fault it is." Cao Sanlang snorted sarcastically.

Everyone was silent. Although this statement was disrespectful, it was not without reason.
The late emperor became increasingly foolish in his later years. He favored treacherous ministers and was suspicious of loyal ministers. I don't know how many unjust, false and wrong cases occurred. When he had nothing to do, he liked to make trouble for the eldest son of the current emperor.
As the son of His Majesty, Your Highness is naturally not favored by the late Emperor.

Fu Yi touched the imperial edict of conferring title in her arms. The late emperor exiled her entire family, but His Majesty not only valued her father, but also gave her the title of a princess. So there was no need to think too much, it must have been the late emperor's fault.

"My lord, something happened."
The attendant walked into the study and said anxiously, "Lu Tanhua was taken away by the Jinwu Guards in the apricot blossom forest outside the capital today."

"Why was he taken away?" Prince Ning put down the book in his hand. "He is a newly-appointed scholar. How could the Jinwu Guards have the courage to do this? Aren't they afraid of offending all the scholars in the world?"

"It's the order of His Royal Highness the Prince."

"This good nephew of mine usually plays the role of a filial son in the palace or studies in the Hongwen Academy. Why would he go to a place like Xinghualin today?" Prince Ning frowned. "Lu is not a bold man. How dare he offend the prince?"

The attendant looked hesitant and did not dare to say anything further.

"If you have anything else, go on."

"When Lu Tanhua participated in the poetry meeting, he drove out all the people in the apricot blossom forest. He never thought that this matter would be..." The long-time attendant hesitated.

"By what?"
"Miss Yun discovered it, and it happened that His Royal Highness went to the apricot blossom forest to read the imperial edict to Miss Yun, and the matter became a big deal."

"What imperial edict?"
"The imperial decree to make Miss Yun a county lord."

"My Lady..." Prince Ning stood up and looked at the painting on the wall. There was an apricot tree in the painting, and a pipa was hidden under the apricot petals.

"Your Highness, could it be that Miss Yun already knows that Lu Tanhua is our man, and is deliberately ruining our plans?"

After this incident, Prince Shun would definitely not want Lu Tanhua to be his son-in-law.

Prince Ning stroked the pipa in the painting for a long time and said, "I understand. You can leave now."

"Your Majesty!"

"When the prince announces an imperial decree, those who receive it should set up an incense table and kneel to greet him. Sui Tingheng is a prince and does not follow the etiquette. This is a serious mistake." Prince Ning said indifferently: "You don't need to say more. Someone will impeach him tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)