When Xue Yan returned to the west hall, it was already late at night.

He sat alone under the lamp, playing with the copper coin in his hand.

But he looked upside down, his eyes never looking away from above. Jin Bao didn't dare to disturb him, and only glanced at his expression occasionally.

I saw Xue Yan drooping his eyes, his eyelashes cast long shadows under the lamp, his eyes were calm, but his eyes were deep, making Jinbao unable to guess what he was thinking.

So Jinbao sneaked out and gave him hot water for washing.

But not long after he went out, he turned back. Hearing the door slamming, Xue Yan raised his head and glanced at him, and saw Jin Bao standing at the door, looking hesitant and hesitant.

"Master, outside Mingluan Palace... Little Weizi is here." He said. "Said there is a father-in-law who wants to meet His Highness."

Xue Yan paused and raised his eyes.

Jin Bao said tremblingly: "He said that His Highness should go out through the side door, and it must not be conspicuous... Master, could it be...!"

When he said this, he was almost speechless.

Xue Yan raised her eyebrows and looked at him suspiciously: "Why are you scared like this?"

Jinbao heard the words and couldn't hold on anymore. His legs softened, he knelt down on the ground, and said with a crying voice: "Is it because the slave is stalking him, let him find out! Now that the master is asked to go out, he must be silenced! The master should not go, just be a slave If you didn't spread this sentence, if you want to kill or cut, just let them do it..."

Speaking, Jinbao whimpered and was about to cry.

Xue Yan showed a speechless expression. He stood up from the table, pulled the cloak and put it on, and walked out while wearing it. When he passed Jinbao, who was kneeling at the door, he even kicked his ass, motioned him to block the door, and told him to move away. .

"How long ago is the old yellow calendar, can you scare you like this?" Xue Yan lowered his eyes condescendingly while tying the belt, looking down at Jinbao. "Get up and cry, this is a good thing."

Jin Bao was so scared that he wiped his tears. Hearing that, he raised his eyes hazy with tears and met his master's amber eyes.

Those eyes were cold and calm, but the flames of power were burning in them, and the smiles that were in their control.

"...What good thing?" Jinbao was puzzled.

Xue Yan fastened his cloak and looked up at the dark night outside.

He hooked his lips and looked down at Jinbao. "In the near future, the director of the Dongchang factory will kowtow to you, is it a good thing?"

Jin Bao was so frightened that his liver began to tremble.

It's over, it's over, is the master scared out of his mind?

He hurriedly walked over, trying to stop his master who had started talking crazy. But Xue Yan had already raised his legs and stepped over him.

Into the deep night.

Jinbao didn't see it, and at the moment when he walked out of the door, Xue Yan raised his hand and calmly put the copper coin in his hand into the position of his heart.

—

As expected, as Xue Yan guessed, in the empty alley on the side of Mingluan Palace, there were two people standing, wearing the clothes of ordinary eunuchs.

He counted, this person should have been found during these days.

Now that the winter is deep, it is already cold, and the palace people are afraid of the cold, so it is easy to be lazy. In addition to today's winter solstice, half of the palace staff on duty have gone on holiday for the festival. For Dongchang, it is a good time to enter the palace.

He didn't hold the lantern, and they didn't see him until they got close. The one who was waiting on the side hurried up to meet him. Xue Yan saw from a distance and knew that it was Xiao Weizi.

Little Wei Zi greeted him in front of him, bowed and saluted him, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, are you here? Eunuch Wu is already waiting for you there."

Xue Yan looked over there and saw an old **** standing not far away.

It must be that person.

The **** of his mother's concubine in those days, now the most effective subordinate of Duan Chong, the director of Dongchang Factory, Wu Shunhai.

Before he could speak, Wu Shunhai thumped, knelt in front of him, and kowtowed tearfully: "Your Highness, the old slave finally sees you!"

Xue Yan understands.

The one in front of him is specially responsible for tying him with old feelings, making him feel that Dongchang has a deep friendship for him, then the other is to be the taciturn Buddha behind him to manipulate him, Let him go in the direction arranged by the East Factory.

After all, they are trying to push themselves to the top, and there is always the risk of being out of control. In this case, it is necessary to both deter him and move him with true emotion.

It's just acting in front of him, which is very simple for Xue Yan.

Xue Yan bowed and held Wu Shunhai's arm, her voice trembling, and she was at a loss: "Eunuch Wu, get up, what are you doing!"

Wu Shunhai insisted on kneeling and hunched over to touch the ground with his head. The more he cried, the more sad he was, and he was trying to suppress others' attention, which sounded especially pathetic and pitiful.

"Minions are useless, slaves are useless!" Wu Shunhai cried. "Let the little master suffer for so many years of grievances, and the servant will die in the future, how can I still have the face to see the concubine Rong!"

As he spoke, he whimpered again. The little Weizi next to him also stood and wiped away his tears, feeling sad for a while.

Xue Yan sneered in his heart, and his voice was also filled with suppressed sobbing: "My father-in-law broke me... How can I blame my father-in-law? My father-in-law still remembers me now, can come to see me, I have already... "

The next words disappeared in the choked sound.

Xue Yan was impatient for a long time, but he felt that this old guy was too good at acting. He didn't show any sign on his face, and after persuading Wu Shunhai for a long time, he finally helped him up.

"Now that His Highness is in good condition, the servants are relieved." Wu Shunhai wiped his face full of tears and said. "It's just that the servants can't bear to hear that His Highness is not doing well!"

Xue Yan showed a helpless smile and comforted him: "Father-in-law, don't worry, I... can bear it."

"If Concubine Rong was here, how could His Highness be so miserable!" Wu Shunhai said. "Old slave now... is also considered a bit of an identity that is not on the table. His Highness is now almost sixteen years old, and he is about to enter the court. Now the affairs of the palace, the slave can't get involved, but in the future, when he arrives at the former court, The slaves will try their best to help you!"

Sure enough. Xue Yan sneered in his heart.

It is a thankless task to help an unloved prince in the harem, and Wu Shunhai would not be willing to take this risk under the control of Lingfu.

But it will be different in the former dynasty. The East Factory has the position of supervising officials, even if the power is low, there is still prestige, and it is much more convenient to do things. And he is a prince who has stepped into the previous dynasty. If Dongchang spends a little heart to help him, he can immediately get the benefits on the bright side, which can be said to be a lot of profit.

So, Wu Shunhai gave him a promise first, so that he could see hope in his eyes, and when he was struggling in the dark, remember more of their good.

Xue Yan's heart was clear, and there was a look of panic on his face: "This... Father-in-law, I never thought about it so far."

He comforted with good words: "His Royal Highness, you are not too young, you should always plan for the future. Your Highness can't be bullied for a lifetime, this... This old slave can't explain it to Concubine Rong. !"

"...you're right." Xue Yan said. "However, I only learned how to fight since I was a child. I don't know how to do anything else."

Wu Shunhai, who had relaxed his vigilance for a long time, naturally did not see that in these seemingly harmless eyes, there was a wolf ready to go.

Wu Shunhai was even more satisfied when he heard this.

With a loving look on his face, he said kindly, "Don't worry, Your Highness, everything has slaves."

Xue Yan looked relieved: "Then I'm relieved, but I'm going to trouble my father-in-law."

Wu Shunhai was too happy to see him obeying his words like this. With a gratified smile on his face, he said, "What are you talking about, Your Highness? Back then, as a servant, this life belonged to Concubine Rong, and now I naturally have to do my best for His Highness, so that I can live up to the kindness of Empress! "

Xue Yan was also very face-saving, and moved: "No matter what Xue Yan does in the future, he will remember the grace of Father-in-law today!"

Wu Shunhai hurriedly squeezed out two more turbid tears, and did not dare.

Then he asked, "How is the little master living here now?"

He hid the temptation in a concerned look.

After all, Xiao Weizi came to report these days, saying that Xue Yan walked with the prince of the Jun family and the sixth prince every day, and it seemed like they had become friends. However, the fifth prince had always followed silently, and the two of them didn't pay much attention to him, thinking that they were just being treated as small attendants, which was not a big problem.

But he was still a little worried. After all, the palace is heavily guarded, and it is difficult for them to release people to the palaces of the empresses in the various palaces, so they don't know what the situation is.

Xue Yan heard the words, with a natural expression, lowered his eyes, and said lightly, as if he didn't want to mention more: "No one in Mingluan Palace makes things difficult for me on weekdays, please rest assured my father-in-law."

Seeing him like this, Wu Shunhai was 80% relieved. He seemed concerned again, followed by a word to him.

"This concubine Shu is not difficult to deal with." Wu Shunhai said. "If you can win her favor, you will be better off in the palace."

Xue Yan looked puzzled: "Father...?"

Looking at his appearance, it is clear that he is not doing well in Mingluan Palace, and he does not believe his words.

Wu Shunhai was completely relieved.

He was a little proud, and said casually: "Yeah. Although she is favored, she is confused. Why doesn't she have a child yet? Even the people around her are not well disciplined. "

After all, although Dongchang is weak in the palace, there are still some eyeliners outside the palaces. The big maid in her palace often sneaks in and out of the imperial pharmacy, and also meets privately with people in the Yijieyu palace. What good things can she do?

However, because of that old incident, Yi Jieyu broke up with Dongchang, and he held their handle again, so he did not want to worry about an irrelevant matter. What's wrong with Yijieyu?

After all, the woman in the palace can't even protect her own stomach, so who can she expect to protect her?

Wu Shunhai, who casually mentioned it, did not notice the exploration and calculation hidden in Xue Yan's eyes when he heard this.