The sound of the second watch drum was heard in the distance.
As the candles were extinguished, Zhu Hao and Jinghong each went to bed.
No matter how good Jinghong's psychological quality was, he still felt lonely and sad after leaving home. If Zhu Hao hadn't been there, he would probably have cried.
The unfamiliar environment made him extremely uneasy. He tossed and turned and couldn't sleep. He would poke his head up to take a look at the slightest disturbance outside.
Zhu Hao didn't sleep either.
But unlike Jinghong, Zhu Hao didn't have the habit of going to bed early when he was healthy in his previous life. If he still lived alone, he could find something to kill his boredom, but it was always inconvenient to have Jinghong around.
"Don't worry, no one will come at night, just cover your head and sleep."
Zhu Hao mentioned this when Jinghong stood up again to check the situation.
Jinghong's eyes fell on Zhu Hao, who was a little blurry on the other side of the room.
At this time, Zhu Hao rested his head on his arms and was staring at the ceiling in a daze. He looked much calmer than Jinghong. Naturally, Jinghong didn't want to show his cowardly side... He had already lost academically, but he couldn't compete with his psychological quality and lose again.
"You came here a few days earlier than me, and you seem to have gotten used to it."
Jinghong said something.
Zhu Hao ignored him. He had learned to make excuses at a young age, and there was no shame in admitting that his skills were inferior to others.
Zhu Hao said: "Your stomach is growling. It's so noisy that I can't sleep."
Jinghong glanced at his shriveled belly.
Or maybe he didn't eat enough at night, or maybe the food in the palace was not suitable for his pampered stomach, so he had a bad stomach, and his stomach kept fussing after he lay down.
"Don't be a rat chewing on the wooden box - you're so tough! If you're homesick, just say it. Do you blame my stomach for being so noisy that you can't sleep?" After saying that, Jinghong followed Zhu Hao's example and put his arms under his head, looking at the ceiling.
No fun at all!
He really couldn't understand why Zhu Hao stared at the ceiling for so long?
Zhu Hao said: "I don't think so. After all, it's useless to think about it."
homesick?
When you are reincarnated as a human being, which home should you want?
This place of peace of mind is my hometown. What is my hometown?
The two were silent for a long time.
Jinghong broke the silence again: "You said you have been in the palace for a while, so what did you study before? Mr. Sui didn't seem to mention you today."
Zhu Hao said casually: "Oh, I had some experience in the palace before."
"Experience!? What is that?"
"Experience is to experience the world. The poem goes: The edge of a sword comes from sharpening, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold... Life requires experience. If you don't understand, you are destined to not become a master... What I mean by master is to study and take the imperial examination.
The title on the golden list is the best in the world."
It was originally a nonsense statement, but Jinghong was very concerned after hearing it and asked hurriedly: "Then how did you learn it? How... is it considered experience?"
Jinghong found another excuse for his failure in the selection exam. It turned out that it was not because I was incompetent, but because I had too little experience. The kid next to me had some crooked ways to learn profound knowledge.
Zhu Hao pouted: "If I could tell you, how can it be called a unique secret skill?"
The conversation between the two reached an impasse again.
Zhu Hao actually wanted to tell him that the secret skill was to die once and be reincarnated as a human being, bringing the knowledge of this life to the next life. He didn't know whether it would succeed or not, and ordinary people couldn't copy it.
…
…
After a long time, there was no movement in Jinghong. Zhu Hao couldn't sleep. Looking at the bright moon outside the window, he suddenly thought of going out for a walk.
But Jinghong on the couch next to him was in trouble.
This guy is both his roommate and his spy. Whatever he does, his secrets may be leaked, especially if he does many things that are detrimental to the palace.
"have you slept?"
At this time, Jinghong suddenly asked again.
Zhu Hao turned his head and said, "No! What are you doing?"
Jinghong asked: "I want to go to the hut. Will there be thieves sneaking in here at night?"
Zhu Hao couldn't help but smile: "In the palace, if thieves can come in at will, the guards outside don't have to mess around... Do thieves often visit your county government office on weekdays?"
Jinghong thought for a while, hesitated, and wanted to ask Zhu Hao to accompany him to the toilet, but he felt embarrassed, so he stubbornly got up and went to the latrine alone.
When he came back, he was out of breath. It was obvious that he had just come and gone in a hurry and had nothing to do.
"Are there any thieves outside?" Zhu Hao asked deliberately.
Jinghong didn't answer.
After Jinghong lay down, Zhu Hao said: "I have a story here called Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Do you want to hear it?"
Jinghong said: "Is it the story of the bandit leader?"
Zhu Hao didn't expect that Jinghong's brain circuit was very complex. He had nothing to do anyway, so he started talking to Jinghong.
"A long time ago, there lived two brothers in a city in a country to the west of the Ming Dynasty. The elder brother was called Goximu and the younger brother was called Alibaba. After their father died, they each received a limited amount of property, separated their families, and made their own living.
road……"
This story is obviously not in line with the national conditions of the Ming Dynasty. Many parts of it do not make sense. Jinghong would interrupt him from time to time.
"...Goshimu collected gold coins in a big way, and moved them bag by bag to the door, preparing to carry them out of the cave and carry them home. When everything was ready, he came to the closed door of the cave, but due to the previous excitement, he forgot
His younger brother Alibaba told him the secret code for opening the door and shouted: 'Barley, open the door!' But the door was closed..."
"Oh, this brother is so stupid. Why don't you open sesame?" Jinghong commented again.
"Gosimu panicked and shouted out all the names of beans, wheat and grains, but she couldn't remember the name 'sesame'... Oh, it's already late at night, go to sleep!"
Zhu Hao yawned and then remained silent.
This is exactly his purpose, to make Jinghong interested in the story, and then whet his appetite and make him become his fan step by step. For example, his method of seducing Zhu San and Zhu Si is rabbits, revolving lanterns and ice cream.
For an arrogant and arrogant young master like Jinghong, some means must be used.
As Zhu Hao expected, Jinghong was deeply attracted by this exotic story.
"What happened next? Tell me more!"
Jinghong had long forgotten about being homesick and begged.
Zhu Hao sighed. When he talked about Alibaba and the Forty Thieves, he naturally recalled his previous life. Since the rapid rise of a certain giant, this story seemed to have taken on another meaning...
"I've been talking for so long that smoke is almost coming out of my throat. I don't want to tell you anymore... How about I tell you a story about the transformation of Baba Krikiri."
Jinghong: "..."
The two of them were talking to each other, but at some point later, Jinghong fell into a deep sleep, and a slight snoring sounded in the room.
Zhu Hao found that he was very good at coaxing children. He actually put Jinghong to sleep on the first day after leaving home. This kid always wanted to show his arrogance, but in Zhu Hao's eyes, he was just someone who liked to pretend to be an adult.
little brat.
…
…
The next morning.
When Zhu Hao opened his eyes, Jinghong was sleeping soundly, and his snoring was still there.
There was a commotion in the yard. It was the guards who had been keeping watch all night. They had a simple breakfast and then went home to catch up on their sleep.
Zhu Hao got dressed and went out to wash up. He happened to see Lu Song coming in from the outside, followed by Lu Bing who was holding a bamboo horse.
From this point of view, Lu Bing's tutor is indeed good, at least he doesn't have the bad habit of sleeping in.
"You stay here first. Don't run around. I'll take you to the school after breakfast later..."
Lu Song said something to his son, glanced at Zhu Hao with a slightly warning look, and then took a few guards to check the posts everywhere.
After Lu Bing waited for his father to leave, he rode up to Zhu Hao on his bamboo horse and said with a smile: "Here I am."
Zhu Hao spat out the mouthwash, looked at the cheerful boy in front of him, and asked, "Why are you so happy? You like to come to the palace to study?"
When Lu Bing heard the word "study", he frowned immediately.
Obviously for him, studying is hard work.
The Lu family has high expectations for Lu Bing, but the problem is that he is too young, and both the Lu family and the royal family are a bit censorious in his education.
Zhu Hao poured out the wash water in the basin and walked into the house carrying the empty basin, while Lu Bing followed behind like a follower.
When he entered the house, he saw that Jinghong had already gotten up and got dressed.
"Zhu Hao, in the story "Alibaba and the Forty Thieves" you told yesterday, did Alibaba kill all the thieves later?"
As soon as Jinghong woke up, he began to worry about the unfinished story.
Zhu Hao smiled but did not answer.
Lu Bing asked with confusion: "What story?"
Zhu Hao continued to be silent.
Until breakfast, Jinghong was still in reverie, thinking about the ending of the story, while Lu Bing simply took a few bites and poured the food into Zhu Hao's bowl - it was clear at a glance what his family background was like.
The conditions in Lu Song's family are obviously better. It is difficult for women in ordinary families to find a job, but the Lu family belongs to the category of "women are strong and men are weak". Lu Song seems to be a royal representative with a certain identity and status, but he is more of a wife.
Who made his wife the prince's wet nurse?
"Lu Bing, where is your father?"
Zhu Hao didn't have much appetite, so he took a mouthful of food and asked.
Jinghong on the opposite side looked over eagerly.
Zhu Hao and Lu Song didn't eat much, but Jinghong, because he was hungry, had been eager to have breakfast since he got up in the morning, and tried to eat more so as not to miss noon.
Lu Bingdao: "My father has something to do. If he doesn't come, I know the way. Just follow me."
Having said this, he was extremely proud.
Although Lu Bing is the youngest among the three, it is obvious that he has not just entered the palace recently. He is related to his mother. He must have visited the palace often in the past, just like the children in the palace.
"Okay, then you can take me in later. If you can, introduce me to each place on the way and how to get there."
Of course, Zhu Hao wanted to take advantage of Lu Bing's familiarity with the palace to learn more about the surrounding environment.
"Um."
Lu Bing nodded seriously.
Zhu Hao was about to go out with Lu Bing to get some fresh air, and pushed the bowl in front of Jinghong.
Jinghong ignored his restraint and moved his chopsticks and mouth at the same time, trying to eat as quickly as possible.
…
…
The sun is shining brightly in the sky.
Before the three children entered the study room in the inner courtyard of the palace to study, Lu Song rushed back.
If there were only Lu Bing and Jing Hong, Lu Song could let them enter on their own. The palace guards would not have any worries and would just help them.
But with Zhu Hao around, Lu Song could not rest assured and had to personally send Zhu Hao, the "god of plague", to the Royal Academy.
"Dad, Zhu Hao and Jinghong and I are already friends...can I play with them in the future?"
Lu Bing was like a blank sheet of paper in front of the two older children. His words were full of childishness and his innocence was unabashed. This made Lu Song very worried.
Lu Song glanced at Zhu Hao with a worried look on his face, obviously afraid that Zhu Hao would bruise his son's rough jade and cause some scars.
"Lu Dianzhan, when school ends at noon, are we going to come back here for lunch?" Zhu Hao asked, trying to look more like a child.
Lu Song said: "Whenever you leave the inner palace, you must be accompanied by someone, and you are not allowed to act alone."
Zhu Hao asked with a smile: "Even if we know the way back here, we still need to find someone to watch us? What if we can't find anyone?"
Lu Song looked gloomy and did not answer.
Lu Bing volunteered: "I know the way, I will just bring you here... Dad, leave everything to me, I can do it well!"
"Um."
Lu Song nodded in approval.
Just now, he felt that his son was too naive, but now he suddenly felt that his son had grown up. He thought that if he had a son who was always watching Zhu Hao, he wouldn't hide it if there was any trouble, right?