The Little Consort's
Eps. 58: Abduction
Li Anlan again got the task of exiting the palace from Long Ji Man. This time, he was ordered to go to the Royal Academy, relaying a message from the king that another week would be held the Royal Examination to select the new young officials. The message was written in a decree placed in a dark red wooden box. Li Anlan agreed to perform the task because it was the first time he had been out after being ill for approximately five days.
The woman no longer wears the usual noble hanfu. She wore the official robe of the Grand Empress, complete with a crown and headdress. In fact, Li Anlan was more comfortable wearing ordinary hanfu because it was lighter and simpler, not layered and not as long as this robe. However, as he used ordinary hanfu, Long Ji Man pulled him into the changing room of Hongwu Palace and told him to change clothes. He said events like the one at the State Counselor's residence should not be repeated.
The controls are also twice as tight. Long Ji Man sent eight bodyguards and three eunuchs and two female servants to accompany Li Anlan's journey.
In fact, the distance from Dongling Royal Palace to the Royal Academy was not too far away, not requiring a strict escort because the Royal Academy was located in the middle of the city, in the midst of a crowd that did not allow any danger. The criminals will also think twice when they want to do the action because in the center of this city, dozens of security guards pass by and control the situation.
The Royal Empress's motorcade reached the Royal Academy when the sun was slightly higher. Li Anlan was greeted by the Deputy Head of the Academy and the Academy Secretary who Li Anlan had met the other day during a visit with Long Ji Man. Several Royal Academy students were also present to greet him at the entrance gate of the Royal Academy. One of them was Prince Ding, Long Ji Mu.
“Greetings, Mistress Consort Nobles. Forgive our sassness for not recognizing you back then,” said the Royal Academy's Deputy sincerely.
“Ah, don't discuss the past. My status at that time was just a servant. You don't have to talk about it.”
“No, Mrs Huang. His Majesty the King tells us that you are his concubine,” continued the Royal Academy Secretary.
“I came to deliver a message, not to discuss the past!”
“Good, please come in, Madam.”
The students who had welcomed Li Anlan dispersed. Most of them returned to their respective classes, some went back to the dorms and the rest played in the grounds of the Royal Academy. Li Anlan's eyes caught the figure of Long Ji Mu standing near the gate, looking at him flatly expressionlessly. However, what caught Li Anlan's attention was the boy's clear eyes, which were exactly like the eyes of Long Ji Man. Maybe because the two are brothers, so look similar to each other.
The moment Li Anlan reached before Long Ji Mu, he crouched down. His position was level with the height of the child.
“Hey, little boy. You want more peaches?”
Instead of answering Li Anlan's question, Long Ji Mu asked back,
“Sister-in-law, are you already the Grand Empress of Nobles?”
“If it wasn't for your annoying sister forcing me, I'd rather be a commoner.”
“Teacher said, The Royal Empress has a beautiful stamp, does she?”
Li Anlan nodded.
“You want to see it?”
“Ya.”
“Come, come with me.”
Li Anlan clasped Long Ji Mu's small hand. The two of them walked into the Royal Academy, down a street decorated with white rocks. Li Anlan's long and beautiful robe was slowly displaced. Those who saw the Royal Empress walking with Prince Ding felt that the two people were like a pair of mothers and sons who both had noble and high status. The age of Li Anlan who was so far adrift with the little boy made her like a mother, like a woman who was accompanying her son. In this age, twenty-three years old is the most mature age, usually already have to have two children aged six and three years.
“Mu’er, you have no friends?”
“From childhood I did not have friends.”
“You want to be friends with me?”
“What can be like that?”
Long Ji Mu's flat-face sharpener slowly began to have an expression.
“Of course.”
“But, Aunt Wei said, a king cannot have friends.”
“Really?”
Damn it, that nanny aunt. This small child has been given knowledge that can contaminate the heart. Although Long Ji Mu was smart, he was still a child. A child of his age should be given education and basic knowledge that can be useful for his future, not knowledge that can instill hatred and foster discord slowly like that. Hatred, if planted and grown slowly, can one day destroy the place to grow and ravage the surrounding land.
Next time, if Li Anlan met Long Ji Mu's nanny, he would hit her hard.
“Aunty Wei's words don't need you to listen. Who says a king can't have friends? Your sister also has friends.”
“Who are my brother's friends?”
“I. I'm a friend of your brother.”
“Really?”
Li Anlan nodded.
“Mu’er, do you want to have a new nanny?” tawang Li Anlan's. She could not let Long Ji Mu be in the care of a toxic nanny like Aunt Wei.
“Why should change babysitter?”
“If you want to be my friend, you have to change nanny. How?”
Li Anlan and Long Ji Mu arrived in front of the Master Hall. There, there is a small stage of round wood. It was about fifty centimeters tall. On it were several sets of tables and chairs specially used by the Royal Academy's top brass and guests of honor. Not far from there, there were several sets of tables and chairs reserved for the Royal Academy students who were at the top of the level or who were ready to take the examination.
The Deputy Head of the Academy invited Li Anlan to sit in the chair that had been provided. Little Long Ji Mu did not join or return to his class, but rather sat on Li Anlan's lap comfortably. The little boy looked at all of his upperclassmen sitting down there with an innocent look. Li Anlan then asked for a wooden box containing the decree that one of the servants had brought, then handed it to the Deputy Head of the Academy. The middle-aged man immediately opened his box and read out the contents of His Majesty's decree.
“In addition to the decree, His Majesty also gave an oral edict. From today until the day of the Royal Examination, you must register and be quarantined, you must not leave the Royal Academy,” Li Anlan interrupted when the Deputy Head of the Academy finished reading the decree.
“Mistress, is it best not to just write? The students here do not all have good memories,” proposed the Academy Secretary.
“Then you wrote it.”
The Secretary of the Royal Academy took out an official royal paper, then wrote down the oral edict of His Majesty the King. After it was finished writing, he handed it to Li Anlan for inspection. Li Anlan then affixed the seal of the Royal Empress to the paper, as proof of legality guaranteeing that everything written there was true. Long Ji Mu who was on Li Anlan's lap was amazed. His eyes sparkled as he looked at the white-colored stamp form on his sister-in-law's hand. The seal of the Royal Empress is indeed truly beautiful!
“Ah, one more. Deputy Chief, get Prince Ding's nanny!”
“Good, Mistress.”
A servant then went to call Aunt Wei. Not long after, the man showed up. Aunt Wei was shocked when she saw Long Ji Mu sitting on the lap of a woman she had met once while in the garden of Lake Houchi. The nanny's aunt did not believe that the woman was the Noble Empress, the lady of His Majesty the King. It was only fitting that Long Ji Mu said that he was not a stranger.
Aunt Wei lowered her head in reverence, as well as enduring the immeasurable embarrassment. He could hear the whispers of the Royal Academy students wondering behind him.
“Aunt Wei, you go home to your hometown,” Li Anlan said lightly.
“Ny..Madam, what do you mean?”
“From now on, Prince Ding is under my care.”
“T-But Madam, I am the official nanny assigned by the Queen Mother,” Aunt Wei denied.
“Really? Then why did you neglect your duty?”
“Mistress, may I know what my mistake is?”
“You instilled bad values on my sister-in-law. Aunt Wei, do you want to make her a rebel?”
“I..I'm not-”
“Academy Secretary, write his dismissal letter! Aunt Wei slowly instills hatred in Prince Ding's heart, she has broken the rules and tarnished the integrity of the royal family's nanny.”
“Good, Lady Huang.”
After the Academy Secretary finished writing, Li Anlan branded it with the seal of the Royal Empress. After this, Aunt Wei did not need to come to the capital anymore. He was released and returned home. Regarding punishment, let the court of the palace take care of it. Li Anlan did not bother to waste any more energy.
“It turns out it could be like that huh,” said one of the Royal Academy students.
“You don't know? The Grand Empress has some special authority that even the Grand Empress does not have!” hit one of the others.
“Wah, if I were a woman, I would like to be like Mrs Huang. She is not only beautiful and has integrity, but also firm and kind,”.
“You better focus on your lessons! We will soon face the Royal Exam!”
Ignoring those who were arguing about him, Li Anlan chose to surround the Royal Academy with Long Ji Mu. When it was past noon, Li Anlan stopped his tour. She had to return to the palace and give a report to her husband. Long Ji Mu did not want to part with him, but as much as possible Li Anlan comforted him.
“Mu’er, learn well. After you're thirteen, I'll pick you up.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
“Then, sister-in-law, I will study well!”
After being persuaded long enough, Long Ji Mu was finally willing to let go of Li Anlan's hand. The boy returned to the Royal Academy while running cheerfully. It's nice to see a little boy who's cold and annoying enough to be submissive. Long Ji Mu's presence had fostered a sense of wanting to protect in Li Anlan's heart.
The woman boarded a horse carriage, then left the Royal Academy accompanied by her bodyguards and servants. Along the way, Li Anlan was unceasingly thinking what he would do after returning to the palace later. His task was done, meaning he had no more activities. Then, it is the right time to indulge yourself with laziness.
Over time, Li Anlan felt an oddity. They had left the Royal Academy long enough, and had already arrived in front of the palace gates. However, Li Anlan actually felt that he and his entourage were getting away from the city center, because there was no crowd at all. Li Anlan ventured a peek through the window, then she was shocked to find the surrounding scenery was a forest filled with trees!
Li Anlan could also see the bodyguards and servants walking over blankly. They seem to be controlled by something. Many times he screamed but no one heard him. The moment Li Anlan felt the carriage stop, he immediately jumped out. He was strangled when he found all the guards and servants lying on the ground. The woman checked the quiet surroundings. He approached one of the guards, then shook the body of the guard while shouting.
“Sial! They're poisoned!”
Li Anlan did not realize that a group of unknown people were already standing behind him. Because he was too panicked, he became unawares. Li Anlan felt her shoulders ache like they were hit by something very hard. After that, his head felt spinning, his vision blurred, and his world darkened.
The group of people took the unconscious Li Anlan to a distant place, which was hard to reach by ordinary humans.
...***...