Chapter 379: Playing the long game, catching the big fish

Cold Palace.

The cold palace is especially quiet at night.

After Xiao Junze got up at night, he tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Ji Tao was lying on a small couch on the side, and he quickly got up when he heard the noise.

He lit the candle on the table and asked worriedly, "Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?"

Xiao Junze sat up and sighed.

"Ji Tao, do you think General Nie and Commander Wu will still obey my orders?"

Ji Tao didn't say a word after hearing this.

After all, he was not sure about what Xiao Junze said.

"Your Majesty, you can contact them both secretly."

"If they are willing to lend a hand to the Emperor, they will be promoted to higher positions after the success."

"If they refuse to help you, then you..." Ji Tao's voice became lower and lower.

Xiao Junze frowned and seriously considered the possibility of this matter.

It would be great if I could join forces with the Crown Prince on this matter...

Thinking of this, Xiao Junze couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope in his heart.

He asked slightly excitedly: "Ji Tao, can you contact the East Palace?"

Ji Tao restrained his expression and said, "Your Majesty, I can have someone try it."

Thinking of the consequences of being discovered by Xiao Chengjin, he couldn't help but say, "If that person knew, both you and the prince would be in danger."

Xiao Junze got up from the bed and paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back.

"I can't just sit in the cold palace and wait for death."

"This is the last possible solution. Whether it works or not, we have to give it a try."

Ji Tao thought about the coronation ceremony and a plan came to his mind.

"Your Majesty, please prepare first, and then take action on the day of the coronation ceremony..."

Xiao Junze stopped and his expression was not as gloomy as before.

He turned around and sat at the table, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the tabletop...

"You're right. On the day of the coronation ceremony, they will all focus on the coronation ceremony."

"When the time comes, we'll give them a fatal blow."

An Er hurried to the cold palace and sat on the roof, listening to the conversation between the master and servant, and almost laughed out loud.

He covered his mouth and continued listening with his ears pricked up.

You are worthy of being father and son. You stay up at night and weave one beautiful dream after another for yourselves.

Inside the hall, Ji Tao looked at the confident Xiao Junze and couldn't help but feel worried.

Having said that, won’t that gentleman be on guard?

Your Majesty, you cannot be so blindly confident.

Ji Tao observed his expression and reminded him in a whisper, "Your Majesty, that person is not an easy person to deal with. You must plan carefully before doing this."

"After all, this is the only... chance."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Junze remained silent.

Ji Tao is right. We must plan carefully this time. If we are careless, we will be doomed.

"I understand. We'll make plans after our people contact the East Palace."

"Ji Tao, after this is done, I will allow you to leave the palace and spend your remaining years in peace." Xiao Junze said, turning his head to look at Ji Tao who was standing beside him.

After hearing this, Ji Tao knew that this possibility was very small, but he still knelt down to express his gratitude: "This old servant kowtows to thank the emperor for his grace. Long live the emperor."

Xiao Junze sighed slightly, "Get up!"

"You've been with me through glory and also through adversity... This is all as it should be."

Ji Tao stood up and looked at the sky outside the palace. "Your Majesty, please sleep a little longer!"

"Okay." Xiao Junze stood up, turned around and walked towards the bed.

......

An Er stood on the roof, stretched, and ran out of the cold palace.

The master said to play the long game and catch the big fish.

Haha, just wait for the “fish” to drill into the net.

Before daybreak, the servants of Xihe Palace were already busy.

An Er sat on a big tree, waiting for Xiao Chengjin to get up and attend the morning court.

In the dim morning light, Xiao Chengjin looked at the ceiling of the tent with a look of grievance.

I have to get up before dawn and have been a little sleep-deprived lately.

Oh, I really want to be a "tyrant"!

After the enthronement ceremony, the time for court sessions was revised.

Ruo Ruo said that long-term lack of sleep is bad for the body.

At this moment, Jiang Ruo turned over and nudged Xiao Chengjin with his elbow, "It's time to go to the morning court."

Xiao Chengjin stood up from the bed with a look of resentment on his face and walked towards the inner room...

Jiang Ruo opened her eyes a little and looked at Xiao Chengjin's back, with the corners of her lips slightly raised.

Look at how reluctant you are.

As long as I'm here, don't even think about becoming a tyrant.

After Xiao Chengjin put on his clothes and walked out of the inner room, he looked back at Jiang Ruo lying on the bed, a smile appeared on the corner of his lips, and then he tiptoed out of the bedroom.

When Manager Lin saw the bedroom door open, he quickly called on the palace servants to help Xiao Chengjin wash up.

After Xiao Chengjin finished washing up, An Er flew down from the tree.

He knelt down and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you

"Get up!" Xiao Chengjin heard An Er's happy tone and raised his eyebrows and said, "Did you find a gold ingot?"

Seeing this, Chief Steward Lin dismissed the surrounding servants and said, "Everyone, leave!"

An Er stood up and suppressed the corners of his lips that were raised.

"My Lord, I was waiting outside the East Palace last night, and the deposed Crown Prince really lost his patience."

"He gave the token for mobilizing troops to that old bastard Tang Zhongxu."

"And there's that guy in the cold palace who's trying to secretly win over Commander Wu and General Nie outside the city. He's also planning to join forces with the deposed crown prince and take action on the day of your coronation."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengjin's smile deepened.

"Just give them a chance!"

"After all, I still want them to see me ascend the throne with their own eyes on the day of my coronation..."

"I leave this matter entirely to you."

If you don't give people a chance, how can they act?

An Er quickly bowed and replied, "I obey your command."

Manager Lin and An Er looked at each other and thought secretly: Master, you are still the mean one, no, you know how to kill people and destroy their hearts.

Xiao Chengjin said happily, "Go to the Golden Palace."

.......

Jiang Ruo listened to the sound of receding footsteps and opened her eyes.

According to my uncle's itinerary, he will definitely be able to arrive in the capital before my father's wedding.

By the way, I’m going to take a walk outside the palace today and visit the general’s mansion.

Golden Palace.

Seeing that the ministers had nothing to report, Xiao Chengjin turned his head and whispered to Chief Steward Lin, "After the court session, have the Minister of Works, Lord Xu, accompany me to the Imperial Study."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Chief Steward Lin shouted at the top of his voice, "Dismiss the court!"

The ministers knelt and said, "Your humble servants respectfully bid farewell to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor."

Xiao Chengjin stood up from the dragon throne and left the Golden Palace.

When Chief Steward Lin reached the side of the Minister of Works, Lord Xu, he said in a voice neither too loud nor too soft, "The Emperor summons Lord Xu to the Imperial Study."

Lord Xu was momentarily stunned, then he bowed and said, "Your humble servant obeys your command."

In the imperial study.

"Your humble servant pays his respects to the Emperor." Lord Xu felt somewhat uneasy.

"No need to be polite!" Xiao Chengjin sat at the table and ordered to Lin, the chief steward, "Give Master Xu a seat."

Chief Steward Lin bowed and replied, "I obey your command."

Two young eunuchs hurriedly brought a seat.

Lord Xu looked at the seat beside him and bowed to Xiao Chengjin, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the seat."

After he took his seat, he asked cautiously, "I wonder what orders the Emperor has for you?"

Xiao Chengjin coughed lightly and said bluntly, "I summoned Master Xu here because I wanted to arrange for him to renovate the Father-in-law's Mansion and the First Imperial Merchant Mansion."

Mr. Xu: "..."

When did these two mansions appear in the capital?

Is that the father-in-law?

The Queen is not with Jiang Qinian...

Xiao Chengjin naturally knew what Lord Xu was thinking.

He coughed lightly and said seriously, "The First Imperial Merchants Mansion is opposite the Jiang Mansion... The Father-in-law's Mansion and the Imperial Merchants Mansion are next to each other."

"Once the repairs are completed, I will arrange for someone to deliver the imperially bestowed gold plaque."

As soon as these words were spoken, Lord Xu immediately understood.

The Father-in-Law's Mansion belongs to the Prince Consort, and the Imperial Merchant's Mansion should belong to the Empress's maternal grandfather.

It needs to be repaired.

Lord Xu quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will handle this matter well."

Xiao Chengjin nodded slightly.

Lord Xu thought that it would cost a lot of money to renovate both mansions!

Thinking of this, Lord Xu asked with a stiff upper lip: "Your Majesty, the cost of repairs..."

Before Xiao Chengjin could speak, Chief Steward Lin reminded him with a smile, "Your Majesty, the Empress has the final say in our family."

Xiao Chengjin, who was about to say "smuggling warehouse", curled his lips and said, "I will ask the Queen for repair expenses. Sir Xu, don't worry about the cost."

Mr. Xu: "......"

I seem to have heard something extraordinary.

The emperor seems a little...henpecked.

"I understand," Lord Xu said calmly.

Xiao Chengjin looked at Lord Xu's expression, curled his lips and said, "Lord Xu, please step down!"

I usually don't let others know about my private affairs.

After leaving the palace, you can quietly publicize it appropriately.

Lord Xu stood up, knelt down and saluted, saying, "I will take my leave!"

Xiao Chengjin nodded and picked up the memorial in front of him to read it.

After Lord Xu left, Little Phoenix landed outside the Golden Palace with a food box.

Following Jiang Ruo's instructions, it said in an unhappy tone, "Hey, your loving breakfast is here."

Xiao Chengjin looked up at the little phoenix and food box outside the hall, then put down the memorial in his hand.

Why didn’t Ruoruo come?

He stood up and walked quickly into the hall.

"Xiaofeng, where is Ruoruo?"

Little Phoenix looked at Xiao Chengjin with disdain, and complained in his heart: All he knows is Ruo Ruo, Ruo Ruo...

Ruoruo doesn't belong to you alone.

"My sister asked me to tell you that you should handle the government affairs well, and we can go out of the palace for a walk to relax." Little Phoenix said with a proud look on her face.

After Manager Lin followed out, he quickly took the food box into the hall.

Xiao Chengjin: "......"

Go out of the palace to relax?

That’s a good idea.

"Xiaofeng, go back and tell Ruoruo to have fun outside the palace and be careful." I arrived soon after.

Seeing Xiao Chengjin being so "well-behaved", the little phoenix snorted softly, spread its wings and flew away.

If you dare not listen to your sister, you will be divorced!