Chapter 41

His Majesty's voice did sound slightly, unconcealably weak, and he spoke very slowly.

When he spoke, the room was very quiet and no one dared to breathe too heavily, for fear of affecting the capture of information.

Zhu Fu, who had just been reborn, had not seen it, but the Zhu brothers had seen the emperor speaking in his healthy period at various ceremonies on their home planet. He looked majestic and holy, like a god descending to the earth.

That's why something seems wrong today.

The adults were all wondering at the same time, is His Majesty seriously ill?

Will it affect...what?

But children don't care about those details. Although His Majesty's voice is very nice, it doesn't have much appeal to him.

Instead, when Zhu Zhengde answered, the general waved at him and said, "Come."

He doesn't seem to have any bad intentions.

As the embodiment and condensation of evil, Zhu Fu is best at distinguishing the good and evil in others.

And Xu Tieren was at least "kind" when it came to him.

Fu Fu jumped off the chair holding the little doll and walked over.

The child was not shy and didn't stop until the doll touched Xu Tieren's knee, then looked up at him with a smiling face.

Xu Tieren couldn't help but smile: "What's your name?"

The kitten replied in a baby voice: "My name is Fu-Fu-"

"Fufu, what a lovely name. How old are you?"

"I'm going to sleep!" The kitten raised the doll's arm with only three fingers, looking very proud.

"It's already this big, that's amazing." The general praised.

Xu Tieren's voice was gentle, completely inconsistent with his serious appearance that clearly showed that he was a soldier.

He was quite good at coaxing children, which made Zhu Fu unconsciously feel close to him.

In the next few dozen minutes, Xu Tieren did not participate in the discussion between the emperor and the Zhu father and son, and played with him wholeheartedly.

Until it was time to leave, it was Fu Fu who was reluctant to leave.

The light curtain still remained there, and the emperor did not show up from beginning to end.

Xu Tieren escorted several people out of the room. He was holding Fu Fu in his arms. After handing her to Zhu Zhengde, he reached out and touched the boy's hair.

"This child has a good personality and is not shy about strangers."

Zhu Zhengde should have been very happy when someone praised his grandson, who was in such a high position. It would have been more in line with his style to curry favor with the general in time.

But the old man looked solemn and just said goodbye politely.

Fu Fu leaned on her grandfather's shoulder and watched Xu Tieren waving at him from where he stood.

He looked at him as if he had seen him somewhere before.

It is a thought that contains heartache, urgency, and the desire to meet again.

It was not until a long time after leaving that Fu Fu realized why that look was so familiar when she met Si Yin and others on the subway back to the capital area.

It was the same when Siqin first saw him on the terrace of the sanatorium.

It is understandable that Siqin mistook him for her own young son who died young at that time.

Why did Xu Tieren look at him like this?

Could it be that he also had a little son who is no longer with us?

Once this thought appears, it is difficult to suppress it.

Fu Fu felt a little ridiculous.

Is it because he lost his father at a young age in his previous life and grew up as an orphan with no one to rely on, so fate asked him to live again and everyone wants to adopt him as their son?

Although he also knew that he was dazzling and popular no matter where he was.

But it's still quite outrageous.

"So, what exactly does His Majesty want to see you about?"

After returning to the resort in the capital area, Zhu Zhengde and Sally temporarily stayed at Zhu Shaoquan's place.

After settling the pianist, the two families gathered together and Sally asked with concern.

Zhu Zhengde frowned and said, "It's a big deal."

The Zhu Xiyuan brothers were not aware of this because Zhu Zhengde was the only one who stayed behind to listen to the last few words.

Everyone's eyes were focused on Zhu Zhengde, including Zhu Xiaofu, who was sitting on his lap and crunching biscuits.

Zhu Zhengde helped him catch the biscuit crumbs and slowly said to the adults, "Three days later, His Majesty will announce that General Xu will be the new marshal."

"What?!"

Everyone was equally surprised.

Sally stood up subconsciously.

When she was the Chief Medical Officer, she had treated both His Majesty and the Marshal, and she knew how close the two men were.

Or maybe the word "close" isn't enough to describe their relationship.

Some people boldly joked that the relationship between the emperor and the general of the empire was not just an iron wall, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was like the love between a couple.

However, there have been rumors recently that there are some misunderstandings and conflicts between the two. What's worse, some people say that the marshal wants to lead his subordinates to leave the empire and set up his own business.

No one believed it at first. After all, the two men had joined hands to conquer the country, one attacking and the other defending, and they cooperated with each other in perfect harmony.

Now that the Empire has become a powerful country renowned throughout the Alpha Quadrant, what reason is there for disagreement?

Later, someone discovered that the marshal had not been to the palace for several days and had been drinking at home all day to drown his sorrows.

You know, he used to be eager to live in the palace, but it was because His Majesty said that this was inappropriate that he had to build his own Marshal's Mansion.

Ordinary couples will quarrel, let alone the two supreme rulers of the empire. It is normal to have some conflicts occasionally.

Everyone says so.

But...but His Majesty actually wants to replace the Marshal?!

Sally's voice trembled a little: "How could...how could this happen?"

Zhu Xiyuan frowned: "The Marshal..."

Zhu Zhengde shook his head. "I don't know about that. His Majesty only said that he would make an announcement about General Xu. It's a matter of great importance, and all the cabinet members will be there. By then, some of my old colleagues may also be replaced. His Majesty wanted to see you two today to see if there are any successors."

Zhu Shaoquan was stunned for a moment: "But my brother and I are both working in other industries?"

"I've told him that, but he insists. Perhaps His Majesty has his own considerations. Anyway, you must be there in three days." Zhu Zhengde's eyes were like those of a hawk, slowly moving across their faces. "If, and I mean if, His Majesty designates one of you to take over my position, you cannot refuse, understand? This will be broadcast live to the entire Star Network."

The two brothers were silent, each with his own thoughts.

Zhu Xiyuan was not willing to get involved in court affairs. He preferred to do the research he loved, so that the drawings he created with his own hands could eventually be thrown into the sea of ​​stars; in his spare time, he would spend time with his family. That was the life he wanted.

But Zhu Shaoquan is different.

The reason why he did not directly succeed Zhu Zhengde was not because he did not want to, but simply because he was not qualified.

The situation in the empire is currently turbulent. Rather than whether they have real talents and skills, His Majesty probably values ​​whether they can cultivate true confidants more.

Although His Majesty is the supreme ruler now, the Marshal—soon to be the former Marshal—holds command of the Imperial Army, and most of the Imperial Army has fought under him through thick and thin and has great trust in him.

It is hard to say what the situation will become if these two people really turn against each other.

His Majesty trusts Zhu Zhengde and the Zhu family, and also wants to cultivate the descendants of the Zhu family into his own people.

Zhu Shaoquan pondered it carefully and came to the conclusion that the person favored by His Majesty must be himself, and definitely not Zhu Xiyuan.

——It was a great opportunity to reach the top in one step, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He must not miss it!

While several people in the room were immersed in their own thoughts with different expressions, Zhu Shaoquan secretly glanced at Zhu Xiyuan.

In those strange dreams, he and Zhu Xiyuan could be considered competitors in their previous life.

Among the many servants of God, only the best one can be chosen as the Son of God, becoming the one closest to God and being revered by thousands of people from then on.

Zhu Xiyuan was the most perfect servant of God that everyone agreed upon at the time, and he was only one step away from being the almighty Son of God.

Until his affair with the leader of the Paladins was exposed, the seeds of sin had already been sown.

The relationship between two men is dirty, not to mention that they have a child. It must be evil and will tarnish the majesty of God, who will bring down His wrath to punish the world.

Only by killing the source can His wrath be extinguished.

So, five-year-old Zhu Fu watched her fathers being burned to death at the stake.

Within a few days, Zhu Shaoquan became the new Son of God and reaped the benefits.

Is this life-and-death struggle going to happen again in this life?

Zhu Shaoquan's expression darkened.

Long before he inherited these memories from thousands of years ago, he and Zhu Xiyuan had already been at odds with each other.

Maybe this is fate. No matter how many times I try, I will end up in the same situation.

When he focused all his attention on his brother, he didn't notice that there was a pair of eyes staring at him from behind.

Zhu Fu's cat ears moved.

Cats have a well-developed sense of smell, perhaps even too well-developed.

In this seemingly quiet night, he actually smelled a hint of gunpowder.

For the background of the split between the emperor and the general, those who are interested can read the main text + preface of Chapter 104 of "Curing the Little Zombie and Raising the Spoiled Mermaid Baby to Become a Popular Empire" and Chapter 63 of "The Hungry Dragon Baby Comes to the Door"

Not reading it will not affect the reading of the following text~