Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Qin Jingyao

Throughout history, emperors ascended the throne after many bloody struggles, but the current emperor's succession to the throne was a coincidence and unexpected.

During the reign of Emperor Wusheng, he ruled the country as a tyrant and made arbitrary decisions. Even in his old age, he still delayed appointing a crown prince and watched his princes fight overtly and secretly.

During the five years, the kings plotted against each other, slandered each other in public, and poisoned each other in secret, which eventually led to the rift between brothers and bloodshed in the palace.

Emperor Wu Sheng sat firmly on the throne, intending to select the best, but he ignored the overwhelming temptation of the supreme throne that was just one step away from him.

The sixteen princes had long since turned against each other and were fighting to the death. Their methods were so cruel that people were caught off guard. If it weren't for the fact that Emperor Wu Sheng still had the majesty and the military power in his hands, there would have been no shortage of these princes who dared to force the emperor to abdicate.

From Emperor Wusheng to the court officials, no one could have imagined that these princes, who had used various means to fight for the throne, would fight each other, and some would be deposed by Emperor Wusheng, some would die in assassinations, and some would be imprisoned. In the end, no one would win.

Emperor Wu Sheng thought he controlled the world, but he forgot about birth, old age, sickness and death. Even he, the king of a country, was helpless. When he was bedridden and wanted to entrust the country to his father, he discovered that the only adult prince left was the seventeenth prince, who had been away from the vortex of fighting and was as invisible as a person.

The remaining princes are either still in their infancy or are too young to be grown.

If the ruler is young, the country will be in doubt.

Emperor Wu Sheng was well aware of the imperial ambitions and would never allow his kingdom, which he had conquered through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, to be bullied by his ministers and have the opportunity to steal the throne.

Therefore, the tallest one among the short ones was chosen, and the glorious throne fell on the head of the current emperor in such a ridiculous way.

Emperor Wu Sheng, despite his illness and the pain of losing his son in his old age, reluctantly taught him some of the techniques of ruling the country, but died with regret.

The current successor is orthodox and legitimate, which is well known and beyond doubt.

However, because the late emperor particularly favored the 20th prince in his later years, there were rumors that the late emperor had said that the 20th prince should succeed to the throne. However, the 20th prince suddenly disappeared on the eve of the current emperor's ascension to the throne, as if to confirm the rumors.

This cast a shadow over the emperor's impeccable reputation.

After all, before he ascended the throne, the current emperor was virtually invisible. Compared with the favored twentieth prince, the latter had a greater chance of becoming the emperor.

Thus, the reputation of the current orthodoxy, which was originally impeccable, was tainted by rumors of usurpation that came from nowhere. For a time, the court seemed to be on the verge of a storm.

Fortunately, the current emperor had already ascended the throne by then, but the 20th prince had disappeared without a trace. Although some people speculated that the emperor had assassinated him, even if some people believed the evil words, the root of the power to establish something was gone, so naturally he could not achieve anything.

Although the emperor did not have the qualities of a hegemon, he was able to accept advice with an open mind and was willing to be a king who maintained the status quo. Although he had not made any major achievements in the past 30 years, he had ensured peace in the world and the people lived in safety.

However, due to his mediocre talent, he never received the emperor's favor, and was even neglected because his elder brothers were all outstanding.

The mother died at birth, and the concubines in the palace had no shortage of princes, so no one adopted them. The palace servants took care of him, but they were inevitably not attentive enough, and his health was damaged.

In addition, he suddenly took on a heavy responsibility, worked hard day and night, and exhausted his energy and blood, and even fell seriously ill, which resulted in a loss of half of his energy.

He and the Empress were married in the palace, and they had a deep relationship, but it was difficult for them to have children. Later, when he took concubines, there was only one legitimate son born to the Empress ten years ago in the whole palace. In order to avoid the danger of the succession struggle during the reign of Emperor Wu Sheng, he was made the crown prince as soon as he was born.

The emperor is past the age of knowing his fate and his health is declining, while the crown prince is only nine years old. To ensure the stability of the country, it is necessary to select a loyal minister for the crown prince, who can assist him in the daily affairs and also be entrusted with the care of the orphan in times of crisis.

This man was known to all the civil and military officials in the court. He was not a tutor of the Crown Prince, nor was he a member of the Guo family, a relative of the royal family. Instead, he was the eldest son of the third-rank Guanglu Temple Minister Tan Fu.

This child lost his mother at a young age and was often taken to the palace to be educated. He was deeply loved by the emperor and empress, who regarded him as their half-son. At the age of sixteen, he took the imperial examination incognito and won the first place. In ten years, he was promoted step by step from Qingshan Lang to Zhongshu Shilang of the third rank, and temporarily served as the Grand Marshal of the Army.

The most talented among the court and the people are called half court.

Tan Jingyao.

*

The man opposite had frosty eyes, his brows sharp as blades as he lowered his gaze to sip his tea, his forehead full and round like a jade pendant, his nose as steep as a solitary peak. He was truly pure, aloof, and unparalleled in the world.

His figure is as slender as a bamboo, and his bearing is as calm as snow. When he holds the cup, his knuckles are like jade, and when he flicks his sleeves, the folds of his clothes are like the wind. His every move shows his elegance.

However, who could have imagined that such a handsome man, at the age of twenty, would be so calm and composed that he would be able to destroy the powerful ministers of the nine clans who were all over the government and the country.

It took seven days to complete the beheading. The thick, murderous smell of blood lingered for three months before it faded. The floor tiles where the heads had fallen were pried up and embedded in the area where the palace gate had to pass. Soon, dark red marks were worn out. When the nobles and officials passed by the palace gate, they all held their breath and kept silent.

The fact that the official position was left vacant without being filled should have caused unrest in the government and the country, but it was like snow in a furnace, melting away in an instant.

From then on, the whole court was silent.

His ruthless and decisive handling of affairs frightened people, and his outstanding talent in governing the country won everyone's admiration.

The light glance from his eyes was as light as nothing, yet it felt like a mountain pressing down on his head. Lu Tingwen came back to his senses with a start, and the back of his neck felt like a fully drawn bowstring, so tight that it hurt.

When those eyes moved away and he relaxed for a long time, he felt a numbness in his back and a faint trace of sweat on his forehead. Thinking about what he wanted to answer, his forehead tightened again and he shook his head and said, "The masters of Kunshan said that Jiang Lang's talent has run out and he dare not show his ugliness. So he has put down his pen and will not see any more guests."

Wu Shenyu, a famous scholar in Kunshan, was good at writing articles and policy proposals, and was also an excellent calligrapher and painter. A piece of his calligraphy and painting was worth a fortune, but he once declared that he would never enter the officialdom.

Later, the imperial court sent an envoy to recruit him, but he refused. His reputation of not seeking fame and fortune soon spread throughout the world. Therefore, although he had no official position, he was very famous in Yuqing.

However, the reputation and good reputation are true, the indifference to fame and fortune is also true, the arrogance based on talent is true, and the stubbornness and self-righteousness are even more true.

Quan Jizong and his followers committed treason and attempted to usurp the throne. Although they failed, they were not far off. The punishment of his entire clan was indeed what they deserved. However, some scholars and writers are self-righteous even before they have encountered a sharp edge. They forget their reasons when they get a little praise.

He secretly complained about the injustice done to the nine clans of the criminals, but dared not point it out to the emperor directly. He then put the blame of wanton killing and brutality on the head of the general, and then he regarded himself as noble and flatly refused.

I'm afraid you've forgotten that even powerful people like the prime minister were dealt with by the person in front of you. How dare a commoner like you be so arrogant?

Don't you know that the world is so vast, and there are so many talented people, and there are so many people who are even more famous than you in calligraphy and painting?

"Since that's the case, then let no one disturb his peace. My father loves quiet, and I think I'll be like him. Yuqing City is a place of outstanding people and famous scholars. I'll trouble Brother Zihuai to take the trouble to ask for the painting."

Yuqing Lake is located in the mountains outside the city. The cliffs stand tall, casting rugged reflections in the water. When the wind blows, the blue waves sparkle like a jewel pavement, shining beautifully.

The boat slowly sails on the lake, and the clear water vapor and the fragrance of grass and trees carried by the wind fill the nostrils.

A few feet away, a small boat followed in the distance. On the boat, musicians played the piano and the flute. The clear sounds lingered and echoed among the mountains and winding waters, making the sound more ethereal and clear.

As the boat passes by, you can only hear the sound of water splashing, like the sound of a ringing jade pendant. Occasionally, you can hear the chirping of birds, their clear voices blending with the clear sounds of mountains and rivers, adding a bit of interest to the forest and springs.

The sun is warm, and the shadow of the boat eaves is slightly covered, making people feel relaxed and comfortable.

Qin Jingyao put down the porcelain cup, his tone was calm, and his expression did not show any displeasure at being rejected.

She leaned leisurely on the sandalwood chaise longue, placed her hands on the armrests, closed her eyes, and watched the chaise sway gently as the boat cut through the water. Her clothes fluttered in the wind, she looked elegant and leisurely.

The emperor is in poor health. The territory conquered by Wu Sheng Emperor is vast and the frontier towns are well-armed. The emperor is too powerful to handle it. It is inevitable that there will be people like Quan Jizong.

Qin Jingyao held the power of commanding the army, so it was inevitable that he would patrol the garrisons on behalf of the emperor. In the past two years, he had been inspecting the various armies, traveling thousands of miles. He said he was visiting a friend, but in fact, the emperor felt sorry for his hard work and issued a special decree, ordering him to stay here temporarily to recuperate before returning to the court.

The emperor's painting skills were slightly inferior, but he was very fond of this art. Yuqing has always been a literary garden. Since Qin Jingyao came to this place, he would naturally invite famous artists.

However, we should choose the best, not the right person. As for other people's thoughts, they are really not worth mentioning.

He seemed calm and composed, but from then on, there was no one from the Kunshan family anymore in Yuqing. Not only were all the efforts of several years destroyed in one day, but the future of his family members was also affected and ruined.

This one word will make a person famous.

This is the fate, day and night, ups and downs are hard to predict.

Lu Tingwen sighed in his heart, but he did not feel regretful. He was just a person who had forgotten his own reasons and it was all his own fault.

Gazing at the beautiful scenery, he felt a sense of relief. Turning to look at his relaxed profile, he mused, "In Yuqing City, when it comes to calligraphy and painting, Mr. Wei is undoubtedly the best. It's just that he's not good at socializing, his works aren't often published, and he doesn't like being criticized or discussed, which is why he's rarely known."

"He is a humble, sincere, and kind person, and behaves with courtesy. Everything he produces is of the highest quality. He is truly a man of both talent and virtue."

Qin Jingyao closed his eyes and said calmly, "Those who truly deserve the title of sir deserve it."

Lu Tingwen already knew what was going on. He said he would send the invitation tomorrow, then smiled and said, "Brother Gu Yan has been in Yuqing for over two months now, but he has been elusive since the welcoming banquet. Those wealthy families can't find you, but they are about to break down my house."

"A few days ago, Chengying also sent a letter, saying that it was a rare opportunity for you to take some time off from your busy schedule and that you felt very comfortable. He wanted to ask for leave to come. I have already written back to stop him. Otherwise, if he had come, your leisure time would have been over."

The friend Qin Jingyao was visiting this time was Lu Tingwen. Not to mention that the latter was the governor of this place, even out of friendship with the host, he should pay extra attention to his news. Although he did not make a big fuss this time, he did not deliberately conceal it either.

These days, he has been traveling with his beautiful lady, enjoying the scenery, and he is so carefree and uninhibited that he has been seen by countless people.

Besides being surprised, I couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

Qin Jingyao's current power is not only due to his talent that wins the support of the people, but also due to the support of the emperor. When the prince ascends the throne in the future, he will be a sharp weapon that can suppress the court officials and stabilize the court.

This road is unstoppable, but also extremely dangerous, and there is the danger of hidden bows.

However, some were to flatter the emperor, some were to admire his talent, and from a young age, all the sons of noble families gathered around him.

Gentlemen choose their friends, and now they all achieve success.

Civil servants, military officers, and businessmen, with close friends all over the world,

In the current situation, the Crown Prince is still young, and Qin Jingyao is already fully grown. Even if the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future, whether the monarch and his ministers are suspicious of each other or not, the situation will be as stable as Mount Tai.

If you can make friends with them, you will get great benefits.

However, he was frightened by his reputation and was hesitant to go up and disturb him. Instead, he went to Lu Tingwen and asked him about it in a tactful way.

If Fu Chengying were here, he would have asked directly and frankly, but Lu Tingwen was a gentleman who was self-disciplined and respectful. No matter how surprised he was, he would not make fun of a woman's reputation, so he only mentioned it in passing.

If he wants to talk, you can respond calmly.

If you don't want to mention it, that's fine. With his current status, there's really no need for him to talk about a woman all the time.

Qin Jingyao still hadn't opened his eyes, his tone was calm and casual: "You did the right thing. He is the Lieutenant General of the Imperial Guards, guarding the Imperial City. He holds an important position. How could he leave his post so easily?"

"Yuqing is under the jurisdiction of Brother Mingyuan. I am just visiting a friend on my own time. There is no need to come looking for him."

Lu Tingwen lowered his eyes and poured himself a cup of Mingxuechun tea. He sipped it slowly, sighed silently, and said with a smile: "Since you are visiting a friend, I should be the host and do my best to show my hospitality."

"It just so happens that the day after tomorrow is the annual Dragon Boat Festival in Yuqing City. I have specially prepared a seat by the water for Brother Gu Yan. When the time comes, all the people in the city will gather, gongs and drums will be deafening, and everyone will cheer. It will be extremely lively."

"In the past, I was mostly in Longshuo as a director or on patrol, either busy with official duties or alone in meditation. Now that I have put everything aside and come here to rest, wouldn't it be a pity to miss such a grand event?"

She is lively and cheerful, and she will definitely like the excitement of the dragon boat race. When she sees him, she will definitely pull his arm and jump for joy.

Thinking of her lively and lively appearance, the lake breeze happened to touch my face, and the cool breath penetrated my chest, as if it went straight to the bottom of my heart, spreading a soft ripple.

The thought that came up subconsciously made a happy arc on the lips, and then quietly disappeared.

Qin Jingyao opened his eyelids slightly and looked towards the sky and water. The look in his eyes was just like the mountains and rivers, quiet, distant and unfathomable.