The wind blew away the clouds, revealing the moon and stars.
The father and son admired the beautiful night view, looking relaxed and comfortable.
"What do you think of the Ming family?" Emperor Longfeng would not point at an official and tell his son how he would treat him based on his character. People's hearts are fickle, and as a father, he should teach his son to understand people's hearts instead of asking him to obey him in everything.
He hoped to cultivate a wise, decisive and well-informed emperor for the future of Dacheng, rather than a mediocre puppet.
"They know when to advance and when to retreat, and they are loyal and righteous." Prince Chen said without thinking, "The most important thing is that they care about the people."
"It is easy to find talented people, but hard to find good officials." Emperor Longfeng nodded with a smile: "Even if someone can write beautiful articles, it is not as good as someone who can revitalize the country."
"The Ming family is different. They can write good articles and help father govern the country." Prince Chen looked at Emperor Longfeng: "Is that why father values them so much?"
Emperor Longfeng put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Seeing you and the daughter of the Ming family supporting each other and having such a deep affection for each other, I, as a father, have finally let go of my guilt towards the Ming family."
Out of selfish motives, he disregarded the Ming family's wishes and made the girl from the Ming family the Princess of Chen, hoping that Du Qing could learn the responsibility and demeanor of a superior from the Ming family.
Originally, he had chosen the Sun family, but the daughter of the Sun family preferred the fourth son. If he forced her, it would be bad for both sons.
Many members of the royal family will never encounter true love. Most of them spend their lives in confusion with different women, with many wives and concubines, and a bustling and noisy life.
They do not recognize the people around them; they approach them for money or power because they already have it all.
It is because of this that he feels ashamed of the Ming family.
But fate sometimes works miracles. He could never have imagined that the daughter of the Ming family and Du Qing had such a connection.
Prince Chen turned his head to look at Emperor Longfeng. He wondered what kind of image his father had of him that would make him feel guilty about letting him marry the daughter of a minister.
"Why are you looking at me? You have such a bad temper. How many impeachment memorials have I blocked for you?" Emperor Longfeng patted his back, making a slapping sound. "You are such a troublesome thing."
"You can't say that. I was just being chivalrous and righteous." The Prince yawned and said, "Others don't know. You can't wrongly accuse me."
"If I didn't know, how could I let you wander around the capital all day?" Emperor Longfeng laughed out loud. The father and son put their arms around each other's shoulders, looking like good brothers. Anyone who saw them would not believe that they were the emperor of Dacheng and the future crown prince.
"However." Emperor Longfeng looked at his son: "That night, you came back to tell me that you were willing to share your father's worries and become a successful prince. I was very pleased."
"I just..." Prince Chen turned his head slightly, not looking into Emperor Longfeng's eyes: "I just don't want you to stay up late every night reviewing memorials, causing the Queen Mother to worry about you all the time."
"oh?"
"You can be the long live, and I can be the idle prince. It's the best of both worlds."
Qilin Palace.
Bai Shao accepted the thank-you gift from Princess Chen and went to the main hall to bid farewell to her.
"Where are you going, sister?" Jiuzhu looked at Bai Shao, who was less than 30 years old but already looked very old: "Why don't you stay in Qilin Palace? Sister's tea is delicious."
Bai Shao refused without a second thought: "Princess, I was once a maidservant to Concubine Ning and the Fourth Prince. I cannot serve in Qilin Palace."
Rumors are scary. If she stayed in Qilin Palace, others would think that everything that Concubine Ning and the Fourth Prince encountered might be the plot of the Fifth Prince, and she was the spy sent by the Fifth Prince.
The ceremony of enthroning the fifth prince as crown prince is approaching, so why should she bring shame to the two of them?
"I am already old, and I am unable to get pregnant due to my injuries. It is not easy for me to remarry after leaving the palace. I beg the princess to grant me a favor and allow me to work as a maid in the clothing department." Bai Shao wanted to kowtow to Jiuzhu, but she held her back. She looked at Princess Chen, who was squatting in front of her and looking at her at eye level, and smiled faintly: "It will be my honor to add a stitch to the princess's clothes in the future."
"Okay." Jiuzhu raised her head and greeted Yang Yidu who was standing beside her: "Eunuch Yang, is there anything that the clothing department needs?"
Yang Yiduo said, "Yesterday, a Dian Yu from the Shangyi Bureau got into trouble, and her position is currently vacant."
"Then arrange for Sister Bai Shao to go. She is a fifth-rank palace maid, so she can fill this vacancy." Jiuzhu helped Bai Shao up and said to Yang Yiduo, "You will personally send Sister Bai Shao there tomorrow. Don't let the people below bully her just because she is a stranger."
"Princess, you can't..."
"Sister, Your Highness and I never care about how others see us. We just want to have a clear conscience." Jiuzhu smiled at her: "You can sleep peacefully in Qilin Palace tonight, and don't worry about anything else."
If you can't even do what you want, what's the point of being a human being?
"Thank you, Princess." Bai Shao did not bow until she walked out of the main hall gate. Then, where Jiuzhu couldn't see her, she knelt and bowed in her direction.
She was very sorry.
It's a pity that I didn't meet a master like Princess Chen when I entered the palace at a young age.
Looking up at the bright moon in the sky, she smiled.
It’s good this way, her life finally had a good ending.
In the main hall of Sun's mansion sat several officials with solemn expressions. Their faces looked particularly uneasy under the candlelight.
"Lord Sun, please tell me something. Are we going to let the Fifth Prince be the Crown Prince?" The official who was speaking was wearing a green robe and frowned with worry. "Over the years, Prince Chen has been willful and absurd. We have impeached him. If he ascends the throne in the future, we old bones will not be afraid, but we are afraid that our descendants will be implicated by us and have no place to display their talents."
"That's right." A gray-robed official continued, "Before the Zheng family lost power, Zheng Wangnan offended the prince with his words, and was punished by him to study calligraphy in the children's enlightenment class, which was a complete disgrace. Those of us who impeached him are not thorns in his eyes and flesh."
Lord Sun raised his eyelids and glanced at the gray-clothed official who was speaking, but still said nothing.
"Lord Sun, it is said that the daughter of the king and Princess Chen are not on good terms. You should think carefully about what to do in the future." The gray-robed official saw Lord Sun looking at him and hurriedly continued to persuade him, "Your son has been working in other places for many years. You must find a way to transfer back to the capital."
Lord Sun found the words a bit disgusting. Although he was mediocre and not as talented as his ancestors, he was not so ignorant that he could not even hear the intention to sow discord.
The ancestors of the Sun family have produced many loyal ministers and capable generals. If he goes against the emperor because of personal grudges, he is afraid that a hundred years later, he will be scolded by his ancestors.
What's more, the Prince of Chen is not as bad as the outside world says.
If he really acted recklessly, why would he ask Princess Chen to plead for his daughter?
"Your Highness Prince Chen has a pure heart and is kindhearted. I think that Prince Chen is the best candidate for the crown prince." Lord Sun stood up and bowed deeply to the people present. "Please forgive me, Lords. I don't think there is anything wrong with this matter."
"you……"
No one present had ever imagined that the man surnamed Sun would actually speak for Prince Chen. Over the years, the man surnamed Sun had written many memorials impeaching Prince Chen.
"I never thought that Lord Sun would have the chance to speak for Prince Chen one day. I wonder if Prince Chen will remember Lord Sun's service to the emperor after he ascends the throne, or will he remember Lord Sun's impeachment all these years?" The official in gray had not expected such a result and walked away in anger.
"Alas." The green-robed official sighed, "Brother Sun, you are confused."
The Sun family was unwilling to marry the prince of Chen at first, and they also impeached his words and deeds. All these things, one after another, how could they not make the prince hate them?
"Gentlemen, I feel bad for the Prince of Chen. His Royal Highness the Prince of Chen is indeed the best candidate for the crown prince. Please put aside your old prejudices and stop finding fault with the Prince of Chen." Lord Sun bowed to the crowd, begging them not to cause trouble for the Prince of Chen. "It was all my fault in the past. Please, for my sake, don't mention the appointment of the crown prince at the morning court tomorrow."
Everyone fell silent, and one of them spoke up, "Can you guarantee that the King of Chen will not take revenge on us after he takes the throne?"
"Don't you understand that even if we object, His Majesty will not change his mind?" Lord Sun advised, "Why not go with the flow and keep some favors?"
"To be honest, our Sun family owes Prince Chen a big favor." Lord Sun told the story of Prince Chen and Princess Chen pleading for his daughter.
"Please think about this, my Lords. If the Prince of Chen is really a vindictive person, why would he and Princess Chen plead for my daughter when His Majesty is furious?"
"We understand what you mean." Several officials have known Mr. Sun for many years and know that he will not fool them. After struggling for a long time, they said, "We will go back and think about this matter carefully."
After they returned home, they tossed and turned until midnight and went to the morning court with dark circles under their eyes.
Then, when the emperor praised Prince Chen, they gritted their teeth and were the first to stand up and praise Prince Chen.
Since they are going to do a favor, they might as well do it thoroughly. At least let the King know that they have done him a favor.
The gray-robed official's face turned extremely ugly last night. How come these people changed their tune in just one night? What did the man surnamed Sun say to them?
He thought about it and did not dare to stand up alone and oppose the emperor.
All the court officials were shocked to see that these officials who loved to impeach Prince Chen for no reason were the first to stand up and praise Prince Chen.
These people have bad tempers and are stubborn. What methods did Your Majesty use to make them change their ways?
Emperor Longfeng was also surprised. These people had always been dissatisfied with his Du Qing in various ways. Most of the memorials impeaching Du Qing came from them. However, considering that they were all talented people, Emperor Longfeng had never made things too difficult for them.
What's going on today?
They don't seem like the kind of people who change with the wind.
However, in the harem, some people were looking forward to the officials opposing the grand occasion of enthroning Prince Chen as the Crown Prince.
"Is the court still lively today?"
As long as there are enough people who oppose it, there will be hidden dangers even if Yun Duqing becomes the crown prince.
"master……"
The young palace maid knelt before her and said, "Everyone in the court is full of praise for the Prince, and no one objects."
"What?" She stood up: "Impossible."
She specially arranged people to stir up their jealousy and dissatisfaction towards Prince Chen. How could they still praise Prince Chen in the court?
"Useless piece of trash." She had wasted so much energy on helping him climb to the position of a fourth-rank official, but he couldn't even do such a small thing.
"Your Majesty, something bad has happened." An eunuch came running in, "There are rumors in the palace that..."
"What?"
"It is said that His Royal Highness Prince Huai is not your and Your Majesty's biological child."
"Nonsense!" Concubine Xu's face changed drastically, and she was furious: "Who dares to spread rumors about the royal bloodline?!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
