I wish to be the sword at my waist
The emperor was accidentally injured during the autumn hunt, which shocked the government and the country.
The Beishuo delegation is still lingering in the palace, watching with eager eyes. The court must not show any sign of panic at this moment.
Inside the bedroom, light filtered through the window lattices, casting blurry spots on the golden bricks.
On the dragon couch, the emperor leaned on the thick cushion, and his carefully fixed right leg was particularly eye-catching.
Everyone in the hall stood with their hands hanging down, their eyes vaguely glancing at the outline. The emperor was old and injured, and power had to be temporarily transferred.
The queen sat upright beside the couch, her eyes calm.
Concubine Yu was holding a bowl of warm medicine, standing behind the Queen with her eyelashes drooping. Only she knew how cold her fingers were holding the bowl.
In front of the couch, the Crown Prince, Prince Yong, Duke Dingguo, Wang Shoufu and other important ministers stood in silence, no one said anything.
The emperor's gaze swept across the crowd, finally stopping at the crown prince's face. After a moment's silence, he slowly spoke, "I'm seriously injured. The imperial physician says I need to rest for some time."
He paused, "Of course, the legacy of our ancestors, the country, and the people, cannot be without someone in charge for even a day. I've thought about it again and again..."
His gaze briefly passed over Yong Wang Ning Yanli, then finally returned to the Crown Prince. "The Crown Prince is benevolent, wise, and experienced, and can relieve me of my worries. From this day forward, all matters, both internal and external, will be decided by the Crown Prince. In case of any critical military or national affairs, he will present them to me for my review."
He tilted his head slightly and looked at General Pan Wei: "Mr. Pan, you are in charge of the defense of the capital and are responsible to the Crown Prince."
"I obey your command! I will protect the capital and the imperial palace and live up to the trust of Your Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" Pan Wei clasped his fists and spoke in a resounding voice.
The emperor's gaze shifted to Prime Minister Wang: "Lord Wang, you are experienced and capable ministers who are willing to assist me wholeheartedly."
"I accept your command." Prime Minister Wang bowed deeply. "Your Majesty is wise and wise, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is gifted, intelligent, benevolent, and diligent. He will surely be able to manage the overall situation and stabilize the people's hearts. However, Your Majesty's health is the foundation of the country. I hope you will take good care of yourself."
The emperor nodded slightly, and his gaze finally fell on Prince Yong.
"Prince Yong," the emperor said calmly but with consideration, "you will assist the Crown Prince."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's expression changed slightly.
Crown Prince Ning Yanqing's expression remained unchanged, but the hands in his sleeves unconsciously tightened.
"Your son will obey the Imperial Order!" Prince Yong Ning Yanli was shocked, but his reaction was extremely quick. He immediately bowed and said, "I will do my utmost to assist His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and relieve my brother's worries. I will not dare to slack off in the slightest!"
The emperor's gaze returned to the prince, and his expression deepened: "Yan Qing."
"Your son is here." Crown Prince Ning Yanqing stepped forward and bowed in response.
His face was filled with concern and solemnity. "Father, rest assured that you will recover your health. I will do my duty diligently and consult the Prime Minister and other senior officials whenever I encounter any problem. I only hope that Father will recover soon. I still need your guidance."
The emperor looked at the prince, a complex expression flashing across his eyes, a mixture of relief and deeper thought. Ultimately, he simply nodded slightly, closed his eyes, and waved his hand, exhaustion washing over his face like a tide.
"Your Majesty, I will take my leave. May your Majesty be well and safe."
"I will take my leave."
Everyone bowed and left the bedroom one by one.
The palace door closed heavily behind him.
In the corridor, the light was a little brighter and the air seemed to flow more.
Crown Prince Ning Yanqing walked steadily, looking straight ahead, with his shoulders straight, as if he was determined to carry the heavy burden steadily. Prime Minister Wang, Pan Wei and others followed closely behind him.
Prince Yong Ning Yanli lagged behind the group, still walking calmly with a decent smile on his face.
As his eyes swept over the Crown Prince's upright back, he sneered inwardly: "Brother, this honor of regent, this heavy burden, can you handle it steadily? Assistance? With these two light words, Father wants to confine me to the position of assistant forever?"
He took two quick steps, his smile became warm and humble again, and he naturally blended into the queue.
Inside the palace, the Queen and Concubine Yu bowed and took their leave.
Before leaving, Concubine Yu looked back and saw the emperor leaning on the soft pillow with his eyes closed, his face pale. Her eyes turned red and she hurriedly lowered her head and walked out.
The emperor leaned back on the soft pillow and closed his eyes for a long time.
The order to regent has been issued. Although the crown prince is still young, he has the assistance of veteran ministers like Wang Shoufu, and Pan Wei is in charge of the capital, so he should be fine...
Prince Yong, as long as he still has the energy, I believe he will not dare to act rashly.
The emperor took a deep breath and thought of Mingzhu again.
Her red and swollen eyes from crying yesterday appeared before his eyes, and the figure of Concubine Yu leaving with red eyes just now made him feel a stab in his heart. Sacrificing the pearl is the way of the emperor, but the heart-wrenching pain is only known to herself.
There was so little he could do for her.
The emperor opened his eyes again, his eyes filled with deep thought. He looked at Fu An who was standing beside him and said, "Fu An."
"The servant is here."
"Go to the guard post and summon the new top scholar Shen Qingyan."
Sunlight filtered through the heavy window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the deep corridors. Shen Qingyan, dressed in a brand new blue official robe, walked steadily behind the eunuch who led the way.
The echo of the covenant made with Princess Mingzhu under the moon was still lingering, and the divine will came so quickly.
"Master Shen, please wait a moment."
The eunuch who led the way stopped in front of a palace door that was filled with a strong smell of medicine, bowed and whispered.
"Thank you, eunuch." Shen Qingyan nodded slightly.
The palace door opened silently a little, and a strong smell of medicine mixed with the fragrance of agarwood rushed out.
The eunuch gestured sideways.
The light in the bedroom was dim, and the thick curtains blocked out the brightness from the outside world.
On the dragon couch, the emperor half leaned against the bright yellow brocade cushion, his face looking even more gray and pale in the dim light, revealing the weakness of a serious illness. His injured leg was hidden under the brocade quilt, leaving only a heart-pounding bulge outline.
The imperial physician had just stepped aside, and the palace maids carefully served the medicine. The air was filled with the bitter smell of ointment.
He lifted his robe and knelt deeply in obeisance: "Your humble servant, Shen Qingyan, the editor of the Hanlin Academy, pays homage to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor."
"Stand up."
"Please take a seat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace." Shen Qingyan stood up and sat halfway on the embroidered cushion brought by the palace maid. He straightened his back, looked at his nose with his eyes, and looked at his heart with his nose. His posture was extremely respectful.
The emperor's gaze slowly fell on Shen Qingyan, examining him carefully from head to toe. The only sound in the hall was the faint sound of a spoon touching the edge of a bowl.
After a long while, the emperor finally spoke slowly, his voice filled with deep fatigue: "Mr. Shen's talent and reputation were witnessed by me personally at the Qionglin Banquet."
He paused briefly, as if gathering his strength, and said, "Although I was injured in the hunt, you cannot neglect the state affairs of the autumn hunt because of me."
The emperor cast his gaze towards the ceiling of the hall, his gaze filled with profound control. "I want you to write more poems that suit the occasion, describing the colors of autumn and the spirit of youth. More importantly, you must write about the unity of the court and the peace and prosperity of the world. Let the lingering echoes of this grand event resound throughout the capital and spread to the prefectures."
Shen Qingyan's mind was clear. He wanted to use beautiful articles to weave an invisible network of stability to calm the hearts of the people of the world.
He stood up and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty's wisdom is profound. I will do my utmost to use my humble pen to extol the nation's prestige."
"Hmm..." The emperor seemed to want to nod, but his injury aroused his feelings and he frowned.
He waved away Fu'an who was about to step forward and fixed his eyes on Shen Qingyan again.
"Mr. Chen," the emperor said in a low voice, "did Mingzhu come to talk to you last night?"
Shen Qingyan lowered his head, his posture becoming more respectful. "Your Majesty, I happened to meet Her Royal Highness the Princess outside the palace. She is worried about Her Majesty's health and can't stand the noise of the banquet, so we had a brief conversation."
The emperor's gaze lingered on his lowered head for a moment, and he slowly said, "My dear Pearl, your temper is a bit fierce. This time, she has been wronged."
He changed the subject slightly, with a hint of inquiry, "You have read the books of the sages and understand etiquette and morality. In your opinion, what should Mingzhu prioritize when he goes to Beishuo? And how should he cope with the gossips of the world?"
The air in the bedroom suddenly became stagnant.
Shen Qingyan felt a slight chill coming from under his official robe on his back.
He took a deep breath, raised his head, and met the scrutinizing dragon's gaze with a calm and clear gaze. "Your Majesty, the princess is here with the alliance between the two countries. Her every word and action is closely related to the national system of the Southern Dynasty. We share honor and disgrace, happiness and misfortune."
His words were earnest and pointed, "If Beishuo attempts to break the alliance, any small action of Your Highness could be magnified into a crime. Even the most sincere of hearts would be hard to resist. I worry not only about Your Highness's reputation, but also about her innocent slander, which would cast our dynasty into an unjust position and leave us with harsh criticism in the history books of future generations."
The emperor was silent for a long time after hearing this. After a while, he sighed softly: "History is harsh, public opinion is harsh, but Mr. Chen is a wise man."
The hall fell silent again.
The emperor closed his eyes wearily for a moment, and when he opened them again, a deep imperial mind was reflected in his eyes: "Mingzhu, someone recommended you to me, saying that you have talent and are worthy of being employed. I would like to invite you to serve as the Chief Clerk of the Princess's Mansion and assist in the affairs of the Mingzhou Beijia."
The emperor's eyes were as sharp as a needle, staring at Shen Qingyan, "What do you think?"
Shen Qingyan's heart was shocked.
He stood up and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty and Your Highness hold me in high esteem, and I am humbled and apprehensive. The duties of the Mingzhou Beijia are not light. I know only that since I am receiving the emperor's salary, I must serve him loyally. No matter what position I hold, I must always be true to my heart and strive to live up to the trust placed in me."
The emperor's gaze lingered on him for a long time, as if he wanted to see him thoroughly from inside out.
Finally, he slowly said: "Shen Qingyan, remember what you said today, your heart is the measure."
"Mr. Chen, I grant you the position of Chief Clerk of Princess Mingzhu and Deputy Governor of Mingzhou. If you are competent, the title of Deputy will be waived in the future. You, for me and the princess, will take good care of Mingzhou."
"Mingzhu has a stubborn personality and faces a long road ahead. If there is an opportunity, please consider our relationship as a subject, her ability to identify talent and recommend me, and her filial piety in sharing my worries. Mr. Chen, I hope you will do your best to protect her."
The unspoken words weighed heavily in the air, heavier than any intention.
Shen Qingyan met that all-seeing gaze and, without the slightest hesitation, bowed deeply once more: "Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered by you. I will do my best!"
"Well, step back."
The emperor seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He closed his eyes, waved his hand, and fatigue flooded his face like a tide.
"Your humble servant will take his leave." Shen Qingyan bowed respectfully and slowly left the bedroom.
The heavy palace door quietly closed behind him. The cool morning breeze caressed his face, but it couldn't lift the heavy burden from his heart. He stood on the high steps, looking back at the closed palace door.
From the rank of editor to the rank of deputy governor, Princess Mingzhu's words saved him from ten years of sitting on the bench.
The green robe changes to the red robe, only today.
Princess Mingzhu, I am willing to draw the sword at my waist just to kill Lou Lan.
Mingzhou is the base of your life, and it is also the beginning of my mission to save the world and bring peace to the people.
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