Chapter 121 Autumn Hunt
Upon hearing this, the Emperor burst into laughter.
"Very good! I am very pleased that Heng-ge'er has such lofty ambitions."
At this moment, his youngest son, Qi Xi, who was about ten years old, came over and said he would give him the cheetah. Although it was just a child's joke, it still made him very happy.
He bent down and picked up his beloved youngest son, Qi Xi, saying, "Oh dear, when Xi-ge grows up, he'll hunt leopards for his father, okay?"
“Good! Father, I will not only hunt leopards for you, but also tigers and brown bears. Whatever Father wants, I can hunt it for you.”
"You little brat, you're so arrogant?"
The emperor reached out and gently pinched his little nose.
Consort Liu smiled, stepped forward, and reached out to hug him: "Your Majesty, Xi-ge'er has grown so much. Don't you find it heavy to hold him in your arms?"
The emperor dodged her hand and laughed, "Hey, no matter how heavy he is, he's still my son. Besides, Xi-ge'er is so filial, it's no big deal for me to hold him for a while."
Seeing the emperor so happy, his close ministers and concubines quickly echoed his sentiments.
The joyous atmosphere on one side made the empress and crown prince on the other side appear exceptionally desolate.
Seeing his sister so impatient, Qiu Yanwen, who was standing beside her, couldn't help but advise, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has finally found this mood, you should share in his joy."
Qiu Lingyao was even angrier when she heard her brother say that, but she understood the reasoning behind it.
She turned to her son Qi Heng and said, "Heng-ge'er, your mother believes you will win the prize and make your father happy."
Qi Heng lowered her eyes slightly and said in a soft voice, "Mother, isn't Father happy enough? I think that's enough."
Her eyes widened in surprise, and her voice held a hint of disapproval: "How could you say that?"
"Winning the prize is one thing, but more importantly, it's about showing His Majesty how brave and skilled you are in battle."
Several officials from the Crown Prince's faction came forward to flatter him, but Duan Gan, the Privy Councilor, had no one by his side.
Chen Jinghe blocked them all away, so as not to disturb the Fourth Master's peace and quiet.
Seeing this as a good opportunity, Prince Murong Huaishi of Yingzhou, who was not far away, hurriedly brought his son Murong Yan over.
As a result, Chen Jinghe blocked his way within five steps, preventing him from getting any closer.
Seeing that the person in front of him was just a lowly guard, Murong Yan said directly before his father could speak, "What are you doing? My father is the Prince of Yingzhou. How dare you, a mere guard, block the Prince's path?!"
Murong Huaishi recognized that this was Duan Gan's personal bodyguard and quickly pulled his son behind him.
"Lord Chen, I would like to speak with Lord Duan for a few minutes. Please let me know."
Chen Jinghe glanced sideways at Duan Gan's back as he sat in a grand chair, propping his head up with his hand, and said solemnly, "My Fourth Master is resting. Prince Murong, please come later."
He thought it was because he didn't want to report it, so he quickly said, "It won't take up too much of Lord Duan's time. It's really just a few words of greeting."
A hint of impatience flashed in Chen Jinghe's eyes, and his voice became even colder: "Prince Murong, please leave."
Upon seeing this, Murong Yan's expression darkened. "What kind of attitude is this? My father is a prince. Be careful, or he might punish you for being disrespectful before the Emperor!"
Chen Jinghe didn't care and continued to block their way.
"Chen Jinghe".
Suddenly, Duan Gan's voice came from behind.
He immediately understood and then made way for her.
The two walked over, and Murong Yan glared at him, his eyes full of dissatisfaction, not understanding why his father was so respectful to such a guard.
Murong Huaishi stood in front of Duan Gan, bowed slightly, and smiled with flattery and ingratiation: "Lord Duan, how have you been?"
The man crossed his legs, looking lazy and a little arrogant, and idly played with a small trinket in his hand, ignoring him.
Murong Yan frowned, looked up and stared at him offensively, only to see him fiddling with a paper object that looked like... a cat?
After a long silence, Duan Gan finally looked up and glanced sideways, saying lazily, "Prince Murong has arrived in the capital earlier than usual this year, it seems he is very interested in the autumn hunt."
"If His Majesty is pleased, then we are naturally pleased as well."
Seeing his expression, Duan Gan lost the will to talk nonsense: "Your Highness, is there something important that you came to see me?"
"I have heard that the Khitan and Western Xia on our northern border often cause trouble and disrupt the peace of the border. My son is now a young man and is eager to serve the country. I wonder... what does Lord Duan think?"
As Murong Huaishi spoke, he glanced up at the expression on his face, his tone slightly cautious.
His expression was indifferent, and he slightly curled the corner of his lips: "It is good that Prince Murong has the intention, but what does it have to do with me? You can ask His Majesty for yourself whether he agrees or not."
Upon hearing this, Murong Huaishi chuckled dryly a few times: "Lord Duan commands the army of the entire country, and all the military officers of the court are below you. Moreover, you have fought on the battlefield before. I just wanted to hear your opinion."
"If my son could hold a minor official position under you, he could be rightfully transferred to the border and serve the Celestial Empire with even greater dedication."
Upon hearing this, Duan Gan shifted his gaze to the boy beside him and looked him up and down.
It's clear that he was young and impetuous, his eyes filled with restlessness and defiance, like an untamed wild horse.
Murong Yan could have joined the army directly, just like those warriors from humble backgrounds, enduring all sorts of hardships and struggling to climb up from the bottom step by step.
Duan Gan was a case in point. Later, the emperor did take into account the aristocratic families behind him, but in the early stages, he did earn his position little by little through his own efforts.
Not everyone can have the perseverance of Duan Gan.
If there's a shortcut, everyone will naturally want to take it, since not everyone is willing to endure hardship, especially a prince like Murong Yan who grew up in luxury.
He didn't say anything, but simply picked up the teacup placed to the side and took a small sip.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, Murong Huaishi felt a mix of anticipation and joy.
He understood that, given Duan Gan's character, the fact that he hadn't directly refused meant there was an opportunity to discuss the matter.
Silence fell again, but Murong Yan, who was standing to the side, couldn't hold back any longer. He thought to himself that he didn't necessarily have to be under his command.
His Highness the Crown Prince is approachable and will be the future emperor; why not seek a position with him?
Father should be visiting His Highness the Crown Prince. After all, Father is a member of the imperial family, not bowing and scraping before this mere subject, Duan Gan.
The more he thought about it, the more indignant he became.
Just then, Gao Liangui, the chief eunuch serving the emperor, walked over.
"Lord Duan, His Majesty has said that the autumn hunt is about to begin. Would you like to go to the hunting grounds with us to hunt some game and enjoy it with everyone?"
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