Capital city.
In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Jingxi tasted the soup made by his beloved concubine Yang Guifei, and summoned the chief eunuch Li Guangde, asking him to go to Zhaoyang Palace in person to give Yang Guifei some new Shu brocade that had arrived this year.
Li Guangde returned from Zhaoyang Palace soon and brought with him a painting of Yang Guifei.
When the scroll was unfolded, a handsome and mature man riding a horse stood on it. It was Emperor Jingxi himself.
Emperor Jingxi was very satisfied, but he said modestly: "She painted me too well. I am not really that handsome."
Compared with traditional painting techniques, the painting of Yang Guifei is more similar to the real person, and is very similar to the style of poppy painting that has been popular outside the palace in recent years.
Li Guangde began to follow Emperor Jingxi when he was a teenager, so he naturally knew that the first realistic painting he had ever seen was from Yang Guifei.
It's just that Yang Guifei's paintings are not circulated outside, and people all think that this realistic painting style that is very similar to real people and objects was first created by "Yu Meiren".
Yang Guifei even complained to Emperor Jingxi about this.
But Emperor Jingxi had no choice, because most of Yang Guifei's paintings were in his private collection, and very few of them were circulated outside.
However, "Yu Poppy"'s paintings spread from the south to the north, making people all over the world recognize that "Yu Poppy" was the pioneer of realistic painting.
To be honest, Li Guangde actually thinks that the painting of Yang Guifei is not as good as "Yu Meiren".
He had seen many paintings of Yang Guifei, and had also seen paintings that were truly created by "Yu Meiren". Comparing the two, "Yu Meiren's" paintings were obviously more beautiful, more artistic and more real.
Li Guangde believed that he was not the only one who thought so, and his immediate superior must have the same idea as him.
But his immediate superior, Emperor Jingxi, doted on Yang Guifei. Whenever Yang Guifei asked him whose paintings were better, he would definitely say that Yang Guifei's paintings were more beautiful, and then after a few words, the atmosphere between the two would become warmer.
Then the bed curtains were drawn, and the palace maids and eunuchs left one after another...
In short, it was very sudden and hurried.
This is probably the interest between men and women.
He, a eunuch, doesn't understand.
Back in the present, Li Guangde had just put away Yang Guifei's painting at the order of Emperor Jingxi when he heard the emperor ask, "Calculating the time, Lord Ma should be arriving in Luyang by now, right?"
Ma Aiqing?
Which Ma Aiqing?
If Lu Yang were to refer to it, it should be Lord Ma Zikun, the Left Censor-in-Chief.
Li Guangde counted the days in his mind: "If nothing unexpected happens, Lord Ma should have been in Luyang for a few days. I believe he is thinking of ways to suppress the bandits."
Speaking of suppressing bandits, Emperor Jingxi became angry: "How difficult are these Luyang bandits to defeat? I have been fighting against them for years and still haven't taken them down. I sent two governors there, but both died shortly after taking office."
"Accident? How can there be so many accidents in the world? Do those people think I'm a fool? What on earth is the commander of the Luyang Guard doing? He can't suppress bandits, and he can't protect people."
"Why didn't anyone remind me last year that the Luyang Guard Commander was just a freeloader? If I had known earlier, I would have replaced him by now."
"Your Majesty, calm down."
Li Guangde must have been smart to be able to become the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace and have his position remain unshakable for many years.
He was very good at observing people's expressions and assessing the situation. Seeing that Emperor Jingxi was angry, he immediately knelt down and asked His Majesty to calm down.
Of course, he also knew his limits. Eunuchs were not allowed to interfere in government affairs, and he would never say a word about what happened in the court. No matter how angry Emperor Jingxi was, he would just say something to calm him down or make him happy.
Recognizing your own status is the most important thing when living near an emperor.
The powerful Emperor Jingxi did not need eunuchs to help him solve court problems. Because the eunuchs of the previous dynasty controlled the court and caused the demise of the dynasty, the Qu royal family did not like eunuchs to be regents.
After a good rage, Emperor Jingxi thought of the things he had personally lent out before Ma Zikun left, and he felt better. He felt that with that thing, Ma Zikun would be able to easily solve the bandit problem in Luyang.
Looking coldly at the memorials stacked on the side, his brain buzzing, Emperor Jingxi, who had been bent over his desk for half the morning, turned his head away, rubbed his brow, and stood up: "Li Guangde, please go to the study."
The prince of the vassal state has been in Beijing for several days. He needs to go and see the character of his brothers' heirs.
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Go to the study.
The empress had no son, and there was no legitimate prince in Daxia. Since ancient times, the eldest legitimate son had been appointed as the crown prince. If there was no legitimate son, the eldest son would naturally be appointed as the crown prince. However, the eldest son was born with a foot disease and walked unsteadily. Everyone in the court opposed making the eldest son the crown prince.
The eldest son is excluded from the right of inheritance. In the absence of a legitimate heir or the eldest son, the other princes may become the crown prince.
Among all the princes today, the emperor likes the seventh prince born to Concubine Yun Shu and the eighth prince born to Concubine Yang Guifei the most.
Based solely on the emperor's preference, both princes could be appointed as crown princes.
However, the selection of a crown prince cannot be based solely on the emperor's preferences; other factors must also be considered, such as the prince's ability and his in-laws.
Concubine Yun Shu came from a noble family. Her father was the Marquis of Zhenbei and served as the Minister of War. Her brothers were all talented and capable, but the seventh prince was weak and sickly since childhood.
The eighth prince was two years younger than the seventh prince but was physically strong. However, Yang Guifei's maternal family was weak, her father was the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, her brothers were mediocre and incompetent, and there was no successor to the family.
In addition to these two princes, the emperor has six other princes, each of whom has his own advantages and disadvantages. As long as the queen fails to give birth to a legitimate son and the position of crown prince is not decided, they all have the right of inheritance.
Since there was no crown prince in the palace, the Grand Tutor taught classes to the princes and their study companions in the Upper Study.
There are currently six princes attending classes in the study room. Only the young Ninth Prince, Tenth Prince, Seventeen-year-old Eldest Prince, and the Fourth Prince who died young are absent.
The Crown Prince refers to the Crown Princes of the vassal states who have come to Beijing these days, the Crown Princes of the royal family who have stayed in Beijing, and other heirs to the titles.
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