69 Incident (Two Updates in One)
◎Being held in front of someone, Gu Ningxi's eyelashes trembled.◎
Near midnight, the chief steward of His Majesty came to announce the decree, allowing the ministers waiting in the Zhaoming Palace to return home.
There was no questioning or search. After waiting for more than two hours, the civil and military officials gradually left the Zhaoming Palace without any complaints.
Such a grand celebration banquet ended hastily in panic and suspicion.
Gu Ningxi followed the civil and military officials and made eye contact with his cousin.
The situation tonight is too chaotic, and they shouldn't talk too much.
None of the officials were detained. Gu Ningxi lowered his eyes. Does that mean that the palace has already found out that the person who poisoned was not at the table?
As his steps slowed down, Gu Ningxi looked back at the empty seat on his right, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes.
At this critical juncture, if something unexpected happened to Prince Huai, it was obvious that it was related to the fight for the throne.
His Royal Highness Prince Zhao, with his numerous military achievements now complete, had turned the tide and pacified Hebei, bringing his popularity among the local people to a peak. Both the Crown Prince and the Prince of Huai were likely feeling uneasy day and night.
The palace gate was not locked, and Gu Ningxi's carriage and Wu'an Hou Xie Qian's carriage stopped in the same direction.
As they passed each other, Gu Ningxi whispered, "Be careful."
Even if this case is not aimed at His Royal Highness Prince Zhao, it will definitely affect the people around him.
Xie Qian nodded silently, but in his heart he thought, they couldn't even wait for a celebration banquet, which showed how much they feared His Highness.
…
In the rear hall of Zhaoming Palace, four imperial physicians were divided into two shifts, taking turns guarding the bedside of His Royal Highness Prince Huai.
Most of the toxins have been expelled, and His Highness's life is no longer in danger, but we still cannot let our guard down.
Because His Royal Highness Prince Huai is still weak and there is no antidote for the symptoms at the moment, the director can only consider the medication first, focusing on strengthening the body's foundation and replenishing the vital energy.
"Father, Mother," said Crown Prince Lu Heng, "It's getting late. Father and Mother, why don't you go back and rest first? I will take care of this place."
The youngest son had a near-death experience, and Empress Yao had stayed by his side for most of the night, and was now on the verge of collapse.
Emperor Mingde ordered his maid to take the Empress back to the palace to rest, and gently advised her, "Chengyu is no longer in danger of death. She won't wake up for a while. Don't let yourself get hurt."
Lu Heng also said, "Don't worry, mother. Sixth brother will be safe and sound. No one who harmed him will escape."
Lu Jing said nothing. Emperor Mingde looked at the prince deeply, then his gaze fell back on Qi'an who was beside him.
The maids helped the Queen to stand up, passed the phoenix sedan chair over, and sent the exhausted Queen back to Fengyi Palace first.
Emperor Mingde gave a few instructions to the imperial physician and attendants in a deep voice, then said to Lu Heng, "If there is any news, send someone to report it at any time."
"I understand, Father. Please be at ease."
The crown prince was guarding here, and Emperor Mingde's trusted attendants were also arranged in the palace.
After a night of tossing and turning, Emperor Mingde said to Lu Jing, "Let's go."
Lu Heng bowed, and the servants in the palace all bid farewell to His Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Zhao.
The winter night was chilly, and Emperor Mingde had not summoned a sedan chair. It was inconvenient to leave the palace at night, so he had instructed the Crown Prince and Prince Zhao to stay overnight.
He looked at the man with a calm expression. From the moment he entered the back hall, Qi'an seemed much calmer compared to his eldest son who was anxious and busy.
The father and son remained silent along the way, and Emperor Mingde remembered the private report from the imperial physician.
The poison Cheng Yu had contracted was quite rare, and some of the symptoms could easily be mistaken for typhoid fever. Without the poison taking effect, a simple pulse check would be difficult to detect. The imperial physicians were unsure of the drug's properties, and without a clear source of the poisoner, they could only slowly refine the prescription.
Moreover… Emperor Mingde frowned. The imperial physician explained that Cheng Yu had been poisoned for a long time, perhaps several months. The alcohol he drank had prematurely triggered the poison, causing him to vomit blood. Otherwise, if the poison took effect later, even a Daluo Jinxian would be unable to save Cheng Yu's life.
A few months ago, it was in the Hebei military camp.
"Father, please feel free to speak frankly if you have anything to say." Lu Jing's voice was frank.
Despite the lack of evidence, Emperor Mingde still believed in his son, whom he had raised. However, Chengyu was seriously ill, and the child was always afraid of pain and suffering. He had to give an explanation to his first wife and youngest son in this case.
Emperor Mingde has ordered the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter, saying, "The palace is currently experiencing a period of turmoil. You should stay in the palace for the next two days so that you can help out."
After a pause, Lu Jing said, "Your son obeys your order."
…
Even if the palace intended to suppress the news, there were so many eyes watching from civil and military officials at the celebration banquet on the night of November 15th, how could the matter be concealed?
Although the pulse diagnosis hadn't been leaked, the fact that Prince Huai was vomiting blood during the banquet made it impossible to believe anything other than poisoning. Furthermore, the Crown Prince and Prince Zhao had both been confined to the palace for the past two days, further complicating matters.
"What do you think?" Inside the Meng Mansion, Meng Ting closed the door of the study.
Normally, when he was with Xi'er in private, he would always leave a window open. But today's conversation was too sensitive, and they were afraid of the crowds at the Xuanping Marquis's residence, so they chose the much quieter Meng's residence.
Without any evidence, Gu Ningxi could only state his own conclusion: "It's impossible that Prince Zhao's Mansion was behind this."
She knew the character of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao. Even if he was at odds with Prince Huai, and even if the battle for the throne was pressing, he would not resort to such despicable means.
"That is..." Meng Ting lowered his voice, "Is it His Royal Highness the Prince of Huai who directed and performed this show himself?"
He didn't know King Zhao, but he trusted Xi'er's judgment.
Although Your Majesty has entrusted this case to the authorities for secret investigation, news keeps coming out from all directions, and it is difficult to trace the source.
The timing of His Royal Highness Prince Huai's poisoning was quite subtle, as it happened to be in the Hebei military camp. All the evidence pointed to His Royal Highness Prince Zhao.
What's more, he deliberately chose to reveal this matter at the celebration banquet, which caught everyone off guard.
Meng Ting said: "Every step is carefully planned, and it happens so naturally that it actually arouses suspicion."
It was like a carefully planned frame-up, with Prince Zhao's palace as the only target.
Gu Ningxi remained silent, forcing herself to be more objective. "But this is so obvious that it sometimes leads people to speculate that Prince Zhao's Mansion is relying on being the biggest suspect to act without scruples."
Meng Ting understood Gu Ningxi's meaning. "Besides, His Majesty Prince Zhao holds absolute power in the Hebei military camp. Even if the truth is uncovered, it's not the work of Prince Zhao's mansion. But Prince Huai is His Majesty Prince Zhao's brother. I'm afraid Your Majesty will have to punish His Majesty Prince Zhao for this oversight."
Caught in the chaos of the fight for the throne, the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple didn't know how to deal with it.
Gu Ningxi didn't have any more evidence, so he pondered, "Then let's first see who benefits the most."
Prince Huai was seriously injured, Prince Zhao was under suspicion, and the biggest beneficiary was——
The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.
Gu Ningxi shook her head slightly. "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always been kind and gentle, but sometimes he can be indecisive. He has always been very fond of his brother, His Royal Highness the Prince of Huai. I'm afraid he wouldn't have the heart to do such a cruel thing."
Meng Ting said: "Perhaps the closer we are, the more trust we have, and the less guarded we become."
The case is complicated and confusing. It seems that none of the Eastern Palace, Prince Zhao's Mansion, and Prince Huai's Mansion can be completely free of involvement.
Gu Ningxi said, "But right now, the Eastern Palace still has the upper hand."
After the great victory in Hebei, Your Majesty should have generously rewarded Prince Zhao. But facing this son, whose achievements were so great that they threatened the emperor, Your Majesty has probably hesitated for a long time. This incident at the celebration banquet gave Your Majesty a legitimate reason to delay.
…
The bright moon adorned the sky. In the Qinlan Courtyard, Madam Meng had someone serve her a honey pear and white fungus soup.
On winter nights, drinking a bowl of soup like this is the best way to nourish and moisten the lungs.
The daughter went to visit the Meng family during the day, and when she came back, Mrs. Meng would usually listen to her talk about things in her grandparents' family.
Gu Ningxi knew her mother was concerned, and her grandmother hadn't been feeling well since the beginning of winter, so the Meng family hired a doctor to stay at the house. Her aunt cared for her grandmother with great care, personally attending to every detail. Both of her elders were kind people, and their relationship had always been harmonious back home. Having faced family upheavals, they had shared hardships and supported each other, becoming as close as mother and daughter.
Mrs. Meng was also worried about her mother's health, and from time to time she would set aside some money from her monthly allowance to prepare some medicinal herbs and supplements to send to her.
She never sought wealth or fame. It was enough for her family to live in peace and security without any illness or disaster.
The imperial family has been embroiled in recent turmoil, with the poisoning of His Royal Highness the Prince of Huai causing widespread controversy throughout Kyoto. Many officials are acting with extreme caution, fearing they might be implicated.
Madam Meng sighed, "The splendor of the royal family is always filled with disputes. It would be better to live a simple life with a husband who suits my heart."
Gu Ningxi did not respond. If he could not make further progress in the position of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao, he would probably not have a good ending in the future.
Even if His Royal Highness Prince Zhao does not fight for it, the generals under Prince Zhao's palace will push His Royal Highness forward.
Gu Ningxi felt tired after thinking about many things during the day. Madam Meng told her to drink the sweet soup and go back to rest early.
The moonlight was cool and clear, and there was an extra layer of bedding in Leyou Courtyard, making it soft and warm.
Before going to sleep, Gu Ningxi could only hope to give her an answer in her dream.
…
The sunlight shone into the luxurious palace. Around 9:00 PM, the woman on the couch woke up naturally.
The maids came in one after another and helped the imperial concubine wash and change her clothes.
The Imperial Concubine was the apple of His Majesty's eye, and she enjoyed great favor. As the only mistress in the harem, she was never bound by the rules of morning and evening visits.
Four maids carefully prepared a bright red silk peony and phoenix-tail satin skirt with gold thread. Today, the ladies of the court came to the palace to pay their respects to the imperial concubine, and the inner court sent this luxurious dress the day before yesterday.
Gu Ningxi ordered someone to bring the list of ladies who came to pay their respects. She had been in the palace for only two years and had cut off all contact with the outside world.
A change of regime has led to a major change in the family structure in the court, and one can get a glimpse of this just by looking at this list.
The Zhending Prince's Mansion, already a royal family, rose to new heights, while the Qiguogong Mansion and the Wu'an Marquis Mansion were equally sought after. Meanwhile, several formerly prominent mansions, particularly those that had served the Eastern Palace and the Huaiwang Palace, had fallen into obscurity. Punishment led to demotion, stripping of titles and exile, and even the confiscation of property and extermination of clans. As the saying goes, the emperor changed his officials, and at the end, they were expected to express their gratitude for the emperor's great grace.
In the garden, more than ten ladies of noble birth were chatting casually, and the center of attention tacitly became the wife of Marquis Xuanping.
Nowadays, when people mentioned the Gu Mansion, they would always rank Madam Meng above Madam Shen. The reason was simple: while the Xuanping Marquis' Mansion had fallen from power, Madam Meng had raised a favored imperial concubine, the most favored of the six palaces. His Majesty treated her with great courtesy.
Everyone in the Xuanping Marquis's mansion respected Madam Meng and did not dare to neglect her in the slightest.
The world changes so rapidly. Gu Ningxi remained silent for a long time, only able to laugh at himself.
Even though she was just a useless dodder now, good for nothing, she could easily protect the people she cared about because of the power of the person she depended on.
It is no wonder that everyone in the royal family is fighting for the only throne.
The days in the harem were long and boring, and another day passed in a flash.
The girl on the dragon couch had just finished bathing, her long black hair cascading down before her. The candlelight shone softly, reflecting on her jade-like face.
"What are you thinking?"
Being held in someone's arms and sat in front of him, Gu Ningxi's long eyelashes trembled.
She raised her eyes and met the emperor's gaze.
"What if..." Gu Ningxi began, "What if I were not a girl, how would Your Majesty deal with me during the palace coup?"
Lu Jing looked at the person in his arms, and this question stumped him for a moment.
"Will Your Majesty imprison me or exile me?"
“Neither.”
Lu Jing answered the second question straightforwardly. Even if there was no such secret feelings, they still had the friendship of their childhood.
Even after they met again, Yuan Le would not take any harsh measures against her because Donggong avoided her and treated her distantly and coldly.
"Then Your Majesty, when did you know my identity?"
More than two years have passed, and the anger I felt when I first learned the truth has gradually dissipated.
Lu Jing didn't dare to ask himself how much of his anger at that time was because he was deceived by his childhood friend, and how much was because of that one-sided love that was shameful and made him sleepless.
Anger overwhelmed his reason that day, and he sometimes thought that if he had given Yuan Le more time to adapt, perhaps things would be better between them than they are now.
"What do you think?" he asked back.
Gu Ningxi's brows knitted together, and her lips curled up. If she had figured it out over the past two years, why would she have asked him?
But Lu Jing loved her lively look, and wanted to tease her by giving her an ambiguous hint.
"When the situation in the court is clear, there will always be people who want to gain merit to protect themselves."
Someone must have reported it. Gu Ningxi asked, "Who was it?"
Lu Jing didn't answer her, but smiled and said, "Think about it yourself."
He grasped her slender waist and leaned over to kiss her on the lips.
“Hmm…”
The thin nightgown fluttered down and the curtains were casually drawn by the emperor.
Even though she wanted to think deeply about the clues, the imperial concubine had no energy to think about it that night on the bed.
…
After waking up, Gu Ningxi became even more depressed. She hadn't figured out the poisoning case in the court yet, and her dream posed another difficult problem for her.
As the saying goes, to protect oneself by performing meritorious deeds, the person who reported her should have a certain status in the court and should not be from Prince Zhao's palace.
However, according to the scene in the dream, it was not until the palace coup, when the political situation was settled, that Prince Zhao knew her identity.
There is no need to rush for now.
Originally, there was a court meeting scheduled for today, but the case of His Royal Highness Prince Huai's poisoning has not yet been sorted out, and Prince Zhao's Mansion is also involved. His Majesty has issued an order to cancel the morning court, and all civil and military officials can go to their duty rooms.
As soon as he stepped into the Sixth Department, another piece of news exploded in Gu Ningxi's ears.
Someone in the court submitted a report to the emperor, accusing him of secretly expanding the palace army to two thousand men.
Gu Ningxi was shocked. According to regulations, the Eastern Palace could not have more than 1,200 soldiers, and the Prince's Palace could only have 800. Of course, the soldiers of each palace could not help but secretly exceed the regulations. In all the years Gu Ningxi had been at the Eastern Palace, he had never imagined that the Eastern Palace Guard could be doubled in size.
Chief He lowered his voice and said, "I heard that early this morning, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince knelt outside the Taiji Hall without a hat and apologized."
He didn't dare mention the second half of the sentence, but Gu Ningxi understood what he meant.
Before one wave of troubles subsides, another wave arises. This looks very much like a counterattack by Prince Zhao's Mansion.
Two major cases, each involving the two most powerful princes, have left the court awash with speculation about the emperor's decision.
The north wind howled, and even though the winter sun shone, it still couldn't resist the biting cold.
In the Taiji Hall, Li Ji, who was serving tea, hesitated for a moment before he could not help but offer a word of advice: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been kneeling outside for two hours."
It's freezing cold outside. Even someone in good health wouldn't be able to bear it.
Several memorials were picked out from the imperial desk. The fact that the crown prince privately kept soldiers was only revealed in the morning, but in the afternoon, there were so many memorials impeaching the crown prince.
Who would believe it if someone said that there was no one behind the scenes fanning the flames?
Even in the Censorate, are there many people who obey King Zhao's orders?
The sky was gloomy and rainy. Emperor Mingde closed his eyes and said, "Call the Crown Prince in."
"Yes, yes."
Li Ji hurried to convey the imperial edict. He knelt for half a day and was exposed to the cold wind. Lu Heng's legs and feet were stiff, but he still maintained the demeanor of a crown prince.
The charcoal fire in the Taiji Hall was warm. After he entered the hall, he knelt directly in front of his father.
"Your son pays his respects to the Emperor."
The respectful and embarrassed look made Emperor Mingde's anger subside a little.
He threw the two memorials at the prince's feet and said, "Tell me, what is your explanation?"
Now that the matter had been clarified, Lu Heng confessed everything and did not hide anything more in front of his king and father.
He kowtowed and said, "I know I am guilty and dare not argue. I only hope that you will calm down and not let me get sick from anger."
Emperor Mingde looked down upon his eldest son, who had never missed a mission in years. He was more or less aware of the expansion of the imperial army in recent years, but he had never imagined it would number two thousand.
Seeing that his father still gave him a chance to speak, Lu Heng knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, I have no intention of disloyalty towards you. The only reason I made such a mistake was because..." His voice choked with sobs. "I was terrified. I was only trying to protect myself. I would never dare to offend you in the slightest."
As for why he was so worried... Throughout history, has any crown prince in any dynasty been able to sleep soundly with a younger brother who was so accomplished that he threatened the emperor?
Not only him, I am afraid that my father, who sits on the dragon throne, has also heard that "If the Emperor of Jin did not have King Zhao, he would just be a prince in a corner, right?"
Lu Heng's body, lying on the ground, was trembling slightly, and he was almost about to cry.
Seeing that the crown prince he had personally cultivated had been forced to such a point, Emperor Mingde felt distressed.
Prince Zhao's Palace was so powerful that if he hadn't deliberately suppressed the balance, it would have surpassed the Eastern Palace long ago.
Emperor Mingde could empathize with the prince's fear and worry.
He knew this son, who was respectful, filial and brotherly, and had no intention of being disloyal to his king and father.
Besides, the imperial guards and imperial guards in the palace together number about 50,000 to 60,000 people. What kind of trouble can a mere 2,000 palace soldiers cause?
The reason Emperor Mingde was so enraged today was because the case at the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court had finally come to a head. The man who poisoned Cheng Yu was in custody, having destroyed the poison and unaware of the antidote. Fortunately, the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau had jointly examined him and devised an antidote. After severe torture, the man who poisoned Cheng Yu claimed to have been instructed by a prominent figure in the capital and that he knew nothing else.
He spoke the official language of the Great Jin Dynasty and was not a rebel spy.
Emperor Mingde ordered the Ministry of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation, but unexpectedly, the suspect was found dead in prison this morning.
Killing someone to silence them will leave no evidence.
This made it even more clear that there was nothing fishy here. Emperor Mingde couldn't help but wonder, was the powerful person in the capital the Prince Zhao's Mansion or the Eastern Palace?
There are only a handful of palaces in the capital that can quietly kill someone in the Ministry of Justice. Prince Zhao's palace is the most suspected, and the Eastern Palace cannot be completely free of involvement.
"Your Majesty," Li Ji bravely reported, seeing that His Majesty's anger towards the Crown Prince had not subsided, "There's news from the Empress that His Royal Highness Prince Huai has woken up."
After being upset for a long time, finally something went well for me.
Emperor Mingde put aside the Crown Prince's disobedience for the time being and said, "Go, I will go see Prince Huai."
Lu Heng was still kneeling in the hall. Only after his father left did he exchange a glance with the chief steward Li and remember the favor.
…
In the back hall of Zhaoming Palace, Lu Chen, who had just woken up, looked extremely pale.
"Father..."
His voice was still weak, and he struggled to stand up and greet.
Emperor Mingde hurriedly ordered his attendants to support him, and he sat down next to Empress Yao.
The poison was extremely strong, but luckily the alcohol we drank that night had activated the poison in advance.
This time, Chengyu really had a trip to the underworld.
As a monarch, Emperor Mingde had suspected that this was a meeting at the Prince of Huai's Palace; but as a father, Emperor Mingde knew that his youngest son had always been afraid of hardship and suffering, so how could he be so cruel to himself?
Lu Chen's face was filled with guilt. "It's all my fault for not watching over you. I've caused Father and Mother to worry." He looked around. "Why isn't my brother here?"
Emperor Mingde kept the affairs of the outer court a secret from his wife for the time being.
Queen Yao held the medicine bowl and fed the child the medicine herself, just like when she was a child.
With his father and mother by his side, Lu Chen had an indescribable feeling of happiness on his face.
Emperor Mingde felt even more guilty. Among his three legitimate sons, Chengyu was raised by the Empress, and he neglected him the most.
Cheng Yu was poisoned in the Hebei military camp. If he had sent an imperial physician to treat Cheng Yu as soon as possible when he received the news of his illness, instead of taking his anger out on him for his lack of achievements on the battlefield and the waste of military strength, Cheng Yu's condition would probably not have reached this level.
The room was too stuffy, so Emperor Mingde stood up and stood by the window.
He looked at his youngest son who was bedridden, and his wife who was silently crying beside the bed. He also thought of his eldest son who was kneeling in the Taiji Hall in fear and panic.
He fought in many battles in his early years, and he felt guilty towards his first wife and eldest son.
Several emotional entanglements almost tore the emperor apart.
On a night when dark clouds covered the moon, Emperor Mingde did not sleep all night.
In such a huge palace, he dismissed all the attendants, not even Li Ji.
His chest felt so stuffy that he could hardly breathe. At the age of knowing the destiny, he watched helplessly as his beloved children became incompatible with each other.
He looked at the waning moon in the sky and knew that these children were destined not to live in the same room anymore.
Yesterday they were expanding their private army, today they are poisoning, and I am afraid that tomorrow they will be fighting against each other and killing each other.
As a king and a father, how could he watch this happen?
No matter how heartbroken he was, he had to make a decision.
…
At dawn, outside the Ruihe Palace, the attendants came and went and saluted in unison: "Your Majesty, may Your Majesty receive the best wishes."
In order to avoid suspicion, Lu Jing has been staying in the palace these days.
"Father." He bowed.
Emperor Mingde just sat down in silence and waved away his attendants.
"Did your Majesty not sleep well last night?" Lu Jing looked at the emperor's expression and spoke with concern.
"Pray for peace," Emperor Mingde said, "please sit down."
A long silence followed. Lu Jing disliked this meaningless waiting. He asked, "Father, have you investigated the matter of Sixth Brother's poisoning?"
“Is this case still important?”
"Why is it not important? Does Your Majesty really believe that this was done by me?"
Emperor Mingde gazed at his young and energetic son, and through him he seemed to think of the late Empress Yuan.
He said, "It doesn't matter anymore."
Lu Jing couldn't accept it: "Father, are you still doubting me? I will never admit to anything I didn't do."
Emperor Mingde said in a deep voice, "What's the point of investigating further? Can the damage Chengyu suffered be healed?"
"If you continue investigating, will you let all the ancestors know that your descendants are unfilial?"
"If we continue to investigate thoroughly, will you let the whole world know about the discord in the royal family and the fratricide?"
"When history books are written in the future, how will I and the Great Jin Dynasty deal with it?"
Emperor Mingde questioned him one after another, revealing an endless desolation and chilling heart. In the end, it was all about the throne.
After he finished speaking, the father and son looked at each other in silence.
After a long while, Lu Jing asked, "What does your Majesty want?"
No matter how long you hesitate, you must make up your mind eventually.
Emperor Mingde closed his eyes and said, "Go, go to Luoyang. Luoyang is the territory you conquered. Go to Luoyang and raise the emperor's flag. From now on, the area east of Shanzhou will be under your rule."
"Don't come back again."
As every word poured into his ears, Lu Jing looked at the king and father in front of him, standing there in disbelief.
He also noticed that after not seeing his father for several days, his father's hair had turned gray and he looked very old.
…
The news that His Majesty intended to order His Royal Highness Prince Zhao to govern Luoyang spread to everyone overnight.
In the study of Prince Zhao's mansion, Zhen Yuan, Xie Qian, Qin Yu and Wei Fan sat facing each other, all with the same sad expression.
After returning from the palace, His Highness had locked himself in his study for a whole night and a whole day without eating or drinking.
Everyone wants to persuade him, but no one dares to, let alone know how to do it.
The news of His Majesty's plan to divide the country has spread to the court, posing a difficult problem before Your Highness.
They sat from morning till afternoon, but could not come to any conclusion.
If His Highness agrees, not to mention the lifetime suspicion of fratricide he will bear, once His Highness goes to Luoyang, he will probably never be able to legitimately ascend the throne of the Great Jin Dynasty.
They had personally fought for the country by following His Highness, and they, more than anyone else, did not want to see war break out again and the people displaced.
Once divided, the only way to unify in the future is for the East and the West to go to war.
Without a unified Central Plains territory, how could they contend with the ambitious Turks? They were even more afraid that the western territories would succumb to the Turks and attack Luoyang from both sides. Regardless of who won, the people would undoubtedly suffer.
The four of them discussed the matter for a whole day, but were at a loss. Just before the end of their shift, Steward Sun's surprised voice echoed outside the study: "Master Gu is here?"
Sun Jing went out in person, and soon took Lord Gu to the study in the cold wind.
Gu Ningxi brought flower-folded mutton cakes and sesame cakes, and it was the third shop on Yong'an Street in Yongyangfang.
In the past, no matter how bad His Royal Highness Prince Zhao's mood was, he could always use some of the food from this family.
The weather was too cold, and Gu Ningxi had rushed all the way here. Even though the pastries were carefully stored, they were completely cold.
She could only give the food to the steward Sun and have it heated up in the kitchen of the palace first.
Sun Jing hurriedly ordered someone to do it. The wind was strong outside, so he asked Lord Gu to sit in the study for a while.
Everyone in the court was aware of the direction of the situation, and it was definitely not a good idea for His Royal Highness Prince Zhao to go to Luoyang.
But His Majesty's order has put Your Highness in a dilemma.
Although he couldn't empathize with him, Xie Qian could understand Prince Zhao's mood to some extent.
He said, "If this happened to me, or my father, I wouldn't care about the father-son relationship at all."
However, Xie Qian saw that His Majesty still had the love between him and his son.
Gu Ningxi smiled bitterly: "How could His Majesty not love His Royal Highness Prince Zhao?"
That was the only child born when his relationship with Empress Yuan was at its strongest. From the time when His Majesty became king, established his capital in Chang'an, and then ascended the throne, this child witnessed his glorious journey.
When His Royal Highness Prince Zhao was young, His Majesty would always go back to the rear residence to hug the young His Royal Highness Prince Zhao whenever he returned from meetings outside.
Once, His Majesty was in urgent need of an official document and had no time to hold him. Prince Zhao burst into tears outside the study, and His Majesty quickly put down what he was doing and held him on his shoulders to comfort him.
This old story was told to her mother and her as a joke by Empress Yiwen when she was chatting with the ladies of the court.
Everyone in the study didn't know what to say for a moment. This kind of family affection is the most difficult to give up.
At least the dinner had been heated up, and Sun Jing also ordered people to prepare some other meals.
But someone has to deliver it to His Royal Highness Prince Zhao.
Gu Ningxi inadvertently looked up and found that everyone in the study was looking at her with anticipation.
【Author’s words】
Female goose (pointing to herself): Me?
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