After watching Rong Qingqing enter the mansion gate, Xie Jingrun turned around, mounted his horse, and left.
As soon as he returned to the palace, Emperor Zhaojing had already sent people to wait for him there.
"Your Highness, His Majesty requests that you go to see him as soon as you return to the palace," the palace servant said respectfully.
"I understand." Xie Jingrun frowned and went to the Imperial Study.
The Imperial Study.
Emperor Zhaojing had just finished reviewing a memorial and was drinking ginseng tea that Haifu had brought him.
Upon seeing Xie Jingrun walk in from outside, he immediately put on a stern face.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty." Xie Jingrun noticed his displeasure and stepped forward to bow to him.
Upon seeing this, Emperor Zhaojing choked on a mouthful of ginseng tea, unable to swallow it.
After swallowing for a long while, he frowned and said, "There are no outsiders here, so there's no need for such a grand gesture."
Xie Jingrun stood up and said, "Yes."
After handing the teacup to Haifu, Emperor Zhaojing patted the stacks of memorials on his desk, shook his head and sighed, "You're so carefree, spending the whole day playing with your sweetheart, while I'm exhausted, reviewing memorials all day. Alas, my life is truly miserable!"
Xie Jingrun's eye twitched slightly upon hearing this.
Haifu's head drooped lower and lower.
Emperor Zhaojing glanced at Xie Jingrun and sighed again.
Xie Jingrun said, "It is your unfilial son who is unable to help Father Emperor share the burden of state affairs."
Emperor Zhaojing then said, "I am already old. If I continue to work like this every day, I will surely ruin my health..."
"Then I wonder what I can do to help Father Emperor?" Xie Jingrun calmly took over the conversation.
Emperor Zhaojing pondered for a moment before saying, "For the time being, you will be in charge of reviewing memorials for me."
"Your son..."
Emperor Zhaojing raised his hand to interrupt him, "During this period, you need to familiarize yourself with the affairs of the court as soon as possible. With your talent, you will be able to take charge on your own after a little more familiarization. If possible, I would like to abdicate after the New Year."
Xie Jingrun frowned. "Father is in his prime..." At this point, he suddenly remembered what a certain woman had said, so he had to change his words. "Since Father trusts me, I am willing to accept Father's arrangements."
Emperor Zhaojing nodded. "There's not much time left until the New Year. Starting tomorrow, you can no longer leave the palace. You must move in and live with me. I will teach you the way of being a ruler and how to handle state affairs."
Xie Jingrun's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He deeply felt that his father's actions were intentional.
Preventing him from leaving the palace is tantamount to preventing him from seeing Qingqing again.
But thinking that he could marry Qingqing after he ascended the throne, he had no choice but to suppress his desire.
"Your subject obeys the decree."
Emperor Zhaojing nodded in satisfaction.
Thinking of something, he frowned again. "Although I no longer object to you marrying Rong Qingqing, you must be more discreet before the wedding and not meet with her secretly behind my back."
Xie Jingrun glanced at him. "Yes." She would never meet him secretly behind his back; he could see her openly and honestly.
Emperor Zhaojing was satisfied, but then he thought of something else and said, "Also, besides Rong Qingqing, I will arrange for a few more noble ladies from aristocratic families to be given to you. Our royal family has few offspring, and I hope you can help us expand our royal lineage and give birth to a dozen or twenty children." He almost laughed out loud at the thought of his grandchildren surrounding him, but fortunately, he remembered to maintain his dignified demeanor in front of his son and managed to suppress his laughter.
A shadow fell over Xie Jingrun's brow, but he did not refuse outright. Instead, he said, "We'll talk about taking a concubine after my wedding."
Emperor Zhaojing also realized that he had been too hasty, and said, "This matter is not urgent, we will talk about it when the time comes, as long as you are not opposed to it."
Xie Jingrun scoffed inwardly. When he ascended the throne, he would have the final say in everything.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com