Eunuch Gao tiptoed to Emperor Wen's side, gently draped the fox fur coat over his shoulders, and whispered, "Your Majesty, the wind has picked up. You must take care of yourself and avoid catching a cold. Your Majesty, please accept my condolences and take good care of yourself!"
Emperor Wen sighed deeply, gazed into the distance with a somewhat sad look, and muttered to himself, "My sons... have all grown up... Each of them has their own opinions and ideas... Their wings have grown strong, and I am indeed old..."
Eunuch Gao lowered his head slightly and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, you can't say that! You are still in your prime! Besides, Noble Concubine An is waiting for you to dine with her in the imperial mausoleum!"
Emperor Wen waved his hand at Kong Boda and said, "Go and take care of those people! I don't want to hear that there are any more of Yue Wu's spies wandering around the capital!"
Kong Boda hurriedly accepted the order and left. At this time, Eunuch Gao said softly, "Your Majesty! At this morning's court session, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince performed very well! He even directly rejected the Prime Minister's proposal for reforming the Ministry of Revenue!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Wen frowned and asked, "What did Li Mingfu say?"
Eunuch Gao bowed his head and replied respectfully, "The Prime Minister was furious at the time!"
Emperor Wen sneered, "Hmph, is this just a show for me, or have you really become smarter..."
Emperor Wen turned and walked towards the imperial mausoleum. His steps were heavy, and every step seemed to be filled with deep fatigue and helplessness.
Eunuch Gao followed closely behind, looking nervous and not daring to utter a word. Emperor Wen had been feeling unhappy and restless for some time, and Eunuch Gao knew that he needed to be extra cautious in his service to the Emperor.
When Emperor Wen arrived at the imperial mausoleum, he saw the gaunt and pale Concubine An. He felt a surge of guilt: "I really shouldn't have let my beloved concubine come here. This place is so simple and deserted. I really wronged you."
Concubine An smiled faintly, her expression calm. "Your Majesty, you are too kind. My mother was very kind to me when she was alive, so it is only fitting that I come to see her off. Besides, I have lived a simple life since childhood and do not care about such things. Your Majesty, please rest early after dinner. You did not sleep all night last night, so you must take care of yourself."
Two weeks passed quickly. The Crown Prince performed brilliantly during his time as Regent, handling all affairs in an orderly and well-behaved manner, without any particularly eye-catching actions. Emperor Wen couldn't find a single fault with him!
Emperor Wen snorted coldly, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. The Crown Prince had become much wiser, surprisingly knowing how to restrain his edge and remain silent. And Li Mingfu also unexpectedly remained silent, completely motionless.
After Emperor Wen finished guarding the mausoleum, he returned to the palace with Concubine An. He felt satisfied with his visit, but also a little tired. He sat on the dragon throne, closed his eyes, and rested.
At this moment, a eunuch hurried over and knelt on the ground to report: "Your Majesty, there is an urgent war report from Beiyuan!"
Emperor Wen opened his eyes, looked at the eunuch, and asked, "Why are you so flustered? Tell me!" The eunuch gasped, "His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin killed the Imperial Preceptor of Beiliu during the battle of Beiyuan. The Emperor of Beiliu has signed a Hundred Years of Alliance with our country!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Wen stood up in delight, his eyes sparkling. He said excitedly, "Great, great! The Prince of Qin is my good son! He truly loves me! In this battle, he not only defeated the Beiliu Kingdom, but also made them our allies!"
Concubine An was also overjoyed when she heard the news. She smiled and said to Emperor Wen, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! My son has made great military achievements for the country!"
Emperor Wen nodded and said with emotion, "Yes! Chengjin has never let me down! He has made a great contribution this time, and I must reward him well!"
Emperor Wen, without hesitation, ordered the King of Qin to return to the capital immediately so that he could personally reward his brave and fearless son. He also decided to hold a grand celebration to honor the King of Qin's achievements.
At the celebration banquet for the King of Qin, Emperor Wen passionately announced: "I am here to confer the title of Imperial Noble Consort on Consort An! From now on, she will work with the Empress to manage the harem and jointly maintain harmony and stability in the palace."
This news shocked everyone, yet they also felt it was natural. Consort An had always been Emperor Wen's favorite concubine, and her son had made military achievements, making her a mother of honor. Now, being named Imperial Noble Consort further highlighted her status within the palace.
Emperor Wen then spoke again, "An Qingxuan inherits the title of Duke! This is a reward for the An family's loyalty." Upon hearing this, everyone congratulated An Qingxuan. As the eldest son of the An family, he was naturally eligible to inherit the title.
Finally, Emperor Wen took out an extremely precious golden medal of immunity from death and handed it to An Qingxuan: "I grant the An family a golden medal of immunity from death! No matter when and where, as long as you hold this medal, you can be exempted from death." This was undoubtedly the greatest gift to the An family, making them a privileged class in the palace.
For a time, the An family enjoyed immense influence in the capital, and no one dared to provoke them. The entire palace was filled with joy, and people praised the King of Qin for his bravery and wisdom, believing him to be a pillar of the nation.
At this time, Emperor Wen was more resolute in his ruling position and full of confidence in the future. He believed that with such an outstanding son, Dazhao would surely prosper and enjoy long-term peace.
Shortly after the celebration banquet began, the queen hurriedly left the banquet and returned to Kunning Palace on the grounds of feeling unwell.
Upon entering the chamber, the queen's expression darkened, her eyes gleaming with uncontrollable rage. With a violent wave of her hand, she smashed everything in the chamber to the ground, the sound of shattering porcelain echoing throughout the palace. The maids, terrified, stood by, trembling, not daring to utter a single sound.
The Queen gasped, staring ahead with wide eyes, and asked through gritted teeth, "Where's the Crown Prince? Why hasn't he come back yet?"
Eunuch Lin replied cautiously, "The Crown Prince is still at the celebration banquet."
Hearing this, the Queen's facial muscles twitched, her anger burning even more fiercely. "What was he doing there? Was he just going to watch that woman and her son enjoy their glory? This bitch! She must have been waiting for this moment, willing her son away from the court! How despicable!"
At this time, a little palace maid came running over. She said nervously, "Empress, this is bad! His Majesty has issued another decree for the marriage between His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin and Princess Youli Nanzhi!"
Upon hearing this news, the Queen's eyes widened, her face filled with rage. She slammed the table fiercely and said through gritted teeth, "Oh! That bitch's son is truly amazing! He's so favored by the Emperor, and he's even been able to marry a woman as helpful as Princess Youli!"
At the celebration banquet, officials toasted the King of Qin and said festive words: "Congratulations to the King of Qin on his great victory! Congratulations to the King of Qin on his happy marriage!"
The King of Qin smiled in response, feeling extremely happy and proud of his victory. Sitting beside him, Princess Nanzhi lowered her head shyly, a happy smile on her face.
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