"Father, are you in a good mood right now?" Ye Jingchen suddenly asked while they were eating.
"What kind of trouble are you trying to cause now?" the emperor asked warily.
Why did you suddenly ask him if he was in a good mood?
"Yesterday at the execution ground, all the common people were shouting 'Your Majesty is wise!' I heard it almost shook the sky!" Ye Jingchen whispered mysteriously in the emperor's ear.
The emperor was drinking soup when he heard this and almost spat it out.
"Who told you all this?" He was pleased, but he tried to suppress the urge to smile and asked with a straight face.
"Xie Chang'an, didn't he ask for leave yesterday, saying his father was back? Turns out his father took him to the execution ground to watch the execution. If we had known it would be so spectacular, we would have gone too!" Ye Jingchen said with a regretful expression.
Xie Chang'an's father, isn't that Xie Shaoling?
The emperor already knew that Xie Shaoling was at the execution ground and that he was standing in the front row. He was particularly curious about Xie Shaoling's feelings as he watched the execution.
Didn't Xie Shaoling say to his face before that he was not a wise ruler?
The emperor was also regretful that he wasn't there yesterday. If he had been there, he could have redeemed himself amidst the deafening shouts of "Your Majesty is wise!" and then asked Xie Shaoling whether he was a wise ruler!
"What's so interesting about watching a bloody scene like beheadings!" the emperor retorted stubbornly.
“Beheadings aren’t anything special to see, but everyone shouting ‘Your Majesty is wise’ is quite a sight! It shows that the people really love Father Emperor! Even Xie Chang’an and his father think Father Emperor is wise!” Ye Jingchen said casually.
The emperor's hand holding the soup spoon trembled slightly, and he asked in a seemingly casual tone, "Xie Shaoling—does his father really think I am wise?"
“Yes, that’s what Xie Chang’an said, and my sister and the others heard it!” Ye Jingchen nodded vigorously.
“Yes, Xie Chang’an did say that,” Ye Jingshu agreed.
Ye Jinghe could tell that Xie Chang'an was very reluctant when he spoke, but since it was his brother who wanted the emperor to know, he would pretend not to know.
So when the emperor looked at him, he nodded without hesitation.
The older siblings, including Ye Jinghe, all nodded. Although Ye Jingyu felt that wasn't quite right, he nodded along with them.
The emperor could no longer suppress his smile, and all the pent-up frustration in his heart vanished, causing him to burst into hearty laughter.
Before Ye Jingchen asked him if he was in a good mood, he was indeed in a good mood, but not as good as he was now.
Although the emperor himself had always disregarded the will of the people, how could he not be happy when he actually felt it firsthand?
However, Xie Shaoling has returned.
Logically speaking, when a general like Xie Shaoling, who was guarding the northern frontier, returned, he should have been summoned to the palace to meet the emperor and learn about the current situation in the northern frontier.
Moreover, there was the matter of the joint trial of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, which should also be explained to Xie Shaoling as a way to appease the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
But he didn't want to see Xie Shaoling at all.
It wasn't just because he had gone to great lengths to please Xie Shaoling only to be met with the ridicule that he was not a wise ruler.
It was also because he had personally heard his father sigh to the chief eunuch beside him, saying that he wished Xie Shaoling were his son!
If Xie Shaoling were truly the emperor's son and brother, then he probably wouldn't stand a chance on the throne!
He can't even tolerate his own brothers, so how could he possibly tolerate Xie Shaoling?
If his father hadn't seen through his murderous intent and forced him to swear a poisonous oath before his death not to do anything detrimental to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the first thing he would have done after ascending the throne would definitely have been to kill Xie Shaoling, rather than simply sending him to the northern frontier and forbidding him from returning home.
He didn't want to see Xie Shaoling because he was afraid Xie Shaoling wouldn't be able to control his murderous intent.
However, at this moment, the emperor felt all the pent-up frustration in his heart vanish, and even his murderous intent towards Xie Shaoling had faded considerably.
So what if they used to look down on him? So what if they mocked him? So what if he was favored by the Emperor? Now, Xie Shaoling still has to obediently kneel and kowtow to him, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."
He made his decision: he would summon Xie Shaoling after court tomorrow!
"Father, I am very curious about the Northern Frontier. May I meet Prince Xie?" Ye Jingchen took the opportunity to make his request, seeing that the emperor was in a good mood.
"What do you want to see him for?" The emperor immediately became wary. "He speaks extremely rudely, the kind of person who can't say anything nice. You'd better not see him, or I'm afraid he'll make you cry!"
Seeing the emperor's resolute attitude, Ye Jingchen immediately changed his request, "Alright, then Father, could we have a few more days off each month? I'm reading from the moment I open my eyes until I close them. I don't even have time to pay my respects to you. I have to come over at night, sneaking around, as if I've done something shameful!"
"What are you saying? What do you mean by 'unseeable to be seen by others'? I am unseeable to be seen by others?" The emperor became angrier and angrier, and slapped him on the forehead.
"Your subject was just using a metaphor. You are in the prime of your life and still young. You can be emperor for many, many, many years. Your subject has plenty of time to grow. Please let your subject rest for a few more days!" Ye Jingchen said, grabbing his hand and acting coquettishly.
"Are you going to eat this dinner or not? If not, I'll have it taken away!" The emperor pulled his hand back, so angry he was practically full, and had no appetite left.
No wonder his unfilial son asked him if he was in a good mood.
This is meant to ruin his mood!
"Father, look at my haggard face, don't you feel sorry for me?" Ye Jingchen pointed to his face and asked the emperor pitifully.
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