111 Chapter 111
◎Bow your head.◎
His Majesty the Emperor has been in a very bad mood these past two days. Not only did he not summon any actors or musicians in his spare time, but he even did not summon his most favored wife, Lady Wang. This was a bit too unusual.
When Liu Ju came to pay his respects, he once again saw the dark circles under his father's eyes.
Liu Ju sighed, but before he could speak, Liu Che asked, "Why are you sighing?"
Liu Ju said truthfully, "I should tell Aung slowly, so you can feel better."
Liu Che couldn't help but laugh bitterly: "Stinky boy, it's too late now."
Liu Ju sat down next to his father and slowly asked, "Why can't you sleep at night, Grandfather? Is it because you know you can't achieve immortality and are too sad?"
Liu Che felt like he was stabbed in the heart again. Although there were many reasons why he couldn't sleep at night, this was indeed one of them, but he still couldn't bear it when it was said so openly.
But the brat had a serious expression and concern in his eyes, and he sincerely believed that he was comforting his father.
Liu Che rubbed his nose and asked, "What do you think?"
Liu Ju said, "Aunt, I don't think living too long is a good thing."
"Nonsense!" Liu Che said subconsciously, "Ju'er, don't say such unlucky words!"
Liu Ju smiled. "Grandfather, think about it. If a farmer were immortal, he'd spend his life farming. If a soldier were immortal, he'd spend his life fighting. Even if a noble were immortal, they'd still have to do their work for the rest of their lives. Even if you were immortal, I'm afraid you'd still be dealing with endless government and military affairs. Day after day, year after year, it's always the same stuff. It's boring and tedious, but it keeps repeating itself. As long as you're alive, you can't stop."
These words he said with a smile made Liu Che involuntarily get goose bumps, as if he was walking on a long dark road with no end.
Liu Che hurriedly shook his head and said, "If one is immortal, then he is an immortal. How can an immortal be entangled in worldly affairs? An immortal is naturally free from restraints."
Liu Ju wrinkled his nose. "But we always pray to immortals. Can they really be free and unrestrained? If I were an immortal, my ears would be deafened by the noise, right?"
Liu Che: “…”
His Majesty the Emperor couldn't help but reflect on himself. He did love to worship the gods and pray to them, but... not so often that the gods would get annoyed, right?
But the gods certainly can't listen to just one person's wish. There are so many people in the world, and countless people pray to the gods. If the gods listen to everyone...
Liu Che thought about the government affairs that seemed to be endless for him to deal with. Although being an emperor meant holding great power, it was not without worries.
Not to mention the princes and the Huns, there are also the big and small affairs of state. Why did he seek immortality and why did he enjoy himself? Wasn't it just to get rid of these troubles for a while?
If being a god means listening to everyone in the world complaining to you, then what is the point of being a god?
The wise emperor felt that he might have been led into a trap by his son, but his mind was indeed a little confused as he had not slept well for several days, and he could hardly react at the moment.
Liu Che shook his head and said, "Forget it. I won't see those alchemists anymore. They don't have any real skills. Just seeing them makes me feel annoyed!"
In order to avoid recalling this embarrassing incident, His Majesty the Emperor decided to turn a blind eye.
Liu Ju asked, "What does Aung plan to do with them?"
Liu Che sneered: "How else can I punish someone for the crime of deceiving the emperor?"
Liu Ju said, "Before I die, why not let them play some other roles?"
"What use can they make?" Liu Che asked in surprise.
Liu Ju smiled and said, "Don't be angry, Grandfather. Since they can make elixirs, you can also let them try to learn how to make allicin. If they commit the crime of deceiving the emperor, their lives and property will be in danger. Grandfather, as long as you allow them to make meritorious contributions while serving their sentence, they will definitely not dare to slack off and will not leak the secret."
Liu Che thought for a moment and said, "It's possible, but..."
Seeing his father stopped talking, Liu Ju couldn't help but ask in confusion, "But what?"
Liu Che smiled, and Liu Ju looked at him with a shudder of fear, thinking that someone was bound to be in big trouble.
Soon, Liu Ju knew what his father's plan was. He summoned the alchemists into the palace one by one and asked them to watch shadow puppet shows. To this end, Liu Ju urgently rehearsed three mythological stories and successfully scared all the alchemists who had deceived His Majesty the Emperor.
Liu Ju, who was forced to watch the shadow play on site because he had to direct it, suddenly understood why his father had been unhappy for several days. In addition to the fact that his dream of immortality and becoming an immortal was shattered, the fact was that the emperor had lost a great person and his self-esteem was damaged.
In particular, the one who dealt a heavy blow to His Majesty's self-esteem was his own son, which further damaged the old father's majestic image and dealt a greater blow to His Majesty.
Liu Ju thought about it and realized that in this situation, he should actually say less, but he still self-righteously comforted his father.
No wonder his father reacted like that at that time.
You are really asking for death.
However, Liu Ju soon came to terms with it. His father still loved him very much and would not hold a grudge. Besides, his father was not the petty Emperor Kangxi, and would not bring up this matter decades later.
Moreover, if his father really suffered an irreparable blow because of this, and could not accept the prince from now on, and became more and more angry the more he thought about it, and then felt that the prince was too annoying and needed to consider deposing him, Liu Ju felt that there was nothing wrong with it.
As for the crown prince, it’s better to depose him as soon as possible.
While his uncle is still the general and his cousin is a rising star, even if he wants to kill him to make way for the new prince, his father will only depose his mother from the position of queen instead of taking her life, just like he did to Empress Chen, and his sisters will be safer.
Sacrificing Liu Ju can save everyone, which is actually a good thing.
Liu Ju knew that such bad speculation was actually very unfair to his father, because now, including for many years to come, his father really had no intention of deposing the prince.
Liu Ju could even say that until the Witchcraft and Poisoning Incident, even though his father had a lot of dissatisfaction and suspicion towards him, he did not necessarily have to depose him.
But with the shadow of the Witchcraft Incident, it was difficult for Liu Ju not to distrust his father.
Because, between the father and son, it was His Majesty the Emperor who first became suspicious.
…
The depressed mood in Weiyang Palace spread from His Majesty the Emperor to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The Queen tried to persuade him, but she had nothing to say to the Emperor, and as for the Crown Prince... he just said that he was fine, and the Queen was helpless.
As soon as Liu Ju had comforted his mother, he was summoned by his father to the Xuanshi Hall.
"Come and sit down." Before he could salute, Liu Che waved to Liu Ju.
Liu Ju paused, almost not knowing what to do with his hands and feet. He bowed hastily and walked to sit next to his father.
"Aong."
Liu Che looked at him and asked, "Why are you unhappy?"
Liu Ju said, "I'm not unhappy, old man, but you're just like my mother."
Liu Che knocked his head and said, "You won't tell the Queen, and you won't tell me either?"
"There's really nothing to say." Liu Ju insisted.
Liu Che seemed to have regained his former spirits. He knocked his son's forehead again and said unhappily, "I don't care anymore. What are you thinking about, you little brat? You're so young, and you're always worried about all these things. You might not grow up tall!"
Liu Ju looked up and observed his father's expression. It seemed that he had indeed cleared away all the haze and became the wise and mighty emperor again.
Liu Ju always knew that he would not be defeated by anyone or anything.
"Ah Weng." Liu Ju said, "I'm really fine."
Liu Che looked at his expression carefully. He didn't know since when, the prince's eyes began to become mysterious and unpredictable. Even the emperor could not see through his true thoughts.
This is certainly a good thing for a ruler.
But now, this is not a good thing for the father who is trying to see his son's true emotions.
Liu Che couldn't help but be distracted for a while. When he was the crown prince, did he also cause so much trouble to the late emperor?
No? Liu Che no longer remembered much from his childhood, but... he definitely had never caused his father such an embarrassing moment.
Alas. His Majesty felt both annoyed and ashamed. Whether as an emperor or a father, this shouldn't happen. No wonder the child was so depressed.
Knowing shame and then becoming brave is what Liu Che, as an emperor and a father, should teach the prince and his son. It was really inappropriate for him to be so dejected a few days ago.
Liu Che thought so, rubbed his son's head, and said frankly: "My son, I have indeed been wrong to trust the alchemists for many years."
Liu Ju looked at his father in surprise.
There was a gentle smile in Liu Che's eyes: "I am not a young man anymore, but I still make mistakes, just like before. I also made mistakes, but after realizing my mistakes, I will correct them and remember the lessons. Therefore, I have come to this day, and the Han Dynasty is what it is today."
"To admit one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue," Liu Che said slowly. "I may make other mistakes in the future, but I will never make the same mistake twice."
After saying these words, Liu Che felt relieved. He thought that admitting his mistake to his son was not a shameful thing.
He was the emperor of the Han Dynasty, he was supreme, but he also made mistakes.
Liu Che was very calm.
Liu Ju was speechless. He even thought inappropriately, Dad, you are OOC, do you know that?
As we all know, Emperor Wu of Han was an emperor who never admitted his mistakes in his entire life. That's why Sima Guang insisted on arranging an edict of confession for him, but in fact, the edict did not contain the word "confession" at all.
Liu Ju's heart suddenly moved. No... maybe he admitted his mistake, so he lowered his head.
Only that time.
He admitted that his son was using his father's army to support his father, he built the Tower of Thinking of My Son, and he lowered his proud head for his eldest son, the crown prince, whom he had devotedly cultivated for many years.
"Aunt," Liu Ju suddenly said, "If one day you become dissatisfied with me, can you tell me the truth like you did today?"
Liu Che paused, frowning, "Ju'er, do you think... I'm tired of you these days?"
"No..." Liu Ju was just thinking that if they, father and son, could be honest with each other, then one day, when his father wanted to depose him, he could just give the order directly and not give others the opportunity to frame him and force them to resort to fighting.
However, Liu Che misunderstood and began to feel sorry for his son.
Caressing Liu Ju's neck with his warm palm, Liu Che said firmly, "Ju'er, since you were born, I have announced to the world that you are the Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty. This will never change."
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