140 Chapter 140
◎Recuperate. ◎
The next day.
When Liu Ju woke up, there was only a dim candlelight in the hall. His mind was still not clear, but he subconsciously recalled what happened yesterday. He got up in a hurry, not wanting to wake up the people around him.
"...Juer?"
Liu Ju took a moment to react before realizing who this person was: "Aweng..."
"Did you have a nightmare..." His Majesty the Emperor raised his hand and patted his son's back, as if coaxing a child.
Liu Ju did not answer. He reached out and felt the temperature of his father's forehead. It felt normal now. He wanted to check the scar on the knee, but the Emperor dodged him.
"It's all right, it's all right." Liu Che sat up and patted Liu Ju's back, comforting him. "Grandpa, you're fine, Ju'er, don't be afraid."
Liu Ju paused and said, "Aunt, I'm not a three-year-old child anymore."
"Really..." His Majesty the Emperor said in surprise, "I think you do."
Who scared him? Liu Ju thought angrily.
But based on this reaction, it was obvious that there was no major problem with the Emperor, and Liu Ju's heart finally settled down.
For Liu Ju, this day and night felt like every second felt like an eternity.
Seeing his son lying down and preparing to go back to sleep, the Emperor poked him in dissatisfaction: "Don't sleep! You woke me up! Wait until I fall asleep before you go back to sleep."
Liu Ju began to perform snoring live.
Liu Che couldn't help but laugh, then said, "I heard you scolded Madam Li and made her cry. What happened?"
Liu Ju said, "Her crying really annoys me. Grandfather, how can you stand having so many women in your harem?"
Liu Che: “…”
"You..." Liu Che felt that his son's attitude was a little bad.
"I have to choose two people to serve you." His Majesty the Emperor said seriously.
Liu Ju's forehead was filled with question marks. He helplessly reminded, "Aunt, I'm only eleven years old."
Liu Che said: "Eleven years old is not young anymore, don't worry, I am looking forward to holding my grandson."
Liu Ju: “…”
Although there is indeed a throne to inherit in our family, but... Liu Ju felt that his father really didn't need to rush. After all, he could still have a son when he was sixty years old. Why was he in a hurry to have a grandson? Wouldn't it be better to have his own son?
"Aunt, wait two more years, wait..." Liu Ju silently weighed his father's tolerance and the time it would take for Qing Yue to arrive in Beijing, "Wait until I'm fifteen, okay?"
"It's a bit long." Liu Che said sincerely, "We have to wait another four years."
If he couldn't make sense, he simply stopped talking. Liu Ju wrapped himself in the quilt and said, "Then you give it to them. Let them give birth to your grandchildren. I won't get involved anyway."
"You don't..." Liu Che was speechless for a moment.
Liu Ju said in a gentle voice, "Aunt, I'm very sleepy. Please let me sleep for a while, and you should sleep for a while too. I've just gotten better, so we can't let our guard down."
Okay.
His Majesty the Emperor was indeed a little sleepy. He lay down on the pillow and said one last thing: "Fifteen, no later."
"Hmm," Liu Ju responded twice, and even reached out to pat the emperor, "Go to sleep."
Liu Che: “…”
How ridiculous! Do you think I'm a child?
His Majesty the Emperor yawned and decided to settle accounts with the Crown Prince when he woke up tomorrow.
This time, His Majesty the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did not wake up again until dawn.
Before washing up, Liu Ju asked the personal physician to check on his father's injury. It was still a little red, but no longer swollen. It looked like the injury would not get any worse and the small cut would heal in a few days.
But His Majesty the Emperor's body did not recover completely so quickly. Although he was given very useful anti-inflammatory medicine after only having a fever for half a day, his fever subsided and did not recur. However, the enemy comes like a mountain and the disease goes away like a thread. He still needs to be well nursed back to health.
After hearing the words of the attendant physician, the emperor regained some spirit and frowned, saying, "I am not that weak." As he spoke, he asked someone to help him up.
Liu Ju hurriedly said, "Grandfather, you have slept for so long and haven't eaten yet. You should eat something first. I am hungry too. Grandfather, I am so hungry!"
Under the Crown Prince's concern and sympathy, His Majesty the Emperor sat on the couch, washed his hands and face, and cleaned his teeth. The Crown Prince did the same. Afterwards, the father and son ate a light meal together.
When his feet touched the ground again, Liu Che realized that he was indeed very weak. He closed his eyes and relaxed.
Yesterday was fine, Liu Che was just drowsy and trying to make arrangements for the country and the prince, and he had no time to think about anything else. Today he experienced this feeling again.
This kind of powerlessness... is really depressing.
Liu Ju said slowly, "Grandpa has been lying down all the time, so he must be tired. I'll walk a few steps with you."
Liu Che lowered his eyes and looked at the crown of the prince's black hair. He suddenly thought of the past... How did he get through the days when the late emperor fell ill, became seriously ill, and finally passed away?
Ji'er was much younger than he was back then. He not only arranged everything in the court, but also took care of the emperor and his father when they were ill.
Not only did the new tree sprout, it was also so lush and green that it could provide shelter for the old tree from wind and rain.
Liu Che thought with relief, if that’s the case, what do I have to be afraid of?
Now he only suffers from physical weakness, but when he first ascended the throne, he suffered more psychological weakness.
It's nothing serious.
At that time, Liu Che could only walk alone, but now, his son can accompany him forward.
Liu Che asked the palace maids to leave and said to Liu Ju, "Come, support the old man."
Liu Ju was a little surprised, but he came over without hesitation and supported his father's arm. "Anyone who has been lying down for a whole day and night and has been seriously ill will lose their strength. Grandfather, rest for a few days. We can go hunting again."
"Okay." Liu Che chuckled softly, "I'll hunt another bear for you."
Liu Ju laughed and said, "I need to climb up for a few more years before I can hunt bears for Aweng."
Liu Che smiled and said, "No problem, you can hunt a deer for me first."
Liu Ju smiled and nodded: "Okay, Aung will wait and see."
…
The days of recuperation were very boring, and the emperor could not waste his energy for the time being, so Liu Ju asked someone to bring the white cat he had bought last year when he went out of the palace to play with it to Shanglin Garden to entertain his father.
When Liu Che saw a fat white cat, he was surprised: "Ji'er, don't lie to me, is this the raccoon cat from last year?"
Liu Ju stroked the white cat's soft fur and nodded, "Of course, Uncle, Mimi has grown up."
"Mimi?" Liu Che asked critically, "Who came up with this name?"
"As for me, it's a...raccoon dog. What else can it be called if not Mimi?" Liu Ju said righteously.
"No, no," the Emperor shook his head. "In my opinion, it's completely snow-white, so it should be called..."
The cat seemed to realize that this topic involved it, and actually turned its head to look at His Majesty the Emperor.
“…Black clouds.”
Liu Ju: “…”
"Aunt, it's not funny at all." Liu Ju said speechlessly.
Liu Che said with a serious face: "Who said I was joking? From now on, it will be called Black Cloud."
His Majesty the Emperor had spoken, and the little white cat had to change its name to Black Cloud. Of course, it was hard to tell which was better or worse than its previous name.
The little white cat will not approach people on its own initiative, but it will not lose its temper when people take the initiative to approach it. It will even meow a few times if it feels comfortable being touched.
Liu Ju felt that from this point of view, the kitten was quite similar to the emperor. No wonder it quickly won the emperor's favor and Madam Li had to step back a step.
Ever since she saw the prince's cold face that day, Lady Li was always very cautious when meeting Liu Ju, perhaps because she was really scared of him.
When Liu Che observed this situation, he happened to hear the gossip in Chang'an City. He called the crown prince over from where he was handling government affairs and asked, "How did you scold Madam Li the other day? Let me see."
Liu Ju: “…”
"I didn't scold her, Aung, I just asked her to shut up." Liu Ju explained tiredly.
"Okay, it's not really scolding, but you didn't ask her to shut up, you told her to shut up." His Majesty the Emperor said with interest, "I want to see. The Crown Prince is famous for his good temper, so it's rare for him to lose his temper."
Liu Ju said: "You have seen it, on the same day."
Liu Che thought about it and realized that this was indeed the case. Oh no, the prince scolded the emperor's favorite concubine and threatened and intimidated the emperor in one day. It was really exciting.
His Majesty the Emperor stroked his chin and said, "I must remind the Grand Historian to record this. I wonder how future generations will view this."
Liu Ju said expressionlessly, "The Crown Prince, along with the Grand Marshal General and the Grand Marshal General Huqi, has overthrown the Emperor. The Emperor is the Crown Prince's puppet."
"Hahahaha..." His Majesty laughed. "Brilliant, brilliant, Zi'er! There's a rumor going around Chang'an that your uncle wants to seize power and sideline you. Oh, combined with this, it's even more exciting!"
Liu Ju tilted his head: "Uncle holds all the power?"
General, your reputation in future generations is in jeopardy. Not only is the emperor wary of you because your achievements surpass your own, you will also soon be associated with the bad reputation of monopolizing power.
His Majesty the Emperor shared the various news collected by Zhang Tang with the Crown Prince. Liu Ju had been busy handling government affairs for his father recently and had no time to listen to these gossips.
After hearing this, Liu Ju said, "According to the current situation, it seems that I am the one who holds all the power."
His Majesty the Emperor, who is recuperating from illness, has not been in charge of government affairs recently and has handed over full power to the Crown Prince. In view of his previous decrees, no one dares to say that the Crown Prince is overstepping his authority. But it seems that the rumors in Chang'an City are not groundless.
Of course, both Grand Marshals shared some of the Emperor's government affairs, but the one who controlled the most core affairs was of course His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Liu Che nodded seriously: "Well, I have been sidelined."
Liu Ju rolled his eyes at his father rudely: "Aunt, you can obviously start handling government affairs now, don't always think about being lazy..."
Before he could even utter the word "what", the Emperor stroked his forehead and said, "I have a headache."
Liu Ju: “…”
"Aunt, why don't you be a teacher in Weiyang Palace?" Liu Ju suggested sincerely.
Liu Che wondered, "What kind of teacher am I?"
Liu Ju said, "Let's teach your wives how to feign illness and deceive you."
Liu Che: “…”
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