141 Chapter 141
◎Problem.◎
As His Majesty the Emperor set off to return to Weiyang Palace, the rumors in Chang'an City suddenly disappeared, but some people began to have a hard time.
After fully recovering, Liu Che naturally wanted to vent his anger on his son. First, there were those who had said that the Crown Prince was too young to handle important matters. How dare they look down on my son? How dare they do that? Second, there were those who had fabricated the general's plots. They dared to doubt his loyalty, and their hearts were damned. Third, there were those who had dragged the Marquis of Guanjun into this...
For a time, all those who could not control their mouths and had spoken shamelessly regretted it so much that their intestines turned green. They even suspected that this was a play performed by His Majesty the Emperor, the Crown Prince and the two Grand Marshals!
As for the common people, His Majesty the Emperor could not talk to them one by one, but he certainly had a way. Soon, an imperial edict commending His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for his filial piety spread throughout the Han Dynasty.
In the edict, His Majesty the Emperor used extremely corny words and quoted classics to illustrate the Prince's benevolence and filial piety, and called on all the children in the world to take His Royal Highness the Prince as an example.
Regardless of what others say, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has only the following six points to say.
“…”
"When the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars are evaluated next time, Your Highness, you might be on the list together with your great-grandfather." Li Ying comforted him with a smile.
Liu Ju only heard gloating. He rolled his eyes and said, "Go make penicillin."
"...Huh?" Li Ying said in confusion, "What should I do? I don't know how to do it."
Liu Ju said, "So far, my father has taken the successful pill, but next year will be the sixth year of Yuanshou. Don't you think we really need another pill?"
The sixth year of Yuanshou was the year when Marquis Guanjun died.
Li Ying scratched the air frantically: "I do need it, but! I don't know how!"
Liu Ju encouraged him, "You have received nine years of compulsory education. You can accomplish this if you work hard."
"Nine years of compulsory education, and you're talking like I'm the top scorer in the college entrance exam," Li Ying said speechlessly. "Besides, science and engineering aren't something you can learn just by hard work!"
That’s true.
Liu Ju thought for a moment and said, "Then go to Bowang Garden. I've planted cotton there. You can look after it."
Li Ying understood one thing: "It seems that I am an eyesore to you."
Liu Ju corrected him: "It's you who always says inappropriate things."
"Alright." Li Ying shrugged. "It's good not to be in Weiyang Palace. There are too many rules. I worry about my life all the time."
After seeing Li Ying off, Liu Ju went to the Pepper Room to see his mother, and happened to meet Liu Yuan bringing Han'er into the palace. The almost two-year-old child could now walk very steadily, and Liu Ju met the little guy as soon as he entered the door.
Liu Ju leaned down to support the man and said with a smile, "You don't look ahead when you walk. Why haven't you changed this habit?"
"Uncle!" Han'er didn't listen to what he said and stretched out his arms to be hugged.
Liu Ju could only pick him up and wanted to send him back to his sister, but the little guy refused to let go, so Liu Ju had to continue holding him.
"Your mother really loves you, little fat boy. Do you know how much you weigh?" Liu Ju opened his mouth as if to bite him.
Han'er thought that Liu Ju wanted to play with her, so she reached out to grab his mouth with a giggle, but her mother held her hand halfway.
"Han'er has learned well from her uncle. I heard the edict from Grandfather before I even entered the palace." Liu Yuan said with a smile.
Liu Ju said helplessly: "Sister is making fun of me again."
Liu Yuan took his son and said with a smile, "How can I laugh at you? This is a great thing. Mother, look at my son. He can't even tell the difference between good and bad words."
Wei Zifu held her son's hand and said with a smile, "Isn't it true? Your Majesty has the whole world praising you. My son, you are not allowed to say anything that makes fun of you in front of His Majesty."
Liu Ju knew that his mother was always cautious, so when she saw that he was safe and sound when she returned to Weiyang Palace that day, she almost cried.
The rumors in Chang'an City obviously affected the Queen. She was afraid that those words would take root in the Emperor's heart and make him feel resentful towards the Crown Prince and the two Grand Marshals.
Even though he became much closer to his father after this illness, his mother obviously could not understand it. She still believed that Liu Ju should regard the emperor as the monarch and his father secondarily.
Generally speaking, this is true, but...
Firstly, when Liu Ju fell ill this time, he told his father everything, so he was not afraid of the rumors outside.
Secondly, Liu Ju could not forget the words his father said when he was ill and not fully conscious, as well as his behavior that seemed to have seen through life and death. Liu Ju could not understand these abnormalities.
Therefore, Liu Ju did not intend to treat the emperor with caution. He wanted to be more casual in order to verify his guess.
However, he couldn't say these words to his mother. It was enough for Liu Ju to make her feel at ease.
Liu Ju smiled and comforted her, "Don't worry, mother. I know what to do."
Liu Yuan also smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother. Ju'er is not a child anymore. Look at how old father has never found fault with Ju'er over the years. It shows that my brother is very considerate in everything he does."
"Yes." Wei Zifu patted her son's hand, her words filled with heartache, "My son has always been sensible."
Seeing this, Liu Yuan added, "Old Man usually seldom stays in Weiyang Palace during July and August. Shanglin Garden, with its mountains and water, is very cool and suitable for escaping the summer heat. But Old Man has returned now, presumably to defend Juer."
Wei Zifu thought about it and realized that indeed, His Majesty the Emperor was a man who loved to enjoy himself. The only reason he could let him return to the Weiyang Palace in July was for military and political matters. Now, His Majesty the Emperor was not afraid of the scorching heat, which showed how much he valued Ju'er.
"After all, Yuan'er is better than mother. I am old and my brain is not working well anymore." Wei Zifu said with a smile.
Liu Ju laughed and said, "Mother, if you say something like that, many people will be embarrassed. If you go out with your sister now, people who don't know you will definitely think you are sisters!"
Liu Yuan agreed, "Exactly. I think my mother and I are about the same age."
Although she knew that these words were exaggerated, it did not stop Wei Zifu from smiling. She waved her hands and said, "Oh, please stop saying that. If it gets out, people will laugh at you. If mother doesn't say such things again, you won't say them either."
Liu Ju smiled and said, "I told my sister the truth."
"That's right, mother, we couldn't be more sincere." Liu Yuan also said with a smile.
As they were laughing, a palace servant came in and reported, "Your Majesty, please ask the Crown Prince to go to the Xuanshi Hall."
Wei Zifu hurriedly said, "My son, please go quickly and don't keep His Majesty waiting."
Liu Ju responded and went over to pinch Han'er's little face: "Uncle is leaving. I will play with you next time."
Liu Yuan hurriedly pulled the child over and said with a smile, "Stop teasing him, or I won't let you leave."
"Then I'll run away." After saying this, Liu Ju tiptoed away without waiting for the child to react.
Wei Zifu laughed: "He has become a child too."
…
In the Xuanshi Hall, His Majesty was very dissatisfied: "You only think about your mother, why don't you think about me? Apart from coming to greet me early this morning, have you come to see me?"
Liu Ju: “…”
Liu Ju tried to reason with him calmly: "Grandfather, I only go to greet you twice a day. The rest of the time I'm either studying or attending your government meetings and listening to your teachings. No matter how you look at it, I'm always with you more than I am with you."
Liu Che refused to reason with him: "I ask you, Prince, in your heart, who comes first, your mother or your father-in-law?"
Liu Ju held his forehead with his hand and said, "Aunt, we don't recommend asking children this kind of question. It will destroy unity and have a negative impact."
"If you don't want to tell me, then that's..."
Liu Ju spoke before the Emperor could, "The Han Dynasty's country and people, old man, in my heart, the Han Dynasty comes first."
This answer was so standard and correct that the Emperor was speechless for a moment. After a while of frustration, he asked again, "Who is the second one?"
Liu Ju could only respond in kind: "Aunt, I also have a question. In your heart, who is more important, your grandmother or your grandfather?"
Liu Che: “…”
Liu Ju spread his hands and said, "Ah Weng, are you still going?"
Liu Che snorted, "If you refuse to answer me, I will know the answer."
"Grandfather, in my heart, Grandfather and Mother are equally important. I love you, and I love Mother, too." Liu Ju answered frankly at this moment, "Grandfather taught and raised me, and Mother carried me for ten months, gave birth to me, and raised me. I can't put either one behind the other."
The Emperor paused for a moment before rubbing the Crown Prince's head lovingly and saying gently, "Well, Ju'er is a good boy. It was Grandfather who asked the wrong question."
In the past few months, His Majesty the Emperor has gotten used to the Crown Prince living with him in the same palace in Shanglin Garden. Now that he has returned to Weiyang Palace, he feels quite uncomfortable. It’s not that he is trying to be unreasonable.
Liu Ju smiled and acted coquettishly, "There's nothing wrong with Grandpa, there's only one of us. Grandpa loves me too much. Alas, I'm just too kind."
Liu Che laughed: "Yes, Ju'er is really great."
Liu Ju acted like a child and laughed with his father for a while before saying, "My sister brought Han'er to the palace today. Father, would you like to meet her?"
"It's true that I haven't seen Han'er for a long time." Liu Che said with a smile.
Liu Ju sent someone to the Xuanshi Hall to invite Liu Yuan and his mother, but before they arrived, the Chief Justice Zhang Tang came to ask for a meeting.
His Majesty the Emperor, who had not arranged any important matters for Zhang Tang recently, thought for a moment and decided to ask someone to call Zhang Tang in. After all, if it was an important matter, it could not be delayed.
Liu Ju sent a message to the princess, asking her to wait in a side hall when she arrived.
What Zhang Tang said was indeed not a small matter, but if you consider it a big matter, it could be covered up.
Prime Minister Li Cai encroached upon the land of the late emperor's mausoleum and should be severely investigated and punished according to law.
To say that this matter is a small one means that if His Majesty the Emperor intends to lightly cover it up, he can privately ask Li Cai to give up the land and pretend that nothing happened.
This matter is serious because, from a personal perspective, the late emperor is the father of His Majesty the Emperor, and he must be filial to him. From a public perspective, the late emperor is the sovereign of His Majesty the Emperor, and he must be loyal to him. Therefore, Li Cai must be brought to justice.
As a minister, Li Cai disrespected the former emperor, which is disloyalty. If a thorough investigation is conducted, he will not end up well.
When everything depended on the Emperor's decision, Liu Ju asked, "Was it Li Cai's idea, or was it someone in his family who took the initiative?"
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