Chapter 116
This time, not only Zhao Youze was sent to Hedong, but Zhao Youcheng also got a good job.
He was originally to be granted the title of King of Lu, and his fiefdom happened to be in Shandong.
Two months ago, a locust plague occurred in Shandong. Since Lu belonged to Zhao Youcheng's fiefdom, Emperor Zhanghe sent him out to gain experience as well.
Perhaps because he was afraid of being biased, Zhao Youcheng and Zhao Youze were appointed one after the other. The only difference was that Zhao Youze took the initiative to ask for the position, while Zhao Youcheng was appointed by Emperor Zhanghe himself.
Zhao Youcheng has been in charge of government for nearly a year. He has seen some of the world's affairs and knows that disaster relief may seem simple, but it is not an easy job.
But compared with Zhao Youze's flood control, disaster relief is much easier and easier to earn a good reputation.
Therefore, after getting this assignment, Zhao Youcheng did not show it on his face, but he was extremely happy in his heart.
He secretly told Princess Lu: "After all, my father raised me, so he must care about me more."
Princess Lu helped him undress and undress, forcing a smile as she said, "I'd rather you take on the Fourth Prince's job."
"We have the Prince of Qin as the deputy envoy, but the Fourth Prince has the Minister of Works and the Imperial Guards." Princess Lu's voice always seemed to be soft. After thinking for a moment, she sighed, "Although the King of Qin is a noble relative, he is already on good terms with us, so there is no need to try to win him over. Minister Cao is different from the generals of Chu. One of them is a civil official, and the other is a military general. If the Fourth Prince does a good job this time, he may not be able to win them over, but at least he can win the favor of these two."
The Vice Minister of Works is a third-rank official. Although the Ministry of Works ranks last among the six ministries, Vice Minister Cao has been in charge of the Ministry of Works for many years and is also a person who can rank high in the court based on seniority.
Not to mention the Yulin Guards.
The Yulin Guard was the emperor's personal army, not under the jurisdiction of the Five Armies Commandery, and like the Jinwu Guard, belonged to the emperor's people. Although Chu Xi was not a regular envoy, he also held military power, and he was in charge of the military power of the Emperor's Guard.
The importance of these two people cannot be underestimated.
After hearing what Princess Lu said, Zhao Youcheng's enthusiasm suddenly disappeared by half. After a long silence, he said in a deep voice: "You are right. I didn't consider it carefully enough."
Unlike Zhao Youcheng's blind confidence, Princess Lu was actually not optimistic about their prospects, but she did not show it in front of Zhao Youcheng.
Princess Lu tried to smooth her slightly wrinkled brows. She said kindly, "Don't think about it for now. I'm just saying it. For Your Highness, the most important thing is to do the things at hand well."
"We have no control over your father's thoughts and the success or failure of your mission this time." Princess Lu said with a calm smile, "If your highness's disaster relief efforts win the hearts of the people, I'm sure your father will not be stingy with his rewards."
Zhao Youcheng thought about it, and a smile appeared on his face again.
Princess Lu then glanced at him gently and whispered, "However, Your Highness, it will probably take several months to return. Huaiqing will definitely miss her father."
Zhao Youcheng smiled and pinched her face, and asked timidly: "Is it only Huaiqing who misses me? Could it be that you don't miss me?"
Princess Lu pretended to think for a while before she said softly in Zhao Youcheng's arms, "Of course I do."
Zhao Youcheng smiled and slowly took off the robe on her shoulders.
The candlelight on the table flickered red, and the clouds were rolling beside the bed.
As Princess Lu said, Lu was not close to the capital, and the journey back and forth, plus the time required for disaster relief, took Zhao Youcheng three months to go there and back.
However, compared to Zhao Youze, this is still fast.
Zhao Youze stayed in the entire Hedong area for half a year, and then returned to Beijing from Nanzhili. By the time he returned to the capital, a whole year had passed and Xuan'er was about to celebrate his third birthday.
However, what Zhao Youze did did not live up to everyone's expectations of him.
Not only did he successfully prevent a riot that threatened to break out in Hedong, he also oversaw flood prevention efforts in various states along the way that were close to the Yellow River.
Zhao Youze proposed to change the dikes left by the previous dynasty into double dikes, and to add remote dikes outside the secondary dikes. Although the double dikes would cost a lot of manpower and financial resources, in this way, not only would the river channel be narrowed, but even if the Yellow River water later broke the dikes, the remote dikes would be used as protection, and the flood would not easily flood into the villages behind.
This move was first carried out in the prefectures and counties in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, and then remote dikes were also built in Xuzhou, Suining and other places.
Emperor Zhanghe couldn't help but praise him, saying, "Yuankang has achieved great results in flood control this time. He will be able to shoulder important responsibilities in the future."
After hearing these words from Emperor Zhang He, Zhao Youze became very popular for a while and was no longer comparable to Zhao Youcheng.
Women often have sharp intuitions, so when Emperor Zhanghe suddenly came to Chengqian Palace at this moment, Concubine Zhuang did not feel too happy. She greeted the emperor with a calm expression.
Emperor Zhanghe seemed to be in a good mood today. He had a faint smile on his face and said to Concubine Zhuang gently, "I vaguely feel that I haven't talked to you for a long time."
Emperor Zhanghe was actually a nostalgic emperor. Concubine Zhuang had been friends with him for more than ten years and had always been favored by him, but she was a grandmother after all, and her face would always age.
In recent years, new people have been entering the palace one after another. Although the new people cannot shake her position, how many men don’t like bright young faces?
What about the emperor?
The amount of time Emperor Zhanghe spent in her palace gradually decreased.
This is his first time this month.
Zhang Hedi said this, obviously he had something to discuss with her tonight.
Concubine Zhuang pretended to be indifferent and lightly scanned the emperor's brows. She said softly, "Your Majesty is very busy, and I understand."
"That's not true." Emperor Zhang He still had a smile on his face. His eyes darkened slightly and he said slowly, "I remember that when you first entered the palace, you were not in this state of mind."
"It seems that he became more gentle after Youcheng added Huaiqing." said Zhang Hedi.
Concubine Zhuang raised her eyes and stared at Emperor Zhang He, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty is deliberately trying to hurt me. What woman is willing to admit that she is getting old?"
"Not just women, men are the same," Emperor Zhanghe lowered his head and looked at the lines on his palm as if he was not paying attention. He said slowly, "I am also unwilling to admit old age."
Concubine Zhuang smiled and comforted him, "Your Majesty is now in the prime of life."
Emperor Zhanghe also smiled, but his voice was deep. He said: "In the past few years, I have indeed felt tired."
He suddenly looked at Concubine Zhuang, stretched out his hand and pulled Concubine Zhuang's little finger. He said in awe: "I have thought about it. You have been with me for many years. I plan to promote you to be my concubine next month."
There was an imperceptible light in Concubine Zhuang's eyes. She raised her head, lowered her eyebrows and smiled, "Your Majesty, I hope you can sympathize with my feelings. As for the position, I have also let it go. It is just an empty title."
"How can it be an empty title?" Emperor Zhanghe embraced Concubine Zhuang. He first drank a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and then said with a smile, "If you become a noble concubine, you will follow Youcheng to the fiefdom in the future, and your fiefdom will be more respectable."
Concubine Zhuang's thin eyebrows suddenly froze, and even the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were stuck on her face for a moment.
Even though she had managed to calm herself down, she couldn't help but feel confused. Concubine Zhuang's voice seemed to come from the sky. She said, "Your Majesty means..."
Zhang Hedi seemed not to notice her reaction and continued to smile.
He said calmly: "I have already planned to draft an edict to make Yuankang the crown prince."
Zhao Youcheng is eighteen this year, and Zhao Youze is fifteen. In this dynasty, they are both considered adults, so it is not impossible to establish a crown prince.
However, as Concubine Zhuang said just now, Emperor Zhanghe is no more than 40 years old this year, which is truly the prime of his life.
Even though Zhao Youze's excellence is obvious to all, isn't it too early to appoint him as the crown prince?
Concubine Zhuang's mind was already in a state of confusion, but there were some things that anyone could say, but she just couldn't.
Anyone who has been in the palace for many years is a master of acting.
Concubine Zhuang had a kind face and a gentle voice. Only when one listened carefully could one detect that her voice was trembling slightly.
Concubine Zhuang said slowly, "Your Highness has made great progress in flood control this year, and he is also the heir apparent. Even his previous defects have been cured, so he deserves the position of crown prince."
Zhang Hedi glanced at her with a smile and said slowly, "I'm glad you think so."
"I'm afraid you're still unwilling to give in." Emperor Zhang He placed one hand on his knee and tapped it lightly, speaking casually.
Concubine Zhuang hurriedly said, "How dare I?"
Emperor Zhanghe smiled, and after calming himself down, he said, "I personally taught Youcheng. In the future, I will not treat him badly in terms of fiefdom and fiefdom."
Concubine Zhuang still looked gentle and indifferent. She stood up and personally filled Emperor Zhang He's teacup with water, saying with a smile, "I thank your majesty for his grace on his behalf."
Concubine Zhuang was unusually docile tonight, so Emperor Zhanghe reached out and stroked her hair. He said, "Yuankang hasn't married yet, so we shouldn't rush into appointing a crown prince."
"I will announce the succession to the throne after he gets married."
Zhang Hedi took a sip of tea and raised his eyebrows: "What do you think?"
Concubine Zhuang opened her lips and calmly said, "It is a good thing that Your Majesty has been so thoughtful for the Fourth Prince."
Her dark eyes stared at Emperor Zhang He quietly for a while, and she said softly, "I would like to ask you a question. I wonder which family's daughter is so lucky to marry the Fourth Prince?"