Chapter 119
In the eighteenth year of Ningwu, Xuanyuefu originally felt that this year was very long, but the days passed quickly and many major events happened in the first half of the year - none of which were related to him but he did not have to worry about any of them.
By the time he found out, his two fathers had already finished cleaning up.
Many blessings: ...
The only few things that worried him, when he thought about it afterwards, didn't seem to be a big deal and could be solved by just talking to his father the emperor, for example, getting Ling Guan a promotion and a house, bringing Yan Jinjin to the palace to recuperate, and asking for a position in the Ministry of Revenue for Xu Muyu.
But because these three unrelated things were actually connected together by people with ulterior motives, it was said that he had a falling out with his father the emperor, and his father the emperor was afraid that he was suspected of plotting to seize the throne, so he secretly planned to depose the prince and choose an obedient one from the royal family.
Many blessings: ???
“That’s all I can do!!!”
Xuan Fu was shocked and dazed, with a look on his face saying "Who the hell is this genius who thinks of me like this? Isn't it a bit too much to flatter me?" Is this still him?
"Is this referring to me?"
Many Fu pointed his finger at his nose and repeated: "I am extremely talented, and my father is afraid of me?"
Zhong Yun was so amused by Duo Xuanfu's silly look that he lost his temper. Hearing this, he couldn't help but say, "Then I am a little afraid of you. No one can beat your stone head."
Xu Xiaoman laughed beside them, and then patted his wife lightly, meaning what he meant was the child.
Many people wanted to hit their fathers with a stone head, "I'm not kidding, is it really so turbulent in the court?"
The two fathers didn't say anything. They just drank tea and peeled peanuts with smiles on their eyes. After peeling the peanut shells, they fed the peanuts to their children with one hand and their wives with the other.
"How can these three things be connected? They mix two completely different things together and even make up such a lie." Xuanyun Fu chewed peanuts and said vaguely. He really couldn't figure it out. Was his head really made of stone?
Maybe it was too obvious on Duofu's face. Xu Xiaoman felt sorry for his son, so he went to see his wife and talk to the child.
Zhong Yun took a sip of tea and said, "The Jinwu Guards were previously used exclusively by the emperor. If you want to separate them, the Jinwu Guards in the Eastern Palace and the ones I use here will be completely separate factions."
"…This is not to make it easier for Xu Lingguan to manage his subordinates. We can't promote him out of kindness. In the end, he is just a puppet. The other guards still listen to Lord Huai. What's the difference between Lingguan being the captain and not being the captain? The main thing is that this way, Lingguan can stay in the East Palace and relax to recuperate." Xuan Fu finished explaining, and then added angrily: "You can also use my account to pay the bills, saving your father's private treasury."
Zhong Yun: "When did I ever control you when you took things from my warehouse?"
Many Fuji came to his and Xiaoman's warehouse more frequently than they did.
"Just pretend I didn't say the last sentence." Xuanyu Fu weakly withdrew his words.
Xu Xiaoman laughed, "What belongs to us is yours. It's okay for you to use it. They are all our possessions."
"Dad is still the best~"
Zhong Yun was confused by Xuan Fu's words, "What kind of private treasury is this? It's the national treasury."
Close father and son: ...
"In fact, it's not about what you did. Someone with bad intentions took the opportunity to stir up trouble. For example, you asked Yan Huaijin to enter the palace because you wanted to have a relationship with him and take care of his health. You asked Xu Muyu to work in the Ministry of Revenue because you thought the Ministry of Revenue was good. He has been wronged for following you for several years—"
Zhong Yun was actually a little angry when he said this. He didn't have a good impression of Xu Muyu. Xu Xuanfu was the crown prince, so how could he be wronged to stay in the East Palace? That was a blessing he had earned.
Xuanyuefu saw his father frowning in the middle of his words, and he knew that his father, the emperor, was angry again - his two fathers really loved him and had a very thick filter for him. At this moment, he hurriedly said, "Dad, I said that Xu Muyu was wronged by me. Lord Xu didn't say that he was diligent and conscientious in the East Palace. It was also during this southern tour that he was touched by what he saw and heard along the way and wanted to do something good for the people."
"Dad, please don't put obstacles in Xu Muyu's way. After all, he is from the Eastern Palace. If outsiders see us, they will definitely say that we are not getting along."
Zhong Yun: … He raised his hand, pinched Duofu’s neck, pulled him over and rubbed it.
Many people cried out to their father for help.
Xu Xiaoman did not save his son this time. He smiled and said, "Duoduo, be good. Your dad is just rubbing you and teasing you. Who told you to provoke your dad with those words just now?"
Teach the kid a lesson.
During this period, his wife not only worried too much, but also took some of the blame. Xu Xiaoman still loved his wife.
"Your Majesty, my dear father, I was wrong, I was wrong. I was really wrong." Xuan Fu slid to his knees very quickly. He was a son after all, so what was wrong with admitting his mistake to his father?
Zhong Yun finally let go of his hand, shook his sleeves, drank his tea, and said in a relaxed mood: "I'll give you face, you can take care of the surname Xu. Anyway, the prince's party has already occupied half of the court."
Many lucky dogs rubbed Dad's shoulders.
"He is your subject now. You have the final say."
After he finished speaking, Xuanyun Fu finally reacted, "Just because of the Lingguan and Xu Muyu incident, it was said that more than half of my officials in the court supported me. Are you afraid that I would usurp the throne?"
"Xiaoman, our Crown Prince, who is extremely wise, has finally figured it out." Zhong Yun sighed.
Xu Xiaoman hit his wife, "Don't laugh at Duoduo, you just vented your anger after hitting her."
Manyu Fu nodded beside him, that’s right!
After that, Xuanyuefu heard a lot of words in "end" and "beginning", and the end was just one sentence: Zhongrui's illegitimate son instigated secretly, and the fifth uncle pulled out the radish and brought out the mud, and all of them were dealt with cleanly.
Because those involved this time were members of the royal family, many of them were punished, and the Taiping Temple was in a mess. Moreover, the situation is different from the past. In the past, there was much ado about nothing, but this time the emperor imposed severe punishments: confiscation of property, beheading, exile, and demotion to a commoner. Demotion to a commoner was already a light punishment.
If officials are touched, the people of the world can still say that the emperor is punishing corrupt officials, but the concept of clan kinship is still very strong nowadays. If these "relatives" are touched, his father will be confirmed as a tyrant, and he is the kind who does not recognize his own relatives.
Even his eldest brother, Prince Shen, and his family were taken care of.
He was joking around at first, but ended up saying just a few words, just because he didn't want him to worry. Duo Xinfu was so touched that he hugged his two fathers and cried, "It's all my fault for being useless. I've decided not to be a lazy guy anymore and work hard. Dad, dad, if you have any work to do, just ask me to do it. I'm grown up now and I need to start a family and be a man!"
Is there such a miraculous effect? Zhong Yun looked at Xiaoman, who smiled but said nothing. He hummed Duoduo's head and winked at his wife: Just believe it and comfort Duoduo.
When Xuanyunfu returned from the Purple Palace, he took the Crown Princess's hand and swore, "I plan to work hard and cultivate my political sensitivity. I will go to the Xuanzheng Hall to listen to government affairs and study during the day, and we will play when I come back at night."
"You forgot that I am your secretary and I study with you."
Xuan Fu was already ambitious, and he was even happier when he heard this. Great!
"We are a couple and together, we can overcome anything."
Emperor Ningwu had just dealt with a group of vicious relatives who were "stirring up discord among the royal family", and then the crown prince and the future crown princess reported to the Xuanzheng Hall every day. When all the officials saw this, they immediately understood everything and said that the fathers and sons in our dynasty are different from those in the history of the previous dynasty.
This is a real father and son, better than those in ordinary families.
Prince Li Zhongqiong also breathed a sigh of relief. After these past few months, he could finally sleep well. He knew that Atuan was surrounded by clan members and felt a little proud. This scared Zhongqiong so much that he found an excuse to beat his son and told outsiders that Atuan had caught a cold and was locked up for several months.
Ah Tuan was young and had never seen blood. He didn't know how powerful the people were. He became arrogant after being praised by people with ulterior motives. However, he remembered how his second brother fought back and reached the front of Taiji Palace, how Zhongrui died, and the blood in front of the gates of the various mansions in Shengdu afterwards...
"How dare those people do that." Zhong Qiong murmured to himself. Especially the eldest brother, who was already old. Although the current emperor had ignored him for so many years, he still had the Duke. How could he only care about food and not beatings and be fooled by Zhong Rui's evil son?
Zhong Qiong has been an invisible person since he was a child. His mother has a low status. When his father was the emperor, although he was a prince, he wanted to curry favor with his brothers. However, his brothers looked down on him and did not want to win him over - because he had no one in his uncle's family behind him and had no connections in the court, so why would they win him over?
Because he had been accustomed to this kind of life since childhood, even though he later became prominent and was highly valued by the emperor, Zhongqiong did not really regard his second brother as his own flesh and blood, but respected and honored him as if he were the emperor.
Prince Shen was once prominent. When his father was the emperor, he even had the power to "compete" for the crown prince. How could he really be willing to decline like this...
You have to try your best, just in case.
When Zhong Qiong finished his work, the clan elders who used to sit at the same table with him were now prisoners. He returned to the mansion and looked at Atuan, who was so scared that his face turned pale and looked even sicker than when he was recuperating.
"I didn't even dare to let you fake illness to deceive His Majesty. I beat you up and confirmed that you were sick. I let you rest at home and clear your mind."
"Although I am a coward, luckily I protected you. Everything is fine now."
Ah Tuan was shocked to realize that he had been flattered by others and felt that his father was too timid and cautious. Now he suddenly understood his father's good intentions and could not help but kneel on the ground and cry, "I am an unfilial son and have made my father worry. I will never dare to have other thoughts again."
Zhong Qiong touched his son's head, his eyes reddened a little, thinking back to the past, when the prince had not yet been conferred the title, and their family lived a closed-door life. The Prince's Mansion was bullied, and he and his wife were looked down upon everywhere. They were cautious and dared not make a wrong step. But with Atuan, his wife managed the mansion in harmony, and their life was enjoyable.
"Just remember this, Atuan. This is the only time. If it happens again, our family will break up."
Zhong Qiong understood that he had a kind fatherly heart, and the emperor was even kinder than him.
Zhongrui's evil son living outside is nothing, how could he cause such a disturbance? It's just that the emperor indulged him, wanting to kill people with a borrowed knife in one go and clean up all the clan members who coveted the prince's things. The emperor is also afraid that in his old age, the prince will be controlled by the clan members.
Now they are the only direct relatives left, and His Majesty still needs them. If one day...
"My son doesn't dare anymore. He doesn't even dare to think about it." Atuan said while shaking and crying.
That's good.
It has been more than June since the "Clan Family Case" ended.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince worked in a hurry, but he started to complain after less than a month. Fortunately, his Minister Yan was by his side. The Crown Prince said: No, you can't be lazy, then Yan Jinjin and I are one, it's okay for him to help me share some of the work, and then to Yan Jinjin, you do everything so quickly, you can leave some for me, don't get too tired.
“…Which part did you leave for me?” Xuanyunfu got up from his nap and went to the study.
Yan Huaijin said: "Your Highness proposed that the Supervisory Council should be reformed. This is the memorial I drafted based on your suggestion. Your Highness can take a look at it first."
"Let me see." Xuanyu Fu looked for a while and then looked at Yan Jinjin.
Yan Huaijin smiled and said, "I'll read it to Your Highness."
"Okay." Xuanyuefu was happy.
It turns out that the couple has a tacit understanding!
Yan Huaijin did not read the memorial, but stated the contents of his memorial in a clear and logical manner. During the southern tour last year, the Crown Prince was not just busy with eating, drinking and having fun, but also had some experience. Every time Xuanyufu said that he was not good in some way, Yan Huaijin said that Xuanyufu would be a good king, not just to comfort him, but he really thought so.
Many people are concerned about whether their lives are good. The world belongs to the people. If the people are stable, the country will be stable.
Local officials are generally stable, and government affairs including taxation look good or are error-free. But when you get deeper, local information is not transmitted, and villages and towns are prone to breeding evil forces. Naturally, there is collusion between officials and businessmen, like the situation of Xiaohai's family.
The imperial court has an Inspectorate, but this Inspectorate is a bit "weak". The head is only a fourth-rank official. When they inspect local areas and find problems, the local authorities are strong and dare to take action against the inspection team. For example, Ke An died in the line of duty in this way.
Xuanyuefu brought up this idea after he got to work.
The Supervisory Yuan must be improved and given real power. It is best to form a small group to prevent and reduce mutual protection and shielding among officials. The official rank must be raised, and the top leader should preferably be someone with connections...
When Yan Huaijin heard this, he laughed and said, "Just say Zhou Quan's name."
"Huh? Is it that obvious?"
Yan Huaijin nodded, "But what you said makes sense. Lord Ke died in the line of duty because he had no one behind him and the local forces were too powerful, so they dared to kill him."
This is an offensive job, so you need to have a strong foundation.
"But I'm very grateful. After submitting this memorial, I think His Majesty will ask you to be the top leader."
"Ah???" Xuan Xufu had some selfish thoughts. "It's not that I don't want to plead for the people, but I'm getting married early next year, and going there now will definitely delay my wedding."
Yan Huaijin felt sweet in his heart. He also looked forward to the wedding day. He said businesslikely, "You just sit there--"
"Be a mascot? It's not bad to intimidate local officials and support the inspection team."
Therefore, His Highness took the responsibility of re-reforming the Supervisory Council, but the specific implementation and all the rules and regulations were the responsibility of the team led by Lord Xiao Yan, the Secretary of the Eastern Palace. Today, the memorials were finally revised.
"I think it's no problem. Let's go find our father later."
Yan Huaijin smiled and said, "Okay."
The two of them have their wedding date approaching, and they feel very sweet working together. They also act as if they are "doing business as usual". When discussing government affairs during the day, they call each other "Your Highness" and "Master Xiao Yan". Little do people know that they are talking with affection and seem to be working seriously, but it feels weird when you think about it carefully.
Anyway, Lord Yan and Prime Minister Zhou don’t talk to each other like that.
Occasionally, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would 'accidentally' touch the Crown Princess' hand or arm, and then laugh.
Emperor Ningwu: ...
Many blessings are really——
Forget it, he’s our own child.
In the second half of the year, Xuanfu had a lot of important things to do. Although he didn't do most of the work, his work was also very hard. He had to supervise the inspection team, fight for benefits for employees, and maintain integrity with his salary.
When I was almost done with the work, it was already the end of the year in a blink of an eye.
On this day, the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent a wedding dress to Your Highness for him to try on - there are still four months before the wedding, and if it doesn't fit, the two noble masters may gain or lose weight during this year and it can be altered.
Manyu Fu was surprised to find out: "!! What month is it now?"
"Your Highness has been so busy that he forgot. Today is already November 3rd. The Emperor did not hold a grand birthday celebration this year. He was thinking of holding a good one for the Thousand Years' Birthday next year." Chief Steward Wang reminded.
Last year, on the Empress' birthday, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was on a southern tour. This year, a clan case occurred, and the Emperor and Empress had no mood to celebrate the festival - the inner city of Shengdu happened to be searched every day during the month of the Empress' birthday.
However, during this house search, the East Factory did not show up, it was all done by Prince Li.
No one could scold the Queen in the court, so the chief steward Wang thought that Prince Li did a good job.
It was the Zhong who was causing trouble and thinking about things that he shouldn't have. Why should Xu Xiaoman, a single person with the surname Xu, bear the blame? Prince Li is your highness's fifth uncle, and he can't have been called that for nothing after all these years.
"Okay, okay, I'll try it now!" Xuan Fu was so happy that he counted the months on his fingers, "There are still five months left!"
Why is it still so long!
Wang Dazongguan came back to his senses and said with a smile: "The time of New Year passes so fast, it is here in the blink of an eye."
"That's right. I felt like I was counting the days at the beginning of the year, but I didn't expect it's already the end of the year." Xuan Duofu's eyes lit up halfway through his speech, and he asked Wang Banban, "Where's Lord Xiao Yan? Have his clothes been delivered? I won't try them in the East Palace anymore. I'll go to his courtyard to try them!"
It was already evening when the housekeeping department delivered the clothes.
I dare not delay His Highness's work during the day.
Xuan Fu ran out, followed by the eunuchs and palace maids from the Internal Affairs Office holding clothes, and Wang, the chief steward, also following them, but no one tried to stop them.
Your Highness has the final say in the East Palace.
His Highness can still make decisions on such trivial matters as what to eat and drink, what time to wake up and what time to go to bed, including going to the Prince's Garden to change clothes.
Xu Xuanfu walked quickly to the courtyard of Yan Jinjin's residence, and actually stopped in the main hall. His face was red because of his happiness, and his eyes were particularly bright. He said through the door: "Don't open the door yet. I know you are changing clothes. I was trying on clothes too, and I wanted to try them here."
"But?" Yan Huaijin asked in the room.
"When I walked here, I suddenly remembered that we are not married yet. If you were the bride when trying on the dress, and I see it now, there will be no surprise on the wedding day!"
Yan Huaijin: …
I laughed softly, this really is a blessing.
"What are you laughing at, Yan Jinjin? Are you making fun of me?" The elementary school student glared.
"I laugh at you for being cute. Brother Duofu really respects me and even abides by the folk marriage rules."
The Crown Princess is an expert at stroking the hair, and she can make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince completely obedient.
"Of course, we'll grow old together." Xu Duofu was overjoyed, but he didn't leave. He asked through the door, "Are you dressed?"
"There were too many clothes, so I only wore my middle shirt."
"What does it look like? Tell me more about it."
"It's a men's robe with many Chinese characters for blessing embroidered on the middle. I like it very much."
Xuanyuefu felt that Yan Jinjin was speaking love words. He liked the word "Fu" embroidered on it very much. His face became even hotter. He said, "I like it too. Wait a minute, Wang Banban, is there any word embroidered on my undershirt?"
"Yes, I embroidered the word 'longevity' on it."
Xuanyu Fu: "The word Shou is not good, change it to Jin."
Wang Yuanyuan: …
This is a bit ridiculous.
Fortunately, the Crown Princess also advised, "The embroiderers have spent half a year embroidering, don't waste it, and the word longevity is a good word, I wish you a long life, and we will grow old together."
When Prince Hun heard this, he said, "Yes, we can't waste anything. Let me see. Let them add a word 'Jin' on the middle garment. That will be good. It won't be a waste and it won't take too much time to embroider one more word."
It would be fine if Chief Steward Wang came.
The chief steward of the Internal Affairs Office is already very grateful, and His Highness really cares about his subordinates.
The prince turned around and ordered: "Embroider the word 'Jin' a little bigger and put it on my chest."
Manager: ... "Yes."
"In this way, we both have a long and happy life." Hehe. His Highness was impressed by his own cleverness.
Yan Huaijin said yes with a smile on his face.
The two of them chatted for a long time at the doorway, while Yan Jinjin reported to His Highness after she had put on the wedding dress. His Highness was very satisfied with what he heard, so he reluctantly went back to the East Palace to try on the clothes.
His Highness also found the middle garment, and pointing to a spot in the middle, a layman said to the weaving workshop's manager, "Can you make a hole in the middle, like a patch, and embroider the word 'Jin' on it for me?"
"Your Highness, that's fine, but..." The nanny wanted to say it in a way that wouldn't offend the master.
Manyu Fu saw that Nanny was in a dilemma, and thought about it. This middle dress is scarlet red, with a hole in the middle and a word "Jin" pasted on it, and narrow sleeves...
"It looks a bit like the uniforms that prisoners wear." Xuanyufu finally understood what was strange.
"Pah, pah, pah." Manager Wang was shocked. How did the wedding attire turn into prison uniform?
Many people followed suit and said, "Then don't do it that way. Make the word jin smaller and embroider more in the gaps."
The nanny quickly agreed.
That's fine.
After trying on the auspicious robes, His Highness felt even more like a young boy in love. Finally, the New Year arrived - Li Ze came to Beijing with his wife, daughter and his playboy brothers.
Xuanyi Fu was very happy. He had an average relationship with Li Ze when they were in school, but now it was different. The other party had come from afar to attend his and Yan Jinjin's wedding and was a guest attending the wedding.
"I'm glad you can come. If you have nowhere to stay, stay at Liu Qiang's place!"
Liu Qiang: ...
"It seems that Your Highness is so happy that he forgot that my family has a mansion in Shengdu." Li Ze replied with a smile. Seeing how scared Liu Qiang was, he would have agreed earlier if he had known this.
Xuan Fu smiled even when he was teased. He was indeed very happy.
The eighteenth year of Ningwu ended and the nineteenth year of Ningwu began.
There are two happy events.
The wedding gift that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ordered from Mr. Pang of Huaiping Mansion was delivered by Huaiping Mansion, and the screen is now placed in the main courtyard of the East Palace.
His Highness no longer lived in the main courtyard, so he asked the Internal Affairs Office to turn it into a bridal chamber. It was also decorated according to Yan Huaijin's preferences and habits, and the empty courtyard next to it was expanded to form a whole courtyard.
Xuan Fu now lives in the courtyard of the 'Prince's Concubine'.
"I didn't let anyone take down or touch the screen. Let's look at it together on our wedding night!"
Yan Huaijin: "Brother Duofu likes surprises very much, and so do I."
"Yeah, yeah, I knew we were the same!"
Another small happy event that is not really a happy event - Your Highness is in a good mood now because of happy events. As long as it is not a super bad thing, he can see some advantages and happy things in everything.
As the wedding date approached, the Crown Princess returned to the Yan Mansion to prepare.
Xuan Xuanfu had nothing to do so he ran to the Zichen Palace to see his two fathers, and then was teased by them. His father asked him how he had time to come today, and his father said: The Crown Princess has left the palace, so the Crown Prince must not be idle.
"Laugh as much as you want, I don't care." Xuan Xufu was not embarrassed at all, and walked towards the two fathers with a smile, "I'm getting married soon, and my wedding is one month away!"
Xu Xiaoman looked at Zhong Yun and said, "Tell me what I mean."
Zhong Yun: "One month is just right. Drinking it for half a month is just right for the effect."
"What's the effect of the medicine? Father and dad, are you sick?" Xuanyunfu retracted his bared teeth and looked serious, showing his concern for his two fathers.
Xu Xiaoman: "I'm not sick. Duoduo, your father has something to tell you. It's a serious matter. You have to think it over and make your own decision. We don't want to hide it from you."
Manyu Fu was so frightened that he thought something serious had happened, and his face was filled with sorrow.
"Don't let your imagination run wild. It's written on her face that the wedding date will be postponed and you and Yan Huaijin won't be able to get married. Don't scare yourself to death." Zhong Yun was speechless.
Xuanyu Fu breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good." Then it's no big deal.
Because his wife was speechless, Jiu Qian Sui spoke up, "Duoduo, have you ever thought that if you can have children like your father, your father has a medicine that can prevent childbirth, and it will not harm your body if it is natural."
"???" It was difficult for Xu Xuanfu to understand. After slowly digesting it, he said, "No, do you want to give me medicine? Yan Jinjin can't have children either."
He saw that both fathers were looking at him, and his father said that the medicine was for his father.
It's already been said very clearly.
Many blessings: "..."
"It's better to be on guard. How about this, give me the medicine. I'll feel at ease after taking it."
Xuan Fu took the medicine and left.
Emperor Ningwu said to the Empress: "Xu Duofu is pretending to be so arrogant."
"How can you say that about your child? Duoduo has already said that he is the head of the family. Xiaoyan has a good temper and is gentle. He is thin and frail. Even his clothes can be blown away by the wind. As elders, we can't ask about the details of what happens between children in the room. Duoduo knows it well."
"Duoduo seems to be out of tune at ordinary times, but you see he does his job properly."
"He just got the medicine. He must have taken what we said to heart, but he was just embarrassed to say it in front of us."
The queen made a series of rebuttals to the cub.
Emperor Ningwu: All right.
The author has something to say:
Your Highness Duozai: This medicine... this medicine... Yan Jinjin can’t have children either. I’m confident that I won’t take it!
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