After Lu Zheng bowed, the Empress Dowager asked him to sit down.
The Empress Dowager looked Lu Zheng up and down, and seemed quite satisfied.
She remained silent, and the emperor sat there drinking tea. After quite some time, seeing that Lu Zheng was still sitting there, she finally spoke: "Can your seeds be guaranteed to grow in the barren soil of Kuncheng?"
Lu Zheng: "Your Majesty, I tested it earlier this year. It is indeed able to grow, and the yield is not low."
The Empress Dowager nodded: "I have eaten it, and it is indeed a filling meal. For this great achievement, the Emperor said you didn't want material rewards or glory, only a position as a regimental commander leading three hundred men into the Peng family's camp? Given your status as the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, the Peng family would still give you that much face. Why did you ask the Emperor to reward you? You gave the other credits to the Gu family instead?"
Lu Zheng replied truthfully, "Your Majesty, I am no longer the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo. The credit does indeed belong to the Gu family. My maternal grandfather was unable to grow the seeds, but the Gu family successfully planted them. In addition to the three kinds of sustenance plants, there are also some leafy greens, fruits, and flowers. My maternal grandfather only provided the seeds. I only hope that Your Majesty can give me this opportunity. In the future, I will certainly not only lead three hundred soldiers."
The Empress Dowager nodded: "Go! I also hope that in my lifetime I can see the descendants of the Duke of Zhenguo, Lu, fighting on the battlefield, leading the men of Great Zhou to reclaim all the places they have lost! This is also what the Emperor hopes to see, and what the ancestors of the Ye family hoped to see. I hope you are not exaggerating!"
Lu Zheng stood up, lifted his robe, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble subject will do his utmost! I will not fail the Emperor's grace!"
The Empress Dowager remained silent. The Emperor gave a speech and then left Renshou Palace with Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng walked half a step behind him. After a while, the emperor finally said, "Tell me, how about I send Xue Xiao'er with you, bringing three hundred men, to compete with you?"
Lu Zheng: "...Your Majesty, this humble subject is unaware."
The emperor smacked him on the head in annoyance: "Just tell me, are you willing or not? Are you happy or not?"
Lu Zheng was both amused and exasperated, feeling that the emperor had become strange after visiting the Gu family twice: "Your Majesty, this humble subject will follow Your Majesty's arrangements."
The Emperor glared at Lu Zheng: "Fine! Then I'll arrange for Xue Er to go too. You're both seventeen this year. I'll give you three years. When you reach adulthood, whoever climbs the highest will receive an imperial decree of marriage from me. As for the girls, you can choose yourselves. As long as they're not from an enemy country, they can be either in their forties or teens. No matter how outrageous their customs, I'll grant them marriages!"
Lu Zheng almost fell over. Who wants to be in their fifties or sixties?
The emperor added, "If you happen to have your eye on a girl, hehe, my imperial decree of marriage will be extremely important."
Lu Zheng smirked, "Don't worry, we wouldn't be interested in just one girl."
At this moment, Empress Xue arrived with the Third Prince and the Ninth Princess. The three of them bowed to the Emperor, and Lu Zheng also bowed to them.
The emperor regained his majestic demeanor and ordered Eunuch Fu to escort Lu Zheng away.
He observed the Third Prince without changing his expression. He lacked composure and looked at me like a mouse before a cat. He was no match for Xue Er and Lu Er!
Could it be because his son is the third son?
He was somewhat depressed. The second son of the emperor was his heir, but he was gone. The third son was no good either!
well!
Gu Shouxin is also the second son!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com