Chapter 165 165 Conferred the title of Marquis
When Du Qingtang left the palace, the golden crow set in the west and the jade rabbit rose in the east.
She did not rush back to Wen'an Earl's Mansion, but went to Guo's Mansion in the south of the city.
There were many people sitting in the alley, some puffing on their pipes, some slurping porridge from their bowls, and some chatting and laughing with their hands in their pockets.
Seeing Du Qingtang wearing an official robe and looking very impressive, they all looked at him curiously.
Du Qingtang led the horse through the alley and stopped at the door of Guo's house.
Everyone's face changed slightly, and they turned away in shock, as if they had seen something extremely terrifying.
Du Qingtang was not completely unaware of the scrutiny behind him, but he didn't take it to heart and raised his hand to gently knock on the door.
Du Er opened the door upon hearing the sound, and Du Qingtang walked in. The courtyard door closed, blocking out all inquiring gazes.
Everyone had different expressions and was whispering to each other.
"That's her. I saw her clearly through the crack in the door this afternoon."
"She's an official, and she's a woman. There's only one other woman in the world, right? So, why would she..."
Recalling the shrill screams they heard in the afternoon, everyone shuddered.
"Everyone knows that he loves the people like his own children and is kindhearted. He would never do such a wicked thing as to abuse his power and bully others. It's most likely that Guo is guilty."
"To be honest, I saw that person carrying someone out earlier. The person in his arms was wrapped up tightly, with not a single hair showing. But I recognized that cloak; it belonged to Madam Guo."
"If you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot that Mrs. Guo's last name is also Du!"
"What situation can't be exposed to the wind?"
"Could it be... miscarriage?!"
Everyone gasped, their faces filled with shock and confusion.
"Could it be that Lord Guo caused Madam Guo to have a miscarriage, and that person was so enraged that he took action?"
"Actually, I've always felt that the cousin from the Guo family and Mr. Guo have an ambiguous eye contact. Maybe Mrs. Guo discovered that the two of them..." The woman who spoke made a gesture and smiled meaningfully.
When the young women present saw this, they couldn't help but blush and spat at the woman.
The woman didn't take it seriously and said with a tut-tut sound, "If that's the case, then he really deserves it."
"They say a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a mistress. These men are all bad!"
The men squatting at the foot of the wall smoking pipes were touching their noses and scratching their heads.
Aren't we talking about the Guo family? Why are we suddenly talking about them?
They would never do such a dirty thing as having an affair with their cousin while their wife is pregnant!
......
When Du Qingtang walked into Guo's house, Guo Qian had already woken up and was lying on the floor of the main room, groaning. His face was as pale as paper, and it seemed that he would not live long.
Seeing his master staring at Guo Qian, Du Er explained softly, "I gave him some hemostatic medicine, but the wound is too big..."
Du Qingtang responded nonchalantly, the corner of his robe dragging over the threshold, and he walked straight into the main room, looking down at Guo Qian condescendingly.
Guo Qian opened his eyes as if he had realized something, and happened to meet Du Qingtang's eyes.
The severe pain throughout his body reminded him all the time of the inhumane treatment he had suffered an hour ago.
Even though his heart burned with hatred, wishing he could eat his flesh and soul alive, Guo Qian's body trembled uncontrollably: "You...what do you want to do?"
Du Qingtang stood with his hands behind his back: "Guo Wangfei is in my hands."
Guo Qian's pupils suddenly shrank, and his face flushed with anger: "Brother Fei is innocent, he knows nothing!"
Du Qingtang had his lower body crippled, and he would never have children again.
Guo Wangfei is his only son. If anything happens to him, his Guo Qian family will be extinct!
This caused him a hundred times more pain than killing him.
Guo Qian couldn't help but regret that he had been provoked by Du Qingmei and kicked the baby out of her belly in a fit of rage.
But he had to do it at the time.
Once Du Qingtang knows his plan, she will definitely make him pay for it.
But it doesn't make any sense to say this now.
Du Qingmei has had a miscarriage and her life or death is unknown.
His plan with Cao Yuan was exposed, and he was castrated, becoming a eunuch in the true sense of the word.
Guo Qian closed his eyes in pain.
That’s right!
Cao Yuan!
Guo Qian couldn't help but think of Du Qingtang's words.
Admittedly, Du Qingtang intended to sow discord, but her analysis was very reasonable.
Emperor Qingyuan went from being a puppet emperor to regaining power. It was obvious that he was not an ordinary person. No ordinary evil spirits could escape his sharp eyes.
Emperor Qingyuan must have complete faith in Du Qingtang to have entrusted her with such an important task. How could he have easily believed a letter whose authenticity he did not know and determined that Du Qingtang was collaborating with the enemy and committing treason?
Du Qingtang is as cunning as a fox, so how could he easily fall into the trap set by Cao Yuan?
Once the truth is revealed, Guo Qian will definitely not have a good ending.
"You are nothing more than a pawn pushed forward by Cao Yuan."
Du Qingtang's words were still fresh in his mind. Guo Qian gritted his teeth secretly and even hated Cao Yuan.
He worked hard for Cao Yuan, but Cao Yuan treated him as a pawn and a scapegoat.
ha!
What a joke!
Du Qingtang didn't know what Guo Qian was thinking. He pointed at the three people in the corner and said, "Send them to the Royal Quarry."
Quarry?!
He Ruxuan's face changed drastically, and he shrank into the corner desperately, shouting, "I don't want to go! Don't touch me! Don't touch...ah!"
Du Yi struck He Ruxuan with a knife, and He Ruxuan fell to the ground, unconscious.
Then he did the same thing again and knocked out Guo's father and mother.
"As for him." Du Qingtang looked at Guo Qian, who was clenching his cheeks, "Send him to Xihuamen. There will be people to pick him up there."
Xihuamen?
Isn’t that the west gate of the palace?
Why did Du Qingtang send him to Xihuamen?
Guo Qian looked at Du Er walking towards him, alarm bells blaring in his head. He supported himself on his elbows and struggled to move back: "What do you want to do? Don't come over here! Don't come over here!"
Du Er turned a deaf ear and knocked Guo Qian unconscious with a knife.
Du Qingtang gently stroked the wrinkles on his official robe and walked out of the main room.
In fact, given what Guo Qian had done, even if we killed him a million times, it would not be enough to relieve the hatred in our hearts.
But Du Qingtang still chose to spare his life.
Guo Qian is still useful, and he wants to maximize his value before he dies.
......
Du Qingtang led the horse through the alley, calmly accepting the gazes of the crowd, and even had the mood to look back at each one and nod.
After leaving the alley, Du Qingtang jumped on his horse and galloped away.
The people sitting in the alley were so excited that their faces turned red and their tone was full of excitement.
"Mr. Wen An just greeted me!"
"Mr. Wen Anbo is so handsome, and he treats us very gently, without any airs of authority."
"What are you going to do about the Guo family's matter?"
"What should we do? Of course, we'll just leave it alone! Wen Anbo is a very good-tempered person, but he was so angry that he went on a killing spree. The Guo family deserved what they got."
"We should just pretend we didn't hear or see anything, and keep our mouths shut. We shouldn't tell anyone about it. As for people, sometimes it's best to just ignore them."
"That's right, curiosity killed the cat, but my life is more important."
"It's completely dark now. I'm going home first. I have to go to the market early tomorrow morning."
"I'm planning to go to the market too. My two little bastards are growing so fast that they can't fit into their clothes anymore. I'm going to the market to buy some cloth and make clothes for them. Would you like to go with me then?"
"Okay, I'll go to your house and call you then."
Everyone chatted for a while, picked up their stools and went home.
The bustling alley suddenly became quiet.
The moonlight was bright and the shadows of the trees were swaying, as if nothing had happened.
-
Du Qingtang rode his horse back to the Wen'an Marquis's Mansion alone.
Big red lanterns were hung on both sides of the vermilion gate, emitting a bright red light.
Meng Fang stood beside the stone lion with a lantern, looking as if he had been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Du Qingtang, he quickly came forward and bowed, saying, "Master, you are back."
Du Qingtang threw the reins to the doorman and strode in. Meng Fang walked in front of her on the right, using a lantern to light the way ahead.
"Master, would you like to have dinner first, or go see the Fifth Miss?"
Du Qingtang said without hesitation: "Eat first."
Today, he entered the palace at the hour of Mao to attend a small court meeting, then spent another hour and a half processing official documents, and then went to the research institute without stopping to check the trial results.
He was just about to go back to his uncle's house for lunch when Cuizhen intercepted him. He had been tossing and turning all afternoon without a break. Even a donkey pulling a mill couldn't stand such hardship, and his stomach had already protested many times.
Anyway, Du Qingmei's condition has stabilized long ago, and with Du Qingju taking care of her, nothing will happen.
Meng Fang called a passing maid and asked her to go to the kitchen to pass on a message and lead her master to the dining room.
Du Qingtang first washed his hands in the copper basin beside him, and then sat down in the seat closest to the door.
Meng Fang presented a warm handkerchief, which felt very soft when applied to the face.
Du Qingtang wiped his face and hands. The maid had already set the table and left quietly.
Meng Fang took the towel and placed it in the copper basin: "Master, please have your meal."
Du Qingtang did not like extravagance, so dinner only had two dishes and one soup.
She ate all the food, sat down to relax for a while, and then went to visit Du Qingmei.
Du Qingmei's yard was brightly lit, and the sound of conversation could be faintly heard from the main room.
He lowered his voice deliberately, as if he was afraid of disturbing anyone.
When Du Qingtang entered the room, the Du sisters, led by Du Qingqin, were sitting in the outer room, talking in low voices. Each of them had a frown on their face, without a trace of a smile.
Seeing Du Qingtang coming back, Du Qingzhu quickly moved aside and motioned her to come and sit down.
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Has the Guo family resolved the issue?"
"He's at least a fifth-rank official now, so he'll be alright, right?"
"I ate it, it's resolved, nothing will happen." Du Qingtang answered concisely, glancing towards the inner room, "Is he asleep?"
Du Qingzhu nodded. "She woke up for a short while in the evening, didn't say anything, just looked at us and cried. It was only when my eldest sister told her that crying too much during confinement is bad for the eyes that she stopped crying and sobbed and went back to sleep."
The dream was shattered and the child was gone, the blow can be imagined.
However, Du Qingtang did not sympathize with Du Qingmei. He had to eat the bitter fruit he had created himself, no matter how bitter it was.
Du Qingtang tugged at the tassel on the table curtain and whispered, "She lost too much blood. The doctor who stopped the bleeding told her to take more blood-replenishing and Qi-replenishing medicine. I'll have to trouble Eighth Sister for follow-up."
"I know. I'll find time to prepare the medicine tomorrow." Du Qingju frowned slightly and sighed softly, "Fifth sister fell hard this time and her head is bleeding. She's really hurt."
Du Qingshu held his chin in his hand and said, "At such a young age, everyone has fallen a few times. The most frightening thing is that after falling, they still stubbornly refuse to change their ways."
There was a sudden silence outside.
"I hope Xiaowu can wake up as soon as possible." Du Qingqin didn't want to say more. The decision was in Du Qingmei's hands. No matter how much they said, it would be useless. "Xianyu, tell me how you handled this matter."
In the evening, they returned to Wen'an Earl's Mansion one after another, and were told that Du Qingmei had a miscarriage and the youngest brother took her home.
They learned the whole story from Cuizhen and Cuiyue, and they wished they could cut Guo Qian, that worse than a beast, into pieces.
For Du Qingmei and also for Du Qingtang.
They knew that the youngest would definitely come over after he returned, so they stayed here the whole time.
During this time, Housekeeper Meng asked the maid to bring some cakes, and they ate some with water, barely filling their stomachs.
Although Du Qingmei is important, the youngest one is no less important.
They have to know the result before they can feel at ease.
Du Qingtang didn't hide anything and told the truth: "...Guo Qian is probably already at the Zhidianjian by now. The royal quarry is outside the city. The other three people will have to wait for half an incense stick of time."
Du Qinghua clapped his hands lightly, feeling immensely relieved: "I should have cut off that evil root of his long ago!"
"It's said that in the quarry, both men and women have to do heavy work, like carrying rocks and digging. Even a strong man can't handle it, let alone those three people." Du Qinglan felt like the villain in the story and cursed viciously, "It's best if they die of exhaustion in the quarry."
"The quarry only allowed people to enter but not exit. The dead were buried right there, without even a tombstone." Du Qingju whispered softly, "I once passed by the Zhidianjian, where all the toilets in the palace were handled. The stench was unbearable."
If Du Qingmei hadn't been still asleep in the inner room, Du Qingzhu would have really wanted to clap his hands in applause and then beat drums and gongs to celebrate. But now he could only suppress his joy and whispered in a very low voice, "That bastard's good day has come."
Du Qingqin smoothed her hair, feeling a mixture of joy and sorrow: "Xianyu, this won't have any impact on you, right?"
Du Qingtang shook his head: "I went to Duke Cheng'en's mansion and caused a scene. His Majesty was in a good mood and sent someone to clean up the mess for me."
From now on, Guo Qian will no longer be the right councilor of the Tongzhengsi.
Even in the files of the Ministry of Personnel, Guo Qian's name was not mentioned among the successive Right Councillors, and there was no such person as "Guo Qian" among the successful candidates in the juren exam in the 16th year of the Qingyuan reign.
All traces of Guo Qian in this world will be erased.
Guo Qian no longer exists, and he is replaced by Xiao Guozi, a eunuch in the Palace Supervisor who is responsible for cleaning toilets.
As for Cao Yuan, he was too busy trying to hide it, so how could he make it public?
The girls of the Du family finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"So, few men are reliable. In critical moments, sisters have to be your real sisters."
Du Qingtang didn't comment, but Du Qingmei didn't understand. She stood up and said, "It's getting late. There are maids here to take care of things. You still have things to do tomorrow, so go back early."
"That's exactly what I meant."
"Xianyu must be exhausted today, you should get some rest early."
Du Qingtang nodded and walked out of the main house first.
Du Qingqin whispered to Cuizhen and Cuiyue, asking them to take good care of Du Qingmei and to go to her directly if they had any problems, and not to disturb Du Qingtang. Then she and her sisters dispersed.
Du Qingtang returned to the main courtyard, took a shower and changed his clothes first, then sorted out and confirmed the affairs to be handled for tomorrow. Seeing that it was already midnight, he turned off the lights and went to bed.
-
The next day, Du Qingtang got up at three quarters past three in the morning as usual, practiced a set of boxing in the yard, took a combat bath before going to eat, and then took a carriage to the palace.
At the hour of Mao, the morning court begins.
The first civil official, the position of Prime Minister, is empty.
Emperor Qingyuan sat on the high throne, twirling his beard and asking, "Why did Lord Cao miss the grand court meeting today?"
The Grand Secretary of the Dongke stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister has caught a cold and has asked me to take two days off."
After receiving the twelve-tassel crown, Emperor Qingyuan raised his eyebrows.
Cao Yuan, a man who valued power so much, almost never took a day off during the Qingyuan period, but he was willing to take two consecutive days off.
It seems that Du Aiqing made Cao Yuan very angry yesterday, and he was probably unable to get up, so he had no choice but to resort to this bad measure.
The smile in Emperor Qingyuan's eyes grew deeper.
Wouldn't it be a shame to miss this opportunity that comes right to your door?
Emperor Qingyuan was overjoyed, but a look of worry was on his face. "Furui, after the morning court session, have Lan Shizhong go to Duke Cheng'en's mansion and show it to Lord Cao."
"Lord Cao is my most trusted minister. All government affairs depend on him. Please take good care of yourself."
The Grand Secretary of the Dongke knew best why Cao Yuan claimed to be ill, so how could he let the person on the throne know the inside story?
The Grand Secretary of the Dongke Academy quickly declined, saying, "The Prime Minister specifically instructed us that it's just a minor cold and will be gone in two days. It's not advisable to mobilize a large force."
Emperor Qingyuan just said it casually and let the matter go.
Fu Rui rolled his eyes and sang loudly: "If you have something to say, please report it. If not, please leave the court——"
Second Assistant Minister Qi Lianmao stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Emperor Qingyuan: "Approved."
Qi Cifu kowtowed and said in a thunderous voice, "Your Majesty, I earnestly request that you appoint a crown prince as soon as possible to establish the foundation of the country and reassure the people!"
There was silence for a moment in the Golden Throne Hall, and then more than a dozen officials came out.
"Your Majesty, please appoint a crown prince as soon as possible to strengthen the foundation of the country."
"Your Majesty, please appoint a crown prince as soon as possible to ensure peace for the world."
"I second the motion."
"I second the motion."
Du Qingtang raised his head slightly and his eyes fell on Qi Ci Fu.
Ever since the Second Prince was demoted to a commoner for some reason, and Qi Heming died in prison shortly afterwards, Qi Lianmao seemed to have aged dozens of years overnight. He no longer had the high spirits of the past and had become completely silent.
Not to mention the three years Du Qingtang spent in Shaoqing Prefecture, in the few months after returning to Beijing, Qi Lianmao rarely spoke at the morning court unless it was an important government matter, and he would never take the initiative to mention the issue of establishing a crown prince like he did today.
Du Qingtang's eyes moved, and he looked vaguely at the jade steps.
Through the tassel beads, Du Qingtang couldn't see Emperor Qingyuan's expression.
But she had a strong premonition that what Qi Lianmao did today was instructed by Emperor Qingyuan.
Du Qingtang frowned slightly. What was Emperor Qingyuan doing?
At present, the imperial court does not allow women to take the imperial examinations. Even she, a second-rank minister, has been criticized because of her gender. How can she accept a woman as emperor?
As a vanguard, she has not yet laid the foundation for officials and the people to accept women as officials and acknowledge that women's abilities are no less than men's. Emperor Qingyuan is being too impatient.
Such hasty actions would inevitably push Princess Zhaoyang to the forefront and make her the target of public criticism.
The more Du Qingtang thought about it, the more she felt that Emperor Qingyuan must have gone crazy. Just as she was hesitating whether to step forward and call for a halt, Emperor Qingyuan spoke before her.
"Lord Qi is absolutely right. It is indeed time to appoint a crown prince."
There was a commotion in the Golden Palace.
"Your Majesty actually agreed to appoint a crown prince?"
"I don't know which prince Your Majesty has in mind as the crown prince."
"The First, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Princes all have their strengths, but the crown prince is always chosen based on the eldest son or the legitimate heir. The Fifth Prince has the greatest chance, followed by the First Prince. As for the other two... the Sixth and Seventh Princes' maternal families are equally powerful, both far surpassing the First Prince. So, it seems their chances of success might even be slightly higher than the First Prince's."
The officials were discussing the matter at random. The four princes standing before them lowered their heads and looked respectful.
The eldest prince, who was tall and strong with rough features, had a flash of annoyance in his eyes when he heard the words coming from behind him.
He is also a prince, so does he have to be inferior to others just because his biological mother is a palace maid?
Haven’t you seen, in the torrent of history, how many emperors had unknown maternal families, were treated coldly when they were princes, and lived like invisible people.
But didn’t they finally ascend the throne and become emperors, leaving their names in history?
Even his father, the current emperor of Daxia, was just a peasant family on his mother's side.
The Queen Mother was chosen by the late Emperor's precious concubine for her beauty and brought back to the palace to become her tool to consolidate her favor.
Later, when Concubine Zhengui died of illness, the empress dowager was granted the title of Jieyushi. After serving the emperor in bed twice, she gave birth to Emperor Qingyuan and Prince Jin, who was killed on the spot for failing to force the emperor to abdicate. Only then was she promoted from Jieyushi to Guiren.
Later, the crown prince passed away, and the position of heir to the throne remained vacant. On his deathbed, the late emperor issued an oral decree, passing the throne to Emperor Qingyuan.
If the emperor can do it, why can't he?
The fifth prince looked respectful, but his eyes revealed a rebellious look.
Apart from that, no one could tell what he was thinking.
The Sixth Prince could hardly hide his ecstasy and anticipation.
My father and the Cao family are as hostile as water and fire, so it is absolutely impossible for him to make the Empress's legitimate son the crown prince.
The eldest brother is a reckless man, and the seventh brother is mediocre in talent. He, Xia Qishuo, will be the only choice for the crown prince!
Compared to the ambitious Sixth Prince, the Seventh Prince has only been in the court for two years and his methods are still immature. He can't hide his emotions, and his nervousness and uneasiness are almost written on his face.
Emperor Qingyuan sat high up at the head of the table, taking in the expressions of all the princes.
He couldn't help but think of the past life that Qi Heming had mentioned.
The Emperor of Qi personally sacrificed Zhaoyang to the flag, assembled an army of 300,000, and launched an attack on Xia.
At that time, he had passed away for half a year, and before his death, he passed the throne to his sixth son.
The Qi army marched towards Xiajing with overwhelming force, and in just a few months, most of the country fell.
That day, the Qi army arrived at the city.
Although the king of a country, Lao Liu was the first to open the city and surrender, presenting the imperial seal and welcoming the Qi army into the city.
The boss was frightened to death by the magnificent display of hundreds of thousands of Qi troops, and fell from the tower, turning into a pool of meat paste.
The seventh prince also surrendered to the enemy. To show his loyalty, he killed the seventh prince's wife and married the concubine's daughter of a Qi army general.
As for Lao Wu, he did not live to see the day when the Great Xia fell.
——In his previous life, Emperor Qingyuan set up the Hongmen Banquet on his deathbed, and used up all the strength he had secretly accumulated for half his life to behead Cao Yuan, Empress Cao, and the fourth and fifth princes at the banquet.
He thought that if Cao, the great threat to his family, was eliminated, the descendants of the Xia family would be able to rest assured and the Xia Dynasty would continue to prosper.
But they forgot that Daxia had not only internal troubles, but also external threats.
Fortunately, I have the opportunity to meet Lord Du in this life, and to take him under my wing and make him serve him.
The fierce army of the Great Qi was vulnerable to the fierce power of firearms, and the Great Xia also went from kneeling to being beaten to standing up and reviving, becoming increasingly powerful.
Whether for Qingyu or for Du Aiqing, his sister Rong is the only choice for the crown prince.
......
In just a few breaths, Emperor Qingyuan went through a long journey of the heart.
Qi Cifu asked curiously, "Who is your Majesty's chosen heir?"
Everyone in the hall held their breath, fearing that they would miss the important moment when the answer would be revealed.
Emperor Qingyuan twirled his beard and said, "I have placed a 'successor box' behind the 'upright and bright' plaque in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The imperial edict appointing the crown prince will be placed in it. After my death, the cabinet ministers will take out the edict and read it out in public."
Civil and military officials: "???"
After New Year's Eve, Emperor Qingyuan had been thinking about issues related to life and death.
No one knows which will come first, tomorrow or an accident.
Emperor Qingyuan was not afraid of life and death, and he would not, like some emperors of previous dynasties, make the court a mess and shake the foundation of the country in order to seek the so-called immortality.
His only worry was that one day he would fall into a deep sleep and before a crown prince was appointed, the princes would kill each other for the throne, thus causing turmoil in his family and country.
Even if his sister Rong finally ascended the throne with the help of Lord Du, she would be the one who came to the throne illegitimately.
After countless sleepless nights, Emperor Qingyuan decided to secretly appoint a crown prince.
Emperor Qingyuan was not afraid that someone would swap the imperial edict behind the plaque "Zhengda Guangming" with the name of another prince, or that someone would discover that Princess Zhaoyang's name was written on the imperial edict and assassinate the future crown prince for their master.
He prepared two copies of the imperial edict, one hidden behind the plaque and the other in a secret compartment known only to him.
When he passed away, the cabinet ministers would take out two copies of the imperial edict and open them at the same time. Only after verification could they announce who would succeed him.
Princess Zhaoyang is in charge of the royal secret guards and three thousand troops. If she can't even deal with a mere scoundrel, how can she rule the vast mountains and rivers of Daxia in the future?
In the Golden Throne Hall, everyone looked at each other with different expressions.
"What is this?"
"This is equivalent to secretly appointing a crown prince. The identity of the crown prince will not be revealed until His Majesty...
Shi Zishan stepped forward and said righteously, "The crown prince must be equipped with a corresponding team of officials in the Eastern Palace and learn how to govern the country. To appoint a crown prince in secret is too frivolous. Your Majesty, please reconsider."
Qian Daxueshi stepped out and said: "Your Majesty, I share the same opinion as you. I would like to ask Your Majesty..."
Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand and interrupted what Grand Secretary Qian was about to say.
He had thought it over thousands of times before making today's decision, and he would never take it back.
"My mind is made up. No further remonstration is allowed." Emperor Qingyuan paused, and to reassure his ministers, he added, "You can rest assured. She is the best candidate for crown prince and will be a qualified emperor."
As early as three years ago, Princess Zhaoyang revealed her ambition for the throne, and Emperor Qingyuan personally instructed her on how to govern the country, how to manage government affairs, and how to balance the court.
Facts have proved that Princess Zhaoyang's abilities are no less than those of men, which makes Emperor Qingyuan extremely pleased and he feels that he has no regrets in his life.
Countless eyes wandered over the four princes, full of estimation, but in the end they did not continue to contradict Emperor Qingyuan.
......
The morning court session ended and the officials continued with their previous topics.
"Could it be the Sixth Prince?"
"If that person were still around, Zhang would still think that the Empress' victory was certain. But now... well, let's not talk about it."
"Compared to that guy, the Fifth Prince is indeed a bit more reckless, and he has no scruples when it comes to women. He doesn't seem like the right choice for a wise ruler."
"The eldest prince is a rough but delicate man with a lot of ambition. He's a good candidate."
"Seventh Prince..."
Du Qingtang walked down the stairs and listened to the passing officials' speculations about the candidate for the crown prince. He was also convinced by Emperor Qingyuan.
After he messed things up like this, those officials who had already placed bets secretly would probably panic.
There are four more princes.
They regarded each other as obstacles on the road to succession and wanted to get rid of each other as soon as possible, but they didn't know that the candidate for the crown prince was someone other than them who would surprise everyone after the imperial edict was read out.
What's going on? It feels a bit good.
"Master Du."
Du Qingtang paused and looked in the direction of the voice, and the disgusting face of the Fifth Prince came into view.
Du Qingtang: “…”
I felt unhappy instantly.
However, considering the difference in status, Du Qingtang still bowed and said, "Your humble servant greets Your Highness."
The Fifth Prince didn't seem to mind Du Qingtang's cold expression. His peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly. "Master Du, whose name do you think is written on the imperial edict behind the "Zhengda Guangming" plaque?"
Du Qingtang: "I don't know."
The Fifth Prince asked again, "Lord Du, what do you think the chances are that it was me?"
Du Qingtang: "I don't know."
The Fifth Prince: “…”
The Fifth Prince's smile gradually faded until it disappeared completely. He said in an inaudible voice, "Lord Du is truly arrogant. Didn't he show off enough yesterday at Duke Cheng'en's residence?"
Du Qingtang was not surprised by this. This bastard was a control freak and a psychopath. "I have been in the court for several years. Everyone in the court knows that I have a bad temper and I am not someone to be trifled with."
Once an enemy is formed, the fight will never end.
"That's true." The Fifth Prince shook his sleeves. "Lord Du is a noble man with many things to do. I will not delay you any longer."
Du Qingtang bowed and strode away.
The fifth prince stood on the jade steps and watched Du Qingtang walk away.
The Fifth Prince's wife's father, the Minister of Justice, hesitated for a moment, but still stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, you want to..."
As a member of Cao's party and the prince's father-in-law, the Minister of Justice naturally knew that the Fourth Prince had intended to take Du Qingtang as his concubine in order to win her over.
However, the fourth prince was later demoted to a commoner and then died suddenly, and the matter was left unresolved.
Now everything of the Fourth Prince has been taken over by the Fifth Prince. In order to win the throne, will the Fifth Prince, like his brother, want to win over Du Qingtang and take her as a concubine?
Or, demote his daughter to a concubine and marry Du Qingtang as the principal wife?
The Fifth Prince tilted his head, with a half-smile on his face: "Master Zhang, you are overthinking it. This prince has no such intention."
He is a sensible and good man and would never do such a bad thing as forcing someone to marry.
He wanted Du Qingtang to beg him and cry and say she wanted to marry him.
Minister Zhang was already accustomed to the Fifth Prince's dismissive attitude, so he heaved a sigh of relief. Without changing his expression, he bowed and said, "Your Highness, I respectfully bid you farewell."
The fifth prince stroked his wide sleeves lightly, let go of Minister Zhang, and walked away.
-
Back at the Ministry of Works, Du Qingtang began to deal with official documents.
After reviewing two piles of documents half a person's height, the Ministry of Revenue sent the manuscript for the next issue of the newspaper.
Du Qingtang took a quick look and found that the story of the little fox and the scholar was nearing its end. He wondered if the head of the Ministry of Revenue had thought of the next story.
The legal science stories are still vivid and interesting, and there are more than a dozen names densely written on the honor roll and warning roll.
Du Qingtang took a quick glance and found that Cao Xingcan's name was on the honor roll.
Cao Xingcan, the co-magistrate of Pingyang Prefecture, made great contributions in suppressing bandits.
Du Qingtang was happy for this friend whom he hadn't seen for many years. He didn't expect that he would become a Tongzhi.
Being promoted twice in six years is already very good for an ordinary official.
Du Qingtang asked the clerk to deliver the manuscript to the Yuheng Qingli Division, drank a cup of tea to moisten his throat, and then rode to the research institute.
After half a year of continuous experimentation and hard work, the steam engine can now travel ninety miles on a single heating.
Du Qingtang knew that this was not the limit of the steam engine.
She planned to ask the researchers to work harder and try to increase the distance to three digits.
Arriving at the research institute, Du Qingtang got straight to the point: "I plan to build tracks on the imperial farm for trial steam trains."
The eyes of the six researchers responsible for developing the steam locomotive lit up and they immediately became excited.
"Where does your Excellency intend to build it?"
"How about in the wasteland behind the institute?"
Du Qingtang shook his head. "That piece of wasteland is limited in area and far from meeting the standards for a trial run. I plan to build a circular track around the imperial farm, estimated to be hundreds of miles long, so that we can test the performance of the steam engine and the train itself."
The researchers always obeyed Du Qingtang's orders, and nodded in agreement when they heard what he said.
"Then I will go find a craftsman to build the track?"
"Excuse me, sir, is there a deadline for building the track?"
Du Qingtang took out the hand-drawn topographic map of the imperial village and marked it with a charcoal pencil. "As soon as possible, it must be completed by early April."
The researcher estimated that half a month would be enough time to build hundreds of miles of track, so he patted his chest and promised, "Don't worry, sir. Once the track is completed, I will pass the news to the Ministry of Works as soon as possible."
Du Qingtang responded, determined the track route according to the terrain of the imperial farm, and then plunged into the laboratory to continue tinkering with the steam engine.
She just didn't believe that a steam engine that could travel a hundred miles on a single heating cycle could not be built before the tenth day of April!
......
In the evening, Du Qingtang returned to the Wen'an Earl's Mansion in the sunset glow.
Meng Fang came forward and greeted him respectfully: "Master, you are back."
Du Qingtang dusted off his official robes and strode towards the main courtyard. "How is Fifth Miss today?"
Meng Fang wore a gentle and respectful smile as he reported in a serious tone, "Mrs. Eighth prepared medicine for Miss Fifth this morning. Cuizhen went to the pharmacy to get it around 9:00 PM. Miss Fifth took the medicine and went back to sleep..."
After the report was completed, Du Qingtang also arrived at the main courtyard.
Meng Fang bowed and stepped back.
Du Qingtang changed into casual clothes, took the divorce papers, and went to Du Qingmei's residence.
When they entered the yard, Cuiyue came out carrying a teapot, so Du Qingtang asked her, "Is the Fifth Miss awake?"
Cui Yue bowed and said, "Miss Fifth just woke up and was thirsty and wanted to drink water. She drank three cups in a row. Now the teapot is empty, and I was just about to make some tea."
Du Qingtang waved her hand, told her to get busy, walked into the main room, and went straight to the inner room.
Du Qingmei was lying on the bed, staring blankly at the plum blossoms embroidered on the ceiling of the tent.
Empty your mind, think nothing, remember nothing.
It was not until the crisp sound of the bead curtain colliding was heard that Du Qingmei came back to her senses and turned her eyes to look at the source of the sound.
It is an offering of jade.
When she thought she was doomed, it was Xianyu who descended from the sky, saved her, and took her home.
Du Qingmei felt a lump in her throat and almost burst into tears.
Suddenly, I remembered my elder sister's advice that I should not cry during the confinement period, otherwise it would be bad for my eyes. I took a deep breath and looked up to prevent the tears from falling.
Du Qingtang walked to the bedside and placed the divorce papers next to Du Qingmei's pillow: "Remember to press your fingerprints later and have someone give it to me. I need to take it to the government to get it stamped."
Du Qingmei was stunned for a moment, and a vague guess arose in her heart.
But she didn't dare to think about it too deeply, let alone ask. Her fingers hidden in the quilt trembled, and she finally couldn't help but picked up the neatly folded paper beside the pillow.
Du Qingmei slowly opened it, and the three words "Divorce Letter" came into view.
At this moment, she felt as if her heart was being gripped, and she felt a sharp pain.
The pain made her lips tremble slightly, and she couldn't hold back her tears.
"Xianyu, I..."
Du Qingtang didn't really want to listen to Du Qingmei. What if she said something unpleasant? She had a miscarriage yesterday and was in confinement. He couldn't hit or scold her. It would only make him angry to death, which would be counterproductive.
"You should have a good rest. If you want anything, let Cuizhen and Cuiyue tell Meng Fang." After saying this, Du Qingtang turned around and left.
Du Qingtang was tall and had long legs, and he reached the bead curtain in just three or five steps.
Seeing that she was about to leave the inner room, Du Qingmei ignored the dull pain in her lower abdomen, raised her upper body, and said urgently: "Present the jade!"
Du Qingtang stopped, but did not look back.
Du Qingmei clutched the divorce agreement tightly, her face pale and her breathing a little disordered: "Xianyu, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong."
"Yesterday, as I lay in bed waiting to die, I thought back on the past and realized how wrong I was."
"In the past, I was too greedy. I wanted everything. I thought I was extremely smart and could control everything. But in fact, my cleverness backfired. In the end, I got nothing and ended up hurting myself badly."
Du Qingmei choked up, tears falling from her eyes like beads from a broken string: "I... I... I'm insatiable, blinded by greed, and I've fallen to this point today. It's all my fault."
"It's all my fault. I'm not good. I made you feel disappointed."
"Xianyu, I'm sorry."
"I have failed to live up to your high hopes for me. I have fallen into depravity and have shown no remorse. I have angered you many times and caused you to worry about me..."
Having said this, regret and self-blame swept over her body. Du Qingmei covered her face and burst into tears.
Du Qingtang looked back at her, said nothing, lifted the bead curtain, and left without looking back.
-
Emperor Qingyuan announced at the morning court that he had secretly appointed a crown prince, causing a shock throughout the court and the country.
The officials who wanted to gain the credit of following the emperor secretly observed the four princes. They all looked like the crown prince and were extremely indecisive for a while, which was extremely painful.
For more than ten days thereafter, some officials defected to the camps of other princes, while others stood firm and firmly supported a certain prince.
But these have nothing to do with Du Qingtang.
Many years ago, she had promised Cao Xingcan that she would never get involved in the fight for the throne. She kept her word and would not take a stand before the new emperor ascended the throne.
As for being on good terms with Princess Zhaoyang, she had never participated in the fight for the throne, but was the crown prince for sure.
Rounding off, Du Qingtang doesn't count as breaking his promise.
......
Half a month passed in a flash.
Thanks to the craftsmen's hard work day and night, the track surrounding the imperial farm was officially completed, and the first trial run of the steam locomotive could begin.
At noon that day, Du Qingtang went to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to attend a small court meeting.
As the court meeting drew to a close, Du Qingtang stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Emperor Qingyuan raised his hand: "Approved."
Du Qingtang bowed slightly and said slowly, "The research institute has built a train that can travel hundreds of miles a day and carry thousands or even tens of thousands of people at a time. Today is the first test run. I would like to invite Your Majesty and all the gentlemen to come to the Imperial Manor to witness this important moment together."
Only officials of the third rank and above attended the small court meeting, and there were only about thirty or forty people at most.
As soon as Du Qingtang finished speaking, the officials shouted loudly.
The sound was so loud that it almost blew off the glazed tiles on the roof of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
"Hundreds of miles a day?"
"Carrying tens of thousands of people at the same time?"
"Am I hallucinating? Is there really such a carriage in the world? How many horses would it take to pull it?"
Even Emperor Qingyuan couldn't hide his astonishment. "Are you serious, Lord Du? Do you know that deceiving me is a crime of deceiving the emperor?"
Du Qingtang didn't answer, deliberately keeping the question in suspense: "Whether it's true or not, you'll know when you go to the imperial farm."
Emperor Qingyuan gave her a deep look and said, "Since that's the case, then let's go to the imperial manor!"
So, Emperor Qingyuan rode on a dragon sedan chair, and together with other officials, under the escort of hundreds of imperial guards, they marched out of the city and headed straight for the imperial estate.
......
At the imperial farm, six researchers had been waiting for a long time.
When the imperial carriage arrived, they stepped forward to pay their respects, their nervousness and awkwardness evident in their words and actions: "Your humble servants pay their respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty!"
"Stand up." Emperor Qingyuan dismounted from the dragon sedan and immediately locked onto the huge carriage-like object not far away. "Is this it?"
As they were talking, officials came forward and carefully looked at the huge machine parked on the track.
It is made of a metal frame and is fitted with glass, allowing the seats inside to be clearly visible.
There are two such huge machines, connected together by a coupler.
"Where are the horses? Why aren't there any horses?"
"How can the carriage run without a horse?"
"Isn't Mr. Wen really playing a trick on us?"
Dozens of eyes fell on Du Qingtang, examining her with a slightly unfriendly look, waiting for her to give everyone an explanation.
But Du Qingtang smiled slightly and raised his hand to signal: "Everyone, please get in the car."
The officials were stunned and subconsciously looked at Emperor Qingyuan.
Emperor Qingyuan slowly stroked the dragon pattern on the jade ring, pondered for a moment, and walked towards the first carriage.
"Your Majesty..."
Emperor Qingyuan walked very fast, and before Fu Rui had time to persuade him, he had already sat in the carriage.
Fury stamped his feet, clicked his tongue, and hurried after him.
When the officials saw His Majesty get on the carriage, they hesitated for a moment and walked towards the second carriage.
The interior design of the carriage is inspired by modern trains and is spacious enough to accommodate up to one or two hundred people.
Considering that the quilted seat cushions are not resistant to dirt, the seats were uniformly designed as long wooden benches and fixed to the bottom of the car.
The officials had just sat down when they looked up and found that Du Qingtang had gone to the first carriage, and they felt jealous.
"You are quite courageous, daring to ride in the same carriage with His Majesty."
"After all, she is a favorite of His Majesty."
Du Qingtang sat down on the bench opposite Emperor Qingyuan and gestured to the researcher through the glass.
A researcher waved a small red flag, indicating that he was ready to conduct a trial.
Another researcher first checked the various components of the steam engine to ensure that there were no leaks in the boiler, cylinder, pipes, etc., and then added water to the boiler and ignited the coal.
After the water in the boiler boils, the researcher opens the steam valve.
White steam filled the air, emitting a low and rhythmic hum.
Driven by the steam engine, the carriage slowly moved.
Everyone was caught off guard and staggered to the ground, with screams of surprise rang out one after another.
Under the influence of inertia, even Emperor Qingyuan was not spared.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly, stabilizing himself after a few swaying movements. He asked in a deep voice, "What's going on?"
The train whistled continuously, and Du Qingtang raised his voice slightly to ensure that Emperor Qingyuan could hear: "Your Majesty, the train is moving."
Emperor Qingyuan was stunned and turned to look at the front of the carriage.
There is nothing else except the track that stretches as far as the eye can see.
No horses.
There is no one either.
Just as everyone was in doubt, a cry of surprise came from the second carriage, which was unlike anything seen before.
"What's going on? Why is the carriage moving on its own?"
"Where's the horse? How does it move without a horse?"
"Oh my god, it's getting faster and faster!"
Emperor Qingyuan turned sideways and looked out the window.
At first, the train moved slowly along the track.
Passing by the research institute, fields, rivers, Liulichang and Ningxiangfang, people in the carriage can clearly see the busy tenants and craftsmen.
As the train gradually accelerated, it seemed to turn into a flash of lightning, rushing forward, and the scenery on both sides also quickly receded, almost becoming an invisible afterimage.
Emperor Qingyuan's pupils dilated and his heartbeat accelerated in sync with the train, as if it was about to jump out of his chest.
Fury covered his mouth tightly and looked out the window in shock.
In the second carriage, nearly forty officials had thrown all their manners and composures out of the window. They leaned against the glass windows without any image, staring out with wide eyes and exclaiming from time to time.
At this moment, they were like children lying on the window, jumping for joy because the sun was so big, the moon was so round, the flowers were so fragrant, and the butterflies were so beautiful. There was nothing else in their minds except shock.
"How did Wen Anbo manage to make the carriage move as fast as the wind?"
"This is a miracle! This is a miracle!"
"If we take this train, wouldn't it be possible to reach the ends of the earth in one day?"
Some people marveled at the speed of the train, while others thought more deeply.
"With the train, even if a disaster strikes a place three thousand miles away, the imperial court can receive urgent reports in the shortest possible time and can also send disaster relief silver and grain at the fastest speed!"
"The imperial court can also deploy troops via trains, making Daxia invincible!"
Thinking of this, the officials breathed rapidly and a burning light flashed in their eyes.
Not only them, but Emperor Qingyuan also thought of the many practical uses of trains.
After the train had circled the imperial estate along the track and stopped at the entrance of the institute, the researcher announced loudly: "The train's first test run was a success!"
Deafening cheers erupted inside and outside the institute.
In the first carriage, Emperor Qingyuan didn't even have time to straighten his wind-blown hair before he looked at the person opposite him with a scorching gaze and said in a thunderous voice, "Lord Du, for your contributions to the development of trains, as well as artillery and newspapers, is hereby promoted to Marquis Wen'an, and awarded a reward of ten thousand gold coins and a royal villa!"
The surprise came so unexpectedly that Du Qingtang was stunned on the spot.
"cough--"
Fury coughed lightly.
Du Qingtang suddenly came back to his senses and bowed prostrate, "Thank you, my Lord, for your grace!"
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