Chapter 342 The Crown Prince is a Rebellious Person (revised)
On the first day of the Crown Prince's confinement, Lu Chengtian received the day's homework as promised, and wrote a long essay, all about his deep understanding of filial piety.
Lu Chengtian was very satisfied, it seemed that his strategy was still very useful.
On the second day of the Crown Prince's confinement, the lecturer of the Hanlin Academy went to the East Palace to give lectures as usual.
The Crown Prince was still lying in bed, still looking sickly from a relapse of his old illness.
This lecturer was knowledgeable and well-informed, and he made a fascinating talk about just a small anecdote. In just a quarter of an hour, he made the Crown Prince fall asleep.
Lu Chengtian, who was busy with government affairs, still received the Crown Prince's homework. He read it carefully and felt that the Crown Prince's knowledge had improved.
For the next three days, the lecturers in the Hanlin Academy did not miss a day.
The "Book of Filial Piety", "The Analects of Confucius", "Records of the Grand Historian", each lecturer had his own expertise, and everyone's lectures were very exciting, but no lecturer could make the little prince insist on listening to the whole class.
So far, the most powerful lecturer has only made the little prince insist for two quarters of an hour.
The Hanlin Academy is a place of pure streams. Everyone is either revising books, or revising books, or going to the palace to give lectures to the emperor.
In fact, life in the Hanlin Academy is very dull and boring.
However, since the emperor ordered the lecturers to go to the East Palace to give lessons to the prince, the Hanlin Academy has become lively.
Moreover, because the prince did not follow the beaten path, he would lie on his bed every day to attend class, and at the end of the lecture, he would fall asleep due to ether, which aroused everyone's sense
of victory and defeat. If any servant's lecture could make the prince persist for a little longer, then that person would be the winner, the object of everyone's learning, envy, and respect.
The entire Hanlin Academy, just to make the prince listen to their classes for a little longer, really racked their brains, read ancient books, and even studied late into the night, and everyone was full of energy.
After all, no one wants to lose, right?
Lu Chengtian was busy dealing with the remnants of the previous dynasty, but no matter how busy he was, he would find time to check the lessons handed in by the little prince.
It was really too difficult to let the prince attend classes.
Since the assassination attempt during the siege last year, the prince seemed to have become a different person. He didn't even go to the Shangshufang or attend classes. Every time he was asked to attend class, he would cause all kinds of trouble.
Now he finally listens to the lectures and does his homework quietly, so as his father, he must take a closer look.
Lu Chengtian was really comforted. The prince's rebellious period was finally over. How could he not attend classes and study as the heir apparent of a country?
On this day, Lu Chengtian finally had some free time. He thought about how he had confined the prince for many days, and the prince's academic progress was rapid. It was time to lift the confinement.
The prince was still young, and he couldn't stay in the East Palace all the time. He was starting to make progress, so this punishment was enough. He
still had to go to the Shangshufang to attend classes, and he still had to be taught by the great scholars of the time, as well as the imperial tutor.
On a whim, Lu Chengtian recruited all the lecturers of the Hanlin Academy into the palace, wanting to thoroughly understand the prince's academic situation.
Then, he saw that the lecturers were all in high spirits and looked very proud.
"Your Majesty, I am not talented enough to lecture as well as my other colleagues, so His Royal Highness the Crown Prince only listened for a quarter of an hour."
"Your Majesty, Attendant Lu is too modest. In fact, the levels of my colleagues are all about the same, and only a few of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can last for two quarters of an hour."
"Your Majesty, I have been studying ancient books hard recently, and have gradually figured out a way to give lectures to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. In my lectures, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been able to last from a quarter of an hour to two quarters of an hour. I believe that given time, I will be able to make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince last a whole quarter of an hour."
...
Several attendants spoke one after another about their experiences in giving lectures to the Crown Prince during this period.
These people did not realize from the beginning to the end that there was nothing wrong with the prince sleeping in class. Instead, they were proud of being able to let the prince listen to the class for a longer period of time.
After Lu Chengtian listened patiently, his face turned green with anger.
So, he thought the prince studied hard all day, but he was lying on the bed!
He even fell asleep while listening!
For this morning's class, the time this unlucky son spent in class was no more than two quarters of an hour!
Just these two quarters of an hour is the highest achievement that every lecturer can get!
Lu Chengtian rubbed his eyebrows with one hand, his temples throbbing. He actually thought that this idiot would study hard? ?
Lu Chengtian was so angry that he scolded all the lecturers and then left in a huff.
"Your Majesty, calm down! You must not get yourself hurt by being angry!"
Dequan followed him at a trot, persuading him in a low voice, otherwise he was worried that he would see the father and son fighting each other today.
With the
emperor's expression, he might hit the prince with a sword! Lu Chengtian, who was angry, had no time to listen to the persuasion, and rushed into the secluded East Palace.
Then he saw the originally weak little prince holding a thick notebook, holding a pen in his hand, and was seriously recording something. The
fourth prince, who was originally in the Ministry of Works, and the fifth prince, who was busy with business, were each holding a stick, stirring a pile of messy mud.
The third prince, who was seriously injured and needed to rest in bed, was squatting on the ground with a small hammer in his hand, hitting some mud blocks of different sizes. Except
for the seventh son, there are also the eldest and second sons who are fighting outside, and his sons have gathered in the East Palace.
If they recite poems and pretend to be elegant, it is also an elegant thing.
Or, eating, drinking, watching singing and dancing, he just regards it as a way for them to keep in touch with each other, and brothers are friendly and respectful to each other is what he wants to see.
At the very least, if they get together to conspire something big, he will praise them for their strategy and say that they are worthy of being princes of the royal family.
But, these people are playing in the mud together, what is going on?
Why, are the royal family members so childish?
No matter how old they are, they all like to play in the mud,
right? Lu Chengtian was furious. One fish spoils the whole pot!
The culprit was right in front of him.
"Prince——"
Lu Chengtian's voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth. Everyone could feel the strong anger. The maids and eunuchs who served him knelt on the ground.
Except for the little prince, the other princes were also terrified. No one expected that their father, who was diligent in government affairs, would show up at this time.
The third prince knew something. He glanced at the little prince and said gloatingly, "The good method you came up with to review memorials really saved my father a lot of time. I could have gone to the East Palace to catch you, my little braid!"
The little prince sighed deeply, "Oh, I was careless."
Although he said so, there was no fear in his words, just a kind of understatement, at most a little annoyed, and he was not afraid of the angry Lu Chengtian at all.
The third prince: "..."
Okay, the sixth brother who doesn't want to be the prince is really fearless.
Seeing the prince's expression, Lu Chengtian became even angrier, and he shouted in a deep voice, "Don't you know what house arrest means?"
The little prince said respectfully and seriously, "House arrest means not leaving the palace. Father, during the period of house arrest, let alone the gate of the East Palace, I have not even left this courtyard!"
Lu Chengtian was so angry at his unreasonable arguments that he laughed, "This is the first time I see a house under house arrest so lively!"
"Father, you banned me, but you didn't ban my brothers. Isn't it normal for my brothers to come to see me? There's nothing wrong with it."
The little prince's tone was as if it was a matter of course.
Lu Chengtian's face was particularly ugly, and the atmosphere in the courtyard was even more depressing. The air pressure was so low that it was difficult to breathe. Several princes were instinctively afraid of Lu Chengtian and did not even dare to breathe.
"The fourth and fifth princes came to see you, and you took them to play in the mud? It seems that you are having a lot of fun?" Lu Chengtian's voice became colder.
The little prince suddenly realized, "So father also wants to join! Why didn't you say so earlier? No problem! You know that playing with mud is also a science. Come on, come on, let me show you how to do it."
As he spoke, the little prince had already stepped forward, enthusiastically grabbed Lu Chengtian's sleeve, brought him to the mud pile, and snatched the stick from the fifth prince's hand and handed it to Lu Chengtian.
"Father, in fact, mixing mud looks easy, but it is very delicate to do! Father, please follow the strength of your son."
As he said that, the little prince also grasped the wooden stick in Lu Chengtian's hand, and with Lu Chengtian's strength, he really started to mix the mud.
The others were already stunned, and their shocked expressions were distorted.
The third prince: As expected, the sixth brother who doesn't want to be the prince is so brave!
The fourth prince: The sixth brother is really capable. Even father has started to mix mud!
The fifth prince: Sixth brother is also strong, right? He is not afraid of father at all. As expected, the sixth brother is the most powerful!
Lu Chengtian also mixed the mud as if possessed by a ghost. It seems that the two of them, father and son, have not been so close for a long time!
"Yes, yes, yes, that's the strength, keep this speed, look at this direction, don't stop, keep stirring."
The little prince let go, he was so serious in his instructions, so sincere.
Lu Chengtian was stirring, and suddenly felt something was wrong, so he stopped immediately, stared at Lu Zexu, and scolded, "You are the prince, but you are idle all day long and have learned a lot. It's fine if you don't learn well yourself, but you also mess with your brother? What crime should you be punished for?"
Hearing this, the third prince immediately explained, "Father, there is indeed a lot of knowledge here, and the brothers are not playing."
"Shut up!" Lu Chengtian swept a sharp look over.
"What's the matter with the prince's homework? Isn't your hand injured? How can you still help the prince with his homework?"
The third prince was also scolded into silence, with his head drooped, not daring to say a word.
"Third brother, you helped the prince with his homework, did you know what you were doing? You are deceiving the emperor!"
"Please forgive me, father." The third prince immediately knelt down and apologized.
When the young prince saw that his anger affected others, he immediately said, "Father, you are wrong to blame my third brother. It's really that the lecturer in the Hanlin Academy is not very good. I feel sleepy after listening to him. How can I do my homework?"
"So, I wanted my third brother to use his brain while he was recuperating and ask him some questions. Facts have proved that my third brother is really well-versed in classics, well-read in poetry and books, and has great talent and knowledge. No matter what questions I asked him, he could answer them fluently."
"I thought that since the third brother is so knowledgeable, it should not be wasted. It is better to show it to the father. So, you have given it to the father?"
Lu Chengtian sneered, "Since the third brother is so knowledgeable and can even write articles, why bother to heal his wounds? Just do your work."
The third prince, whose wounds had just healed, said: "..."
"As for you, you don't want to go to class, study, or do your homework, right? Then what do you want to do?"
Lu Chengtian was very angry. His tone sounded a little pitiful. This poor son was like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins. He could not be controlled no matter what.
Before the little prince could speak, a little eunuch ran in hurriedly, "Your Majesty, military news from the northwest, urgent within 800 miles!"
Lu Chengtian's expression suddenly tensed up. When he opened the envelope and took a look, his expression became even heavier.
His two big legs are on the battlefield, and nothing can happen to the candidate for the crown prince that he favors!
The little crown prince quickly got behind Lu Chengtian and blatantly read the military report.
The third prince on the side didn't know what to do. Even if you don't want to be the crown prince, you can't let yourself go like this, right?
His father hasn't even given his permission, but he's peeked so blatantly.
The crown prince can live to this day, it must be the blessing of the spirit of the late emperor in heaven!
The content is very simple. In the battle to recapture Tingzhou, the eldest prince was ambushed and shot by a sharp arrow. His life or death is unknown and he is in danger.
The second prince was escorting grain and grass and was ambushed by the elite generals of Dacang. His current whereabouts are unknown and his life or death is uncertain.
Although Tingzhou City had been recovered, the main general was seriously injured, and the army's morale was inevitably unstable. In addition, the eldest prince was seriously injured, so the matter here naturally had to be handed over to the emperor for decision.
No matter what, if the prince got into trouble and was not reported to the capital, once the emperor was furious, they would definitely be the first to be convicted!
Lu Chengtian immediately returned to Wenhua Hall. The inner cabinet and the six ministers were still there reviewing memorials. Such a major event naturally required collective wisdom.
Hearing that their two elder brothers were in trouble, several princes, led by the youngest prince, also followed bravely.
The Minister of War was a natural supporter of the eldest prince. He had always liked the eldest prince very much. Now that he heard that the eldest prince was in trouble, he was very anxious. "Your Majesty, the most important thing now is to send another commander to the border. Otherwise, I am worried that the great army will take the opportunity to counterattack."
"It's too late. Besides, the army at the border has General Shen, so there will be no chaos." The youngest prince said subconsciously.
The Minister of War was a little impatient, "The eldest prince is still alive and dead, and the second prince is missing. Your Highness, do you think General Shen can handle all the things properly? The most important thing now is to make sure the two princes are safe!"
The little prince turned his head and looked over, "General Shen has been on the battlefield for so many years, what kind of crisis has he not handled?"