Xiao Fu's words seemed to instantly ignite the faint desire in the deepest part of the Second Prince's eyes. He looked at Xiao Fu in disbelief: "Father, how can I..."
Xiao Fu stared at him solemnly.
The Second Prince looked into his eyes, his voice fell silent, and he changed his words: "Son, I want to. But the court officials will criticize me."
"Just think about it. What does it matter if the court officials criticize you? If you want to be the emperor, you have to live under the gaze of the people at dawn. If you don't disappoint the emperor's expectations," Xiao Fu squatted down and rubbed his head, showing his gentle side, "the emperor will be your backer."
The Second Prince's eyes were filled with tears. He knelt down and kowtowed loudly: "Xuan'er will definitely live up to your orders! Father, rest assured, I will listen to you and become the Holy Emperor!"
"Okay, Liang Hong." Xiao Fu called Eunuch Liang, "Take the Second Prince down to bathe, and pass the news that the emperor has passed away."
When the emperor passed away, martial law was imposed in the capital, and no bells or drums were rung.
After the entire city of Jinling was filled with mourning, bells were struck 30,000 times in each of the temples and monasteries in the capital.
Lin Zikui was sitting on the boat and could hear the sound of bells coming from all directions, seeming to be near and far away.
Mo Liu said, "Sir, people on the street are saying that the emperor has passed away."
"Dead?"
In the hearts of most ordinary people, perhaps there is no grief.
Lin Zikui was the same. He was calm and only thought, if Emperor Wentai passed away, would the little prince ascend the throne? Still the King of Zhao.
I remember that in the first year that Emperor Wentai ascended the throne, the stone tablet of the Huguo Temple was shattered by lightning. Emperor Wentai consulted the master, who said that he wanted to find a new national treasure, so he sent governors to search for large treasures all over the country, making the people's lives miserable.
Four years ago, when Lin Zikui came to take the imperial examination, he made friends with a teacher who was the imperial censor of the time. He advised against this matter and said, "The Ye Dynasty may not have a national treasure, but the emperor must love the people!"
Emperor Wentai was furious and punished the old censor with forty military sticks. The censor passed away that night. When Lin Zikui heard the news, he hurried to the teacher's house to pay his respects. The old lady cried heartbrokenly and cursed the tyrant. She was bedridden for a month and died.
Lin Zikui thought that it was great and a good thing that he didn't have to serve as an official to assist a tyrant like Emperor Wen Tai.
Looking up, Jinling was covered in white.
When the emperor passed away, the concubines and civil and military officials had to mourn for twenty-seven days.
It was spring and the temperature was rising. Incense was lit in Emperor Wen Tai's funeral hall, but it could not cover up the stench of the corpse. Everyone smelled it, but could only pretend they didn't smell it.
The monks of Huguo Temple were chanting sutras to pray for the souls of the deceased, while Mr. Pang was reciting the sacrificial text sadly. All the civil and military officials kneeling below were crying, with fake and real crying mixed together. Afterwards, the "last will" was read out in the funeral hall, and the Second Prince took the throne in front of the coffin, while the First Prince knelt, piercing his second brother with a cold gaze.
The Third Prince did not react much, perhaps because he was young and did not have such a strong desire for the throne. He pulled his ignorant Fourth Brother to mourn for his father. The Fourth Prince was a little confused when he saw that everyone was crying.
The new emperor Yuwen Xuan said nothing, but watched all the officials mourning, and he felt sad in his heart. His mother didn't even have a coffin after her death. When she was sentenced to death by Bai Ling, she was thrown directly into a mass grave. He was in the cold palace and didn't even see his mother for the last time.
Some old officials beat their chests and stamped their feet: "Prince Regent, the Second Prince is the son of the criminal Xu, he has a flawed character! This cannot be allowed!"
Xiao Fu stood condescendingly and said, "Lord Chang, this is the last will of the late emperor. Why don't you accept it? The late emperor's order states that the Second Prince is of good character and is to be made the Crown Prince. After his death, the Crown Prince will succeed him. I hope all of you will wholeheartedly assist the new emperor. I have issued an edict to all the princes to mourn where they are and not to come to the capital to pay your respects."
What kind of will is this? Everyone knows it. The emperor has been dead for almost a month. This is a fake will! It is the will agreed upon by the Regent and the Queen Mother!
But now that things have come to this, no one dares to speak out and expose it.
Because Xiao Fu said in a cold voice: "Master Chang has such a problem with the late emperor's will, why don't you go and advise him, and ask me to send you to follow the late emperor now?"
Lord Chang’s eyes widened.
Xiao Fu softened his tone and gave him a way out: "Or you can just obey the order and assist the new emperor?"
Lord Chang thought deeply about it and shouted in grief: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! I obey your command!"
For a moment, the sacrificial text and the wailing resonated.
Xiao Fu was standing there when he caught a glimpse of Yuwen Duo's pale, swollen body. It was as if he could smell the stench of bones, which was disgusting.
He endured it for a long time, but finally couldn't bear it anymore and pretended to faint from crying: "Your Majesty, I will do my best to assist the new emperor."
Eunuch Liang saw that the Regent had fainted from crying and cried out "Ah!"
The empress dowager was even more frightened. Xiao Fu, who was such a martial arts master and had a strong body, actually fainted from crying. He must have been too busy with state affairs recently. He hadn't slept for several days. He must not collapse because the country still depended on him. The Empress Dowager Xiao hurriedly asked Eunuch Liang to help the Regent to rest.
When Eunuch Liang helped the Regent up, Xiao Fu thought he was walking too slowly and strode away with him.
Eunuch Liang noticed it but didn't dare to say anything. He turned his head and saw that the Regent's profile was extremely handsome without a single tear on his cheek.
During the 27th day of mourning, Xiao Fu absolutely could not leave, so he asked someone to take a message to Lin Zikui to express his longing for him. Lin Zikui wrote back, saying that he was fine and asked him to take care of the family affairs and not to worry about him.
Xue Xiang, who was already old, also went to the capital to pay his respects and mourn.
This time when he went to the capital, he inevitably met Xiao Fu, the naughty boy who used to act wildly in his mansion, but now he has become the regent.
Xiao Fu summoned him to the imperial study alone. Prime Minister Xue thought Xiao Fu would say something important, such as something about the new emperor, asking him to come back and assist. He even thought of the words to refuse, but he was really powerless.
Unexpectedly, the other party only said: "Prime Minister, please take Lin Zikui back to Huainan first. There are many disputes in Nanjing recently. Take him away from here."
"Lin Zikui?" Prime Minister Xue frowned. "I originally wanted to stay in Nanjing for two more months. The spring examination has been postponed, and it will only be postponed to May at most. There are vacancies in the court, so I'm afraid they will have to hold a special examination next year. Now that he is going back with me, he will soon take the exam."
Xiao Fu: "My Lord, I don't know when the test will be held. Isn't it me who has the final say?"
"This..." Prime Minister Xue was speechless. That's true, but is this how he should use the power of the Regent?
How else can Xiao Fu use it if not in this way?
His tone was matter-of-fact: "I will naturally wait until his eyes recover before holding the examination. He is a talent for generals and ministers, and a pillar of the country. I hope that the Prime Minister will teach him wholeheartedly."
"You don't need to tell me. If I accept him as my student, I will definitely teach him to the best of my ability. However, doesn't he know your identity yet? You are now the regent with great power over the world. If he takes the imperial examination one day, then he..."
"Let's talk about the palace examination when the time comes."
Lin Zikui returned to Huainan and went to Fengtai County to visit the graves first. Xiao Zhaoling sent Jinzun to follow him and protect him.
Xue Xiang's hometown is also in Huainan, only two hours' drive away from Fengtai County. When Lin Zikui returned to Fengtai County, he cleaned his house first. Neighbors nearby came to his house one after another, asking him about Jinling and the imperial examinations.
Lin Zikui also answered truthfully: "The examination has been postponed. I am going home to visit the graves this time. Now the new emperor has ascended the throne and changed the country's name to Wanxuan. It is already the first year of Wanxuan. When the examination will be held, we have to wait for the imperial decree."
Lin Zikui swept the tomb and renovated the house inside and out. This place would soon be used as a wedding room, so it had to be cleaned and made beautiful. Even if they were not in the same room, Zhao Ling had to live comfortably in it.
During the period of national mourning, official marriages were suspended for 100 days and the military and civilians were suspended for one month. Zhao Ling had scheduled his wedding for March 15, which happened to be exactly one month after the emperor's death.
Mo Liu also understood the rules. He knew that it was a national mourning and weddings should not be held or publicized in a big way. Especially since his son had the title of Juren, what should he do if he was jealous and reported to the authorities?
He helped the young master to take out all the bedding in the house and dry them in the sun, replaced the quilts with new ones, and also bought a wedding quilt. Lin Zikui wanted to make wedding clothes, but when he walked to the fabric shop, he remembered that he didn't know Xiao Zhaoling's specific body size.
But he did hold Zhao Ling in his arms.
He put his hands around it and explained everything to the tailor in the fabric shop: "It's probably about this width of shoulder, this height, and this size of shoe..."
He has a good memory and can remember most of the details accurately.
The tailor was dumbfounded: "Wait, Mr. Lin, your wife has such broad shoulders and big feet, and is taller than you. Is this reasonable?"
This is certainly not reasonable.
Lin Zikui smiled and said, "My dear, he is just taller than me. You can make the bridal dress according to this. He likes to wear red and also likes the embroidery of white plum blossoms. In addition to the auspicious dragon and phoenix, embroider some white plum blossoms on the cuffs and collar. Use the best fabric."
The tailor looked at him strangely. Such a weak and frail scholar married a big and strong wife. What kind of vision did he have? How many girls from good families are waiting to marry this young scholar.
After ordering the wedding dress, Mo Liu said, "Oh, sir, we need to buy some rouge, powder, pearls, hairpins and jewelry for the bride, right?"
"These……"
For Yu Li, it is necessary to be prepared.
But does Xiao Zhaoling need it?
"... Buy some, buy some." Lin Zikui picked out simple rouge and powder, and made some simple and elegant pearl hairpin jewelry, thinking that she would not need them in the future, and could melt them down to make a hair crown for Zhao Ling. After spending all this, two hundred taels of silver were gone.
This wasn't a lavish celebration; they just made wedding clothes for the bride and bought some jewelry. In Fengtai, except for the richest families, few people would treat their daughter-in-law like this.
On the other hand, Xue Xiang, who had returned to his hometown, thought about his student Lin Zikui and muttered, "Why hasn't he come to see me yet?"
On the way back home, Xue Xiang and Lin Zikui rode in the same carriage. In the carriage, the teacher and student talked about everything from the beginning of the universe to the great harmony of the world. They had a very pleasant conversation and felt that they met too late.
He is indeed a good student and a good child. With such talent, he will definitely achieve something great in the future.
"Ah!" Prime Minister Xue sighed, "How come he has a marriage already? Who stole my good grandson-in-law?"
His little granddaughter was still unmarried, and he felt very satisfied looking at Lin Zikui.
"Master," Xue Xiang's old servant hesitated and said, "When I came back, I heard from Master Lin's servant that he seemed to be getting married... on March 15th."
"March 15th? That's half a month later!" Xue Xiang stood up. "This is terrible. Why didn't he tell me? His parents are gone. Who will officiate his wedding?"
"Mr. Lin is a pure-hearted man who is indifferent to fame and fortune. He is probably afraid that if you knew about it, you would give him a gift and not want to accept your favor, so he didn't tell you." The old servant found an excuse for Lin Zikui.
Lin Zikui hesitated and wanted to say it again and again, but didn't say it.
Xiao Zhaoling said that he had been a student of Xue Xiang, although only for fifteen days.
Doesn't Prime Minister Xue know that Zhao Ling has a girl's heart but a man's body?
It is true that Lin Zikui was not completely sure and still held a glimmer of hope.
But how can I tell this to the Prime Minister...
After hearing the news, Prime Minister Xue couldn't sit still. "No, I have to go to Fengtai County. Please help me prepare the carriage and go to the storehouse to pick out some gifts. Take a pair of jade ruyi, a pair of double-eared vases, and a set of fine red porcelain bowls. I want to go and see who has snatched my grandson-in-law! How beautiful he is! Lin Zikui doesn't even want to be the son-in-law of the Prime Minister's Mansion."
Fengtai County is not big, and the neighbors all know each other. Lin Zikui grew up here. He kept his marriage a secret at first, but later he couldn't hide it anymore, so they all came to congratulate him and asked him where his daughter came from: "Mr. Lin, you are not from Fengtai County! You came back from Jinling, so you must be the daughter of a rich family in Jinling!"
"My dear young lady, Mr. Lin should be a live-in son-in-law. Why would he go back to his hometown to get married?"
"You tell me, Mr. Lin!"
Lin Zikui couldn't stand it anymore. The doorstep was broken by people. He held up his bamboo green hat and said, "Dear fellow villagers, I will send you a visiting card when the time comes. The wedding will take more than half a month, so please don't squeeze..."
"Where are you from and what's your name?!"
Lin Zikui hesitated for a moment and said, "He is from Yunnan, his surname is Xiao, and his name is Xiao Zhaoling."
Lord Xue, who just arrived at the door, said: “…………”
He slipped and nearly fell, and in despair he asked the old servant, "Who is he talking about?!"
The author has something to say:
Xue Xiang: I want to see how beautiful you are, and snatch my grandson-in-law!
Old servant: Our girl is extremely beautiful, who could be better than her... Is it Lord Xiao? That's okay.
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