Chapter 356 Acting
“Our dynasty is on the verge of collapse, Grand Tutor. I do not wish to be a ruler of a fallen kingdom,” Chang Hao said, standing with his hands behind his back. “Grand Tutor, please think this over carefully when you return.”
Wen Zhong frowned deeply, as if he had come to this.
Looking at the pile of bamboo slips in front of him, Wen Zhong put them into his storage magic treasure in front of Chang Hao, intending to take a closer look when he returned to the manor. The king was still young and had not been on the throne for long, and might be frightened by problems that seemed serious on the surface but were actually insignificant.
It's all the fault of the Marquis of Dongbo. Of all things to do, he had to rebel.
Chang Hao watched this scene and sighed inwardly. He had tried to subtly hint at his desire to become the Grand Tutor's disciple, hoping to escape the circle that fate had drawn for him, but the Grand Tutor had glossed over it.
Based on his previous experience, he cultivated haphazardly, not knowing what realm he was at. However, none of the 'immortal masters' he had met had questioned his cultivation level, so he must not have entered the gate yet.
That makes sense. In this world, the highest level of cultivation is that of a saint, and he probably hasn't even reached the threshold of 'immortal'.
"Your Majesty looks much thinner. Although you are busy with state affairs, you must take care of your health." Nowadays, Your Majesty looks cold and aloof, and sometimes you can see a hint of loneliness in him despite his young age.
Wen Zhong watched Di Xin grow up and also saw how Di Yi cherished him like a precious jewel. For some reason, he felt a little dissatisfied with Empress Dowager Jiang. How exactly did she take care of the king? When Di Yi was alive, the king was not treated this way.
"Thank you for your concern, Grand Tutor. I know what to do." Chang Hao didn't know why, but everything he ate felt wrong. Fortunately, he had been abstaining from grains since birth, so he was fine even if he didn't eat. Otherwise, he would probably be starving to death by now.
"Your Majesty may visit my residence when you have time. Although it is not exquisite, it has many novelties that Your Majesty greatly enjoyed when you were a child." Unbeknownst to Wen Zhong, his heart had already strayed.
"Thank you, Grand Tutor. I will certainly visit." Chang Hao's eyes flickered. The Grand Tutor's residence must have many ancient books.
It was nothing to the Grand Tutor, but to him it was a rare treasure. If he were lucky enough to read it, he would be able to grasp the origin of this world's Dao more quickly. Although Chang Hao knew that no matter how he cultivated, it would be too late, but he could still protect himself to some extent.
"Your Majesty, a palace servant from Wanshou Palace has come to report that the Empress Dowager..." Quan Sheng looked troubled.
"Since Your Majesty has matters to attend to, I shall take my leave. As for the matter of the Marquis of Dongbo, Your Majesty should consider it carefully." Poor Grand Tutor Wen, he was still unaware that the situation in Donglu had changed.
"Grand Tutor, rest assured, I have a plan." Chang Hao turned his head and glanced at the territory of Donglu. Why not take this opportunity to reclaim Donglu and wait for him to fight with Xiqi, leaving him to be attacked from both sides?
Marquis E Chongyu of the South and Marquis Chonghouhu of the North currently have no intention of rebelling, but what about their successors...?
After the Grand Tutor took his leave, Chang Hao took out the memorials from E Chongyu and Chong Houhu requesting the establishment of a successor from beside the abandoned imperial desk, and rejected their requests.
The reasons are quite valid: E Shunying showed no respect for the emperor and was unworthy of his position.
Chong Houhu has a son, and the throne should be passed down from father to son, not from brother to brother. I believe Chong Houhu would be happy to see this. Chang Hao doesn't believe that Chong Houhu didn't want to leave the title of Marquis of the North to his son.
They've decided it's their own business, what does it have to do with me? But no one's come to inform me. Chang Hao sits back and waits for internal strife to break out in the territories of the Northern and Southern Marquises.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has not eaten or drunk anything for a day and is demanding that you release Jiang Hengchu. Your Majesty, please make a decision." It was truly a case of the eunuch being more anxious than the king. Quan Sheng was now sweating for the king.
Empress Dowager Jiang is not a virtuous person. Her relationship with the king is very distant, and who knows what trouble she might cause to embarrass and embarrass the king.
Thinking of this, Quan Sheng secretly complained to the late king, "Who would monopolize their son and forbid the child's mother from getting close to the child?"
Now, with your death, the King is left with a broken mother-son relationship. Empress Dowager Jiang is now using the King as a tool to fulfill her wishes, and she can't even maintain a semblance of civility.
His poor king...
Chang Hao threw the brush aside in frustration. Empress Dowager Jiang had already made a scene over the fiefdoms of Ziqi and Ziyan, protecting them and not wanting them to suffer in their fiefdoms.
Chang Hao never wanted to let his two older brothers go out and enjoy themselves, so he was happy to go with the flow and erase the matter of the fiefdom, which resulted in Zi Qi and Zi Yan still being unclear about their status.
Empress Dowager Jiang, however, thought she had succeeded and now wanted to repeat her old tricks.
"Prepare the carriage for the Longevity Palace." Chang Hao decided to go and see what tricks Empress Dowager Jiang was up to, since he had already refused her a couple of days ago.
"The King has arrived."
Empress Dowager Jiang immediately collapsed onto the bed. Her face was bare of makeup, but she looked rather haggard. Ziqi and Ziyan knelt down and leaned over the bed.
Chang Hao pretended not to notice and sat anxiously by the bedside. "Mother, what's wrong? You can't eat again?"
"My son," Empress Dowager Jiang glanced at Ziqi and Ziyan, who were still kneeling, and gritted her teeth, "your brothers are still kneeling."
Chang Hao then seemed to notice Zi Qi and Zi Yan. "I hadn't even noticed that my brothers were here. Please rise, my brothers."
Chang Hao glanced intently at Zi Qi. Don't think he didn't know that Zi Qi had colluded with Jiang Hengchu and also had dealings with Ji Chang of Xiqi. He was just waiting for the right moment when no one would suspect anything so that he would 'die suddenly' like his father.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ziqi and Ziyan gritted their teeth and suppressed their hatred. They were born of the same father and mother, yet some were born into nobility while they were treated like dirt.
At this moment, Ziqi and Ziyan even resented Empress Dowager Jiang, blaming her for not giving birth to them when she was queen, so that they would be inferior to Zishou.
"Mother, what's bothering you?" Chang Hao feigned filial piety, looking at Empress Dowager Jiang with a barely perceptible 'admiration'.
Empress Dowager Jiang noticed this tender affection and was secretly pleased with herself. "Your Majesty, you keep blocking me from getting close to Zishou, fearing that Zishou will be raised by a woman. But you don't know that the more a child is deprived of his mother's love, the more he will crave her attention."
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Dongbo is your maternal uncle. You have punished him and imprisoned him. Shouldn't you release him now?" Empress Dowager Jiang's pride vanished as she thought of her suffering brother.
"Mother, a king's word is law. If I say I will punish severely, I will not change my mind. Otherwise, there will be endless troubles. In the future, who will take my words to heart?"
"If the Marquis of Dongbo dares to rebel, he should bear the consequences. I have decided to take back Donglu." Chang Hao firmly refused Empress Dowager Jiang's request.
"But he is your uncle, not just anyone." Empress Dowager Jiang knew Chang Hao quite well, and was so anxious that she couldn't even pretend to be sick anymore.
"Mother sees... that he is unharmed..." Chang Hao seemed to realize at this moment that he had been tricked by Empress Dowager Jiang.
The palace maids around him glanced at their wise and mighty king with pity. "Poor king, the Empress Dowager has no maternal affection for you whatsoever. We only hope that Your Majesty will wake up soon and not suffer too much harm."
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