After bidding farewell to Zhou Siheng, Xu Jing returned to Zuiyun Tower. After taking a shower and changing into clean clothes, he summoned Xiangpu.
"What happened during this time?"
Xiang Pu said, "King Chen sent his men to kill his master. The master's double was seriously injured and jumped off a cliff. His current life or death is unknown. Cang Wu led 500 soldiers to kill the assassin. 60 were injured and 18 were killed. The assassin was repeatedly defeated by the bandits and Cang Canjun. After losing hope of escape, he committed suicide by taking poison.
Cangwu led his soldiers into the mountains to search for his replacement, but they couldn't find him. During this time, King Chen also sent death squads to patrol the mountains, but they were forced back by Cangwu.
The stand-in doesn't have the life of the protagonist. He would have died long ago after being seriously injured and falling off a cliff.
Xu Jing said, "Let Cangwu rest and return to the capital. After returning to the capital, he will temporarily live in the Qin Palace. Apart from the Chen Palace, are there any other princes who are causing trouble?"
Xiang Pu shook her head. "No one else has taken any action yet. However, Lin Wanru has returned to the Lin Mansion to persuade Lin Guangmao to marry Lin Sannu to Master. Lin Guangmao has agreed to give it a try. After entering the palace tomorrow, Master can go to the Imperial Concubine to find out the truth."
"No need." Xu Jing said, "I will not be involved with the Lin family. Please compile the news about the capital for the past six months and give it to me. I need to know everything."
"Yes, I'll do it right away."
The secret guards who had reported Xu Jing's return had already told Emperor Zhao the truth.
Emperor Zhao did not show much emotion when Xu Jing came to the palace to see him the next day. He simply ordered someone to set up a small table and placed a pile of memorials on the table for Xu Jing to review.
Xu Jing opened it and found it was filled with insignificant things. For example, the governor of Shanxi asked Emperor Zhao, "Have you eaten today?" Emperor Zhao wrote the word "read" in red ink, indicating that he had eaten today.
For example, the governor of Shandong wrote to the emperor, saying that the harvest was good this year and asked if he could send more grain. The emperor replied, "Go ahead and send as much as you can, the more the better."
There were countless examples like this, and civil officials were particularly fond of using flowery words to expand entire paragraphs when writing memorials, so that a memorial could be translated into just one sentence. "Have you eaten today?" and other such nonsense were countless. Just writing memorials on miscellaneous matters took Xu Jing an entire morning.
After working, he was completely bewildered. Xu Jing glanced up at the emperor's desk and saw three piles of memorials. Suddenly, he wondered why he had to be emperor. Wasn't this forcing him to work 996, 007?
"Have you finished reviewing?" Emperor Zhao put down his pen and said, "Wang Ying, serve the meal."
Emperor Zhao's lunch was also very simple, with five dishes and one soup, all of which were seasonal vegetables. It was not even as good as what the princes ate.
After Xu Jing finished his meal with Emperor Zhao, the emperor said, "I have selected two teachers for you: Grand Tutor Wen Qingjiu and Grand Preceptor Song Xingcheng. I have also ordered the renovation of the Eastern Palace. From now on, you will attend court with me in the mornings and attend classes in the Eastern Palace in the afternoons. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me and your two teachers."
"I understand."
"Go ahead. By the way, go to Kunning Palace to pay your respects to the Empress, and your mother as well."
"Yes, I will take my leave."
Emperor Zhaodi's curriculum for Xu Jing wasn't just for a prince; it was hellish. Besides learning the duties of a crown prince, he also had to master etiquette, learn horseback riding and archery, form a team for the crown prince, participate in diplomacy, and so on.
It can be said that the Crown Prince is the heir to the Emperor, and it takes several years to learn everything. He is also often criticized, and his life is much more difficult than when he was a prince.
His goal is to become the emperor, so no matter how difficult the copy is, he has to grit his teeth and persevere.
Xu Jing first went to Kunning Palace to pay his respects to the Queen, and then went to Yongning Palace.
Now that Concubine Lin has a son who is the crown prince, her status is no longer what it used to be.
In the past, there were few visitors, but now there are countless people coming to curry favor with him.
When Xu Jing arrived, a group of concubines gathered in the palace. After greeting each other, Concubine Lin asked the others to leave, leaving Fengchun, Concubine Lin and her son alone in the palace.
Concubine Lin's tears flowed instantly. She looked carefully several times and after confirming that there was no missing limbs, she hugged the person tightly without caring about etiquette.
Xu Jing smiled and said, "Mother, I am fine."
"You're still saying you're fine, but you almost scared me to death, you know that? If Xiang Pu hadn't said you were fine, I'd have followed you." Thinking of the exhaustion she'd endured waiting for news for those days, Concubine Lin angrily punched him. "You really deserve a beating. Why didn't you tell me about such a big thing? Do you think I'm an outsider?"
Xu Jing smiled helplessly. "I don't want to worry Mother."
"If you don't want to worry, then don't be the Crown Prince. Just be a good King of Qin." Concubine Lin glared at him. Feng Chun said quickly, "Your Highness, please don't say such nonsense. The imperial decree has been issued. There is no room for regret."
"I know." It was because she knew about Concubine Lin that she felt powerless.
Concubine Lin touched Xu Jing's face, a trace of tenderness in her eyes. "Son, I don't ask you to become as useful to the Southern Liang as your father. I just want you to live safely."
"I will be careful."
"Who do you think you look like? You're as stubborn as a donkey." Lin Guifei was so angry that she poked him, saying, "You gave away the family fortune that your mother worked so hard to save for you without hesitation. Who else could you give it to? Your father. You're really driving me crazy."
"Don't be angry, mother. You might get yourself hurt by being angry." Xu Jing patted Concubine Lin on the back and helped her sit down.
"I have my own reasons. If I don't fight for my life, I'll be dead. Being in a high position means you have no control over your own actions."
Xu Jing's eyes showed a trace of sadness, and Concubine Lin felt sorry for him. She said, "If you find it hard, even if it costs me my life, I will give you a fiefdom to live comfortably in your old age. Son, we are not cut out to be crown princes. You should just be a prince."
"Your Highness, please stop talking." Fengchun had also accompanied Concubine Lin on her wedding day, and was considered a considerate elder. She said, "I've seen that the Crown Prince is a man of both civil and military skills, so why can't he inherit the throne? You should worry less and take better care of your health."
There was no such thing as military strategy or literary or military tactics; it was all fabricated. Concubine Lin was convinced that her son was a fool and could not possibly be the crown prince.
"Aunt Fengchun is right. Mother, you should talk to Empress Min more when you have nothing to do. Don't worry about your son's affairs."
"Are you tired of me?" Concubine Lin's eyes widened as she pointed at Xu Jing and said, "You're just taking advantage of my kindness to you to piss me off so recklessly. I'll choose a wife for you right now to take good care of you, so you don't have to worry me all day long."
"Mother, please forgive me. I have never thought about starting a family." Xu Jing begged for mercy, but at the critical moment, he had no choice but to play the victim to gain sympathy. "Your Majesty, your father has assigned me enough work every day. I really don't have the mind to focus on starting a family."
"You deserve it. You have the luxury of being idle, but you insist on doing that stressful work. Aren't you just asking for trouble? Look at Yun Xiu, he doesn't follow your example. He still goes to the palace to visit his mother every now and then. What about you?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
