401, Cooperation
401, Cooperation
After the coronation ceremony, the new emperor Zhao Lang moved into the palace.
Prince Ding, who had been promoted to the emperor, did not like living in the palace, so he still lived in the former Prince Ding's Mansion.
The plaque on the door of Prince Ding's Palace was removed and changed to the Palace of the Retired Emperor, but the interior remained the same as before.
Princess Ding, who had been promoted to Empress Dowager, originally moved into the palace with her two sons. However, after two days, she left her youngest son at the Crown Prince's residence and returned to the Emperor's residence with a group of servants.
Lu Mingfei is now also the Prince's tutor. He takes time out every day to go to the palace to give lectures to the Prince, so he is very clear about the affairs in the palace and the affairs of his father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Naturally, he also knew that his father-in-law was a philandering man. The mother-in-law looked generous on the surface, but in fact, her eyes were always on her husband. Otherwise, one of them would not have been outside the palace and the other would have run back.
Perhaps Zhao Lang's warning last time worked, as his mother-in-law never bothered him again. It was just that every time they met, she didn't give him a good look.
Because she was dissatisfied with him as her son-in-law, the mother-in-law also strongly opposed him becoming the prince's tutor.
However, all these were suppressed by Zhao Lang.
In fact, Lu Mingfei didn't want to be the prince's tutor, but Zhao Lang wanted him to be it, so he had no choice but to take on the responsibility of teaching the prince.
However, he had a lot of things to do on his own side, and was so busy every day that he had to squeeze out time to teach the prince, so he didn't have much time to deal with his mother-in-law.
Every time they met, it was just a quickie, and his mother-in-law's cold stares couldn't cause him much harm.
However, except for those close to them, no one knew that the emperor, who was supposed to live in the palace, would go to his mansion every night to spend the night and sleep in his bed.
No matter what was going on outside, it could never affect his relationship with Zhao Lang. Lu Mingfei felt that this was enough.
After Zhao Lang ascended the throne, there were many things happening in the court. Many problems in the country surfaced and they needed to be solved one by one.
First of all, the relationship between these vassal kings and the imperial court must be stabilized and strengthened.
Lu Mingfei, on behalf of the imperial court, sat down and had a formal talk with these princes. In addition to coercion and inducement, he also gave these princes some practical benefits.
They spent several years researching improved seeds and farming techniques, as well as improvements in textile machinery technology, and other results that were beneficial to people's livelihood and the economy, and he shared them with these princes.
These princes were not stupid. They knew they could gain benefits from the imperial court, so they naturally stopped making trouble.
In fact, these good varieties and technologies were not given to the princes, but to the people in various places.
In this agricultural age, grain production is crucial to the livelihood and survival of every citizen. Lu Mingfei has always believed that only when people have a full stomach can they have the energy to think about and do other things; if they can't even fill their stomachs, everything else is just empty talk.
He also discussed these issues in depth with Zhao Lang, and the two had basically the same views on these issues.
Therefore, the first step to solving the current difficulties is to ensure that the people have enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear.
As for the problem of these vassal kings separatist in the local area, they can solve it step by step and slowly, without rushing to send troops to attack. Instead of fighting among themselves, it is better to unite and expand the territory.
As long as the central government has strong military forces, why should it be afraid of local princes and officials causing trouble?
In Lu Mingfei's view, in the face of powerful strength, all problems are not problems.
Therefore, when facing these vassal kings, he could calmly discuss cooperation with them.
Perhaps it was because his performance during this period won the favor of these princes, and when these princes left Beijing, they even invited him to visit their territories when he had time.
As the emperor, Zhao Lang naturally could not come out in person to see these princes off, so on this day Lu Mingfei came out on behalf of the emperor to see these princes off.
Faced with the enthusiastic invitation of these princes, he smiled and nodded, "Okay, if there is a chance in the future." It's not that he doesn't want to go out for a walk and see the beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers, but he needs time.
But Lu Mingfei knew in his heart that he probably wouldn't have the free time in the next three to five years.
Seeing that it was getting late, he signaled to the princes that it was time to leave, "I am here to wish you all a safe journey and a safe return."
Lu Mingfei calls himself a "junior" here because these princes are older than him in age and seniority, so he has always given these elders the respect they deserve.
Compared to dealing with that brat Zhao Lang, these princes still preferred this respectful Lu Shangshu. At least with Lu Mingfei, their vanity was satisfied and their face was maintained.
Therefore, these princes had a good relationship with these young Lord Lu.
It’s a pity that such a young and capable junior chose Zhao Lang as his master. He was indifferent to the silver and beauties they sent him. He was still a loyal and protective servant.
However, although they felt regretful, they also knew that they could not offend Zhao Lang and Prince Ding, father and son, at this time, so these princes had to give up bribing Lu Mingfei.
"Lord Lu, we'll meet again later."
"See you later."
Lu Mingfei stood at the city gate, watching the princes board their carriages. Only after watching the long procession leave did he put away the expression on his face.
**
The day after these princes left, the retired emperor and the empress dowager also left Beijing.
This time, Zhao Lang, the biological son, personally led all the officials to the city gate to see his parents off from Beijing.
As the crown prince, Zhao Hu had to stay in Kyoto Prefecture and could not follow his parents back to Beijun. He and his brother saw his parents off at the city gate.
Zhao Lang and his father stood face to face, neither of them saying a word.
The Queen Mother beside him held her youngest son in her arms and said to him with a look of reluctance: "Your mother and your father have returned to Pingzhou. From now on, you should study hard in the capital and listen to your brother's words."
Zhao Hu nodded in his mother's arms, grabbing his mother's clothes with both hands, and his little face was full of reluctance.
Over there, the mother and son were reluctant to leave. The retired emperor looked at his eldest son with a cold face, raised his hand and patted his shoulder and said, "Father, your mother and the queen are leaving."
"Have a safe trip." Zhao Lang only said these four words and nothing else.
The retired emperor nodded and looked at the young official following behind his eldest son.
Seeing his father-in-law looking at him, Lu Mingfei nodded to him and received a reminder from his father-in-law: "Minister Lu, don't forget to pay the full salary of our Zhenbei Army. Don't delay the payment of our Zhenbei Army's salary and food in the future."
"Yes, our Ministry of Revenue will definitely do its best." Lu Mingfei replied.
"It's not about trying your best, it's about being sure!" The emperor reminded again.
If the eldest son became the emperor now and his wife was the Minister of Revenue, he, the Marshal of the Zhenbei Army, would not be able to get military pay. He might as well become the emperor himself!
Zhao Yuncheng took a look at his eldest son and the male wife. He had nothing more to say about the fact that his eldest son had found a man as his wife.
Now the eldest son's wings are stronger than his father's.
Unless the father and son kill each other, he can't think of any way to stop the eldest son.
However, rather than staying in Kyoto and being the emperor, he preferred riding horses and fighting in Beijun. When he finally seized the Hu people's grasslands, he could lead his troops on horseback and watch the sunset on the grasslands. That was the life a man should live!
Being locked up in Kyoto all day long and serving as emperor in that small palace was not the life he wanted.
Therefore, Zhao Yuncheng did not compete with his eldest son for the throne because he knew he was not cut out to be an emperor. Rather than letting the Zhao family fortune be ruined in his hands and then not dare to face the ancestors of the Zhao family, it would be better to throw this burden to the eldest son who wanted to be emperor.
Anyway, the imperial power will continue to be in the hands of their Zhao family and Zhao Yuncheng's descendants.
"Yes." Faced with his father-in-law's reminder again, Lu Mingfei could only nod and could not say anything confusing.
Compared to her husband's acceptance of this male daughter-in-law, the empress dowager could never accept that her eldest son had married a man.
Because of this incident, a rift developed between the mother and son.
So, when she left, the empress dowager did not say a word to her eldest son who became the emperor, and she turned around and left with the support of the maid beside her.
Zhao Lang felt a bit sad when he saw his mother being so cold and resolute towards him. Just when he clenched his hand into a fist, a hand reached out from behind and held his hand.
Without looking back, he knew who was holding his hand.
After his wife got on the carriage, Zhao Yuncheng took the reins from the guard and climbed onto the horse.
"Farewell to the Emperor, farewell to the Empress Dowager—"
When the officials behind them saw that their retired emperor and empress dowager were about to leave, they all bowed in greeting.
All the officials knew that their prince did not stay in Kyoto to enjoy his old age after becoming the emperor, because the Hu people in the north had always been restless, and their emperor went back to continue guarding the border.
For this, all the officials in the court admired and respected the emperors very much.
Even the scholars were very friendly towards these retired emperors and the new emperor.
The people at the city gate also knelt down.
At this time, there were only two people standing without saluting.
Lu Mingfei wanted to bow like everyone else, but Zhao Lang grabbed his hand and refused to let go. From his angle, he could only see Zhao Lang's profile.
The person in front suddenly turned around, looked at him, and then turned back.
If we were to say who is the most disappointed person here, it would definitely be Zhao Rui.
He originally thought that since his father was the emperor, he would surely be able to become a prince. But who knew that the one who became the emperor in the end was his younger brother Zhao Lang!
Now that his father and stepmother had left Kyoto, he didn't dare to stay alone, so he rode his horse and left with his father.
He had already ridden away on horseback, not knowing that two pairs of eyes were looking at his back.
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