Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Cui Cen served in the army and guarded the border for ten years, begging for...
In the mansion of Dingguo Hou.
The Eight Immortals Table was filled with dishes, all of which were prepared by the kitchen according to the old lady's request and were the second young master's favorite dishes.
But only Mrs. Cui was sitting at the huge table.
After a while, a servant came hurriedly to report.
"The eldest son went out to meet guests today. He sent a servant to report that he will not be back for dinner."
Madam Cui nodded nonchalantly and asked, "What about the Second Young Master? Why hasn't he come yet when the food is almost cold?"
"Madam, the second young master said he wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be coming to dinner."
"Not feeling well? Are you sick? Have you summoned the imperial physician?" Old Madam Cui's eyes were filled with worry. "How could you be sick just after returning? I have to go see you."
Having said that, without waiting for the servant to say anything else, he walked towards Cui Cen's yard with the support of Mother Zhang.
Cui Cen was lying on the bed in a daze when he suddenly heard the sound of the bead curtain in the room, as if someone had walked in.
He must have been called to eat again, so he turned over impatiently and said, "Didn't I tell you I'm not going?"
Seeing the silver-haired man in front of him, Cui Cen was stunned for a moment, and then quickly sat up from the bed.
"Grandma, why are you here?"
When Mrs. Cui heard his strong voice, she knew that his excuse of feeling unwell was a bluff. She felt half relieved and said, "How could he be sick today when he was so energetic yesterday?"
"Since you're not feeling unwell, why don't you come to my place for dinner?" Old Madam Cui sat down next to the bed, put her hand on his forehead, and after confirming that he didn't have a fever, she felt relieved.
Cui Cen replied in a muffled voice: "I'm not hungry."
"I heard from the maid that you didn't eat well at noon today. How come you are not hungry?" She knew her grandson's character well. Such abnormal behavior must be due to something else.
"What's happened that's making you so hungry and thirsty? Can you tell Grandma about it?"
Cui Cen remained silent, because even he himself couldn't explain why he was feeling so uncomfortable.
"Is it because of the broken engagement?"
Seeing Cui Cen's silence, Mrs. Cui thought she had guessed correctly, so she said:
"You don't have to mind the cancellation of the engagement."
She observed her grandson's expression and asked, "Are you still thinking about Zhao Mingzhu?"
Who is Zhao Mingzhu? Cui Cen was momentarily bewildered. He had only known since childhood that he had been betrothed to the sixth daughter of the Pingyuan Marquis family. As for her maiden name, he had no idea.
He first learned about it on the half-burned engagement document. It was also on that document that he saw Zhao Mingsheng's name...
He had a hunch that this name wasn't just a coincidence. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that Zhao Mingsheng was actually the Sixth Lady of the Pingyuan Marquis, who had recently been mistakenly adopted and returned to her biological parents in Qingshan Village. No wonder Cui Cen had felt that Zhao Mingsheng's aura was different from the rustic woman he'd imagined.
As for Zhao Mingzhu, she should be the real daughter who was found later, right?
Thinking of this, Cui Cen shook his head violently and denied it flatly:
"Of course not!"
Mrs. Cui just asked casually. Judging from her grandson's behavior when he broke off the engagement that day, he didn't seem to have any feelings for the Sixth Lady of the Zhao family. There must be other reasons.
Could it be that he was hit hard by the breakup of the engagement?
Mrs. Cui was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked.
"Are you still thinking about joining the army?"
Before Cui Cen could answer, he heard Old Madam Cui sigh and say, "Go if you want to."
"Grandma, is what you said true?"
Cui Cen was stunned. You know, his grandmother had always been against him joining the army.
The Cui family had been soldiers for generations, and their current fortune and achievements were earned on the battlefield. Cui Cen naturally wanted to emulate his ancestors, achieving great things and serving his country. A few years ago, Cui Cen had told his father that he wanted to join the army, even if it meant starting from the bottom.
Cui Cen still can't forget the way his father looked at him at that time. It was finally no longer like he was looking at a child. His eyes were full of satisfaction and affirmation. It was one of the few times he received praise from his father.
We men should be like this, with golden swords, iron horses, yellow sand and fervent blood, guarding the border for ten years and seeking eternal peace.
But what Cui Cen didn't expect was that although he got his father's consent, he encountered strong opposition from his grandmother. In the end, he didn't know what his grandmother and father said in private, but in the end even his father shook his head, so the matter had to be dropped.
Later, his grandfather and father died in the battlefield. The blood of the Cui family's men infected the land of the border, and their souls guarded the border for generations.
Now that he and his half-brother were the only males left in the family, his grandmother was even more opposed to him joining the army.
There was no precedent in this dynasty for disciples from aristocratic families to take the imperial examinations. Most of them could get an official position by relying on their family's influence when they reached a certain age, but Cui Cen did not want this. He would rather not have an official position obtained by relying on influence.
So gradually, he became known as an unlearned and unskillful man, the most famous idle dandy in the capital.
So much so that even the declining Marquis of Pingyuan dared to come and destroy the marriage and step hard on their heads.
Ever since she learned of Cui Cen's disappearance, Mrs. Cui has been wondering if she had done something wrong. After experiencing life and death, she finally figured it out.
"Go ahead and do what you want. I, an old woman, won't stand in your way anymore." Old Madam Cui smiled and rubbed the top of his head, just like she did when he was a child. Then, as if she had made a decision, she stood up resolutely, turned her back to Cui Cen, and said in a deep voice:
"Let's go to the East Camp in the capital. There's an old acquaintance of your father there..." She seemed to have thought of something midway through her sentence. "Don't think you can take advantage of him. He's a very strict person. You have to be mentally prepared."
"I will work hard! I won't let you down!" Cui Cen had never felt so excited as today. Nothing could make him more excited than this.
From an angle that Cui Cen couldn't see, Old Madam Cui smiled a sad yet proud smile.
The men of their Cui family should indeed have ambitions. She will let those who don’t know her know that her grandson is the best!
——————
In the palace hall.
Yan Zhuo said solemnly to the bright yellow figure at the desk, "The food supplies for disaster relief in Yanzhou are ready and ready to go. I beg my royal brother to issue an order to send me there."
Yan Yu paused while reviewing the memorial. He slowly closed the document in his hand and looked up at his younger brother. He had always been able to trust his brother, but...
"Not this time. The incident in Yanzhou is very suspicious. I don't want you to take this risk."
Yanzhou has always been rich, so how could it be so miserable because of a natural disaster in one year? Yan Yu did not dare to jump to conclusion whether it was a natural disaster or a man-made disaster, but he had guessed about 30% of the danger, so he did not want his only brother to put himself in danger again.
"The people of Yanzhou need the wise decision of His Majesty."
Yan Zhuo blocked the emperor's way with just one sentence.
What is a wise decision? Sending Yan Zhuo to provide disaster relief is the wisest decision.
Yan Yu also understood that although there were many civil and military officials in the court, only a few of them could be used. Either they lacked talent, or they had complicated backgrounds that made him hesitate.
In the three years since he ascended the throne, he has not had a good opportunity to clean up the court. The rebellion in Yanzhou is actually a good opportunity.
"I beg my royal brother to issue an edict." Yan Zhuo was about to kneel on one knee and submit the petition again, but was stopped by a pair of big hands.
The emperor helped him up and sighed, "I promise you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will definitely fulfill my mission." Yan Zhuo's expression moved slightly, and he rarely showed a smile.
"Yanzhou is very far away, and the journey has been bumpy. Your body..." The emperor was still a little worried. He was one of the few people who knew that Yan Zhuo was poisoned.
"It's healed now."
"Really?!" Yan Yu excitedly stood up from the dragon throne and hurried to him. "Tell me what's going on?"
Yan Zhuo told him about his encounter with Zhao's father, but he only told him half of it. He concealed the fact that the poison would relapse after three years.
"If I have the chance, I must meet this miracle doctor!" Upon hearing that his brother's illness had recovered, Yan Yu was happy for him from the bottom of his heart.
Yan Zhuo took this opportunity to hand over the porcelain bottle from his sleeve: "This pill was made by that miracle doctor."
"Oh? Why are you suddenly giving me pills? What's this for?"
The pills he had taken out were naturally the Nine Yang Qi-boosting Pills, made by Zhao's father. Only after confirming their beneficial effects did he dare present them to his brother, hoping they would help him conceive an heir. Three years had passed since the emperor ascended the throne, and none of the concubines had given birth, leaving him without an heir. The ministers initially debated this, but after enduring the emperor's wrath several times, they calmed down considerably. But it remained a thorn in the hearts of the ministers and the emperor.
But Yan Zhuo didn't say it directly, he just said: "Nothing, it's time for you and the emperor's sister-in-law to give birth to a little nephew for me to hold."
Yan Yu's hand, which was originally playing with the porcelain bottle, paused slightly.
Perhaps Prince Heng is the only one in the world who dares to speak to His Majesty in this way. The eunuchs serving on the side were sweating profusely.
"Well, I'll take your good wishes then." Yan Yu chuckled.
If these words were spoken by someone else, Yan Yu might have wondered if he had any other intentions, but when they came from Yan Zhuo's mouth, he believed that he really just wanted them to have a son soon, nothing more.
Yan Yu handed the porcelain bottle in his hand to the eunuch beside him, and then asked as if chatting with family: "Hey, you are not a child anymore, when are you planning to get married?" The young emperor did not have the seriousness of his elder brothers at this moment, and his face was full of worry for his younger brother.
Yan Zhuo quietly sipped his tea and listened to the chatter of the man in bright yellow clothes sitting there.
When the emperor's mouth was dry, he put down his teacup and said calmly, "Let's talk later. There's no rush. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Yan Yu was quite helpless about this and had to nod and allow him to leave.
"Look at him, what kind of girl can he be interested in?" After Yan Zhuo left, the emperor suddenly asked the eunuch beside him.
The eunuch said carefully, "Of course it's the woman that His Royal Highness Prince Heng truly loves."
The emperor touched his chin and stared at the place where Yan Zhuo left in a daze. What kind of woman would he like?
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