Chapter 842 Who do you choose?
When drought hit the four southern counties, it was the Crown Prince's Luo Qinghan who, in order to resolve the drought, insisted on going south in person to pray for rain despite everyone's objections.
That decision seemed stupid and impulsive to everyone.
Even Wan Jun, who was the Prince's Grand Tutor at the time, thought so, and he even expressed his disappointment in the Prince.
until--
The drought was resolved and the prince returned victoriously.
Only then did everyone realize that they had underestimated the prince's abilities.
Wan Jun always remembered the scene when he stood on the quiet and spacious Suzaku Street to welcome the prince's return.
The prince at that time was younger and more immature than he is now.
But the determination in his eyes never changed.
Wan Jun said slowly: "In fact, your Majesty knows very well that anyone from an aristocratic family will not support tax reform, including this humble minister."
Luo Qinghan looked at him steadily.
“But you supported it.”
Wan Jun smiled bitterly: "So I have to pay the price for my actions."
After saying that, he supported himself on the table and stood up with difficulty.
Eunuch Chang wanted to come forward to support him, but he was pushed away.
Wanjun took two steps back, then prostrated himself on the ground again, with his forehead touching the ground, and spoke word by word.
"I am old and frail, and no longer able to serve Your Majesty and the court. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy and allow me to resign and return home."
Luo Qinghan stretched out his hand to support the other person but froze in place.
For a moment, one could hear a pin drop in the imperial study.
After a long time, Luo Qinghan finally opened his mouth to ask.
"Why is it so?"
There was endless bitterness in Wanjun's voice.
“What your majesty wants to do is to make enemies with almost all the noble families.
I respect your courage and am willing to support you in turning your ideals into reality.
But I am just a mortal after all, and I have a father, mother, wife, children and brothers.
I have too many concerns.
I cannot let go of these concerns, so I can only withdraw from this battle to save myself."
These words were said too bluntly, so much so that Luo Qinghan couldn't even utter a word to persuade him to stay.
The teacher and the student fell into deathly silence.
Luo Qinghan never thought that he would have to face such a difficult situation on the first day he proposed the tax reform.
He opened his mouth and wanted to call out "teacher", but no words came out.
In the end, he just said it hoarsely.
"I need to think about it again."
Wanjun stood up with the help of Eunuch Chang.
Wan Jun seemed not to notice the emperor's lonely expression. He bowed to him, then took the cane from Eunuch Chang and left the imperial study tremblingly.
He walked down the steps step by step.
A sedan chair was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
Before getting into the sedan chair, Wanjun looked back at the imperial study behind him.
Complex emotions emerged in his cloudy eyes.
If he could be ten years younger, he would be willing to follow the emperor and give it a try.
But now he is very old and has the will but not the strength to do things.
Even if he continued to stay in the court, he could not help the emperor, and might even become a loophole for others to break through the emperor's defenses.
Rather than slow down the emperor's pace, he would rather resign on his own initiative.
Wanjun let out a long sigh.
I feel so helpless and disappointed in my heart.
…
In Yunxiu Palace.
Xiao Xixi was just about to have lunch when she heard that the emperor had come again.
She immediately stood up and went out to greet him, and happened to run into the emperor who was walking towards her.
Luo Qinghan stopped her from saluting.
Xiao Xixi noticed that his expression looked wrong.
She took his hand and led him into the house, asking.
"Have you had lunch yet?"
Luo Qinghan: “Not yet.”
Xiao Xixi: "Then eat with me."
She asked someone to add a set of bowls and chopsticks, and asked Xiyu to cook two more dishes.
Luo Qinghan and Xiao Xixi sat down beside the dining table.
Xiao Xixi asked as she served him soup.
"What happened to you? Why are you so depressed?"
Luo Qinghan lowered his eyes and looked at the bowl placed in front of him, and said softly.
"I brought up the issue of tax reform in the court today, and many people expressed opposition."
Xiao Xixi: "Isn't this expected?"
Luo Qinghan: "But I didn't expect that Grand Tutor Wan would resign because of this."
Xiao Xixi was stunned.
She knew Grand Tutor Wan.
When Luo Qinghan was still the crown prince, this old tutor was his teacher, and the crown prince respected him very much.
Luo Qinghan: "I know tax reform is difficult, and I know there will be many obstacles along the way, but I didn't expect that Master Wan would draw a line between us on the first day."
In fact, it’s not that he couldn’t accept Wan Jun’s resignation. After all, Wan Jun was already old and his health was getting worse. It was only a matter of time before he resigned and returned home.
What he couldn't accept was that Wan Jun chose to resign today.
He had just proposed tax reform when he suffered such a head-on blow.
This added tremendous pressure on him invisibly.
Xiao Xixi: "Do you find this road more difficult than you expected?"
Luo Qinghan: "Yeah."
Xiao Xixi: "Then will you give up?"
Luo Qinghan: "No."
Xiao Xixi spread her hands and said, "That's it. You won't give up anyway, so why think so much? Try this Longjing shrimp, it's refreshing and delicious, especially for your taste."
Luo Qinghan looked at the shrimps that were put into his bowl, was silent for a moment, but finally picked up the chopsticks, picked up the shrimps and put them into his mouth.
Xiao Xixi looked at him expectantly.
"Is it tasty?"
Luo Qinghan swallowed the shrimp: "Not bad."
Xiao Xixi: "If you like, eat more. I tell you, there is no trouble in this world that can't be solved by eating a meal. If there is, then eat another meal!"
Luo Qinghan: “…”
Does she think everyone is a foodie like her? !
After the two of them had lunch, Luo Qinghan did not leave. He stayed to take a nap with Xixi.
With her real husband around, Xiao Xixi threw the human-shaped pillow aside.
She held Luo Qinghan in her arms and slept for a while, then woke up soon.
She climbed up and touched the human-shaped pillow.
Luo Qinghan asked: "What's wrong with you?"
Xiao Xixi: "Your body feels hard to the touch, and it's not comfortable to hug you. It's softer and more comfortable to hug a pillow."
As she spoke, she took the human-shaped pillow and hugged it in her arms, with a satisfied expression on her face.
Luo Qinghan looked at her expressionlessly.
Xiao Xixi had no idea that someone was almost overwhelmed by jealousy.
She lay back down with the pillow in her arms, ready to continue sleeping.
Luo Qinghan reached out and pulled the pillow out of her arms.
Xiao Xixi looked at her in surprise: "What are you doing?"
Luo Qinghan grabbed the pillow roughly and asked coldly, "You can only choose one between me and it, who do you choose?"
Xiao Xixi was afraid that he would tear the pillow in anger, so she answered quickly.
"I'll choose you! I'll definitely choose you!"
Luo Qinghan's expression eased a little.
He threw the pillow to the ground and warned in a deep voice.
"From now on, you are not allowed to touch this pillow when I am around!"
(End of this chapter)
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