The sound of rain dispersed the discussion behind him. Shen Jinghong did not hear the gossip behind him. Even if he did, he would just laugh it off. There are so many boring people in the world.
He lazily raised his eyes, and the autumn water reflected in his dark eyes, which were filled with a cold breath.
A man dressed as a guard walked to his side and said in a low voice: "Sir, the matter has been done."
Shen Jinghong's steps did not stop at all. He asked without looking away: "Where is the evidence?"
An oil paper bag was handed to Shen Jinghong.
The guard took the umbrella from Shen Jinghong tactfully. Shen Jinghong opened the paper bag and took out a blue-bound booklet inside. There were traces of fire on the edge of the booklet. He turned two pages and his eyes fell on a line of ink words on it.
——On the third day of July, at the first quarter of the evening, Prince Ding left the palace from Donghua Gate.
The third day of July was the day when the palace caught fire.
Shen Jinghong had already reported to Liu Chen that the records of entering and leaving the palace were all burned in the fire, but what he was holding in his hand at the moment was the record book that he said should have been buried in the fire.
This book was accidentally found by a guard in the fire two days ago. It was pressed under a water tank and was lucky to be saved. He found Shen Jinghong, who was responsible for investigating the matter, with the hope of promotion and wealth. Shen Jinghong was also very surprised and asked him to bring this book to see him after the palace gate was unlocked.
The guard naturally did not expect that what was waiting for him was not Shen Jinghong, but a guard and a knife.
"The person is dead, leaving no trace." The guard said firmly, "I have asked, and no one else knows about this."
Shen Jinghong nodded lightly.
"My lord... do you want to save Prince Ding?" The guard glanced at Shen Jinghong in confusion.
He worked for this man, but he could never guess his thoughts, and he didn't dare to guess too much. Sometimes, guessing is more terrible than not guessing.
Shen Jinghong put the booklet in his arms and said softly, "You are a very good knife, but a knife should not have too many ideas."
The guard was startled and lowered his head: "I know."
Shen Jinghong smiled slightly: "Don't be nervous, I don't want to change the knife yet."
The guard retreated silently, and there was only a lonely figure left in the long palace alley.
Shen Jinghong pinched the handle of the bamboo umbrella, and a sarcastic smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
Isn't he also a knife with too many ideas...
Liu Yan has been sick for many days.
Mu Zhuohua looked at the sky outside the window, and a yellow leaf was blown from nowhere by the wind and fell into her palm.
It's autumn all of a sudden...
She shrank her neck unconsciously and felt a chill vaguely.
"Do you feel cold?" A man's low voice came from behind.
Mu Zhuohua turned around and looked at Liu Yan who was leaning on the couch reading a book. Liu Yan was wearing a green gown, holding a book in his hand, with long smooth black hair falling on his shoulders, gentle eyebrows and eyes, and looking at her with a smile on his lips. This look made it impossible to imagine his awe-inspiring momentum when he overwhelmed the ministers in the court.
Mu Zhuohua looked at Liu Yan absent-mindedly as he put down the book, got off the couch, walked to Mu Zhuohua's side, and reached out to close the window.
"Since you are afraid of the cold, you shouldn't be so stubborn."
The two were close to each other, and Liu Yan felt the coolness on Mu Zhuohua's body, and casually took off his outer robe and put it on her shoulders. His clothes were really too big for her. When she covered her body, they fell to her ankles. The outer robe was not thick, but it had a faint body temperature and a mellow fragrance, which made people feel at ease.
Liu Yan's slender ten fingers hooked the tie of the collar, stopped at Mu Zhuohua's collarbone, and tied a knot with his ten fingers deftly. His fingertips seemed to accidentally brush across the delicate skin of her collarbone, which made her heart suffocate for a moment.
Liu Yan seemed not to notice and had already turned around and left.
Mu Zhuohua clutched the soft cloth, staring at Liu Yan's back for a moment, then retracted his gaze and smiled nonchalantly: "I was ordered to take care of the prince, but I didn't expect that the prince would take care of me."
Liu Yan sat back on the couch, picked up the scroll again, and said with a smile: "If you can take care of yourself, I don't have to worry about you."
After forcing himself to help Liu Chen stabilize the court, Liu Yan finally fell down.
That day was in Lifan Temple. Fortunately, Mu Zhuohua was on the left. She hurriedly gave him acupuncture and first aid. Liu Chen hurried over after hearing what Mu Zhuohua said. After listening to what Liu Chen said, he realized that Liu Yan had suffered serious internal injuries and had been taking medicine to maintain his health. Liu Chen couldn't bear Liu Yan to work hard anymore, so he immediately ordered Liu Yan to return home to rest. Mu Zhuohua was most familiar with Liu Yan's condition, so she also took care of his body according to the order.
Therefore, every day after Mu Zhuohua left the Lifan Temple, she would go to Dingwang Mansion to see Liu Yan. If she encountered a ten-day holiday, she would stay in Dingwang Mansion all day.
Liu Yan's health was getting better day by day under her careful care.
Mu Zhuohua walked aside, picked up the bowl of medicine that was just warm and handed it to Liu Yan, and said slowly: "The subordinate cherishes his life very much, and the prince should take care of himself."
Liu Yan took the bowl of medicine with a smile, and drank the bitter medicine without changing his expression. Mu Zhuohua's fine white fingertips pinched a candied fruit and brought it to his lips.
Liu Yan smiled and said, "This prince is not afraid of bitterness."
Mu Zhuohua sighed, "It's the subordinate who is afraid that the prince will suffer..."
Liu Yan was startled, his heartstrings moved slightly, and he lowered his eyebrows and looked at the beautiful plum. He always couldn't bear to disappoint her kindness, so he took the plum and put it in his mouth.
Three parts sour and seven parts sweet, just right.
Mu Zhuohua packed up the soup bowls contentedly. Zhimo knocked on the door and came in. He walked up to Liu Yan and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, the clothes and things are packed."
Liu Yan nodded and said, "Okay, you go down first."
After hearing this, Zhimo retreated.
Mu Zhuohua looked at Zhimo suspiciously, then at Liu Yan, and suddenly remembered the rumors he had heard on the street in the past few days. The palace caught fire, the previous emperor passed away, and Liu Chen ascended the throne. The political situation was changing rapidly in those days, and it would fall apart if not carefully. In the end, Liu Yan calmed the situation, sent elite troops into the city, and imposed a curfew, so that all those with ill intentions dared not move rashly.
As a result, Liu Chen was able to ascend the throne smoothly and take over the power. But Liu Yan's actions were too much after all, and it was inevitable that he would attract criticism. There were rumors that Liu Yan's achievements were greater than his master's. Now Liu Yan supported Liu Chen with all his strength and placed Liu Yu under house arrest, which gave people a reason to talk. People in Dingjing Restaurant and Teahouse were talking about it every day, saying that Liu Yan was in power and supported Liu Chen as a puppet, which could be said to be covering the sky with one hand. Two days later, a new rumor came out in the teahouse, saying that Liu Yan was going to return to his fiefdom in Jiangnan and return power to Liu Chen to prove his innocence.
Mu Zhuo's eyes flickered a little, bit his lower lip and asked, "Your Highness, are you packing your luggage... Are you going somewhere?"
Liu Yan's eyes moved, and he turned his head to look at Mu Zhuohua, and said in a gentle voice, "Why do you ask that?"
Mu Zhuohua asked in a hoarse voice, "Did Your Highness also hear those rumors outside and worry about causing harm to His Majesty, so you want to return to your fiefdom?"
There was another reason, which was the death of Emperor Zhaoming.
Mu Zhuohua knew best how much trauma Emperor Zhaoming's death had caused Liu Yan. She spent a lot of effort and several months to nurse him back to health. Zhimo had secretly asked her for sleeping incense before, saying that the prince often had nightmares. Liu Yan still felt guilty about the death of Emperor Zhaoming. He always thought that if he had returned to Jiangnan as a law-abiding prince as soon as possible, Emperor Zhaoming would not have suffered any accidents.
Liu Yan stared at Mu Zhuohua's dark and wet almond eyes, revealing a little uneasiness and worry in his eyes. She pursed her lips slightly and subconsciously pinched her sleeves waiting for his answer.
Liu Yan sighed lightly and said, "Everyone is looking forward to my leaving..."
"No way!" Mu Zhuohua denied it without hesitation. Facing Liu Yan's inquiring gaze, she paused again, then slowly said, "Your Majesty... will definitely not let the prince leave."
Liu Yan's lips curled up slightly, and he said sadly, "Your Majesty is still young, and it's time for you to take charge."
Mu Zhuohua bit her lip, her throat a little dry, and she argued, "Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, and he needs help from people close to him the most. Among all the civil and military officials in the court, only the prince is the one he trusts the most. If the prince leaves, the ministers in the court will be proud of their age and virtue, and their contributions to the country, and they will probably embarrass Your Majesty, and Your Majesty will be unable to move forward..."
Liu Yan stared at Mu Zhuohua's somewhat depressed face, and his throat tightened. He said in a hoarse voice, "What about you..."
"Ah?" Mu Zhuohua was stunned, "What's wrong with me?"
"If I'm not in Dingjing... you should also be more careful." Liu Yan hid what he really wanted to ask, and asked softly.
Mu Zhuohua's heart seemed to be pinched, and it felt as sour as a green plum, but she forced herself to show a bright smile and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am so good at flattery and changing with the times, so I will definitely be loved by everyone in the officialdom. What's more, now that His Majesty trusts me so much, I will surely have a successful career in the future when the monarch and his subjects are of one mind."
Liu Yan thought of Mu Zhuohua's obedient and docile appearance in the past when she tried to please him in every way, and thought of her treating other people in this way, it seemed as if a thorn had grown in his heart.
Mu Zhuohua did not notice Liu Yan's displeasure. She said happily: "Shen Jinghong has been promoted to the Minister of Personnel. This is indeed a great achievement. But yesterday I met Shen Jinghong, and he secretly told me that His Majesty also intends to promote me, but has not yet decided on a suitable position. Shen Jinghong asked me to work with him in the Ministry of Personnel, but I don't want to go. If I stay with him, I will be easily hostile to the palace maids and have no food to eat."
Liu Yan thought of the rumors that Shen Jinghong and Mu Zhuohua had been involved in. Although he knew it was a misunderstanding, Shen Jinghong was extremely talented and handsome. The two were of the same age and worked in the same court. Indeed...
Liu Yan had another thorn in his heart.
Mu Zhuohua was still talking, which made Liu Yan's heart full of thorns...
It was late at night, but the lights in the study of Prince Ding's mansion were still on.
Liu Yan listened carefully to Zhijian's report and frowned in confusion: "So, those three people were not sent by the Queen Mother, but the Beiliang people are the most suspicious..."
The attack on Mu Zhuohua has always been a knot in Liu Yan's heart. He originally suspected Emperor Zhaoming, but later Emperor Zhaoming's suspicion was cleared, so the Queen Mother was more suspicious. Afterwards, Liu Yan pondered over it, but felt that there were still doubts, so he asked Zhijian to continue investigating. Unexpectedly, there was an unexpected discovery.
When the Beiliang delegation visited Beijing, someone saw those three people in contact with Beiliang people.
Liu Yan would not think this was a coincidence. There are many Beiliang spies and assassins lurking in Dingjing. This is beyond doubt. Even the capital of Beiliang has the intelligence organization of Chen State. This is a tacit understanding between the two countries.
An intelligence organization needs all kinds of people, including high-level spies who infiltrate the upper class and pawns ambushed among the people. Even if those three people are Beiliang spies, I am afraid their status is not high. First, his skills are average, and second, he is not familiar with the streets of Dingjing. Moreover, he has only been in Beijing for a year, so
he is probably a new chess piece. Zhijian is particularly concerned about the affairs of Beiliang .
He frowned and said, "Could it be that Yelu Jing wants to harm Mu Zhuohua?" Liu Yan knows Yelu Jing. He shook his head and said, "No, if it is Yelu Jing who takes action, he will definitely send the most elite assassins to ensure that he will hit the target with one strike."
"Your Highness." Zhimo reminded, "There is another Beiliang person in Dingjing."
"You mean..." Liu Yan raised his eyebrows, "Princess Jing'an."
Zhimo said, "Princess Jing'an is now living in Princess Roujia's mansion."
Liu Yan's face darkened, and he said slowly, "That day, she was attacked after leaving Princess Roujia's mansion. The pier is not far from the princess's mansion."
"If they suddenly want to hurt someone, they will gather the available chess pieces nearby." Zhimo said, "Princess Jing'an is the most suspicious." Liu Yan agreed with Zhimo's judgment, but he couldn't figure out Princess Jing'an's motive for doing so for the time being.
"Zhijian, have someone secretly keep an eye on Yelu Zhen." Liu Yan ordered.
Zhijian said, "I obey your orders."
After Zhijian finished speaking, he looked at Liu Yan with hesitation. Liu Yan noticed that he looked unusual and asked, "Zhijian, do you have anything else to say?"
Zhijian couldn't help but asked, "Your Highness, was it really Beiliang who replaced the will?"
Liu Yan once used this excuse to suppress the Zhao family that supported Liu Yu, and also cleaned up the Beiliang spies in the capital. Zhijian had a deep hatred for Beiliang. He captured many Beiliang spies and tortured them severely, but he still couldn't get the truth out of them.
When Liu Yan heard Zhijian's question, he smiled faintly and said, "For now, it is most appropriate for them to bear this crime."
Zhijian said, "Your Highness
, do you think it is not them?" Liu Yan shook his head and said, "Insufficient evidence makes it difficult to confirm. This is one of the reasons why I insisted on staying in Beijing. The Queen Mother is dead, but there are still many doubts."
"First, who was the person who revealed Yun Xiangyue's whereabouts to our intelligence organization on Lantern Festival? Why did he do that?"
"Second, how did the Queen Mother die?"
"Third, how did the palace burn down?"
"Fourth, who replaced the forged edict?"
Liu Yan counted them one by one, and the faces of the three people became solemn at the same time.
"The fire in the palace did not burn away everything in the past, but left more fog." Liu Yan was worried and frowned, "Someone wants to force me to leave the capital, but these doubts have not been clarified, and I am worried about your majesty's safety..."
And her...
Who is the person hiding behind the scenes? Is it one person, or many people...
The sound of a heavy object falling suddenly came from the imperial study, which scared the guards and eunuchs outside and turned their heads to look at the closed door.
The chief eunuch shook his head slightly, and everyone withdrew their sight.
The new emperor Liu Chen was angry, but fortunately, Prince Ding was there, and he could always calm down.
Liu Chen's hands were heavily placed on the rosewood table, and the memorials fell to the ground. His sword eyebrows were twisted, and anger burned in his obsidian pupils.
"This group of old men!" Liu Chen gritted his teeth in anger, "Whatever I say, they have a hundred excuses to refute!"
Liu Yan stepped forward and picked up one of the memorials.
Two days ago, Liu Chen proposed to repair the palace that caught fire in the court. The Minister of Works and the Minister of Revenue calculated and submitted a memorial with reason and evidence. First, they said that the national treasury was empty and the treasury silver was limited, so they had to cut down on spending. Second, they said that the harems of the monarchs of previous dynasties were empty, and many palaces were already abandoned and uninhabited. It was a sheer waste to build new palaces. After all the calculations, they only agreed to renovate two or three palaces.
Liu Chen said angrily: "If the Queen Mother's bedroom is not repaired, where will they let the Queen Mother live! They said that the treasury silver is limited. There have been no wars or natural disasters in recent years, and the national treasury is full. They, the officials, have money to build a separate courtyard. Can't I build a bedroom for the Queen Mother?"
Liu Chen's proposal was reasonable, but the memorials of the Minister of Works and the Minister of Revenue were even more sincere, and they were loyal ministers serving the country and the people. If Liu Chen did not agree, he would be scolded for being stupid and extravagant. He was just a young man, how could he compare to these old foxes who were good at talking in official language.
"Uncle, you have to help me with this matter!" Liu Chen looked at Liu Yan for help, "As long as you speak, they dare not say anything."
Liu Yan gently placed the memorial on the table: "It is indeed urgent to build the Queen Mother's bedroom, but what the two ministers said is not entirely a sophistry. The fire in the palace destroyed one-third of the palace in the harem, and the other two-thirds can be used, so the repair is not urgent. But they know that Your Majesty is eager to repair the palace, and they put forward the excuse that the harem is empty..." Liu Yan chuckled, "They are just thinking of ways to force Your Majesty to select a concubine."
The national mourning has passed, and they can't help but put people into the new emperor's harem.
Liu Chen frowned. The Queen Mother mentioned this to him several times, but his mind is now full of things in the court, and he has no mood to choose a concubine.
"Your Majesty is already twenty years old, and it is indeed time to consider this matter carefully." Liu Yan said.
Liu Chen pinched his brows irritably and said, "Let's discuss this later. There is another more important matter. The emperor's uncle has recovered now. I plan to issue an edict tomorrow to appoint the emperor's uncle as the King of Councillors."
Liu Yan was startled and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to do this."
The King of Councillors has a noble status and his position is even higher than that of the Prime Minister. He does not need to bow to the emperor, but is given a seat in the palace and is in charge of state affairs...
Liu Chen has made up his mind and ignored Liu Yan's refusal. He said, "Now there is a lot of discussion outside, and I have heard about it. They all say that I am a puppet supported by the emperor's uncle." Liu Chen sneered, "I'm afraid those old ministers want to use me as a puppet, so they made up such rumors to force the emperor's uncle to leave Beijing. I just won't let them do as they wish. They want you to leave, and I will I want you to sit higher!"
Liu Yan looked at Liu Chen's proud and stubborn young face, and remembered that Emperor Zhaoming once said that if Liu Chen ascended the throne, he would definitely make him the King of Councillors.
It is true that no one knows a son better than his father... After Liu Chen finished speaking, he looked at Liu Yan with some worry: "Uncle, I heard from Mu Zhuohua that... you were packing your luggage. Are you really going to leave Beijing..."
Liu Yan chuckled and said, "It is not time to leave Beijing yet. She misunderstood. It's just that the servants saw that the weather was getting cooler and packed up their summer clothes. "
Liu Chen laughed when he heard this, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Mu Zhuohua is so smart, but she would make such a misunderstanding. I have to laugh at her."
From the words, it can be heard that the friendship between the two has surpassed that of monarch and minister, and is more like good friends. Liu Yan's ten fingers hidden in his sleeves clenched his cuffs unconsciously, and he said to Liu Chen as if nothing had happened: "Where does your majesty plan to transfer Mu Zhuohua?"
Liu Chen said without hesitation: "The Ministry of Revenue. Shen Jinghong is in the Ministry of Personnel, and Mu Zhuohua is in the Ministry of Revenue. I can only feel at ease if these two most important departments are handed over to the two ministers I trust the most."
Liu Yan thought for a moment and nodded lightly: "Okay."
Not long after Liu Yan left, Liu Chen summoned Shen Jinghong. After Liu Chen ascended the throne, he still let Shen Jinghong serve as the emperor's lecturer. Now Shen Jinghong's status is more noble than before. Not only the officials in the court, but also the common people know how much Liu Chen values this talented scholar.
Liu Chen threw the memorial to Shen Jinghong and complained again.
Shen Jinghong took a look at the memorial and smiled, "Your Majesty, are you worried about this? It's just a small matter."
Liu Chen's eyes lit up and he smiled, "Do you have any good ideas?"
"If Your Majesty wants to build a palace, you can hand it over to the Minister of Works. He will definitely do his best to build a palace for Your Majesty, and the Ministry of Revenue will not make things difficult for him on the money."
"Him?" Liu Chen remembered the face of the Minister of Works Sun Ru and immediately shook his head, "I don't trust him. I'd rather hand it over to Wen Xiaoli."
Shen Jinghong smiled and said, "The two ministers advised Your Majesty to follow the example of the late emperor and act frugally. They seem to be loyal and selfless, but in fact... they intend to seek personal gain. Is it really because of insufficient treasury silver that the palace is not repaired? Ha, it's just because Your Majesty chose the wrong person. The Privy Councilor Wen Xiaoli is quite talented and loyal to the late emperor. Your Majesty appointed him to the right position, but the Wen family rose in the Yuanzheng Dynasty, and the Zhou and Sun families think they are a thousand-year-old family and don't think much of the rising Wen family. Zhou Cishan, who is now in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, and Sun Ru, who is in charge of the Ministry of Works, have a bad relationship with the Wen family. If Wen Xiaoli presides over the palace repair, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works will certainly make things difficult for him. What's more, there are many benefits in repairing the imperial palace. How could they let someone with whom they have a bad relationship preside over it when they can't intervene? "
A sharp coldness flashed in Liu Chen's eyes, and he curled the corners of his mouth with some disdain, and said: "Under the banner of loyalty and righteousness, they are nothing more than seeking personal gain, and they want to put me in an unjust situation. These old ministers are really old thieves, bullying my youth!"
Shen Jinghong smiled faintly and said, "It's just human nature. Zhou Cishan is the nephew of Empress Dowager Zhou and has a blood relationship with Your Majesty. The Minister of Works Sun Ru is the contemporary head of the Jiangzuo family. The two of them have deep backgrounds, and the families are all headed by them. Your Majesty's orders will be difficult to implement without the approval of the two. "
There are many families in Jiangzuo, most of which are thousand-year-old families. The emperors come and go, but the families are iron-clad. These families have stood for thousands of years, and their foundation is immeasurable. Even the emperor is afraid of them. Today, the Zhou family and the Sun family are the top families with a friendly relationship. Queen Mother Zhou was the most outstanding noblewoman of the Zhou family. Now the Zhou family has the most powerful influence in the court. Together with the Sun family, their power can almost compete with Liu Yan.
Liu Chen frowned and weighed: "If this matter is in accordance with their wishes, won't I be constrained by them in the future? I have decided to make my uncle the king of the council. With him in the court, those ordinary people will have to think twice before speaking and doing things."
Shen Jinghong raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then he understood Liu Chen's idea. Liu Chen has a straight character and is most impatient with the circuitous thoughts and tricks of civil officials. He advocates conquering people with force, but this is not a long-term solution. Shen Jinghong sighed, "Your Majesty, in this way, won't Prince Ding make enemies in the whole court? He can keep things under control for a while, but can he keep things under control for the rest of his life? After all, this world is your Majesty's world, and the ministers should be your Majesty's ministers. We can't let them all fear only Prince Ding."
Liu Chen's eyes moved, staring at Shen Jinghong's smiling phoenix eyes. His heart inexplicably sank a few points, and said, "What you said does make sense..."
Shen Jinghong bowed his hands and bowed his head and said, "I am bold to speak nonsense. Your Majesty can rely on Prince Ding to check the aristocratic families for the time being, but in the long run, you still have to cultivate forces that are truly loyal to you."
"What good ideas do you have?" Liu Chen stared at Shen Jinghong closely, his throat tightened.
"This year is the once-in-three-years performance evaluation for foreign officials, and next year, it will be the imperial examination." Shen Jinghong said slowly, "Your Majesty promoted me to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. This is a good opportunity to repay Your Majesty. I can take this opportunity to gradually remove those sons of noble families who are just sitting there doing nothing and promote the new Jinshi. Your Majesty is their chief examiner, and they are your students, and people you can trust and cultivate."
Upon hearing this, Liu Chen's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands and smiled, "Okay, okay, okay! Just as you say."
"Your Majesty, you can just let the Minister of Works do the palace repairs. They will get the benefits, and there will be no obstacles for Your Majesty to propose that I preside over the performance appraisal of foreign officials."
Shen Jinghong's words made Liu Chen suddenly enlightened and in a good mood. He smiled and walked forward to pat Shen Jinghong on the shoulder, laughing: "Your idea is still the best. I will announce this matter in the court tomorrow."
Shen Jinghong smiled and said, "It is my duty to share your majesty's worries."
Liu Chen laughed for a while, then frowned again: "Since you have so many ideas, help me think of another thing."
Shen Jinghong glanced at Liu Chen's face curiously and asked, "Your Majesty, please speak."
Liu Chen sighed and became distressed and irritable, "The Queen Mother wants to select beauties to fill the harem. I looked at the list, and they are all noble ladies from aristocratic families. When I saw these names, I thought of those old men in the previous dynasty. I really have no interest in them. The Queen Mother thinks that this move can win over ministers and make the noble families loyal to me, but in this way, wouldn't it also ask me to sell out myself to deal with those noble ladies?" Shen Jinghong Shen Jinghong said helplessly: "Your Majesty's family affairs, I can't do anything. Besides, Your Majesty, you should get married when you are old enough. The foundation of the Chen Kingdom rests in your hands, so how can you not establish a queen and consort? Noble ladies from aristocratic families are all talented and beautiful. Your Majesty may like them at first sight."
Liu Chen sighed: "I don't even want to see them. You are the emperor, but you can't decide your marriage."
Shen Jinghong secretly sized up Liu Chen's expression and said slowly: "I am also curious. I have never seen Your Majesty get close to any woman..." Shen Jinghong paused and his face was red. The expression was a little strange, "Besides Mu Zhuohua, could it be that... Your Majesty likes her?"
Liu Chen's pupils shrank, as if he was frightened, and he waved his hands eagerly to deny: "Absurd, how could you have such an idea!"
Shen Jinghong curved the corners of his lips and smiled: "It's just that I saw that Your Majesty had a good chat with her."
Liu Chen said angrily: "I also had a good chat with you, could it be that I have a homosexual tendency? I just think that her conversation is interesting and her insights are not bad. As for you, there were rumors that you and her in Xiaoqin Palace..."
"Misunderstanding." Shen Jinghong smiled and shook his head, "These are rumors spread by colleagues. Your Majesty is a wise man and naturally will not believe those rumors."
Liu Chen nodded: "I think your vision should be more than that..."
Although Mu Zhuohua is the only female official in the court, she usually behaves dignified and self-restrained, so except for the time with Shen Jinghong, there has never been any rumors. This is also one of the reasons why Liu Chen values her.
But sometimes a thought flashed through his mind - she and the emperor's uncle seemed to be quite familiar with each other.
But then he thought again, although it was the emperor's uncle who took the initiative to ask Mu Zhuohua to go to the Lifan Temple, it was also because of her essay. After that, the two of them were polite and courteous in their words and deeds. Mu Zhuohua went to Dingwang Mansion from time to time recently because he knew that Mu Zhuohua was a great doctor and asked her to take care of her more...
Liu Chen thought to himself that the emperor's uncle would not be interested in such a pretty girl, so he put aside the unnecessary thoughts.
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