The Lantern Festival is the most lively festival after the Chinese New Year. On this day, officials would enter the palace as usual to celebrate the festival with the emperor. Compared with the solemnity of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the atmosphere of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is much more relaxed.
The sound of stringed instruments and the dancing of colorful costumes filled the magnificent palace with laughter and joy. Even opponents who usually fight openly or secretly and have distinct factions will restrain their edges. Even if everyone cannot live in harmony, they can at least keep their distance and try to avoid conflicts and unpleasantness.
The Emperor was in high spirits tonight, even chatting with his ministers about family matters. After inquiring about the health of the elderly man from the eastern household and whether the son of the western household had married, he asked about the marriage. After three rounds of wine and five dishes, the Emperor summoned General Xiao to his presence. After a few mundane questions, he called in several boys under ten who were clearly not from ordinary noble families.
"Xiao Aiqing, what do you think of the qualifications of these children?"
General Xiao looked at them one by one. Well, one was the Queen's youngest son, the Ninth Prince Yun Yifan, who was full of royal style; one was the only legitimate son of Tianyu's most honorable prince, Prince Jing, Yun Yichen; and there was Mu Fengwu, the legitimate grandson of Queen Mu's family, Duke Mu's Mansion; the other two were the sons and grandsons of Prince Rong's Mansion and Prince Qi's Mansion.
Not knowing what the emperor meant by calling these people, General Xiao took a quick look at them and gave an objective and fair response.
"It looks okay."
Some other people would definitely seize this opportunity to praise the emperor lavishly and improve their relationship with the royal family. As for the truth, who would care?
The emperor nodded without any surprise. General Xiao was General Xiao. He had ambitions but also bottom lines; he had means but also principles.
"If Lord Xiao thinks they have decent qualifications, how about accepting them as disciples?"
The emperor has spoken, who dares to refuse? General Xiao didn't understand why the emperor chose him. He was surprised but not thrilled at all.
"If Your Majesty does not mind my old age, I will do my best to fulfill my duties, but..."
"General, you have something to say, please feel free to speak."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." General Xiao knelt and bowed, then said, "I will do my best to teach you kung fu, but Your Majesty knows that I come from humble origins and know only the most basic martial arts. I have never formally accepted a disciple, let alone one of such a prestigious status. I am truly afraid of misleading the young man."
“Why are you so modest, old general? It is precisely because you have strict discipline, clear rewards and punishments, and great skills that the emperor handed them over to you. First, you can learn some martial arts, and second, you can temper your temperament.” King Jing sat steadily below the emperor, looking calm.
"I obey your order." At this point, what else could he say? General Xiao had no choice but to obey your order.
As the banquet was about to end, King Jing sent his guards to invite General Xiao to have tea the next afternoon. General Xiao raised his glass and drank the wine in one gulp in response.
Prince Jing and his son walked out of the hall and just as they stepped down the stairs, Eunuch Qu, the chief eunuch of Fengxiang Palace, came to greet them with a smile on his face.
"This old servant pays homage to His Majesty, and to His Majesty, the Crown Prince."
"Is there anything wrong, Eunuch Qu?" King Jing's face was calm and his tone could not tell whether he was happy or angry.
"It was the Queen Mother who summoned the prince and the crown prince to Fengxiang Palace." Eunuch Qu kept smiling, pretending that he could not notice the alienation of Prince Jing. He could not afford to offend either of these two masters. Not to mention the cold attitude, they wanted to beat him, punish him, or even kill him. He had no other choice but to surrender with both hands.
King Jing lowered his head, unwilling to let others see his true emotions. When did this start? He refused to set foot in his mother's palace again, unwilling to listen to her unprincipled defense of Concubine Han, defending the Han family while ruthlessly criticizing his wife. This outward display of care, yet in reality, constant harm, was unacceptable and unbearable.
No one knows a son better than his mother, and no one knows his mother better than her son. Seeing the man sitting opposite his mother and chatting intimately, King Jing knew that it was impossible for him to be in a good mood today.
"Your son pays homage to the Queen Mother."
"Grandson greets the Imperial Grandmother."
"Hurry up, Achen, come here and let the Empress Dowager see you. How long has it been since you last came to Fengxiang Palace?" Empress Dowager Han scolded.
"Your Highness, I greet you. Achen has grown taller." The charming and beautiful Concubine Han swayed in her graceful posture, and her outfit was as dazzling as that of the main wife.
"Hmm," King Jing replied vaguely, without even a glance. If he had previously been willing to give her a perfunctory nod for his mother's sake, now that he knew she had poisoned his wife and daughter to death, and that her daughter was still suffering from illness to this day, he would never forgive her.
Queen Dowager Han had long observed her son's shift in attitude; it seemed this matter wouldn't be so easily dismissed. This niece was truly incompetent. She should have either stayed silent or killed him instantly. Instead, she failed to harm him and instead left behind a legacy of trouble, completely offending her son and enabling her opponent. The woman surnamed Yin was truly fortunate, having escaped poisoning while retaining a firm hold on her husband's heart.
Now all I can do is try my best to improve their relationship, and hope that my niece can win back my son's heart as soon as possible.
Yun Yichen simply ignored someone without caring about the other person's feelings at all. In his opinion, not taking the life of the person he hated was already cowardly enough. If he still wanted a response from me, he was dreaming, and it was a daydream.
"Whose idea was it that happened in the hall today? That Xiao Hu is just a reckless man. How can he be qualified to teach the royal children?" Queen Mother Han said straight to the point.
Prince Jing took a sip of tea, but before he could speak, Queen Mother Han continued, "If you can't find a suitable master, why don't you come to me? I'll send two of the best martial artists from the palace to your palace tomorrow, and you can let Xiao Hu live in honor at home."
"Even in the Duke's Mansion, there are many masters. It would be better for Xiao to teach the soldiers. He wants to get close to the royal family without even considering his own weight." Concubine Han sneered with disdain.
King Jing tightened his grip on the cup. A meritorious official who had been stationed at the border for many years was brought down to the dust by a mere woman. Your Han family is powerful and famous, but why don't you endure hardships and do practical things for the country and the people? The Han family should be the one who leads by example in Tianyu, but they only talk and never take any actual action.
"It was me who ordered Xiao Hu to take in the children. Does Concubine Han have any objection?" The emperor said as he walked in.
Everyone greeted each other and took their seats in turn. The emperor glanced at Concubine Han indifferently. It was no wonder that her brother disliked her. If he were in her place, he would not like her either. She was arrogant, selfish, and self-righteous.
"Your Majesty, why are you doing this? How can he be qualified for the position of a teacher for the royal children with his ability and character? Since ancient times, all those hired by the royal family are well-educated and famous all over the world. Which of these conditions does he meet? If you really like him, let him teach Mu Jia and the other two children. As for Xiaojiu and Achen, you will definitely be able to find more suitable candidates." Queen Mother Han made the decision without any doubt.
"Mother, do you want me to go back on my word? How can I face everyone in the future? Who would submit to an emperor who changes his orders every day?" The emperor frowned slightly.
The emperor's words were sharp, and his mother could be the number one in the harem. Even though his mother had always suppressed the empress, he never said anything, because his mother had suffered too much and paid too much for the two brothers.
However, she should not interfere in the affairs of the previous dynasty, nor does she have the right to interfere. This has not been allowed in any dynasty.
Empress Dowager Han moved her lips but didn't refute the Emperor. It was an ancient rule that the harem shouldn't interfere in government affairs. While learning a skill wasn't a big deal, the Emperor had already announced it publicly, so it couldn't be changed. Never mind, it was just a small matter. I'd find a way to make it up to my grandson later.
Now that the matter had come to an end, King Jing stood up to say goodbye. Queen Mother Han originally wanted to take the opportunity to ease the relationship between her son and niece, but it was difficult to speak in front of the emperor, so she could only let her son leave.
"Royal brother, aren't you going to thank your elder brother?" If he didn't come, the Queen Mother would definitely not let his brother go easily, because Concubine Han was waiting for him there.
"Clear all the Han family members in my palace, and I will thank my royal brother." King Jing said indifferently.
The emperor was speechless. He felt so aggrieved as an emperor. He had to listen to his mother on matters concerning the harem, and was threatened by his own brother outside the harem. How pitiful and lamentable!
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