The weather is getting hotter day by day, and people inside and outside the palace are getting restless day by day.
Today in the Imperial Study Room, His Majesty was furious and smashed the teacup on the floor. The ministers who were summoned by him to discuss matters all knelt on the ground, submissive and did not dare to speak out.
"Tell me, why don't you talk? Who told me that the border was in an emergency and that even if I sent the prince to lead the expedition, I would win miserably? What about now? There is a rumor circulating in the cities on the border and among the many tribes in the North. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is wise and mighty, and is the future ruler of the Ji Dynasty bestowed by God."
At the end of the sentence, His Majesty's face became more violent and terrifying. The person who first raised this matter was even more trembling, fearing that His Majesty would be angry with him, and then he heard a voice that made him despair.
"Come here and declare my will. The secretary ordered me to discuss the government affairs and observe the holy will, and then left the capital to be appointed as the governor of Huangzhou."
Secretary Ling wanted to cry and beg for mercy, but when he saw His Majesty's icy eyes, he suddenly shivered and no longer dared to defend himself.
Several tall and strong eunuchs came in and dragged the disheartened Secretary Ling out.
After this incident, the remaining ministers were even more frightened and did not dare to say anything. But this will not let His Majesty let them go.
His Majesty pointed at someone at random and said, "Tell me, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is about to return to the court. What should we do now?" The man said tremblingly, "Perhaps we can delay the return of the First and Second Crown Princes?"
The meaning of this is to let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince die on the way back to the court. After all, it is extremely common for old illnesses to recur.
"Haha." His Majesty sneered, "You also go to Huangzhou." Another despairing minister was dragged away.
Next, when His Majesty's eyes fall on someone, that person will be forced to tell an answer. Without exception, these people were dismissed by His Majesty and sent out of the capital. When there were only two or three people left in the Imperial Study Room, cold sweat dripped from their foreheads.
"Your Majesty, I thought that perhaps His Highness the Crown Prince could ask for the reward on his own. I think His Highness the Crown Prince would not make any requests for the sake of reputation, so as not to continue to increase His Highness the Crown Prince's reputation."
His Majesty's voice did not come from above his head. The minister carefully raised his head and saw His Majesty's thoughtful eyes.
"Very good, Ji Aiqing helps me solve my problems and promotes me to Secretary Ling." This is the official position that replaced the previous unlucky guy.
Overnight, he was promoted to a new position. Naturally, he was overjoyed with this freshly issued secretary order, and he quickly knelt down to thank him. This sound of joy was in sharp contrast to the cries of the officials who were dragged away outside the house.
When the ministers went to court on the second day, everyone discovered that the secretary order had been changed without knowing it.
At this time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has entered the capital and is waiting outside the imperial palace.
His Majesty deliberately wanted to ignore him, but the ministers repeatedly remonstrated. In the end, His Majesty could only declare His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come to the palace to have an audience.
Today, His Royal Highness is not wearing court uniform, but a black armor. There seemed to be a cold light on the armor, which made many ministers who had never been on the battlefield feel calm.
"My son, I bow to Your Majesty, and wish Your Majesty all the blessings and peace. Fortunately, I have lived up to my command, and hereby present the head of Hulu Khan." After His Highness the Crown Prince finished speaking, a eunuch came forward to take it and bring it to His Majesty's eyes.
When Hulu Khan's glaring eyes met His Majesty's, His Majesty on the dragon throne suddenly trembled. A secret fear emerged in his heart. He was afraid of his son. He was afraid that one day that son would replace him just like he killed Hulu Khan in front of him.
This is an unspeakable fear. He also couldn't accept that someone knew that he was the emperor, and yet he was afraid of his son.
But how can you not be afraid? His son is younger, stronger, and more assertive. He even accomplished things that he failed to accomplish back then.
His Majesty tried his best to calm down, and there was even a smile on his lips.
"The prince deserves a reward for his trip. Prince, what do you want? Just say it."
Above the main hall, His Highness the Crown Prince, who was still kneeling, was slightly startled when he heard this. His father in the high hall so easily turned the merits he had earned through life and death into a light reward. And can she really name a reward worthy of military merit?
No, His Highness the Crown Prince knew very well that it was impossible to ask for something like a reward by asking for it.
After a long silence, His Majesty seemed to have finally become impatient with the waiting. He said with a smile, "The Crown Prince doesn't have any good concubines to serve him, so why don't I give him a few concubines to join the palace?"
Now the officials also felt that something was wrong. The merits of His Highness the Crown Prince's personal conquests could allow His Highness the Crown Prince to ask for rewards, but to treat them lightly and turn them into concubines was simply an insult to His Highness the Crown Prince's merits.
Some anxious ministers were about to come out to dissuade them, and heard His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's loud voice ringing in the hall.
"I would like to thank your majesty for the reward. However, I admire the future crown princess and would like to ask your majesty to marry the daughter of the Lu family as soon as possible."
His Majesty's voice, which was difficult to distinguish between joy and anger, came from above, "Oh? The prince is serious about what he said. From now on, you won't want anyone else to enter the East Palace?"
As soon as this statement came out, all the officials were shocked.
The most anxious person is undoubtedly Queen Wen's brother, Mr. Wen. He thought to himself, "If this matter is serious, even if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the people who will benefit most will only be the Fan Yang Lu family, not the Wen family."
Before His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascended the throne, there was already a faint conflict between the Wen family and the Fan Yang Lu family. Needless to say, the Wen family also has the intention of marrying a daughter into the East Palace, but in recent years the Wen family's reputation has not been obvious enough to be worthy of His Highness the Crown Prince's concubine. This made the Wen family take notice of the position of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's concubine.
Just when Mr. Wen was about to say something to stop him, he heard the decisive voice of His Highness the Crown Prince. "Yes, this is indeed what I meant."
Hearing this, His Majesty showed his first sincere smile in these days.
"Okay, I will issue an order for you two to get married as soon as possible."
The news that His Highness the Crown Prince did not seek military glory but only loved beauty spread quickly to the palace and to various powerful families outside the palace as if it had wings. Suddenly, everyone's eyes were focused on the East Palace and Fan Yanglu's family.
When Lu Bingzhen learned about this, he was following the instructions of the four nuns. since. After His Royal Highness the Crown Prince set off on his own expedition, Lu Bingzhen stayed at home and listened to the teachings of the old lady, four maids and his mother Li at home every day.
"What?" Grandma Feng was shocked when she heard the news. She also liked Lu Bingzhen secretly, but this kind of love and consideration for His Royal Highness were not worth mentioning.
As an old lady who has been immersed in the palace for many years, she knew that this matter would cut off His Highness the Prince's way of contacting the powerful people of the family through marriage. She couldn't tell clearly. Was it because His Highness was aware of His Majesty's suspicion and wariness that he deliberately complied with His Majesty's wishes at this moment and took the initiative to reduce his own power?
Or is it that His Highness the Crown Prince really has a deep love for Fan Yang and the daughter of the Lu family, so he is unwilling to accept Concubine Liangdi and others?
Nanny Feng's gaze rested on Lu Bingzhen, and the inquiry in her eyes was so obvious that Lu Bingzhen noticed it, "Nanny Feng, am I doing something wrong with this incense? You keep looking at me like this."
Grandma Feng suddenly came back to her senses. Looking at the smiling girl in front of her, she suddenly realized, "Whether it is His Highness the Crown Prince or the future Crown Princess, they are his and her masters, and they are the ones she cannot figure out. What she needs to do is, It’s just loyalty.”
"Ninth Lady, since Your Majesty has decreed that you should get married as soon as possible, I think you should start learning all the rules in the palace."
This sentence is neither humble nor arrogant, and it is reasonable. Lu Bingzhen thought for a moment, then nodded slightly, "Then I'll have to help some of the nuns."
All four people declined and said they did not dare to accept the offer.
Regarding this matter, Li was the one who had the biggest reaction. She originally wanted to keep her daughter until she was eighteen before getting married, otherwise she would not have returned to Beijing with her husband when her daughter was fourteen. But now the imperial edict actually requires her daughter to get married before she has hairpin ceremony, which is really hard for Li to accept.
"How can there be any reason for a girl to get married before she has hairpins? Didn't your Majesty's Princess Guangde not marry until she was seventeen years old?" Mrs. Li walked around the room, repeating "She hasn't had hairpins yet" several times. word.
Wang, who was invited by Lu Qi to comfort Li, said, "In fact, according to ancient rituals, there is a precedent for women to get married at the age of twelve or thirteen. As for A Rui," Wang also sighed, "I can only say that as soon as possible It is better to get married than to have your Majesty stuff a few enchanting Liangdi concubines into the East Palace."
Li actually understood this truth in her heart. Most of the relationship between the couple has been accumulated since they were young. The relationship at this time is pure and unadulterated. But if A Rui has not yet consummated her marriage, there are already several more concubines in the East Palace. It is not to be said whether His Highness the Crown Prince will still be interested in A Rui.
With A Rui's pride, she would never allow herself to fall in love with a husband who wavered between several concubines. At that time, A Rui's marriage and the rest of her life will be devoted to loyalty and filial piety.
Seeing that Li was relaxing, Wang continued, "The current situation is not entirely unfavorable to A Rui. At least according to what His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince have said, His Highness the Crown Prince will never accept Liang Di as his concubine in a few years, or even accept her. It’s impossible to use a concubine. I know you feel sorry for A Rui’s young age, so you can wait until A Rui is seventeen or eighteen to have another child.”
Mrs. Li let out a long sigh, "That's the only way it can be."
Because His Majesty's decree was to get married as soon as possible, the Ministry of Rites was not sure of His Majesty's intentions, so they estimated it as quickly as possible, about one and a half months later.
The Qintian Supervisor, the Ministry of Rites, and the Zongzheng Temple were very busy, and the embroiderers and craftsmen in the harem were working day and night to prepare all kinds of utensils and items needed for the wedding of His Royal Highness.
His Majesty, the Crown Prince himself, was even temporarily relieved of his official duties so that he could prepare for the wedding. But what did His Highness have to prepare? As soon as he gave the order, someone would naturally take care of things properly.
Therefore, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince planned to visit Fan Yanglu's house.
