Emperor Changxing did not hide the news about the crown prince, and it spread quickly throughout Xingji City.
Ministry of Industry Shangshu Mansion.
Luo Ken burst out laughing happily, and turned around in circles for a while. He was so happy that he couldn't find the north.
It is extremely difficult to have no one to share your happiness with.
He entered the back house in high spirits and hurriedly found his wife who was explaining the rules to the granddaughters. Then he talked happily like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.
After Mrs. Shangshu listened carefully, her expression perked up, and she quickly asked her granddaughters to go out to play.
"Sir," she reminded in a low voice, "His Majesty is ill and has been having trouble sleeping. His temper is at its most violent. He even killed a few of the imperial doctors earlier."
"You'd better not get too carried away. Be careful if it spreads to the palace and spoils things."
Luo Ken sobered up a little, and hurriedly stroked his beard and explained, "Madam, don't worry. I'm not at home. Of course it won't be like this outside."
cough!
He coughed and immediately ordered all the masters, collaterals, relatives, servants, etc. in the house to be careful in their words and deeds in the days after they came down.
After doing all this, the couple calmed down and looked at the summary of information from all parties.
Not long after, the two of them frowned in unison.
"Sir, His Majesty said he would appoint a crown prince." Mrs. Luo hesitated and looked through all the news. "It seems that he didn't specify who he would appoint as the crown prince."
"Indeed," Luo Ken's brow almost killed a mosquito, "His Majesty issued an imperial edict to summon King Qi to return to the country, but he did not clearly specify which prince or prince should be appointed as the crown prince."
After being silent for a while, he continued.
"But Madam, don't worry. Among His Majesty's princes and princes, our grandson still has the most advantage. Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn't have called him back to Beijing specifically, right?"
At this moment, the old housekeeper's breathless voice suddenly came from outside.
"Sir, madam!"
Luo Ken took a few steps over and opened the door, "What's the matter?"
"Sir, I just received the news. Your Majesty has issued two more imperial edicts."
Luo Ken's heart skipped a beat, "Tell me, what's the content?"
The housekeeper dare not neglect.
"First, Your Majesty ordered Prince Ming, who left Xingji City just last month, to return to the capital immediately."
Luo Ken subconsciously looked back at the lady in the room, and his face became hot.
He just said that Emperor Changxing specially summoned Chen Xiuzhu back to the capital, but as a result, another Ming king, Chen Xiujian, was immediately added.
And these two people are also the only two princes outside.
The housekeeper didn't know what his master was thinking, so he continued: "Secondly, your Majesty ordered all the princes living in remote border areas to come to Beijing to celebrate the birthday of Mr. Liang."
"Old Prince Liang?"
There are so many princes and princesses of various sizes in Xingji City. Luo Ken really couldn't remember this person for a moment.
The housekeeper quickly explained the identity of Mr. Liang.
"It turned out to be him." Luo Ken immediately stopped caring.
This was clearly an excuse that Emperor Changxing made to recall those princes who lived in remote places.
"Go down first, and always pay attention to the news outside."
The old housekeeper agreed and left in a hurry.
Back at the Eight Immortals Table, Mrs. Shangshu had already poured Ningshen tea.
"Sir, your Majesty has summoned so many people back to the capital. It's hard to say who he will appoint as the crown prince. However, Si Tianjian is responsible for calculating the auspicious days. They should know the exact candidate..."
Luo Ken waved his hand quickly, "Don't mention this matter. Let's not say whether Si Tianjian will speak. If the news reaches His Majesty's ears, it will be troublesome."
"Too!"
Jin Palace.
Two years ago, the princes went to the frontier for training.
Chen Xiulan, a fat man, shrank several times after visiting Guangxin County in the south.
Compared to other princes, he is still very mellow now. But compared to the past, the whole person has become much more beautiful.
Ouch.
"Princess," Chen Xiulan was carefully guarding his wife: "Slow down, then slow down! Be careful."
"That's long-winded." Princess Jin glared at him angrily, "Don't I know how to cherish my body?"
At the beginning of this year, not only Xiao Gang's cousin gave birth to her eldest son, but Ying Pan, who had moved to Guangxin County, also received news of pregnancy.
Princess Jin, who was friendly with them, was very greedy when she saw them, so she took a knife and forced Chen Xiulan to have sex with them.
After a few months, there was finally good news.
While the couple was discussing whether the fetus was a boy or a girl and how to educate it after birth, the chief of the Jin Palace, Shi, hurried in with a female official.
"I've met the prince and the princess."
Since Princess Jin had a child, Chen Xiulan has grown up a lot.
He waved his hand casually, "Are you here? Sit down. I haven't been able to see my mother and concubine in the palace for a while. Is she okay?"
"Your Majesty is very good..." The female officer first talked about the situation of the noble concubine in the palace before continuing.
"Your Majesty, everything is in chaos now. My Majesty wants you and the Princess to concentrate on raising the baby and ignore other matters."
Ha ha.
Chen Xiulan laughed: "I understand, you go back and reassure mother and concubine. I don't want to pay attention to these nonsense."
He looked at his princess tenderly, "I just want my child to be born safely..."
After another long period of time passed, and after seeing off the female officer and the chief minister who had given them all the instructions, the couple looked at each other, with a hint of worry in each other's eyes.
"Ting'er, you should have a good rest first."
Chen Xiulan's eyes fell on the newspaper in Princess Jin's hand, "Don't you like reading all kinds of stories in the newspaper?"
"I have nothing to do, so I might as well show off my talents and write a few articles and publish them in newspapers so that the world can see my literary talent."
Princess Jin rolled her eyes at him, "You're still talented in literature. I don't know how many drops of ink you have in your belly?"
"Just watch." The smile in Chen Xiulan's eyes faded and she began to ink.
Prince Qin's Mansion, main hall.
The atmosphere in the whole house was heavy.
The servants knew this very well, and subconsciously relaxed their hands and feet when walking around, and even held their breath.
"Grandfather," King Qin said anxiously, "my father is going to establish a prince, what should I do?"
Uncle Cheng En drank the tea slowly, his face solemn.
Among the courtiers who are least favored by Emperor Changxing these days, Uncle Cheng En is among the best.
These days, he has always wanted to go to the palace to visit the doctor but has never been able to do so. Even when the wife sent a message to visit the queen in the palace, there was no response.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. Everyone knows that Your Majesty is His Majesty's eldest son. He has been smart and talented since he was a child. He also respects Your Majesty and respects his teachers... The most important thing is that all the state affairs, big and small, that Your Majesty entrusts to Your Majesty are done perfectly."
"To make the prince a prince, I think it is a legitimate thing."
King Qin lowered his head and remained silent.
He had heard too many such general remarks. Not only the listeners but also the speakers may not be able to convince themselves.
cough!
Cheng Enbo coughed and had to change the topic.
"Your Majesty, after thinking about it carefully in recent days, I realize that you are not without advantages."
King Qin's eyes lit up and he quickly raised his head, "What advantage?"
"Heir." Uncle Cheng En uttered two words softly, "Your Majesty has so many princes and princes, but for the time being, you and Prince Jin have a child. The others are either not married yet or there is no news."
"Your Majesty is already old, and he may long for family happiness just like ordinary old people. Didn't His Majesty like Brother Ming and Sister Qing the most at the royal banquets in the past?"
"How about the prince take two more children to serve His Majesty these days?"
King Qin nodded without hesitation, "Then I will take the children into the palace."
After speaking, he hesitated.
"Grandfather, at the beginning of last year, without giving the courtiers any time or opportunity to discuss, my father drastically reformed the garrison of each county. The original thirty county captains were suddenly reduced to ten. This completely disrupted your plan, grandfather. .”
"How many county lieutenants are still standing on my side now?"
King Qin is not stupid.
Children are just a help, but they are not the right path after all. Having the troops in hand is the right thing to do.
"This..." Uncle Cheng En smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty, most of the ten remaining county lieutenants are from the lower border counties, and all of them are iron-blooded generals leading the army. Our hands haven't stretched that long yet..."
In other words, Uncle Cheng En, like other courtiers, paid more attention to the wealthy counties in the east and central areas.
Counties near the border are not only far away but also poor, and most of the civil servants and military officers who serve there have no background. They're usually dismissive as well. So there wasn’t much contact.
well!
King Qin sighed again.
"But don't worry, prince." Uncle Cheng En comforted him quickly, "Of course there are no county captains who are biased towards us now. But other princes and princes are the same as us."
King Qin was relieved.
"Since the garrison troops are temporarily unavailable, we should turn our attention to the county guards."
