Hearing the emperor's question, Huang Qiong quickly knelt down and said: "Father, Emperor Mingjian, I went back a few days ago for some matters. I saw this Jing Zhaoyin, he is really majestic. Your Majesty Those few officers who were executed by the imperial decree, Jingzhao Mansion actually had to collect the same amount of pension money from every household."
"As for those who responded to Father's words that day, an old man was shackled to death in Jingzhao Mansion. The young man was taken into the prison of Jingzhao Mansion, and when he was snatched out by his servants, he was the only one left. He lost half his life. Even Li Zheng, if they hadn't been able to use him and only given twenty lashes, he would have been beaten to death in Jingzhao Mansion."
"I was trying to rescue the young man named Liu Hu from the prison of Jingzhao Mansion, and that's why I had a conflict with Jing Zhaoyi. I didn't mean to interfere with the local Yousi, but the matter was unavoidable. . If I were to stay at night, judging from the injuries on Liu Hu’s body, I’m afraid he would also die a tragic death.”
"If your father doesn't believe me, you can ask him yourself. The man named Liu Hu is currently recovering from his injuries." At this point, Huang Qiong told the emperor exactly what happened that day. He didn't hide anything because he knew that even if he wanted to, he couldn't.
Although Huang Qiong promised Jing Zhaoyin that the matter would be over and he would not pursue any further investigation. But today it was the emperor who took the initiative to ask, not him who took the initiative to bring it up. Since the old man asked about it on his own initiative, he couldn't deceive him. That would be a serious crime. I can't blame myself for telling the truth today.
Who told you, Jing Zhaoyin, to be so arrogant that you didn't even bother to inquire about it? You just got these guards for yourself? Still clinging to the old ideas, they thought they were those sent by the prince. It’s not that I don’t want to hide it for you, but I really can’t hide it anymore, right? If the emperor can tolerate this for a few days, he has already given you a lot of face.
"Are you really going there for something? Can a son born from a concubine and her ex-husband ask you to be accompanied by a dignified prince in person? Are you so stupid as to show off the face of the Tian family, or do you really think that I am so? Are you so fooled? Don’t think that I don’t understand what you are thinking, it’s just that you have taken a fancy to Liu Hu’s skills and want to recruit him.”
"Do you really think that I didn't realize that you deliberately left your address that day and repeatedly told him to come to you if he had something to do? If you didn't have the intention to recruit, with your tact, even if you wanted to serve the local people If you stand out, you will definitely not openly conflict with a third-grade Jing Zhaoyin with a deep family background in front of all the people."
Obviously, the emperor was not satisfied with Huang Qiong's excuse. Although he had not been in contact with his son for a long time, it was obvious that the emperor already had a general understanding of his son's character. From his understanding, this son who was not a one-minded man would not be so straightforward even if he wanted to plead for the people.
As soon as the emperor said this, Huang Qiong said quickly: "Please forgive me, father. I really just wanted to visit those people at that time and had no other thoughts. I was worried about Jing Zhaoyin. He was unwilling to suffer such a huge loss at the beginning. Naturally, he would not dare to settle accounts with his father, but it would be easy for him to take his anger out on the few people who responded that day."
"If I say that I had the intention of recruiting at that time, I did admit it. But that was at that time, and now my father has already selected new guards for me from his own side. With the protection of the people around my father, My son, I feel that my safety is tight now, and there is no need for it a long time ago. If my father can’t trust me, who else in the world can I trust?”
"Okay, get up. I don't want to pursue this matter, let alone be angry about it. What I want is your truth. If you come to lie to me, who can I trust? If you like this person , just stay in your house until he recovers from his injury. Afterwards, you can give me a discount, and I will reward him with a bodyguard background, which can be regarded as fulfilling your dignity."
Just when Huang Qiong heard the emperor's words, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and just stood up. The emperor changed the subject, and his next words almost didn't scare him: "Recently, there was a sudden rumor in the palace that your mother is a master of martial arts. Her skills are enough to be included among the few masters in the world."
"Whether your mother is or not? I have been married to her for so many years, so I still know it in my heart. It's just that I haven't found out where the source of this matter comes from. I will tell you today, and you don't want it either. If you have any concerns, just do what you need to do with certain things. Sometimes hiding it will only make people more suspicious."
Huang Qiong was secretly surprised by the emperor's words, but also confused Huang Qiong. He did not understand for a moment the true intention of the emperor's words. It is even unclear whether the emperor believed this rumor or not. It was obvious that I, the emperor, did not know about my mother's martial arts skills.
I once heard Chen Yao mention that neither her grandfather nor her biological father knew about her mother's status as a martial arts master. She must have never let her grandfather know about her mother's behavior, let alone the emperor herself. Otherwise, with the suspicious character of his father, I am afraid that Tingxue Xuan has been closely monitored by experts both inside and outside these years.
However, remembering the scene where he peeped that day, Huang Qiong became even more confused about what he said to the emperor. My parents are not what my mother said, they have no real feelings for each other. But if there is, given the old man’s character, it’s not like he can’t find any clues.
But if he really knew something, would the old man still be as carefree as he is today? Could it be that there is something else hidden between them? When the old man said these words today, did he want to confirm something? Huang Qiong, who didn't understand the old man's true intention for a while, couldn't help but feel a little dazed.
However, although Huang Qiong didn't understand the old man's true intention in his heart, nothing showed on Huang Qiong's face. He just said lightly: "Father, rumors stop with the wise. Whether this matter is true or false, I think my father has his own sense of discretion. At this time, if there are any rumors against my father, I am not surprised at all."
"My minister has been careless in doing things in the past few days, and I'm afraid I have offended some people. Some people know that what they have done is too dirty, and want to take revenge on me openly. Under unlikely circumstances, they make such a scene. It's a cruel trick. I believe that my father is wise and will not be fooled by this. As long as my father doesn't believe it, I naturally have nothing to worry about."
"However, if the person who spreads the rumor stands in front of me, I would like to ask him, if he is imprisoned in a place where he can only see the sky, and can't see anything except those walls. What would it be like to live in a human place for eighteen years? Is there any martial arts master in this world who can endure such loneliness?"
"Although I don't know much about martial arts, I do know some of the abilities of these people. If my mother is really a master of martial arts as they say, I would like to ask if there is any cold palace in the world that can lock her up. ? What's more, it takes eighteen years to pass the first test? If he has never experienced that kind of life, how do he know that anyone can endure it? "
"My heart is selfless and the earth is wide. Rumors and such are not the slightest threat to me, let alone such things that cannot be brought to the forefront. I don't ask my father to thoroughly find out who spread this rumor. I just want to ask my father to find out who spread this rumor. I pray that my father will not doubt my son and my minister because of this, and my son and minister will already be satisfied."
"As for doing things, I have never thought about being timid. There are some things that I have already thought of the consequences from the day I do them. It is not my fault to shrink back and not do things because of a few rumors. Be cool. Be a low-key person and do things in a high-key manner. This is Erchen’s true style.”
Speaking of this, Huang Qiong looked at the face of the emperor in front of him, and finally decided to kill the one behind him. What's more, even in the palace, it was easy to kill a few unfaithful people, and some people collapsed after being imprisoned for only three years. I swallowed the next two sentences.
As for who spread this rumor, he didn't want to guess, nor did he want to guess. The rumor started in the palace. Apart from my brothers, especially the prince, who else has such great ability? As for Jing Zhaoyin's backstage, it happened to be the current prince. This rumor spread after the incident that day. Is there any need to guess some things?
Huang Qiong's words were partly to defend himself and partly to express his attitude. Especially the last sentence about being a low-key person and doing things in a high-profile manner, the emperor couldn't help but sigh slightly in his heart. Although Huang Qiong did not express it in his words, the contempt for the man behind the scenes was revealed in his bones, which made the emperor feel uncomfortable.
From Huang Qiong's words, he could tell that his ninth son had already guessed the identity of the person behind the rumors. In fact, the source of this rumor is really not difficult to guess. The time when this rumor appeared is really too coincidental. With this son's intelligence, it is not too difficult to determine the ins and outs of the entire incident.
Even though I had several eunuchs who spread rumors to death with a cane, I still didn't find out where the rumors came from. But as a generation of emperors, how could he not be able to guess the mastermind behind the whole thing? There is no better way to know a son than a father. How can he, the father, not know the nature of his son's mind?
But he understands his son's character, but after all, he is the prince who has painstakingly educated him and has been in power for seventeen years. He was actually looked down upon by a son who had just left the palace for less than half a year, and the contempt came from the bottom of his heart. To say that the emperor felt comfortable, no one would believe it.
But no matter how uncomfortable he felt, the emperor had to endure it. To be inferior to others is to be inferior to others. Rao was an emperor who considered himself bold and resolute, but he had to admit that the prince he had painstakingly educated was really far from the ninth son raised by his ex-wife.
Looking at Huang Qiong's equally determined face in front of him, and thinking of the prince who had disappointed him more and more in recent years, the emperor could only shake his head and smile bitterly. I secretly sighed in my heart, if the prince had half the quick wit of this son and 70% of the perseverance in character, why would I have held on to the power all these years?
In the past few years, the ministers in the court who were close to the prince had written to him more than once. It is said that as the prince gets older, it is better for him as a prince to participate in more state affairs in order to accumulate more experience in handling political affairs. I have also thought about partially delegating power and letting the prince participate in some political affairs. It's a pity that what the prince did left him with nothing but disappointment.
