"Huh? He actually values you?"
Tao Zhu was taken aback, sat up straight and asked, "What exactly is going on?"
Li Qiao also sat up straight and told him the content of the sixth prince's speech today.
Tao Zhu was confused after hearing this: "So, he is still qualified to compete for the throne?"
"Yes." Li Qiao nodded.
"...Then does he really value you or does he have ulterior motives?"
Tao Zhu is more concerned about this.
"I can't tell right now."
Although he did not feel any malice from the sixth prince, when the fifth prince rebelled, who reported the news to the seventh prince and Zhou Zhengye?
Who was it that hurt the Seventh Prince?
There are still no answers to these two questions.
At this time, in the longevity palace, Sheng Hongzheng was playing mahjong with Sheng Jun and Sheng Jun's two guards.
After Sheng Jun abdicated, he liked to travel around the mountains and rivers so that he could see the great empire he conquered up close. However, because of Sheng Hong's sudden fainting, he had not left Beijing for a long time.
Staying in Shengjing was really boring, so after mahjong and playing cards appeared, he often used these two items to pass the time.
However, at this time, Sheng Hong usually either stayed in his bedroom or went to the harem, and rarely came to the longevity palace.
So, after playing a few games of mahjong, Sheng Jun waved everyone in the hall to get out. When only father and son were left, he asked Sheng Hong, "But what happened?"
"It's still about Xu'er."
Sheng Hong held two mahjong tiles in his hand and moved them around like a plate of walnuts, with a sad look on his face.
"Xu'er came to me today and said that he should not be disqualified from competing for the throne. I softened my heart and agreed. He is only in his early thirties. It would be too cruel to let him withdraw from the court right now."
"However, his attitude towards Li Aiqing changed drastically today..."
He roughly recounted what the Sixth Prince said today.
As Sheng Jun listened, he used mahjong to build the Great Wall. When Sheng Hong finished speaking, the mahjong on the table turned into an ups and downs, winding and solemn Great Wall.
He yawned, stood up and stretched, and then said, "Are you going to deprive Xu'er of the right to seize the throne for Li Qiao?"
Sheng Hong was silent for a moment, his face full of confusion.
"He said today that the contrast between his trip to Western Shem and Li Aiqing's trip to the border town was tragic. He knew the importance of Li Aiqing at this time, but if he ascended the throne, would he feel unfair when he recalled this matter?"
"No one could dissuade him at that time. In this position, it would be too easy to kill a minister."
He also thought of this while having dinner. The more he thought about it, the more worried he became, so he went to the Longevity Palace after dinner to discuss it with Sheng Jun.
"Based on my observation, if Xu'er ascends the throne, he probably won't kill Li Qiao. At most, he will break Li Qiao's arm or a leg or something."
"This kid Li Qiao is so powerful that most emperors are reluctant to kill him."
Sheng Jun walked around the mahjong table, stretching his arms and legs, giving a peaceful picture of an elderly person exercising.
But the words that came out of his mouth made Sheng Hong frown so hard that he could kill a mosquito.
"Father, isn't that the case?"
"Since you came to ask me, it means that you also think so in your heart, but you refuse to admit it."
"..."
Sheng Hong clenched the mahjong in his hand, feeling very uncomfortable in his heart: "Xu'er is actually very good. Although he doesn't like Li Aiqing's behavior, he always speaks out in front of Li Aiqing. Apart from that, he doesn't No other action.”
"Emperor." Sheng Jun happened to be behind Sheng Hong at this moment. He raised his hand and patted Sheng Hong on the shoulder, repeating what he just said: "You came here specifically to find me. This shows that you have already determined that he will be like this." You did it, but you won’t admit it.”
"You can't accept that your child's imperial path is cut off because of an outsider."
Sheng Hong: "..."
His confusion and discomfort reached their peak in an instant. Yes, he just couldn't accept this.
In the past, he felt that when choosing his successor, he had to consider Li Qiao's future.
This kind of "consideration" was only one point at that time.
But as time went by, especially this time Li Qiao was trapped in the border town, his one point had turned into five points.
Because he heard the Sixth Prince say that he envied Li Qiao's good luck today, he actually became alert.
I was alert at the first moment.
This is not normal.
He didn't think much about it at the time, he just lamented that his sixth son had really matured a lot after going out. But when the sixth prince and Li Qiao left the palace and he had dinner alone, the more he thought about it, the more wrong he became.
He was on pins and needles.
As a father, he really doesn't want to speculate on his son based on things that haven't happened, but he is in this position, and he understands the horror of this position all too well.
If the sixth prince really ascends the throne in the future, and if his sixth son dislikes Li Qiao, he only needs to send a look, no need to speak, just a look, and then someone will deal with Li Qiao.
Li Qiao had no power to resist.
Now that the Sixth Prince is emotionally stable, he still wants to interact with Li Qiao more, but what will happen after he ascends the throne?
Who can guarantee that an emperor who has lost his right arm will always be emotionally stable?
Who can guarantee that?
Who can restrain it?
Don’t be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of what happens!
He didn't believe that his sixth son could have the self-control to not express his anger or lose his temper.
…
He leaned back weakly on the chair with a look of defeat on his face: "Father, Li Aiqing is very important to Dasheng."
Outsiders didn't know what kind of help Li Aiqing had helped him, but he knew it himself.
Before Li Aiqing appeared, he often had to ask about the expenditures of the national treasury and his private treasury.
At the same time, the British public, the Peng family and other noble families have secretly collected evidence and quietly sharpened their knives.
There is no way, he is really under financial pressure.
But after Li Aiqing appeared, the business tax he paid to the treasury every year was a huge sum of money.
Gambling houses and royal pastry shops are also making money every day. This is real money making, not an exaggeration.
How well-off he is now? For example, he had thought about raising funds from the court a few years ago to cover a series of expenses for farming.
But it's almost March now, and he hasn't put this matter on the agenda yet.
Without Li Aiqing, could he be so calm?
And this time, Li Aiqing directly took out 1.2 million taels of silver to thank the 120,000 soldiers in the border town.
With Li Aiqing's one million taels of silver, he would be able to spend 1.2 million taels less on his salary and rewards.
That’s a lot of money!
Outsiders don't know the income of the gambling house and the royal pastry shop, but he does!
In addition to giving him plenty of money and the feeling of a monarch and his subjects, there was also the great invention of the mortar road.
Whenever he thought of the flat, spacious plaster roads outside Shengjing City, he would think about it in a quiet and thoughtful way, thinking of going outing in the palace, rescuing the summer, going on autumn outings, and admiring the winter snow.
In addition, Li Aiqing also acted in many ways to share his worries. Just as his sixth son said today, Dasheng needs Li Aiqing too much.
"That's right, Li Qiao is a very capable boy and always has novel ideas. Li Qiao is irreplaceable, but you have several sons."
"Don't feel bad. As the king of a country, your decision is correct. You would rather kill by mistake than let go. You are responsible for the country and the people."
Sheng Jun agreed with Sheng Hong's decision.
Compared with Sheng Hong's soft-heartedness, he was much more decisive back then. He only picked one key point to train, and the rest of his sons became rich and idle.
He treats his son like this, and he is even more decisive and calm when dealing with his grandson, who is a generation away, without any personal emotions involved.
Sheng Hong smiled bitterly when he heard this, but did not speak. His head was drooping, and his whole body was full of depression.
Seeing this, Sheng Jun raised his hand and patted his shoulder again: "I advised you to only pick one key point to cultivate, but you refused. Look, you are the one who feels uncomfortable now."
"Lao San, Lao Wu, plus Xu'er today, you have been uncomfortable three times."
"...Ang'er and Yan'er are the ones who brought it upon themselves, and they deserve it. Although I feel uncomfortable, I feel more sorry for it. But for Ke Xu'er, it was I who charged him with a crime that he did not commit, and then quietly deprived him of it. His qualifications to win the throne.”
"It's not fair to him."
"What makes me even more uncomfortable is that he doesn't know about this. He is still actively protecting Dasheng Jiangshan and making suggestions for the peace of the people."
"As a father, I feel so sorry for him."
Sheng Hong said and couldn't help but raise his hand to rub his heart.
He felt really uncomfortable.
He treated his good son like a monkey, and it was already very miserable for Xuer to have a broken arm...
He couldn't imagine how Xu'er would question him in the future when he learned the truth.
Seeing his painful look, Sheng Jun couldn't help but sigh.
Sheng Jun dragged a chair over, sat down next to him, and patiently enlightened him: "Looking back, there are many of your sons hiding secrets. You may not know what will happen in the end."
"..."
After hearing this, Sheng Hong's expression worsened, and he turned to look at him helplessly: "Father, can you say something happy to make me smile?"
"No problem. The Grand Canal is about to be put on trial. If nothing unexpected happens, it will be open to navigation this summer. By then, the transportation of grain from the south to the north will save a lot of manpower and financial resources."
"But have you decided who will be the governor of water transportation?"
Sheng Jun actually said something that could make Sheng Hong feel better.
"Not ready yet."
Sheng Hong shook his head slowly.
