King Chen stood up and walked to the window. He looked at the lush flowers and trees outside the window and closed his eyes gently. Fighting for the throne was a long and difficult process, and there was no room for negligence.
If Rong Cang is really secretly forming a clique for personal gain...
King Chen clenched his hands.
It would be best for him to lose control of his ambitions, so that he would have a reason to go to his father to get a copy of him and make his father fear him... It doesn't seem to work either.
If his father became jealous of him and took back his military talisman, wouldn't he lose his use value?
King Chen was in a dilemma. On the one hand, he wanted to put Rong Cang to death and take back all the military power in his hands, but on the other hand, he realized very clearly that except for Rong Cang, there was no one under him who could take advantage of him. The military talisman of the 400,000-strong army.
Moreover, the suppression of the Mobei border cannot be separated from Rong Cang.
If anyone could replace Rong Cang and stationed at the border, he would definitely marry Jin Yue down to him with generous gifts and betrothal gifts... Marry down?
An idea flashed in King Chen's mind, and he suddenly thought of Qi Jin.
Isn’t Qi Jin not married yet?
Instead of guessing here about his purpose of going to the Duke Protector's Mansion, it would be better to draw him over directly and make him his brother-in-law. This would ensure that Marquis Zhongyi would never stand against him.
King Chen turned around and walked out, calling a boy over.
"Your Majesty." The young man stepped forward respectfully and bowed his head in obedience.
"Is the princess here?"
"Back to my lord, the princess has gone into the palace to talk to the noble concubine."
King Chen was silent for a moment: "Get your horses ready. I will also go into the palace to pay my respects to my mother and concubine."
"yes."
The servant immediately went to order the mounts to be prepared. King Chen went back to his room, changed his clothes, and then rode his horse into the palace.
Royal families throughout the ages have had rules. Adult princes will move out of the palace after becoming kings. There are strict limits on the number of times they can visit their mothers. High-status concubines can see their sons three times a month, while low-status concubines can only see their sons in January. A chance to get together.
Emperor Mu has been tolerant and open-minded since he ascended the throne. His concubines could raise their own sons personally, and those with lower status were not forced to hand over their children to others to raise. It was just that princes with lower backgrounds did not have the right to compete for the throne.
After they came of age, the princes came to the palace to see their mothers every once in a while. Emperor Mu usually didn't ask too much and turned a blind eye. His daughter-in-law paid greetings to her mother-in-law, and he was even more happy to see it happen.
It seems that he doesn't care at all whether the frequent exchanges between the former court and the harem will have bad effects.
Therefore, King Chen's entry into the palace went smoothly. In addition, he was of the highest origin in the court and was the most favored in front of the imperial concubine. Even if he did not become the prince, he was treated as a prince in the hearts of the palace people.
After entering Zhaochen Palace, King Chen met his concubine. He was keenly aware that her face was not very good-looking, so he asked with concern: "What's wrong with my concubine? She doesn't look happy?"
Concubine Gu said in a cold tone: "It's not your white-eyed wolf brother and his white-eyed wolf wife."
King Chen was puzzled: "Please express it clearly, mother and concubine."
Princess Chen sat aside and took the initiative to answer the question: "My mother learned that after the family dinner that night, the nine younger siblings and the three princesses went to the Queen's Palace to sit for an hour, but they did not come to say hello to my mother."
"Is there such a thing?" King Chen's face darkened, and anger appeared on his face, "My daughter comes from a small family, and she really doesn't understand any etiquette."
Princess Chen frowned: "Etiquette is secondary. What we need to worry about now is whether Ninth Brother and Ninth Brother and Sister have any other ideas."
Any other ideas?
King Chen looked at his mother-in-law's cold face, and something suddenly came to his mind, and his pupils narrowed: "Mother-in-law is worried that the ninth brother wants to be with the queen..."
"Chu Yunfei has indeed been in frequent contact with the Queen recently." Gu Guifei took the tea cup and drank the tea with an expressionless face, her voice was gloomy and cold, "She has a lot on her mind. Queen Bo is fond of her, and she shows her ambition by interacting with the Xie family. It’s almost impossible to hide it, so I don’t dare to show my face in front of me.”
King Chen was silent, his face gradually becoming ugly.
He didn't expect that Rong Cang and Chu Yunfei would have such thoughts, intending to please the queen and then gain the support of the Xie family?
Is this a different approach?
"It's a pity that their thoughts are in vain." Gu Guifei said sadly, her eyes full of cold calculation, "As long as I am here, they will not be able to covet the throne."
When King Chen heard this, doubts appeared in his mind again.
In fact, he has always known that his mother and concubine are partial to each other for so many years. He has enjoyed it greatly since he was a child and has developed a habit of being partial to her day after day. He even takes everything for granted and suppresses Rong Cang together with his mother and concubine.
But after so many years, he has been troubled by a question, that is, why does his mother-in-law hate Rong Cang so much?
When he was young, he enjoyed the benefits of this kind of partiality, and he never felt that it was inappropriate. On the contrary, as he got older, he felt that his mother's attitude towards Rong Cang was too abnormal.
However, he knew that his mother-in-law would not tell him the answer, so the question just passed by and was quickly brushed away from his mind.
"Mother and concubine, I came here today because I have something to discuss with my mother and concubine." King Chen sat down and took the tea from the palace maid, "Qi Jin went to the Duke Protector's Mansion today."
Concubine Gu frowned: "Qi Jin is going to the Duke Protector's Mansion? What is he going to do?"
"I don't know yet, but I feel a little uneasy." King Chen frowned, "What if he stood behind King Yu, wouldn't I-"
"He dares?" Gu Guifei's voice suddenly became serious, and then she realized that she had lost her composure, and sighed softly, "The past two days have been full of worries, and I can't worry about any of them."
King Chen thought for a moment: "I have an idea, I don't know if it's suitable."
Concubine Gu said: "Tell me about it."
"Jin Yue is not young anymore. My son wants to betroth her to Qi Jin. What do you think?" King Chen looked at Concubine Gu with some hesitation in his eyes. "Qi Jin has a good appearance, and the loyal and righteous marquis." The eldest princess is powerful, so marrying Qi Jin does not mean she has wronged Jin Yue."
More than just not being aggrieved.
In fact, looking at the entire capital, I am afraid that no other man would dare to say that he is more worthy of the fifth princess than Qi Jin.
This marriage was a match made in heaven.
But Qi Jin may not agree.
Concubine Gu's face was solemn: "Qi Jin looks good, he is young, and his family background is worthy of him, but..."
King Chen saw her worries: "Mother and concubine are worried that father and emperor will not agree?"
"I don't need to worry about this issue at all. If you think about it for a while, you will know that your father will definitely not agree." Gu Guifei said with a cold smile, "He is afraid that you will be too powerful and threaten his throne, otherwise The position of crown prince should have been decided long ago."
King Chen and Princess Chen looked at each other, and the latter turned to look at Concubine Gu: "How many days will it take for my father, together with the ministers in the court, to give advice again in the morning?"
"What's the use of admonishing?" Gu Guifei's face was cold, "Will the emperor listen? The civil and military officials of the entire court tried to persuade him every now and then, but he said he was not in a hurry. If he died suddenly one day -"
"Mother and Concubine!" King Chen interrupted her quickly, with a nervous expression on his face, "There are many eyes and ears in the palace, so I hope that Mother and Concubine will be careful in what she says."
"What are you afraid of?" Gu Guifei sneered, "I have seen through him over the years. He has no need to ask me for anything, and he will not come to my palace at all. In the past few days, he has been running to the queen every day for no reason. One. Isn’t it necessary for him to comfort the resentful woman who has no son?”
These words were full of resentment, as if she had gathered too much dissatisfaction and her patience was almost at its limit. However, compared to the constant complaints in the hall, there was an oppressive silence outside the hall.
