Early July, midsummer.
Xiao Langyan was praised by the emperor in court for donating food to aid Jidu, and he was even given the honor of being in charge of the three stations. For a time, Prince Ning was the most prominent person in the court.
Compared with the prince who was criticized one after another, many ministers secretly defected.
But Xiao Langyan was as immovable as a mountain, and ignored anyone who came to seek refuge. Even if he was in the limelight, he still maintained a seemingly non-competitive stance.
At court that day, as soon as Xiao Langyan left the Jinluan Palace, he was blocked by the people of Prince Xiao Xuanke.
"Fifth brother," Xiao Xuanke walked out from the corner, wearing a vermilion prince's robe, which made his eyebrows dark and rough, flying like shooting stars, "When are you free, can you go to the East Palace to sit down?"
Xiao Langyan responded with a calm attitude: "Thank you third brother for your kind invitation. It's just that I have been so entangled in the trivial affairs of the court recently that I have no skills at all, so I have to live up to third brother's kindness."
Xiao Xuanke raised his eyebrows faintly: "It doesn't matter, you are neither free nor lonely, and you will not force others to do anything. However, the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching soon. In the past, it was customary for the emperor to lead his ministers to pray for blessings."
"Recently, my father has been in poor health and in poor spirits. I heard from Zhongshu Sheng that my father intends for you to perform sacrifices to heaven and ancestors on his behalf. Fifth brother, I am not provoking this, but I hope you will think about it carefully."
"My father is a human king, and offering sacrifices to heaven is a grand ceremony. Although you are the son of a dragon and grandson, it is not your turn to offer sacrifices to heaven, right?"
It turns out that this is what I came for.
Xiao Langyan's expression became calmer, and there was even a sneer hanging from his thin lips.
"Third brother, whatever my father decides, he will naturally have his own plans. As a son-in-law, I only need to share my worries with my father's arrangements."
He said and held up his hands: "I still have government affairs to attend to, so I won't chat with Third Brother."
Xiao Langyan led the people away straight away. When passing by Xiao Xuanke, Xiao Xuanke glanced sideways with a cold expression on his face: "I am so angry and discussing with you because I don't want to cause gossip about the brothers' feud. If you don't appreciate it, then don't do it." Let me give you a good fight."
Xiao Langyan paused and said in a cold tone: "Third brother, please help yourself." Then he led the people away.
Xiao Xuanke clenched his fists and his eyes were sinister.
"If you don't drink a toast, you'll have to drink a fine wine. I see you've lived a good life for so long that you've forgotten what it's like to be in trouble!" After that, he threw down his sleeves and left angrily.
This incident happened outside the Jinluan Palace, so naturally it could not be hidden from the emperor's eyes and ears.
When the young eunuch relayed the conversation between the two brothers to the emperor on the sick bed, the emperor had just finished taking a dose of the golden elixir, and his face was vaguely yellowish-white.
He leaned against the dragon couch, his laughter was old and low, with a hint of weirdness: "Let the two of them fight. I also want to see which son is the most capable."
at night.
When Xiao Langyan returned home, Shen Dingzhu stayed with him to serve him as usual.
The two of them were practicing calligraphy by the window. Shen Dingzhu lowered his eyes and saw that what Xiao Langyan was copying turned out to be the late emperor's "Zhaolin Book".
"Your Highness has also read this book? According to legend, the Zhaolin Book is the late emperor's record of his dream about the immortal one night. The dream is true, but there are not many people who can actually read this book."
Xiao Langyan raised his eyebrows and looked at her: "Have you read it?"
Shen Dingzhu's eyes were bright and beautiful. Under the light, the beauty's face was like a smooth moon, glowing with a vague white and soft light.
"When I was young, my father used to be close to Mr. Du, the former Imperial Academy priest, so he often took his concubine to Du's house as a guest. Mr. Du once dictated "The Book of Zhaolin" and told it to my concubine as an interesting story."
Xiao Langyan put down his pen, his thin eyes fell on the writing on the paper, his expression was a little cold.
"We stopped communicating with each other later?"
Shen Dingzhu seemed troubled, opened his lips several times, and finally said silently: "After my father was imprisoned, Mr. Du came to persuade him to plead guilty and show his loyalty to the emperor, but my father refused to admit his mistakes, and the two broke up."
Mr. Du is an absolutely loyal emperor. He doesn't care who becomes the emperor. He only cares about the people who are loyal to the Jin Dynasty.
Therefore, persuading Shen Xiang to admit his mistake was also for the sake of the country. However, Shen Dingzhu understood his father. He would rather die than admit to what he had not done.
Xiao Langyan stood up and walked out, apparently ready to rest. Shen Dingzhu accompanied him to the door, and the two of them bathed in the light of the bright white moon together, like a pair of intimate lovers.
"The sacrifice ceremony before the Mid-Autumn Festival will be held soon. My father will choose a prince to offer sacrifices to heaven on his behalf."
"What are the chances of the prince winning?" Shen Dingzhu asked.
At this time in the previous life, the emperor's health was not that bad, so he went to the sacrificial ceremony by himself.
However, this time, it was completely different. Under Xiao Langyan's "care", the emperor's health went from good to bad.
Xiao Langyan smiled, with a cold look in his thin eyes: "No chance of winning."
"In terms of supporting ministers, I am not as good as the prince. In terms of being favored by my father, I am not as good as Prince Ming. The prince will definitely find a way to win this opportunity and show his solid status as prince to the court and the world."
This ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven is very important. Once you offer sacrifices to heaven on behalf of the emperor, your prestige in the court will naturally be different in the future.
Shen Dingzhu's beautiful eyes were calm and she thought for a while: "But now that the prince has lost the emperor's heart, the only outstanding princes in the court are the prince and prince Ming."
Even if the emperor prefers his legitimate son, he won't be confused on such a crucial matter, right?
Xiao Langyan put his hands behind his hands and stood under a laurel tree, looking down at Shen Dingzhu: "The eldest son of the Fu family once studied under Mr. Du. If the Fu family comes forward to make peace with the prince this time, Mr. Du will step in. Try to protect the prince to worship heaven on behalf of his father, and this will most likely be possible."
Shen Dingzhu's eyebrows jumped.
She remembered that the Fu family did have such a relationship in Du Laona.
Mr. Du, as the former Imperial Academy, had many officials in the court who were his students. He was also a veteran official from two dynasties, so he had high prestige and a very important position.
If he recommended the prince, what reason would the emperor have to object? Isn't it just following the trend?
Shen Dingzhu looked at Xiao Langyan, who had long and slender eyelashes. In the bright moonlight, her skin was as white as snow, and her red lips were as plump as cherries.
"So, the prince originally wanted my concubine to fight with the Fu family, but he didn't expect that my father had already broken up with Mr. Du."
Xiao Langyan smiled and was noncommittal.
His voice was slightly lowered: "There is another way to go now. Prince Ming will definitely not miss this good opportunity. If the two of them can be allowed to compete, it may not be impossible."
Xiao Langyan didn't hear Shen Dingzhu's answer for a long time after he finished speaking.
He looked down at her, attracted by the focused emotion on her face.
When Shen Dingzhu is not smiling, she shows cold beauty, just like the fairy in the clouds. Even though she is beautiful, there is always a hazy veil of mist that prevents ordinary people from taking a closer look.
At this moment, a gentle summer wind blew by, blowing two small and fragrant osmanthus flowers off her shoulders.
Xiao Langyan raised his hand and wanted to brush it off for her. Unexpectedly, Shen Dingzhu suddenly held his hand, and Furong's charming face said happily: "I have thought of a way!"
