Yan Lin didn't see the emperor, and he was angry and panicked. He felt that this was not going to work and he had to think of a way.
He hurried back to the mansion, found the residence of the second prince and concubine, and said to Zhang Wan, "Have you received any reply to the letter you wrote to your father?"
Zhang Wan shook his head, "Not yet."
Yan Lin's face turned ugly, "How long has it been? Why haven't you replied yet? Did you not receive it?"
Zhang Wan also felt that it shouldn't be, and guessed: "Your Highness, do you think the letter I sent to my father was stopped halfway? My father didn't receive it at all?"
Yan Lin suddenly frowned, "Is it possible?"
Zhang Wandao: "Although it is a hidden thorn in the Zhang family, there has never been any mistakes, but today is different from the past. In the past two months, people from King Ruian, Dong Palace, and Su Rong have conducted a thorough investigation, which has stirred up the capital. It’s so earth-shaking, there’s no guarantee that the hidden stakes of the Zhang family have been touched, and I’m afraid my letter to my father was blocked, otherwise my father wouldn’t have gone without replying for so long.”
After all, what she said in her letter was a very important matter.
The capital is far away from Jibei Road. If no one specially sent a message from the capital to Jibei, it would take a year and a half for the news to spread.
Yan Lin also felt that what Zhang Wan said was reasonable, and immediately said: "Send people to Northern Hebei, and send a few more people."
Zhang Wan nodded.
Yan Lin walked back and forth in the room, "Now that my father is trusting the prince more and more, I don't know what's wrong with him. So what does it mean for him to support me and my eldest brother in confronting the prince all these years? I went to the palace several times to ask for an audience. He is obviously waiting outside the Yangxin Palace, but he cannot see his father."
Zhang Wan comforted him, "Your Highness, at this time, you must not be confused or impatient. You must calm down. Think about the prince, how many times before, was he also the one who was blocked from the door? He You can endure it, and now you have to endure it too. After all, the case of the precious concubine has little to do with ours."
Yan Lin stared at her after hearing this, "Is it really okay?"
"It's okay, your highness, don't worry." Zhang Wan affirmed.
Yan Lin's uneasy heart felt a little more at ease because of Zhang Wan's affirmative answer, "Then what do you think I should do now? I won't do anything? Doesn't this make Yan Huixi even more powerful?"
"Now that the prince has gained power, whatever you do will not be of much use. The only way you will not make a mistake now is to do nothing, and you will not give the prince any excuse. The more you do now, the more you have to stay dormant." Zhang Wandao: "You have to remember what your father told you. You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. With your father behind you, what are you afraid of?"
Yan Lin thought about it. His father-in-law held in his hands as many troops as the Protector's Mansion.
When the old Protector heard that the emperor was awake, he took Zhou Gu into the palace to visit the emperor.
The emperor could ignore the princes, princesses and concubines who were not involved in the case, and he could also ignore the disappearance of the courtiers, but he could not ignore the old protector.
So, the old protector and Zhou Gugang went outside the Yangxin Hall and were invited in after being informed.
The emperor was helped to sit up from the bed and said to the old protector: "Don't worry, old lord, I'm fine. I just left the palace late that night and accidentally caught the wind and cold. It doesn't matter."
The old Protector looked at the sick look on the emperor's face and the strong smell of medicine in the room, thinking that he had been in a coma for two days and nights, and said it didn't matter, but he would not expose the emperor, and nodded, "This winter is indeed colder than in previous years. A heavy snowfall, It is true that many people have contracted the cold, so your Majesty must take good care of the dragon's body."
The emperor nodded, "That's what the old prince said."
The old man continued: "In my opinion, Your Majesty, you have exercised too little, which is why your body is weak. If you, like me, get up early and practice machete for an hour every day to strengthen your body, I will ensure that you are in good health." Don’t like to cause trouble.”
The emperor coughed and said: "The affairs of the court are heavy, and I have indeed neglected to exercise in these years."
"The prince and other princes have grown up, so why does your majesty need to be so tired alone? Just let them share more of the government affairs." The old protector said: "The safety of your majesty's dragon body is our top priority. ."
The emperor didn't like to hear the first half of the sentence, but he really liked the second half of the sentence. He didn't refute the old protector. He held back his cough and said: "What the old protector said is that not all the recent court affairs have been handed over to the public." Give it to the prince. I am ill now, and I have more than enough heart but also lack of strength."
The old Lord Protector stroked his beard and worked hard for the prince, "Hey, the prince has been very busy these days, and His Highness the Second, His Highness the Fourth and others are free. I saw them when the old minister entered the palace just now. Your Majesty should give way. They share it more.”
The emperor glanced at the old Protector with a suspicious look, and thought to himself that if the crown prince should bear all the burden, wouldn't it be playing into the hands of the Protector's office? Why did you run up to him and say something that made Yan Lin and Yan Shen also share the burden?
For a moment he was not sure what the old Protector was thinking.
The old Lord Protector knew what he was suspicious of, so he said directly: "The prince has not slept for two days and nights. His Majesty is ill and cannot see him, but the old minister has just seen him. Alas, although the prince has a great responsibility, he cannot be ignored. I’m exhausted, I just feel that His Highness the Second and His Highness the Fourth are too idle.”
The emperor thought to himself, aren't Yan Li and Yan Shen free? Who let their mother and concubine be involved in the case? Is there a more leisurely Yan Li in the eldest prince's palace? He finally understood why the old protector was saying that Yan Lin and Yan Shen were too idle. He was clearly reminding him that the case had been delayed for too long.
He nodded, "Indeed, in this way, I want to give them something to do."
The old Protector nodded, "Yes, you can't be tired by yourself."
The monarch and his ministers went back and forth and talked for a long time, while Zhou Gu listened to the great knowledge of the monarch and his ministers' interactions.
After a moment, the emperor turned his eyes to Zhou Gu and said with a smile: "You brat, I didn't expect to win the first place. Not bad. I will give Qin Taifu face and your grandfather credit."
Zhou Gu reminded the emperor, "They are tied for first place."
The emperor said: "Of course I know, it is still very good after all. I have read both your and Su Xingze's papers. It is indeed indistinguishable. It is very rare."
Zhou Guxiao said, "Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty."
The emperor said: "Beware of arrogance and impatience. Don't be arrogant and complacent just because you passed the scientific examination. There is also the palace examination. If you do not perform well in the palace examination but Su Xingze, I will not select you to be the number one scholar."
Zhou Gu didn't say anything when he heard this, and looked at the old Protector.
The old Protector sighed and said, "Hey, Your Majesty, I have something to ask of you, and it is for my troublesome grandson."
The emperor looked at the two of them. He had already expected that the two of them came to see him. It should not be as simple as a visit, but something happened, so he said: "What's the matter? Tell me!"
The old Protector sighed again, "He said that he was young. He had been studying in the East Palace for many years and had never gone out to practice. He still had too little experience. Although he got the first place in the scientific examination, he was not as good as reading thousands of books. Thousands of miles away, in order to better serve as an official in the future, he wants to travel for three years and not take part in the palace examination, which will take up the quota of the students in the palace examination."
The emperor frowned and looked at Zhou Gu, "Why haven't I heard that you have this idea before?"
"The old minister only knew about it. This little guy didn't dare to say it before. After all, Qin Taifu had high hopes for him." The old protector said: "He mentioned it to the old minister. The old minister thought about it for several days and felt that his words were not unreasonable. So I came to ask for an audience with Your Majesty."
The emperor asked: "Prince agrees?"
Zhou Gu met the emperor's gaze and nodded, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince agrees."
(End of chapter)
