Some are happy and some are sad.
Li Qing was so happy that he ate three large bowls of beef stew with potatoes. He finished two and a half kilograms of three and a half kilograms of beef.
On the other hand, Wang Shouren didn't eat even half a pound, but he drank a lot of wine.
If he had known this, he wouldn't have come.
Isn't this just looking for trouble for yourself?
Wang Shouren was torn between ideals and reality.
~
This year, the temperature is much better than in previous years, mainly because it doesn’t snow much. Since the snowfall on the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, there has been no more snow, and it has been sunny every day.
Reading the storybook and basking in the sun, Li Qing felt very comfortable.
Maybe it’s because I’m in a good mood, and I don’t feel lonely celebrating the New Year alone.
In the fifth year of Hongzhi's reign, it was the second day of the Lunar New Year.
Li Qing went to Changle Palace, did another check-up on Zhu Jianshen, and then went to Baoding Mansion...
…
~
Qianqing Palace.
The two brothers sat opposite each other.
Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "I have asked the Ministry of Etiquette to prepare it. In two days, the process of selecting the princess will officially begin. By the way, what do you want?"
"The eldest brother is like the father. It's fine for the royal brother to make the decision, and it doesn't matter if the younger brother doesn't choose." Zhu Youqi said reservedly.
"That's not possible. This is something that will last a lifetime. It must be what you want. How can we be careless?" Zhu Youtang said with a smile, "Otherwise, you can't blame me in your heart?"
"How dare I, my brother? Your Majesty's words are serious." Zhu Youqian waved his hands hurriedly, hesitated, and added: "My brother's requirements are not high, as long as he is beautiful and smart."
Zhu Youtang joked: "Good guy, don't you have high requirements for being beautiful and smart?"
The relationship between the brothers is good. Although Zhu Youqian abides by the rules, he is not walking on thin ice all the time. At least, he is not very restrained in front of the emperor's eldest brother.
Hearing this, Zhu Youqian smiled and said: "I can't bear to let my father work hard, so I can only work hard for my brother."
"Haha... I should." Zhu Youtang promised, "Don't worry, I will definitely find you a princess who is beautiful and smart."
After a pause, "Father has said that your mother will also check it when the time comes. We are watching and will definitely help you choose a good one."
"Hey, okay." Zhu Youqian smiled sheepishly, "Brother Huang takes care of everything, so I won't bother you anymore."
Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "Don't leave in a hurry. I'm not busy today. Let's have a couple of drinks."
"Then my brother would be disrespectful."
…
Zhu Youtang was still very concerned about the life events of his second brother. The selection criteria for Princess Xing were very large, and all the wealthy families in the capital came here to see her.
In the spring of February, when Li Qing returned from Baoding Mansion, the curtain came to an end.
Princess Xing had just been chosen, and the 100-day banquet for the eldest grandson of Emperor Ming Dynasty had also begun.
Li Qing, an expert at feasting, was lucky enough to have eaten the emperor's eldest grandson, and could also enjoy the wedding of Prince Xing. He counted the days and didn't miss the chance to go back to eat the full moon banquet of his great-great-grandson.
It’s really... a waste of time.
However, he likes it.
At the 100-day banquet, the eldest grandson of the Ming Emperor made a grand appearance. He was a small person, wearing a bright yellow coat and a ceremonial crown. After taking off his fetal hair, he looked even more playful and cute.
Such an emperor's eldest grandson not only made the emperor's family happy, but also all the officials were overjoyed.
After many years, after Xuanzong, the prince of Ming Dynasty finally returned to the orthodoxy, which gave psychological comfort to the civil servants who attached great importance to etiquette.
Strictly speaking, Zhu Qizhen's birth was not considered a legitimate son, and the same was true for Zhu Qiyu, not to mention Zhu Jianshen. Not only was he a concubine, but his biological mother was not welcome, and Zhu Youtang was hidden in the snow for many years.
(A side note: Historically, Zhu Jianshen knew about his son Zhu Youtang from beginning to end. It is almost stated in the Ming Dynasty Records and Xianzong Records. There is no such thing as Zhu Jianshen not knowing that he had a son!)
It can be said that after Zhu Zhanji, Zhu Houzhao is the most orthodox prince.
Based on this alone, Zhu Houzhao's position as crown prince is unbreakable!
Since ancient times, the emperor's ancestral precepts also stated that this must be the case, so the ministers were not worried at all.
Since ancient times, courtiers have had an almost paranoid fanaticism towards the crown prince, hoping to establish a crown prince early. It is true that the benefits of establishing a crown prince early outweigh the disadvantages, but there is also selfishness involved.
Without him, political life can be extended.
With the crown prince, the ministers will have someone to serve, and they will not be blind.
However, the shrewd emperor did not want to do this, because the appearance of the prince would affect his power.
At the beginning, Zhu Di was acting like a little daughter-in-law, acting coyly.
The more ambitious and skillful the emperor was, the less he wanted to establish a prince early. Even if he established a prince, he would guard against him like a thief.
Even if the prince threatens his status, he will abolish him or even kill his son!
There are not many emperors like Zhu Yuanzhang, and they are definitely rare.
However, the current emperor is not among them.
The ministers liked Hongzhi and knew that Hongzhi was a mediocre king and would not waffle on the matter of establishing a prince.
Li Qing also felt that Zhu Youtang was a mediocre king. Of course, this term mediocre king is not a derogatory term, but a foolish king. Strictly speaking, mediocre king is a neutral term. It represents mediocrity, low ability, not stupidity. Jun.
But having said that, the appearance of an emperor like Zhu Youtang at this juncture is definitely a good thing in Li Qing's opinion.
Regardless of history, if we look at the current situation, if it were another emperor, these ideas would never go forward.
As long as there is an ambitious and capable emperor, the first thing to do when he takes office is to find a way to consolidate his power and let the Supreme Emperor cool off.
However, Zhu Youtang did not, he was very filial.
Not only that, he was not very averse to strategies that benefited the people but affected the imperial power, and he had a good heart.
This would be replaced by Zhu Di and Zhu Zhanji, the grandson and grandson of Zhu Di. If Li Qing's words were all over the place, they would reject it without hesitation.
If Wan Zhen'er was still alive, Zhu Jianshen would not let him carry out the plan.
From this aspect, Zhu Youtang is not bad. His ability is average, but he also has advantages.
For example, he doesn't bother.
This is much better than Chongzhen!
The mediocre person is not terrible. What is terrible is that the mediocre person does not know himself, but is still very diligent. After a lot of nonsense, he ends up with a miserable end.
Although pitiful, it makes people dislike him.
Just after the Hundred Days Banquet, the wedding of King Xing came next.
With the blessing of father-son love and brotherly love, King Xing's wedding was held in a grand manner, almost catching up with the emperor's birthday.
Li Qing had no interest in the vassal king. He just came here to eat and drink. Whether Princess Xing was virtuous and beautiful was none of his business. He just heard Zhu Jian Shen mention it, as if her surname was Jiang and she was from a military general family.
After finishing the banquet for King Xing's wedding, Li Qing was ready to return to Jinling.
Shen Jin of Baoding Mansion is very obedient, has done nothing beyond the rules, and is on the right track. Li Qing does not have to stay in Baoding Mansion all the time.
After being busy for so long and traveling far away, Li Qing also wanted to take a break and spend some time with his son, niece, grandson, and his soon-to-be-born great-grandson.
Just like Zhu Jianshen, experience the joy of having fun with your grandson and having a family.
Changle Palace.
Seeing Zhu Jianshen teasing his eldest grandson, Li Qing's thoughts became even stronger.
Li Qing said: "I have to go."
"Eat up and leave. Can you stop being so heartless?" Zhu Jianshen said with a dark face.
Li Qing said with a smile: "Can you stop speaking so disgustingly, as if I hurt you and abandoned you."
"You..." Zhu Jianshen was furious.
"You bullied me too much!" Li Qing said it for him.
Zhu Jianshen: "..."
"Okay, no kidding, I really have to leave." Li Qing suppressed his smile and said seriously, "There is a new kid in the Yongqing Marquis Mansion. What can I do if my ancestor doesn't go back?"
"Xiao Hao is married?" Zhu Jian was deeply surprised.
"I forgot to tell you, we got married last spring." Li Qing said with a smile, "As an uncle, you are not allowed to follow others?"
"I have to do whatever I want, but... I'm afraid you'll cheat me." Zhu Jianshen said uneasily.
Li Qing was sullen: "Am I so worthless?"
"Haha, why don't you have a good reputation?" Zhu Jianshen sneered, "Do you really think you have a good character?"
"you……"
"You bullied me too much!" Zhu Jianshen came back to win the game.
Li Qing was extremely angry and was about to get angry.
But Zhu Jianshen stretched out his big face directly, "Come on, come on, come on, you fight, can you give it a try?"
"...You are awesome." Li Qing was helpless.
To this guy, now he really has...nothing he can do.
"If I don't want to be poor with you, let's go!"
"Wait a moment."
"what happened again?"
"Bring the money, I can't ask the imperial envoy to deliver it, right?" Zhu Jianshen said in a low voice, "Don't be so stupid!"
Li Qing: "...don't worry."
Zhu Jianshen raised his voice and called the slave to come in and ask her to withdraw money from the bank account. Then he asked, "When will you come back?"
"After Jinling, I want to go back."
Zhu Jianshen frowned and said, "Where to go back? Go back to Wudang Mountain and become a Taoist priest?"
"It's not about becoming a Taoist priest, but...you know."
Zhu Jian was stunned for a moment, then said unhappily: "It seems it's not the time yet, right? Damn it, if I die, you will usurp the throne as Wang Mang!"
Li Qing said with a cold face: "If I had such an idea, I wouldn't let you know about it. Besides, your father was captured back then..."
"Beishou, that's Beishou!" Zhu Jianshen corrected.
"...Okay, Beishou." Li Qing hummed, "When your father was Beishou, wouldn't it be the right time and the right place for me to usurp him?"
Zhu Jianshen scratched his head, still worried: "Can you please stop this?"
"If you don't fix this, why don't you come and watch it?"
"I……"
"You don't even think well of yourself!" Li Qing struck mercilessly.
Zhu Jianshen was speechless and sighed: "Don't let it slip!"
"I'm just pre-selecting some people, I don't have any plans in the short term." Li Qing explained, "You're right, we won't need them at this stage, but the selection has to start, we can't temporarily recruit the team, right?"
"You are going to rebel!" Zhu Jianshen couldn't help but curse.
To be honest, it would be a lie to say that I am not worried at all. Who knows if Li Qing will turn into a dragon?
However, Zhu Jianshen also understood that he could not stop Li Qing.
Moreover, the Ming Dynasty still needs Li Qing. This path is Li Qing's advocate. If there are problems in the future, only he can correct them. Even if Zhu Jianshen has the ability, he cannot take action against Li Qing.
Li Qing understood Zhu Jianshen's mood, but he was inevitably resentful and said, "I just want to ask, do you believe me?"
Silence, a long silence.
Zhu Jianshen sighed deeply and nodded: "Letter!"
Literature Museum
