Early the next morning, Chen Kan pulled Little Fatty out of bed.
"What are you doing? It's not even bright yet?"
Zhu Zhanji muttered dissatisfiedly. He was still in a state of half-awake and half-asleep, with a very impatient look on his face. If the person who came to drag him was not Chen Kan, he would have been Started to curse.
Chen Kan rubbed him awake hard: "Today is your father's big day. Is it appropriate for you, a son, to go late?"
"Oh, I got it, I got it!"
Forcibly opening his hazy sleepy eyes, the servant brought Zhu Zhanji hot water for washing his face.
The Chen family has a rule that they always do things like washing themselves.
Zhu Zhanji was already very accustomed to the Chen family's rules, so he consciously washed his face and brushed his teeth.
Then the whole person was carried into the carriage by Chen Kan as if his backbone had been ripped out.
Just as he leaned on the soft seat of the carriage, he quickly fell into sleep again.
After a while, tears started to flow from the corners of his mouth.
The carriage merged into the court procession. Chen Kan spotted Fang Xiaoru on foot in the crowd, and asked Fang Xu, the driver, to drive the carriage to Fang Xiaoru.
Throwing the sleeping Zhu Zhanji into the corner, Chen Kan jumped out of the carriage.
"Teacher, get in the car."
On a spring day in the south of the Yangtze River, there was still a hint of coolness in the air. Chen Kan tightened his official robe tightly.
Fang Xiaoru looked at Chen Kan with a complicated expression and asked, "Is His Royal Highness the Emperor and Grandson on your carriage?"
Chen Kan nodded: "The Empress has handed over His Royal Highness the Emperor's Grandson to the student for instruction. In addition, the student has also accepted an obedient young disciple named Hua Shi, who is a descendant of the Duke of Dongqiu."
Fang Xiaoru pondered for a moment and said calmly: "Okay, let's talk in the car."
"Teacher, please!"
Chen Kan opened the curtain of the carriage, and Fang Xiaoru picked up her robe and stepped onto the carriage.
Theoretically speaking, when they reach the status of Chen Kan and Fang Xiaoru, they need to avoid suspicion in private, especially in front of officials.
But the relationship between the two has long gone beyond the ordinary relationship between teacher and student. It is not an exaggeration to say that they are father and son.
So deliberately avoiding suspicion is just cliché.
Chen Kan's carriage is big enough, even if there are three people in the carriage, it still doesn't feel crowded.
Zhu Zhanji was possessed by the Sleepy King. Even if Chen Kan threw him into the corner, he still had no intention of waking up.
Chen Kan took out some snacks from the compartment of the carriage and a pot of sweet wine from the drawer.
He knew that Fang Xiaoru lived a poor life and had never had the habit of eating breakfast, so Chen Kan always had some food hidden in his carriage.
Passing the snacks and rice wine in his hand to Fang Xiaoru: "Teacher, eat something to cushion your stomach first."
Fang Xiaoru took it and ate it deliciously with a mouthful of rice wine and a mouthful of snacks.
Chen Kan didn't bother him and waited quietly for Fang Xiaoru to finish the cake in his hand.
Zhu Zhanji, who was unconscious at first, suddenly transformed into a glutton after smelling the food and stood up immediately.
"Who's eating?"
Zhu Zhanji's hazy eyes became clearer, but the question had already blurted out.
After seeing Fang Xiaoru, he suddenly became cautious and hurriedly bowed and said: "It turns out that it was Mr. Fang who was in front of me. I was rude to Ji Ji."
After saying that, he looked at Fang Xiaoru anxiously, with a serious look on his round face that Chen Kan had never seen before.
Chen Kan couldn't help but asked in surprise: "When did you become so polite?"
Fang Xiaoru served the last bite of the sweet-scented osmanthus cake with rice wine, and said calmly: "It doesn't matter. His Royal Highness, the grandson of the emperor, is the age when he is in charge of the throne, so there is no need to be polite."
As soon as Fang Xiaoru finished speaking, a rare look of shame appeared on Zhu Zhanji's face.
Then he said sternly: "Zhan Ji was rude and made the gentleman laugh."
Chen Kan's face became more and more surprised. Could this be another face of Zhu Zhanji?
He is worthy of being a member of the royal family. At such a young age, he is already well versed in the essence of duplicity.
Seeing that the situation was about to develop in the direction of respecting the old and loving the young, Chen Kan couldn't help but kick Zhu Zhanji on the butt.
He said with a face: "Why are you pretending to be in front of your master? Who in the entire capital doesn't know that you are a little devil?"
Zhu Zhanji turned around and glanced at Chen Kan dissatisfied: "My father and Mr. Yao both said that Mr. Fang is a great scholar of the world, and he is also the seed of my study in the Ming Dynasty and a leader of scholars. I should respect him. What's wrong?"
Chen Kan said expressionlessly: "There's nothing wrong with it, it's just that I simply can't stand your pretentiousness."
Hearing this, Fang Xiaoru couldn't help but smile: "Your Highness, there is no need to be polite. People of any age do things according to their age. It may not be a good thing to be young and mature. Just treat me with common sense."
Zhu Zhanji had a suspicious look on his face, as if he was trying to discern whether what Fang Xiaoru said was true or false.
But he heard from his father and second uncle that some learned old masters were used to lying to others, saying that they could do whatever they wanted, and then turned around and complained to the emperor's grandfather, saying that the royal heirs did not respect etiquette and did not know the world.
This Mr. Fang is also the leader of scholars, and he is definitely more capable of deceiving people.
Zhu Zhanji looked like a kid, which made Fang Xiaoru smile calmly again, and then he began to close his eyes to rest.
Chen Kan kicked me again: "Your master is a true scholar. He has already seen through the secular etiquette. Every word he speaks comes from his heart. Why are you pretending like this?"
"Really?"
Zhu Zhanji was just a child after all, and Chen Kan had successfully gained his trust with just a few words.
Of course, the most important thing is that Chen Kan has never deceived him, unlike those coquettish bitches in the palace.
"of course it's true."
Chen Kan responded casually and began to rest his mind with his eyes closed.
Today's court meeting is destined to be unusual, and its duration is unpredictable. It's time to take a good rest before going to the palace. Who has the time to trick children into playing?
Zhu Zhanji saw that both of them were closing their eyes to rest, and his whole body began to relax.
When he relaxed, he fumbled around in the carriage, tinkering here, rummaging there, and the noise he made made Chen Kan couldn't help but frown.
"There is plum soup in the second grid on the left, and there are osmanthus cakes and cold meat cakes in the dark layer next to the curtain."
Zhu Zhanji's favorite thing to eat was these things. After Chen Kan pointed out the confusion, he quickly started eating with snacks.
The carriage finally became quiet.
Wandering to the entrance of Hongwu Gate, Chen Kan got off the carriage and met the sinister looks of Yuan Rong and Li Rang.
The two of them had their titles revoked by the clan government, so they were naturally no longer qualified to go to court.
And the only reason why they are waiting here is to enter the palace to plead for mercy.
Unfortunately, they waited here for two days in a row, and Zhu Di had no intention of seeing them.
Chen Kan ignored them nakedly.
They were just two clowns, not worthy of Chen Kan taking a second look.
He stretched out his hand to help Fang Xiaoru out of the carriage. Just as Chen Kan was about to lift the little fat man off, he had already jumped off.
A chill hit him, and Little Fatty couldn't help but shiver.
"It's already the beginning of spring, why is it still so cold?"
Hearing Little Fatty's complaint, Chen Kan said casually: "Why is it so cold in the south of the Yangtze River? Liaodong and the grasslands are still covered in ice and snow."
Zhu Zhanji thought about his winter in Peiping and nodded subconsciously.
After exchanging a few words casually, the three of them stood in front of the palace gate, waiting for it to open.
Fang Xiaoru, who had been silent all this time, suddenly asked Chen Kan: "Yuansheng, you and His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Chen Kan was stunned for a moment and immediately understood the underlying meaning of Fang Xiaoru's words.
Then he said sternly: "Teacher, don't worry. The student and His Highness the Crown Prince are just friends. The same is true with His Highness the King of Han and His Highness King Zhao. As for the final choice His Majesty makes, it has nothing to do with the student."
Fang Xiaoru asked: "Seriously?"
Chen Kan nodded and responded in a positive tone: "Seriously."
"That's good."
After getting the exact answer, Fang Xiaoru couldn't help but feel relieved in his heart.
He was really worried that Chen Kan had made some irreparable mistake.
The conversation between the two was endless, and Zhu Zhanji, who was listening to the conversation, looked thoughtful.
Chen Kan stopped talking, took Zhu Zhanji's big hand and squeezed his small hand, telling him not to think too much, and followed Fang Xiaoru's gaze to the palace gate.
Fang Xiaoru was worried that Chen Kan would be involved in the whirlpool of fighting for the heir apparent.
Since ancient times, people involved in this kind of thing basically have no good ending.
Chen Kan understood his worries.
And he has already said that he will not participate in any disputes between the princes.
Because the object of his investment was not any prince at all, but the grandson standing next to Chen Kan.
Let me ask, who in the entire Ming Dynasty would have thought that Chen Kan would invest in a little kid before his position as prince was settled?
Therefore, what Chen Kan said about not participating in the fight for the reserve is indeed true.
Looking at the naughty little fat man next to him, Chen Kan had an aunt's smile on his face.
He once again experienced the joy of being the sixth child.
While everyone was still fighting for the position of a prince, he had already captured the Ming Dynasty's greatest potential stock.
This wave, Chen Kan is in the atmosphere.
"Pah~pah~pah~"
The whip was sounded three times, and the palace door opened wide.
Chen Kan led Zhu Zhanji into the palace with an enigmatic smile.
Lao Zai, the young eunuch sent by Queen Xu to pick up Zhu Zhanji, was waiting behind the door.
Chen Kan rubbed his round head: "Go."
Zhu Zhanji had a look of reluctance on his face. He didn't know whether he was reluctant to let go of the free life outside the palace, or he was reluctant to let go of Chen Kan, or both.
Anyway, the aggrieved look of turning back every step of the way is like a puppy that is about to be abandoned.
Under the protection of several young eunuchs, Chen Kan straightened his clothes, said goodbye to Fang Xiaoru, and walked to the middle of the noble team with his head held high.
Today, there are at least one-third more officials coming to court than usual. Those who are idle at home and those who are dispensable are casual officials. All officials with a rank of five or above have been summoned by Zhu Di's decree. to the court.
Chen Kan even saw a haggard-looking Sheng Yong among the crowd of nobles.
Before the spring day, Jin Yiwei took Wang Dui and Zhang Yan away, but Sheng Yong was released by Zhu Di.
At this moment, Sheng Yong stood in the court again, which immediately made many people sigh.
Chen Kan deliberately squeezed behind Sheng Yong and noticed the movement behind him. Sheng Yong turned around and Chen Kan's grinning face with big teeth came into view.
Sheng Yong smiled bitterly: "Jinghaihou, now everyone in the capital knows to take a detour when they see me. You deliberately come to my side. It may not be a good thing for you."
Chen Kan smiled nonchalantly: "I walk and sit upright. It's just a few rumors. I have nothing to fear."
Sheng Yong was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "There are a few rumors, but the rumors in the capital have been noisy in the past few days, so to speak, it is not enough."
"It's the best, it's the best."
Chen Kan nodded wildly like a chicken pecking at rice, obviously making up his mind to follow Sheng Yong.
The queue to enter the court was arranged neatly. Chen Kan and Sheng Yong stood inconspicuously among the crowd. After all, even the princes who had not seen the dragon in the capital showed up today.
After a few sentences and a few words brought him closer to Sheng Yong, Chen Kanxiao asked, "I wonder what the Marquis's greatest wish is in this life?"
"wish?"
Sheng Yong was startled, but he didn't expect that Chen Kan would suddenly ask this question.
Chen Kan nodded: "I still owe the Marquis a favor. I think the Marquis also knows that I am not a person who likes to owe others favors."
The favor that Chen Kan was talking about was naturally the detailed dossier that Sheng Yong gave to the White Lotus Sect.
If he didn't get a file to outline a general outline for him, he wouldn't have been able to trample the White Lotus Sect into the mud in such a short period of time.
In Sheng Yong's current state, even if Zhu Di doesn't kill him, he will die of fear sooner or later.
Chen Kan didn't want to return this favor to people who didn't know what it meant, especially those descendants of Sheng Yong.
Obviously Sheng Yong also realized what Chen Kan meant by favor.
After a moment, Sheng Yong smiled calmly: "I am just an old soldier of the Ming Dynasty. My greatest wish in this life is to wrap my body in horse leather."
"oh?"
Chen Kan let out a sigh, and then looked at Sheng Yong in surprise.
Chen Kan thought that Sheng Yong would ask him to go to Zhu Di to plead for mercy or leave his descendants, but he didn't expect that Sheng Yong only wanted to die now.
It doesn't seem too rigorous to say that he wants to die. It should be said that what Sheng Yong really wants is fame.
A name that will last forever.
Throughout Sheng Yong's life, he went through the three dynasties of Hongwu, Jianwen and Yongle.
But he was on the wrong team at the critical moment.
Not only did he kill Zhu Di's confidant Zhang Yu, but he even surrendered later.
Don't blame Zhu Di for hating him.
If Chen Kan had been in Zhu Di's position, Sheng Yong would have been dead long ago.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Kan suddenly had an idea.
He looked at Sheng Yong and whispered in the voice of only two people: "It's easy for the Marquis to ask for death. In a few days, war will break out in the southwest, and then the Marquis can invite himself to go to war."
"Is there a war in the southwest?"
"I do not know how?"
Sheng Yong's eyes showed surprise.
If war breaks out in the southwest, with his influence in the military, there is no reason why he would not know about it.
Chen Kan waved to him: "Master Hou, do you still remember Chen Tianping, the youngest brother of the leader of the Annan Kingdom, who came to my Ming Dynasty for help at the beginning of the year?"
"This... I will certainly remember it."
Sheng Yong frowned slightly and asked in a low voice: "Master Hou, you mean that the war in the southwest is related to Chen Tianping?"
