As soon as the emperor said this, Zhu Yan and Empress Jing'an were stunned. The royal family had only four of them for the past year. This tradition has been maintained for more than ten years. Why did His Majesty suddenly say fewer dishes tonight?

?

The emperor also realized his mistake and coughed lightly.

Princess Taiping understood it and smiled and said, "It is said that people should pay more than surplus every year. Add more bowls and chopsticks to take a good omen." After hearing this, Empress Jing'an even ordered the palace maid to get a pair of bowls and chopsticks and put them in

On the table.

It was said to be a royal family dinner, but it was not as lively as ordinary people. The royal family rules were extremely strict. When the meal was served, everyone had no words. Only the palace maid next to him secretly recorded when His Majesty picked up a Chinese dish and ate two more bites.

Go down.

After eating, someone brought honey water and rinsed the mouths of a few people. A family dinner was over. The emperor chatted with Queen Jing'an and asked about the final things in the harem. They were all trivial matters. His Majesty never asked about them in the past.

, Today he took the initiative to speak, and Queen Jing'an also felt that His Majesty's mood had changed a bit this year.

Princess Taiping said: "Brother, recently, the Taoist temple has practiced some new pills to prolong life. Today I specially sent it to you."

The emperor said: "It's so peaceful."

Zhu Yan also said: "Father, my child has been idle recently and has copied a book on the Supreme Response to the Emperor to offer it to the Emperor to help the Emperor's Great Way of Life."

The emperor frowned slightly and said unhappily: "As the crown prince, the crown prince of the country, you should be the most important thing in everything. If you do these things, you will not do your job properly?"

Zhu Yan wanted to meet his preferences, but he was scolded by the emperor and was panicked. Taiping smiled and said, "Brother Bao is also filial. Brother Bao should not blame him too much."

The emperor said: "I have read your memorial on the new policy of the rivers and lakes. It is done well. If you can use a few ranks to control the entire rivers and lakes, you can try it. How old are you, your aunt?

Help him do some."

Princess Taiping said, "I'm afraid Brother Bao will not look down on me."

Zhu Yan was unhappy. It was the New Year, so you gave me some eye drops, but he smiled and said, "If my aunt can help you, Yan'er will be like a tiger in this matter, so how could he refuse?

”

Seeing that it was getting late, the emperor said, "I won't leave you for the night on New Year's Eve. The queen will prepare for it. I won't go back to Xiyuan tonight."

Empress Jing'an was overjoyed when she heard this and hurriedly started to arrange the matter.

late at night.

The emperor walked out of Wanshou Hall and came to the former site of Qifeng Pavilion.

Qifeng Pavilion is located in the northeast of the palace, located in a corner, and the courtyard gate is closed. It is obvious that no one has come for a long time. Seeing this, Chen Quan stepped forward and opened the door for His Majesty.

The courtyard is dilapidated, broken tiles and ruins, and the ground is full of withered weeds. The originally five feet tall attic is now only a base, with burnt wood everywhere. It covers a huge area here and forms a courtyard alone.

There is a rockery pavilion and a small pond. The pond has long dried up, and even the stones on the rockery have burned to a charred black.

Originally, this place was a lively place in the palace, but everything was destroyed by a fire twenty years ago.

After many years, Chen Quan was vivid in his mind about the fire that year. It was the woman who could not withstand the blow when she learned about the encounter her child was about to face. She burned Qifeng Pavilion to ashes with a fire.

If the great guards had not tried to save them, even His Majesty the Emperor would have died.

It is precisely because of this that Song Jingang, who was in the same guise as the emperor, turned against His Majesty and was imprisoned. It is also because of this that a few months later, Song Jingang broke into the palace at night, hugged the woman's child, and killed him all the way.

Out of the capital.

Slight snow fell from the sky.

Chen Quan stepped forward and put his fur on the emperor's body.

The emperor fell into deep thought, looking unaware of it. After a long time, he sighed, "Ah Chen Quan!"

"The slave is here."

"If you say that Concubine Li's child is still alive, would he be twenty years old?"

Chen Quan said: "I remember that the day he was born was the fifth day of the sixth month. He should be twenty years old and six months old."

The emperor said, "What a pity, what a pity!"

Chen Quan said carefully: "Your Majesty, tonight, Fan Xiaodao went to the Six Gate Prison alone."

When the emperor heard Fan Xiaodao's name, he became interested and asked, "What did you say?"

"Yizhi peanut is vigilant. Our people didn't dare to get close. The two of them drank wine in prison and stayed for about half an hour."

The emperor said: "Yizhihua's mouth is quite strict. She has been locked up in that place for twenty years and still refuses to give up. I am underestimating him. That boy Fan Xiaodao has been in the capital for half a year. Do you think this is what you said.

How about the son?”

Chen Quan said, "He is full of energy, brave and resourceful, and less calm."

"What about Zhu Yan?"

Chen Quan said: "Slaves dare not speak nonsense."

The emperor smiled, "Chen Quan, Chen Quan, you are famous for your vicious eyes in the palace and are very accurate in judging people. I use you because you are loyal to me and never hide it. Why are you so hesitant today?"

Chen Quan was frightened, took a deep breath and said, "He is too strong in the world."

The emperor smiled and said, "After all, it was trained by Song Jingang, so it's not that bad. Two years ago, Song Jingang came to Xiyuan to find me."

Chen Quan was shocked, "What?" He soon realized that he was rude and said, "Your Majesty forgives the crime."

The emperor said, "What, are you afraid of not being able to attack me? If he wanted to kill me, I was afraid that I would have already ascended to the great road. He told me that someone would come to avenge Concubine Li back then."

Chen Quan understood that the person he was talking about was Fan Xiaodao.

However, Song Jingang is just his adoptive father after all, and His Majesty is his biological father. Blood is thicker than water. How could Fan Xiaodao attack His Majesty?

"I have owed him a lot over the years, and it's time to compensate him."

Although he has not recognized each other for the past six months, His Majesty has been observing him secretly and sent Xue Yingxiong to him repeatedly. He is not sure about Fan Xiaodao's character. After all, the death of Concubine Li back then was related to His Majesty.

Direct relationship.

However, for more than 20 years, Your Majesty has devoted himself to practicing Taoism and has long been cold to the family and family affection. Even the prince and princess have become his tools for playing power. How true is his words?

Chen Quan handled it carefully, but did not dare to speak nonsense.

After thinking for a while, he said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince sent him and Zhao Xing to Jiangnan."

The emperor said, "Xue Qing has reported to me that my son is still a bit worse than his aunt."

Chen Quan couldn't help thinking that the battle between this aunt and nephew in the capital had already caused a lot of storm. Even many ministers in the court were implicated. Unknowingly, His Majesty was using Princess Taiping to suppress His Highness to temper him.

The prince's will, but he has been with the king for many years, understands that this Majesty, the most ruthless person, is simply reluctant to give up the power in his hands.

Power and immortality are two obstacles that he cannot overcome in his heart.

On the one hand, he has a strong desire to control power and is almost crazy about the way to immortality. These two points are impossible to get at both, which makes His Majesty full of contradictions.

Your Majesty transferred the prince back to Beijing from other places to restrain Princess Taiping, but after a few months of hard work, the two of them reached a secret reconciliation. This situation is something that Your Majesty absolutely does not want to see.

In the distance, the sound of firecrackers came.

The new year has finally arrived.

The emperor said: "The snow is getting heavier and heavier!"

...

The Minister of Rites Mansion.

In the study, Zhao Huan was constantly coughing. Zhao Xing stepped forward and helped him massage his back while rushing his internal force. Zhao Huan's face turned pale and coughed up a mouthful of thick phlegm. Then he let out a long breath.

After negotiations with the Northern Zhou mission, his reputation in the capital increased day by day. It was very likely that he would be the candidate to enter the cabinet and replace Li Yao, who had retired, to become a Grand Secretary, but for some reason, His Majesty transferred the governor of Huguang back to the capital and took over.

In the cabinet, Zhao Huan once again missed the cabinet.

From then on, Zhao Huan stayed at home while sick.

Once the hour arrives.

Zhao Xing knelt down on the ground, "My son kowtowed to his father and wished him a happy new year!"

Zhao Huan waved his hand and asked, "Is the departure date set?"

Zhao Xingdao: "We will set off after the fifth day of the lunar month."

Zhao Huan said: "Now the capital is in a strange situation, and all the monsters and monsters are coming out to get involved. At this critical moment, it is also a good thing for the prince to transfer you to other places to avoid the limelight."

"I just can't rest assured that my father's body."

Zhao Huan smiled and said, "Don't worry, these are old diseases. No matter how uncomfortable they are, they can't kill them. But you went to Jiangnan and you can't act recklessly. There is no such thing as the capital. If something happens, I will take care of you.

With Fan Xiaodao, he is the same as you, he does nothing but the consequences, and he must think twice about everything."

Zhao Xing said: "Your son is a Shaolin disciple at least. After going to Jiangnan, he will walk sideways. He can't suffer any losses. Dad, don't worry."

Zhao Huan said: "It is not enough to just rely on martial arts. Using more brains and less hands when encountering problems is the way to deal with the world. You still understand the principle that you will lose when you are too strong. I am not afraid of you, but I am afraid that you will not lose.

.”

Zhao Xing disagreed.

A large part of the reason why he has a bad relationship with Zhao Huan is that he always likes to teach him a lesson as a person who has experienced it.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Zhao Huan waved his hand, "It's night, rest early."
To be continued...