met free Chapter 287 Striving to Live
Chapter 287 Striving to Live
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingtan recalled that when Zhao Yi went to the Qi family, he arranged for Jiang Chao to deliver a message to her, saying that Prince Rui had come to the Duke's mansion to consult him about the Ministry of War's oversights.
The palace sent someone to invite Zhao Yi to the palace at this time. Could it be that Prince Rui reported the matter of the Ministry of War to Emperor Jing'an?
Shen Qingtan said seriously, "Manager Zhao, the Second Master is at the Qi family's residence. Send someone to the Qi family to invite the Second Master."
Fearing that things might go wrong, the manager immediately sent a servant to the Qi family to find Zhao Yi.
Upon receiving the message, Zhao Yi rode in a carriage to the palace.
Eunuch Deng was already waiting at the palace gate. When he saw Zhao Yi arrive, he quickly invited Zhao Yi to get into the sedan chair.
"Young Master Zhao, Prince Rui went to the palace, but I don't know what happened that made the Emperor so furious."
As Eunuch Deng hurried alongside the sedan chair, he spoke quickly and directly: “For some time now, His Majesty has been unable to sleep at night, suffering from dizziness and headaches. The imperial physician says it’s due to liver fire rising and advises His Majesty to take care of his health. However, His Majesty is too busy with state affairs to heed the physician’s words. Please advise His Majesty.”
Those who served around Emperor Jing'an knew very well that Emperor Jing'an only listened to Zhao Yi.
Zhao Yi replied, "Okay, thank you for your guidance, Eunuch Deng."
The sedan chair stopped at the entrance of the Taiji Hall. After being announced, Zhao Yi entered the inner hall. There he saw Emperor Jing'an, his face flushed and eyes red, his hands supporting his head, his fingers pressing his forehead repeatedly.
He asked, "Your Majesty, you are not feeling well. Would you like to summon the imperial physician to take your pulse?"
"I am fine, I just didn't sleep well last night." Emperor Jing'an gestured for Zhao Yi to sit down: "Yi'er, Rui'er came to the palace today and mentioned the Ministry of War to me."
At this moment, he shed his imposing presence, his sharp edges softened, and he no longer referred to himself as "I, the Emperor." He appeared exhausted, more like an ordinary elder.
True affection in the royal family is too rare. His three sons, the eldest and the second eldest, were fighting openly and secretly for the sake of imperial power, disregarding the people and the country.
Sitting in this position, he was destined not to be like an ordinary father, able to have heart-to-heart talks with his sons.
Even the most ordinary casual conversation will lead them to make many speculations.
Furthermore, one must not confide in court officials or imperial concubines.
The only one they could talk to was Zhao Yi.
"The whereabouts of the Ministry of War's funds in recent years have been unclear. It's absurd that officials have to raise money themselves to do things, and not a single person has reported it to their superiors."
"There's also the Military Selection Division, whose affairs regarding the selection, promotion, transfer, succession, and rewards of soldiers in the garrisons and guard posts cannot withstand close scrutiny."
"Currently, only the Carriage and Armory Divisions are still operating normally, but we don't know if continuing the investigation will lead to any more lawsuits."
When this matter was brought up, Emperor Jing'an was furious: "Such audacious and reckless person is not a court official, but my good son."
Zhao Yi poured a cup of tea for Emperor Jing'an and then noticed that the emperor's face had more wrinkles and his hair was gray, making him look old.
Suddenly, he understood why Emperor Jing'an had summoned him to the palace.
It was probably a messy account from the Ministry of War that made Emperor Jing'an extremely disappointed in Prince Yu. Not knowing how to vent his pent-up frustration, he summoned him to the palace to talk.
"Your Majesty, please calm down."
Zhao Yi knew that Emperor Jing'an needed a listener, so he didn't say anything more.
Emperor Jing'an knew very well that with Prince Yu in charge of the Ministry of War, the crimes he had committed would not be exposed under Prince Yu's control.
Since ancient times, when an official makes a mistake, those in charge will also be implicated. In order to avoid harm, they will naturally step forward to protect and cover for the official, which has led to a situation where officials protect each other.
Now that Prince Yu has left the Ministry of War and Prince Rui has taken over, such a big matter can no longer be suppressed.
Emperor Jing'an suppressed his anger and said calmly, "Yi'er, the fact that the third prince was able to grow up safely without the protection of his birth mother is enough to show his ability."
“He never appears before me. The only time was last year when the eunuch who served him fell seriously ill. He knelt before me and begged me to appoint a royal physician to treat the eunuch.”
“He said I am a benevolent ruler who cares about the people of the Great Zhou. The eunuchs who serve him are palace servants, but they are also subjects of the Great Zhou. I should protect my people.”
These words moved Emperor Jing'an, and he also began to take this youngest son to heart.
Because this youngest son looks most like him.
Emperor Jing'an instructed, "Yi'er, you must teach the third prince well for me."
Zhao Yi sensed the solemnity in Emperor Jing'an's words; he seemed even more eager than when he met the Third Prince that morning.
Over the years, Emperor Jing'an taught him the ways of being an official, and even the art of being an emperor.
Emperor Jing'an once said, "Yi'er, your illness is cured. In the future, you will teach my princes and grandsons."
Now Emperor Jing'an has entrusted the Third Prince to him.
Zhao Yi solemnly replied, "Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your expectations."
-
Princess Guangning returned to the Siyi Pavilion carrying the potted plant and met Prince Qi. She curtsied and greeted him, "Your Majesty."
King Qi paused, glancing at Princess Guangning's pale face, then at the orchid pot in her arms, and reached out to pluck a leaf.
"Did the Imperial Concubine bestow this upon you?"
Princess Guangning looked at the orchids trembling with their branches and leaves, her frail body quivered, and she nodded.
Seeing Princess Guangning's fear of him, King Qi frowned and asked, "Why did the Imperial Concubine send you flowers?"
Princess Guangning vaguely replied, "The Imperial Concubine said she liked me and that we got along very well, so she gave me this pot of flowers."
Prince Qi looked grave. What was Consort Ling's intention in doing this? Did she want Princess Guangning to marry Prince Yu?
Or is there another purpose?
King Qi was puzzled and planned to discuss it with the envoy Gao later.
He asked about something else: "Did you meet Princess Jiahe in the palace today?"
Princess Guangning nodded. "Your Majesty, I have seen the Princess." Before Prince Qi could ask any more questions, she said softly, "Many officials' wives were surrounding the Princess, and I didn't have a chance to get close to her."
Shen Qingtan was the only person who had been kind to her since she came to the Great Zhou Dynasty, and she did not want to go against her conscience to scheme against her.
She knew the mission she carried: ostensibly to promote good relations between the two countries, but in reality, it was to sow discord between the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion and the royal family.
Even though the Prince of Zhenbei made his stance clear and his army was pressing in, the Prince of Qi still did not give up, as if the envoy held a very significant bargaining chip.
Princess Guangning had a hunch that their plan would fail.
She looked at the leaves that the King of Qi had thrown on the ground, as if they were foreshadowing her fate.
Princess Guangning knew very well that if the two countries went to war again, she would die no matter who she married.
Her fate was sealed the moment she set foot on the land of the Great Zhou. Even so, she still wanted to struggle.
Even though the world treated her unfairly, and even though she experienced many hardships and tribulations, she still refused to accept her fate and wanted to live on.
Try your best to live on.
King Qi considered Shen Qingtan's identity; given Princess Guangning's status, it was indeed impossible for her to approach her.
He waved his hand, signaling her to leave.
Princess Guangning felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly returned to her room.
King Qi turned around and went to find the envoy Gao.
When the envoy came out of the room and saw the Prince of Qi approaching, he bowed and said, "Your Highness."
King Qi gestured for the envoy to enter the room and relayed Princess Guangning's words to him.
"Do you think Consort Ling's attitude towards Guangning is a ruse to lure people into a trap, or is she genuinely fond of Guangning?"
The King of Qi said with a worried expression, "If it's the latter, then it's troublesome."
Envoy Gao smiled meaningfully: "Your Highness, you don't need to worry. Who Guangning marries is not up to Consort Ling, but up to Emperor Jing'an."
Seeing that the envoy Gao seemed very calculating, King Qi couldn't help but be curious about the leverage the envoy held.
"Envoy Gao, you said last time that Princess Yizhen could make Emperor Jing'an compromise, but in fact, Emperor Jing'an is not threatened by us." Prince Qi asked, "What secrets about Emperor Jing'an do you still hold?"