met free Chapter 179 Father and daughter meet
Chapter 179 Father and daughter meet
The officials were completely silenced. After all, the Prince of Zhenbei had made great contributions, and Emperor Jing'an wanted to protect him.
Prince Yu understood why Emperor Jing'an did not punish Prince Zhenbei.
Firstly, the Great Zhou Dynasty had no military general more outstanding than the Prince of Zhenbei.
Secondly, the Great Zhou Dynasty suffered natural disasters, leaving its treasury empty and unable to support further wars.
Now that the Prince of Zhenbei has rendered meritorious service, it has given Emperor Jing'an a reason to protect him.
Emperor Jing'an casually dismissed the Prince of Zhenbei's crime of disobeying the imperial decree, and judging from the current situation, it seems that he will continue to give the Prince of Zhenbei an important position.
The Prince of Zhenbei is in luck; if his son is rewarded, he will be unparalleled in his future.
He had attempted to assassinate Shen Qingtan, and given the Prince of Zhenbei's high regard for Shen Qingtan, the two families became enemies.
Duke Zhao was not surprised at all. Having served the emperor for over twenty years, he understood Emperor Jing'an's character: kind-hearted and appreciative of talent.
In addition, for the sake of the overall situation, Emperor Jing'an would not punish the Prince of Zhenbei.
Whether in Liangzhou or the northern border, the enemy dared not invade, all thanks to the prestige of the Prince of Zhenbei.
With the death of the Prince of Zhenbei, the border will likely descend into chaos once again.
Moreover, Emperor Jing'an was not as suspicious as the late emperor, and his attempt to use this opportunity to eliminate the petty Prince of Zhenbei would ultimately fail.
The Prince of Zhenbei bowed and kowtowed: "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your great favor. Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Jing'an had seen countless rough and uncouth military generals, but he had never seen one as rough and slovenly as the Prince of Zhenbei.
Even in his disheveled state, his imposing presence remained undeniable.
With mixed feelings, Emperor Jing'an said, "Minister Shen, you have had a long and arduous journey. Go back to your residence and rest for a day. Come to the palace to see me tomorrow."
"The minister obeys the order."
Before leaving, the Prince of Zhenbei swept his tiger-like eyes over the ministers who had offered their advice.
Several ministers felt a chill run down their spines, shrank their necks, and lowered their heads even further.
They remembered the reputation of the Prince of Zhenbei and felt a surge of panic, fearing that they would suffer his retaliation.
-
After Emperor Jing'an dismissed the court, he left behind the Duke of Zhao.
The emperor and his minister met in the imperial study.
"Father-in-law, it's fortunate you reminded me to dispatch the Prince of Zhenbei to pacify the northern border. Otherwise, with today's events, I fear I would have lost a great general." Emperor Jing'an sighed deeply. "Judging from the previous reports of victories, the Prince of Zhenbei's sons have inherited their father's prowess; they are all brave and skilled warriors. If they are guarding the border for the next few decades, the Great Zhou will enjoy a peaceful and prosperous era."
Duke Zhao dared not take credit: "Your Majesty, it is because you know how to recognize and use people well."
Emperor Jing'an paced back and forth in the main hall, his hands clasped behind his back: "Father-in-law, in your opinion, how should I settle the Prince of Zhenbei?"
"Your Majesty, rescind the late Emperor's decree and reward the descendants of the Prince of Zhenbei according to their merits." The Duke of Zhao bowed and said, "The Prince of Zhenbei has been loyal and virtuous for generations. The stability of Liangzhou depends entirely on their protection. The court cannot let its loyal and devoted ministers lose heart."
Emperor Jing'an had this intention, and the late emperor's decree was completely unreasonable. In order to consolidate his imperial power, he bore the infamy of a thousand years.
For some unknown reason, Emperor Jing'an's brows furrowed: "Both are surnamed Shen, but one is loyal to the court and serves the country and its people. The other, however, abuses his power for personal gain and exploits the people."
Once the imperial envoy has investigated the case in Qingzhou and confirmed the crimes of the Marquis of Chengen, he can be convicted and executed.
Duke Zhao laughed and said, "Those with the same surname but different lineages have different roots, so naturally their natures are very different."
Emperor Jing'an deeply agreed. Even those from the same family could have vastly different minds, some being open-minded and kind, while others were narrow-minded and selfish.
He suddenly remembered something: "The daughter of the Prince of Zhenbei has gone missing. Has she been found yet? I wonder if she is married."
After a pause, Emperor Jing'an added, "If there is no marriage, I can arrange a marriage for you."
Duke Zhao's heart stirred slightly, and he understood Emperor Jing'an's intention: "Your Majesty, when the Prince of Zhenbei enters the palace for an audience tomorrow, you can personally inquire about him."
-
As the Prince of Zhenbei emerged from the palace, gazing at the sky where the dark clouds had dispersed, a great weight was lifted from his heart.
He was fearless, except for the possibility of bringing trouble upon his wife and children.
He, who was always confident, showed a rare hint of uncertainty when he entered the palace to meet the emperor.
Fortunately, Emperor Jing'an was a wise ruler, unlike the incompetent emperor of the previous dynasty.
The Prince of Zhenbei wanted to see Shen Qingtan immediately, but then he realized that he was unkempt, had been traveling for days, and hadn't had time to properly groom himself; he was practically pickled.
His surging emotions immediately subsided, and he went to the Gu residence right away.
Gu Zongci had already received the news and was waiting for the Prince of Zhenbei at the door. When he heard the knock, he opened the door himself. Upon seeing the Prince of Zhenbei, he didn't recognize him for a moment.
When he recognized the Prince of Zhenbei, he was so overwhelmed by the Prince's strong body odor that he took a few steps back.
Gu Zongci kept a straight face, once again affirming in his heart the wisdom of Emperor Jing'an, who actually allowed the Prince of Zhenbei to enter the palace and didn't even chase him out.
"Your Highness, please go wash up and change into clean clothes first, then we can discuss Manman's matter in detail."
The Prince of Zhenbei glanced at Gu Zongci, not missing his brother-in-law's disdain, and strode towards the backyard, saying in a deep voice, "I'm taking a shower in the bathroom. You talk about Manman at the door. Don't waste any more time."
Gu Zongci: "..."
He tried to endure it, but he still couldn't bear the sight.
The words of refusal were on the tip of his tongue when Gu Zongci watched as the Prince of Zhenbei strode away and disappeared into the front yard in the blink of an eye. He couldn't help but feel sorry for him, as he was so eager to see the girl.
He took a deep breath and resigned himself to following.
As soon as the Prince of Zhenbei entered the bathroom, he closed the door and said, "You can speak now."
Gu Zongci stared at the trembling door for a long time before recounting Shen Qingtan's experiences to the Prince of Zhenbei in detail.
All that could be heard from the bathroom was the sound of a towel scrubbing against someone's back, like a saw being pulled back and forth, each sound more eerie than the last.
He had no doubt that if the Marquis of Chengen and his wife were standing in front of the Prince of Zhenbei right now, he would twist their heads off.
"Manman..." The Prince of Zhenbei suppressed his anger and asked, "Is she married?"
Gu Zongci was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "We're engaged."
Silence fell over the bathroom.
After a long silence, the Prince of Zhenbei asked again, "Which family's son is this?"
Gu Zongci said, "He is the eldest grandson of the main branch of the Duke of Zhao's family."
Silence fell over the bathroom once again.
Gu Zongci opened his mouth, about to say a few good words for Zhao Yi.
Just then, a servant's voice came from outside the door: "Master, Second Madam Zhao has arrived."