Qi Ning was startled and immediately said: "I made a mistake. I beg you, Your Majesty...!" Before he could finish speaking, Long Tai raised his hand to stop him and said, "I haven't finished speaking yet."
Qi Ning could only listen attentively.
"I started studying when I was very young. Because I am a prince and will ascend the throne sooner or later to rule the country, so my father attaches great importance to my studies." The emperor said slowly: "I still remember that at that time, Xiao Shaozong was announced to the palace. As I read with you, I knew that he was a relative of the royal family, so at that time he was called Brother Shaozong."
Qi Ning nodded slightly and didn't say much.
"In the palace, apart from the young eunuch, I was only accompanied by Xiao Shaozong, so I had a deep affection for him and always thought he was my friend." Longtai sighed lightly: "But now that I think about it, I may not have done that. Many of the things a friend should do are condescending, without taking his feelings into consideration, and are taken as a matter of course.”
Qi Ning knew that Xiao Shaozong's childhood environment had a great influence on Xiao Shaozong to a certain extent. He said softly: "When I was a child, I naturally didn't think about everything."
"I blame him, but I don't hate him." Longtai smiled bitterly and said: "At that time, the teacher told me that the emperor has no personal affairs and must devote himself to the country, so he will not have any friends, only monarchs and ministers." Looking at Qining , said: "When you first entered the Jinyi Houfu, I got close to you, but I didn't really regard you as a friend. I was in a difficult situation at the time, and not many people were willing to help me, and you took on the name of the Jinyi Qi family. , naturally you are of great help to me, so I have to reuse you."
"I accept the emperor's favor, and I will never repay it even if I die!"
Longtai shook his head and said: "I know what you were thinking at that time. I need you to help me secure the throne, and you also need me to help you enjoy glory and wealth. So in my opinion, although there is loyalty and friendship between you and me, in the final analysis, but They are using each other. I even thought that if the Sima clan becomes more powerful and I cannot suppress it, you will probably walk away...!"
Qining thought to himself that your guess was not wrong. I really thought so when I first arrived in the capital.
"Everything is for profit, and everything is for profit." Longtai said calmly: "After Xiao Shaozong took control of me, I have lost all hope, because I really can't think of anyone who can fight with me. I can't think of anyone who can defeat Xiao Shaozong who can sacrifice his life to save me?" He smiled bitterly and said, "I won't hide it from you. After I was imprisoned, I gave up and just waited for Xiao Shaozong to take my head. That day the prison was closed. Open it, and the girl said that she was doing her best to search and rescue me on your orders, and then I realized that there are still people in this world who miss me."
Qi Ning was also touched in his heart, and sighed softly: "The civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty were only concealed by Xiao Shaozong, otherwise there would be many ministers who were loyal to the emperor and would save the emperor at all costs."
Long Tai shook his head and said: "You are wrong. There may be people who are dissatisfied with Xiao Shaozong, but I really can't think of anyone else who would risk their lives and wealth to come forward." He stared at Qining and said, "Xiao Shaozong controls the capital. With soldiers and horses in hand, you fight with him and narrowly escape death. In fact, I already know that you have used the Beggar Gang to transfer your family members out of the capital. You could have just walked away, or even... If you defected to Xiao Shaozong, I believe that Xiao Shaozong will definitely be very happy. I'm happy. But you didn't leave. You stayed to turn things around and let me see the light of day again." He raised his hand and patted Qining's shoulder, and said with a smile: "I know that you didn't stay because of my loyalty, but because of your loyalty to me. As friends.”
Qi Ning hesitated for a moment and finally said: "I forgive you for being brave. I can indeed leave, but in my heart, I have always regarded the emperor as a friend. Since we are friends, we must be loyal. If I just leave, it would be unkind." Righteous."
Longtai nodded and said: "I understand, so I make you King Yiheng. Do you know what it means?"
"Your Majesty wants me to always be loyal!"
"You are only half right." Long Tai said: "Not only do I want you to always be loyal, but I also want me to always be loyal." He said word by word: "You have not failed me, and I... naturally will not fail you! "
Qi Ning stood up, cupped his hands and said, "I will swear allegiance to you to the death, and you will always be your emperor and your friend."
"Remember what you said today." Longtai said: "No matter what happens in the future, no matter what changes there are, as long as you are loyal to me, I will never fail you." He also stood up and said solemnly: "I am very grateful. I have told you a long time ago that I want to create a peaceful and prosperous age for the people of the world, and you, no matter what happens in the future, must remember me and your mission. You and I are still young, so we have enough time to complete our mission. Dream, I don’t want any changes to hinder our ambition!”
Qi Ning thought that in the emperor's words, he seemed to be worried about the future, so he could only say: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. We, the monarch and our ministers, are of the same mind, and we can create a peaceful and prosperous age."
Longtai's lips moved slightly, but he hesitated to speak. There was even a trace of doubt in the depths of his eyes, but he finally said with a smile: "I believe you." At this time, his eyes were full of determination.
At this moment, I heard a report coming from outside: "Your Majesty, Duan Shao and Shen Tuluo from the Eastern Qi Dynasty have arrived and are waiting for the Emperor's summons!"
Qi Ning's heart trembled, but Longtai smiled at Qi Ning and ordered: "Xuan!" He returned to the royal desk and sat down, motioning Qi Ning to sit down in the chair next to him.
Duan Shao and Shen Tuluo entered the imperial study room, both dressed in casual clothes. Duan Shao's complexion was obviously not very good, but Shen Tuluo was still walking like a tiger.
Qi Ning suddenly understood why the emperor summoned these two people at this time. Firstly, it was to meet them in front of him, and secondly, it must have been because he wanted to be protected by his side.
Longtai was able to summon these two people, obviously to appease them. If there were guards inside and outside the royal study, it would first appear that the emperor was timid, and secondly, it would naturally make the other party a little disgusted. However, staying here by himself would certainly make Longtai appear calm. , and with his own martial arts, he is not afraid of Shen Tuluo's sudden attack.
Duan Shao and Duan Shao were startled when they saw Qi Ning, but they still stepped forward. Duan Shao hesitated for a moment and finally bowed to Longtai, and Shentu Luo also bowed behind him.
"I summoned you today not for state affairs, but for family affairs." Long Tai raised his hand to indicate that the two of them should sit down. Duan Shao sat down opposite Qi Ning, but Shentu Luo stood behind Duan Shao. Naturally, he expressed this in this way. Duan Shao's noble status.
Qi Ning sneered in his heart, thinking that the Qi Kingdom has perished, and now the life and death of the two of them are in Longtai's hands. With a flick of the finger, the two people will be separated. At this time, they are still putting on airs here. I really don't know what to say. .
"The queen knows that you are in the capital and is thinking about you." Longtai said, "I have promised the queen that I will treat you well."
Duan Shao said, "Thank you very much." He didn't say much.
Shen Tuluo finally couldn't help but said: "You and I became allies, but unexpectedly we betrayed our trust and turned out to be...!"
Before he could finish speaking, Long Tai had already said: "Is Mo Ying your brother?"
Shentu Luo was shocked, and Longtai said calmly: "You and I have indeed formed an alliance, but Mo Ying has been making trouble in our Chu country, and colluded with the traitors to plot rebellion. What is going on? Who broke the alliance first? ?”
Shen Tuluo suddenly became speechless.
After the two of them arrived in the capital, although they had been hiding in the Huainan Prince's Mansion, they had already learned about Xiao Shaozong's major rebellion in the past few days. The two of them were arranged by Mo Ying in the Huainan Prince's Mansion. Even if they were fools, they could guess that Mo Ying and Xiao Shaozong had an unusual relationship and knew that Mo Ying was also involved in this rebellion.
Before, the two of them had never known what Mo Ying meant by turning the situation around, but now they understood it completely.
Once Xiao Shaozong succeeds in usurping the throne, of course there will be an agreement with Mo Ying. Among Mo Ying's conditions, it is likely that Xiao Shaozong will restore the Qi Kingdom.
It's a pity that everything disappeared with Xiao Shaozong's failure.
It was true that Mo Ying was involved in the rebellion, and the young emperor Longtai had obviously already known about Mo Ying's involvement in this matter, and even knew Mo Ying's true identity. When asked by the young emperor, Shen Tuluo suddenly became speechless.
"I will no longer pursue these old matters today." Longtai said: "Duan Shao, you are the queen's brother. For the queen's sake, today I will grant you the title of Marquis of Changle. If you are like Shen Tuluo, I will grant you the title of Marquis of Yong'an." , I will have people prepare a mansion for you in the capital, I only hope that you can be loyal to me in the future."
Shen Tuluo clenched his hands into fists and immediately said: "I don't accept it!"
Qi Ning sneered inwardly. He was already smart and already understood what the emperor meant.
The world is uncertain. Although the Qi State has been destroyed, there is still a Han State in the north that is not easy to conquer. Although the Qinhuai Army took advantage of the situation to move north, the enemy's throne has been settled, and there are also famous generals such as Zhong Li'ao. The Chu State is passing by There was a turmoil. Although it was quickly put down, it still had a great impact on the frontline war. Therefore, it is not very possible to put down the Northern Kingdom after this battle. It is nothing more than occupying some territory and cities in the north to prepare for the next time. Be prepared for the decisive battle against Han.
In fact, after the Northwest and Qi states fell into the hands of the Chu state, the balance between the north and the south has long since disappeared. The south is strong and the north is weak. One is ebbing and the other is ebbing. If nothing unexpected happens, it will be a matter of time to pacify the northern state.
But the north was still not captured after all. The emperor pardoned Duan Shao's death penalty and made him a marquis. Although the queen was involved, the most fundamental reason was to prepare for a rainy day. He used this as an example to show the people in the north.
Since Duan Shao can be granted the title of marquis, it is inevitable that in the process of conquering the north, there will be northern generals who will surrender to Chu with this in mind.
It's just that the emperor was not polite to Duan Shao. He bluntly said that he made him a queen because of the queen, and also named him Changle. He even made the former Qi general Shentu Luo and Duan Shao the same queen. This was of course a sign of Duan Shao's honor. Shao's humiliation, and the emperor obviously used this to warn Duan Shao that he was no longer the prince of the Eastern Qi Dynasty, but just a prisoner of the Da Chu Empire.