Under the rising sun, Xiao Shaozong's delicate face looked even paler.
Qining seemed to understand a little bit and sighed: "A pool of stagnant water can have no fish. The bigger the pond, there will always be a few fish in it."
"It makes sense, it makes sense." Xiao Shaozong nodded slightly: "As long as there are fish, if you drop the hook, you can always catch it." He raised his head slightly, looked at the blue sky, was silent for a moment, and then said: "How is the court going to punish me?"
"Your Majesty, don't worry." Qi Ning said: "The Emperor has made a decree. Although the prince has done something wrong, the prince is not guilty. The prince can still live in the palace."
"The palace?" Xiao Shaozong said with a smile: "Since the father is gone, there is no such thing as a palace, it's just a big house...!" He shook his head: "It can't be called a house, it can only be said to be a big prison. . The emperor was concerned about his old friendship and did not issue an order to punish me. He has already done his utmost benevolence and righteousness."
Qi Ning said: "Even if the prince lives here, since the emperor has the will, all future expenses will naturally be provided in time."
Xiao Shaozong thought for a moment and then said: "Thank you to the Emperor for me." After a pause, he said: "Jin Yihou, there is something I want to trouble you about."
"Your Majesty, please speak."
"Since the Emperor has a decree, he doesn't want me to die now, so I naturally have to obey the Emperor's order. If the Emperor wants to take my life one day, I can always obey." Xiao Shaozong said: "But my body I don’t know how long I can last. There is a doctor in the mansion who specially prepares medicine for me every day. If it is convenient, can I keep him here?”
Qi Ning said: "Doctor?"
"It's not an important person." Xiao Shaozong said with a smile: "I can't protect myself, and now I don't think about protecting others. Even if I want to, I don't have the ability. That doctor is called Yuan Moli, and he was found for me by my father a few years ago. The doctor who came here and the medicinal materials he prepared were able to alleviate my pain to some extent, so I stayed in the house."
"Yuan Moli?" Qi Ning read lightly, knowing in his heart that Xiao Shaozong was seriously ill and there must be a doctor accompanying him.
"This person's net worth is very innocent." Xiao Shaozong said with a smile: "If Jin Yihou is not at ease, you can send someone to investigate his background first. The emperor can exempt me from the death penalty. It is already a long-lasting affair. Everyone in the palace has his own reasons. , asking Yuan Moli to stay is indeed a bit difficult, if it is difficult, Jin Yihou does not need to pay attention to my words."
Qi Ning said: "Since it is related to the prince's body, I will inform the emperor. The emperor has always been very caring about the prince, so there should be no problem."
"If so, thank you very much." Xiao Shaozong nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said: "There is something I shouldn't ask, but I may not be able to see Jin Yihou often in the future, so I might as well ask."
"Your Majesty, may I ask?"
Xiao Shaozong stared into Qi Ning's eyes and asked: "In the opinion of the Marquis, is the change in the imperial mausoleum an attempt by the father to eliminate powerful ministers, or is it to usurp the throne?"
Qining didn't expect Xiao Shaozong's question to be so direct. After hesitating, Xiao Shaozong already smiled and said: "It's really difficult to answer. In fact, my father was wrong from the beginning. My father is the direct bloodline of Emperor Taizu, and many people He said that my father should inherit the throne, but no one knew that for so many years, it was this sentence that made us, father and son, walk on thin ice and tremble day and night."
Qi Ning said "Oh", and Xiao Shaozong spoke softly and unhurriedly: "Emperor Taizu passed away and my father was young. The only one who can take up the great responsibility is Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong was wise and powerful, and he conquered the south and the north. , invincible, and then conquered the great Chu world." He smiled calmly, "There are rumors outside that when Emperor Taizu entrusted his son to Emperor Taizong, Emperor Taizong made an oath to Emperor Taizu that he would wait until his father grew up. Emperor Taizong will pass the throne to his father." He glanced at Qining sideways and asked, "Marquis Jin Yi must have heard about this, right?"
Qining did not deny it, but nodded slightly.
"In fact, today, no one can provide evidence whether Emperor Taizong really made this oath in front of Emperor Taizu." Xiao Shaozong sighed: "Later, Emperor Taizong died, and the previous emperor succeeded him. Some people think that Emperor Taizong broke his promise and did not pass the throne to his father."
Qi Ning knew that such matters were extremely sensitive. Xiao Shaozong could speak and he could listen, but he could not say a word more.
"I even heard rumors that after the late emperor succeeded to the throne, Lord Jindao even secretly advised the late emperor and begged him to appoint his father as the crown prince." Xiao Shaozong looked calm and said eloquently: "Starting from Emperor Taizong, Until the late emperor, he was always kind to his father. The rewards received by the Huainan Palace far exceeded those of all courtiers. Even the Huainan Palace has been expanded several times and is magnificent...!"
A gust of breeze blew by, the surface of the pool was rippled and sparkling, and the fishing line in front of the fishing rod was also swaying gently in the water.
"No one knows that for so many years, the fear that my father has suffered is unmatched by anyone." Xiao Shaozong sighed: "Jin Yihou, if you were the father, would you be able to sleep well?"
Qining just listened carefully and did not answer.
"Both the government and the public feel that my father is unwilling to accept the throne, and has the intention to usurp the throne. Therefore, no matter what my father does, it is always wrong." Xiao Shaozong said with a bitter smile: "Emperor Taizu and the previous emperor were tolerant and kind, and never made things difficult for my father. King, if it had been anyone else, I'm afraid our father and son would have been dead."
Qining couldn't help but sigh.
Xiao Shaozong still held the fishing rod in his hand, and his arms did not waver at all, like a fixed stone sculpture, which also shows the calmness in his heart.
"Actually, my father knows very well in his heart that as long as he can be an idle prince and enjoy the glory and wealth, he should be able to live in peace and harmony." Xiao Shaozong said: "It's not that he is unwilling to not inherit the throne, but that he is unwilling to be the direct bloodline of Emperor Taizu. Even the ordinary courtiers could not resist the words of the court. Everyone felt that whatever the father said or did was hidden from evil intentions, the father could not bear such grievance...! " Qingqing He sighed: "Actually, it's not my father's fault. My father was rich and noble throughout his life, but he didn't really suffer much. He was so arrogant, how could he endure the injustice."
Qining put himself in his shoes and felt that what Xiao Shaozong said was not unreasonable.
"Everyone thinks that the change in the imperial mausoleum was because my father wanted to usurp the throne." Xiao Shaozong said with a smile: "But I thought that my father had no intention of usurping the throne. He was just unwilling to have the Sima family dominate the court. In order to gain power, he was afraid that the country inherited from Emperor Taizu would be renamed by someone else, so he had to fight even if he knew he was losing."
Although Qi Ning disagreed with what Xiao Shaozong said, he could understand the prince.
After all, Xiao Shaozong and King Huainan are father and son. As a son, Xiao Shaozong will certainly not speculate on his father in the worst direction. Maybe what he said today is not explaining anything to Qining, but just explaining to himself. In order to maintain his father's image in his heart.
"Actually, this ending is not necessarily a bad thing." Xiao Shaozong said: "My father has been frightened and feared for so many years. Now that his soul has returned to Jiuquan, he can truly rest in peace. There is no need to be frightened, and no one will gossip behind his back. I The Prince of Huainan has half his foot in the coffin, and he may not be able to see the sun tomorrow. I guess no one will think that a useless person like me will threaten the imperial court...!" At this point, he suddenly coughed violently, Qi Ning immediately stepped forward, patted Xiao Shaozong's back, and said with concern: "Your Majesty, I will call Yuan Moli immediately!"
Xiao Shaozong had raised his hand to cover his mouth with a handkerchief. When he coughed, his body kept shaking and he looked very weak.
The prince was already short in stature, and because he had been in bed all year round, his body was indeed very weak. This bout of coughing seemed to be over at any time.
"Yes... Thank you...!" Xiao Shaozong stopped coughing and wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk handkerchief. Qining could see clearly from beside him. However, during this coughing fit, the silk handkerchief was already covered with blood, which was not as red as ordinary blood. It's a bit dark.
Qi Ning didn't say much, and just said softly: "Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. The Emperor has decreed that no one can embarrass Your Majesty. As long as Your Majesty stays in the palace, no one dares to touch you." He cupped his hands and then turned around. leave.
Xiao Shaozong's condition is getting worse and worse. Looking at it, he is indeed going to die soon.
Back in the front yard, a group of soldiers under Chi Fengdian formed a circle around the family members of the Huainan Prince's Mansion, holding spears and swords in their hands. Qining shouted: "Where is Yuan Moli?"
A tall, thin man in his early fifties in the crowd raised his head and said, "Young man Yuan Moli!"
"The Crown Prince is over there in the fish pond. You go over and serve." Qining put his hands behind his back and ordered: "From today on, you will be taking care of the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince loses a hair, you will be the only one to ask questions."
"Is the prince suffering from an illness?" Yuan Moli looked worried: "Thank you, Lord Marquis, I will come over right now." He stood up and hurried away.
Chi Fengdian was a little strange. Qi Ning went over to explain. Chi Fengdian said: "When the humble general returns to the palace to resume his life, just report it to the emperor."
Qi Ning then strolled back and passed through the main hall. Behind it was the middle courtyard. The Huainan Prince's Mansion was huge and open. Even the middle courtyard was surprisingly large. It could accommodate two to three hundred people. At this moment, there was a place in the middle courtyard. There are several tables, and several officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs are registering property. Whenever something is delivered, it will be recorded in the register.
Dou Kui put his hands on his back, calm and relaxed. At this moment, the courtyard was filled with many boxes, and many antique calligraphy and paintings were piled on the ground. Everywhere he looked, they were filled with glittering jewels. Qining had naturally seen many of them in Jinyihou Mansion. Antique calligraphy and paintings, but when I saw the scene in front of me, I realized that the utensils and furnishings in Jinyihou Mansion were really far from the treasures in Huainan Prince Mansion.