Graceful Dynasty

Chapter 34: The sun is fading in the courtyard

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The prince never drinks much, so he thinks he can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Sometimes people are blindly confident just because they have no experience.

The emperor was touched after hearing this and fell silent for a moment.

Su Xinghe had a close relationship with him, but he just didn't understand why he was always reluctant to give her a name. This time he asked for mercy, probably because of the last incident. He was silent, but he felt bad. The emperor knew his son's temper.

Prince Xin touched his nose, looking annoyed. Xinghe looked disgusted because his face was deliberately distorted.

The emperor reached out and patted him on the shoulder without saying anything. When it was time for snacks, the kitchen sent fruits and steamed buns, and the father and son sat quietly under the window sill to eat together, which also felt the warmth of home.

Time seems to be getting more and more urgent. The 23rd crown prince does not even have a Baolin in the palace. If this continues, there will be no one to succeed the throne, and he will be unqualified to be the crown prince.

This request was not excessive. Court officials should not be insulted, let alone those who were close to the prince.

Prince Xin looked very disappointed, "Who invited you? I've been looking forward to a grand ceremony with so many people."

The emperor was touched after hearing this and fell silent for a moment.

The prince said, "If you want to drink, go to the banquet and find the boss. He is the one who needs to drink to relieve his sorrow. As for us..." He turned his head and glanced at the stars, "We just need to drink to liven up the party."

Dequan was still mumbling, "See what we are going to do tonight. I have evacuated everyone from Guangtian Hall. You two can drink there and fall asleep afterwards. It's okay. No one will see you." He winked and said, "Master Su, do you want the incense? I'll have someone throw some into the stove right away."

But the truth cannot be told. If the emperor's father is angry, he might send him a bunch of women. The prince rubbed his hands, put his elbows on his knees, and said after thinking for a while: "My son thinks that the eldest son should be born from Xinghe, so that he can have a legitimate name in the future."

The emperor, like all aging fathers, felt that it was time to listen to his children's opinions. He placed his hands on his knees and nodded very slowly, "Perhaps I am also wrong. I shouldn't have chosen this person..." He still looked at his son, his deep love for him, all his emotions were in that glance.

This request was not excessive. Court officials should not be insulted, let alone those who were close to the prince.

The emperor sighed, "Your mother is gone, and I still have to worry about these things. Lord Qing, you are not a child anymore. You will be twenty-three after the Chinese New Year."

How good it feels to be relied on by her, I can't imagine. The prince has always had a heavy responsibility. He can stand tall and shoulder the responsibility of the people, but he has never been firmly relied on by a clear-looking person. Only when there is pressure will there be an opportunity to show off, and only then will you feel that everything is not frivolous. Xinghe is too independent. She never shows weakness and there is nothing she can't solve. What is the role of a man to her? It must be to give birth to children... Only when she is drunk can she lean on his arms like a normal woman, act coquettishly with him, and maybe even pout and ask him for a kiss...

The prince didn't think so. Perhaps it was because of the different identities of the two brothers, one was a confused prince, and the other was the appointed crown prince. The fourth brother could drink and play finger-guessing games with others, but he couldn't. It was okay that he couldn't. There was a difference between the monarch and his subjects. He was always separated from those subjects and said polite words to each other. The crown prince should behave like a crown prince. Unrestrained? That was the looseness that could only be achieved when he was with Xinghe. If it were someone else, he would still be dignified even when facing the fourth brother. Because they were born different, they would have to sit and stand in the future when they ruled the world. If the rules were broken now, it would be difficult to correct them in the future.

After returning to the East Palace and having lunch, Xinghe went to prepare for Yinchen's funeral, and the prince summoned Dequan in.

The prince was startled, and realizing that he had lost his composure, he quickly straightened his face and asked Prince Xin, "Do you have any plans for the rest of the afternoon?"

He nodded and said, "Don't be late for coming back." Without saying anything else, he walked towards the Tongming Gate with his hands behind his back.

He waited quietly and prepared for the worst, but fortunately his father did not agree. He said: "You are the crown prince of Dayin, the one who will rule the world in the future. You must have a scale in your heart. This scale cannot be biased, because if you are missing a scale star on one end, the world will be in turmoil on the other end, and the people will fall into water and fire. I would rather you do things impartially than cover up your shame and lose your mind. The prince is guilty of the same crime as the people. When you come to Xia Ling, there is no room for maneuver."

On the winter solstice, the moon was so dim that it was hard to appreciate. Xinghe looked at him and felt that the master and servant were both full of evil intentions. She smiled and said, "I'm not in a hurry. I drank several cups with the minister before. The master said he would invite me to drink in the evening, but it was just to celebrate the occasion." As she spoke, she remembered that he had turned the tables on Prince Xin, saying that someone had invited him to drink with tears, and she couldn't help but curl her lips.

"Old Bai is really motivated..." The prince groaned for a moment, and Dequan was shocked. He looked at him with surprised eyes, but the prince changed the subject again, "I'm afraid it's not easy to say."

The emperor said, "I agree to your request, but it is not a good idea for you to continue like this for a long time. One of you does not want to have a concubine, and the other only wants to be an official... Where is my grandson? Didn't he say that he was waiting for your good news early in the morning? Where is the good news?"

The prince never drinks much, so he thinks he can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Sometimes people are blindly confident just because they have no experience.

The prince leaned against the armchair, flipping through the old notes in his hand, "Is the wine I asked you to prepare ready?"

Prince Xin originally wanted to pester him to take him to the appointment, but now it seemed that it was impossible. The young couple must have other things to do after drinking, so why was he just standing there, acting as a lamp

The grand banquet at night was a reward for the ministers' hard work throughout the year. The banquet was held in the Taiji Hall. There was not only wine and meat, but also routine rewards.

Sure enough, the master raised his eyebrows slightly, and although he didn't smile, his eyes revealed a look of satisfaction.

The prince was startled, and realizing that he had lost his composure, he quickly straightened his face and asked Prince Xin, "Do you have any plans for the rest of the afternoon?"

Dequan said, "It's the best aged wine, with plenty of osmanthus and Lao Baigan added in."

Prince Xin touched his nose, looking annoyed. Xinghe looked disgusted because his face was deliberately distorted.

The prince toasted two rounds of wine on behalf of his father, and observed everyone calmly. The food trays were divided into two tables according to their ranks. At today's banquet, all the officials who were ranked high were present, and the father and son of the Su family were also there. Su Yujin was a university scholar, ranked in the cabinet, and sat in the same place as the cabinet prime minister. I believe he also paid attention to the situation of the seat of honor from time to time. When the prince turned his eyes over, he almost noticed it immediately, and hurriedly picked up the cup and raised it upwards.

After hearing this, the prince said nothing, but just breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, put on his cloak, and walked out of the main hall.

The future father-in-law offered a toast, and the prince smiled and accepted. He then turned his gaze to look at Su Xinghai, who was sitting at the same table with the Privy Councilor. The two were equally elegant and sophisticated, and they had their own calculations while chatting and laughing, but there was no conflict at all. The hidden wit in their exchanges could only slip through the corners of their eyes in an unintentional contempt. The prince watched from the sidelines and felt that it was really worth pondering.

Dequan immediately smiled and said, "It's okay, Master, don't worry. I added rock sugar to it, and it will be sweet and refreshing."

This request was not excessive. Court officials should not be insulted, let alone those who were close to the prince.

After hearing this, the prince said nothing, but just breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, put on his cloak, and walked out of the main hall.

Wine is a matchmaker, and the prince began to think about using his good alcohol tolerance tonight. Xinghe is a girl, even if she likes to drink, she can't stand a few cups. By then, she will be drunk, drunk in her heart, unable to stand or walk, and can only lean on him and use him as a support.

The emperor hesitated for a moment after hearing what he said, and after sorting out his thoughts, he waved his hand and said, "Regardless of who I have in mind, tell me what you think."

But she was getting more and more confused. He was not like this before. He was always reserved and made people feel uncomfortable to get along with him. Maybe it was because he was getting older. Since they slept in the same bed last time, although they didn't do anything, her status also rose sharply, from a cat or a dog to an adult. His attitude began to change. He was making fun of her and was petty. He went from bullying her to bullying her childhood friend... Anyway, these things accumulated and she almost felt that she didn't know him anymore. Maybe it was just like Prince Xin's prayer to the late queen, he wanted to get married. He was also the crown prince, and he couldn't save face normally. She was the only one who had been hanging out with him the longest. If he made any move, she would be the first to suffer.

Alas, missing the Milky Way, even if I could look at the sea of stars, it would not quench my thirst. I turned my head to look at the clock, but it was not time yet. This long night feast still had a while to go.

The prince was such a smart man, his last two words were purely probing. If the emperor's father agreed to silence her, then it was very sad that he was really loyal to Zuo Zhaoyi, or he might still be able to overcome all difficulties and continue to enthrone her as queen.

The emperor shook his head slowly, "It's useless. The queen is not virtuous. She raised such an unruly princess. How can she be the mother of the country? I originally had this idea. In terms of seniority, Zuo Zhaoyi is the oldest in the palace. She has been accompanying the emperor for many years. Even if she has no merits, she has worked hard. It's a pity that her daughter is unwilling to make her proud. At this critical moment, such a scandal has occurred."

Dequan smiled ambiguously, "That's right, the master is a thoughtful person, otherwise why didn't he call me, or that rat claw, but only invited you. It shows that in his heart, you are this-" As he spoke, he raised his fat thumb.

The emperor looked at the red and white flag on the sand table, which was tossing and turning but still maintaining balance, and sighed: "I never thought that I am getting old and my brain is not as good as before." After saying that, he fluttered his hands and put them down, motioning him to sit on the south kang.

The emperor hesitated for a moment after hearing what he said, and after sorting out his thoughts, he waved his hand and said, "Regardless of who I have in mind, tell me what you think."

The Crown Prince did not have any intention of rushing to push Zuo Zhaoyi off the stage. The more urgent the matter was, the more he had to pretend not to care. He only said, "Whatever your father originally planned, we will just follow the routine. No matter how complicated things are, your father does not need to care."

It just so happened that every time she said this, she would turn around and slap her lips. The prince appeared in front of the door with a wine jar in his hand. It was hard to describe the expression on his face. He looked at her shyly and said, "I'm back..." Then he turned around and looked back at her affectionately, "Are you still standing there? Follow me!"

The prince was thinking about it alone, and it was so cold that he suddenly felt not so cold anymore. There was a fire in his heart, and his palms and soles were burning. A mist floated in front of his eyes. He pushed aside the heavy obstructions and saw Xinghe's shoulders half exposed, her thighs open, twisting her body towards him under the flickering candlelight. Those affectionate eyes, half-opened lips... He couldn't bear it. The prince was full of masculinity, a middle-aged man who hadn't opened his seal for more than 20 years. He was so obsessed with it just by thinking about it.

"The girl's face is indeed important. Just tell me what kind of grace you want."

Prince Xin looked very disappointed, "Who invited you? I've been looking forward to a grand ceremony with so many people."

Prince Xin was still talking about his own things. He was extremely happy when he talked about the failure of Prince Jian and his mother. "... See? His face today is like a squash. Even when Prince Lao Zhong talked to him, he ignored him..."

Prince Xin said it was nothing, "Just going out for a walk with Laizhi and the others."

The prince leaned forward to look. He had thought about the chaos in the southern border for no less than a hundred times, and he had already seen the marching formation map by heart. The small flag in the emperor's father's hand moved on the sand table. The southern border, which had shrunk a trillion times, was like a chessboard, and there was no regret in making a move. The battle line from north to south was too long. The prince said, "Distant water cannot quench near thirst, why don't you compromise?" He reached out and pulled out the small flag of the garrison stationed in the basin and moved it to the hinterland of southern border. The flagpole in the emperor's father's hand fell down and filled the sand hole again. "Although the two armies are mobilized and the military supplies are doubled, the fatigue of the long journey can be halved, and casualties can also be halved. The southern army arrived first, and the garrison army went later, so the basin would not be left undefended. In case of failure in the war, the southern army has a large number of people, so it is not difficult to move the camp and reinforce."

Xinghe stood aside and observed the prince. He saw that his eyes were blurry and his mind was wandering. He couldn't help but shout, "Master, what's wrong with you?"

"Right Consort?" The emperor obviously had not considered her, so when the crown prince mentioned her, he looked a little dazed. "Although Right Consort has a high position, she is too mediocre. I'm afraid she can't take on such a big responsibility."

Dequan trotted and stopped under the golden and red sliding window. The sunlight from the jade-printed oil paper cast on half of his face, and the rough skin became smoother. He nodded and bowed: "The slave will follow the master's instructions."

As he spoke, the palace servant brought up some tea. The emperor held it in his hand, slowly scraped off the tea leaves floating on the surface, and said slowly, "Court affairs are one and the same. They are complicated and unchanging for ages, and I have long been accustomed to them. What I hate is the matter of Xia Ling. The precious and beloved princess became so infamous after she was married. It really makes me sad. Now that she is crowned as the queen, several things have come together. How can I not be upset?"

The prince was startled, and realizing that he had lost his composure, he quickly straightened his face and asked Prince Xin, "Do you have any plans for the rest of the afternoon?"

Dequan said no, and smiled awkwardly, "I am just worried about Master Su. We had originally agreed to drink and watch the moon together."

Now that the conversation had come to this, he raised his hands to his father and said, "My son would like to ask for a favor on Xinghe's behalf."

When he entered the palace, the emperor's father was standing in front of the sand table, twirling small flags. He looked up and saw him, frowned and said, "You came at the right time. The situation in southern Xinjiang is not peaceful. Small countries on the border are in turmoil. There are also rebels in my own nest. They are instigating the mob to rebel under the banner of the common leader of the world. The court's heavy troops are north of Kunlun Mountain. Now it is very cold. If we mobilize them from north to south, such a long route will inevitably cause casualties among thousands of troops."

Prince Xin said it was nothing, "Just going out for a walk with Laizhi and the others."

The prince said, "I still remember that when my mother was alive, I had a deep friendship with You Zhaoyi. When my mother was seriously ill, You Zhaoyi served her without taking off her clothes for three days and three nights. I remember all this in my heart. Not to mention our royal family, even in small families, there is still the saying of marrying a virtuous wife... It turns out that I misunderstood the emperor's intention and almost went to the Greenhouse Palace to congratulate the queen. If I had done that, I would have made a fool of myself."

The emperor looked at him with a strange look. It was not without doubt that the case had gotten so out of hand. The Crown Prince was in control of the Military Control Office. If he bypassed this office and ordered other offices to handle the case, the Crown Prince would lose face. Between the crown prince and the soon-to-be-canonized queen, he chose the former. At this age, there was nothing to be upset about. All he cared about was the stability of the country and the peace of the world.

The Crown Prince followed behind him and said warmly, "Father, don't say that. It's just that I've been busy with court affairs lately and my spirits are a little off. After the ceremony, take a good rest for a few days and you'll recover slowly."

As for Xinghe, he had nothing to do after finishing the meal with everyone else, so he sat in the duty room reading documents. Dequan went in and out several times, and every time he muttered, "Why hasn't the master come back yet? It's already so late."

The prince was a little surprised, "Father, do you want to make Zuo Zhaoyi the queen?"

He nodded and said, "Don't be late for coming back." Without saying anything else, he walked towards the Tongming Gate with his hands behind his back.

Speaking of kindness, Xinghe did receive a lot. The prince was very loyal and although he never let her off when bullying her, the preferential treatment she received was enough to offset the grievances she suffered.

After returning to the East Palace and having lunch, Xinghe went to prepare for Yinchen's funeral, and the prince summoned Dequan in.

Dequan said, "It's the best aged wine, with plenty of osmanthus and Lao Baigan added in."

"That incense" refers to the acacia incense, which was burned when Yinchen was favored last time. Xinghe is thick-skinned anyway, and he doesn't care about being misunderstood for so many years. While expressing his gratitude to Dequan for his thoughtfulness, he evaded the question: "Don't you know, General Manager, my master and I are already an old couple, and that incense is not effective, so I'd better save it for the girl in the future."

After hearing this, the prince said nothing, but just breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, put on his cloak, and walked out of the main hall.

The prince was a little surprised, "Father, do you want to make Zuo Zhaoyi the queen?"

The emperor sighed, "Your mother is gone, and I still have to worry about these things. Lord Qing, you are not a child anymore. You will be twenty-three after the Chinese New Year."

The prince was suddenly a little embarrassed, "My son has been busy lately and has not had any free time..."

The prince leaned against the armchair, flipping through the old notes in his hand, "Is the wine I asked you to prepare ready?"

Dequan said, "It's the best aged wine, with plenty of osmanthus and Lao Baigan added in."

The prince leaned against the armchair, flipping through the old notes in his hand, "Is the wine I asked you to prepare ready?"

The prince was a little surprised, "Father, do you want to make Zuo Zhaoyi the queen?"

Sure enough, the master raised his eyebrows slightly, and although he didn't smile, his eyes revealed a look of satisfaction.

Dequan immediately smiled and said, "It's okay, Master, don't worry. I added rock sugar to it, and it will be sweet and refreshing."

The prince didn't like this kind of scene, but even if he didn't like it, he still had to adapt to it. He was beside the emperor, and the status of the crown prince was far higher than that of the other princes. He had a seat a little below the emperor's throne. There was orchestral music in his ears, and the ministers were toasting each other. There was no unruly person, but no one seemed restrained or repressed. The emperor and his ministers each told some interesting stories, and the usually solemn and cold palace became lively and humane because of the laughter and colorful palace lanterns.

He nodded and said, "Don't be late for coming back." Without saying anything else, he walked towards the Tongming Gate with his hands behind his back.

The general sweet-scented osmanthus wine is not very strong. After all, the female family members have to be taken care of. It is not the custom of the boudoir to get drunk. Since the master wants to invite Lord Su to drink, it goes without saying that he has no good intentions. Dequan is too smart, otherwise he would not have been able to take root in the East Palace for so many years. He understands the needs of the master. With a glance from the master, he knows how to solve the problem and please the master in order to get a good start.

The prince suddenly choked up in his throat, but his father's suspicion was just a suspicion. If he showed his weakness now, the blame would be shifted to him soon. He would blame him for ruining Xia Ling's reputation and even begin to be confused about Gao Yangshan's death.

Sure enough, the master raised his eyebrows slightly, and although he didn't smile, his eyes revealed a look of satisfaction.

The prince's heart, which had been hanging high, finally fell back to its original place. The imperial family has always been calculating, and it all depends on who is the better chess player. He has grown up to this age, and the care of his father is of course the foundation, but the number of times he has been in danger is difficult to count. As people grow up, they gradually become more thoughtful. Even when he is with his favorite person, he has never revealed his true thoughts. Thinking about it carefully, it can't be said that it is not sad.

Dequan said no, and smiled awkwardly, "I am just worried about Master Su. We had originally agreed to drink and watch the moon together."

The father and son of the imperial family are never as close as those of ordinary families. No one dares to determine when this fatherly love will fade or when it will come to an abrupt end. The person who holds the power of life and death is the emperor and the sky, so he must always be respectful and cautious. This is the doctrine that the prince has always kept in mind over the years.

Dequan immediately smiled and said, "It's okay, Master, don't worry. I added rock sugar to it, and it will be sweet and refreshing."

After returning to the East Palace and having lunch, Xinghe went to prepare for Yinchen's funeral, and the prince summoned Dequan in.

The prince stood up and bowed, "I don't want anything else, my son. Xinghe is now the Jinyi Envoy, and in the future she will handle cases involving royal women, all of whom are of higher rank than her. I only ask for a favor from my father, the royal daughters and relatives involved in the case, no matter their status, and the officials handling the case shall not be punished. The Military Control Department is directly under the Eastern Palace, and it would be shameful for my son to insult and slap them at will, so please allow me."

The prince never drinks much, so he thinks he can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Sometimes people are blindly confident just because they have no experience.

After hearing this, the prince said nothing, but just breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, put on his cloak, and walked out of the main hall.

The prince smiled after hearing this, "The palace affairs have always been controlled by Zuo Zhaoyi. She has no room to share the worries for the emperor. Moderation is just a way to protect oneself. The emperor originally wanted to appoint Zuo Zhaoyi, and I have no objection, but now the matter of Xia Ling has caused a sensation. In my humble opinion, Zuo Zhaoyi is absolutely not suitable. The emperor can appoint another candidate. Zuo Zhaoyi is the vice queen, helping the queen to handle palace affairs, which is the same."

There was nothing to do in the second half of the afternoon. The winter solstice was a day off as per custom. Although he was busy with government affairs, he couldn't finish them in a year anyway, so there was no need to rush in this half of the afternoon. Usually, he would accompany the emperor's father on festival days, firstly to show filial piety, and secondly, it was also a means of showing closeness and not letting others get there first. Lizheng Hall was originally the common bedroom of the emperor's father and the queen mother. Only when the emperor summoned concubines would he spend the night in Ganlu Hall. Later, when the queen mother passed away, the emperor's father still lived there with the fourth child. It cannot be said that he had a deep relationship with the queen mother, but after all, he was in a position, and perhaps the greater the responsibility, the more he could not help himself.

Prince Xin said it was nothing, "Just going out for a walk with Laizhi and the others."

He nodded and said, "Don't be late for coming back." Without saying anything else, he walked towards the Tongming Gate with his hands behind his back.

The prince was suddenly a little embarrassed, "My son has been busy lately and has not had any free time..."

This request was not excessive. Court officials should not be insulted, let alone those who were close to the prince.

Dequan immediately smiled and said, "It's okay, Master, don't worry. I added rock sugar to it, and it will be sweet and refreshing."

After talking so many times, Xinghe was a little puzzled: "What happened to the chief steward? Is there something important to report to the master?"