After a heavy rain, the summer afternoon became more and more sultry. Zhu Yunxuan, who was reading a book, couldn't help but frowned slightly when he heard the faint laughter coming from outside.
Gao An glanced out of the window, and told him in a low voice: "It's a few young maids flying kites on the other side of the lake. If it disturbs His Majesty, this servant will ask someone to let them go."
Zhu Yunxuan didn't say anything, put down the book, got up and walked to the window, looking into the distance. It was just after the rain, and a colorful rainbow hung in the sky. On the grass on the other side of the lake, seven or eight little court ladies were chasing the kite that was going straight to the sky, laughing wantonly.
Zhu Yunxuan slightly squinted his eyes, staring intently at the kite swinging in the wind under the long rainbow, and the colorful colors were reflected in his pupils, which soon became bottomless.
"Your Majesty..."
Gao An called him in a low voice, Zhu Yunxuan's eyelashes trembled, and he let out a sigh of relief.
Maybe he himself is the kite held in Liang Zhen's hands. Even though he is high above and out of reach of others, he is always drawn by that thread and cannot escape from the palm of that person.
It's just that when the thread becomes tighter and tighter, one day, it will be completely broken.
When Liang Zhen came in, Zhu Yunxuan was still standing by the window in a daze, Liang Zhen stopped behind him, and smiled with his lips curled up: "Why is Your Majesty so leisurely today, watching the scenery here?"
Zhu Yunxuan withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "Just take a look."
"What's there to see here, how about taking advantage of the rare rain to clear up and go outside for a walk?"
Zhu Yunxuan pursed the corners of her lips lightly, without saying anything, Liang Zhen took it as his consent, and went outside with a hug.
After coming to this other palace for more than a month, Zhu Yunxuan has never gone out for a stroll. In the past, when Zhu Yunjing was still here, he came here every summer. It was the time when he lived the happiest life. He often skipped class and went to the garden, went to the lake, fished and picked lotus, and then went to his brother's place to ask for a glass of wine. He was carefree. There is no need to think about other things, he once naively thought that he could live a lifetime like that.
Walking up the stone arch bridge in the middle of the lake, seeing Zhu Yunxuan standing by the bridge and looking ahead in a daze, Liang Zhen asked him with a smile: "What is your Majesty thinking?"
Zhu Yunxuan didn't answer, the lakeside palace facing the bridge was his elder brother's former residence, looking at it now, it looked a little strange.
Liang Zhen suddenly grabbed his hand, Zhu Yunxuan frowned, and was about to pull it out subconsciously, Liang Zhen stuffed a handful of lotus seeds that he had just peeled into his hand: "Sweet."
Zhu Yunxuan lowered his eyes, looked at the pink and white lotus seeds in his hand, and said calmly: "Isn't it not as delicious as the one on King Zhao's Zhuangzi?"
The corners of Liang Zhen's lips rose, although Zhu Yunxuan didn't appreciate his affection, he still remembered every word he said.
"If your majesty wants to eat from the minister's village, I will ask someone to bring some to your majesty tomorrow, and cook some refreshing porridge for your majesty to appetize."
Zhu Yunxuan was noncommittal, and threw a lotus seed into his mouth, it was crispy and had a sweet aroma, he chewed it twice and swallowed it, but found it tasteless.
After walking for a short distance, Zhu Yunxuan felt a little uncomfortable in his stomach. He didn't say anything, Liang Zhen seemed to notice it, and led him into the gazebo in the middle of the lake: "Let's have a rest."
Zhu Yunxuan sat down, his calf twitched, his brows furrowed, and he clenched his teeth subconsciously. Liang Zhen bent down and grabbed his leg: "Is it uncomfortable here?"
Zhu Yunxuan didn't say anything, Liang Zhen rubbed him gently, with moderate strength, which really made him feel better. Zhu Yunxuan looked at him coldly: "You don't have to do these things."
"I am willing," Liang Zhen smiled lightly, "I am willing to do anything for His Majesty."
Zhu Yunxuan remained unmoved, Liang Zhen's low profile gesture of favor was not what he wanted, the more Liang Zhen was like this, the more vigilant he would be, guarding against when he suddenly changed his face again, and then did all kinds of things Things that make life worse than death.
"If your majesty feels uncomfortable, you must tell it. Even if you don't want the minister to know, you must tell the imperial physician. Don't always bear it like this. You are the emperor, and the Eucharist is important. You can't take it lightly no matter what."
Liang Zhen's voice was gentle, and when he seldom spoke like this, Zhu Yunxuan became more and more uncomfortable: "... I am now like this, and who is it thanks to?"
The smile in Liang Zhen's eyes grew stronger, and the strength in his hand increased a little. He squeezed it harder, and heard Zhu Yunxuan's subconscious gasp, the corners of his lips rose more and more, and before Zhu Yunxuan could react, he hooked it His shoulders and knees hugged him up.
Zhu Yunxuan's expression froze, and before he could speak, Liang Zhen said: "Your Majesty is tired from walking, go back and rest."
Zhu Yunxuan said coldly: "You let me down, I can go by myself."
Liang Zhen strode back with the man in his arms: "Your Majesty, why bother to hold on, foreign ministers can't come here without a pass, no one will see."
Zhu Yunxuan naturally knew what he was talking about. The ambiguous rumors about the two of them were rampant outside. He deliberately dealt with the Anlehou Mansion severely to suppress the rumors. Now the relationship between them is more and more confusing in the eyes of the officials. He can say anything, he can bear the embarrassment and embarrassment when facing Liang Zhen, but he never wants to be talked about more.
"Let me down." Zhu Yunxuan repeated again.
Liang Zhen lowered his head, touched his temples lightly with his lips, and put him down on the couch after entering the bedroom.
"Is it better now?" Liang Zhen grabbed Zhu Yunxuan's leg and rubbed it for him a few more times.
The soreness and discomfort finally receded, and Zhu Yunxuan coughed lowly: "It's ok."
Liang Zhen smiled and blinked, and was about to say something more when a eunuch came in to report that several cabinet ministers had come and were waiting in the front hall and had something important to report.
Liang Zhen raised his eyebrows, and helped Zhu Yunxuan get up.
What the cabinet wants to talk about is still the epidemic in Yuzhou. The imperial physician has been in Yuzhou for half a month. Among the four people who went there, an elderly man contracted the epidemic just after arriving there. He was unable to be rescued, and the news was sent back this morning. , The imperial envoy sent earlier also fell ill.
Now Yuzhou is in complete chaos, the epidemic has spread to the neighboring three prefectures and six counties, the number of infected patients has exceeded 30,000, and as many as 1,000 people die of the epidemic every day. What's worse is that this year's summer seems to be extremely hot and long. It's almost autumn, but the heat wave doesn't seem to subside in the slightest. It may not be easy to expect the epidemic to die out on its own. More and more people fell down, and the rest of the place is panicked and everyone is in danger. They have started to expel the refugees who came due to the flood. If this continues, it may not be good. I am afraid that the plague will not disappear, and there will be civil uprisings again.
"The prescriptions prepared by several imperial physicians can delay the disease, but they can't cure the disease. After contracting the disease, the disease will attack and die within three or two days, and the slow one can only be delayed for ten days and a half months. Up to now More than 15,000 people have died, please Your Majesty send more people as soon as possible to deal with the aftermath!" Zeng Huai's eyes turned red anxiously, this was the first time he had encountered such a terrible plague in his life, and he only hated it. I am so old that I can't do anything.
Zhu Yunxuan fell into the chair with a panicked expression, even the imperial physician couldn't save him, what else could they do
"... I will send the imperial physicians again. Except for those who stay in the palace on duty, all the rest will go to Yuzhou. So many people can always find a way... Let the Ministry of Households allocate more money to the government, and there are imperial envoys. I will choose another suitable one." I set off for the past today, and then ordered the governor of Yuzhou to report the epidemic situation every day from today, and... "
"Your Majesty!" Liang Zhen interrupted him suddenly, "Your Majesty doesn't need to send anyone over there, just go."
Zhu Yunxuan was stunned, his pupils shrank slightly, and he looked at him in astonishment: "Are you going to Yuzhou?"
"Yes, I am willing to go to Yuzhou as an imperial envoy, and I hope His Majesty will allow it."
Zeng Huai suddenly raised his voice, and said vigilantly, "What is Prince Zhao going to Yuzhou for?!"
Liang Zhen glanced at him coldly: "Since you want to send someone, who will go? Why can't this king go? There are some things that your majesty cannot do, and this king can just do it. This king has always been bold and reckless. This king has made his own decision and has nothing to do with His Majesty, and this king will bear it all."
"What the hell are you trying to do?!"
"Don't do anything, just go and help His Majesty share his worries." Liang Zhen looked at Zeng Huai with calm, dark eyes, "Or Elder Zeng Ge can come up with a better suggestion to help His Majesty solve this urgent need?"
Zeng Huai opened his mouth, but he didn't say any more. He has countless sage ways to scold Liang Zhen, but he also knows that no matter how much he scolds, the matter of Yuzhou will not be resolved.
If someone must do it, that person is King Zhao, far better than the emperor.
Zhu Yunxuan looked at Liang Zhen calmly for a long time, but didn't express his opinion on the spot, and asked the people around him to retreat first.
They were the only ones left in the hall, Zhu Yunxuan said in a deep voice, "What are you going to do?"
"Let's talk about it when we go, play it by ear," Liang Zhen said calmly, "What's going on over there, I have to wait for the minister to see it with his own eyes."
"...Aren't you afraid of death?"
Liang Zhen chuckled: "Your Majesty is worried about the minister? If the minister is infected with the epidemic and never returns, isn't it just in line with His Majesty's wishes?"
Zhu Yunxuan's eyes darkened: "Are you really going?"
"Go," Liang Zhen suppressed his smile and said sternly, "But I hope that His Majesty will allow the minister to kill first and then play, and allow the minister to mobilize the soldiers and horses of Yuzhou."
"Soldiers and horses from Yuzhou?"
"Does Your Majesty trust the minister?" Liang Zhen asked him suddenly.
Zhu Yunxuan couldn't believe it, but besides Liang Zhen, he really didn't know who else he could send there. When the matter came to an end, looking around, there was only one Liang Zhen who could be used.
After a lengthy silence, Zhu Yunxuan nodded: "Okay, I will give you a secret decree."
Liang Zhen put the secret decree into his sleeve, his expression became more relaxed, he took a step forward, smiled and approached Zhu Yunxuan, and dragged his voice: "Your Majesty, if I really die in Yuzhou, will you be sad?"
Zhu Yunxuan looked coldly at the smiling face close in front of her: "...it's all your own fate, what's wrong with me?"
"Perhaps I really will go and never return, so your Majesty won't even say something nice to me?"
Zhu Yunxuan turned his eyes away: "You step back, go back and pack up, and leave today."
Liang Zhen responded with a smile: "I obey the order."