"My lord."
Zhao Youzhi called out respectfully, pulling him back from his distant memories. Prince Yu raised his eyes, Zhao Youzhi said: "The emperor sent the prince to go in."
Yan'an must come here every day, and he is familiar with the golden brick floor as bright as a mirror. A row of pomegranate trees planted in large cloisonne vats has just been replaced under the white jade railing outside the corridor. Flower buds, like splashing like splashing. Although the flowers haven't bloomed yet, the color is as bright as fire, as gorgeous as silk, almost ready to ignite at the touch of sight. Fang stepped over the threshold of the quiet room, and heard the emperor's voice: "Lao Qi, you came just in time, and you have good tea to drink."
He performed the ceremony of meeting the driver in a regular manner, and then said: "Thank you, Brother Huang, for the reward."
Immediately, someone from the palace brought a cup of tea, and he was supposed to thank him for taking it, but the emperor stopped him: "Stop talking about nonsense, you sit too."
As usual, the eunuch moved the stool for him to sit down. The emperor was always afraid of heat. It was only April, and he had already changed into gauze clothes. The tea is cooked with the dew from the flowers, which is quite elegant."
Prince Yu had no choice but to take a sip, lowered his head slightly, and suddenly saw a pair of women's fan casually placed on the low table next to the emperor's hand, with a few inches long apricot tassel hanging down from the handle of the white jade fan, which was very eye-catching. The Duanyang Festival has not yet passed, and the weather has not yet reached the time to use fans, but even in winter, unmarried women of eunuchs always hold a fan in their hands to use as a mask. The fan is made of excellent white silk, with orchid butterflies embroidered on both sides. The embroidery is exquisite and meticulous, and the pale yellow butterfly seems to be flying away with its wings. There is an abrupt red mark in the blank space under the pattern, it is neither a butterfly nor a flower, and the color is not right—Prince Yu saw that it did not look like it was embroidered, and suddenly realized that it was a smear of rouge. Rubbing it on the top, the pinnae of the ear suddenly became hot, and the tea was swallowed with a turn between the teeth, and there was no taste at all.
Naturally, he came here on business, so he picked the most important replays first: "Chen Mi's papers have been handed over, and the words are indeed not pleasant, but most of the military pay has always been spent on Sizhou and Junzhou. He Gong still has a shortfall of 100. Eight hundred thousand taels, another month or two will be the flood season, so I have to find a way to transfer three to four hundred thousand taels of silver to him first. In addition, the Ministry of Industry requested that the stone materials required for the mausoleum are not enough, and they have to be collected from Hengshui nearby. Shi, the cost of labor and freight will be doubled.”
The emperor smiled slightly: "Is there nothing else besides asking for money?"
Prince Yu saw that he was in a good mood, so he also smiled: "Although there is one more thing that is not about money, it is about people. Ding You, the leader of He Jian Wang Ding, is missing."
Wang Dingzhi is Prince Rui's man, and He Jian is in charge of the two prefectures of He and Jian, making the world prosperous. The emperor's eyes flickered, his temper was calm, and he could not see happiness or anger. Prince Yu was about to speak, when he raised his head, he suddenly choked up there, unable to speak for a while. Only then did the emperor feel that something was wrong, and he turned around, because the floor was covered with thick blankets, and she walked lightly, but the long honey-colored gauze and silver glittering blessing satin dress was not moving, and even the pair of jade Linglong hanging from the belt were silent. . Only a lady from a rich and powerful family can train her like this slowly. The emperor couldn't help asking: "What are you doing out here?" Prince Yu had already lowered his eyes, thinking hastily that she was still in palace attire, and she didn't have to stand up to greet her—in fact, there was no etiquette for a prince to see his concubine.
Rushuang also didn't answer, took the fan on the case table and turned around to leave, the emperor couldn't laugh or cry, so he had to stop her: "Wait a minute, the seventh brother is not an outsider, he went to see Prince Yu."
Rushuang's black and white eyes finally turned to Prince Yu, and she bowed her hands, still without saying a word, regardless of whether Prince Yu was hesitating to return the gift, or asking the emperor to retreat first, she turned around and went to herself.
To avoid suspicion, Prince Yu has been inconvenient to face up to it. When she saw her curving skirt turn around behind the screen and finally disappeared, she breathed a sigh of relief and raised her head, but happened to see a smile on the corner of the emperor's lips: "I can't do anything about this kind of temperament."
Prince Yu bowed his body and said: "I have something to report. The palace was overhauled ten years ago by Tianyou, and it has been more than forty years now. Some palaces are very leaky, such as Xie'an Palace, Changning Palace, I'm afraid it will have to be tidied up a lot. If it needs to be repaired, I'm afraid that the ladies living in the palace will have to be moved to other places first."
The words were abrupt, but the emperor understood, the words were Prince Yu trying to find a way out for himself. In a fit of rage, he expelled Concubine Han to the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Prince Yu was probably afraid that he would regret it now, so he did this. In fact, it is also a kind of tactful persuasion in disguise. Although there is no clear order to abolish the concubine, it is not a good story if such a thing happens in the palace. What he said now, at that time, he can justifiably say that Concubine Han was moved out because of the renovation of Changning Palace. After ten days and a half months, after the project is completed, Concubine Han can still be taken back to Changning Palace, and the matter can be settled. .
The emperor shook his head and said: "It's better to be still than to move, and besides, I will go to Donghuajing in June, so why bother."
Prince Yu said: "Brother, Concubine Han didn't make a big mistake. If you don't look at it, you should feel sorry for the eldest son." The emperor simply made the words clear: "Old Qi, I know what you want to say. This matter I've made up my mind, so you don't need to persuade me. Back then, there were dozens of concubines, and they fought openly and covertly every day. How many things happened? Isn't it enough to bring down the filth we both suffered when we were young? I don't want my son Let’s live that kind of life again, so there are only those few people in my harem, but with just these few people, I still don’t let me live a comfortable day. As long as the things they do on weekdays are not out of line, I will turn a blind eye Just close your eyes and forget it, I can bear it, I can't bear it, I just taught her a lesson, and it is also for her own good, so that she is not allowed to go crazy, and I don't have to spoil my prince."
The words have already reached this point, it can be seen that there is no room for redemption, the hidden worry in Prince Yu's heart can't help showing from his face, this kind of words can only be said by him, because the Queen Mother has passed away, the emperor and his mother's younger brother respect the prince It has already become a fire and water. Being close to the noble family, no one else can talk about the emperor's family affairs. He changed his title: "Fourth brother, Concubine Han has received a gold certificate, and she is the biological mother of the eldest son of the emperor."
A canonized concubine was demoted for the sake of punishing a court lady, which did not conform to the etiquette system.
The emperor understood what he meant, and he sighed after a long time, with indescribable melancholy in his tone: "You don't understand."
Prince Yu remained silent, not because he didn't understand, but because he understood too much.
It was raining heavily that night, and it was almost four o'clock when the door suddenly announced that someone had come from the palace and was waiting to see him. He is very close to the emperor, and has received many errands, and he has been called urgently by Kui Ye. So while getting up and dressing, he ordered the people sent by the palace to come in first. The visitor was not an outsider, but Cheng Yuan, the chief eunuch Zhao Youzhi's most proud apprentice. Although he was only sixteen or seventeen years old and had no rank, he was also a very useful internal official in the Emperor's Zhengqing Palace. It was raining too hard outside, Cheng Yuan took off his oil coat, and most of the clothes inside were wet. Under the lamp, his face was blue and white with cold, and his complexion was very bad. He saluted first and said: "Master Zhao Please, my lord, must come to the palace."
Prince Yu originally thought that he was here to convey the decree, but he was surprised when he heard such a sentence. But then it occurred to him that the emperor must have something to do with Zhao Youzhi sending someone here. His heart sank, he changed his clothes immediately without hesitation, and followed Cheng Yuan into the palace.
The rain was pouring down, and the sedan chair would not be able to go any faster. He was restless, so he raised the curtain of the sedan chair a few times to look around, and saw a pair of tall horn lamps in front of the sedan chair, emitting two dim halos in the dark rainy night. The torrential rain was illuminated like an arrow, falling in vain. After getting off the sedan chair in front of the palace gate, the rain still didn't seem to slow down. Prince Yu had rewarded horseback riding in the forbidden area earlier, but it was raining so heavily and it was in the middle of the night. Disturbed Liugong restless. However, Zhao Youzhi had already made arrangements, the two internal officials were there early, and when they met, they would salute: "Your wronged prince, get in the car first."
The chariot was a large chariot used by the palace people for daily commuting. Prince Yu sat in it. It was dark and he could not tell the direction. The car stopped after walking for a long time. The glazed lamp illuminated his feet, but he saw heavy rain pouring down on the ground, and countless blisters appeared, just like boiling water in a pot. Prince Yu knew that the person carrying the lamp was another internal official of the Zhengqing Palace, and silently helped him out of the car. Someone had already opened an umbrella and looked around. Only then did he realize that he was in front of the Taiping Gate.
When I got to the bottom of the city tower, I saw Zhao Youzhi, and I bowed first, because of the cold, my voice was a little stiff: "My lord, I invited you here on my own initiative, please forgive me." Prince Yu said: "This kind of guest Needless to say, what about the emperor?"
Zhao Youzhi's face became even uglier: "On the tower."
Prince Yu was taken aback for a moment, and asked, "What happened?"
"The imperial concubine is dead."
Surrounded by lanterns on all sides, the cavern was extremely bright, and it was not very surprising to see Prince Yu's face move slightly. The entire family of Mu's family was confiscated and imprisoned. Because Concubine Mu was pregnant with Liujia, she kept information about Mu's family from her. Zhao Youzhi smiled wryly and said: "Your Majesty, think about it, how can you hide this kind of thing. A little palace lady slipped her tongue, and the imperial concubine couldn't breathe at that time, and she passed out. When the imperial doctor and Wen Wen were told When the mother-in-law came in, she had already become popular, and from the end of Shen Dynasty to the time of Haishi, neither the imperial concubine nor the prince could keep it."
The wind lamp was bright and dark, Prince Yu's expression was also unpredictable, Zhao Youzhi said: "The emperor refuses to get up and drive back to the Zhengqing Palace, it's raining so hard, my lord, I have to think of a way."
Prince Yu pondered for a moment, then said to him: "Do you have any oil coats? Find two and ask for a lamp that is not afraid of the rain."
"Yes, yes, all of them." Zhao Youzhi replied repeatedly, an internal official had fetched them long ago, and served Prince Yu to put on the oil coat. Prince Yu took the lamp in his hand and ordered: "I Go up alone, you don't have to follow."
Zhao Youzhi had expected that he would give such an order, so he only bowed and said: "Servants obey."
As soon as I went up to the city tower, the strong wind and the rain hit my body slightly, and countless water poured in through the gaps in the hood of the oil coat. The lamps on the tower were already extinguished by the rain, and it was pitch black on all sides. Yes, I only heard the sound of wind and rain, blowing people tottering. Prince Yu walked forward dozens of steps, only to see the emperor standing in front of the battlements, the hood of the cloak had already been blown off his shoulders, and the rain was dripping down his cheeks. Seeing this situation, Prince Yu could only scream "Fourth Brother", rushed forward and put the oil coat on for him. The emperor was very obedient and let him manipulate him. After looking at him for a long time, he asked, "Why are you here?"
Prince Yu said: "It's raining so hard and the weather is cold, the emperor should get up first and drive back to Zhengqing Palace."
The emperor looked cold, looked back at the pitch-black night outside the city tower, and suddenly said: "Dingluan, do you still remember what I said when we were here?" Prince Yu could only say: "Why? I don't remember, since then, I have made up my mind to follow Fourth Brother, no matter what Fourth Brother does, I will follow Fourth Brother."
The emperor raised his head, his face was covered with rain, and he couldn't see the expression between his eyebrows: "I swore that day, this world should be mine! I will give it back in full, no matter what they take away from me!" , I have to ask for everything back. I want no one to despise anyone, and no one dares to take away what should belong to me. Now I am the emperor, the son of heaven, rich in the world, and subject to all people. But why? I can't keep anything?"
"Fourth brother." Prince Yu held his arm, "The imperial concubine is blessed, don't be too sad."
The emperor struggled hard, with great strength, he almost staggered Prince Yu. His voice was full of endless pain in the wind and rain: "It's not her poor fortune, it's me. Since childhood, my father didn't like me, so that's fine. Anyway, there are only a dozen sons who can be in his eyes. One Dingzhan. But why doesn't my mother and concubine like me? She is my biological mother, why doesn't she even welcome me? Dingluan, although you are suffering, your mother and concubine always try her best to take care of you. But I What? For so many years, for more than 20 years, in the eyes of my parents, I have been dispensable."
Prince Yu was silent, and the emperor's tone was desolate: "Only she, she has always been the only one who understands—but even I can't keep her. When I made an order to copy the Mu family, the hand that wrote Zhu Yu was trembling, but I couldn't help it. Seeing the blood of so many people, stepping on the bones of so many people, no one knows how I feel when I stand above ten thousand people, I have this world, but I have nothing!"
"Fourth brother," Prince Yu called out in a low voice, "If you feel sad, you can cry a lot."
"I won't cry." The emperor raised his face, letting the heavy rain pour on his face, the rain dripped down his chin, and dripped onto his already soaked bright yellow cloak. His voice was cold: "I have said long ago that I will take everything back. No matter what they have taken away, I will take everything back."
Many days have passed, and Prince Yu will still think of the emperor's face at that moment, as cold as a knife carved with an axe, with a terrifying look revealed from his bloodshot eyes. Just like when he was kicked in the snow by Dingtang that day, his own resentment and rage, with ferocious despair, turned all the deepest pain into hatred, and finally broke out uncontrollably.
Right now, the orphan of the Mu family who is by the emperor's side has become a big or small heart disease. Judging from the situation, the emperor's guilt and pity for Concubine Mu had all been transferred to her.
On the way back to Ci Mansion from Shangyuan, Prince Yu was thinking so much on the saddle, even Duo Shun, who was holding the rein for him, could see that he was holding the rein to let the horse go steadily and fast. The prince's guard of honor was extremely prominent, pairs of leaders, personal guards, and retinues clapped their hooves, and the sound of the golden gong clearing the way was loud and distant, but no one spoke or coughed. Occasionally a horse neighed, and Prince Yu came back to his senses, only to see that he had already passed the intersection, and after walking another street, he should have arrived at his gifted residence.
Prince Yu suddenly changed his mind and said, "Go to You Garden."
During the time of the first emperor, all the princes always had residences near Shangyuan, and Prince Rui's Youyuan was the most magnificent one, not only far surpassing the residences given to the princes, it was also better than the Mingyuan where the crown prince lived. And nothing less. Prince Rui is very luxurious and has been in operation for many years. This garden is even more exquisite and gorgeous to the extreme. Although it cannot compare with the magnificence of the Shangyuan, the pavilions, terraces and buildings are so beautiful that there are countless exotic flowers and plants. Almost every inch of land in the garden is beautiful. All worth gold.
At this time, the weather was getting hotter, and Prince Rui and several noble children who were with him were appraising new music in the Yuntian scenic spot beside Zhiyue Lake in the garden. They were facing a lake of tender green lotus. Endless scenery. Hearing the servant's announcement of Prince Yu's visit, Prince Rui couldn't help but frowned slightly, with a smile on his lips: "He is a rare guest, please come in quickly."
"Caixiu held the jade clock diligently, but he was drunk when he fought hard. Dancing with the heart and moon in the willow building, singing to the end of the peach blossom fan. After the farewell, we meet each other, and the soul and dream are the same as the king. , I'm afraid that the reunion is a dream."
Singing the word "Dream", the voice is already extremely low, dreamlike and unreal, and the dancing posture is extremely soft, like a willow in the wind, low back and down in the rain of flowers all over the sky, with the lingering sound curling up, the ground is fixed, and there is a light wisp between the arms The slow yarn spreads out like a cloud, and finally becomes a very bright flower, which is in full bloom on the red pulu. Yingying has a beautiful face, like the pistil in the flower, which sets off a pair of bright eyes that are gazing, and the eyes are moving, and several people have already cheered.
Prince Yu came all the way in, only to see such silk and bamboo songs playing, fragrant and pink, Prince Rui happily took his hand: "It's rare for you to come, come, listen to Jin Gui's new song, 'Jin Gui Zhi The song, the dance of the Zifu, the flute of Bishan, and the qin of Yinfei are also known as the "Four Wonders of Changjing". Take out the altar of good wine, today we brothers will not go home if we are not drunk."
Prince Yu smiled slightly: "Sixth brother is very kind, but he is disrespectful."