Almost at the same time that Qin Mubai received the imperial edict, at the corner of the official road three miles east of Chang'an City, dozens of horses galloping towards him stopped.
The first man, wearing a white horse and a fur coat with a jade belt around his waist, lifted up the embroidered cape tied to his head, revealing a golden three-beam Jinxian crown and a heroic and resolute face.
"Chang'an!"
The two words came out of his mouth meaningfully, and then a smile full of nostalgia and a hint of inexplicable sadness bloomed on his face.
"His Royal Highness King Wu, we are finally here!" Yiqi slowly walked up a few steps from his side, his voice slightly gray and showing exhaustion and hoarseness, and said, "Counting from the day when we received the imperial edict, twelve days have passed. , we have traveled more than five thousand miles, and we are like an arrow, flying under the stars!"
The leading man is none other than King Wu Li Ke. The one who spoke to him was Wu Wangfu, Quan Wanji.
"My father urgently called me back to Beijing and sent me to Lanzhou to supervise the army." Li Ke turned his head. In the past, his facial features were just simple and handsome, because there was a short black beard around his lips, coupled with the experience and aging of the past few years. Sang, who added a lot of restraint and stability and the unique charm of an adult man, said, "The military situation is so fierce that I have to hurry up. It's just a hard work. The teacher stayed with me all the way. After returning to Beijing, the teacher will ask the students to rest for a few days." "Don't let your body be exhausted."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Your old bones can still withstand this trivial journey for the time being." Quan Wanji showed a pleased smile, bowed his hands and said, "It is noon at this time, and His Majesty the Emperor must be still there. The memorial is being reviewed in the imperial study of Wude Palace. Your Highness can enter the palace as soon as possible to meet the Holy Spirit. Your Majesty, General Yin and others will return to the palace first and wait for your Highness’s good news.”
"Okay." Li Ke responded. Just as he was about to rein in his horse and leave, he suddenly stopped again, lowered his voice and said to Quan Wanji, "Teacher, the student has something to discuss with you."
"Your Highness, please speak."
"After I return to Beijing this time, I want to do a private matter." When Li Ke said this, he frowned slightly and paused for a moment, then raised his eyebrows and smiled slightly, and said, "I want to establish a concubine."
"This is a good thing!" Quan Wanji smiled happily and said, "Princess Wu has been away for a long time, and His Highness has been lacking a good wife and helper. Previously, ministers and others have repeatedly advised His Highness to establish a concubine early to rectify the throne. This time I return Now that I am in Beijing, I can ask His Majesty the Emperor and Concubine Shu to make the decision to choose a princess for His Highness."
"There is no need to choose, I already have the best candidate in my mind." Li Ke said, "I just don't know if my father and mother will agree?"
Quan Wanji was startled for a moment and suddenly said, "Could it be that what His Highness said is... the daughter of the Qin family?"
"Yes, it's Shuang'er!"
"This!..." Quan Wanji was speechless for a moment and frowned.
"Teacher, is there anything wrong?" Li Ke asked patiently.
"Your Highness, I know that you and Miss Qin's childhood sweethearts have a deep love and have long wanted to get married. However, due to various reasons, they have not been able to do so over the years. Now that Princess Shuang'er has passed away unmarried, with the Qin family's current reputation and status, Shuang'er Although the girl is a concubine, she still holds the position of Princess Wu, and I believe that your majesty and empress will not object. The Qin family now has his highness's best friend Qin Mubai in charge, and no one will raise any objections. There is nothing wrong with proposing marriage, but in fact..." Quan Wanji stopped talking.
"Teacher, if you have something to say, you might as well speak up." Li Ke asked.
"Your Highness should think more about it." Quan Wanji lowered his voice, but said very seriously, "His Majesty suddenly summoned His Highness back to the palace to supervise the army in Lanzhou. This move is really strange and quite shocking. No. It is unimaginable that all the ministers in the court are wondering, is His Majesty going to use the war in Lanzhou to determine the position of the crown prince? - As everyone knows, the coach of Lanzhou is Qin Mubai, and His Highness has been a close friend for a long time, and now he wants to marry him. His sister, wouldn’t this move arouse suspicion?”
"What do you suspect?" Li Ke smiled indifferently, "Do you suspect that I, Li Ke, want to unite with the Qin family to plot evil? Or do you suspect that I, Li Ke, a drowning man, finally grasped a life-saving straw, so he must hold on tightly Don’t want to let go?”
Quan Wanji frowned and nodded with stern eyes, "That's exactly what I meant when I spoke rudely but not harshly."
"Alas!..." Li Ke took a long breath, stretched his face and smiled, and said, "Teacher, everyone in the world thinks well of princes, but who knows the sorrow of princes? In the emperor's family, it is difficult to find true love. Shuang'er and I I have known my childhood sweetheart since childhood... If I, Li Ke, can still experience what true love is in this life, it will definitely be with Shuang'er. I know that my proposal to marry Shuang'er at this moment will arouse a lot of gossip and suspicion. I, Li Ke, walk the right path and am not afraid of these things. My father sent me to supervise the army, so I went to supervise the army. Other than that, I didn’t think much about anything, and I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. Instead, I married Shuang’er. , is my long-cherished wish and has nothing to do with it. I had this attitude when the Qin family was in decline; now that the Qin family is prosperous, I will still have this attitude no matter what happens in the future. My son has been waiting for me for so many years, and I can no longer let her down - let others guess what they want!"
After saying that, the riding whip in Li Ke's hand suddenly made a crisp sound, and he galloped away in the dust.
"Hey..." Quan Wanji looked at Li Ke's figure gradually disappearing in the smoke and said with a leisurely sigh, "After experiencing so much hardship, His Highness has become mature, wise, and steady, but he is still the same person who uses emotion. The poor man who is deep in love but has no place to go, no matter what, instead of being timid and hiding his head, he should be more open and upright. After all, with the relationship between King Wu and Qin Mubai, he doesn't need to use it. To consolidate his relationship with the Qin family through marriage, since even His Majesty the Emperor has openly announced that the King of Wu will be in alliance with the Qin family, what's the harm? Time to kill!"
"Quan Zhangshi, do you want to enter Chang'an now?" Yin Yang, the captain of the Wu Prince's palace, came over immediately and asked.
"Let's go, follow His Highness King Wu and enter the city!"
Half an hour later, Li Ke came to the door of the imperial study room in Wude Hall and asked to see the Holy Master.
Li Shimin was reviewing the memorial. When he heard that King Wu asked for an audience, he immediately put down his pen with great joy, "Ke'er has come back from Youzhou so soon? - Tell him to come in and see me!"
Li Ke walked in quickly and fell to his knees on the ground, "My son, I pay homage to my father!"
"Sanlang!" Li Shimin stood up and got off. Yubi came forward, bent down and held Li Ke's arms, "Back! Back!"
"Yes, my son is back!" Li Ke raised his head, his eyes were red and his voice was choked, "Father, are you always well?"
"Okay, I'm very good." Li Shimin looked at Li Ke carefully and nodded emotionally, "Sanlang has been away from Beijing for a long time and went on a mission to guard the border in Gaoli Town. It's been a hard work. I see that you have lost a lot of weight and are also darker. . It must have been hard for you to come back from Youzhou less than twenty days after my imperial edict was issued - come on, get up quickly!"
"Thank you, Father!" Li Ke stood up, turned his head, and waved his sleeve carelessly to wipe away the tears on his eyelids.
Li Shimin laughed and patted Li Ke's shoulder hard several times, "You have no future, why are you crying!"
"My son... I'm so happy to see my father!" Li Ke turned his face, his eyes red and smiled awkwardly.
"It's good to be back." Li Shimin sighed softly and said leisurely, "My flesh and blood have been separated for thousands of miles. I miss you too!"
"Father, the emperor is always thinking of his father, mother and concubine, and his hometown of Chang'an!" As he said this, Li Ke couldn't help but burst into tears.
After several years, only at this moment, in front of his father, could Li Ke shed tears like a child without caring about his image. Traveling to and from other countries, the homesickness of the cold moon and the border are all vividly expressed.
Seeing his son, who had always been resolute and strong but now mature and steady, shed tears twice in front of him, Li Shimin was a little touched and almost burst into tears. He walked up to Li Ke and patted him on the shoulder repeatedly, "Okay, okay, Sanlang It doesn’t have to be this way.”
"Yes, father..." Li Ke waved his sleeves and wiped away tears again, suppressing his emotions forcefully.
With his back to Li Ke, Li Shimin took a deep breath to suppress the tears in his eyes.
"Sanlang, I am transferring you back to Beijing this time, firstly because both I and your mother and concubine miss you very much; secondly, it is also because of state affairs." After Li Shimin calmed down, he said, "The Tang Dynasty has officially declared war on Tubo I am raising an army of 400,000 people to conquer the plateau. I will only win but not lose. I believe you know the stakes."
"Your Majesty understands." Li Ke bowed his hands.
"Yes." Li Shimin nodded, "I should have taken command of this major national war, but I couldn't get away. Therefore, I sent you to replace me and go to Lanzhou to supervise the army. The commander is Qin Mubai, and you serve as the marching commander Shi. ”
"Your Majesty obeys the order."
Li Shimin paused for half a minute and said: "Compared to the Northern Expedition to the Turks, this battle is even better in terms of the scale of the troops and the difficulty of winning. I have almost bet the entire Tang Dynasty on this. It’s a battle. Therefore, I hope that after you arrive in Lanzhou, you will always stay calm and focus on the overall situation. You don’t have to worry about the gains and losses of the battle. What you should focus on is the national fate of the entire Tang Dynasty and the future of our Chinese race. "
Hearing these words, Li Ke couldn't help but feel nervous, and hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I will work hard at night and not dare to relax at all. I will fulfill my duties as the Marching Commander and not disappoint my father!"
After hearing Li Ke's reply, Li Shimin's expression did not change, but his eyes were filled with a hint of softness and relief, and he nodded gently. He thought to himself: Ke'er has changed a lot over the years. He is no longer as sharp and arrogant as before. Instead, he has been strict with himself and bided his time. His behavior and performance in all aspects are worthy of the Ke'er I bestowed upon him. 'The word - abide by one's own morality and abide by one's duty. But knowing a son is not like a father. No matter how low-key he is, I know that he can become a great person with both civil and military skills. After experiencing so much hardship and suffering, it is time for me to give him a chance; at the same time, this is also a chance for myself. Just now I used words to stimulate him, deliberately speaking very profoundly, talking about the responsibilities, pressures and prospects. He was neither frightened nor overly excited and carried away everything. He just focused on the history of the march - this is good! Stay down-to-earth and never forget your duty, this is what I want!
"Looking at the tired look on your face, you must be exhausted." Li Shimin patted Li Ke's back and said warmly, "Let's go back home and rest for a few days before heading to Lanzhou to take up the post! By the way, you can do it later. Go to the Hanbing Palace to visit your mother and concubine. She must be leaning against the door and looking forward to wearing the autumn water!"
"Yes, father." Li Ke accepted the promise with his hand raised, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Actually, when I come back this time, I have a private matter, and I want to ask my father and mother to make the decision."
"Well, let's talk about it." Li Shimin asked with a smile.
"My son... wants to establish a concubine."
"Okay." Li Shimin said without hesitation, "I have talked about this matter with your mother and concubine more than once. I have long wanted to choose a good match for you to be the princess. But you are far away from the capital, so you have not been able to do so. Today It’s rare that you take the initiative to mention it, so I’ll do it for you while you’re in Chang’an.”
"Thank you, Father!" Li Ke bowed down happily.
"Get up, why are there so many etiquettes between father and son?" Li Shimin chuckled and said, "It's not too late for a son to marry a daughter-in-law and become a father! - I immediately issued an order to make Zongzheng Temple among the famous Xunlue families in Chang'an. Choose a virtuous and virtuous daughter for you and make her your princess!”
"My father is so handsome... In fact, my son, I already have a favorite candidate who I want to marry as the royal princess. I just don't know if my father agrees." Li Ke asked cautiously.
"Oh? Ke'er already has someone you like? As long as they are well-matched and well-behaved, that's fine." Li Shimin said with a pleasant smile, "Tell me, whose daughter is it?"
"She is... the daughter of the Qin family." Li Ke answered carefully.
"Which Qin family?" Li Shimin didn't react for a moment.
"She is Qin Shuang'er, the daughter of the late Duke Qin Shubao of Yi State." Li Ke replied.
"Oh?" Li Shimin frowned in surprise, then put his hands behind his back and started to pace, thinking in silence.
Li Ke's heartstrings were so tight that he didn't dare to express his anger.
After a long while, Li Shimin said: "I have seen this Qin Shuang'er a few times. She seems to be the daughter of a concubine, but her mother has been straightened up. Because the Qin family and his son have outstanding achievements, I once granted her mother the title of second grade Madam. So the Xunlie Qin family is a good match for our Li family. However, this Qin Shuang'er must be quite old. How is his moral character?"
"Back to my father, in fact, I have already fallen in love with Shuang'er and made a lifelong decision. Shuang'er has been waiting for me for several years. Now she is in her twenties, with a delicate appearance and good manners, which is a perfect match for the emperor." When Li Ke heard Li Shimin's words, he seemed to have hope, and he felt a little excited and hurriedly replied, "The emperor has known her since childhood and they understand each other very well. I know that she is kind, gentle, filial and sincere, and she has a deep love for the emperor." It’s very meaningful, so…”
Li Shimin smiled quietly and said, "Have you really thought it through?"
Li Ke couldn't help but feel a shock in his heart, gritted his teeth, knelt down and said, "I beg your father to grant me your permission!"
"It's not difficult for me to fulfill your love marriage." Li Shimin walked up to the Imperial Majesty and sat down. He said in a long and meaningful tone, "But..."
Li Ke raised his head, widened his eyes and pricked up his ears, waiting anxiously for what was going to happen next.
Li Shimin smiled, picked up his pen, and said casually, "But your mother, concubine, and the Qin family must agree!"
"Thank you, Father!!!" Li Ke was immediately surprised and kowtowed repeatedly.
"Marriage is a major matter, parents order the matchmaker." Li Shimin chuckled, "You have passed my test. Well, go to your mother and concubine to discuss it!"
"Thank you, father! I have resigned, and I will go to the Hanbing Palace to beg my mother and concubine!" Li Ke stood up and bowed excitedly.
"Go!" Li Shimin waved his hand, with a smile on his face.
After leaving the imperial study, Li Ke was elated and felt as light as a swallow. He felt that his eyes were bright and bright, and the fatigue of the journey was swept away. He hurried to the Hanbing Hall of the Daming Palace to pay homage to his mother, Concubine Yang Shu.
Li Shimin was holding a pen by the imperial desk and laughing, not paying attention to the memorial, so he simply put down the pen and said to himself: "Silly boy, although he is a little impatient and impatient, he is still upright and upright. He has a bit of the magnanimity of your father back then. !”