Chengshun County Prince's Mansion
The Chengshun County Prince's Mansion was originally the Prince's Mansion of the previous dynasty. It has been renovated several times, and the pavilions and pavilions have become more beautiful each time. It is spring, with gardens, waterside pavilions, winding corridors, and shady trees.
It's just that the maids and eunuchs in the mansion were in a hurry and looked a little uneasy. They all spoke in a low voice: "Have you noticed? There have been a lot of guards outside the mansion recently."
"Which yamen is it? Who sent it? Why are you guarding the door?" A eunuch asked: "I went out to do business and saw three steps, one sentry and five steps along the wall. It was very strict."
"I have inquired about it, and it is said that it is the Nine Admiral's Yamen, guarded by the emperor's order. I can't ask anything else." Someone said, and everyone couldn't help but shudder.
One of them asked in a low voice: "Do you have a way to leave the palace? We were all sent here. This is none of our business!"
"Hey, don't mention it. When we were sent here, we were both prosperous and devastated with the palace. How can we be easily transferred out?"
"Tell me, is he the one who is afraid of the prince?"
One person had a surprised look on his face. When he said this, everyone was shocked. The eunuch who spoke first hurriedly hissed: "You don't want your life to talk about this?"
"But if you have a way, it's better to leave as soon as possible, otherwise it will be difficult for us to change him when the prince imprisons him."
"That's right, I..."
At this moment, a steward came over in a hurry, his face stern and even more angry.
"See, father-in-law!"
"Godfather!"
The eunuch was frightened, fearing that the eunuch would know what he was discussing, and he quickly saluted. The eunuch glanced at him and said, "What are you doing here, instead of doing something?"
"Yes." The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief and dispersed.
study
The window was slightly open, and there was a garden outside. Peach blossoms were in full bloom, and the spring scenery was reflected in the garden. Prince Chengshun was a little anxious, and he was pacing.
"The rules of this dynasty state that you can be crowned king at the age of fifteen. A minister has already handed over the certificate. How will the emperor give instructions?"
Prince Chengshun thought to himself, and couldn't help but recall the way the emperor's brother received him last year. When he returned to Beijing, what the emperor's brother said to him was still vivid in his mind.
"Gulu"
Tea was being cooked not far away, and it was boiling, exuding a strong aroma of tea. Prince Chengshun didn't pay attention at all, he just wandered and pondered. At this moment, the eunuch's voice came from outside the study.
"Your Highness, this slave is back."
Prince Chengshun was overjoyed: "Come in."
After hurriedly entering, Prince Chengshun put down the book in his hand and asked with a little anxiety: "Is it done?"
Upon hearing the prince's question, the head eunuch's face darkened: "Your Highness, this matter is over."
"What?" Prince Chengshun's heart sank, and he slumped down on the chair. He murmured in a low voice with a painful look on his face. Suddenly remembering something, he raised his head and gritted his teeth and asked, "How did it happen?" Who is stopping me?"
"Zheng Shuang submitted a letter saying that the prince was over fifteen years old and had meritorious service, so he could be granted the title of King Shun. However, two censors, Li Quanzhen and Xia Wei, stopped him."
"Although the prince must be crowned king, according to the rules of the previous dynasty, it is better to be initially crowned with a lower title and then transferred."
"You should be granted the title of Duke at the beginning, then the Prince of the County for a little while, and finally the title of King."
"It is also said that breaking the earth and becoming a king at a young age is not suitable for etiquette. Therefore, there was a disaster caused by King Lu in the past. Now that the world is not at peace, how can we easily make him a king? When the world is at peace, we can make His Highness the king and then vassal."
"These two thieves!" Prince Chengshun's face turned red all of a sudden, and he slapped his hand on the table: "These two common men, one day I will skin them!"
Although he was only fifteen years old, he just slapped the table, which shocked people. He already had some majesty and murderous intent, and the chief eunuch took a step back.
Prince Chengshun wandered a few steps and growled in a low voice: "When I came back at the end of last year, I was almost imprisoned in the house. I couldn't go out easily. All the friends I could see on weekdays were gone. That's all."
"I can't help but grant me the title of king, but I didn't expect that everyone would stop me. What do they want? Is it possible that they really want to imprison me for the rest of their lives?"
Prince Chengshun said, and with a sweep of his hand, the tea cup rolled to the ground and the tea splashed.
"Your Highness, please don't talk nonsense!" The chief eunuch was startled and said quickly. He looked around with a pale face and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was around.
Chengshun County Prince also felt that his words were inappropriate at this time, his face turned pale, and then returned to normal: "I just said angry words, it is really too deceiving."
"Yes." The chief eunuch sighed, and after a moment of silence, he said, "My lord, they are suspicious that you are too close to that person."
"Hmph." Prince Chengshun gritted his teeth and his veins twitched: "Back then, they wanted Gu to be a supervisor, but now they suspect that Gu is too close to Pei Zhenjun. Black and white, they have told me whether Gu will return. What can I say?”
There was resentment in his words. Although Prince Chengshun was a precocious young man, he was still only fifteen years old. He was almost imprisoned and treated harshly. How could he endure it
As soon as this was said, no one in the room spoke.
The chief eunuch seemed to want to speak. He went to the window and looked out. When he saw no one, he whispered: "Your Highness, there is something strange in the capital now, and I'm afraid it's not just for you!"
"What's going on?" Prince Chengshun was startled and looked at the eunuch chief.
Seeing no one around, the chief eunuch said softly: "Not only you, but also the eldest princess has received a cold reception. It is said that officials have reported to the court that the eldest princess is greedy, has amassed a huge amount of money, and has misbehaved. She should be punished accordingly. "
"Hiss" After listening to this, Prince Chengshun took a breath, stood up and walked a few steps: "I thought that the emperor was kind, and it was only because of Pei Zhenjun that we are where we are today, but I didn't expect that the emperor is unfathomable!"
“This will quickly burn the bridge.”
As Prince Chengshun spoke, he stood up and walked to the window, looking at the green and quiet pond not far away. He pondered for a moment, rolled his eyes, and said suddenly: "I already know."
The chief eunuch asked hurriedly: "What did the prince think of?"
Prince Chengshun said with a sneer and coldly: "Brother Huang is going to attack Pei Ziyun. He has seen too much alone in the royal family. The first step to attack someone is to isolate the gang members and then annihilate them in one fell swoop."
"I just have a good impression of Pei Zhenjun. I once served as a statue in a temple for a while. How can others be so harsh when being imprisoned like this?"
"Perhaps, Your Majesty, you are just speculating." The eunuch chief was silent for a moment.
"Haha" Prince Chengshun sneered: "Guess? If you don't take action, who would dare to offend Pei Zhenjun for nothing? This is a person who has survived the thunder tribulation and lived for three generations!"
As the prince spoke, he closed his eyes slightly and opened the window. There were several birds flying around far outside, chirping.
Looking at the free bird, the prince's eyes were a little hazy and hesitant: "Guxu, you have been with me for ten years, watched me grow up, and have met my brother for so many years. How do you think the emperor will treat me?" I?"
"This" the chief eunuch hesitated: "Your Highness, I dare not say this."
"I am sorry that you are not guilty." Prince Chengshun waved his hand.
Others can leave, but the chief eunuch has long been branded as the king of the county and cannot leave even if he wants to. But the so-called interests are related. The chief eunuch thought for a while: "When the emperor was the prince, he was famous for his generosity. Although it was a last resort, But it can also be seen that his temperament will definitely not do anything to the prince."
"It's just that there is a precedent from King Lu, and you have made great achievements both times - you are not in charge of this, but the people in the world don't know, and they all praise you as the King of England."
"There are people approaching you like this. To be honest, many knowledgeable people have been close to the palace in the past. This is proof. The most important thing is that you are too close to Lord Pei Zhen. Therefore, the civil servants are even more jealous, fearing that there will always be some obstruction. I am afraid that there will be some obstacles." ,I am afraid… "
The chief eunuch was speechless when he said this.
Prince Chengshun gritted his teeth: "You spend your whole life behind closed doors to avoid trouble? Only when you are old will you be crowned king?"
"My lord, I don't dare." The chief eunuch knelt down quickly to apologize. Prince Chengshun waved his hand: "Get up, what does this have to do with you?"
As he spoke, he walked around for a few steps, turning more and more hurriedly. He suddenly stopped and said to the chief eunuch: "Now that the network is not tight enough, can the news about the spy you arranged for me in the past still get out?"
"Your Highness, is that possible?" the head eunuch asked with a little uneasiness.
"I want to send a message to Pei Ziyun."
"Your Majesty, no matter what words are spread, it will be a big disaster at this time of year." The eunuch was startled, a little panicked, and the light flashed in his eyes.
"I was born alone at the wrong time, and I accidentally got involved in the whirlpool. I was labeled like this. How can I still have a good life? I don't want to be under house arrest for more than ten years." The county king said: "I don't want to live a life of fear and caution."
As soon as he said this, the chief eunuch fell silent and said after a long time: "But your lord, once it is leaked, we will be doomed!"
"What God has given me will be blamed for it, so I cannot hesitate." Prince Chengshun paced slowly, suddenly turned his head, and stared at the eunuch in charge and said, his eyes bright and bright.
The chief eunuch was shocked and remained silent for a long time.
This look is actually not unfamiliar to the chief eunuch. Emperor Taizu was like this back then. Although he was surrounded by many people, he was calm and calm, pacing back and forth, with a determination to win, and he was like this when making decisions.
The head eunuch first felt confused and confused, and then a sense of holiness arose.
The county prince is only fifteen years old and is full of blood, but this decision may not necessarily be a matter of blood and courage.
"The son of the dragon and the grandson of the dragon are worthy of their reputation."
"Actually, in terms of similarities, the prince is the least similar to Taizu, and both King Lu and Prince Chengshun have vaguely inherited some charm."
"Perhaps this is the reason why we intercepted the king today." The chief eunuch was thinking when he heard Prince Chengshun snort coldly: "You may say that I don't know the inside story, but it doesn't matter if I don't know. Anyway, there are actually very few ways to kill Pei Ziyun, these are the only ones you can use to spread the word - set up a net to catch fish, and Pei Ziyun will definitely know."
Seeing the eunuch's hesitation, the prince smiled and said, "Do you really think that Pei Ziyun is really defenseless? I don't believe it. When I followed Pei Ziyun, I did learn a lot and I know the underlying meaning. I am just the icing on the cake."
"Politics has to be made out of nothing. Even if I mislead you, it doesn't matter - just go ahead!"
Prince Chengshun said, and the chief eunuch bowed in response: "Yes, Your Majesty, don't worry, all the informants I arranged before can be used, and I will choose the most suitable person."
Seeing that he was speechless, the chief eunuch retreated.
(End of chapter)