Chen Jingzong knew that Huayang would stay in the palace for one night, so he also returned to Chen Mansion that night.
Now that I'm back, the first thing I must do is go to Chunhe Hall to pay my respects to my mother.
When Sun saw her fourth son, she narrowed her eyes and stretched her neck to take a closer look. She asked Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong who were standing next to her, "Who is this man? He looks familiar."
Chen Jingzong: …
Chen Bozong lowered his eyes, and Chen Xiaozong smiled and said, "If you don't recognize him, we will not recognize him either."
Sun snorted, "Since you don't know him, send him away immediately."
Chen Jingzong coughed and said, "Why do you have to be like this? I was accompanying the eldest princess in mourning and had to follow the rules. That's why I haven't come back yet."
Sun: "We should follow the rules, but can't you write a letter and send a message back?"
Is it easy for her? Her son went out to fight in the war for almost half a year last year. After returning to Beijing, he just sat at home for a while, and then he didn't show up for another half a year. He didn't even ask Fugui to send a message. Sun was really mad at her stinky son who didn't care about her at all!
Chen Jingzong: "The princess has been urging me to come back and honor you. You have such a good daughter-in-law, so it doesn't matter whether I, your son, am filial or not. Don't you think so?"
Sun: …
Chen Bozong finally said, "Mother, my fourth brother didn't mean it, so don't bother with him."
Sun snorted.
It was a rare occasion for the family to get together, so tonight Mrs. Sun asked the kitchen to start cooking a little later, waiting for her husband to come back and have dinner together.
As night fell, Chen Tingjian came back and saw his family, especially his grandchildren. He complained to his wife in a low voice: "It's not the New Year or any other festival, why bother with this? Just eat by yourself."
Sun glanced at the fourth brother who was standing not far away and said with a smile: "The prince consort has returned home. Isn't this more festive than the Chinese New Year?"
Chen Jingzong: …
Chen Xiaozong gave him some advice: "Write a letter to your mother every day, and she will definitely stop thinking about you."
Only then did Chen Tingjian realize that his wife was still angry with the fourth son. On this point, Chen Tingjian supported the fourth son. Since he had married the eldest princess, he should put her first in everything.
"Let's eat. I'm hungry too."
Everyone sat down. Chen Jingzong hadn't drunk for a long time, so he sat alone at a table and drank two bowls of wine in a row, looking very satisfied.
After eating and drinking, Chen Tingjian called him to the study.
"You suspect Qi Jin. Your elder brother has been secretly watching him for half a year, but he hasn't found any clues."
After sitting down, Chen Tingjian started talking about business first.
Chen Jingzong: "Normal. You are the chief minister of the cabinet. In order to be on guard against you, he will be careful to eliminate all traces of everything he does."
Qi Jin was cruel to others and to himself. He clearly coveted Huayang, and he ignored Tian just to show his love to Huayang one day. This time, in order to cover up his motive of framing the prince consort and Daxing Zuowei, Qi Jin even ruined his way of proving his love to Huayang, and slept with two maids whom he had never looked down upon before. For a self-important nobleman like him, wasn't this a humiliation
Even though it was a serious matter, Qi Jin didn't suffer any loss. The unlucky ones were the two maids.
Chen Tingjian: "Well, anyway, leave this matter to your elder brother. Just do your job well and take good care of the eldest princess."
When it comes to being cautious in words and deeds, Chen Tingjian still trusts his eldest son more.
Chen Jingzong looked at the old man across the table who seemed to have everything planned out, and whispered, "To you, Qi Jin is just a flea on a dog. As long as you stand firm in the court, he won't be able to jump very high, and he won't dare to attack our family easily, for fear that you will be unstable and give him and other fleas a chance to be seriously injured."
Chen Tingjian's face darkened, and he glared at his son and asked, "Are you scolding me in a roundabout way?"
Chen Jingzong: …
He touched the bridge of his nose and said, "I was just making an analogy. Fleas are common on dogs."
Chen Tingjian: "Get out!"
Chen Jingzong doesn't want to stay any longer!
Just as he was about to reach the door, Chen Jingzong stopped and said to the old man, "I know you want to enrich the country and strengthen the army, and you have the ability to do so now, but remember that you are only a prime minister. It's ok for you to be arbitrary in front of other ministers, but you'd better restrain your bad temper in front of the emperor. The emperor is young now and has to listen to you. If he becomes powerful one day, will he be able to tolerate it?"
"You are the Imperial Preceptor and the Prime Minister entrusted by the late Emperor. You are not afraid of the Emperor's resentment, and neither are we three brothers. But we still have a mother and a bunch of children at home. When the wall falls, everyone pushes it. The Chen family is now flourishing. If you fall one day, can the Chen family withstand those officials who resent you? It won't work if we three brothers alone. It also depends on which side the Emperor stands on."
"You always scold me for being unruly, but I have never dared to act recklessly in front of the emperor, and my elder and third brothers would never be foolish enough to offend the emperor. You are the only one in our family who has the ability to make the emperor feel wronged and resentful. You should think carefully about how to treat the emperor next."
After saying that, Chen Jingzong was about to open the door.
Chen Tingjian: “Stop!”
Chen Jingzong stood still.
Chen Tingjian frowned and asked, "Is this your own idea or the princess's?"
Chen Jingzong sneered: "In her heart, you are the greatest saint in the world. Confucius may not even be as good as you. She has no idea how you have eliminated dissidents in order to smoothly implement the reform in the past six months. Even if she knew, she would probably think that you did a good job in eliminating them. Everything is for the great cause of reform."
"I tell you this because you taught me, and I understand better than anyone what emotions the Emperor might have when he was taught so harshly by you."
"I am your son, so I can only endure it. But the emperor is not like that. You dare to discipline him as your son. Unless he is as soft-hearted as the eldest princess, he will settle old scores with you sooner or later."
"Empress Dowager Qi wants you to teach the emperor strictly because she wants her son to be good. She hopes that strict teachers can produce excellent students. But you should also think about your own children and grandchildren. Don't really offend the emperor."
Chen Tingjian didn't say anything, only his heavy breathing reached his son's ears.
Chen Jingzong knew that the old man would not be happy to be lectured by his son, but for the sake of this family, he couldn't keep it to himself.
The old man is a good man, but he has a bad temper and easily offends people.
.
The next day, Chen Jingzong went to the palace to bring Huayang back.
After sending Huayang to Chen's house, Chen Jingzong went to the guard post.
Yu Xiu and Luo Yuyan were still cautious in front of Huayang, for fear of saying something wrong and bringing up the eldest princess' sad memories.
As they did so, Huayang did not stay long before returning to Siyi Hall, where he was happy and at ease all by himself.
In the afternoon, Wanyi and her friends finished school and happily came to Siyi Hall to find Fourth Aunt.
The children were much simpler. Seeing Fourth Aunt’s beautiful smile, they didn’t think about the past emperor at all. They ate the delicious cakes and chatted with Fourth Aunt about the past.
Huayang answered the children's questions first. When they had finished speaking, she asked Dalang, Erlang, and Sanlang, "Does Grandfather have time to check your homework now?"
The three little brothers nodded together.
Huayang: "Is Grandfather still as strict as before?"
Her gentle and encouraging gaze first fell on Dalang's face.
Dalang thought for a moment and said truthfully, "Grandfather was very kind to us."
Jiro: "Yeah, my dad envies us, saying that his grandfather wasn't like this when he was a kid."
Sanlang: "But grandfather still punishes us when he wants to make us copy characters, but he doesn't glare at us anymore."
Wanyi interrupted and said, "You made the mistake first, so of course you should be punished. Kindness does not mean spoiling."
Wanqing seemed to understand and said, "Grandfather never punished me!"
Sanlang rolled his eyes at his sister.
Huayang understood, and was relieved to know that her father-in-law's parenting style had not changed back to the previous one.
Chen Tingjian knew that the eldest princess would return to the Chen Mansion today, so he did not stay in the cabinet and returned early.
To his surprise, the eldest princess was actually in Chunhe Hall talking to his wife.
As usual, he saluted Huayang first.
Hua Yang smiled and said, "Father, please don't be polite."
Chen Tingjian was not in a hurry to change his clothes. He wore the scarlet official robe of the cabinet minister and sat in the main seat on the side that his wife had just vacated.
Huayang looked at him and said, "Father, I was just discussing with mother that my husband and I will live in the Princess's Mansion in the future. In fact, I also want to be with you and mother more often. However, I feel that since the court has implemented reforms, some conservatives have fabricated crimes against you in an attempt to hinder the reforms. If I continue to live here, I will be accused of helping my relatives even if I speak for you. If my husband and I move out, it will be more fair when I speak for you."
Chen Tingjian left the table and bowed to the princess on the side, saying, "It's all my incompetence. I'm sorry for the trouble, Princess. You don't have to speak for me. I expected those slanders and I already have a plan to deal with them. I just hope that Princess can live happily and not be bothered by worldly affairs."
Huayang smiled and said, "Father, this is too formal. Publicly, you are the Prime Minister, and you are dedicated to the court. Privately, you are my father-in-law. If you get into trouble, how can your daughter-in-law sit back and watch?"
Sun: "That's right. The princess treats you as a family member. Just be happy and stop talking nonsense."
Chen Tingjian shook his head helplessly.
Huayang: "If father has no objection, my husband and I will live in the Princess's residence forever, and only come back to stay for a few days during festivals?"
Chen Tingjian: "The princess has good intentions, so let's do it this way. However, the prince consort is unruly. If he offends the princess, you must let us know. I will punish him severely."
Huayang laughed.
Sun murmured quietly, "You often say this. You are old and if a fight really breaks out, you won't even be able to touch the edge of his clothes. It would be better to ask the princess to order the guards around her to catch him and beat him up."
Chen Tingjian: …
Huayang smiled and spoke for Chen Jingzong: "Don't worry, father and mother, the prince consort treats me very well, and we haven't had any conflicts for a long time."
Sun looked at her husband proudly.
Seeing that the princess was sitting still, Chen Tingjian signaled his wife to change the tea.
Sun went out with the teapot and handed it to the maid in the corridor. She pretended to stand by the flower bed to appreciate the flowers.
Inside the main hall, Chen Tingjian took the initiative to ask, "Does the Princess have anything else to say?"
Hua Yang said politely, "I can't say I have given you an explanation, but I was chatting with the Emperor last night and heard him mention that there have been many memorials impeaching you recently."
Just as Chen Tingjian was about to plead guilty, Huayang made a gesture to excuse himself and said, "The emperor has told me that those people are making up stories out of nothing. The emperor trusts you. I also trust you, father. I came here today because I have something to ask you. I hope you can agree to it."
Chen Tingjian: "Please give your instructions."
Huayang smiled and said, "I know that father has good policies for governing the country. These policies are for the country and the people, but they will infringe on the interests of some officials and relatives, and then cause some resentment. The emperor is still young. If there are more voices of resentment, the emperor may also question whether these reforms are necessary. What I ask father to do is that before you do anything, whether promoting certain officials or dismissing certain officials, you must explain it clearly to the emperor first. The emperor understands the necessity and is prepared in advance, so he will not be affected by those resentful words."
Chen Tingjian promised: "Don't worry, Princess. This is my duty."
Huayang: "I am afraid that you will always treat the emperor as a child and think that there are some things that the emperor only needs to do according to your instructions, which will hurt his reputation."
Chen Tingjian said in fear: "I dare not!"
Huayang sighed, "Father, don't worry too much. The emperor didn't say anything to you. It's just that I remember that you always treat my elder brother and my husband in two different ways. My elder brother is older, so you let him do everything. But my husband is younger, so you want him to listen to your arrangements completely, which makes him quite dissatisfied. That's why I'm worried that you treat the emperor in the same way."
Chen Tingjian: …
Damn Old Four, what did you plan to do in front of the princess
(End of this chapter)