Han Ruzi could feel the eyes behind him, like invisible arms. He was a little hesitant to pull him back. He didn't stop because of this. When he walked down the three steps, the eyes behind him softened. Now, this may just be his illusion, and from here, he is closer to the ministers.
He could see the refraction of the Queen Mother's gaze from the ministers' eyes: at first the ministers showed fear, which meant that the Queen Mother was surprised and dissatisfied with the emperor, and soon, the ministers became confused, because the Queen Mother did not stop the emperor, and finally, They restored the humility that the courtiers should have, lowered their eyes and looked at the emperor's toes, indicating that the queen mother acquiesced to the emperor's behavior.
Han Ruzi's heart was still beating wildly, but he did not regret his decision and continued to move forward, getting closer and closer to the prince of Qi, Han Ling.
"Your Majesty..." Prime Minister Yin Wuxian stood up a little, trying to prevent the emperor from approaching the dangerous person, but after glancing in the direction of the throne, he knelt down again.
The ministers knelt on the ground and slowly turned their direction, keeping facing the emperor at all times.
Among them, Han Ling was the most surprised. Seeing the emperor approaching, she couldn't say a word.
"I used to come here when I was young." Han Ruzi stopped and looked around, "I don't remember how old I am, but I only remember that it was a summer afternoon when I saw Emperor Wu for the first time here. Outside It's hot, the hall is cool, and it's dark. I'm standing... here."
Han Ruzi pointed to a pillar at the door, all eyes followed his finger, even Han Ling was no exception.
"There was no one else in the hall at that time, only I and Emperor Wu. Emperor Wu sat alone... there." Han Ruzi turned around and looked at the place where the Queen Mother was sitting. Donghai Wang and others all looked at him with surprise.
"Emperor Wu didn't see me." A picture really appeared in Han Ruzi's mind, perfectly integrated with the Palace of Qinzheng. Dare to walk over, just peek behind the pillar, and then I heard Wudi speak, he still didn't see me, so that sentence was said to him, he said—"
Han Ruzi tried harder to think about it, and the words circled in his mind, like catkins dancing in the wind, like feathers floating on the water, and finally, he caught it. "The Emperor Wu said: 'I am a lonely man.'"
There was silence in the Qinzheng Hall, and suddenly someone sobbed, attracting all eyes at once.
The sobber was Jing Yao, the supervisor of the Central Division. He was originally standing on the second step in front of the throne, but he turned and knelt down toward the throne, not facing the queen mother sitting on it, but facing the throne itself." This is indeed what Emperor Wu said. When Emperor Wu thought... when he thought there was no one around, or when he was too involved in things, he would occasionally say this sentence, except for a few internal servants, absolutely no outsiders heard it!"
The ministers who were half-believing in the past, almost all believed at this time, only Han Ling was still stubborn, "Hey, thank you for being able to come up with such a trick: it happens that you are alone, and you are alone when you meet Emperor Wu, and the only one who can testify is Ming. Eunuch."
Jing Yao's testimony was not expected by Han Ruzi. He was counting on another person. He stretched out his hand again and pointed at Prime Minister Yin Wuxian, "I remember him."
Yin Wuhao was startled, opened his mouth, trembling all over, not knowing whether to admit it or not.
"It's not in the hall." Han Ruzi added, the picture in his mind became clearer and clearer, "I didn't dare to walk in front of Emperor Wu, I quietly retreated, and I met Prime Minister Yin at the door. I didn't know he was the Prime Minister at the time. I just remember hitting his leg and seeing a big bird embroidered on him. I was sitting on the ground, and Prime Minister Yin helped me up."
Everyone's eyes fell on the Prime Minister again.
Yin Wuxian was originally kneeling, but at this time sitting there, a man of several decades actually burst into tears, "It's me, it's really me, in June of the thirty-sixth year of Zhongmiao, Emperor Wu summoned all his children and grandchildren, Your Majesty was only four or five years old at the time, and I didn’t know how to stay alone in the Palace of Qinzheng. At that time, I was not the prime minister, but the censor of the right patrol…”
No one doubted this time. Han Ruzi continued: "Afterwards, Emperor Wu walked out of the Qinzheng Hall and laughed when he saw me, saying that I... said I'm 'ruzi can be taught', that's how my nickname came from."
The story that my mother had told over and over again became clear now.
There was a lot of crying in the Qinzheng Hall, and everyone thought of the resolute and fearless Emperor Wu. If he was still alive, a single cough could make any princes and kings from thousands of miles away non-stop running to kneel and worship, only less than four years apart, the imperial court. His army was actually defeated by a mere king of Qi.
Han Ruzi looked at Han Ling and said, "I am the son of Emperor Huan and the grandson of Emperor Wu."
Han Ling's face turned blue and red, and he hesitated to speak. Then he knelt down and lowered his head, but he refused to speak, let alone "Your Majesty".
That's enough, Han Ruzi turned and walked towards the throne, the ministers on both sides were still sobbing, and prostrate even lower on the ground.
On the throne, the Queen Mother gave way to the side a little, Han Ruzi sat beside her, her heart suddenly beat faster, her legs seemed to be collapsed and weak.
"Well done." The queen mother whispered, and then said to the ministers below: "Aijia hope, this is the only time, and the last time, someone questioned the identity of the emperor." After a pause, the queen mother added sternly : "There are no more slanderous words to deceive demons, and their sins cannot be forgiven."
In fact, apart from King Qi and his son, no one has publicly raised doubts. The ministers are arguing with each other about how to fight the Qi soldiers, and whether Taifu Cui Hong should be responsible for the defeat, but the Queen Mother still grasped the crux of the problem: we must let The ministers are convinced to make them try their best.
The controversy in the Qinzheng Hall became invisible. When the Queen Mother ordered the ministers to stand up and speak, everyone pointed their finger at the King of Qi. Han Ling, the prince of the King of Qi who was still kneeling there, became the target of all the criticism. After several hits, the Queen Mother had to order him to be taken away.
Some people made suggestions, some recommended fierce generals, some were willing to be lobbyists for retreating soldiers... The ministers finally formed a force.
Han Ruzi's heart gradually calmed down, and once again he felt that everything had nothing to do with him.
It didn't take long for Yang Feng to point out that His Majesty seemed a little tired. After receiving the approval of the Queen Mother, Yang Feng personally helped the emperor to return to the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace to rest.
"Your Majesty shouldn't do this." As soon as he entered the room and screened off the other eunuchs and palace maids, Yang Feng sternly objected.
"What should I do?" Han Ruzi asked.
"It shouldn't attract the attention of the queen mother and ministers, let alone participate in the war between the court and the king of Qi. Staying out of the matter is the best choice."
Han Ruzi refused to admit his mistake, "You said that because I am the emperor, someone would take the initiative to contact me. You are referring to those noble servants."
"Has someone contacted His Majesty?"
"No, not a single one, and no one even gave me any hints. So I thought, I have to do something to let everyone know that I am an emperor worthy of contact. Just like Duke Yang, I also feel that I still have some hope. Just want to help me."
Yang Feng was stunned. This was not the first time he was shocked by the emperor's precocious intelligence, but the emperor's growth rate still exceeded his expectations, and he was speechless for a while.
"Your Majesty... It's still a bit rash, and the Queen Mother will be more afraid of Your Majesty from now on." Yang Feng didn't want to encourage the emperor to take risks.
"There are pros and cons, depending on the future situation, maybe the benefits are greater."
Yang Feng sighed lightly, "Are all the things His Majesty said... all true?"
"I have some vague memories." Han Ruzi didn't want to lie to Yang Feng, so he said sincerely: "To be honest, I don't remember Prime Minister Yin, but I just thought he would probably help me out, and Jing Yao's reaction was beyond mine. Expected - that sentence is really imprinted in my memory, but I don't remember who said it."
"What about 'Ruzi can be taught'?"
"My mother always told me this story, I think it should be true."
Yang Feng sighed again, "Please, Your Majesty, rest in peace here, I'll ask someone to arrange a meal."
"I'm going to live here in the future?" Han Ruzi smelled the strong aroma and didn't like it very much.
"Well, this is to protect Your Majesty's safety."
Yang Feng turned to leave. Han Ruzi had something to ask, so he hurriedly said, "Luo Huanzhang, the master of the King of the East Sea, taught me the way of benevolence and righteousness."
"Luo Huanzhang is a great scholar. Your Majesty should listen to his lectures more."
"But what he said was different from what you said."
The emperor can no longer be regarded as a pure child, and in the imperial concubine's palace, they will not have too many opportunities to talk privately in the future, Yang Feng decided not to go around in circles: "From the perspective of benevolence and righteousness, power tactics are only temporary means. ; From the point of view of power and strategy, benevolence and righteousness are just high-sounding banners; from my perspective, both are biased, and one can do whatever one wants without any hindrance. No one else. The place where Taizu is stronger than King Zhuang and King Chen is that he does not stick to one side and swims freely between benevolence and righteousness and strategy.”
Han Ruzi couldn't fully understand, "I don't quite understand... For example, how should I deal with those noble children?"
"Your Majesty just need to remember one thing: Your Majesty can be selfish, but there is a bottom line for selfishness, that is, don't be selfish enough to think that others are not selfish. If Your Majesty can push the world with what you want, it will be beneficial wherever you go."
Yang Feng left, and Han Ruzi was even more confused, "How could I think that others are not selfish?"
Slowly, he had a little experience.
The door opened silently, and it wasn't the eunuch who delivered the meal who came in, but Meng E. She was sent to protect the emperor. Maybe she had arrived long ago, and she just didn't enter the house.
"I can teach you inner strength right now." Meng E said.
It was at this moment that Han Ruzi woke up. Meng E wanted to pass on his internal strength because she saw that he might become a real emperor. She was not a so-called loyal minister. She had selfishness and great selfishness, so she entered the palace. When a female bodyguard, she will take the initiative to teach her internal skills.
"I want to learn, but we have to gain mutual trust first." Han Ruzi wanted to find out what her selfishness was.
Meng E was a little confused. She always thought that the emperor should beg her, "How can we trust each other?"
"Tell me first, what's the matter with the wound on the Queen Mother's hand?"