The emperor responded calmly and ordered, "Let them in."
"Yes!" Eunuch Wang retreated hastily.
The crown prince walked in first, followed by several princes.
"Your son pays respect to His Majesty, Father."
"Get up. It's rare for you brothers to be together. What's the matter?" The emperor said with a smile, and no emotion could be heard in his calm tone.
The prince's face darkened, but he recovered in an instant. The faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes showed that he was no longer young. He knelt on the ground hurriedly and said, "Your Majesty, I apologize to you, father."
"Oh?" The emperor raised his eyebrows and glanced at the princes: "What crime has the prince committed?"
As his voice fell, before the Crown Prince could reply, the Fifth Prince stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, there was a severe drought in Daming this year, and the money sent by the court for disaster relief actually went into the Crown Prince's pocket."
Daming, the emperor frowned. The Li Qing family really knew how to make trouble for him. Daming seemed to be under the jurisdiction of Prefect Gu.
"I am innocent. I had no idea that you embezzled disaster relief funds." The prince had a sad face. He knew how to impress the emperor.
"You said you didn't know anything, so you didn't know anything? Yan Zhengrong is your uncle, and the crown prince is not afraid of slipping his tongue by talking too much." The fifth prince responded sharply, and he finally found something to hold against Lord Yan, so how could he let it go easily
"You..." The prince glared at him, his heart burning with rage. Today he received the news that his fifth brother had something against his uncle, so he rushed to ask for an audience with the emperor before his fifth brother. Unfortunately, he was still a step late.
"Alright." The emperor interrupted their argument and looked at the fifth prince calmly: "What's going on? Tell me."
"Your Majesty, I heard that Lord Gu is honest and upright, so I was planning to investigate his political achievements. Unexpectedly, I uncovered a major corruption case. As it was not long ago, the clues have not been covered up yet. Please take a look, Your Majesty." The fifth prince said as he respectfully presented two memorials.
The emperor had an ugly expression on his face, and his dark eyes were unpredictable. In the emperor's mind, his son did nothing wrong, and even if he did, it was because he was corrupted by the Yan family.
The prince secretly hated Li Yaonan and blamed him for bringing up the prefect Daming for no reason, catching them off guard. He kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Yan is loyal and dedicated. There must be a villain behind this. I have come here today to apologize. Please give me some time to find out the truth."
"The evidence is conclusive. The money has gone into your pocket. How else do you want to find out?" The fifth prince was full of sarcasm, not trying to hide the gloating on his face.
The crown prince refused to give in and refuted firmly: "Father, I dare not plead for Lord Yan, but I will never allow others to slander me. I have worked diligently. The people are the foundation of the Jin Dynasty. I have been taught by you since I was a child. I would never dare to do anything that harms the people. My fifth brother is making false statements and spreading rumors. Please help me, father."
The Fifth Prince's face changed. It had come to this point, but he had never expected that the Crown Prince would still deny it outright, and even drag him into the blame. He said without thinking, "Father, the Crown Prince has ulterior motives, and he is unkind and unmerciful, so he cannot handle this important task."
The prince's eyes flashed, and the expression on his face instantly turned into indignation, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
The emperor's face turned gloomy, and his tone was cold without a trace of warmth: "The prince is not up to the task, who is suitable?"
The fifth prince was shocked and angry, breaking out in a cold sweat: "Father, please forgive me. I was just anxious at the moment." At this moment, he didn't understand that the prince was deliberately provoking him.
"You can slander my brother when you are in a hurry, and you can speak nonsense about the prince when you are in a hurry. I am not dead yet." The emperor was furious and shouted, "Go back and reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors."
"Father..." The fifth prince opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but under the emperor's rage, he was left with a gloomy face. His father had always been like this, with only the crown prince in his heart. No matter how much evidence of the crown prince's crimes he produced, his father was still partial to him. Why
The hatred between the fifth prince and the crown prince has reached the point of no return.
The emperor rubbed his temples tiredly and looked coldly at his sons with different expressions. A feeling of powerlessness surged in his heart, and he didn't know how long he could endure.
"Father, please calm down." The Sixth Prince advised hurriedly, his eyes full of concern.
The Seventh Prince was unwilling to be left behind and echoed, "Father, calm down. Fifth Brother is also wholeheartedly serving the people. I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose."
The emperor said indifferently: "Do you have something to say?" It was indeed a coincidence that several princes came to the imperial study together to ask for an audience.
The Sixth Prince's heart trembled, he lowered his eyelids slightly, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I have nothing important to do. I came to tell you the good news today that I have a son. Please give me a name."
The Seventh Prince was not stupid. He changed his mind and immediately distanced himself from the matter. He came to the Imperial Study to ask for an audience and it must have nothing to do with the Fifth Prince. He smiled and said, "Father, I have listened to Lord Li's remarks and I deeply feel that they make sense. Your Majesty has a keen eye and saw the pillars of the court early on. In the past, when the East River was suffering from a water shortage, Lord You opened the granary without authorization to release grain, which violated the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty. Your Majesty has already shown mercy by sentencing him to be beheaded in public. Who would have thought that the You family was not only ungrateful, but also instigated the people to make a petition for their lives. Where does this put the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty? Lord Li's remarks hit the nail on the head."
The emperor's expression eased a little, didn't he? Li Qing's comments on Lord You really won the emperor's heart. Could it be that just because they were devoted to the people, they could ignore the laws of the country
As for the argument of raising food and grass from wealthy households, although the emperor did not quite agree with it, he felt it made sense deep down in his heart. Faced with the empty treasury, what the emperor hated most were actually those unkind and wealthy businessmen. However, as the king of a country, he knew that he had no right to be willful. No matter how unbearable the businessmen were, they were still the people of Dajin and drove the economic operation of Dajin.
There was a flash of pride in the seventh prince's eyes, he was flattering his father in the right way.
However, he was not happy for long. Who could guess what the emperor was thinking? How could the emperor not know about the little actions of his sons? No matter how well they behaved and how filial they were, they were all for the chair under his butt.
"Okay, I got it, you can go now." The emperor said calmly, but he held the memorial requested by the fifth prince in his hand and did not send it out.
Several princes left one after another and left the imperial study. The crown prince looked gloomy and did not have the joy of victory. He knew the emperor's temper best. If his father was angry, and the matter was dealt with now, there might be room for easing in the future. But now this situation is the worst outcome.
The fifth prince felt happy, even if he was confined by his father, he thought it was all worth it as long as he could bring down the crown prince. He glanced coldly at the sixth and seventh princes, and realized more clearly than ever that his greatest rivals might be the two of them.
The Sixth Prince smiled coldly and didn't take the Fifth Prince's look seriously at all. What a brainless guy. Even if his father was blind, it would not be his turn to succeed to the throne.
The Seventh Prince curled his lips and looked down upon his two elder brothers. The Fifth Prince was easily impulsive, while the Sixth Prince was scheming and calculating. However, after all the calculations, he had the greatest chance of winning. His father hated forming cliques and pursuing personal interests the most. It was ridiculous that the Sixth Prince could not even win over the Yue Family, yet he still acted like a humble person.
The viciousness in the prince's eyes flashed by. He used to respect his father and wanted to be a good crown prince. However, as his brothers grew up, everything changed. He was no longer the prince favored by his father. His brothers caught his father's eye. He had no way out. If he didn't succeed, he would die. Everything was forced by his father...
The emperor looked very unhappy, staring blankly at the memorial. He had brought up the prince himself, so naturally they had a special bond, but in the current situation, it was clear that the prince was no longer suitable for his position.
"Father, you must take care of yourself. Why don't you listen to what the Crown Prince has to say?" The Twelfth Prince said with concern, worry evident on his little face.
The emperor was startled and realized that his three young sons had not left yet.
"Father, Father, please don't be angry. I will definitely be filial to you. Today, my mother has prepared some osmanthus cakes. I will give you most of them." The sixteenth prince acted coquettishly and looked at the emperor with a flattering face.
The Thirteenth Prince snorted with disdain. A few years ago, the Sixteenth Prince used this trick to help his mother win favor. Now he is ten years old, but he is still acting like a child. Isn't it shameful
The twelfth prince glanced at him warningly, and the thirteenth prince immediately put on a smile: "Father, don't be angry, your son will definitely memorize it well tomorrow."
The twelfth prince rubbed his forehead. He might as well keep silent. If he remembered correctly, his seventeenth brother, who was now eight years old, had already memorized it by heart.
The emperor's face darkened, and he immediately became angry: "How dare you say that."
The Thirteenth Prince was depressed, and felt deeply that he and his father were not compatible. He muttered quietly, "It's wrong to express ambition."
The emperor was so angry that he was puffing his beard and glaring. His older son was a worry to him, and his younger son was also a worry to him. However, the depression in his heart had dissipated a lot.
The sixteenth prince said proudly: "Thirteenth brother, you are wrong. I have already learned the sixth chapter of the Analects of Confucius, Yong Ye. How come your learning progress is the same as that of the seventeenth brother?"
The Thirteenth Prince was itching to show off his small but strong arms, and said disdainfully: "What's the use of just studying? If you have the ability, let's compete in riding and archery."
The sixteenth prince was choked. He thought that his thirteenth brother was an outstanding archer and was a fool to compete with him. He retorted, "If you have the ability, let's compete in knowledge."
"Comparing horseback archery."
"Comparing knowledge."
"Comparing horseback archery."
"Okay, both of you shut up." The emperor was both angry and amused. He did not feel too averse to the fighting among the young princes. This was the behavior of childish children, which made him feel the joy of raising a son.
The two princes immediately fell silent, their eyes fixed on the emperor.
The emperor had to be dignified in front of his son, so he said with a straight face: "Your knowledge of riding and archery will all be checked. I'll give you a month. If you win, there will be a prize."
The sixteenth prince was full of confidence: "My son will definitely live up to my father's expectations."
The Thirteenth Prince rolled his eyes and asked, "What's the prize?"
The emperor was amused by his anger and said calmly, "If you lose, you will be punished by copying the Analects ten times."
The Thirteenth Prince screamed miserably. It turned out that if he didn't do it, he would not die.
The emperor was in a good mood. Bullying his son was indeed a great sense of accomplishment. He thought for a while and said, "Next time Li Qing's family gives a lecture, you can go and watch it."
"Yes!" The three princes answered with a smile. Thirteenth and Sixteenth were even more excited as they finally had the chance to leave the palace.
The twelfth prince was delighted. He had heard of Li Yaonan's name a long time ago, but it was a pity that he never had the chance to meet him. He would definitely not miss the next lecture.
The emperor felt amused and a faint warmth rose in his heart. Children are children, their emotions are all shown on their faces. He continued, "If I let you become my disciple, who would be willing?"
The Thirteenth Prince jumped up immediately, hid himself far away, and asked the Master to spare him, as he did not want to learn any of the nonsense.
The Sixteenth Prince looked hesitant, and after a moment's hesitation he said, "This minister thinks that Grand Secretary Ye is very good."
The emperor raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "You want to take him as your master?"
The Sixteenth Prince nodded firmly, carefully hiding his thoughts.
The emperor did not think much about it. Ye Aiqing was knowledgeable and it was reasonable for his son to want to worship him as his teacher. However, all the university scholars had a problem. If the disciple was not someone he personally valued, Ye Aiqing would be dissatisfied even if he issued an imperial decree: "As long as Ye Aiqing nods, I will allow you."
"Thank you, father." The sixteenth prince was pleasantly surprised, his eyes sparkling. In his opinion, as a prince, Lord Ye would definitely not refuse him.
The twelfth prince did not think so. Although the sixteenth prince was precocious, he was still too young. And it was not easy to win over Grand Secretary Ye. Didn’t you see that the crown prince and several of his elder brothers were all turned away
"What about you?" The emperor looked at the twelfth prince and was extremely satisfied. This son was becoming more and more steady, and he acted like an elder brother to his younger brother. With time, he would surely be trained to be a wise king.
"I am willing to take Tongzhengshisi as my teacher." The goal of the twelfth prince was very clear. If he had to take a teacher, he would choose the least conspicuous one. He would have to do his work in the future. If he got in the way of his brother, he would die before he could accomplish his mission. Lord Li's identity was just right. He was a close minister of his father, so he could be feared. But he did not have a deep background, so people would not be too defensive.
Of course, the most important point is that he is very optimistic about Lord Li's future. Whether it is Lord Li's political achievements in Yunnan or his style of doing things, the Twelfth Prince admires him very much and is willing to take him as his teacher.
The Thirteenth Prince was very anxious. Seeing his father's gaze looking at him, he hurriedly said, "I am the same as the Twelfth Brother."
The emperor frowned and was too lazy to pay attention to this useless son. However, it was better for him to follow Twelve so that there would be no one to control him. As for whether Li Yaonan would agree to accept him as a disciple, the emperor said that it was not a problem at all.
The gap between people is really big. The emperor will never force an order against Lord Ye. Li Yaonan will cry...
But at this moment, he knew nothing and was happily accompanying his husband to educate his son.
The emperor was not in a hurry. As for the matter of becoming apprentices, he wanted to let his sons get in touch with the teacher first before making a final decision. He lightly instructed them not to spread the news, and then went to Concubine Hui with the sixteenth prince.
The Thirteenth Prince refused to accept that his Sixteenth Brother had actually kidnapped his father.
The twelfth prince did not care. He thought his father was a wise ruler and where he spent the night would not affect any situation in the court.
The author has something to say: Thank you, the heir to the throne has been confirmed to be Xiao Twelve. o(n_n)o
There was a power outage at home during the day, so I would like to apologize to everyone. The update time tomorrow is not fixed and it will probably be very late.
Oh, actually, the situation is better here at my house. I haven’t heard from my aunt for three days. I don’t know where she is stuck in traffic. There’s not even a phone call from her. There’s too much rain today in autumn. I can’t even walk in front of my house.
Drunk Cat, please be more careful and throw a mine. Throwing time: 2014-09-14 12:45:03
xiaozi threw a mine. Throwing time: 2014-09-14 21:37:59
Hua Nongying and Yaze threw a mine. Throwing time: 2014-09-14 22:28:54
Xiaoban threw a mine. Throwing time: 2014-09-14 22:29:30
Mint is not cool and threw a grenade. Throwing time: 2014-09-15 16:50:20
婠婠 threw a mine. Throwing time: 2014-09-15 23:25:53
Shaoyan threw a grenade. Throwing time: 2014-09-16 20:07:42