Cheng Shao was summoned and hurriedly went to the Qianqing Palace.

The emperor sat on the big kang near the window, and the early summer morning sun shone on his face through the bright glass window, his face was yellow, tired and haggard.

Cheng Shao was secretly frightened, thinking of some of the words he heard a few days ago.

Is the emperor's body really getting worse?

He didn't dare to show a strange look, and respectfully stepped forward to salute.

The emperor asked people to accept the folds on the kang table and said, "Sit down and talk!" ”

More than 20 years of monarchy. Cheng Shao was not polite, took off his shoes and sat on the other side of the coffee table.

The chamberlain bowed slightly, walked in lightly and set up the chessboard.

The emperor did not play chess as usual, but waved his hand to let the servants in the room retreat, and asked Cheng Shao: "What happened to your two great-grandchildren?" ”

Cheng Shao was a little surprised and said, "Are you asking Ah Bao and Ah Ren?" ”

The emperor nodded.

Cheng Shao said with a smile: "The two children are very pure, as for whether they are the seeds of reading, I can't tell yet." But compared to before, the temperament is a lot more lively, every time I go to Zichuan's house, I amuse the birds and dogs with Zichuan's eldest son, and make a mess. ”

The emperor laughed when he heard this, and said, "It seems that the children are very close!" ”

Cheng Shao said: "The Cheng family is the only one in the capital, and they are also lively when they walk around during the New Year's holidays. ”

The emperor bowed his head and said, "That's also your intimate life." Otherwise, the child is the most sensible, who is good to him and who is bad to him, he can't speak, in fact, he has a rod and scale in his heart. Otherwise, the heirs and grandchildren who grew up in the good hall would not dare to tease the birds and chase the dogs with the righteous masters. ”

Cheng Shao responded "yes" with a smile, and wisely did not answer - eight or nine times out of ten, the emperor remembered a few princes.

Who knew that the emperor was holding on to this topic, and said, "I heard that several gentlemen from Pengchengbo's Mansion are studying at Chaoyangmen?" ”

Cheng Shao said with a smile: "After Zichuan's eldest son was born, my sister-in-law found that the children of several in-laws in the capital were about the same age. Peng Chengbo watched that there were six jinshi in three generations of our family, and he always felt that our family had a knack for reading, so he sent the children to Chaoyangmen and studied with the children of our in-laws. You know that too. My sister-in-law had a good relationship with Mrs. Bongsheng. Because of this, the children of the Peng family were not taken out of sight, so several children were huddled together to study. ”

The emperor smiled: "Their family is bent on reading a poetry book and passing it on." ”

Cheng Shao listened to the tone of those words with a little appreciation, so he obeyed the emperor's words and said: "Children read more books." Literate and reasonable. There is also some friendship between the brothers in this family. ”

When the emperor heard this, he sneered. Said: "Aren't the masters I found for a few princes very knowledgeable?" Why don't any of those wolf ambitions know what a brother or brother is? ”

Cheng Shao interjected: "No matter how strange it is, you can only blame your family property for being too rich, even the way of a saint can't stop it." ”

The emperor's face palely pale.

Cheng Shao saw that the emperor was not going to play chess. It's upset.

"It's a nice day." He simply said, "When I came, I saw that all the azaleas in the apse were blooming, do you want to go to the apse for a walk?" Wait a little longer and the sun will come out. ”

The flowers wilted.

The emperor only learned last night that the fourth princess handed over her niece to Cining Palace.

He was impetuous, and finally endured it until today, this anger not only did not dissipate, but accumulated more and more, he didn't want to be angry about these things anymore, so he called Cheng Shao over.

But when he saw Cheng Shao, he couldn't help but ask about Cheng Shao's family. Even he didn't know what he wanted to hear......

Let's put these things aside for now, shall we?

He is old, and he always hopes that all the children will be well.

The emperor and Cheng Shao went to the apse, looked at the azalea without saltiness, and left Cheng Shao to eat at noon.

Cheng Shao can always eat honestly, which is one of the reasons why the emperor likes to keep him for dinner.

After eating, Doctor Cao was coming to call for peace and security.

Cheng Shao was ready to retreat.

But the emperor left him to play chess.

When it was time to play chess, the emperor's interest gradually increased. The two talked and laughed, and Cheng Shao was on duty in Hanlin Courtyard at night. And the emperor went to Shenwumen early to welcome the queen mother back to the palace because the queen mother came back from the Great Xiangguo Temple.

Cheng Shao has been paying attention to the movement over there.

Hearing that the emperor had dinner in Cining Palace, he accompanied the queen mother to say that he had returned to the palace, and he couldn't help but breathe a long sigh of relief.

What Cheng Chi was worried about did not happen, which shows that the four princes are not so bold.

But in this way, the four princes are more ambitious, the emperor's grandson is young, and the emperor is getting older, so I am afraid that the court will never have peace again.

The Cheng family also wants to "guard against thieves for a thousand days" from now on and live tremblingly.

Then it might as well be left at that.

Whether it's life or death, there's an end!

Cheng Shao smiled bitterly, lay on the hardwood bed laid by Huaishan, and took the book that he brought into the palace to pass the long night and read it.

The surroundings were silent and silent, and the sound of insects chirping was clearer and louder.

Cheng Shao was drowsy.

A little chamberlain ran in in a panic and said urgently: "Lord Cheng, the emperor has summoned you." ”

Cheng Shao was stunned and said, "At this time? ”

The little waiter said: "Yes! The emperor told you to hurry up. ”

Cheng Shao hurriedly got dressed and went out.

There was a tall guard standing next to the little waiter, his face was very familiar, but Cheng Shao couldn't remember who this person was for a while.

The guard saluted Cheng Shao and said, "The palace has been locked, although the little father-in-law has a pair of cards, it is better for me to escort the two to the Qianqing Palace." ”

The duty room is in front of the Xiuxin Palace, but to go to the Qianqing Palace from the duty room, you need to enter from the Yuehua Gate.

At this time, the Yuehua Gate should have been locked.

The guards said that they were escorting, but in fact they were surveillance, which was also the rule in the palace.

Cheng Shao smiled and nodded to the guards, and the group went to the Qianqing Palace.

Qianqing Palace was quiet. Only the East Warm Pavilion is lit.

The great eunuch Chen Li took a few apprentices and Sun Gong to stand under the corridor of the Dongnuan Pavilion, and when he saw Cheng Shao coming in, he smiled at Cheng Shao and said, "The emperor is waiting for you!" Get on board! As he spoke, he lifted the curtain himself.

Cheng Shao walked in.

He saw two people in the house.

One sit, one stand.

Sitting is naturally the emperor.

Standing ...... But it should have been hundreds of miles away at this time, the fourth prince in military uniform.

Cheng Shao chuckled in his heart, and stood there stiffly with his hands and feet.

From behind him, Chen Li's voice sounded gentle and polite on weekdays, but at this time it made people feel gloomy and compassionate: "Lord Cheng, the emperor is waiting for you!" ”

How did the Four Princes get in? How did you say that Chen Li was moved? Is the Queen Mother's departure from the palace related to the Four Princes...... All kinds of suspicions came one after another, but Cheng Shao didn't dare to think about it.

He concealed his panic and strode forward to salute the emperor: "Minister Cheng Shao." Come with consecration. Please ask the emperor to command. ”

The emperor's expression was grim, as if he was sitting on the Jinluan Treasure Hall on weekdays, he couldn't see the joy and sorrow, and said, "I didn't let you come." It was the Four Princes who let you come. Listen to what he has to say! ”

Cheng Shao lowered his eyebrows and saluted the four princes.

The fourth prince pretended to turn sideways. Only half of his salute was accepted. personally took Cheng Shao to get up, and said gently: "Lord Cheng, the emperor thinks that the emperor's grandson is too young. is not enough to be the prince of the country, I want to pass it on to me, and I ask Lord Cheng to help write the edict. As he spoke, he pointed to the blank edict placed on the kang table in front of the emperor.

Cheng Shao didn't think about it, and said with a smile: "The four princes are wrong! The prince of the country is the foundation of the country, since ancient times, the four princes have both brothers in front, and nephews in the back, the emperor has the heart to pass on to you, but also have to discuss with the courtiers, how can you privately decide who will inherit the unification? The four princes, please forgive the ministers for being ignorant and not daring to write! ”

The fourth prince raised his eyebrows, and his facial features suddenly became as sharp as a blade.

He sneered: "Are you resisting the decree? ”

"The minister did not dare to disobey the decree." Cheng Shao said with a smile, his posture was like a pine, "The temple is not allowed to make friends with the vassal king." Please also ask the four princes to forgive their sins! ”

The fourth prince snorted coldly and glanced at the corner.

Cheng Shao couldn't help but look at it.

Only then did he realize that there was a man lying in the corner of the house.

It's an old acquaintance of his.

Li Yun, the pedestrian on duty today.

Cheng Shao was silent.

Chen Li's voice rang out through the door: "Fourth prince, it's almost time to change guards." ”

The four princes listened, and their faces rose a little angry.

Chen Lidao: "Today's cabinet is on duty with Lord Yuan. Look, do you want to bring Master Yuan here? ”

The fourth prince thought for a while and said, "It's okay." ”

There was a sound of footsteps outside.

The emperor suddenly beckoned to Cheng Shao: "Come, play a game of chess with me." ”

Cheng Shao straightened his clothes, walked over leisurely, sat cross-legged opposite the emperor, and took out the chessboard and chess pieces that had been played a few times on the kang.

There's something under the chessboard.

Cheng Shao quietly put it in his sleeve.

The emperor's eyes flashed with relief.

The two played chess.

Soon, Yuan Weichang came.

He suddenly changed color, bowed his head and saluted the emperor and the four princes.

The fourth prince repeated what he said to Cheng Shao.

Yuan Weichang's face turned blue and white for a while, and said: "Four princes, without the emperor's holy will, the ministers dare not write such an edict." ”

The fourth prince smiled angrily and said, "I didn't expect that one or two of you want to be loyal ministers, so I will fulfill your ......."

As he spoke, he drew his sword from his waist.

There was a loud commotion outside the door...... There was also Chen Li's frightened voice: "Fourth Prince, Han Ding didn't know where to come from......"

There was a slight panic in the expression of the fourth prince, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "Stop Han Ding...... The emperor is on our side......"

Before he finished his sentence, the window sash was torn apart, and a guard dragged a rope from the roof and swung in, surrounding the emperor and Cheng Shao, who were playing chess.

※

Zhou Shaojin asked Cheng Chi: "What happened then?" ”

Cheng Chi said with a smile: "The emperor has long been aware of the actions of the four princes, but in the end, it is his own son, and he always hopes that he can find out with his conscience." But he didn't expect that the fourth prince was even bolder than he imagined. actually took a risk, and wanted to use the method of capturing the thief to capture the king first to ascend the throne, and he looked down on the emperor too much......"

"I'm not asking about that." Zhou Shaojin said, "I'm asking what the second uncle took from the chessboard?" ”

※

Sisters, today's update.

And the final chapter.

~~~~(>_