When the queen mother returned to Qingning Palace, she learned that the emperor had been sitting in Ciqing Palace for most of the day, and the prince had been in the palace for a long time after returning to the palace, and finally the prince was directly brought back to the Qianqing Palace. As for the details, because Chu Kuan had something to leave temporarily, and the third prince, the crown prince, was unwilling to use other people, and the usual chores were done with the help of those attendants, so he couldn't find out.

After all, it is said that when the little prince returned to the palace, the other attendants were dismissed by the emperor early, leaving only Zhang Shou and Lu Sanlang, and now they have all left the palace and cannot be summoned to ask. Chen Yongshou knows, but he is from the Qianqing Palace.

Of course, the queen mother would not summon the two ministers with great fanfare for this matter, and after learning from the female officials who stayed behind, she went to bathe and change clothes, and actually postponed dinner for this reason. However, when she came out of the bathroom, Yuquan, who was guarding the door, changed her into the regular clothes of the palace, but said in a low voice: "The Queen Mother, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has come down." ”

"Only Saburo?" The Queen Mother raised her eyebrows in some surprise, and when she saw Yuquan bowing slightly, she couldn't help laughing, "When I am still the emperor, I will definitely come to Xingshi to ask for guilt, and now it seems that he can calm down this time...... But not necessarily, if you don't get angry, it's probably worse than arguing with me in person. ”

In the face of the Queen Mother's self-deprecation, Yuquan didn't know what to say, so he could only follow silently. When she came to the East Warm Pavilion of Qingning Palace, she saw that the eyes of the third prince were slightly red and swollen, as if she had just cried, but her expression was stretched, not at all like she had been scolded by the emperor.

And what Yuquan can see, how can the Queen Mother not see it? She smiled and patted the third prince's hand: "Why, looking at you like this, could it be that you hugged your father and cried?" ”

The third prince's eyes widened suddenly: "Grandmother, how do you know?" ”

The Queen Mother just teased casually, and when she heard such a completely unexpected answer, she was stunned for a moment, and her feet were unconsciously paused. She looked sideways at the third prince, and said with an incredulous face: "Really hugged your father and cried?" You're not the crying kid, but you're very empathetic. ”

"The teacher taught me." The third prince rubbed his eyes a little embarrassed, and then whispered what Zhang Shou said when he left, as well as the emperor's reaction, seeing the queen mother's angry and funny face, he was a little embarrassed and said, "I hugged my father and cried for a while, and my father was softened by my crying, and later confessed that he was ignorant when he was young......

The Queen Mother never expected the emperor to reflect on her youth and frivolity at that time, so when she heard the third prince say that the emperor even admitted that he was young and ignorant at that time, she couldn't help laughing: "Are you sure that you didn't distort your father's intentions?" ”

"Of course not!" The third prince swore an oath, but then whispered, "Actually, my father originally planned to come with me, but because I was embarrassed to see you, he entrusted me to make amends to my grandmother......"

Hearing that the third prince was a lot of apologies, even if she knew that there might be no one in ten thousand who really belonged to the emperor's original words, she was at least sure that this was indeed what her son meant. For many years, the mother and son, although they have also had heart-to-heart discussions, but more often, the two are stubborn and fall out at every turn, and then they can't wipe off their face for a long time, and they are faint when they meet.

Now that I think about it, is it because there is a lack of a confidant between her and the emperor to reconcile? Although Zhu Ying is good, she is not a real princess after all, so it is impossible to stay in the palace as if she were home every day, not to mention that she has become a relative now?

Therefore, the Queen Mother smiled and quipped to the third prince: "Your father is a character who has not admitted his mistakes for a hundred years, if it weren't for you, I don't know how many years it would take to wait for his apology...... In the future, my grandmother will depend on you. ”

Speaking of this, the Queen Mother suddenly realized that the third prince had always called her by the word grandmother, which was different from the respectful imperial grandmother in the past. Moreover, it's not just the title, just like Zhu Ying can call the four words of the Queen Mother that others also call like that, the three princes are now a little more sincere and close.

And the third prince didn't notice the change in the queen mother's expression, and when he heard the queen mother say this, he immediately pursed his lips and smiled, but the eyes that were still a little red and swollen made his smile look a little aggrieved, however, of course, the queen mother would not misunderstand what he said because of his expression.

"Grandmother, my father said that in the future, let me live at both ends of the Qingning Palace and the Zhaoren Hall of the Qianqing Palace, don't bother me!"

This is another request that was not expected before. The Queen Mother knew before that it was impossible for her to keep the three princes by her side all the time, and the emperor's patience should have reached the limit, but now the emperor is willing to let the three princes come over to accompany her, she suddenly stretched her brows, and between her expectations, she revealed the moving charm of her youth.

"Did your father agree to it, or did you ask for it? Also, do you ignore your mother? The number of times she sees your son is limited now, and you only care about me and your father, so you are not afraid of ignoring her? You can't just throw her aside just because she will never say you're unfilial. ”

Faced with the queen mother's reproach, the third prince couldn't help but feel a little weak, and then whispered: "I asked my father to take one day off every ten days, and I will accompany my mother and concubine more on this day." However, the mother concubine has always been tranquil, and she stays in the palace all the year round and does not go out, grandmother, didn't you promise Sister Yingying to go to the women's school often? Can you bring her with you then? It's better to be pure and distracted. ”

If someone else made such a request, then the Queen Mother would definitely think that she had a plan, however, when she saw that the third prince said this, her eyebrows and eyes were full of expectations and requests, and the Queen Mother suddenly softened.

After all, today's three princes don't have to worry about their status at all, and the same is true of the former concubines - one is already the crown prince, the other is the imperial concubine, even if Concubine Yu is already a concubine now, and she is still pregnant with a fetus in her womb, but not to mention whether it is a man or a woman, but it will not shake the East Palace for at least ten years.

Thinking of this, she readily agreed: "If I don't agree to you, won't you go to your father's place to hug him and cry again?" Such a trifle, I promise you. ”

The three princes were immediately overjoyed. After all, the biological mother and concubine are such a cautious character, even if they are now known as the imperial concubines, they still do not change their old tempers, and even in order to make less trouble for him, most of the time they simply don't even go out of their own palaces, and they only interact with Concubine Yu and Concubine Jiang on weekdays.

As a result, the very unreliable rumors that the imperial concubine is arrogant and domineering are everywhere in and out of the palace.

At this time, such a problem was really solved, and the third prince was overjoyed. Next, as when he communicated with his father and emperor before, he told in detail how he went to Baijia Village to meet the four princes, and said his imagination for the future, and even the things he heard about such things as rail carriages and steam iron ships from Zhang Shou were not omitted......

The once shy and shy child just talked about the future from his own point of view with relish, without caution, without a gentle mask, and without pretending to be mature...... But with such an attitude, the Queen Mother found it very interesting.

The emperor was also such a true temperament back then, but that true temperament was flying and domineering, and he was the only one, so arguing with her at every turn was sparkling, and he broke up unhappily, in contrast, King Lu was very good at pleasing her, and everything followed her, even when he made a request, he seemed to have guessed her preferences and bottom line in advance.

And she is also happy to be kind to the other son left by the first emperor, not to mention that the emperor is very partial to this brother, so she can be more generous, and she can save some trouble in the palace. But this doesn't mean that she can't see the arrogance and viciousness behind the well-behaved child, nor does it mean that she doesn't know that people have always pretended to be a good son in front of her.

Because of this, after the rebellion of King Ye, she took the lead and killed King Lu by cutting the grass and roots, even if the emperor was unwilling to say a word to her for several months.

However, she will always remember the crazy shouting of King Lu in the face of that cup of poisoned wine: "I have always been pleasing you and pleasing the royal brother, but you are not the same, you have always pretended to favor me and pretend to like me as a concubine!" How could my mother die so early, wasn't it your hand? ”

"I'm just going to overthrow you, I'm just insatiable, insatiable! Chen Sheng knows all the princes and generals, rather there is a kind, I am the prince and grandson of the eight classics, why can't I think of it! ”

At that time, in the face of such a crying and laughing King Lu, the whole person was like a madman, she didn't say a word, just quietly watched the person being poured wine and died, and quietly turned around and left. She is not like the emperor, who made a mistake to pay her sincerity, so she felt sorry for herself and couldn't let go for a long time, she never paid her true feelings, so she didn't care much about betrayal.

That's not the son she gave birth to, she chose the best teacher for him, gave him the best mansion, food and clothing, and even the prince was personally begged by her, and she treated him like her own son in front of people on weekdays, what else do you want from her?

Like his own son, sad or happy for his every move?

Thinking of these old things, the Queen Mother couldn't help but feel a little dazed, until the third prince couldn't help but call her a few times, she suddenly came back to her senses, but she looked down at her own grandson, because of a smile: "You are a good boy, your father is a great luck to have such a good son as you, and your fourth brother is also a great luck to have such a good brother as you." ”

"That's why my father and fourth brother have always been good to me."

The third prince shook his head, and then said with a sparkle in his eyes: "Grandmother, I'm really curious, what those small exotic countries are like...... However, I may not even be able to go out of the capital, so I can only hope for the fourth brother. ”

"When the Son of Heaven travels, the earth shakes the mountains, so in all dynasties, in addition to the founding Son of Heaven, the later generations of the Son of Heaven are often trapped in the deep palace, let alone out of the capital, so they can no longer see the real people, let alone the spark that gradually burns the plain."

When the Queen Mother said this, she couldn't help but feel deeply, and immediately smiled and said: "This is what Emperor Taizu said, people in the past often thought that he was talking about the chaos in the world at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, but later I learned that what he said was not only applicable to the troubled times, but also to the rule of the world." The founding of the dynasty is often full of heroes and heroes, and all kinds of government decrees are easy to implement, but the further you go, the ......"

"The more prone it is to get tired and riddled with ills, because the old fathers have become a family, and the eunuchs have become local gentry and wealthy families, and anything to change will affect their interests. Even if your fourth brother comes back after broadening his knowledge in a foreign country, do you think those beneficial things can be promoted? Your father has such a strong temper, and now he can only take his time with patience. ”

As she spoke, she looked at the third prince with a smile: "Did you say that?" ”

"Grandmother, what my father can't do, I know that it will be more difficult for me to do it in the future, after all, I don't have the same strong wrist as my father, but," he took a light breath, and then whispered, "There are a lot of manuscripts of Emperor Taizu in the Ancient and Modern Tongji Library, no one can read them, but there are also people who can understand them." For example......

"For example, Emperor Taejo thought that if the sea ships went east, past Goryeo and Japan, they would be able to reach a rich land that was vast and fertile, and was very suitable for farming. Successive dynasties were often able to grant land according to households when the country was founded, but as the population grew over time, there was gradually not enough land, so land annexation intensified, and there were many people who lost their land. ”

"Although these people can go to work, the number of people needed to work is also limited, so what should we do if the rest of the people have no land and no job? If there is land to house these people, will the so-called depression be able to alleviate a little? ”

The Queen Mother quietly listened to the words of the third prince who were obviously careful about his words, and suddenly interrupted: "I remember that you said before that you wanted your fourth brother to go to those small countries in the west to see, how did it become the continent in the east that buried Emperor Taizu again?" ”

The third prince was immersed in his own words at this time, and he didn't notice that the queen mother's tone was suddenly a little cold, but he said without thinking: "Those countries in the west are also said to be rich in land, and the teacher said that the rivers in many places even have real names such as flowing milk and honey. I want the fourth brother to see what the customs are like over there......"

"If the people over there have a hard time, and they have to be oppressed by some prince and church, and there is no use for those who have read books, then ...... Is it possible to solicit it? They don't understand the history of rituals, laws, and scriptures, but maybe they understand technology and mechanics? ”

The queen mother thought that the three princes would say that if those small people in the West were not happy, then the Ming Dynasty, as the upper kingdom of the Celestial Empire, could take advantage of this to send troops and expand the territory, but when the three princes smiled a little shyly, and then said the words of recruiting talents, she couldn't help but laugh dumbly.

This is the crown prince, not the emperor, not a madman who wants to use tough means at every turn! Thinking of this, she quipped: "So, you want your fourth brother to learn a lot of languages, but also to facilitate communication with people, so that you can recruit more talents when the time comes?" ”

"Yes, yes, grandmother, you are really discerning!" The third prince smiled so hard that his eyes narrowed, "If the fourth brother is knowledgeable and fluent, coupled with his identity, isn't it invincible to go out?" At that time, it will be the heroes of the world who will enter me! ”