Fang Yuan and Chongzhen were full of interest, and they talked all night, and when the two finished chatting about the tactics of the battle, it was already the third watch.

Chongzhen yawned and said, "I'm sleepy, Fang Yuan, where is your mansion in the capital?" ”

Fang Yuan hurriedly said, "The minister only has a small courtyard house in the capital, and he also lent it to distant relatives to live, and the minister really hasn't found a place to go." ”

Chongzhen laughed and said, "It seems that you are more frugal than me!" It's such a night, you just have nowhere to go out of the palace, so stay in the Qianqing Palace to rest! ”

Chongzhen turned his head sideways to explain to Wang Chengen and said, "Arrange for Fang Yuan to rest in the East Warm Pavilion, and I will go to the West Warm Pavilion to rest." ”

The East Warm Pavilion is the sleeping palace of the Ming and Qing emperors who fasted and rested and reviewed the chapters, while the West Warm Pavilion was the sleeping palace where the emperor summoned the concubines to sleep.

Staying in the East Warm Pavilion to rest?

Wang Chengen listened to it secretly, and almost couldn't believe his ears. Since Chongzhen ascended the throne, no minister has ever been able to stay in the Dongnuan Pavilion, and even the entire Ming Dynasty has never heard of any minister who has had this treatment.

Ling Fang Yuan slept on the dragon couch, obviously not treating Fang Yuan as a foreign minister.

Wang Chengen confirmed to Chongzhen again, "Your Majesty, do you really want Fang Yuan to stay in Dongnuan Pavilion?" ”

Chongzhen said angrily, "Did I not say it clearly, or did you not hear it clearly?" ”

Wang Chengen hurriedly nodded and said, "Since the old slave has his ears back, his ears have been backed." Xiao Linzi, stay in the Dongnuan Pavilion to serve Lord Fang to freshen up and go to bed. ”

Xiao Linzi responded repeatedly, and asked the other little eunuchs to bring the imperial meal to fill their stomachs, as well as hot water for freshening up.

Fang Yuan was a traverser, and he didn't have much touch on these differences between dignity and inferiority. He was too tired from the journey, and after freshening up, he lay directly on the dragon couch in the East Warm Pavilion and fell asleep.

He slept soundly, and he didn't know how long he slept until his nose itched and he sneezed violently, and then he woke up.

Fang Yuan opened his hazy sleepy eyes and saw that Princess Kunxing had a smiling face, and what entered his nose was the faint body fragrance of the girl.

"What's going on?"

Fang Yuan propped himself up and looked around, still in the East Warm Pavilion, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

But thinking of being so disheveled and facing Princess Kunxing, it seemed too rude, so he hurriedly got up and tidied up his brocade clothes, and said to Princess Kunxing, "Princess, I was almost scared to death by you!" ”

Princess Kunxing said with a smile, "As soon as I heard that the prince said that you had returned to the capital, I rushed here, but I didn't expect that my father would leave you to sleep in the Dongnuan Pavilion." ”

It turned out to be Wang Chengen's letter again, and Kun Xing could come to the door at any time, which showed that Wang Chengen was pestering Wang Chengen to listen to Fang Yuan's news on weekdays.

Fang Yuan avoided suspicion and stayed away from Princess Kunxing, picked up the teacup on the dragon case casually, and took a big sip of tea, "Princess, we meet like this, if Your Majesty knows, I don't have enough heads to cut off, and please spare my life!" ”

Princess Kunxing smiled and said, "Fang Yuan, you have slept on the dragon couch, and you have drunk the imperial tea, and you don't kneel or bow when you see your father, and you don't even weigh your ministers in front of the palace, so many capital crimes of the clan annihilation, it's not bad for your father to really cut off your head!" ”

While the two were talking, Wang Chengen, who was outside the Dongnuan Pavilion, hurriedly came in and said to Princess Kunxing, "My little princess, Your Majesty is almost finished freshening up in the Xinuan Pavilion, you can leave quickly!" ”

Princess Kunxing shushed at Wang Chengen, "Princess, you go out first!" I'll ask Fang Yuan again and leave. ”

Wang Chengen smiled bitterly and said, "Princess, I'll go to guard outside the Dongnuan Pavilion, you can ask quickly." ”

Fang Yuan showed a crying and laughing face at Wang Chengen, and after Wang Chengen went out, Princess Kunxing asked again, "Fang Yuan, where is the sachet I gave you?" Do you have any of them with you? ”

The sachet given by Princess Kunxing, Fang Yuan didn't know where to go, and it was impossible to carry it with him. But in front of Princess Kunxing, she couldn't tell the truth and hurt her self-esteem, so she casually said nonsense, "The princess's sachet is a priceless treasure, carry it with you, if you lose it, it will be a great sin." I hung at the head of the bed in my bedroom, and I could see it every day when I opened my eyes. ”

Fang Yuan casually made up such a prevarication reason, anyway, it was impossible for Princess Kunxing to go to Suzhou Mansion to verify.

Princess Kunxing had a happy smile on her pink face, "You still have a conscience!" ”

Fang Yuan looked at her happy appearance in amazement, and thought to himself, can such an inferior lie pass the test? No wonder so many ignorant girls are deceived by scumbags.

He was worried that Chongzhen would arrive at any time, and when he saw the two together, and seeing that Princess Kunxing hadn't left yet, he hurriedly said, "Princess, Your Majesty is almost here!" ”

Princess Kunxing bit her pink cherry lips, looked at Fang Yuan with sparkling eyes, and said hesitantly, "Fang Yuan, my father is choosing these days...... Select...... Father trusts you so much, can you ......"

Her shy face was ominous, Fang Yuan didn't have to guess to know that Princess Kunxing had reached the age of Ji, and Chongzhen was choosing a candidate for her concubine. Princess Kunxing's girlish thoughts, how could Fang Yuan not see it, she wanted Fang Yuan to take the initiative to ask Chongzhen for marriage and be this concubine.

But Fang Yuan didn't want to take Princess Kunxing's words for three reasons:

First, he really wanted to choose a virtuous helper who could share the heavy military and political affairs, rather than a vase princess with a noble status but no benefit, and go back to provide for her every day, and from time to time have to endure her princess illness.

Second, according to the ancestral system of the Ming Dynasty, the princess of the Ming Dynasty can only choose from the people, or low-level officials. Although in the extraordinary period of the survival of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen would not necessarily operate according to the ancestral system, but after all, he wore a tight spell on his head.

The third, and most important, is the opposing position with Empress Zhou and Crown Prince Zhu Cihong.

This ancient blood relationship was much higher than that of husband and wife.

Cao Cao can play with wives everywhere, and he is not afraid that these wives will assassinate them, because the husband and wife are birds in the same forest, and they fly separately when disaster comes.

However, Liu Bei wanted to take strict precautions against Mrs. Sun, the eldest daughter of Huanghua who was married to Ming Media. In fact, Liu Bei's worries were not superfluous, and Liu Chan was almost taken back to Soochow by Mrs. Sun as a hostage.

Mrs. Sun may have plotted against Liu Bei for the sake of her mother and brother who were far away in Eastern Wu; Princess Kunxing may naturally sell the interests of her mother and brother for the sake of her mother.

Therefore, Fang Yuan could accept Liu Ru's stubborn refusal, but he couldn't accept Princess Kunxing's active confession. This is not only related to personal preferences, but also to practical interests.

Liu Ru will eventually see Qian Qianyi's true face and understand which man is worthy of her follow.

And Princess Kunxing's blood relationship with Queen Zhou and Zhu Cihong will always be broken, especially her noble status all comes from her father, mother, and brother. When it mattered, what choice she would make, Fang Yuan had no bottom in her heart.

With so many scruples, Fang Yuan kept Princess Kunxing by his side, but he actually left a time bomb that could detonate at any time.

He had already denied the choice of being this colt in his heart, but he couldn't sweep Princess Kunxing's face in person, so he casually said, "Then I'll talk to Your Majesty!" ”

Princess Kunxing is a simple and innocent little princess who was raised in the deep palace, how did she know that Fang Yuan's mind had already turned 108,000 miles, and there were also major stakeholders involved, and she thought that Fang Yuan had agreed.

She was about to say another when she was overjoyed, but she heard Chongzhen's voice outside the Dongnuan Pavilion, "Wang Chengen, is Fang Yuan awake?" ”

Wang Chengen knew that Princess Kunxing was still in the Dongnuan Pavilion, so he was so frightened that he didn't dare to take a breath, "Your Majesty, I'm awake, I'm waiting for Your Majesty to summon you." ”

Chongzhen pushed the door in, but saw that Princess Kunxing was also in the Dongnuan Pavilion, looked at the two of them in amazement, and asked with a straight face, "Kunxing, what are you doing in the Dongnuan Pavilion?" ”

Princess Kunxing stuck out her tongue and said casually, "I came to Dongnuan Pavilion to look for my father, but I found that Fang Yuan was here, and I was about to leave, when my father came in." ”

Chongzhen would believe her nonsense, but he didn't take her seriously, stroked her hair and said, "Go out!" Father and Fang Yuan still have important matters to discuss. ”

Princess Kunxing winked at Fang Yuan, hinting that he must propose to Chongzhen to be this concubine, so he rushed to go.

Chongzhen sat on the dragon couch in the Dongnuan Pavilion, looked at Fang Yuan and said, "This princess of mine doesn't know etiquette all day long, and I don't know which family's son is a concubine and can control her." ”

Fang Yuan was stunned for a moment, Chongzhen suddenly said in front of him that the eight poles couldn't beat the trick horse, which was clearly full of hints, and couldn't help but secretly think, could it be that Chongzhen also wanted to marry Princess Kunxing to himself? Is Chongzhen's behavior out of sincere solicitation, or is it a trick that may deprive him of his power at any time in the name of not being an official?

Fang Yuan didn't dare or wanted to take this words, and pretended to be stupid and said, "The princess has a noble status, and she is as beautiful as a flower, and she must be countless young talents who are looking at His Majesty's marriage. ”

Chongzhen saw that he didn't answer, and he also played Tai Chi and coughed lightly.

Wang Chengen said knowingly, "According to the old slave, the most prestigious young talent in Daming at the moment is none other than Fang Yuan." ”

Now that Wang Chengen had made his words clear, Fang Yuan couldn't continue to pretend to be stupid, so he could only pretend to be surprised and look at Wang Chengen and say, "The prince is joking? Under the ancestral system of the Ming Dynasty, the princess can't marry the children of officials, let alone the officials themselves? ”

Wang Chengen smiled and said, "The ancestral system is the ancestral system, and the times are different, how can you stick to the rules?" ”

Fang Yuan was forced into a corner, and could only sigh and say, "The princess is fourteen years old, cardamom years, you should find a fourteen, five, and the same age as the official eunuch son; And I am twenty-two years old, eight years older than the princess, and I am afraid that the princess will be delayed. ”

Twenty-two-year-old Fang Yuan and fourteen or five-year-old Princess Kunxing actually have nothing to do with each other, let alone delay. Fang Yuan moved out for such a reason that was not a reason, or he politely rejected Chongzhen's kindness.

Chongzhen and Wang Chengen glanced at each other, since Fang Yuan explicitly refused, he couldn't forcibly stuff Princess Daming to Fang Yuan like stuffing cabbage.

Chongzhen smiled as if he was laughing at himself, and said to him, "Fang Yuan, my holy decree has been sent to Liu Zeqing in Jinan Mansion as soon as possible. The military report from the front came that Abatai had led his army to approach Ningyuan City. When will you leave the capital and go to Shandong? ”

Fang Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "The minister will go immediately." ”

Chongzhen took out a brocade robe of his own and put it on Fang Yuan's body like this, "Fang Yuan, the military situation is urgent, I won't keep you, and on the day of your triumph, I will celebrate for you for three days and three nights!" ”

Fang Yuan bowed his hand, said goodbye to Chongzhen, and walked out of the East Warm Pavilion.

Leaving the Qianqing Palace, Fang Yuan suddenly asked, "Princess, what is your Majesty's mind when you suddenly give marriage?" ”

Wang Chengen was stunned and said, "Fang Yuan, you don't have to be suspicious, Your Majesty really regards you as a minister, and marrying a princess also wants to make you his own family." ”

Wang Chengen's explanation, Fang Yuan can only believe five or sixty percent, at least for now, Chongzhen should not have the idea of depriving him of his power.

Wang Chengen asked again, "Fang Yuan, do you really not understand the little princess's thoughts about you, or do you not understand it falsely?" ”

Fang Yuan smiled awkwardly and said, "Princess, fools can understand, how can Fang Yuan not understand?" However, my relationship with Queen Zhou and the crown prince promised this marriage, which is the harm to the princess! She should have married a folk child carefree and lived a life of fine clothes and food, why should she be involved in this disturbing court struggle and political marriage? ”

Wang Chengen suddenly said, "It turns out that you are thinking about the little princess." ”

Fang Yuan smiled and said, "Please also ask the princess to speak kindly in front of the princess, so as not to make her sad and embarrassed." ”