"Has Mrs. Gu seen His Majesty in the past few days?" Han Jian glanced at the direction Yang Xiuxiu left, turned his expression back, looked at Gu Weipan and asked.

Gu Weipan held the notebook in his hand, looked at it carefully for a long time, raised his head, and said, "No." Is there something wrong with the East King? ”

"I want to discuss the current situation in Luoyang with His Majesty, but I can't see His Majesty himself." Han Jian sighed.

Gu Weipan thought about it for a moment and said, "After His Majesty returned, his temperament has changed, so it's better not to disturb His Majesty." ”

After speaking, Gu Weipan continued to look down at the notebook.

Just when Han Jian was feeling bored and was about to get up to leave, a palace maid came with a small step, and Jiao Sheng said at the door: "His Royal Highness the East King, Gu Taifu, Your Majesty, send the two to the palace to summon the right one." ”

After all, this palace maid was originally just a maid in the East Palace, and she didn't understand a lot of things, and her speech seemed a little unruly.

But for Han Jian, as long as he can bring the empress's intentions, it is enough. He didn't expect that the empress had not seen guests before, but now she took the initiative to let the palace maid pass him over, or together with Gu Weipan.

"There is labor." Han Jian got up, glanced at Gu Weipan and said, "Mrs. Gu, please." ”

Gu Weipan put down the notebook, didn't say anything, and followed behind the palace maid with Han Jian.

When they entered the courtyard of the dormitory, the palace maid asked the two of them to wait, while the palace maid went in to communicate with the empress.

"King Dong, do you know what His Majesty's purpose is in summoning us?" Gu Weipan asked suddenly.

"Where do I know that?" Han Jian sighed.

Gu Weipan said: "When I see Your Majesty, be careful to respond." His Majesty has not been in Jiangdu recently. A lot of things to ask...... You've got to think of ...... rhetoric."

Han Jian didn't say anything, he felt that Gu Weipan was reminding him of something, but he wasn't too sure. After all, Gu Weipan has served in front of the empress for many years, and he is an old courtier, so he can probably guess the empress's thoughts.

As the palace maid came out to invite again, Han Jian and Gu Weipan entered a small hall next to the dormitory. The empress sat behind the desk, holding a scripture like a Buddhist scripture and reading it carefully, and saw Han Jian and Gu Weipan enter the room, as always, she was the honor of the Ninety-Five. Maintained enough prestige. Sit upright as usual and wait for Han Jian and Gu Weipan to salute.

"See Majesty." Han Jian and Gu Weipan bowed.

"The two Qing families don't have to be polite." The empress waved her hand and motioned for the two of them to be even, and said, "I have come to you to discuss with you about building a pagoda. ”

Stupa?

Han Jian listened. I can't help but be absolutely the Empress is joking. I often hear about the demolition of pagodas in the Northern Dynasty. The construction of stupas is unheard of. Especially at a time of tension like this. What stupa would the Empress have in mind to build? Or was the empress going to paralyze him with the construction of a stupa?

Han Jian saluted and said, "Your Majesty, minister...... I don't quite understand. ”

"Is there something that the East King doesn't understand? I'm here for a while. I have gradually realized Zen, although since my ancestors, it is forbidden Buddha. However, the Zen of Buddhism is also to guide people to goodness, and I think that it is okay to relax the ban on Buddhism and let the people participate in the Buddha. What do Dongwang and Gu Taifu think? ”

Han Jian glanced at Gu Weipan, judging from Gu Weipan's calm expression at this time, Han Jian judged that he was not ready to speak out. This is also the idea of Gu Weipan's middle school.

"Your Majesty, please think twice." Han Jian said, "Now Luoyang is still in the hands of rebellion, and the country has not yet recovered, it is the time when people need to be calm, and it is not appropriate to lift the ban on Buddhism at this time." ”

The empress frowned, and her face was slightly displeased: "The meaning of the East King's words is that the lifting of the ban on Buddhism will make people unstable?" ”

"Yes." Han Jian said bluntly, "What's more, the construction of the pagoda requires the allocation of money, and now is the time to raise military salaries and prepare for the recovery of Luoyang, and it is not the best time to build a large number of buildings." ”

The empress nodded slightly, as if she was moved by Han Jian's words, and as if she was trying to refute Han Jian's point of view.

"In that case, the matter will be discussed later. Stand down. The Empress said suddenly.

Although Han Jian was prepared, he didn't expect the empress to let him and Gu Weipan leave so soon, and when he met them, he was not talking about military affairs at all, but lifting the ban on Buddhism and building pagodas.

Seeing that Gu Weipan knew each other very well and was about to leave, Han Jian saluted and said, "Your Majesty, the minister still has something to play." ”

"Oh? Is there anything else to do with the East King? Give it to Lin Shangshu and let him tell me that it is. The empress held the Buddhist scriptures and said impatiently.

Han Jian asked again: "Your Majesty, what the minister said involves the rise and fall of our dynasty, and I also ask Your Majesty to let the minister stay, and talk to Your Majesty in detail." ”

The empress raised her head and glanced at Han Jian with a deep gaze, before she signaled to Gu Weipan: "Mrs. Gu will go back first, I have something to discuss with the East King." ”

"Yes. The old minister retired. Gu Weipan hurriedly retreated.

Gu Weipan left, and there were still many palace maids in the small hall, although these palace maids were all from the Dongwang Mansion, Han Jian still didn't want them to hear what he said.

"You stand down first." Han Jian waited for a while, but he didn't see that the empress had the intention of retiring from the palace maid, but he did something beyond his authority.

The palace maids are in the Dongwang Mansion on weekdays, so they naturally know their master's temper, Han Jian is a very stubborn person, he said let them go down, which one dares to stay?

As the palace maid retreated, the empress had a little more anger on her face, and she slapped the case and said, "King Dong, what do you mean by this?" ”

At this time, Han Jian was no longer the respectful courtier just now, but seemed to be more like the master in the room. He stared at the empress, completely ignoring the different identities of the monarch and the minister.

"It's the minister who asks His Majesty." Han Jian replied coldly, "Since His Majesty returned to the dynasty, he has not seen him behind closed doors, and even ministers are not allowed to come to see him. Or is His Majesty ready to let go of the world, never care about the court, and worship the Buddha with peace of mind? ”

The empress was slightly stunned, her expression was angry, and she said, "King Dong, you are too presumptuous!" How dare you teach me a lesson? ”

"Have you forgotten what kind of request your majesty had made to your majesty? If His Majesty feels that the minister is abrupt, he just teaches a lesson, why avoid it so much? Or is His Majesty also interested in the minister in his heart, and he can avoid the minister? ”

"Presumptuous!"

The Empress let out a loud cry and slapped her palm on the table, causing a crack on the desk. Then it collapsed.

Although Han Jian had expected that the empress had martial arts, he didn't expect the empress's martial arts to be so exquisite, but this did not make him flinch, he took a few steps forward, as if he was not afraid of the empress slapping him to death.

"The minister first pleads guilty to His Majesty." Han Jian's tone was a little softer, as if he was apologizing, but his attitude was still very tough, and he had no intention of leaving.

The Empress stood behind the collapsed desk, her fists clenched, her expression as if she was angry, but also as if she was in mourning. In the end, she just sighed and said, "Jian'er, why are you so persistent? ”

Han Jian smiled sadly and said, "It is not the minister who is persistent, but His Majesty." To be precise, it is Fa Ling who is obsessed, Princess Ning Xi, and Yang Rui......"

When the empress heard Han Jian call him by his name, a miserable smile appeared on her face, this smile was full of resentment and shame, but also a little incredible and surprised.

A young man who was only seventeen years old had such ambitions, and he actually coveted the empress who was the Ninety-Five Emperor and a woman who was more than ten years older than him. She didn't understand why such a teenager had such an obsession in her heart?

The empress laughed for a while, probably feeling tired, so she walked in front of the chair next to the coffee table, sat down slowly, and said, "King Dong, although I am not related to you by blood, I and your mother are like sisters, and there will be no personal relationship between men and women between me and you. If you keep your duty, I can even take you as a righteous son and make you a prince, and the world will be ruled by you in the future. Dongwang, what do you think? ”

Han Jian shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Your Majesty probably doesn't know what the minister wants, it's not fame and fortune. All the minister asks for is two meals a day and one night, all the relatives are there, the husband sings and the wife follows, and the children and grandchildren are around the knee. His Majesty thought that the minister was delusional, but the minister knew in his heart that what the minister thought about His Majesty was from the bottom of his heart. ”

"Why don't you understand me?" The empress was a little annoyed, glared at Han Jian and said, "The male son is in the community, you can rule the world, and you are afraid that there is a lack of women around you?" ”

Han Jian heard that the empress was persuading him to let go, but she didn't force him hard.

Once when he was in Luoyang, even if he coveted the empress, he could only hide it in his heart, because he knew that any act of making mistakes would not only be criticized by others, but also face punishment from the empress. But now it is different, he is already in Jiangdu, and the empress is only the nominal Ninety-Five Honor, if he continues to keep his admiration in his heart, it will only be that the concubine is old. When the woman has passed away, she will no longer be so eager to marry. At that time, whether the empress is a monk or not, it will be impossible for him.

On the contrary, now, when the empress had just experienced the waves, fell from the altar, was disheartened and even had the idea of becoming a monk, Han Jian felt that this was the only chance. Although it is possible that the empress never had a relationship with him from the beginning to the end.

Han Jian said: "Your Majesty, over the years, I have been single, is it because I have never forgotten my father in my heart, or I feel that I have no time to take care of others?" ”

"It's a bit of both." The Empress said quietly.

"But His Majesty is just a woman after all!" Han Jian said sharply.

"Smack!" The Empress slapped the arm of her chair and looked angry.

Han Jian stood there, not moving.

The two confronted each other, knowing that they could not persuade each other, and they could not solve the problem by stronger means.

"King Dong, let me ask you, these days that I am not in Jiangdu, your mother has found a substitute for me, what have you done to her?" The Empress asked.

As soon as Han Jian heard it, he knew that the empress already knew about his "strong use" of the stand-in. Originally, this matter was also very secret, but after the incident, Han Song had already found someone to send the woman away, and strictly guarded against leaking the news. Now the empress knows that Han Jian's guess may or may not be related to Han Song's words.

"The minister just treats her as His Majesty, and the minister can be polite to His Majesty, but to others...... But no! (To be continued......)