Meng Fan's eyes widened in disbelief, "Your Majesty? ”

"How?" Xiao Hai lowered his eyes and looked at him, "Master Meng has any objections?" ”

Although those eyes were a little chaotic, they were still unfathomable, with the unique majesty of the emperor, and they were pressed down heavily, and Meng Fan could only bend down unconsciously, and confess to the ground.

"Minister, don't dare."

Xiao Ze dug his nostrils, looked at Xiao Yan, who was sitting as straight as a pillar next to him, and glanced left and right a little boredly.

Xiao Hai wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, turned his head and sighed very melancholy, "In short, the cause of Nan Hao's death is unknown now, and the murderer has not been caught. ”

"Brother's Day mourning." Xiao Yan leaned forward slightly, and there was no expression on his face.

Xiao Hai looked at Xiao Ze again.

Xiao Ze had a pained expression on his face, "Brother Huang, pay attention to the dragon body, and this king's heart is also extremely painful." ”

"But Brother Huang," Xiao Ze said again, "The sudden death of the crown prince of a country is a matter of great importance, and this matter is ......."

"I know that, too." Xiao Hai coughed a few times, "Bei Qi and Cang Yuan are eyeing my Great Wei, and now if they leak the news and let them know, I am afraid that they will harbor evil intentions and take the opportunity to be unfavorable to the country, I am determined to keep it a secret for the time being, and I will talk about it when the truth is found out." ”

Xiao Ze nodded.

"Two imperial brothers, I am getting old, and my health has become worse and worse in recent days," Xiao Hai thumped his legs and coughed in a low voice, as if he had no intention of speaking, "You two are among my many siblings, and I still know each other to this day, I have something in my heart, I want to ask you." ”

"Brother Huang, please say it." Xiao Yan and Xiao Ze said in unison.

"As soon as Nan Hao went, the position of the prince was vacant. My body and bones are not accurate, it is always a good day, a bad day, and there are many state affairs, so I have to find someone to relieve my worries. ”

Xiao Hai smiled and turned his head to look at Xiao Yan, "Although there are many princes of mine, there are very few who are talented and virtuous, I wonder if my two imperial brothers have a favorite prince in their hearts?" ”

Xiao Ze frowned.

This may seem like a peaceful question, but it actually has a lot of meaning.

You don't have to look up to know that the smile in Xiao Hai's eyes at this moment must be filled with endless calculations and temptations, just waiting for him and his brother......

No, to be precise, it should be waiting for my brother to make a mistake and grab the handle.

As a royal person, the matter of the throne is a top secret, from ancient times to the present, it is considered by the emperor himself, and it will not be announced until the queen of the dragon and the bintian, and today Xiao Hai asked the two of them like this, undoubtedly to pull the two of them into the vortex of the struggle for imperial power.

If he didn't guess wrong, among all the princes of Xiao Hai, no matter who they recommend, Xiao Hai would not be satisfied, but would probably take the opportunity to hold him accountable on the grounds that "the prince has just died, and you have considered it so thoroughly";

But if you don't recommend it, I'm afraid that because of the past and Xiao Hai's suspicious personality, I will feel that my brother has different intentions and think that he is the most suitable.

Therefore, Xiao Hai's question is like a dead end, and no matter which one is answered, it will not bring them any benefit.

He looked at Xiao Yan worriedly.

Xiao Hai was also looking at Xiao Yan.

The palace lights are dim, the morning sun is rising, the sound of the palace maids and eunuchs outside the palace is particularly clear, and Xiao Hai, who is nesting on the dragon couch, can even hear the sound of the broom scraping the bluestone slab outside the hall. At this moment, on the red palace wall, the shadow of flowers should be heavy, the half-rolled palace curtain sent the fragrance of flowers, and the incense in the hall was moving, intoxicated by such a fragrance, Xiao Hai felt for a moment that Xiao Yan in front of him was still the same childish as he was back then.

At that time, although he was already old, he was still a useless waste in the eyes of his father, trapped in the mansion all day long, but he did nothing.

The warmth and coldness of the people in the palace have always been clear, and in the huge country, only Dong Guifei does not mind that His Majesty's first son has achieved nothing even if he is in the near future, and is willing to send him care, guide him to study, and say good things in front of his father.

At that time, Xiao Hai was several years older than Dong Guifei, but he didn't have any contempt for Dong Guifei, but was grateful to her from the bottom of his heart, and he couldn't wait to respect her as his mother-in-law.

Xiao Hai felt that Concubine Dong Guifei was the person who cared about him in the world, and this kind of care contained no impurities, just because she was an extremely kind woman.

Xiao Hai even planned Dong Guifei's back road, the palace is a servant, although Dong Guifei is young and favored, but there will always be a day when she will decline and love late, and there is no power in the family, if she gets the title one day, then she will quietly send people to the palace to support Dong Guifei, so that she can spend her old age in peace.

Anyway, his biological mother relies on the family, and he has a favored younger brother as a backer, so he basically doesn't have to be filial piety.

However, providence did not fulfill people's wishes.

The time he really recognized the reality was on that cloudy afternoon.

The air was uncomfortably hot and stuffy that day, Xiao Hai came back from the place where the locust plague broke out, and hurried to his father's palace of diligence.

This errand was introduced to him by Dong Guifei, who was already pregnant, Xiao Hai also cherished this opportunity very much, and planned to behave well in front of his father, but halfway through, he heard that Dong Guifei gave birth to a son, and he was carrying him to the Qinzheng Palace to give his father good news, so he couldn't sit still.

Xiao Hai was older, and he couldn't go in to visit Concubine Dong in the harem, so he ran to the Qinzheng Palace, intending to take a look at his younger brother.

It is undeniable that Xiao Hai's mood at that time was extremely excited and joyful.

With the prince, Concubine Dong's path is much easier.

On that day, outside the Qinzheng Palace, because Concubine Dong gave birth to Xiao Yan, the palace maids and eunuchs were busy, and he didn't dare to break in rashly, so he had to stay outside the palace and inadvertently heard his father's voice.

"The concubine gave birth to a son, which is really gratifying to me." The father's voice, which was always as calm as water, also brought joy, "This child looks smart and clever, and has the demeanor of me. ”

Xiao Hai also laughed outside the hall, unconsciously thinking about how cute his young brother should be.

"It's just that the battle in the palace has always been complicated and changeable, and the concubine is already favored, and when this child comes, I am afraid that there will be countless eyes staring at him, and I am very worried."

"Why should Your Majesty be worried?" At that time, the big eunuch beside his father spoke, and his voice was a little blurred, which made Xiao Hai, who also wanted to protect this younger brother, a little anxious, and unconsciously pricked up his ears to listen, and then heard a sentence that made him feel cold all over his body.

The great eunuch said, "Isn't there still a great highness?" ”

He was stunned.

"Your Majesty, you asked Dong Guifei to care about His Royal Highness, so that everyone thought that His Royal Highness might succeed to the throne, and their eyes were there, plus before the concubine gave birth to His Royal Highness, he also planned to let His Highness have something to do, and let everyone feel that His Royal Highness is the one who is valued by you, so you don't have to feel this way."

Xiao Hai closed his eyes.

He still remembers how he felt.

It's like falling into an abyss, and it's dark all around.

He didn't think that all the kindness he thought was a calculation, and he was still stupidly grateful, happy, and planned.

How stupid is he?

Between heaven and earth, only oneself is a lonely person, where is there any true love.

It's him...... Too naïve.

After that day, his father gave his younger brother the name "Yan", on the surface he was indifferent, and even snubbed Dong Guifei, but actually took him with him to teach the way of the emperor everywhere, until Xiao Yan grew up and Xiao Ze was born, his father did not dare to relax the slightest, and only favored Xiao Ze.

After so many years of not ascending the throne, Xiao Hai has not slept a single peaceful sleep. Thanks to his father, there are always people who want to assassinate him, and after escaping injuries again and again, he still has to maintain this father-son filial relationship with his father.

Days like this, he was too miserable.

In particular, when he saw his father looking at him, he never had emotion, but he had a majestic and caring look at Xiao Yan;

Especially, when Xiao Yan followed him sweetly and milkily behind him without knowing the world, saying "I like the eldest brother the most";

Especially, when I saw Dong Guifei sending all kinds of things as always;

Especially, in order to climb higher, he had to accept all the gifts given to him by Dong Guifei......

He hated it.

Hate everything in this world.

Since you all use me as a pawn, as a shield, and make me a thorn in everyone's eyes and a thorn in the flesh, then I will go up step by step, step by step.

It's the price I paid and I'm going to get it back.

So he sent men to drink with his own brother, who was the same father and mother, and pushed him into the river while he was drunk, in exchange for his mother's support for him;

He silently mutilated his siblings little by little, and Xiao Yan was so young that his father could only temporarily reuse him, and gradually let his power grow.

You see, the human heart is unreliable, it is all calculations and conspiracies, especially the royal children, who have no right to hold anything in their hands.

But he couldn't understand why Dong Guifei was so unbelievable and desperate when she was drugged by him.

However, it is not clear if it is not clear.

Anyway, things are wrong, and he doesn't want to find an answer, it's just that time turns, and now he is sitting here, but it is still him and him who want to fight for the throne.

"Brother Chen felt," Xiao Yan finally spoke in the complicated gaze around him, his voice was as calm as an ancient bell, "Your Majesty, your body can last for thousands of years, and you don't need to make a prince too early." If you want to stabilize the hearts and minds of the people, you can choose any one. ”

Xiao Hai narrowed his eyes, "King Jin, what am I asking you, what are you talking about, how can the prince stand casually?" Where do you put the words of a country and the monarch? ”

"Back to Your Majesty," Xiao Yan did not move, without the slightest hint of panic, "What you want to know is the candidate for the crown prince, in this situation, no matter who is established, they are on the cusp of the storm, which is extremely dangerous, so the younger brother advocates not standing for the time being; And a country is the future monarch, as long as he has enough ability, he can be competent, whether he is a prince or not, whether he has ever been a prince or not. And this candidate is already counted in your heart, so why do you need to say more? ”

Xiao Ze's eyes lit up.

Brother is brother, this answer seems to be said, but it doesn't seem to be said, after analyzing a circle, he threw the ball back to Xiao Hai, showing that there is no suspicion of forming a party for personal gain, and showing no desire to usurp power.

Good strategy! He loves his brother!