Duanmuxian was picking up the teacup, his hand slipped, and with a "pop", he had just picked up a little teacup and fell back to the Ruyi small square table below.

The tea lid above the tea cup shifted slightly, and a few drops of hot tea splashed out, even splashing Duanmu Xian's sleeve......

Duanmu Xian didn't care about this, opened his eyes slightly, and looked at Mu Youxian, who was less than three feet away from him, in shock. He never thought that Mu Youxian would say this.

The surroundings were quieter, and the atmosphere was a little stiff, as if the air had suddenly condensed.

Of course, Mu Youxian knew that his grandfather had come to Duanmu Mansion today to say this for his own good, and he wanted to warn himself that it was best not to get involved in the court battle now, and let the other princes and queens make trouble, and kill himself, so as the eldest prince, he would have hope to ascend to the sky in the future.

However, Mu Youxian had to disappoint his grandfather.

He didn't want to fight for this supreme position.

Mu Youxian looked up at the chaotic snowflakes outside the window, took a few deep breaths, and the cold air was inhaled from his nasal cavity, making him feel a lot calmer, and his eyes also settled.

"Grandfather." Mu Youxian turned his head and looked at Duanmu Xian, who was not close to him, his eyes were bright and firm.

The eighteen-year-old boy seemed to have grown up a lot in just a few breaths, which made Duanmu Xian suddenly feel that the young man in front of him was a little strange.

Duanmu Xian couldn't help but have a thought in his heart: the eldest prince is no longer the eldest prince of more than two years ago.

Mu Youxian looked directly at Duanmu Xian without dodging, and said methodically:

"What kind of situation Dasheng is in now, you think about it much better than me."

"Dasheng is now stormy, a big wave may be destroyed, what Dasheng needs is a wise and wise, strategic, decisive, and good at knowing people, and I ......"

Mu Youxian paused, his eyes were dark, and there was a touch of self-deprecation and helplessness in his expression.

"And I, I used to be a little self-conscious, but in these days in the south, I gradually realized that as a monarch, I have a big flaw."

His temperament is still too indecisive and cares too much about the attitude of others. If it's just as a courtier, as an ordinary person, it may not be a problem, but as the king of a country, it is different, Dasheng's son of heaven shoulders the future of this thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, and the future of thousands of people in Dasheng's dawn, an unsuitable monarch will only make Dasheng worse and worse, such as his father.

Thinking of the emperor who was still unconscious, Mu Youxian felt a thick bitterness in his heart. For this father of his, he had too mixed feelings.

"......" Duanmu Xian's lips moved slightly, and he wanted to say to Mu Youxian, but all people have shortcomings.

Mu Youxian seemed to know what Duanmu Xian was going to say, and made his words clear with a wry smile: "Grandfather, if I succeed to the throne, I won't be able to save Dasheng." ”

This Dasheng is already riddled with holes and crumbling, as if the edifice is about to fall, and even if he is fortunate enough to ascend to that supreme position, even if he has the heart to reform the rotten system in the court, he is also powerless.

It's like handing over a sharp sword to a powerless scholar and letting him go to the battlefield to fight and command thousands of troops......

Mu Youxian's expression became extremely obscure, he was only eighteen years old, he had great ambitions, and he had also looked forward to his future, however, more than two years of seeing and experiencing told him a cruel truth: some things are useless even if you work hard, and if you can't do it, you can't do it.

Mu Youxian said with difficulty: "Grandfather, I can't afford this world, I'm afraid of ......"

He paused for a moment, and his words became clearer, "I'm afraid that Dasheng will be destroyed in my hands, and I don't want to be Dasheng's sinner for the ages!" ”

With Mu Youxian's words and sentences, Duanmu Xian's face became more and more solemn and silent.

Duanmuxian suddenly felt that the room was a little stuffy, turned around and pushed open a window, and the cold wind mixed with snowflakes came in through the window, and the cold wind cut his face like a knife.

The cold wind was cold, and Duanmuxian's heart was even colder.

As Mu Youxian said, as the first assistant, he knows the current situation of Dasheng best.

The current Dasheng is in danger, and if you take a wrong step, you may be affected by a single attack and the whole body will be destroyed!

Moreover, he was also aware of the flaws in the character of the eldest prince, but he didn't expect the eldest prince to give up the throne so decisively.

After all, that's the position of the Son of Heaven!

Since ancient times, I don't know how many people have fought for their heads and blood, and I don't know how many people have not hesitated to kill their fathers, brothers, brothers and sons...... Get that high position too!

Duanmu Xian looked at Mu Youxian again, his heart was very complicated, on the one hand, he felt a little proud that this grandson had this kind of courage, but more than that, he was apprehensive, worried, and uneasy.

If the person who succeeds to the throne is not the eldest prince, then it will most likely be the third prince or the fourth prince, judging from the current situation of the Duanmu family, after the third prince and the fourth prince ascend the throne, I am afraid they will not let go of the Duanmu family.

The words "seizing the heir" represent the bloody wind and rain, but it is not that the eldest prince can retreat if he wants to.

The eldest prince retired, but the third prince and the fourth prince will not necessarily let him go, let go of the Duanmu family, since ancient times, after the new emperor ascended the throne, there are countless things to settle accounts after the autumn, especially the third prince, he can even kill his own mother, let alone others!

"Your Highness......" Duanmu Xian's voice was slightly hoarse, and he wanted to say that there was Cen Yin and himself who could assist him.

But before Duanmu Xian's words could be spoken, he heard Mu Youxian say calmly: "Cousin Yan is more suitable than me. ”

Mu Yan?! Why did you get involved with Mu Yan's stinky boy? Duanmu Xian didn't react for a while, his eyes widened.

Mu Youxian pursed his lower lip, his pupils became extremely deep, and then asked, "Grandfather, you should have also heard the rumors about Emperor Anping's aunt and cousin Yan, right?" ”

"If this rumor is true, Cousin Yan is more suitable than me."

As he spoke, Mu Youxian's expression became even more solemn.

If Mu Yan is really the son of Emperor Chongming, the emperor's uncle, then he is orthodox.

What his father has done over the years has hurt both the hearts of the people and the army, he has been in the south for more than two years, and he is not unaware of the turmoil in the south army, he knows that the whole army of the south army, including General Yan, hopes to return to orthodoxy.

Moreover, Mu Yan was personally taught by Emperor Anping's aunt and Wen Wuchen since he was a child, went to the northern army at the age of eleven to experience training, went to Puguo at the age of sixteen, and went to the southern battlefield at the age of eighteen...... Mu Yan, he is not a delicate flower who grew up in a warm house!

Mu Youxian's eyes flickered brightly and darkly, he closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

He thought about it carefully, for the Duanmu family, Mu Yan and his cousin Duanmu Fei are engaged, and he will be on the throne in the future, and the Duanmu family will be able to protect their health.

"......" Duanmu Xian was silent again, his heart fluctuated, his right hand formed a fist, and he subconsciously knocked twice on Fang Ji.

He is not a nerd who doesn't listen to things outside the window, of course he has heard these rumors about Mu Yan's life experience a long time ago.

However, Duanmu Xian has actually avoided thinking deeply about Mu Yan's identity, until now, listening to the eldest prince say this, Duanmu Xian's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

This seems to be a retreat for the Duanmu family.

Bang bang bang!

Duanmu Xian's heartbeat in his ears became faster and faster, and he began to think about the possibility of Mu Yan ascending the throne.

Mu Youxian smiled bitterly, stood with his hands in his hands, tilted his face slightly, and looked at the snowflakes outside the window again.

He pursed his thin lips and let the snowflakes that drifted into the window fall on his face, and the snowflakes turned into droplets on his face, making him reveal a vicissitudes that could see all the things in the world.

He sorted out his thoughts and continued in an unusually calm voice: "Grandfather, you also know my imperial brothers. The second child is sanctimonious, the third child is ruthless, although the fourth child has a good temperament, but he is too cowardly, and when he is peaceful and prosperous, he may be able to get the title of a benevolent monarch, but it is not suitable for today's Dasheng. ”

"The fifth elder brother and the first few royal brothers are too young, and now the country is in turmoil, and they can't set up a young master. Even from this point of view, Cousin Yan is the most suitable. ”

Throughout history, the ascension to the throne of a young emperor has often been accompanied by phenomena such as foreign relatives chaotic politics and powerful ministers seeking positions, which will only make the already precarious country more chaotic.

Mu Youxian said these truths, how could Duanmu Xian not understand, his eyes were lowered, and he was still silent.

"......" Mu You looked at the silent Duanmu Xian without saying anything, his heart was heavy, he knew that he had disappointed his grandfather, but he had to say these words, and he would have to say them sooner or later.

Grandfather, he'll figure it out.

Mu Youxian silently poured another cup of tea for Duanmu Xian, stepped forward, and sent it to Duanmu Xian.

The fragrance of tea is curling, and the cold wind is cold.

Only the study of the two of them was so quiet that even the slightest sound would be infinitely amplified.

Duanmuxian raised his hand and squeezed the cup of tea that Mu Youxian had poured tightly, picked up and put down the teacup, his irritability was exposed in this simple action.

"Your Highness, have you thought about it a long time ago?" Duanmu Xian asked in a deep voice.

Compared with the shock when he first heard that Mu Youxian gave up on taking the heir, Duanmu Xian had calmed down a little at this moment, and repeatedly chewed on Mu Youxian's words, Duanmu Xian could probably tell that Mu Youxian was not impulsive, he was deliberate and deliberated repeatedly.

Mu Youxian didn't intend to hide it from Duanmu Xian, stared deeply into his eyes, and nodded calmly: "Yes, grandfather." When I was in the south, I figured that I was not fit to be a king. ”

While speaking, Mu Youxian also poured himself a cup of tea, drank half a cup in one go, and his eyes flashed slightly.

After he returned to Beijing from the south this time, he quickly heard about what had happened in the past few years, only to find that his younger brothers were even more unsuitable for the position of the Son of Heaven than him, and besides, Dasheng's situation was even worse than what he saw in the south!

It's only been a few years, and the Dasheng who used to be full of flowers in his mind has decayed to this point, while his father is still immersed in his so-called prosperity as if he is blind......

At this time, a cold wind suddenly blew in from the window, and snowflakes like goose feathers fell on the square table one after another.

Mu Youxian looked down at the scattered snowflakes in a daze.

Today's Dasheng is just like the weather at the moment, cold and windy, and an unsuitable monarch will only make Dasheng worse.

If you want to save Dasheng, you must have the determination to scrape the bones and cure the poison!

Mu Youxian's eyes became deeper little by little, his heart was not as calm as he appeared, and it was not easy for him to make such a decision.

He settled down and muttered: "The mother concubine has been trapped in the palace for most of her life, and her eyes are full of the four directions, and when I leave the palace in the future, I can still take the mother concubine out to live together." ”

Hearing Mu Youxian mention his daughter Duanmu Guifei, Duanmu Xian raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows, his usually shrewd head was still a little chaotic, and his mood was up and down.

Mu Youxian continued: "I want to be a virtuous king, and where I can, I will be a great sheng...... Do something practical. ”

Mu Youxian's lips twitched, and half of the unspoken words were still there, he wanted to atone for his father's sins.

Even if Duanmu Xian originally wanted to persuade him, he couldn't say it now, Mu Youxian's words were all said about this, and he had made up his mind at all.

The open window sash next to it was "creaking" and sharp and piercing by the cold wind.

The wind was blowing more and more fiercely, the snow was falling heavier and heavier, and it was not yet noon, but the sky was getting darker and darker, as if it had entered the night early.

Duanmuxian gritted his teeth tightly, looking out the window in a daze, it took him a long time to breathe a sigh of relief, and his tense body collapsed suddenly, as if his energy was drained.

He sighed with a complicated expression: "Your Highness, I understand. ”

If it is said that Duanmu Xian has never had a relative's dream, it is fake.

After all, his daughter is a dignified concubine, his grandson is the eldest son of the emperor, and he has his own first assistant to help, the second prince and the third prince are not successful, originally Duanmuxian felt that the hope of the eldest prince succeeding to the throne was much higher than that of several other princes, even if it was not nine out of ten, there was a seventy or eighty percent chance.

However, man is not as good as heaven.

He never thought that a trip to the southern realm would turn the eldest prince's mind so drastically changed!

The matter has come to this point, since the eldest prince himself has said so, Duanmu Xian will not be able to force him to take the throne, and he can only give up.

Duanmuxian suppressed the urge to sigh again.

After recognizing this reality, his mood underwent a subtle change, helpless, dignified, and with a hint of pride: in fact, the eldest prince can see through it better than him, and the current Dasheng really can't stand any toss anymore.

The eldest prince is only eighteen years old, and at his age, it is not easy to see so thoroughly.

It's not that he boasts of his grandson, the emperor's other sons are all inferior to the eldest prince, and they can't even afford the eldest prince, so naturally they can't afford it.

Is it really going to be succeeded by Mu Yan?!

Thinking of this possibility, Duanmu Xian's heart became more complicated, and there was a little more groaning in his deep eyes.

It is not so simple to succeed Mu Yan, regardless of anything else, the premise must be-

Mu Yan is really the son of Emperor Chongming.

Mu Yan, is he?! Duanmu Xian subconsciously stroked his beard, again and again, his eyes darkened.

This is a big possibility!

Thinking about it carefully, when Anping and Feng Yu left before, it began to be rumored in Beijing that Mu Yan might be the son of Emperor Chongming, but Anping did not shy away from this at all, let alone try to clarify anything......

Could it be that Mu Yan, this stinky boy, is really the son of Emperor Chongming?!

Duanmu Xian really couldn't describe the feeling in his heart, and he couldn't tell whether he was happy, surprised, or apprehensive......

Ay!

All the tastes turned into a sigh in my heart.

Not to mention anything else, if Mu Yan really wants to succeed to the throne, there is one person who will definitely not be able to get around-

Cen Yin!

Will Cen Yin agree?!

Will Cen Yin tend to set up a little prince to monopolize the government, or will he support Feng Yan?

The more Duanmu Xian thought about it, the more entangled he became, and the more he thought about it, the more he had a headache, and rubbed his temples.

It stands to reason that in order to stabilize his power, Cen Yin should choose to set up a little prince as the new emperor, but after Duanmuxian has worked with Cen Yin in recent years, he knows a little more about Cen Yin than others, he feels that Cen Yin is an extremely complex person, Cen Yin is authoritarian and autocratic, but at the same time he has always focused on the overall situation, he is different from the emperor, he ...... With great prosperity!

If you say this, I'm afraid that those civil and military officials in the court will go crazy because of themselves, right?

Duanmu Xian showed a strange smile and decided not to think about it yet. In any case, we will have to wait for Mu Yan to come back from the southern realm.

And Cen Yin......

Now every time he thinks of Cen Yin, Duanmu Xian inevitably thinks of his eldest granddaughter again, and he is sad to death.

Hey, he can't worry about Cen Yin and his eldest granddaughter, and he doesn't bother to care about the succession of the new emperor...... It's not up to him to have the final say, anyway.

Duanmu Xian slowly took two more sips of tea, the whole person calmed down, and made a gesture to Mu Youxian to sit down and speak.

Duanmu Xian straightened out his thoughts, and Zhengse admonished: "Your Highness, even if you don't want to inherit the throne, you must be cautious in what you say and do things. ”

After a pause, Duanmu Xian asked again: "Can you see that Cheng Engong and the Jiang family have mixed up?" ”

Mu Youxian nodded, his expression calm.

Not only did he see it, after Jiang Deshen and Duanmuxian had a quarrel with Duanmuxian a few days ago, the civil and military officials in the court were afraid that they could also see it.

Duanmu Xian said in a deep voice: "Now, they are waiting to find out the fault between you and the Duanmu family!" ”

"Grandfather, this palace understands." Mu Youxian nodded again, his pupils were deep and dark, "Then the Japanese Palace is a little impulsive." ”

The words he said at that time in Guozijian were from the heart and had not been thought through, in fact, he should have chosen a more thoughtful way, instead of not doing anything to his grandfather's reputation like now, but might also cause some unnecessary trouble to the Duanmu family.

As shrewd as Duanmu Xian, he naturally saw Mu Youxian's self-blame, raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder, and said in a gentle tone: "You don't have to think about it too much." Your grandfather wasn't so vulnerable. ”

Duanmuxian deliberately said these things to the eldest prince not to condemn, but to warn him, for fear that he would be too upright and suffer at the hands of the third prince and the Jiang and Xie families.

A faint smile appeared on Mu Youxian's lips, and he solemnly waved his hand at Duanmu Xian, and said, "Thank you grandfather for your advice." Hongu will act more cautiously in the future. He understood that he was not alone after all, there were still concubines behind him, four imperial sisters, and the Duanmu family.

Mu Youxian added tea to Duanmu Xian, and then changed his conversation and asked, "Grandfather, can you complete that plan in Minzhou?" ”

"It was just written this morning." Duanmuxian nodded, stood up, and walked to the bookcase.

There were several thick stacks of official documents and folds on the bookcase, and Duanmuxian took a copy from one of the folds and handed it to Mu Youxian.

Mu Youxian opened the book and looked at it carefully.

Duanmuxian was slowly sipping tea on the side, and the huge study was quiet, so quiet that you could hear the sound of the tea lid gently plucking on the edge of the bowl and the occasional page turning.

Suddenly, the cautious voice of the big girl sounded outside the curtain: "Old lady......"

Duanmu Xian knew that there should be something, so he let the big girl in.

The eldest girl's expression was a little complicated, and after glancing at Mu Youxian, she curtsied and said, "Old lady, Miss Xia Fu from Mrs. Tai's side is here, waiting outside, Miss Xia Fu said that Mrs. Tai is sick and wants to see the old lady." ”

"......" Duanmu Xian frowned, and after a moment of silence, he said, "Send someone to ask for a doctor." ”

He only said that he would invite a doctor, but he did not say that he was going to see He.

"Yes, old lady." The big girl immediately answered, turned and withdrew.

The curtain of the door was raised and lowered, trembling in mid-air, and the light footsteps of the maid outside the curtain could be faintly heard walking away.

Duanmu Xian stared at the door curtain embroidered with folded branches and plums for a moment, and then turned his head to meet Mu Youxian's hesitant eyes.

Duanmu Xian sighed helplessly, and said in a difficult voice: "Your Highness, it's not that I'm ruthless, the current Duanmu family can't stand your grandmother's toss." ”

"......" Mu Youxian nodded.

His grandmother, He, has always loved him, but there are some things she does that are really unusual. Regarding the things that the He family did, Mu Youxian also knew about the seventy-seven eighty-eight from Duanmu Guifei, so he did not intercede with the He family.

As my grandfather said, in this eventful season, more is better than less.

Mu Youxian suppressed the strangeness in his heart, remembered Duanmu Guifei's instructions, and said: "Grandfather, the mother concubine said that it is better to let Hanxing live here for a few more days, Hanxing's temperament is jumpy, and the queen always troubles her, she can't be idle, she has been a little stuffy these days, and the mother concubine said that she should simply let her live here with her grandfather until the New Year and then return to the palace." ”

This is a trivial matter, Duanmu Xian responded without saying a word: "She can live as long as she likes, and she can be a companion for the four girls." Duanmu Xian smiled lovingly, and his mood became much lighter.

Speaking of the playful cousins, the air in the room seemed to have a bit of spring brightness.

Outside, the cold wind is still howling, and the snow is falling, while the Zhanqing courtyard is warm and comfortable, lively and noisy.

Han Xing chattered non-stop like a little sparrow, and her mouth never stopped since she arrived at Zhanqing Courtyard.

She held back in the palace for several days, and finally she could say that she had a good time:

“…… Do you know that when Concubine Ning's funeral was held, the third emperor brother was crying and fainting! ”

"Ha, the queen didn't say that the third emperor brother was pure filial piety, she really laughed to death in the palace! Who in the palace didn't know that the third emperor brother did not hesitate to let people kill Concubine Ning in order to climb up to the queen's mother. ”

Han Xing shook his head solemnly, looking embarrassed, "By the way, what kind of deer is this called......

"Refer to a deer as a horse." Duanmu reminded kindly. As she listened, she nibbled on melon seeds, and after a while, there was a mountain of melon seed skins in front of her.

"It's about a deer as a horse." Han Xing excitedly stroked his palms and agreed, and the palace maid on the side couldn't bear to look at it directly.

Bi Chan, Wisteria and several other maids all listened to it with relish, and looked at Han Xing with burning eyes, as if urging her to hurry up and say it, which made Han Xing very useful.

Han Xing continued: "The Fourth Emperor Brother has been a little pitiful recently, and the Queen Mother doesn't care about him anymore, but this palace is in a much better mood when he looks at the Fourth Emperor Brother, and he is simply walking with the wind." ”

"And there's more...... The palace also heard some gossip that it seemed that the family affair of the Chengen Mansion was going to be changed to the third emperor brother. ”

As he spoke, Han Xing laughed out loud, leaning forward and backward with laughter, "Laughing to death, this Cheng'en Mansion still thinks that his family is fragrant and sweet, and the prince has to let them choose, and they can pick whichever one they want." According to the palace, the wife is not virtuous for three generations, and if he does not marry Xie Xiangling, the four emperor brothers are afraid that they can wake up with a smile when they are dreaming! ”

The more Han Xing spoke, the more energetic he became, his eyebrows fluttering, and his eyes were shining.

Duanmujun was also listening, and casually interjected with a smile: "Although the queen mother did not make a clear decree at the beginning, but the marriage between Miss Xie Liu and His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince is known to everyone in the capital, and they are now going to change relatives, I'm afraid it won't be so easy." Even if it's the queen's mother, you can't change it in a word. ”