"Father-in-law Zhao?"

Sima Liang looked at each other in surprise. At the same time, he glanced at the little third son.

Xiao Sanzi had a wrong expression, and noticed that Sima Liang's eyes were a little frightened.

Zhao Gonggong, who noticed the small movements of the two, threw a resentful look at Sima Liang.

"Your Highness, it seems that you don't want to see our family."

Sima Liang was looked at by the other party, and his hairs stood on end, so he could not lie down.

He stood up and walked in front of Gonggong Zhao.

In the process, he pretended to be very enthusiastic.

"Father-in-law is too worried, why don't I want to see you."

"That's good." Zhao Gonggong smiled very happily, and his eyes narrowed.

"My father-in-law came to me, I guess it was my father's intention. Sit down and talk. ”

Sima Liang stretched out his hand and guided. Wait for the other person to go inside and sit down.

He glared at the little third son.

"You go get a pot of hot tea." Sima Liang's tone was not good.

Although it was Gonggong Zhao who wanted to surprise him, the little third son was misunderstood.

But how dare the other party have a temper, so he had to obediently prepare tea.

After the third son left, Zhao Gonggong looked fair.

"Don't blame him, it's my own meaning. This little eunuch is a little tendoned, but there is no problem in terms of loyalty. The ability to employ people is important, but it must also be based on loyalty, so that it can be used with confidence. ”

Sima Liang was thoughtful.

He looked at Gonggong Zhao and felt that there was something in the other party's words.

"Is there something implied by my father-in-law's words?"

"Just say it casually. Your Highness doesn't care. ”

Zhao Gonggong's face changed like a book, and then changed into a smile.

Seeing the other party like this, the corners of Sima Liang's eyes twitched, and he didn't know what to say.

After that, the two did not communicate again, and just sat down.

Seeing Gonggong Zhao sitting still and closing his eyes to recuperate, Sima Liang had a lot of thoughts in his heart.

He didn't know if the other party did it on purpose, or if his father meant it.

As a microphone, Zhao Gonggong will not speak directly about the emperor's hidden information. But the emperor's attitude will be shown in an unexplained way.

Sima Liang, who has dealt with the other party many times, has also guessed a few times.

This time, no matter who it means. all made him a little worried.

Xiao Shunzi won't really have any problems. Sima Liang thought secretly.

"Your Highness, tea is ready. Do you want to send it in now? ”

The voice of the little third son came from outside the door.

"Bring it in."

Crunch.

The door was pushed open again.

The little third son looked at the two people in the room, a little puzzled.

There were many things he didn't understand, but he was aware of the strange atmosphere in the room.

What important things did His Highness and his father-in-law talk about? It's better to forget what you shouldn't know, or not to know.

The third son gave up thinking about it.

He carefully placed the hot tea on the table, then put it away, drinking the rest of the teacup and teapot.

"When you take it out, you wait at the door."

"Yes, Your Highness."

When the little third son cleaned up, Sima Liang kept observing the other party. At the same time, with your thumb, rub your finger joints constantly.

Unexpectedly, the little third son who noticed the sight gave him a simple smile in return.

This smile almost made Sima Liang not hold back.

After the other party left, he kneaded the bridge of his nose. I thought: Why is this guy so naïve?

The sound of the door being closed came, and Zhao Gonggong opened his eyes.

"Your Highness, your farce this time. On the way here, our family heard a little. It doesn't matter whether it's true or not. Although the news only came out today, His Majesty made a decision a few days ago. ”

"Your Highness is also our family, and I grew up. The old slave dared to ask what was in his heart as a person. Once you've come this far, do you want to take it a step further? ”

Zhao Gonggong's Gujing Wubo's eyes made Sima Liang a little uncomfortable.

But after knowing the meaning of the other party's question, he fell into confusion.

Take it a step further?

Sima Liang's breathing slowed and he fell into thought.

Seeing him like this, Gonggong Zhao was not in a hurry, poured himself a cup of tea and drank it.

"How much do you think I have to win?"

Gonggong Zhao glanced at Sima Liang, and then looked at the teacup in his hand.

"The court is divided into four parts, and His Royal Highness has one of the two most energetic ones. In terms of strength, there are still some. ”

"But strength is only one aspect, Your Majesty's meaning is the most important thing. For now, His Highness still needs to work hard. ”

Hearing this, Sima Liang was a little inexplicably lost.

He is not a fool, and he knows that this so-called effort does not refer to behavior or spiritual growth.

It can even be said that it has nothing to do with what Sima Liang does.

This effort is actually the weight he occupies in the emperor's heart. And this thing is often not something that can be achieved by hard work.

Sima Liang sighed, a little sad.

In the past month, the emperor has given a lot of things, and he also married Princess Qiguo to him.

The more he can give, the more Sima Liang knows the other party's contempt.

Because what the emperor gave was not care or reward, but compensation for what he owed.

Even so, there are a lot of calculations in these compensations.

Treat it like this, ignoring the son of twenty years.

Why don't you make Sima Liang feel cold.

His fingers ran along the rim of the teacup, drawing circles in circles.

"Father-in-law, I understand what you mean, I won't think about what my father won't give. But I hope you can help me convey a word to my father. I, Sima Liang, am also a prince and a son. I hope my father can leave a line. Sima Liang sighed.

"Old slave, I'll convey it."

"I'm tired of my father-in-law."

Zhao Gonggong took out a letter with a wax seal and handed it to Sima Liang.

"Your Highness, check it and see. We don't know the content. ”

Sima Liang's expression was serious, and he looked at the envelope.

After making sure that the envelope was elsewhere and that there was no sign of it being opened, he looked at the wax envelope.

There is only one word on the imprint, and that is Ao.

Sima Liang hadn't seen it, but he knew that it was the emperor's private seal.

He reconfirmed that there was no trace of it being opened.

Sima Liang opened it and opened the seal.

"Your Highness, only you and Your Majesty know the content of the letter, don't let the old slave know."

Zhao Gonggong stood up and stood by the window.

Sima Liang frowned. I thought: Why did my father look for me, it was all such an unsightly thing.

He helplessly pulled out the letter and looked at it.

Even if Sima Liang was mentally prepared, he was still shocked by the content of the letter.

Why do you want to tell me about this kind of thing?

Do you really trust me that much?

Or am I a link that can be discarded?

Sima Liang bit his lip and stared at the letter.

After a long time, he sighed helplessly.

"Your Highness has finished reading it?" Zhao Gonggong turned his back and asked.

"I'm done."

"Then put the letter back in the envelope."

As he spoke, Zhao Gonggong took out a fire fold and lit a candle.

After Sima Liang finished loading, he walked to the table with a candle.

"Burn it, I should go back to the palace after burning."

Sima Liang nodded, held the envelope with chopsticks, and put it on the candle to light it. It was then placed on top of the wash basin.

Looking at the flames that gradually grew larger, and the wax seals that melted and dripped into the basin, he had a lot of thoughts.

Although the emperor's letter was sent out after Liu Dongyang's official document was sent to the palace, it was written much earlier than that.

It seems that the ending is predicted.

There is no mention of Sima Liang's farce in it, but everything he wants is written.

The emperor was willing to give him military power, and at the same time would suppress the crown prince.

and also handed over the land between Yancheng and Pingnan, as well as Pingnan City itself, to Sima Liang.

even said that when Sima Liang married the princess of Qiguo, he would give him Shunning City.

Binh Nam and Thuan Ninh have a mediocre economy and a small population, but their location is very important.

These two cities were built during the attack on the Yan Kingdom in the former Li Kingdom.

The role is simple, facilitating the attack, and at the same time containing the opponent's counterattack.

After the Yan Kingdom was destroyed, these two cities were assigned to the first Yan King who failed to seize the crown. That is, the father of Sima Liang's uncle.

In the rebellion twenty years ago, the clan uncle Sima Lang thought that he had these two cities, which could be attacked and defended, so he had the courage to rebel.

Although Sima Liang has these two cities, and his power is not comparable to that of the original clan uncle, but with the army that can be trained, his status and power have risen a lot.

It can be said that the emperor gave a lot this time.

As for why the emperor put it, what about such a big right?

Because Sima Liang wants to get all this, the price he pays is not small.

The main one is to make him give up the idea of seizing the throne.

This is not only to make Sima Liang give up, but also to make the forces behind him give up.

It doesn't seem like it's difficult, but it's hard to achieve.

Even Sima Liang himself didn't know who the high-level forces who supported him were, and even the strength or weakness, he could only roughly guess.

However, he didn't have a choice, this time the emperor gave an order, not a request.

"Father really likes to make problems." Sima Liang smiled bitterly.

He threw the burned envelope, which was reduced to a dime, into the wash basin.

Then Sima Liang took out the remaining corner of the letter paper in the envelope.

Seeing the word prince on it, he sighed.

Subsequently, it is torn to shreds.

"Father-in-law, check it."

Sima Liang looked depressed and sat down at the tea table. Then poured himself a cup of tea.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Zhao Gonggong carefully examined the remaining envelopes and stationery, as well as the ashes.

After looking at it, he nodded.

"Your Highness burned it clean, leaving nothing behind. I want to come to Your Highness, and I will leave soon. Our family wishes His Highness a smooth journey in advance. ”

"My father-in-law has a heart, I will give you a thank you gift before leaving."

"Then thank Your Highness."

Father-in-law Zhao smiled and bowed his hand, then pulled the door and walked out.

After he left, Sima Liang was alone in the room in a daze for a long time.

"Little third son, you go to the dock to book a boat, and you are ready to go back to Yancheng."

"Yes, Your Highness."

After hearing the footsteps outside the door, Sima Liang stood by the window.

This is the third time he has looked out the window today.

But this time, Sima Liang's mood was completely different.

In his eyes when he looked at the palace, there was unwillingness.

In the imperial study, the emperor looked at Liu Dongyang's official documents.

He shook his head as he watched.

"What a thing, these two kids really know how to play. I think it's Xiaoliu's attention. The dull little five shouldn't have such an idea. The Emperor smiled.

He knew the contents of the letter, almost hardly true. And exaggerated.

But the emperor still read it all.

After all, he was alone in the deep palace, and he didn't have much fun.

Since Sima Liang gave such a surprise, the emperor naturally had to read it carefully.

He closed the document and placed it on the table. Then leaned back in his chair.

"It's a pity, Xiaoliu, you're okay with everything. The only thing that gave birth to the wrong family is if you are not from the Li family. Parents can also choose more than one. ”

The emperor has six sons, even if they are all his own children, but the degree of liking will still vary.

Maybe everyone won't believe it when he says it, but in fact, his personal favorite is Sima Liang.

The dragon gave birth to nine sons, each of whom was different.

Only Sima Liang is most like the emperor, not only in appearance, but also in his thoughts and behavior.

If it's an ordinary family, a child like yourself. As a father, he can show his affection.

But this is the emperor's family, and no matter how much the emperor likes it, he can't show it.

Because the forces behind Sima Liang are what he has always wanted to eradicate.

It can be said that the emperor has been fighting with each other since he succeeded to the throne. Now it's hard to make the right way small.

If Sima Liang sits in the position of one person, then all efforts will be in vain.

"There are vassal kings inside, and tiger neighbors outside. Above the court, the party is endless. Under the court, resources are uneven. The remnants of the Yan Kingdom are making a comeback. Xiaoliu, it's hard for my father, I did my best for my father. ”

The emperor looked at the beams and closed his eyes weakly.

The world is his, and the responsibility is his. Everyone felt like he had it all.

But only the emperor knew that what he owned was actually a stormy and dilapidated house.

For twenty years, as a tinkerer, he carefully repaired the house to prevent it from collapsing in his own hands.

The consequences of the rapid expansion of the past hundred years have almost all been piled up in this generation.

Of course, the emperor lived up to the trust of the emperor and perfectly guarded the country.

Although on the outside, the Li State has not expanded, and the emperor seems to be doing some inaction, but in fact, most people's lives are much better than they were twenty years ago. In particular, in terms of rebellion and disaster relief, it was almost only partial, and there was no big trouble.

This is enough to prove Sima Ao's ability.

But simple repairs still can't change the crisis in the country.

The emperor knew that big changes were needed to make the state of Li a normal country.

That's what he did.

"Second child, your future path has been paved for you by the Father. The rest is up to you how you go. I hope that you and Xiaoliu can get along peacefully in the future. After all, in the years to come, he will help you block a lot. ”

The Emperor sighed and opened his eyes.

He picked up an official document again and began to carefully review the approval.

Repeatedly.