It's night.

In the post house dozens of miles away from the capital, the acting king took the letter he had just finished reading and burned it on the candle flame.

The warm candle flame did not drive away the chill on the face of the acting king, and Fu Zhong spoke cautiously: "Your Highness, but what happened in the capital?" ”

The acting king had a cold face and said in a solemn tone: "I have changed my beads. "I will arrive in Beijing tomorrow, but the matter of adding beads to him has not been finalized for a long time. He originally thought that before he returned to Beijing, he would be able to add beads.

"Does the emperor disagree?" During this period of time, he did not wait for the emperor's holy decree to add beads to His Royal Highness, and Fu Zhong knew in his heart that this matter was about to fail, so he did not dare to mention this matter in the past few days, for fear of angering His Highness.

The acting king's eyes were gloomy, and his face was very ugly: "Except for the people of the prince's party, the ministers of the court and the central government all support this king Jiazhu. During this time, my uncle and they have been putting pressure on my father, but my father has not relented and agreed, what is my father thinking? ”

Fu Zhong saw that the acting king was in a rage, and shrunk his neck in fright. He stubbornly comforted: "Your Highness, maybe the emperor wants to give you a surprise, tomorrow when you enter the palace to report on your work, the emperor will add beads to you." ”

When the acting king heard Fu Zhong's words, his ugly face softened slightly.

"Father wants to surprise me?"

"Your Highness, this kind of thing has not happened, you forgot that three years ago, when you came back from the Qingzhou Rebellion, the emperor gave you a big surprise and rewarded you with the sword he wore when he was young, didn't you always take it with you?"

When the acting king heard this, his eyes turned to the sword on the shelf on the side, and his face instantly became much better.

"You're right, my father likes to surprise me."

Seeing that the acting king's face returned to normal, Fu Zhong breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He continued: "Your Highness, you have made such a great contribution this time, it is impossible for the emperor not to reward you generously, and the emperor has not let go of his mouth and agreed to give you beads, he must want to surprise you." ”

The acting king felt that what Fu Zhong said was very right. He unconsciously showed an expectant smile on his face: "It must be so." In fact, the king hopes in his heart that it is really as Fu Zhong said.

"The emperor likes to play with you the most, and this time it must be too." The more Fu Zhong spoke, the more he felt that he was right, "The emperor first pretended not to agree to add beads to you, which will make you disappointed and sad." When you enter the palace, the emperor suddenly adds beads to you, and you will definitely be pleasantly surprised. ”

"Father can really do such a thing." His father liked to joke the most, and he was deceived by his father more than once.

"Your Highness, you still pretend you don't know anything. When you enter the palace tomorrow and the emperor adds beads to you, you can pretend to be a dot. ”

"It's nature." The bad mood of the acting king in the past few days was swept away by Fu Zhong's words.

"Your Highness, after you return to Beijing after your victory this time, the emperor should not send you to other places to quell the chaos for the time being, you take this opportunity to rest." Fu Zhong said, "In the past few months, in order to pacify the rebellious army in Liangzhou, you have not rested well, and your whole person has lost weight twice. When she returns to Beijing, the concubine will be very distressed when she sees it. ”

"This king plans to go to Yangzhou."

"To Yangzhou?" Fu Zhong was stunned and said, "What are you doing in Yangzhou?" ”

"Quell the chaos."

Only then did Fu Zhong remember that the rebellion in Yangzhou had not yet been quelled. He remembered that the person who went to Yangzhou to quell the rebellion this time was the prince's uncle. He instantly understood the king's intentions.

"Your Highness, do you want to ......?"

"This is a good opportunity to humiliate the Xie family and embarrass the prince, how can this king miss it?" The acting king smiled maliciously, "Xie Shi went to quell the rebellion in Yangzhou, but he didn't succeed for several months, and my father was already very dissatisfied." When the king returned to Beijing, he took the initiative to ask Ying to go to quell the rebellion in Yangzhou. With the ability of this king, he will be able to pacify the rebellious army in Yangzhou in less than a month, and he will be able to slap the prince and the Xie family in the face at that time, and he will be able to make this king famous again. ”

"Kill two birds with one stone!" Fu Zhong said with admiration on his face, "Your Highness is wise! ”

The acting king smiled: "This is the opportunity for the Xie family and the crown prince to take the initiative to give this king to humiliate them, if this king misses it, God will not be able to stand it." ”

"Your victory this time has shown the ministers and the people what you are capable of. If you put down the Yangzhou rebellion that the Xie family has not been able to quell, the ministers and the people will feel that you are even more powerful, will support you more, and will think that the prince is not as good as you. ”

"That's what the king wants."

"Then you're working too hard." Fu Zhong said with distressed eyes, "You just came back from Liangzhou, and you haven't had a good rest, and you went to Yangzhou to quell the chaos non-stop." ”

"It's all that hard work." The acting king said, the corners of his mouth raised a meaningful smile, "The ministers and the people will see the hard work of this king." ”

"It's still Your Highness's wisdom."

"This king wants to go to Yangzhou to quell the rebellion, and there is another purpose."

"For what purpose?"

"Yangzhou has been a rich place since ancient times, and even after many wars, it is still the richest place in Kyushu." In fact, compared to Liangzhou, the acting king wanted to go to Yangzhou to quell the rebellion. "The most important thing is that there are still many famous literati in Yangzhou."

The acting king thought that he was no worse than the crown prince, and even better than the crown prince. In recent years, he has relied on meritorious service and won the support of most military generals, but there are very few literati students.

These literati and students pay attention to their success. Because Zhao Xuan is the eldest son, he was canonized as a prince since he was a child. And because he is a concubine and the second son, even if he has made great achievements for the Great Zhou Dynasty, the literati and students are unwilling to support him to become the prince.

In the past, he never took these literati students seriously, thinking that they were just a group of villains who were powerless and could only talk big things. However, in the past two years, his father has paid more and more attention to these literati students, making him understand that if he wants to replace the crown prince, he must have the support of these literati students.

I heard that there are many Confucians in Yangzhou. These great Confucians were highly respected by literati and scholars, and were also respected by famous families, and even emperors respected them very much. His father once told him that the world-famous Confucianism had more status and influence than the emperor.

If he can get the support of the literati and students in Yangzhou, or the support of a great Confucian, then he can rightfully replace Zhao Xuan and become the crown prince in the future.

"Your Highness, don't you look down on those literati the most?"

"It's true that this king looks down on them, but if this king wants to become a prince in the name of righteousness, he needs their support." The acting king saw it very clearly, "This king also needs a good reputation, and what these literati students are best at is to make a reputation." Moreover, Zhao Xuan was able to become the crown prince, and he has not been abolished, isn't it because of these literati students. ”

"That's what Your Highness said." Fu Zhong said, "Your Highness, did you go to Yangzhou to win over these literati students?" ”

"When it's time to woo, you still have to woo." The acting king smiled meaningfully, "This king wants to be a person who is a corporal of courtesy, let the literati and students in Yangzhou take refuge in this king, and help this king give advice." ”

"Your Highness, your trick is really high, the slave admires it."

"Zhao Xuan can be a corporal, and this king can naturally be too."

"Your Highness, you have always been better than the crown prince." Fu Zhong has always been unwilling to replace the king's grievances, "If the emperor didn't marry the Xie family back then, the concubine would be the queen's mother, and you would be the prince." ”

This matter has always been a thorn in the hearts of Concubine Rong and the acting king, and every time I think of it, my heart is full of unwillingness.

"Soon, I'll get everything back in place." The concubine took back the position of queen that belonged to her, and he also took back the position of crown prince that originally belonged to him.

At this time, the crown prince in the East Palace was unusual, looking forward to the return of the king to Beijing tomorrow.

Before, Zhen Guogong's words completely reassured the prince. He no longer worries that the acting king will be added to Beijing when he returns to Beijing. He hoped that the momentum of the king's return this time would be stronger, and it would be better to trample him, the crown prince, under his feet.

Tomorrow morning, he will propose to his father and the emperor to personally go out of the city to welcome the triumph of the acting king.