The fourth prince first taught Zhao Yao to learn the Li family characters for an hour, and then helped him review what he had learned in Wende Hall this morning.

By the time Zhao Yao left Xingde Palace, it was already four o'clock.

"Your Highness, you study so late every day, it is better to live directly in the house of the Fourth Highness." Tongxi walked in front of Zhao Yao with a lantern, "The slave still feels that it is not safe to walk at night." ”

"I think you're afraid." Zhao Yao unceremoniously pierced Tongxi's careful thoughts, "You are afraid of ghosts!" ”

As soon as he heard the word "ghost", Tongxi's heart suddenly went numb, and he only felt that the wind blowing was gloomy.

"Your Highness, don't say it......" He was really afraid of ghosts.

Zhao Yao looked at Tongxi, who was already scared, with disdain, and sneered: "I told you, there are no ghosts in this world." ”

"Your Highness, the slave thinks that there are ghosts in the world." Tongxi's eyes looked around, and his beardless white face was full of horror. He always felt that there was a cold behind him, as if there was a ghost standing behind him. Also, there are too many people who have died in vain in the palace, and these people will definitely become ghosts after death.

"Even if there are ghosts, no one is afraid of ghosts." Zhao Yao raised his foot and kicked Tongxi's buttocks, "Look at your timid and scared appearance." ”

"Your Highness, slaves and maids would rather face people than ghosts." No matter how terrible people are, they are real. However, ghosts are different. No, he can't think about ghosts anymore, he has to say something else. "Your Highness, do you think that the Fourth Highness and the Eighth Highness will secretly woo Zheng Zhengshi?"

"No, it won't." Zhao Yao said very surely, "The fourth brother and the starling brother don't want to expose themselves for the time being. ”

"It's normal that His Royal Highness the Eighth Highness hasn't been exposed, but the Fourth Highness has already been exposed, and there are many ministers in the court who support His Royal Highness." The Eighth Prince has been hiding behind His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and no one has discovered the ambition of the Eighth Prince at all, and will only think that the Eighth Prince is a pitiful little attached to His Royal Highness the Prince. He used to think so, too.

If it weren't for His Highness saying that His Royal Highness had the ambition to compete for the throne, he wouldn't have found out at all. In this world, I am afraid that only His Highness has seen through the true face of the Eighth Highness.

"But the fourth brother didn't pay attention, did he?" Zhao Yao walked while kicking the stones, "The fourth brother only got close to his two cousins, and he didn't have any contact with other ministers. ”

"Even if the fourth prince doesn't get close to those ministers, those ministers still continue to support him." The reputation of the fourth prince in the court is very good, and the ministers will praise him when they mention him.

"The fourth brother has the ambition to compete for that position, but he won't be exposed now." Zhao Yao picked up the stone with the tip of his boot, and the stone obediently landed on the back of the boot, and then he stood on tiptoe and let the stone on the back of the boot jump into the air, and then he stretched out his foot again. "Before the time is ripe, the fourth brother will always keep a low profile and will not associate with ministers other than the Li family."

"Even if His Royal Highness doesn't associate with ministers other than the Li family, everyone knows that he wants to fight for that position." Tongxi muttered in his heart, Is His Royal Highness doing this to deceive himself, or to cover his ears and steal the bell.

"The fourth brother is going to fight for that position, but the time has not yet come, unless the prince's brother loses to the acting king." Zhao Yao caught the stone with his two feet, "If the prince's brother hadn't lost to the acting king, the fourth brother wouldn't have done anything, this is the fourth brother's hint to everyone." ”

"Will the Fourth Highness really be like this?" As long as the crown prince is here, will His Royal Highness really not do anything?

Zhao Yao bowed his head slightly and said: "Well, as long as the prince's brother is still there, the fourth brother will definitely not do anything, because this is a courtier, and it is also the duty of the younger brother." ”

"Your Royal Highness, if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wins the acting king and sits firmly on the throne of the crown prince, will His Royal Highness really not do anything in the future?"

Zhao Yao suddenly raised his feet and kicked the stones into the pool on the side. With a bang, the stone sank into the pool.

"If the prince's brother wins the acting king in the end, then the fourth brother will obediently become a vassal king."

"Why is that?" Tongxi didn't believe Zhao Yao's words, "Doesn't the fourth brother also want to grab that seat?" ”

"When are you going to see the fourth brother go and grab that seat?" Zhao Yao squinted at Tongxi, "Which eye did you see?" ”

Tongxi was stopped by Zhao Yao's two questions, and he didn't know how to answer for a while. After a while, he said, "Your Highness, didn't you say that the Fourth Highness and the Eighth Highness are secretly cultivating their own forces? ”

"That's what I said, but it doesn't mean that the fourth brother is doing it to compete for that position." Zhao Yao clasped his hands to his chest and said, "Fourth brother is going to the fiefdom to cultivate power for him in two years, isn't it?" ”

Tongxi listened to Zhao Yao's words, and was silent for a while: "Your Highness, didn't you say that before?" ”

"You know what, it's called just in case."

"Just in case?" Tongxi didn't understand, and asked with a blank face, "Your Highness, the slave doesn't understand what you mean." ”

Zhao Yao first raised his index finger and said, "First, the fourth brother secretly cultivates his own power, so that when he goes to the fiefdom when he becomes an adult, he will be fully prepared. ”

"Oh, that's right." Tongxi asked, "What about the second?" ”

Zhao Yao raised two fingers and continued, "The second is just in case. If at that time, the prince's elder brother loses to the acting king, then the fourth brother will officially compete for that position. When that time comes, the fourth brother has a certain strength, and he will have the confidence to rob them with the acting king and the third brother. ”

Hearing this, Tongxi finally listened to it, and said with a sudden face: "So that's the case." ”

Zhao Yao raised the third finger again: "The third is to protect yourself." I don't have the idea of competing for that position, and I'm not secretly cultivating my own power. ”

"Seems so." Tongxi didn't think of this.

"Whether you want to compete for that position or not, you must have the ability to protect yourself, otherwise you may be implicated or killed directly." Zhao Yao crossed his hands and hugged the back of his head, and said nonchalantly, "The prince is a high-risk profession, and if you are not careful, you will die!" If you don't have the ability to protect yourself, you don't know how to die when the time comes. ”

"That's what Your Highness said." Tongxi said, still not quite understanding the previous question, "Your Highness, why is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince still here, and His Royal Highness the Fourth Highness won't grab that seat?" The three princes, they don't care about this. ”

"It's very simple, the fourth brother is not a son-in-law, but a concubine."

"However, the acting king and the third prince are also concubines, and they have been competing for that position." Tongxi complained sharply, "It doesn't matter if the person who competes for that position is a concubine or a concubine." ”

"Others don't care, but the fourth brother cares, because the education he received since he was a child is orthodox Confucian education, and Confucianism pays attention to the difference between grandparents and concubines." Zhao Yao said with a serious face, "The Li family is a scholarly family, and it has always believed in Confucianism. They are the same as the Kong family, understand? ”

Tongxi nodded and said, "I understand, but the slave still can't understand the thoughts of the Fourth Highness." ”

"Everyone has their own principles, and this is the principle of the fourth brother." Zhao Yao said, "Actually, the prince's brother is very good, gentle, full of poetry and books, and most importantly, he has a benevolent heart." If he finally wins the acting king and sits firmly on the throne of the crown prince, the fourth brother will put away his ambitions, honestly be a good courtier and younger brother, and manage his fiefdom well. ”

"However, didn't you say before that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is too gentle, and there is nothing ......" Tongxi thought about it and said, "Yes, he has no opinions of his own. There is also one most important reason, that is, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is too dependent on the Duke of Zhenguo. ”

"That's right, that's what I said, so Brother Crown Prince won't succeed in the end." Zhao Yao scratched his head and said, "Even if the prince's brother wins the acting king, he will lose to the starling brother in the end." ”

"Your Highness, are you so sure that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will lose to His Royal Highness the Eight?" Tongxi said, "Zhen Guogong is a smart person, he hasn't noticed the actions of the Eighth Prince now, but he will definitely find out in the future." ”

"Zhen Guogong is smart and calculating, but he is not as good as Starling." Zhao Yao pointed to his head, "Starling is an extremely smart person, the most important thing is that Starling can endure it, and he can endure things that ordinary people can't bear." There is another reason, the prince's brother believes in the starling, don't forget that the starling almost died in order to save the prince's brother. ”

"One of the most important reasons is that the prince's brother is soft-hearted. Even if he knew the true face of the starling later, he would not have asked for the life of the starling. As long as Starling doesn't die, he can make a comeback at any time. Zhao Yao continued, "Gentleness and soft-heartedness are the biggest shortcomings of the prince's elder brother. If it is really the prince's brother who sits in that seat in the future, it will not be a good thing for Da Zhou and the people. ”

Tongxi said: "The slave knows that Ci is not in charge of the army. ”

Zhao Yao chuckled: "That's pretty much what it means, but the king of a country is more decisive than the commander of an army." “

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a good man." His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will never arbitrarily beat and scold them, eunuchs and palace maids. He remembered that once he went to look for His Highness and accidentally bumped into His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was not only not angry, but also asked him with concern what had happened.

"He's a good man, but he's not a king." Zhao Yao pursed his lips and said very reluctantly, "A person like the stinky father is a good emperor who is responsible for the country and the people. ”

Looking at Zhao Yao's awkward appearance, Tongxi couldn't help but smile and said, "Your Highness, do you think the Fourth Highness will be like the emperor?" The slave and maid looked at the four highnesses and did not look like a decisive person. ”

"Then you underestimate the fourth brother, the fourth brother's city government and methods are very good, but all of this is hidden under his expressionless face." Zhao Yao pinched his chin and said, "A person like the fourth brother who can't guess his mind will make the ministers afraid." ”

"The Fourth Highness looks cold, it is indeed scary, and people dare not approach." Tongxi asked again, "What about the Eighth Highness?" ”

"Starling is more ruthless than anyone else, and in the future, Starling will kill a lot of people in order to get to the top." Zhao Yao said, his face became heavy, "If the prince's brother wins the acting king in the end, then the starling brother will definitely force the prince's brother to death in the future, and then he will kill the third brother and them, leaving no one behind." ”

Tongxi was frightened by Zhao Yao's words. He asked with a frightened expression, "Your Highness, will Your Eighth Highness also kill you?" ”

"Starling shouldn't kill me, but everyone else will die except me." Zhao Yao sighed lightly and said, "Not surprisingly, in the end, it was the fourth brother and the starling brother who competed for that position." ”

"Your Royal Highness, the three princes can't do it, and there are seven princes." Tongxi said, "If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is defeated, there will be the Seventh Prince, he is also a son-in-law, and the Zhenguo Mansion will definitely support the Seventh Prince at that time." ”

"When it's Seventh Brother's turn, do you think Zhen Guogong is still alive?" Zhao Yao asked again, "Do you think the Zhenguo Mansion is still the same as before?" ”

If the crown prince loses to the acting king in the end, then there will be no good end for either the Zhenguo Gong or the Zhenguo Mansion.

"Maybe before the prince's brother had an accident, the seventh brother had an accident first."

"Why is that?"

"Because Brother Seven is restless." To tell the truth, among the emperor brothers, the one he hated the most was not the Nine Emperor Brothers, who often bullied him before, but the Seventh Emperor Brothers, who had no one in his eyes. "Like you said, the seventh brother is also a son-in-law, so he is unwilling. Don't you see, Brother Qi doesn't take all of us in his eyes, he is the most noble in his eyes, and we are all lowly concubines, even the prince's brother, he looks down on him. ”

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the eldest son, why does the Seventh Prince look down on His Royal Highness the Prince?"

"It's very simple, because the first queen is the concubine of the Zhenguo Mansion, not the concubine." Seventh Brother has always felt that he is hiding himself very well, in fact, his eyes have long revealed his true thoughts, otherwise why would Ninth Brother keep targeting him. "And Brother Seventh is too self-righteous, he always thinks that he is the smartest among us, but in fact, he is the stupidest among us, he is not even as good as Brother Nine."

Tongxi agreed with Zhao Yao's words very much, nodded again and again and said, "That's right, the Seventh Prince always looks like he looks at people with his nostrils. ”

"If Seventh Brother has been so arrogant and arrogant, it doesn't matter, but he still has to pretend to be ......" Zhao Yao couldn't find the right words to describe for a while, "The appearance of a gentle and approachable person, as if this is his charity." ”

"Your Highness, you are so right." Yes, yes, that's what he hates most about the Seventh Highness.

"In terms of reading, the seventh brother is not as good as the fourth brother. In terms of mounted archery, Seventh Brother is the worst. In terms of city government calculations, he thought he was very powerful, but in fact, he was also the worst. Zhao Yao said very sharply, "Except for the identity of the seventh brother, there is nothing that can be handled." ”

"Although the queen is the concubine of the Zhenguo Mansion, she is the successor after all, so the identity of the seventh brother's concubine is really not as good as the prince's brother, what do you say he is proud of?" Actually, in the palace, it's nothing for people to be stupid, but thinking that being smart is more terrible than being stupid.

"Who knows."

"Wait and see, among our group of brothers, the first to have an accident is not the prince's brother, nor the acting king, but the seventh brother." Zhao Yao said very firmly, "And the seventh brother killed himself." "Just like the seventh brother, he still wants to fish in troubled waters and reap the benefits of fishermen, which is really wishful thinking.

At this time, Xingde Palace, the house of the four princes.

The four princes had finished bathing and were sitting at the table reading a book.

Wei Mian brought a new lamp, much brighter.

"Your Royal Highness, the lady asked you to go to dinner, there must be something to tell you, isn't it bad that you didn't go?"

The fourth prince looked at the book with both eyes, and said without raising his head: "The concubine is looking for me just for Zheng Rang's business. ”

"Niangniang should be asking you to secretly win over Zheng Zhengshi."

The fourth prince turned a page of the book, and said in a light tone: "I will not try to win over Zheng Rang, nor will I let the Li family get close to Zheng Rang." ”

"Your Highness, behind Zheng Zhengshi is Taiwei Zheng, if Zheng Zhengshi can be used by you, then ......"

The fourth prince interrupted Wei Mian's words: "I won't go to subdue him." ”

"Your Highness, why is this, do you know the role of Zheng Zhengshi?" The crown prince and the acting king, as well as the three princes, will definitely try their best to buy Zheng Zhengshi.

"It's because I know he's important, so I don't approach him." The fourth prince said indifferently, "At least it's not appropriate now." "It's hard to say in the future.

"Not right now, when is it?"

The fourth prince did not answer.

Wei Mian saw that the fourth prince did not speak again, and did not dare to disturb him reading anymore, so he quietly retreated.

When is the right time?

It depends on the will of God.

During the day, the fourth prince had already greeted his two cousins, and asked the Li family not to beat the idea of Taiwei Zheng's three sons, let alone to approach or win over Taiwei Zheng's three sons without arrogance.

The three Zheng Rang brothers, who were remembered by everyone, were chatting in the study at this time.

Today, Zheng Qian did not enter the palace like his two brothers, but went to Taixue to participate in the assessment. It took him half a day to complete the assessment and passed it perfectly.

Starting tomorrow, he will go to Taixue to study. However, he didn't want to go because he didn't feel like there was anyone smarter than him.

Zheng Rang and Zheng Cheng asked him where he found out, and he said that he found out through the assessment of Taixue.

The assessment of Taixue is too simple for him. He really doubted that someone couldn't pass such a simple assessment.

If they all pass such a simple assessment when they enter Taixue, then none of the students in Taixue are smart people. Also, Mr. Taixue doesn't have any skills.

"Little brother, don't measure all the students based on the Taixue assessment." Zheng Rang said, "There must be a lot of smart people in Taixue. ”

Zheng Qian glanced sideways at his two elder brothers: "Big brother, second brother, you said yesterday that I couldn't get into the Taixue." ”

Zheng Rang and Zheng Cheng smiled awkwardly: "We deliberately provoked you." ”

"My eldest brother and I both believe that you can pass the entrance examination." It's not strange at all that the younger brother is admitted to Taixue, but if the younger brother can't be admitted to Taixue, it will become strange.

"Whether the students who are too smart or not, little brother, you have to go in and see for yourself." Zheng Rang was really afraid that Zheng Qian would willfully not go to study in Taixue, so he tried his best to persuade Zheng Qian, "Since you have passed the assessment of Taixue, you will be able to be bright and bright, and you will be able to challenge all the students in Taixue in a righteous manner." ”

"When you finish challenging the students of Taixue, and you feel that the students of Taixue are not good, then you will challenge Mr." Zheng Cheng said, "I heard that there are many knowledgeable and respected gentlemen in Taixue. ”

"If the student who is too learned can't do it, then the gentleman who is too learned will definitely not be able either." Zheng Qian said expressionlessly, "A smart gentleman will not teach stupid students. "He didn't have much hope for Mr. Taixue.

"Then you'll have to see for yourself." Zheng Rang said decisively, "You obediently go to Taixue tomorrow to study." ”

Although Zheng Qian was reluctant, he still obediently listened to his eldest brother's words.

"By the way, you go to Taixue tomorrow to study, you have to hide your identity, don't tell others that you are the youngest son of Taiwei Zheng, otherwise there will be many people who will curry favor with you and annoy you to death." Zheng Rang knew that his little brother didn't like to be pestered and annoyed. If you annoy him, he might do something bad.

"Big brother, don't worry, I will never admit that I am Zheng Xilin's youngest son." When he came to the capital, he didn't plan to rely on his father's reputation to act. Besides, his father is not as smart as him, so he doesn't need to rely on his father.

Zheng Cheng joked: "Even if the younger brother says that he is the son of Taiwei Zheng, it is estimated that no one will believe it." "Their father is humble, at least in front of outsiders, he is low-key, and he is indifferent to fame and fortune. And their younger brother is too arrogant and arrogant, which is completely opposite to his father.

Zheng Rang agreed: "Yes." ”

Zheng Qian felt that the two brothers were ridiculing him, and there was evidence. He didn't care, though.

"I don't look like a dad!" He didn't think there was anything to be proud of like his father.

The three brothers chatted for a while, and then they went back to their respective yards to rest.

The next day, the three brothers woke up early and had breakfast together at home.

Zheng Cheng saw that Zheng Rang was carrying a food box containing some food from their hometown.

"Big brother, you really brought it."

"His Royal Highness Ten has repeatedly told me not to forget to bring it. If I don't bring it, His Highness Ten will definitely be disappointed. Zheng Rang didn't want to see a look of loss on the face of the Ten Highnesses. Although he only spoke a few words to His Highness Ten yesterday, he liked the smile on His Highness's face very much.

"I would have liked to meet His Highness Ten and ask him how he made stirrups, but unfortunately I didn't see him yesterday." Zheng Cheng's tone was full of regret.

Zheng Qian interjected at this time and said, "The Ten Princes are a smart man. ”

Zheng asked them to hear Zheng Qian praise others for being smart people for the first time. You must know that it is their father, and he is not a smart person in the eyes of the younger brother.

"Little brother, what did you say?" Zheng Rang asked with a look of disbelief, "You actually said that His Highness the Ten is a smart person?" ”

"Little brother, this is the first time I've heard you say that others are smart people." Zheng Cheng also looked incredulous, "You haven't seen the Ten Highnesses, how do you know that the Ten Highnesses are smart?" ”

"How can a man who can turn two iron rings into stirrups be a fool." Even he didn't expect the iron ring to have this effect. "Don't you know what stirrups do?"

Zheng Cheng smiled: "It's because I know, so I want to ask His Highness the Ten." ”

Zheng Rang smiled and said, "Then you come to Lanyuan Pavilion at noon to have lunch with me, and then you will be able to meet His Royal Highness the Ten." ”

"Okay, I'll come to you for lunch at noon."

Although Zheng Qian just said that the Ten Princes were a smart person, he was not interested in the Ten Princes. Besides, he didn't think that the Ten Princes were smarter than him.

There is also a shift in the evening.

I've been more than 9,000 a day these days, and I can't do anything.

In the end, I still ask for a monthly pass! Ask for a tip! Leave a message!

(End of chapter)