The weather is getting hotter day by day, and people inside and outside the palace are also getting impetuous day by day.

In today's imperial study, His Majesty was furious, and the tea cup smashed to the ground. The ministers he had summoned to discuss the matter all knelt on the ground one by one, and they did not dare to speak up.

"Say, why don't you speak? Who told me that the border was in an emergency, and that sending the prince to the imperial expedition would be a disastrous victory even if he could win? And now? In the border cities and among the many tribes in the north, it is rumored that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is wise and powerful, and he is the future lord of the Ji Dynasty given by God. ”

In the end, His Majesty's face became more and more violent and terrifying. The man who first raised the matter trembled lest His Majesty be angry with him, and then he heard a voice that made him despair.

"Come, declare my will. The secretary ordered to discuss the government in vain, watch the holy will, and go out of Beijing to serve as the governor of Huangzhou. ”

Secretary Ling wanted to cry and beg for mercy, but when he looked at His Majesty with ice, he was suddenly shivered by the ice, and he didn't dare to defend anything.

Several tall and strong eunuchs came in and dragged out the secretary's order, which was like ashes.

After this incident, the remaining courtiers were even more trembling and did not dare to say more. But this will not let His Majesty let them go.

His Majesty pointed at a random person, "You said, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is about to return to the court, what should I do now?" The man trembled and said, "Maybe we can delay the return of His Royal Highness the First and Second Princes to the court?" ”

The meaning of this is to let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince die on the way back to the court, after all, the recurrence of an old illness is really a common thing.

"Huh." His Majesty sneered, "You also go to Huangzhou." "Another minister with a dead heart was dragged down.

Next, when His Majesty's gaze falls on whom, he will be compelled to give an answer. And these people, without exception, were degraded out of Beijing by His Majesty. Until there were only two or three people left in the imperial study, cold sweat permeated the foreheads of these people.

"Your Majesty, the minister thought that maybe he could let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ask for a reward on his own. Presumably, for the sake of fame, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not make any requests, so as not to continue to increase the prestige of His Royal Highness the Prince. ”

His Majesty's voice above his head was not heard for a long time, and the minister carefully raised his head to see His Majesty's thoughtful eyes.

"Very good, Ji Aiqing solved problems for me and was promoted to secretary." This is the official position of the unlucky guy before.

Overnight, he was promoted. This was naturally overjoyed by the freshly baked secretary Ling, and he quickly knelt down to thank him. The joyful voice contrasted sharply with the cries of the officials who had been dragged away outside the house.

It wasn't until the second day when the ministers went to court that everyone found out that the secretary had changed people unconsciously.

At this time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had already entered the capital and was waiting outside the imperial palace.

His Majesty wanted to hang him, but the ministers repeatedly admonished him. In the end, His Majesty could only announce that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would enter the palace for an audience.

Today's Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not wearing court clothes, but a dark armor. There seemed to be a cold glow on the armor, which silenced many ministers who had never been on the battlefield.

"The retainers knock to see Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed and safe. The minister was fortunate not to be dishonored, and he was specially presented with the head of Hulu Khan. After His Royal Highness the Crown Prince finished speaking, a eunuch stepped forward to take it and present it to His Majesty's eyes.

When Hu Lu Khan's angry eyes met His Majesty's eyes, His Majesty on the dragon chair suddenly shuddered. There was a secret fear in his heart, he was afraid of his son, he was afraid that one day that son would replace him like he had killed the Khan in front of him.

It's a fear that can't be spoken. He also couldn't accept that some people knew that they were the Son of Heaven, and they were actually afraid of this son.

But how can you not be afraid? His son was younger, stronger, and more assertive, and even this son did what he didn't do back then.

His Majesty tried to calm down, and there was even a slight smile on his lips.

"The prince deserves a reward for this trip. Prince, what do you want? Say it. ”

Above the main hall, His Royal Highness the Prince, who was still in a kneeling posture, was slightly stunned when he heard this. His father had so easily turned the credit he had earned from birth and death into a fluttering reward. And can she really name a reward that matches military merits?

No, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince knows that it is impossible to ask for such a thing as a reward.

After a long silence, His Majesty seemed to be impatient to wait, and he smiled and said, "The prince still doesn't have a good concubine to serve, why don't I give a few concubines to enter the palace?" ”

Now the ministers also feel that it is inappropriate, the merits of His Royal Highness the Prince's personal expedition can make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ask for a reward himself, but to put it mildly, he has become a few concubines, which is simply insulting the credit of His Royal Highness the Prince.

Some anxious ministers were about to come out to dissuade them, and they heard the loud voice of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince resounding in the hall.

"Erchen thanks Your Majesty for the reward, but Erchen admires the future princess, and asks Your Majesty to give the minister and the daughter of the Lu family to get married as soon as possible."

His Majesty's angry voice came from above, "Oh? The prince is serious. Don't let anyone else enter the East Palace after that? ”

As soon as these words came out, the ministers were shocked.

The most anxious is Queen Wen's brother, Lord Wen. He thought to himself, "If this matter is serious, even if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne, then the most beneficial person will only be the Fan Yang Lu family, not the Wen family." ”

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has not yet ascended the throne, and the Wen family and the Fan Yang Lu family have already faintly clashed. Not to mention, the Wen family also has the intention of marrying a daughter into the East Palace, but in recent years, the Wen family's reputation has not been obvious, and it is not enough to match the concubine of His Royal Highness the Prince. This made the Wen family fall in love with the position of His Royal Highness the Prince's side concubine.

Just when Lord Wen wanted to say something to stop him, he heard the voice of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. "Yes, that's what Erchen meant."

Hearing this, His Majesty showed his first sincere smile in these days.

"Okay, I will make an order to order the two of you to get married as soon as possible."

The news that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince does not seek military merits but only loves beauties is as fast as wings into the palace and into various powerful families outside the palace. For a moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the East Palace and the Fan Yang Lu family.

When Lu Bingzhen knew about this, he was listening to the teachings of the four grandmothers. Since. After His Royal Highness the Crown Prince set off on the expedition, Lu Bingzhen closed his door and listened to the teachings of the old lady, the four grandmothers and his mother Li at home every day.

"What?" Mama Feng was shocked when she heard the news. She also likes Lu Bingzhen in her own heart, but this kind of liking and consideration for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not worth mentioning.

As an old lady who has been immersed in the deep palace for many years, she knows that this matter is to cut off the way for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to contact the powerful of the family with her in-laws. She couldn't tell whether His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was aware of His Majesty's suspicion and vigilance that he deliberately followed His Majesty's wishes at this moment and took the initiative to reduce his power?

Or is it that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince really has a deep affection for the daughters of the Fanyang Lu family, so he is unwilling to accept Concubine Liangdi and others?

Mama Feng's gaze stayed on Lu Bingzhen, and the exploration in her eyes was so obvious that Lu Bingzhen was aware of it, "Mama Feng, is there anything I can't do with this little incense?" Keep looking at me like this. ”

Mama Feng suddenly came back to her senses, looked at the smiling girl in front of her, and suddenly realized that "Whether it is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince or the future Crown Princess, they are both his and her masters, and they are the objects that she can't figure out her thoughts." All she needs to do is be faithful. ”

"Nine Niangzi, since Your Majesty has a will for you to get married as soon as possible, the slave maid thinks that you should start learning all kinds of rules in the palace."

This sentence is neither humble nor arrogant, and it is reasonable. Lu Bingzhen thought for a while, then bowed slightly, "Then there are a few grandmothers." ”

The four of them all excused themselves and said that they didn't dare to be.

For this matter, the biggest reaction was still Lee's. She originally wanted to keep her daughter until she was eighteen years old before remarrying, otherwise she would not return to Beijing with her husband when her daughter was fourteen years old. But now the holy decree actually wants her daughter to marry before the ceremony, and the Li family is really unacceptable.

"How can there be a reason for a woman who has not yet reached the age to marry? Your Majesty's Princess Guangde didn't come out until she was seventeen years old. Li walked around the room, repeatedly saying the words "not yet in time".

The Wang family, who was invited by Lu Qi to comfort the Li family, "In fact, according to the ancient rites, there are precedents for women to marry at the age of twelve or thirteen. As for Ah Rui", Wang also sighed, "I can only say that it is better to get married as soon as possible than to stuff a few bewitching concubines into the East Palace by Your Majesty." ”

In Li's heart, he actually understands this truth. Most of the feelings between the husband and wife are accumulated from their youth, and the feelings at this time are pure and unadulterated. But if Ah Rui has not yet completed her marriage, there are already a few more concubines in the East Palace, don't say whether His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will still be interested in Ah Rui.

With Rui's pride, she will never allow herself to fall in love with her husband who swings between several concubines. At that time, Ah Rui's marriage and the rest of her life will only be lived for loyalty and filial piety.

Seeing that the Li family had loosened up, the Wang family continued, "Now this situation is not completely unfavorable to Ah Rui, at least with the words of His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Prince, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will never accept Liangdi's side concubine in a few years, and it is unlikely that he will accept a concubine." I know that you feel sorry for Ah Rui's young age, so you can stay until Ah Rui is seventeen or eighteen years old and has another child. ”

Li let out a long sigh, "That's all there is to it." ”

Because His Majesty's will is to get married as soon as possible, the Ministry of Rites is not sure of His Majesty's intentions, so it predicts according to the fastest speed of the Ministry of Rites, about a month and a half later.

The Qin Tianjian, the Ministry of Rites, and the Zongzheng Temple were so busy that the embroiderers and craftsmen of the harem were on duty day and night to prepare all kinds of utensils and items needed for the wedding of His Royal Highness the Prince.

And His Royal Highness the Crown Prince himself was even temporarily relieved of his official position by His Majesty, so that he could prepare for the wedding. But what does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have to prepare, he gave an order, and naturally someone will take care of things properly.

Therefore, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince planned to visit Fan Yang Lu's house.