The Gilded Cage

In the Temple of Ganlu, dozens of servants were busy all day, and it was only then that they finally got everything in order.

When Liu Kang saw Xiao Kezhi's return, he didn't care about wiping the sweat from his forehead, so he hurried out of the hall and said, "Everyone, the sleeping hall has been cleaned up and the dinner is ready. Can you use it now?"

Xiao Kezhi nodded, and after changing clothes, he sat on the couch and lifted chopsticks to eat.

The meal in the Tai Chi Palace|Exquisite and rich, and the roughness in the Ganzhou Palace and the military camp is almost the same as the sky and the underground.

But even after eating for many days, he was still not used to it. He still felt that Ganzhou's most common flax pie was better than the pie with a lot of pastry in the palace.

When he was a child, he was very greedy of the delicacies on the food table of his father, but now he tastes it, it seems that it is nothing more than that.

After eating a bowl of mutton soup with a few snacks, he put the wooden chopsticks and asked, "Where is Vimalakirti? How good is today?"

Liu Kangzheng kept his eyes on the food on his case, so that he could take the opportunity to feel Qingjun's preferences, and hurriedly replied, "Everything is fine today. We only let the wild pheasants be fed before everyone comes back."

Xiao Kezhi uttered an "um", drank a sip of tea, and said, "Let the domestic waiter take it out more, don't be constrained."

Liu Kang was busy responding "Here", remembering that the animal had just bitten the minister's neck in front of the Taiji Hall yesterday, and he couldn't help but sweat again.

Following such a new prince who teaches people incomprehensibly, I don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse.

Xiao Kezhi clearly saw his thoughts and asked, "Do you know why I specifically pointed you to the imperial predecessor of the Central Imperial Supervisor?"

The Supervisor of Zhongyu is responsible for the emperor's living, and can be regarded as the highest title of the Ministry of Internal Servant. Liu Kang entered the palace at the age of ten and spent more than 20 years in the Yeting Palace. It was just a small job. It was not until Xiao Kezhi entered the palace that he was transferred to his side not long ago.

He thought about it for a long time, but still didn't understand how he could get into the eyes of this new monarch, so he had to shook his head honestly: "The old slave doesn't know, please enlighten me."

Xiao Kezhi got up and walked up to him, his majestic gaze was a little bit nostalgic: "When my mother was still alive, because of the empress dowager Qi, she was quite neglected, and the servants in the palace and the people in the palace treated her a lot. With you, I didn't do the things that waited for the wind to make the rudder, step on the low and hold the high. All these things are in my heart."

Liu Kang looked up in surprise, looking at this young man who was already tall and valiant in front of him, slowly remembering the old things more than ten years ago, and said ashamed: "The old slave is ashamed, I dare not hide it from everyone. The heart of no one is to blame, thinking that no one can say whether the talents and the six kings will come and go from time to time in the future."

Who would have thought that after the unremarkable Six Kings dormant for more than ten years, they would come and run in real time and become the new monarch of the Great Liang!

Xiao Kezhi patted him on the shoulder and said, "That's enough. I remember your good day, and in the future, you will also remember my trust in you."

Liu Kang's heart was moved, only to feel that all the previous doubts and fears had disappeared, and he kowtowed with gratitude: "The old slave will keep it in his heart for the rest of his life and dare not forget it."

"Okay, let Jin Jiang come over."

He walked to the book table on the other side of the hall, holding up a pen and writing while giving orders.

After a while, Jin Jiang, dressed in silver armor, stepped into the hall and bowed his hands in salute.

He was originally the commander of the Su Wei of the King's Mansion of Ganzhou. Now that he followed Xiao Kezhi into the Taiji Palace, he is in charge of the imperial ban and the city defense, and is a well-deserved courtier of the emperor.

"These people, you can check their records. If there are any unclean areas, you'd better find evidence." Xiao Kezhi handed over a list that had just been written.

Among the more than ten names written on the paper, except for two who are the queen mother of Qi, the rest are all of the prince.

After taking a quick glance, Jin Jiang knew that he was ready to do it, so he carefully put it away.

"I have already drawn up a decree, and I still use Xiao Yu as the reserve, and you will send it to Wanchun Hall in person tomorrow."

"Your Majesty?" Jin Jiang was surprised when he heard this. He didn't understand why he didn't take the opportunity to abolish the prince, but kept the troubles by his side. Is it because of blood relationship that it is difficult to give up?

He pondered for a moment, but still bluntly persuaded: "Although the prince is your majesty's nephew, he is temporarily surrendered, but he is not an unambitious person and must not be taken lightly. Moreover, your majesty will be in the prosperous spring and autumn, and he will soon be able to get married later. To give birth to a prince, why give the position of the East Palace to others?"

"I understand." Xiao Kezhi said after listening patiently to him, "Jin Lang, you have followed me for many years, and I know best what kind of life I have been in these years."

Jin Jiang gave a worried look and immediately remembered his past in Ganzhou.

At that time, the eleven-year-old King Qin went to the northwest frontier alone, facing the wind and sand that covered the sky and the sun, and the palace was deliberately shut down after only setting up a frame, and he didn't even have a decent residence.

Ganzhou was far away from the capital and did not know the affairs of the DPRK. At first, the governor was concerned about his status as the prince and respected him everywhere. However, when he realized that he was a dead mother and an unconcerned prince, he gradually slowed down.

He was clearly the emperor's son, but his days in the frontier were not as good as ordinary rich people. But the empress dowager, emperor and other royal family members in the capital, living a life of luxury and worry-free food and clothing, left him alone in the wind and sand on the frontier.

Where can such relatives be merciful?

Jin Jiang's worries slowly calmed down. His Majesty has always had a long-term vision, and he will never be emotional.

"It's the minister who has been worrying too much. Your Majesty must have other plans."

Xiao Kezhi didn't explain much, only waved his hand to signal him to retreat.

Jin Jiang was only half right.

He left Xiao Yu, although he wanted him to temporarily stabilize people's hearts, and he didn't mean to be extra benevolent because of blood kinship, but he knew in his heart that he did have a bit of compassion.

This compassionate heart is for a woman, Chu Qianyu's daughter, the Crown Princess Chu of the East Palace.

When he first entered Chang'an, he only saw her standing beside Xiao Yu from a distance, respectful and submissive, and without fear in the face of shock.

He was surprised and left a little more distracted, and then remembered that she was Chu Qianyu's daughter.

The gentle, quiet, and innocent little girl in the past has unknowingly grown into a beautiful, delicate, swaying mature|woman.

He lifted the palm of his left hand under the light, leaned close to the tip of his nose and sniffed for a while, as if he could feel the faint fragrance when she was approaching in the Wanchun Hall just now.

The beautiful dream fragment that appeared in the middle of the night for two consecutive days suddenly resurfaced in his mind, making his whole person restless.

Although he didn't know what the restlessness in his heart meant, he instinctively told him that it had something to do with his niece and daughter-in-law.

He has lived for twenty-five years, even if he lives in the frontier all the year round, he has not seen any women. But in the past, almost all his vigorous energy vented in the barracks and on the horse farm. This was the first time that he had different thoughts for a woman close to him.

Since he hasn't figured out exactly what he wants, he might as well leave her behind. After all, he has always been extremely patient.

…

In the Wanchun Hall, Xiao Yu finally woke up slowly after falling asleep for nearly an hour.

Chu Ning has always been in the temple since Xiao Ke's departure. Seeing him wake up, he first ordered someone to bring the warm soup medicine and feed him personally.

"His Royal Highness feels better?"

She took the tea from the maid and handed it to him to rinse his mouth.

After taking a couple of sips, Xiao Yu rubbed his forehead and nodded: "It's better. I'm fine, but I just stayed up two nights and I couldn't hold it anymore."

He lifted the quilt and sat on the edge of the bed, and asked, "When is it?"

Chu Ning twisted the towel in the warm water and wiped his face, and said: "It's already late, can your Highness have dinner?"

"Send some steamed cakes and sesame porridge."

The maid on the side hurriedly gave orders, but Xiao Yu seemed to suddenly remember something, his eyes flashed, holding her wrist, pulling her closer, and said: "When I fell asleep, I vaguely felt that someone had come."

Chu Ning paused, put the handkerchief on the edge of the copper basin, nodded and said: "It's Uncle Six-the saint who has been here."

As soon as the word "sage" came out, Xiao Yu's face turned cold.

"What is he here for?" He pulled her into his arms. Although his body was still a little weak, the movements of his hands were beyond doubt, his eyes fixed on her, "What did you say to you?"

"The saint naturally came to see His Royal Highness." Chu Ning put her hands on his shoulders, moving softly, but invisibly separated from him some distance," he said, the crown prince is the foundation of the country, so your Highness does not need to worry, he has not yet Married, there are no children under the knees, and later, the seat of the Eastern Palace will still be His Royal Highness..."

Her voice became lower and lower under Xiao Yu's gradually gloomy eyes.

"He will let me continue to sit in the Eastern Palace?" He sneered, and couldn't help but squeeze the palm of her bright wrist. "Is this a child with a yellow mouth, to coax me at will?"

"Do you not believe me?" The slight pain on the wrist made Chu Ning frown, but did not break free of his palm.

"Do you believe him?" His eyes looked over with a sharp look.

Chu Ning avoided his sight, endured a moment, and broke his hand out of his palm.

"Believe it or not, I just feel that at this time, he doesn't need to make jokes about such things. Besides, your Royal Highness still has many courtiers' support, so the position of the East Palace can be moved by just talking."

Having said that, what she thought was quite the opposite. If it were her, she would not do anything extra, she would only take the opportunity to kill the opponent early and avoid future troubles.

She didn't know what his idea was, but one thing was almost certain-this new gentleman did not reject her niece, and even had a slightly different meaning.

After two years of marriage, she was no longer an ignorant girl in her boudoir, and those things between men and women could not be clearer. She knew that she was beautiful. When she was in her boudoir, she was chased by many young people from Wuling. Later, when she was in trouble, many aristocratic children wanted to put her in the backyard.

When she was an ordinary gentry girl, she naturally dismissed these things, but the subsequent sufferings had already eroded her reserve a little bit, and now she is not ashamed to fight for her own interests.

However, that little difference to her is not enough, she still needs to think about it.

"Huh." Xiao Yu squinted her eyes for a moment, then slowly withdrew his gaze, "Even if you really don't move for the time being, if you want to wait for him to marry a wife and have children, there will be no place for me in Chang'an."

At this time, the two waiters came in with their food boxes, and put the hot steamed mutton cake, sesame porridge and a few pickles on the table one by one.

Xiao Yu didn't ask any more questions, only ordered Xu Rong to be called, and then he sat down to the table for dinner.

Chu Ning always eats less at night, only drank two mouthfuls of sesame porridge, and knelt down to serve him.

After a while, Xu Rong hurried to him, Xiao Yu asked Chu Ning to return to the house as usual, and closed the door to talk about what had just happened.

Xu Rong listened, and pondered for a moment, with the same suspicion on his face: "His Royal Highness, is there any other reason here? Now every wrong step may lead to catastrophe. The minister thought that His Royal Highness should be careful not to be exhausted. Believe it."

Xiao Yu put down the silver chopsticks and said, "Yes, I naturally don't believe that he is really soft-hearted. However, no matter what he wants, we can't leave any flaws."

"His Royal Highness refers to things like Hou Shilang?"

The sudden death of Hou Tongyi yesterday, they all suspect it was not a coincidence. As for the prince's subordinates, many courtiers were more or less because of violations of the law by themselves or their family members, and the prince's help escaped the catastrophe before slowly falling to the east palace.

"Yes, tomorrow you will go to the Criminal Ministry, let Wei Shangshu quietly check whether they still have the records, and destroy as much as possible if they can be destroyed. At Yushitai, people will also pay attention to it. It is Qimu's place. In the world, we don’t interfere too much. We only try to turn over the previous impeachment papers, handle people and things properly, don’t miss any, and teach people to seize the evidence."

Just now, Chu Ning's words reminded him. If Xiao Kezhi wants to slowly weaken the people behind him, he must have a proper reason. There is no better excuse than punishing courtiers who violate the law.

Xu Rong wrote down one by one. Before leaving, he still couldn't help but stop, and said in a low voice: "His Royal Highness is still in filial piety. The minister shouldn't have said this. To speak frankly to His Highness-In the past, many courtiers wanted to marry His Highness, but His Highness refused one by one. For two years, the East Palace was always the prince and concubine. This is understandable. But the situation is different now. If your Highness wants to keep them, You might as well wait for the filial piety period to pass and fill in the backyard of the East Palace."

Xiao Yu watched the swaying candlelight, but said nothing. After a long time, Fang said: "You go down first, let me think about it."

Xu Rong didn't get the answer he wanted, regretted in his heart, and feared that it would be counterproductive after more persuasion, so he had to retreat quietly.