Finally, Yan Wulu arrived at the destination of this palace visit—Qianqing Palace.
As one of the largest palaces in the imperial palace, Qianqing Palace has always been the place where Emperor Daqian handled court affairs and discussed matters with his ministers.
At this moment, it seems that the morning dynasty has just ended.
Yan Wulu stayed at the side of Qianqing Palace with Wang Gonggong, watching countless courtiers wearing various official official uniforms leave.
"It seems that it is not easy for Your Majesty. He has to get up so early every day and participate in the morning court."
Yan Wulu quietly looked at the many ministers leaving one after another, and suddenly couldn't help but sigh.
When the prince heard this, he also expressed his deep agreement. He opened his mouth and added -
"What His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said is absolutely true, but His Majesty's hard work goes far beyond the morning visit. Every night, His Majesty has to personally deal with the mountains of memorials. It's really...well, almost every night he has to stay up until the fourth watch. Only then can you rest.”
"...Then, before nine o'clock in the morning, Your Majesty has to prepare for the morning court again, with less than two hours of rest in between."
Eunuch Wang said and couldn't help but shook his head.
Yan Wulu listened quietly, and suddenly he thought, how could this old emperor look like Emperor Yongzheng in his previous world?
The hard-working and capable Emperor Yongzheng died when he was in his forties or fifties.
And I heard that this old emperor should be in his seventies or eighties this year. It seems that he is quite impressive for being able to live for such a long time.
Yan Wulu felt that if he were the emperor, he would definitely be a coward who indulged in wine and meat, had a beautiful harem, and could ignore government affairs for more than ten years...
If this is the case, wouldn’t it be a shame to all the people in the world?
Then you'd better be a lazy official and take some time off from your busy schedule.
However, Yan Wulu then thought about it, generally speaking, didn't ministers have to get up about an hour earlier than the emperor to prepare for the morning court?
Then aren't they more tired than the emperor?
Uh... maybe the ministers don't need to deal with the memorial until midnight, so they all go to bed early.
Yan Wulu thought about it and felt that it would be more interesting to be a Dahunjun.
Just in the midst of this thought, a gentle but powerful middle-aged male voice came from far and near——
"This must be Prince Zhenbei, right?"
When Yan Wulu heard this, he looked for fame and saw a slender man with an ancient crown wearing black gauze.
The man holds a string of quite ancient sapphire rosary beads in his hand, and is dressed in an extremely gorgeous uniform of the Daqian prime minister. The black gauze crown on his head is also decorated with simple gems. The two huge wings behind the crown symbolize his The official rank and status are extraordinary.
The whole person's temperament is somewhat similar to Jiang Yueling's father Jiang Jie, they both have the feeling of being a Confucian scholar and a noble family, the leader of everyone, but there are some differences.
The person in front of me has a courageous leadership temperament that Jiang Jie does not have, and he has a feeling of both elegance and heroism.
If Jiang Jie is a generous and kind gentleman, then the man in front of him is more like a gentleman who dares to kill and make decisions.
"Prime Minister Qin." The prince beside him was stunned for a moment when he saw Yan Wulu. He also quickly saluted and called out the identity of the person who came.
It was none other than the head of the hundred officials, the head of the Qin family—Prime Minister Qin Shuzheng.
The leader of the gentry and the heroic spirit of the literati.
Yan Wulu understood immediately and bowed his hands slightly.
Qin Shuzheng looked at Prince Zhenbei in front of him and said nothing for a long time.
At this moment, both Yan Wulu and Wang Gonggong didn't know whether they should stand up or not.
Yan Wulu also raised his head at this moment, "Does Mr. Qin know my mother?"
"We have been close friends for more than ten years."
Qin Shuzheng looked at the sapphire rosary in his hand, and thought of some good memories. He chuckled for a moment and continued lightly: "... His Majesty must be waiting to summon you, so I won't waste your time anymore.
Already."
"...If you encounter something that cannot be solved in Jinling in the future, you can ask someone around you to send a message to the Prime Minister's Mansion."
"...The truth is, I will help you solve it."
Qin Shuzheng said that he had no intention of staying here any longer.
Turn around and leave slowly.
Yan Wulu looked at the latter's leaving figure, feeling a little confused for a moment.
"Qin Xiang knows my mother? And... he said that if you encounter trouble, you can go to him?"
Yan Wulu's mind was numb for a while, and he was constantly thinking...
The prince suddenly came over secretly. As an old man who had been with the old emperor for decades, he also knew a lot about some of the past events in Jinling.
The Prince of Zhenbei got along well with him, and he had been given a huge amount of gold as a gift before, so he naturally wanted to answer more of his questions.
"His Royal Highness."
The prince suddenly spoke, "...you are young, so you may not know that more than twenty years ago, the young Prime Minister of Qin was also one of the loyal suitors of Princess Zhenbei."
"...However, at that time, the princess had not yet decided to be with King Zhenbei and become the princess."
"...Qin Xiang loved Princess Zhenbei, so except for his first wife who died young and was forcefully arranged by the family, he never married another wife and took concubines. He only had a son and a daughter from his original wife.
"
"...Presumably, Prime Minister Qin met you, His Highness, the Crown Prince, and remembered the unparalleled elegance and beauty of the Princess of Zhenbei, who loved her house as much as she loved the house, so he took special care of the Crown Prince."
When Yan Wulu heard the words, he nodded slightly to express his understanding.
Qin Shuzheng is now the head of the No. 1 family in the world, and he is also the prime minister who is inferior to one person and more than ten thousand people. However, he is able to achieve such a degree. It is really... he has deep feelings.
but!
...Can't understand!
Yan Wulu didn't understand, there wasn't only one girl?
There are so many beautiful young ladies and good-looking young ladies in the world, why do you have to hang yourself on the same person?
Yan Wulu would not.
As long as the other person is willing, Yan Wulu likes it himself, and he doesn't mind being surrounded by a lot of beauties.
but……
Yan Wulu still sighed softly and pretended to sigh: "Prime Minister Qin is also very affectionate."
"certainly."
The prince agreed, "...The prince has not been able to see the myriad graces of Princess Zhenbei back then. To be honest, it is a pity that the old slave is no longer a man. Otherwise, the old slave would be willing to die for the princess."
The prince said, feeling a little fascinated.
Yan Wulu had a dark look on his face...
You old bastard, in front of other people, say you are willing to die for other people's mothers, is it polite?!
…
The meeting dispersed.
The prince led Yan Wulu into the Qianqing Palace.
Here, in the center of the splendid hall, four golden plaques with the words "Upright and Bright" are hanging in the most conspicuous place.
"Yan Wulu, the Crown Prince of Zhenbei, is here to see His Majesty."
Yan Wulu stepped forward, bowed from a suitable distance and bowed his hands in salute.
As the highest-ranking son of a vassal with a different surname, Yan Wulu had the privilege bestowed upon him by the emperor—a non-ceremonial celebration, and he did not have to kneel down to the emperor.
"Get flat."
The old voice sounded a little tired, but there seemed to be a touch of warmth in it.
Yan Wulu straightened up. This was also the first time he saw the supreme ruler of the Daqian Dynasty - Emperor Zhao Purui.
Wearing a gold gauze dragon crown and a gorgeously patterned dragon robe.
The vicissitudes of life and the hunched body, but there is a sense of majesty that is no less than any other person...
That is not the majesty of a strong warrior, but... the power of a dragon.
Only an overlord who has been an emperor for a long time can possess the power of the dragon.
Even though the face is covered with wrinkles and fine lines, the former light is gone, but the calm and calm look in his eyes can still give a glimpse of the style and domineering power of a generation of heroes.
Zhao Purui.
This name was once regarded as a legend.
He was the emperor who led Daqian to end the troubled times.
He was also the emperor who killed the most royal family members in Jinling City in one night...
Yan Wulu didn't know what bloody things happened that night.
But now that I think about it, I still feel that the Sacred Heart is unpredictable.
"Come forward and offer me a seat."
Zhao Purui spoke calmly.
Yan Wulu came forward, and a chamberlain brought a seat for Yan Wulu.
"As expected of the son of Liu Mengyun and Yan Dong, your face really looks like Mengyun, and between your eyebrows, you are always intimidating like Yan Dong."
The old emperor Zhao Purui spoke highly of Yan Wulu's appearance.
Yan Wulu is now basically used to being in Jinling and being constantly mentioned by others about the deceased Princess Zhenbei.
The famous "Plum Blossom Street" inside and outside Jinling City already shows that the old emperor in front of him most likely pursued Princess Zhenbei back then.
As Zhao Purui spoke, he suddenly changed the topic and said coldly: "...You have the appearance of a king."
Yan Wulu was shocked. He knew how terrifying the emperor's suspicion was.
Standing up slightly and holding his hands, Yan Wulu immediately replied——
"Your Majesty praised him so highly that Wulu couldn't bear it. Wulu..."
"Ha ha ha ha……"
Before Yan Wulu finished speaking, Zhao Purui was already laughing.
"Nephew Wulu, there's no need to be so nervous. In fact, if we really get to talk, you can even call me 'uncle'."
"Uncle?" Yan Wulu was a little confused...
"Ahem." The old emperor Zhao Purui coughed a few times, stood up and came to Yan Wulu. "...It seems that Yan Dong really didn't tell you at all."
"...Yes, maybe even now, he still doubts that I killed your mother."
"Huh?!!!" Yan Wulu was shocked inside.
He received a lot of information at once...
In fact, according to the nature of various ancient novels, isn't it always this kind of great emperor who can kill people like Princess Zhenbei?
Although Yan Dong only told Yan Wulu that his mother died young, he never mentioned how he died.
Even Yan Wulu himself, when thinking about it in private, felt that the murderer might be the Daqian court.
But just...
I can't figure out why they did it.
In order to prevent Yan Dong from having an heir?
It’s a joke, Yan Wulu was already three or four years old at the time and was almost old enough to do soy sauce.
Besides, even if Princess Zhenbei was really killed, who could have thought at that time that Yan Dong's deep love for the princess would really make him never renew his relationship for the rest of his life?
If Yan Dong is like the other two Wangs with different surnames and marries dozens of wives within half a month, wouldn't it be a matter of time before he gives birth to a child?
The idea of "killing the princess to cut off the vassal prince's heir" is too ridiculous.
So Yan Wulu was just thinking about it.
And now, the old emperor Zhao Purui in front of him suddenly said this again... Well, the amount of information is a bit large.
"Actually, your father, Wang Yandong, and I are sworn brothers."
Zhao Purui began to explain to Yan Wulu leisurely: "...When I was just an idle prince, I went to the North to play and met your father, Yan Dong, and Liu Mengyun, who was not with Yan Dong at that time."
"...Your father has made outstanding contributions to me, to Daqian, and to the people of the entire world. To end the troubled times and bring peace to the world, the people can live and work in peace and contentment and no longer suffer from the troubles of the world. You My father is the biggest contributor to this."
"...It's a pity that due to the death of Princess Liu Mengyun, your father and I gradually developed a rift."
"...He is such a smart person, but when it comes to things related to Liu Mengyun, he always fails to turn around."
"...How could I possibly go back and murder Princess Zhenbei?"
Zhao Purui spoke a lot in succession, as if he and Yan Wulu were real uncles, sons and nephews who got along day and night.
"...Zhao Purui, why would you want to murder Liu Mengyun?"
Zhao Purui's last supplementary words were in a low voice, as if he was just speaking to himself alone.
The surrounding princes and other servants were all a little shocked.
It had been a long time since they had seen His Majesty show such an obvious normal expression and say so many words in one breath.
Yan Wulu didn't know how to answer for a while, so he could only maintain a respectful posture.
Zhao Purui also noticed Yan Wulu's dilemma at the moment...
He smiled softly, "Forget it, since Yan Dong didn't tell you these things, then I won't mention them anymore, uncle."
"... Wu Lu, you are the child of Liu Mengyun and Yan Dong. When you get along with me in private, you don't have to be so polite."
"...Come, uncle will take you around the palace to see how the Jinling Palace compares with your Yanbei Palace?"
As Zhao Purui said this, he took Yan Wulu's hand and walked out of the hall.
During the conversation with Yan Wulu, he no longer even called himself "I".
The attitude is extremely friendly and kind.
This made Yan Wulu couldn't believe it for a moment... The person in front of him could be the kind of person who killed Jinling City to a river of blood overnight?
…
The old emperor Zhao Purui was extremely kind and kind to Yan Wulu.
He took Yan Wulu around almost half of the palace. He also met many royal family members, as well as the mothers and concubines of several princes.
Yan Wulu also learned during this period——
It turned out that although the old emperor had many heirs, they were all concubines.
The old emperor Zhao Purui never had a queen.
All his children were born from his concubines.
The previous princes had all passed away before the old emperor, or were too old and too mediocre to compete for the throne.
And now the seventh prince Zhao Lingfeng, as the crown prince, is neither heir nor eldest son, and he is also a cripple. No wonder the ninth prince Zhao Lingrui and the fourteenth prince Zhao Lingcheng are eyeing the position of heir apparent.
For an emperor, it is not a wise choice not to establish a queen.
But Zhao Purui still did it.
No one will ask why.
But occasionally, when I have doubts in my heart, I always think of Zhao Purui, who was a young prince back then and a well-known and love-crazed romantic talent in Jinling City...
And the "Plum Blossom Street" that still stands today seems to silently explain this reason.
…
It is worth mentioning that——
The old emperor Zhao Purui did not have any blame or dissatisfaction with Yan Wulu for releasing doves to greet the team twice.
When Yan Wulu apologized to him, Zhao Purui just laughed and waved his hand slightly.
"My nephew Wulu, this is the best thing you can do."
"...Uncle, I can see that the reason why you are like this is because you don't want to side with any of the three princes, right?"
"...Having come all the way to Jinling, it is natural that the best choice is to protect one's life with caution."
"...You did the right thing. Even if the method is a little rude, it's not harmful."
Seeing Zhao Purui talking to himself.
Yan Wulu was speechless for a moment...
...I actually didn’t think about it that much. It’s just that I didn’t catch up with the team twice.
