The army advanced into Juyong Pass. Zhu Zhanji breathed a long sigh of relief and finally returned.
His current condition is so bad that he can't even get off the dragon chariot. Of course, he doesn't dare to show his face.
Zhang Fu was waiting for him all the way.
Zhang Fu brought the medicinal soup and took a sip in front of Zhu Zhanji before passing it to him.
Zhu Zhanji took the drink and drank it in one gulp, then asked: "Has the imperial doctor solved it?"
"It was solved two days ago." Zhang Fu nodded, "I prepared the medicine myself."
Zhu Zhanji nodded and said thoughtfully: "After entering the capital, you first go to the East Palace to inform Yu Qian and ask him to go to Qianqing Palace to meet him immediately;
By the way, let Yu Qian take the prince with him."
"I obey." Zhang Fu cupped his hand and took the medicine bowl, "Your Majesty, how do you... feel now?"
"Don't worry, we can make it home." Zhu Zhanji looked calm, with a flash of worry in his eyes, but then he seemed to have thought of something, and the worry gradually dissipated.
Zhang Fu didn't know what the emperor was thinking, but he was very distressed and felt deeply pressured.
The prince is too young, only a little over seven years old, and he cannot control the officials at all.
It can be foreseen what the court will look like after the emperor's grand visit.
Zhu Zhanji seemed to have read his thoughts and asked with a smile: "Why, you don't have confidence?"
"I will do my best," Zhang Fu promised.
"Yeah." Zhu Zhanji comforted softly, "The Ming Dynasty's luck is still there. Whenever there is a big change, a big shot will always come out. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."
How could Zhang Fu not be under pressure? He forced a smile and said: "I understand."
Zhu Zhanji thought for a moment and said: "When the prince is older, he will send out troops to fight two battles. Who to fight depends on the situation. Only the emperor who holds military power can be called the emperor.
Let him take the lead in launching the war to win over the generals, but the specific actions must be executed and deployed by you."
"I have noted it down." Zhang Fu nodded.
Zhu Zhanji thought for a while and couldn't think of anything else that needed to be warned, so he said: "I will take a nap and wake up in an hour. Don't let anyone else come in."
"Well, okay."
~
…
Two days later.
After the dragon chariot entered the palace, the officials realized that the emperor was back.
Although he was wondering why he didn't notify him in advance so that they could meet him, he didn't think much about it and continued busy with his own affairs.
Qianqing Palace.
The first thing Zhu Zhanji did when he came back was to summon the queen.
Empress Sun, who had been summoned, came over. When she saw Zhu Zhanji's appearance, her beauty suddenly turned pale, "Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"
Zhu Zhanji leaned on the soft chair, looked at her with his chin, and said quietly: "I have always been careful. All food and drinks are only consumed by eunuchs who have tested poison, except for one person."
"Your Majesty, what are you talking about?"
"I like you so much and dote on you," Zhu Zhanji was not furious, but full of confusion, "Is it possible that our feelings are not worth the title of Queen Mother?"
Queen Sun's face turned pale, and she knelt on the ground with a bang, "Your Majesty, do you suspect that your concubine poisoned you?"
Zhu Zhanji's silence was equivalent to acquiescence.
"How could I do such a damn thing? Besides, the emperor has been traveling for several months, and the time is not right." Empress Sun said sadly, "What happened when I went to court that time was because I exceeded the rules. But I am also thinking about the emperor’s dragon body. I really don’t have any other bad intentions..."
"Okay." Zhu Zhanji waved his hand tiredly, as if he didn't intend to pursue the poisoning, "Do you love me?"
Empress Sun said without hesitation: "Love."
"I love you too." Zhu Zhanji said, "I can't accept the world without you. Are you willing to go underground with me?"
Empress Sun trembled and cried, "The emperor really wants to do what Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty did?"
"I love you." Zhu Zhanji corrected.
In fact, the burial system does not mean that when the emperor dies, all the emperor's women must be buried.
Not to mention the queen.
Moreover, according to etiquette, the burial list should have been written by the prince. For example, the five concubines buried by Renzong were those of Zhu Zhanjiding.
However, there are also those who are rude, such as Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di. These two men were ruthless people. They made a decision before their death, and their harem was almost destroyed.
Mrs. Sun never thought that she would be buried one day. This was beyond her expectation.
"Are you unwilling?" Zhu Zhanji asked, "Do you not want to be with me, or are you afraid?"
"No, no, Your Majesty." Queen Sun shook her head desperately.
"Then why the hesitation?"
"The child is still young."
Queen Sun murmured: "I don't want him to lose his mother after losing his father."
She cried and said: "He is not even eight years old!"
Zhu Zhanji said calmly: "Are you afraid of death?"
"I'm...a little scared." Empress Sun couldn't withstand Zhu Zhanji's aggressiveness and finally told the truth, "But I can't bear to abandon Zhen'er. He is still so young, and I am afraid that he will be bullied."
Zhu Zhanji frowned, thought for a long time, and said, "Please step back first."
"Your Majesty..." Queen Sun was really frightened, but when she met Zhu Zhanji's cold eyes, she had an illusion:
Say one more word, she will die immediately without waiting for the emperor to die!
Queen Sun didn't want to die, and no one else wanted to die. She was about to change from Queen to Queen Mother, who would want to die?
The status and status of the emperor's woman and the emperor's mother are very different.
Empress Sun didn't want to die, and there was only one person who could save her, her son.
After exiting the Qianqing Palace, Sun didn't care about the queen's manners anymore, and ran towards the East Palace with her skirt in hand. However, not far away, she saw her son who was also running towards her...and the Yu Qian who she hated.
"Zhen'er." Queen Sun no longer cared about Yu Qian, and took Zhu Qizhen's little hand, "Let's go, my mother has something to tell you."
Yu Qian picked up little Zhu Qizhen, held him in his arms and ran to Qianqing Palace, "It's too late to explain. If your Majesty has anything to say, I'll tell you later."
Zhang Fu clearly told him the details, and he did not dare to delay.
And...he doesn't think this lady is a good person.
"Yu Qian." Queen Sun screamed as she chased him, "Return the prince to me quickly."
Yu Qian kept walking and hurriedly replied: "My dear, please forgive me. Your Majesty summoned me urgently, but I cannot obey my order."
Queen Sun's lungs were about to burst with anger: You were just summoning me urgently, but my life is almost gone!
She rushed to catch up, but Yu Qian was not an incompetent scholar. He had served in the army several times, eliminated bandits, and served as a governor. These experiences had tempered his body, and he could run extremely fast.
Soon they chased her back to the Qianqing Palace. Queen Sun reluctantly stopped and did not dare to chase her any more.
She was trembling with anger: Yu Qian, I can't spare you!
~
Yu Qian hugged little Zhu Qizhen and ran all the way into the Qianqing Palace. Although he was mentally prepared, he still found it difficult to accept the appearance of Zhu Zhanji.
He murmured: "How could this happen?"
Xiao Zhu Qizhen slipped out of Yu Qian's arms and bowed, "My son, I will meet my father."
"Haha... No courtesy, Zhen'er, come here." Zhu Zhanji waved.
Xiao Zhu Qizhen ran forward and asked: "Father, are you sick?"
"Well, I'm sick." Zhu Zhanji pinched his son's face, then looked at Yu Qian, "Come here."
Yu Qian stepped forward and saluted, with tears in his eyes, "Your Majesty, what are you..."
"Let's not talk about this anymore." Zhu Zhanji waved his hand, "From now on, the prince's teachings will be completed by you and Zhang Fu. After my death..."
"Your Majesty," Xiao Huangmen trotted in and timidly interrupted, "The Empress Dowager wants to see you."
"Let her wait for a while." Zhu Zhanji waved his hand and continued to say to Yu Qian, "Yu Qian, do you want to do something?"
Yu Qian nodded: "Please tell me, Your Majesty."
"Form a clique!" Zhu Zhanji sighed and said: "You can't copy Li Qing's way. If you want to achieve something, you must have your own foundation. After my death, cliques will inevitably form in the court.
I am very relieved that the Empress Dowager is in charge of the inner court;
But if the outer court is not watched by someone as loyal to the country as you, I will feel uneasy!"
Yu Qian was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "I'm not very popular either."
"As long as you think about it, there will always be something." Zhu Zhanji said, "If you don't know how to adapt and just go against the trend, it will never happen."
"Yu Qian would like to be taught." Yu Qian handed over his hand.
Zhu Zhanji looked at him, with a hint of apology on his face, "Since ancient times, those who have formed cliques and become powerful ministers will without exception have a bad end. You are not Li Qing, and you cannot be like Li Qing. You should think better of it."
Yu Qian smiled: "I am not an official just to enjoy the blessings."
"What a temper you have..."
"If I didn't have such a temper, the Emperor might not be at ease." Yu Qian said straightforwardly.
Zhu Zhanji shook his head and laughed, but did not deny it. He looked at his son and said seriously: "Zhen'er, you must respect your teachers, do you understand?"
Xiao Zhu Qizhen nodded seriously: "I understand."
The little guy was a little scared. Although he was young, he could still understand, "Father, are you leaving me?"
Zhu Zhanji touched the little guy's head and showed a rare look of doting: "Father will never leave. Father will watch you from heaven. Do you have the confidence to be a good emperor?"