The scorching sun is high outside, but inside the entire hall, nine coal stoves carved with five-clawed golden dragons have never been extinguished since they were lit in the winter of that year.
So far, a year and a half has passed.
Even in such a hot summer, the coal in the coal furnace does not stop being replenished.
The entire hall seemed to have turned into a boiling steam furnace.
Even so, there were still many palace maids and eunuchs who were only wearing single clothes walking in from time to time, carefully checking the condition of each coal stove to prevent one from accidentally going out.
But in this big hall like a steam oven, the old emperor lying on the bed was still covered with three layers of quilts, and his old face was as white as snow.
But there is something different.
Although the old emperor's body temperature was still very low compared to two years ago, after being roasted in a coal stove for more than a year and a half, his face no longer had that thin layer of frost.
Faintly, one could already detect the old emperor's breathing, which was calm and steady.
At noon, another person suddenly walked into the hall quickly but quietly. However, he did not check the condition of the coal stove, but walked straight to the side of Longtan.
He cupped his hands and said softly: "Your Majesty."
This person was also wearing single clothes, but after just a few steps from the door of the hall to the bed, sweat was already forming on his forehead.
It was none other than the old eunuch who had been serving the old emperor.
The old eunuch wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sweat towel in his hand and glanced at the old emperor lying on the bed.
Although this coal stove cannot cure His Majesty's condition, it has alleviated the damage caused by the cold poison to His Majesty. His Majesty's complexion is now better than it was two years ago.
Once the emperor is the same as the courtier, this principle is more vividly reflected in these eunuchs.
Once the people on the seats in the Jinluan Hall are replaced, their status as the eunuchs accompanying the previous emperor will be directly replaced by the eunuchs around the new emperor.
The slave is still easy to use.
Therefore, in most cases, these eunuchs were the most loyal people to the emperor, and they were also the ones who most wanted the emperor to live long.
The old eunuch was not exempt from vulgarity, so after seeing the old emperor's expression improve, the old eunuch was filled with gratitude to His Royal Highness King Yu who had offered the coal stove.
The old emperor's weak but majestic voice sounded above Longtan: "What's the matter?"
The old eunuch came to his senses, bowed quickly and said, "Your Majesty, the memorial regarding His Royal Highness Prince Yu's expeditionary force has just been presented."
"read."
The old emperor said concisely and concisely.
"yes."
The old eunuch responded, then opened the memorial in his hand. After skipping the previous words of flattery, he began to read the main text: "...After Mangzhong, King Yu personally marched from Yanque Pass, leading 30,000 troops, and arrived in Goguryeo half a month later.
border, and captured Hu City within one day, and then..."
After finishing reading, the old emperor's voice sounded at the right time: "Hucheng?"
The old eunuch closed the memorial and replied: "Your Majesty, this is a city on the border of Goguryeo. The name Hucheng was changed after His Highness King Yu conquered the city."
"Change the name?"
The old emperor was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.
He coughed twice and then said: "Change the city and change the name, change the city and change the name, haha... Xiaowu's thinking is quite clever."
Anyone can hear the smile in his voice.
The old emperor was indeed in a good mood.
Although it was Xiao Wu who opened up the territory and expanded the territory, as long as he was still in power, the political achievements still need to be attributed to him in the history books.
About a year and a half ago, destroying the Turks and incorporating the grasslands into the territory of Dali had already given the old emperor a surprise, but he did not expect that he could do more than that.
The old emperor naturally knew about Xiao Wu's dispatch of troops. Emperor Xin's memorial about such a big matter was delivered to him right after he entered the capital.
With the old emperor's prestige, if he wanted to prevent this matter, even if public opinion among the people had already been formed, he could still do it.
But why stop it?
The old emperor assigned Emperor Xin to that poor place in northern Xinjiang as the general of Zhenguan, not only to implicate him in the brutal battle for the throne.
The ministers guessed right. The royal family has no family ties, and it is impossible for him to do such a thing for a son alone.
When he sealed Xiao Wufen out, it was just a casual move he made.
Although the old emperor was old, he had always been in good health before he was injured by the assassins. After a comprehensive examination by the imperial doctor, he could still live for at least thirty or forty years.
Therefore, he was not in a hurry to make the crown prince, but divided all his nine princes into princes in one go.
What the old emperor thought at the time was that he would have enough time to control him long enough to cultivate a suitable heir among these sons.
But who knew that the accident would come so suddenly, and the palm of the Banren assassin completely disrupted all his plans.
But what's even worse is that by conferring the title of king, several princes already have their own wings.
With his own strength, the originally hopeless throne seemed to be possible, so after the old emperor was seriously injured, the princes and princes began to compete for the throne.
Dali is currently experiencing constant internal troubles. In addition to the old emperor being unable to take charge due to physical reasons, it is also related to the chaos caused by these princes and princes.
The old emperor saw this and although he didn't say anything, he was really anxious in his heart.
If Da Li's vitality is seriously damaged due to the competition between these princes and princes, this is what he does not want to see; but he cannot randomly find a prince to be the prince. Once he chooses the wrong person, he will not be able to face Queen Bintian.
To the ancestors.
Originally, the loudest voices were the eldest prince Cheng Wang and the third prince Jing Wang.
King Cheng and King Jing also represented the two major factions of civil servants and generals in the court respectively.
However, the old emperor himself was not so satisfied.
King Jing will not say it anymore. Although he has the support of his uncle Wu Chenghou, he is lecherous and domineering and is not a good candidate for the emperor.
Although King Cheng has always been gentle and easy-going, he is also quite popular among the people in the capital. Coupled with the support of many civil servants and his status as the eldest son, it is logically appropriate.
However, the old emperor always felt that King Cheng was too calculating and was not particularly satisfied.
But as time went by, and with the injury not getting better after three years, the old emperor didn't know how long he could hold on, so he was somewhat prepared to establish a prince.
But at this moment, news suddenly came that King Yu was causing trouble in the household department.
And it was this incident that gave the old emperor some different ideas.