Linzhi

Chapter 132

Princess Zhending didn't wait long in the side hall before she was summoned by the emperor.

For this woman with complicated identities, Emperor Jiayou also had complicated feelings.

On the one hand, she is the legacy of the previous dynasty. Some of the princesses and princes of the previous dynasty died early in the turmoil, and some died in the hands of He Rong's great-grandfather, who is also the emperor of this dynasty. It can be said that Zhending and this dynasty have bloody enmity.

But on the other hand, she has been in the fortress for decades, even if the Western Turks have been wiped out now, if she hadn't been maintaining the Western Regions, the Central Plains and the Western Regions would have been completely severed decades ago. With her, the future of the country One day when he becomes stronger again, if he wants to regain Liangzhou and defeat the Turks, he will have the name of being aboveboard, because before that, the regent of the Western Turks had also surrendered to the Central Plains.From this point of view, no one can really determine the meaning and contribution of the princess' existence.

"Princess, have you rested well these few days? Have you gone out for a walk? How do you feel?"

Emperor Jiayou asked kindly, please take Princess Zhending to her seat.

The furnishings in the palace may have changed, but those carved beams and painted buildings will not change, at most some new colors have been added. A long time ago, this was also the home of Princess Zhending, so she was at ease and did not show any embarrassment.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, I'm resting very well. I left Chang'an for more than 30 years. Before I left the fortress, I rarely went out of the palace. Nowadays, many streets are even less famous." Princess Zhending bowed slightly, speaking frankly.

"I didn't expect that after such a long absence, I could come back alive and enjoy the richness of the court. From the bottom of my heart, I am grateful to Your Majesty and the court."

The princess's words were flattering without being humble, but they still made Emperor Jiayou feel very happy.

"It's so good. The Princess Mansion was built according to the regulations of the princess mansion in this dynasty. There is no sloppiness. The princess has worked hard for half her life. Now that she is back, she can live in Chang'an with peace of mind. From now on, this place will still be yours." If you have any request, just mention it, if it can be done, the imperial court will definitely help you do it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness, but I have an unfeeling request from you."

"But it doesn't matter."

Princess Zhending said: "I want to go back to Lingzhou with King An."

Emperor Jiayou was stunned.

He thought that Princess Zhending would propose to repair the imperial mausoleum of the former dynasty, find out the whereabouts of the descendants of the former royal family, but he never expected that she would make such a request, so Emperor Jiayou naturally wanted to ask the reason.

Princess Zhending said: "Back then, King An went to Turkic alone, allowing the imperial court to establish contact with Western Turkic, and also made the minister feel that he has been relied on since then, and he is no longer a lonely ghost. The minister owes King An a kindness. Later , and it was King An who sent people to rescue him from thousands of miles away, if it weren't for him, I'm afraid that even the bones of the minister would have been buried under the yellow sand by now."

Emperor Jiayou's face became hot.

"The princess is still complaining that the court didn't order to rescue you at that time?"

Princess Zhending shook her head and said: "Your Majesty is serious. The imperial court has considerations of the imperial court. The overall situation is the most important. It is impossible for me to rashly start a war with Fu Nian. I dare not have any complaints. As a prince, King An is willing to guard the spirit personally. State, I have been in Turkic for many years, dealing with Turkic people, and I can help you with some ideas in everything, so I hope to follow King An to Lingzhou, and try my best to fulfill the kindness between me and King An."

Emperor Jiayou was agitated by what she said. At one moment, he was moved by Princess Zhending's righteousness, and at the other moment, he thought, between Princess Zhending and He Rong, they are not mother and son, but they are better than mother and son. Now the prince is fighting with King Ji, and the situation is becoming Water and fire, I don't know which son is willing to treat him like this.

Thinking of this, Emperor Jiayou couldn't help feeling depressed, and even had little interest in talking.

"Since the princess has made up her mind, I won't force it. The princess's home will always be in Chang'an. You can come back anytime. You can take all the gold and silver that I bestow on you at will."

Princess Zhending hurriedly got up to thank her.

In all fairness, Emperor Jiayou treated her kindly enough, no matter what he thought in his heart, he had already given her the best thing he could, and even Princess Zhending couldn't fault her.

Before returning to Chang'an, she once thought that if she could return to Chang'an in her lifetime and the fallen leaves return to their roots, she would have no regrets in this life.

But now when she returns to Chang'an, she suddenly feels that my hometown is where my heart is at ease.

And Chang'an, the city that never sleeps in memory, the majestic palace where I chased and played when I was young, has long been blurred in memory, gone far, and disappeared.

"Your Majesty, I have one more thing to say, please take it seriously," she said.

"Speak."

"Previously, King An made a statement, pointing out that after Fu Nian unified the Turks, he would target our dynasty. Based on my understanding of Fu Nian, what King An said was not alarmist. It may be triggered at any time, and the court is requested to make preparations early to avoid falling into a passive situation." Princess Zhending said solemnly.

He Rong said so, and Princess Zhending said so. Not long ago, Chen Wei of Ganzhou also mentioned a similar idea when he went to Shu. Hearing the words, he nodded and said: "I know, the imperial court will discuss countermeasures against the Turks in the near future."

All that needs to be said has been said, Princess Zhending stood up and resigned, leaving Zichen Palace.

The moment she stepped out of the threshold, she looked at the heavy palace gates and countless steps in front of her eyes, and looked back at the empty hall with intricate carvings and patterns. The emperor sat alone in the royal case, with a desolate figure. Suddenly, her heart seemed to be let go of heavy shackles. Lighten up like never before.

She knew what it was, it was a brooding heart that she had never let go of, it was the hatred of the Linghu family's imperial line being taken away, and the country and the country changed hands. As time goes by, there is no royal lineage that remains unchanged forever, and there is no country that remains unchanged for thousands of years. Even if it is not the He family, the Linghu family's country will be replaced by others. Have the last laugh.The land of the Linghu family was not in the hands of the He family, but in his own hands.

Now, the He family has reached such an inflection point, one step forward is unknown, and one step back may be a cliff.

Where to go, people in the waves will never know in which direction the waves will roll.

He Rong didn't know how long Princess Zhending would stay when summoned by the emperor, so he went back without waiting for her, but besides his own carriage, there was another unremarkable carriage in front of the palace gate, only the lower right corner of the carriage was engraved with a Signet.

Prime Minister Right, the carriage of Duke Heng's Li family.

Sure enough, when Princess Zhending passed by, the curtain of the car was raised, and a middle-aged woman came out from inside, bowing politely.

"It's really presumptuous to wait for the princess here, but I sent invitations twice to invite the princess to come to visit, but the princess is not available, so I had no choice but to come and invite the princess in person."

Princess Zhending has never met the other party, but she can guess the other party's identity.

"Madam Li, you are being polite. It is just because I have not stayed in the capital for a long time and I have to pack my luggage. I am really exhausted. I did not intend to prevaricate. Madam please forgive me."

Mrs. Li was very surprised: "Where is the princess going?"

Princess Zhending smiled faintly: "Go back to Lingzhou."

Before the other party could react, Princess Zhending had already got into the carriage, and Mrs. Tuliu Li looked at the back of the carriage in a daze.

Since her husband became the right prime minister, no one has ever disrespected herself so much. Mrs. Li was displeased and a little sullen.

Seeing this, the maid who was close to her persuaded: "Why should the mistress care about her? Although she is a princess, she is just a legacy of the previous dynasty. Your majesty treats her courteously, and she doesn't want to be offended. She doesn't know how to praise her, so why should you care?"

Mrs. Li shook her head, she had nothing to hide from this maid who followed her from her mother's house.

"You don't know, this is what the lord told me on purpose. He is sensitive now, and it's not easy to visit him at home, so let the princess come over. He wants to catch up with the princess in person."

The maid was surprised: "Reminiscing about the past?"

Mrs. Li said: "You forgot, Mrs. Li Jiatai, the grandmother of the Lord Lang, was also the princess of the previous dynasty, and the aunt of Princess Zhending."

The maid suddenly realized.

Although that Mrs. Tai passed away many years ago, when it comes to this relationship, Duke Heng's Mansion and Princess Zhending are indeed relatives.

……

Li Kuan didn't know that his wife had a bad start and failed to invite the guests back. At this moment, he was sitting in the study of Li's family, talking to his son-in-law.

Everyone said that Mr. Heng was cautious all his life, but his fate was very good. Although the first emperor had already commanded the soldiers and horses in Nanya when he was in power, the general was not more powerful than the prime minister. The one who entered the palace as a concubine, and the one who was married to the prince from the first line, can be said to be a famous family. In time, if the daughter who entered the palace and became a concubine can give birth to another son and a half, it will undoubtedly go straight to the sky.

But Li Kuan is still the approachable Li Kuan, and he is not arrogant because he is an official worshiping the right minister, or he is married to the emperor. On the issue of dealing with the prince and the family, he can even stand on a side that is acceptable to both sides. In terms of position, a delicate balance is maintained.

This balancing act is not for everyone.Those who want to do this may not have his mind, and they may not have the patience and self-cultivation to do it. Therefore, even He Rong has to admit that Li Kuan is indeed unique in his role as an official and a person. , very accessible.

"I think, after a while, I will set off for Yangzhou."

After entering the door, He Xiu didn't say a word. After a long time, she finally made up her mind and spoke slowly.

Li Kuan's hand that was going to grab the teacup paused slightly, and immediately acted nonchalantly.

He smiled slightly: "Your Highness, do you want to retire?"

He Xiu took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Actually, it wasn't sudden. I should have gone and sealed it long ago. This time when Wulang returned to Beijing, His Majesty granted Guangzhou to him. Sooner or later, Sanlang will return to Lingzhou. I think it's not an option for me to hang on like this." , instead of looking at and hating the prince, why not go to the fief as soon as possible and do something you want to do."

Li Kuan took a sip of tea and said calmly, "It's really not an option for you and the crown prince to go on like this."

He Xiu was overjoyed: "Father-in-law, if you also support me, you can seal me up? I have already thought about it. Although Yangzhou is a rich place, it is far away from the capital after all. I will go there first to see the situation. After I settle down, I will pick up the princess. If she If I want to stay in the capital and by your side, I don’t have to leave. To be honest, I’m really tired. In fact, I just hold my breath in my heart. I can’t see him blocking me everywhere. It’s not that I really want him That position."

Li Kuan picked up the teapot on the small stove and filled He Xiu's cup.

"Your Highness wants to retire. It is because of your generosity. As the prime minister, it is a blessing for the country and the community that you have such a magnanimity."

He Xiu raised his eyebrows, knowing that he must have something to say: "But?"

Li Kuan smiled: "But, have you ever thought about whether the prince will allow you to retreat? It is not everyone's nature to accept it when you see it. On the contrary, your retreat may be exchanged for the other party's progress. You have lost an inch under your feet, and I am afraid there is no place to stand."

He Xiu frowned: "You mean, even if I back down, the crown prince will not let me go?"

Li Kuan shook his head: "I don't want to sow dissension between the two of you, but a few days ago, I got news that after King An brought the crime of reselling military salaries to merchants in Lingzhou to the court, the crown prince once sent Donggong Sheren Li Yun has been to Lingzhou, and even visited King An."

He Xiu Yilin: "The crown prince asked him to go? What is he going to do?"

Li Kuan said: "When Li Yun left Lingzhou, it is said that his expression was very disappointed. According to my inference, he should have been ordered by the prince to go to Lingzhou to find King An, and he was related to those merchants. Later, there was a doorman in my house. , happened to be from the same town as Li Yun, and they had occasional contacts on weekdays. When the two were drinking, Li Yun inadvertently revealed that the prince wanted to cooperate with King An and help him intercede in front of His Majesty and let Lingzhou send troops to To save Princess Zhending, it was a pity that King An flatly refused."

He Xiu is not dull. Although there are many mysteries in this, it is easy to make people think about it.

"The prince asked Sanlang to cooperate and help him save Princess Zhending. This is definitely not without conditions. What is the condition? The merchant's matter is involved in the Lu family. I also wrote to Sanlang to plead for mercy. Does the prince want to take this opportunity?" Take me down?"

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this possibility was very high, and even his expression was clouded.

Li Kuanwen said: "The matter is over, it's useless to think about it. I just want to remind you that if you want to retire, others may not let you retreat. You are now in the capital, in front of His Majesty. If you have any problems, you can still report them in time. Once you leave Chang'an and return to the fief, if the crown prince says something in front of His Majesty, I am a foreigner and it is impossible to stay in front of His Majesty all the time, then what will you do?"

He Xiu said bitterly: "I don't even want to argue with him anymore, why is he still refusing to let me go! One plan failed, and another plan was promoted, and now he still wants to fabricate charges to frame me?!"

Li Kuan: "Actually, the prince is very scared now."

He Xiu sneered: "His position in the East Palace is as stable as Mount Tai, and he still has thoughts of calculating others, what is there to be afraid of?"

Li Kuan said: "He is not a descendant, has no military exploits, and has no military power. He was able to become the prince because he was the first son when he was reincarnated. He is the eldest son, so he is always on guard. Someone snatched it away. Have you ever seen a squirrel holding a pine cone? The prince is actually like that squirrel, holding the pine cone tightly in his hand, and he will not hesitate to stuff the pine cone in his mouth for preservation. Other princes, like you, Such as King An, King Xing, they all have military power in their hands, but the crown prince has nothing, so deep down in his heart, he has always been very afraid."

He Xiu was silent for a moment, as if asking back, but also as if asking himself: "Is this kind of person the future emperor? In the future, I will have to bow my knees to such a person and bow my head as a minister?"

Li Kuan smiled: "The position of the crown prince has been determined, even the first prince can't compete with him, what can you do?"

He Xiu gritted his teeth and said: "Speaking of this, I have always suspected that the death of the first prince is related to him, but unfortunately there is no evidence at hand!"

Li Kuan looked at him: "Since that's the case, does Your Highness still want to retreat?"

He Xiu raised his eyes and said word by word: "I, no, accept."

Li Kuan said: "The crown prince has no military power and no military exploits in his hands, and he is surrounded by a group of courtiers from poor families. Don't talk about repression, I'm afraid there is nothing you can do with the family. The crown prince is very aware of these situations. This is his weakness of fear, so whenever he has the opportunity, he will definitely take power and credit for himself or the people around him, Your Highness As long as you start from this point, you will know that the prince is not difficult to deal with."

He Xiu didn't speak.

……

Mrs. Li waited for a long time before finally seeing Li Kuan's belated figure.

She hurriedly got up to meet her: "Why is it taking so long?"

Li Kuan said: "I talked to King Ji for a while, why are you in such a hurry?"

Mrs. Li waited for Princess Zhending on the road, and personally invited her to visit the mansion to reminisce, but she was still declined by the other party.

In the end she said: "Come back from a narrow escape, but don't wait for Chang'an's peaceful and stable life, and insist on going to Lingzhou, and she doesn't have any relatives around her now, our Li family is the closest to her, but she can't even see her." I don’t see you, I’m running around with King An, what do you think Princess Zhending is thinking? Is she crazy?”

Li Kuan's expression was calm, but he was not surprised.

"She's not crazy, she just wants to go another way."

Meeting Mrs. Li's inexplicable eyes, Li Kuan smiled and said, "Then let's see if it's easier to walk on her single-plank bridge or my Yangguan Avenue."

Almost at the same time, Princess Zhending was also talking about this meeting with He Rong, about Mrs. Li's interception.

In the end, she only said one sentence: Prepare early and leave Beijing as soon as possible. In a place of right and wrong, storms will rise.