Funing Hall

It was also the third day that Zhao Shiqi went to Huainan, and it wasn't long before Zhao Cong received his letter.

Another eunuch came in outside the hall to report: "Your Majesty, Zhao Congde, the son of Duke Wei, is asking to see you."

Zhao Cong hardly thought about it, and said: "I'm afraid the son doesn't know that Shi Que has gone to Huainan. If he wants to see Shi Que, he will see you when Shi Que comes back."

"Yes." The little eunuch replied, turning around to leave.

Zhao Cong said again: "The prince has not entered the palace for a long time, now that he is here, please invite him in for a cup of tea, and then send him out."

"Yes."

Zhao Cong continued to discuss the matter, and the others said, His Majesty really doesn't like Zhao Congde, but fortunately, he returned some face, probably because of Zhao Shiqi.

Zhao Congde naturally knew that his eleventh son had gone to the south, although he didn't know why he went there.Their house is currently neglected in front of the door, but it is not impossible to not even inquire about this.He had been waiting for Zhao Shiqi's house to be built to show off his prestige, but he never got this chance.

In the past five years, he was really scared at home.

I don't know when Zhao Shiqi will return, and it's not a problem that he always sits at home.

He planned to go into the palace to meet the Queen Mother, but before going out, the second housekeeper came in and whispered: "Your Majesty, there is a letter from uncle." After finishing speaking, he took out a letter from his front lapel.

He raised his eyebrows and immediately grabbed the letter to read.After seeing it, he seemed a little excited, and went around the room many times.The second housekeeper asked again: "My lord, are you still entering the palace?"

"Come in!" Zhao Congde locked the letter into a small box and hurried out.

When he arrived at the gate of the palace, His Majesty did not see him, which he expected, but he did not enter the palace today to see His Majesty.The little eunuch led him into the palace, and when he was about to reach the Baoci Hall, he said: "I haven't entered the palace for a long time, since His Majesty is busy and doesn't have time to see me, I'm going to visit the Empress Dowager."

The little eunuch didn't know what to say immediately.Even he could tell that His Majesty didn't like the crown prince, and the crown prince even took the initiative to meet the queen mother!However, if the son doesn't please His Majesty, it has nothing to do with him. If he wants to see him, he will see him.He saluted, sent the son to Baoci hall, and waited outside the hall.

The coldness in front of the gate of Baoci Hall was no less than that of Duke Wei's Mansion. Suddenly someone came in, and the little eunuch who was dozing off at the gate was startled. After seeing who was coming, he hurried inside to report.

Empress Dowager Sun was also a little surprised when she heard that it was Zhao Congde who came over.

Aunt Wang hurriedly said: "A few days ago, when King Wei entered the palace, His Majesty even took the Dalang of their mansion with him to farm. Your Majesty, the mansion of Prince Wei is going to be erected again!"

Empress Dowager Sun lacked interest, so what if she stood up?She had long since lost the intention of rebelling, and besides, the so-called erection of the Weijun Palace was just to see how Zhao Cong would behave.If Zhao Cong doesn't like it, they are still worthless.She had already broken up with Zhao Congde, and she never wanted to see him again.

She flatly refused.

The maid in the palace went out for a while, and came back and said, "Your Majesty, the son doesn't want to go back."

Empress Dowager Sun was annoyed and pointed at Aunt Wang: "Go and drive him away."

Aunt Wang took the order to go, but failed to persuade Zhao Congde to return.Empress Dowager Sun laughed. When she was in power, Zhao Congde flirted with her. Now she has nothing, but he knows how to please her.

What is Zhao Congde's reason for entering the palace this time?Instead, she became curious and asked Aunt Wang to bring him in.

After Zhao Congyi finished his work, he ordered the ministers to go home, and he went to the inner room and slumped.

He leaned on the couch, leaning against the guide pillow, holding the piece of paper Zhao Shiqi sent in his hand, looking left and right, no matter how he looked, how beautiful it was.

Fu Lu smiled: "Your Majesty, what did Mr. Xiao Lang write to you, and you are so happy?"

Zhao Cong's brows were full of joy, no matter how he tried to hide it, he couldn't hide it.In front of Fu Lu, he didn't want to cover it either.He folded the paper and put it carefully on the table. He didn't answer, but asked again: "Does Sun Boxun know about their family's Sun Zhuyun being taken away by the princess?"

"Master Shao has been watching there for several days, but he has not seen anyone from Uncle Zhongxiao's mansion delivering a letter to Luoyang. Sun Boxun's other courtyard is also far away from Luoyang's market, and their family rarely interacts with people now. I'm afraid I really don't know this. What's up!"

Zhao Cong also thought so, otherwise Sun Boxun would not have responded so far. After all, Sun Feng was afraid of his father and dared not tell this matter.But such an interesting thing, you must let him know.Zhao Cong reached out and tapped the table, and ordered: "Send someone to Luoyang, and tell Uncle Zhongxiao about this matter."

"Yes!" Fu Lu turned around and sent someone.

After Fulu left, Zhao Cong took out the small fan pendant from his cuff, put it together with the paper, and smiled while watching.Perhaps it was because Zhao Shiqi was not here, and he just received such a letter, and now he feels that such a secret love seems not bad.He doesn't affect anyone, as long as he likes it quietly, this way he will feel less guilty.

He also thought of the painting that Zhao Shiqi had drawn for him, which made him extraordinarily handsome.

Only when you love someone can you paint the other person so beautifully.

Xiao Shiyi must also like him, although this liking is not at all the same as his liking, but it is enough.

Just because of Zhao Shiqi's letter, he is really happy today.

When he got up, he wanted to put on his shoes and go back to Funing Palace to look at the paintings.

Fulu came in again and said: "Your Majesty, someone has been sent there."

Zhao Cong nodded to show he knew, then pointed to his feet: "Put on your shoes, go back."

"Your Majesty, there is one more thing."

"Ok?"

"The Prince Wei's son has gone to the Baoci Palace again!"

Zhao Cong stretched out his feet to put on his shoes, but when he heard this, he paused.When Fulu told him about this, he must have been angry because Zhao Congde didn't know how to flatter him, so he went to Baoci Hall for this reason.But he suddenly thought of another thing. Is there a possibility that Zhao Congde has a close relationship with Queen Mother Sun?

This shallowness is not shallowness in the general sense.

Frankly speaking, although Zhao Congde is incompetent, he is indeed born very well.Just looking at his face, one would never expect him to be such a fool, not to mention the appearance of Empress Dowager Sun.

Zhao Cong shook his head in his heart, if it was true, then it would be too interesting.Is it also related to the fact that King Wei Jun hates Queen Mother Sun so much?

Fu Lu put on his shoes and helped him back to Funing Hall.

Zhao Cong watched Zhao Shiqi's painting for him for another night.

As Zhao Cong expected, Sun Boxun really didn't know that Sun Zhuyun was taken away by the princess.He only knew that there was some trouble with the princess again at home, but he didn't know the specific situation.Although he was angry, he knew that pretending to be blind was the most correct way at this time, so he simply didn't ask.

But the eunuch in the palace came to tell him that when Sun Zhuyun in their mansion was received by the princess about the matter of the princess mansion.

He, who has always been calm and restrained, almost couldn't hold on.

He didn't say anything else, and the eunuchs who left the message stayed at home for one night. When he was old, he took his confidant and rode back to Kaifeng Mansion overnight.

At dawn, he got off his horse and ordered his confidants to kick open the gate of Uncle Zhongxiao's mansion.He strode in and asked in a cold voice, "Where is Sun Feng?!" The porter was trembling with fright, and told the location.

Sun Feng rested at the concubine's place. Sun Boxun was really a very restrained person, but he was so angry that he could no longer care about the rules and face.He went straight to the backyard, lifted Sun Feng out of the concubine's hot bed, threw him on the ground and kicked him.

The concubine screamed in fright, Sun Boxun glanced at his confidant, who punched him, and the concubine rolled his eyes and passed out.

Sun Feng was also awake. He looked up at his father, puzzled and said, "Father?! Why did you hit me?!"

Sun Boxun pointed at him, his voice trembling with anger: "Sun Zhuyun was taken away by Princess Baoning?!"

Sun Feng was not happy: "Exactly, he is just like his shameless mother..."

Sun Boxun kicked him violently again: "How many times have I told you that Sun Zhuyun is not listed in the genealogy, does not appear in front of people, and is not allowed to leave the house! How dare you let him see the princess?!"

Sun Feng avoided his father's feet and said anxiously: "What can I do? The princess came to beg for Dalang in person. If he doesn't go with the princess, what should Dalang do?! It's also thanks to him taking the initiative to come out. I thought about it afterwards. Thinking, although it is embarrassing, it is indeed the only way..."

"You are a big trash! Sun Zhuqing is a small trash! The trash deserves to be taken away!"

"Father!" Sun Feng was dissatisfied.

Sun Boxun kicked him a few more times, and he felt exhausted after kicking him. Seeing that he was about to collapse, his confidant hurried forward to support him.

Sun Boxun rarely had some old tears in his eyes. He leaned on his confidant, looked at Sun Feng on the ground, and murmured: "God is going to kill my grandson's family! God is going to kill my grandson's family! There are so many unworthy descendants!"

"Why did father say that about our family?!"

Sun Boxun stretched out his hand to point at him again, but he was so angry that he couldn't speak, his hand trembled, and finally he staggered out holding the hand of his confidant.

His confidant sighed: "Uncle, the matter has not reached that point yet."

"It was my fault. I should have poisoned Sun Zhuyun in the first place, or simply killed him."

"He is your grandson, you can't be cruel, and you don't blame you for this."

"He saw his mother die with his own eyes back then, and he also knew that I gave him medicine to make him weak. He has always hated me and the Sun family. Now that he took this opportunity and finally left, why wouldn't he take revenge? No matter what he said was true. Fake, with his identity, no one will doubt him!"

"Why don't we act first?"

"When Zhao Zongning was the princess, the princess's mansion was like an iron wall. Now that he is a princess, how can we go in and kill people?!"

"Uncle..."

"I'm old, I've stopped thinking about it long ago, and it's just a word of death! In the palace, Long Niang blamed me for hating me all my life. At my age, I only hope that she can grow old safely. Although Zhao Cong had deep thoughts, he deceived me We have been fatally injured in these years. He is soft-hearted and nostalgic. When he was first carried into the palace, Long Niang treated him very well. As long as Long Niang does not do anything wrong, Zhao Cong will save her life and return it to her. She was rich and prosperous all her life. But now—you know, the late emperor didn’t want Longniang to be the successor queen, but Concubine An, Aunt Wang... If Aunt Wang knew the cause of her husband and daughter’s death, how could she not hatred?"

The confidant sighed again: "Uncle, in fact, Dalang's matter was originally caused by the empress dowager."

Sun Boxun smiled wryly: "Your big truth is piercing my heart. Yes, it is because of lack of people's hearts. After all, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Rather than blaming her, it is better to blame me! But our Sun family is also a family of the former dynasty. , no worse than the Zhao family, why did the country we fought together fall into their hands? My ancestors have a destiny, so why would I dare not obey?"

"Uncle..."

Sun Boxun sighed: "Now it's just a matter of taking one step at a time. Long Niang entered the palace too early, and the harem taught her ambition, but forgot to give her enough thoughtfulness. I am ashamed of her and sent her in, but failed to protect her."

No one in the Sun family knew about this conversation.

Even Zhao Cong didn't have the ability to know, he didn't have the ability to read minds, let alone clairvoyance and ears, how could he know some old things about the Sun family?Furthermore, these matters of the Sun family only involved the life and death of members of the Sun family.

What is the life and death of a family compared with the world and the country?

What Sun Boxun wants to protect is the Sun family.

Behind Zhao Cong is the entire dynasty.

Apart from being busy with government affairs these days, Zhao Cong is waiting for letters.

Zhao Shiqi would write letters to him every day, and sometimes he would be on the ship all day and unable to deliver the letters, so he would wait until the next day when he docked at the pier before sending them back. At this time, the two letters would arrive together.

Zhao Cong read the letter many times every day.

Sometimes Zhao Shiqi would tell him about the scenery on the shore, and sometimes he would draw him pictures of water birds docked on the ship's side.On the day he finally arrived in Chuzhou, he even sent him a stone, which Zhao Shiqi picked up by the sea.

In fact, it is a somewhat ordinary stone, blue in color, with a white edge on it.

But in Zhao Cong's eyes, it is more precious than any piece of jade.It just so happened that he also dug out a piece of good jade from his private treasury, and he engraved characters on it, including the words "Little Eleven".Even though Zhao Shiqi has grown up, and he seldom even addresses him like this, Zhao Cong still loves these three words the most.

Rantao also made a net for him, and when Xiao Shiyi came back, he would give it to him. Zhao Shiqi had to hang it around his waist every day.

At this moment, he put this stone and that jade together.

Ran Tao smiled: "Your Majesty, if you put these two together, they will break."

Zhao Cong wrapped the stone and the jade in silk cloth and put them together. He turned his head and smiled, "This way it won't break."

Ran Tao was taken aback.

His Majesty ascended the throne at the age of ten, took charge at the age of 16, and has always looked down on everyone.They often forget that their majesty is really only 21 years old, really young.

The smile on His Majesty's face was always gentle and appropriate, but this kind of smile reminded Rantao of the freshly boiled orange sugar, which was very sweet.

After Zhao Cong laughed, he turned back and put the things away.

Rantao also showed a faint smile. As long as Mr. Xiao Lang is around, His Majesty can smile.Even letters and stones sent from afar can be like this.

It has become a habit for Zhao Cong to wait for letters.

However, after Zhao Shiqi arrived in Chuzhou, no more letters came, and the smile on his face disappeared again.Without any news, he didn't know if Zhao Shiqi was alright. He even worried that Zhao Shiqi might be sick due to acclimatization when he first arrived in the south?After thinking about it, he laughed at himself, Zhao Shiqi had lived in Hangzhou for five years.

I was troubled by myself for a few days, and finally there was another news.

It's just that what came back this time was not Zhao Shiqi's personal letter, but a letter from Xiao Tang, which said three things in total.

The salt people of Yancheng Supervisor were dissatisfied with the change of salt registration and assembled to fight against the officials.

Zhao Shiqi killed a salt man, causing public outrage.

A salt tax officer named Yang Yuan died, and the cause of death is under investigation, but half of the local officials were involved.

Xiao Tang's letter was extremely simple, but the simpler the sentence, the more it could explain the seriousness of the situation.

Zhao Cong couldn't let go of this heart anymore.

He was worried about the change of the salt registry. This was something he had thought about for several years and discussed with various officials for a long time.

He was worried about Zhao Shiqi.

Xiao Shiyi is well-behaved in front of him, but from the fact that he killed people in the Hall of Baoci because he fell into the water, it can be seen that he is actually a very strong-willed person.He never believed that Xiao Shiyi killed people indiscriminately. Even if Xiao Shiyi really killed the Yan people, there must be a reason.

But others will only think he is violent.

Zhao Cong now only feels that it is fortunate that Xiao Shiyi has not been given an official position, otherwise he will definitely be admitted!

Zhao Cong thought for a long time in the room with his hands behind his back, then turned to Fu Lu and Rantao and said, "Go and pack your things."

"His Majesty?"

"Leave tomorrow to Huainan."