Rebellious Minister Part 1

"Govern the country with righteousness, use military force with strangeness, and conquer the world with nothing..."

In the study room are palace lanterns hanging high, bright as day.Prince Aiqing was really standing behind the pear blossom wooden desk, while silently reading the "Tao Te Ching", while copying it on the rice paper in lower case, with iron strokes and silver hooks, like flowing clouds and flowing water, it is so beautiful.

I really don't know if it's because he is always punished by the prince to copy books. His handwriting is the best among all the royal heirs.

"Your Highness, what are you talking about?" Helping him grind was a little eunuch in green clothes named Xiao Dezi. He was only seven years old this year, but he was eccentric. His small eyes stared at the small words written by Aiqing. , asked curiously.

"That is to say... um..." How the prince explained at the beginning, Aiqing tilted her little head with a golden crown, scratched her head frequently with the end of the brush, and muttered, "That is to say...the emperor wants to rule the country according to the law and fight wars. You need to surprise the victory, don't disturb the common people, wait..."

Fearing that the more Xiao Dezi asked, the more she would not be able to explain, Aiqing said again, "Well, they are all profound truths anyway, I'll explain them to you, but you don't understand, so don't bother me."

"Yes, Your Highness." Xiao Dezi worked hard to sharpen the ink for the prince. There was such a thick stack of white paper on the desk, it would probably take until midnight to copy.

Aiqing filled a piece of paper again, put down the pen, turned her sore and stiff neck, and twisted her waist, and asked Xiao Dezi again, "Has the guard Jing returned to the palace yet?"

"No, sister Chunxi from the front hall said that when Guard Jing comes back, he will come to the study to see the prince immediately." Xiao Dezi handed the prince a fresh cup of rock sugar red date tea, "Your Highness, are you thirsty?" Right? Take a break and write."

"Hmm... where did he go?" Ai Qing wrinkled her face bitterly, and just picked up the celadon tea bowl, when she heard a loud announcement from outside, "His Royal Highness, the guard Jing has arrived."

"Hehe, he's finally back!" Putting down the brush, Aiqing went straight to the gate of the palace like a happy little rabbit, leaving Xiao Dezi hurriedly packing up the brush and paper for him before writing. It can't be dirty, and I have to show it to the queen.

When Aiqing came to the door excitedly, under the bright moonlight, that tall figure was stepping into the threshold of the palace, without saying a word, he rushed over, "—Ruirui!"

It was really three feet high, but the person who came over easily hugged his waist, raised his head, and looked at Ai Qing's delicate face stained with ink.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry, my subordinate is late."

Jing Tingrui is nine years older than the prince, and now he is nineteen. Not only is he a guard with a sword in the Eastern Palace, but he is also highly valued by the emperor because of his superb martial arts skills and his integrity. case.

However, he is a member of the Prince's Palace after all, so every time Jing Tingrui leaves the palace according to the order, Ai Qing is very unhappy, it is like looking forward to the stars and the moon, waiting for him to come back.

Even Huang Ye hugged him jealously and said, "Qing'er, I'm just borrowing your bodyguard. Although he's gone out of the palace, I'm still with you, isn't it?"

"Father, that's different." Ai Qing would always answer that way, but he couldn't tell what the difference was.

Since he can remember, Jing Tingrui has been by his side. Jing Tingrui's existence is as natural as the sunshine, air, flowers, plants and trees surrounding him.As long as he is gone, Aiqing will feel uncomfortable and restless, but now it is no different from when he was a child, as long as he cries, his father will take the initiative to give him the Jing guard, which can successfully stop his tears, and Tried and tested!

Now that he has grown up, he can only bear it until Jing Tingrui returns to the palace to see him, and he will never do such a thing as crying again.

"Hmph, you also know that you are late?" Although she was always worried about Jing Tingrui's safety, Ai Qing also put on a straight face at the moment, "You only have father in your heart, not me!"

"How could it be, Your Highness, you will always be the first in the hearts of your subordinates." In the eyes of others, although Jing Tingrui is extremely handsome, he doesn't like to talk, and he doesn't like to talk to others. A large piece of ice, and from time to time reveals a cold air that repels people thousands of miles away.

However, when he was in front of the prince, especially when there was no one else around, his eyes and tone were so gentle, full of doting.

"But as long as the father says a word, you will fly out of the palace!" Ai Qing muttered.

Since he was a child, he has been favored by his father and emperor, and he was established as a prince at the age of four.With Huang Ye backing him up, he has always galloped through the palace without fearing anything.

But he has recently learned more and more, what is power?Because as long as the father looked at him, Jing Tingrui would no longer listen to him, and he would not tell him where he went or what he was doing, which made him very worried.

"Oh, Your Highness, those are all official matters. As a subject, it's only natural to do things for the emperor." Jing Tingrui said with a smile, put Ai Qing down, and reached out to stroke his head.

"——Then tell me, is it the matter that the father told me is important, or me?!"

Aiqing didn't know why she wanted to ask this question, but she had a faint feeling that Jing Tingrui would definitely choose her father, so she lowered her head and remained silent.

"By the way, Your Highness, I bought you a sugar figurine." Jing Tingrui knelt down and said.Every time he comes back from the palace, he will bring some delicious things, such as candied haws, maltose people, etc., which cannot be eaten in the palace.Maybe the palace people dislike the rough and unclean workmanship.

But Aiqing likes it very much, holding the dragon-shaped candy can eat for a long time.

"Where is it?" When Aiqing heard that there was something to eat, she really regained her energy. She was so lively that she could almost see the tail wagging behind his buttocks.

Jing Tingrui couldn't help but pinched his pink cheeks, "In your bedroom, Chunxi said, you are copying books here, so I put down my things and came here."

"Hey, so, do you know that I was punished for copying books?" Aiqing's face turned even redder. Although it was not the first time, as she got older, she always felt that Jing Tingrui knew about this kind of thing. is bad.

"Yeah." Jing Tingrui stood up and took Aiqing's hand, "Let's go, you haven't finished writing yet, have you?"

"That's right, Daddy is so cruel this time, he punished me ten times of the Tao Te Ching." Aiqing was more like acting like a baby than complaining.

"Alright, it's not that you haven't memorized the "Tao Te Ching". Next time the prince will take the exam and you will write it silently, so I don't need to throw the note for you." Jing Tingrui said with a smile, but Aiqing punched her .

When Aiqing returned to the table, Xiao Dezi had already laid out a piece of rice paper, and the ivory-tube Langhao brush was soaked with ink, waiting for the prince to come and wave the brush.

"Are you copying while standing?" Jing Tingrui asked seeing that the crown prince had no seat.

"That's right, His Highness made a mistake today and fell down while holding the princess, the queen is very angry." Xiao Dezi said in a very low voice.

"It turns out that's the case. No wonder the queen is going to be angry." Jing Tingrui turned to look at the prince and asked with concern, "How about you? Are you injured?"

"I don't have one. Well, anyway, I just copied it." Aiqing glared at Xiao Dezi, thinking he was talking too much, "Go, let the imperial dining room prepare some snacks. Guard Jing came back late and didn't even eat."

"Yes! Your Highness." Xiao Dezi obeyed and ran away.

Ai Qing was very calm, and really wanted to finish copying the rest in one go, but she was thinking that Rui Rui hadn't returned to the palace yet, so she counted, and from noon to now, she only copied it four times, and now Rui Rui is back. , stayed with him, but he couldn't calm down again.

From the corner of his eyes, he glanced at Jing Tingrui from time to time. He was wearing a dark blue cloud-patterned brocade jacket, a leather belt embellished with black jade, and black cloth riding boots. Besides the Chi You sword that he wore all year round, there was also a pendant inlaid with emerald and gold on his waist. keepsake.

Aiqing knew that although Jing Tingrui was the eldest son of Prince Jing's family, due to his status as a concubine, he did not get the status of the prince's son, and those younger brothers who would be born by him for wealth, wealth, and hereditary glory were younger than him. The year-old Jing Tingyun inherited.

Although Jing Tingyun is a lazy guy who knows nothing but good looks.

Regarding this point, Aiqing has always been aggrieved, and even pestered her father to give Jing Tingrui the title and status he deserved.

However, the father said that although the concubine and concubine are equal in his eyes, the ancestral ritual system cannot be abolished, and this is Prince Jing's family matter, so he cannot interfere.

As for Jing Tingrui himself, he doesn't seem to care about his status, and he rarely goes back to the Prince's Mansion, but today, he has a token around his waist, which means that his father asked him to go to Prince Jing's Mansion to do business.

"Is Concubine An okay?" Aiqing asked Jing Tingrui's biological mother, a humble singer who was taken as a concubine by Prince Jing because of her extremely beautiful appearance.

"Mother is fine, thank you Your Highness for your concern." Jing Tingrui said with a smile, "She also asked about you, and asked her subordinates to take good care of you."

"Ruirui, if I knew you were going back to the palace, I wouldn't have urged you to come back." Ai Qing stopped writing, with an apologetic expression on her face.

"Hehe, Your Highness, it has been nine years since I entered the palace as your bodyguard at the age of ten, and I have already regarded this place as my home." Jing Tingrui said with a smile, "You don't have to care about this."

"Ruirui, I will treat you very, very well!" Aiqing still frowned, and swore, "To make up for the regret that you can't go home."

"Your Highness, you have a very kind heart." Jing Tingrui raised his hand to caress that youthful face, which was full of childishness, but full of national charm, "Your subordinates will be worried instead..."

"What?" Those dark and clear eyes, like the starry sky, looked up at Jing Tingrui.

"No, it's nothing." Jing Tingrui smiled, hugged the prince into his arms, lowered his head, and said in his ear, "As long as you look like this, you don't need to bother about other things."

"En!" Ai Qing nodded heavily, no matter what it is, as long as Rarity says it's nothing, then it's fine.

"Your Highness, are you tired?" Jing Tingrui asked again, "How long have you been standing and copying?"

"From noon, probably..." Aiqing paused, "It's been three hours."

"Then it's really time to take a break." Jing Tingrui frowned, "Otherwise, tomorrow will be a sore waist and legs."

"But Ruarui, I still have to copy it six times." Aiqing had a sad face, and probably had to work until Haishi.

"Don't worry. Come, let the subordinates hug you." Jing Tingrui said softly, and easily picked up the prince, let him sit on the desk, and the eyes of the two were even.

"Ruirui?" Aiqing looked at Jing Tingrui, not knowing why.

"The queen forbids you to sit on a chair and copy books, so I removed all the chairs here. However, as long as it's not a chair, it's the same if you sit here. The rest, you can write it down." good."

"How is this possible? If daddy finds out, he won't have to punish me again!" Aiqing said hastily.

"God knows, you know, I know, and there is no one else here." Jing Tingrui was unusually courageous, and smiled, "Xiao Dezi will not betray you, the most important thing is..."

He picked up the pen, followed what Aiqing had written just now, and continued, "I hate you to stand and copy, but I have copied for you seven or eight times, and I am very familiar with imitating your handwriting."

"Ruirui..." Aiqing's face was red, she stretched out her hand, and gently tugged at Jing Tingrui's sleeve, "I'm sorry, I caused you trouble again."

"It's nothing, Your Highness, you can do whatever you want, as long as you're happy." Jing Tingrui gently pinched the crown prince's nose, "Just next time, you should be more careful when holding the princess, don't fall down again .”

"I know, I won't do it next time." Ai Qing puffed up her cheeks, he felt sorry for Ke Rou, it hurt more than falling himself!

Aiqing rested her chin and sat on the table watching Jing Tingrui write.That's really fast, and the handwriting and strokes are exactly the same.

As the night deepened, Xiao Dezi lit more candle lamps, and Aiqing felt sleepy as she watched, yawning constantly, shaking her little head, leaning against Jing Tingrui's body unconsciously. on the right shoulder.

Jing Tingrui stopped writing, didn't say anything, just switched to writing with his left hand, and then held the prince's waist firmly with his right hand, letting him rest on his shoulder. In this unnatural posture, he spent more than two hours, He finished copying for the prince.

Holding the sleeping prince in his arms, he sent him back to his bedroom. After telling Chunxi to take care of the prince, Jing Tingrui took the thick "Tao Te Ching" to Changchun Palace and returned to the empress.

+ + + + +

"I bow down to Your Majesty, I wish your Majesty the health of the Phoenix!"

As Jing Tingrui expected, even though it was midnight, Ke Weiqing, the "mother of a country", hadn't gone to bed yet.

He is Dayan's first male empress, and the Forbidden City does not use the title of "Niang Niang", but respectfully calls her "Your Majesty".

But all officials know that "Your Majesty" is used to address the emperor. This shows how much the emperor loves Ke Weiqing and is willing to sit on an equal footing with him.

Not only did he canonize him as empress, but even the name of the prince, Chunyu——Aiqing, also bluntly expressed that the emperor's love for Ke Weiqing was higher than the sky and deeper than the sea!

The man who can make the emperor of the Great Yan Empire fall in love with him is naturally different from ordinary people. Ke Weiqing has been full of legends since he was born.

He is a member of the Wuque tribe, a descendant of the fairy bird Phoenix that was said to have existed in the era when Pangu created the world.

Regardless of men or women, they all have stunning beauty, are intelligent and hardworking, and have been living a self-sufficient and isolated life in the vast forest of the Suzaku River Valley.

Of course, their most unique feature is that men can also conceive for ten months and give birth to offspring, which amazes the world the most.

As the years passed, occasionally, some members of the Wuque tribe came out of the mountains and lived in cities.Some even entered the court as officials, became powerful and respected prime ministers, and secretly gave birth to a son with the Supreme Emperor.And this prince had inherited the great line, which caused the bloody storm that followed.

The first emperor Chunyu Wen didn't want the world to know that he was born of a man.Such shameful and humiliating things seriously threatened his authority, so he ordered the secret killing of the whole Wuque clan.

But his son, Chunyu Huangye, fell in love with Ke Weiqing, a survivor of the Wuque tribe. Although he didn't know Ke Weiqing's real identity at the beginning, this has to be said to be a strange love.

The grievances of three generations came to Ke Weiqing, which can be said to be resolved.Wuque people are no different from ordinary people now, and because they are descendants of the immortal family, they are also highly respected.

At the very least, those who still opposed the Wuque Clan's entry into the harem had already lost under the strong pressure of the emperor, and they could not cause any trouble for the time being.

Also in order to prevent these people from having the opportunity to criticize Wuqueren, Ke Weiqing, the queen, has worked very hard. She has personally experienced everything, and she has done no less than the emperor who goes to and from the foreign court and manages everything every day.

At this time, he has to review the income and expenditure of nearly a hundred palaces since the beginning of summer, so his desk is full of thick scrolls, which are as small as a bowl of sweet-scented osmanthus soup.

Where do you need to save money, and what offerings can be rewarded to your servants.Only by ensuring that everyone gets something for their work, and that rewards and punishments are clearly defined, can the palace be peaceful and peaceful, and the emperor's worries about the future can be relieved.

And educating the prince is his top priority. Since Ke Weiqing punished the prince for copying the books, he will definitely wait for him to come over.

Seeing that it was Jing Tingrui, the prince's personal bodyguard, who came to return to his life, instead of the prince himself, Ke Weiqing didn't say anything, but nodded, telling him to stand up and talk.

"Your Majesty, the crown prince is too tired and has already fallen asleep." Jing Tingrui bowed, neither humble nor overbearing, "I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

"Forget it, Qing'er has been unable to stay up late since she was a child." In fact, after punishing the crown prince, Ke Weiqing also felt that it was too heavy to punish him for copying the "Tao Te Ching" ten times. The water that went out, as a queen, how could she easily change her mouth?

"This is the "Tao Te Ching" that the prince has already copied. Please have a look at it, Your Majesty." Jing Tingrui held the hundred-page rice paper in both hands, and the eunuch on the side stepped forward to take it, and then showed it to Ke Weiqing.

Although the Changchun Palace is a sleeping hall, but because Ke Weiqing brought all the books and desks in to facilitate the handling of palace affairs from time to time, besides the incense of white sandalwood, there is also the fragrance of inkstone and inkstone here.

The candlelight on the desk trembled slightly, for a moment, there was only the soft sound of Ke Weiqing flipping through the rice paper one by one.The Yi Jue rustled against the paper, although it was so subtle, it touched the listener's nerves.

Jing Tingrui stood with his head down, and when he heard Ke Weiqing's low but helpless sigh, he immediately knelt down.

"You think..." Ke Weiqing's voice sounded a little annoyed, but restrained, he raised his hand and pushed away the others.

The eunuchs and maids all knelt down and exited the palace.

"Do you think——I'm so easy to fool?" No one was around, Ke Weiqing slammed the desk and scolded, "At least half of these words were not written by Qinger!"

Jing Tingrui didn't speak, but knelt there holding his breath, as if he had acquiesced.

"Do you think I won't be able to recognize you when you copied the prince's handwriting? Qing'er is impatient, so he couldn't copy it ten times over and over again. How could he write so correctly in the last few times? There is no mistake?"

"Your Majesty, I know that no matter how much you imitate, you won't be able to fool your eyes." At this moment, Jing Tingrui raised his head and replied.

"Then you still copy it for him?! Are you not afraid that I will punish you?"

"Your Majesty, if the crown prince makes a mistake, it is a mistake made by a humble official. As the prince's personal bodyguard, if the humble officer fails to alert His Highness in time, it is a crime of dereliction of duty. That's why the humble official has the courage to copy it for His Royal Highness."

Jing Tingrui paused for a moment, and then said, "Your Highness accidentally dropped the princess. I feel very sad, and I have deeply reflected on it. Besides, this is a humble job that insists on doing it. I implore Your Majesty to stop blaming the Crown Prince."

"You! You are too loyal!" Ke Weiqing shook his head and sighed helplessly, "Even the emperor would not spoil him to such an extent!"

"Your Majesty, a humble position is not about being foolish and loyal, nor is it about pampering Your Highness. I just want to do my best to relieve His Highness' worries and troubles." Jing Tingrui kowtowed heavily, "I hope Your Majesty will make it happen."

"You..." Ke Weiqing paused, pointing to the rumbling thunder, outside the dark sky, "Go and kneel outside the door until dawn before going back."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Although he was punished, Jing Tingrui didn't seem to have any grievances or dissatisfaction.Under the thick eyebrows, his extremely black and handsome eyes are always flattering, and it is impossible to see what he is thinking.

Jing Tingrui got up and walked outside the hall, regardless of the heavy rain, he just knelt down under the steps without hesitation.

Ke Weiqing checked the account books for a while, and the eunuch Li Deyi brought a cup of ginseng, wolfberry and snow clam soup, which was sent by the emperor from the imperial dining room.He didn't return to the bedroom today because he was discussing the recent war with Jialan Kingdom with the ministers.

In recent years, Jialan and Dayan have exchanged armies from time to time in the northern border area. Huang Ye has always wanted to destroy Jialan, but this matter must be treated with caution.So, it was late at night, and Huang Ye was still discussing matters with courtiers and generals.

Ke Weiqing drank the hot soup, rubbed the back of his sore neck, and came to Zhu Chuang.The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier, covering the sky and covering the ground, and several lightning bolts flashed from time to time, illuminating the kneeling people in the rain.

Jing Tingrui straightened his back, kneeling meticulously, letting the cold rain water him.

Lightning illuminated his face. Although he was very young, he had a composure that didn't match his age.No matter how difficult the job entrusted to him by the emperor, he has never made a mistake. Among the young royal children, Jing Tingrui is the most outstanding.

And Jing Tingrui always said that the prince was young and spoiled him everywhere, but when he entered the palace, he was only ten years old?At the same age, the former is so sensible and has extraordinary martial arts skills that he can act as the prince's personal bodyguard as soon as he enters the palace.

Thinking of the difference in temperament between the two, Ke Weiqing couldn't help but sigh.In fact, he was very relieved to have Jing Tingrui taking care of the prince.

However, I'm afraid that Jing Tingrui will pamper the prince too much. Every time Aiqing gets into trouble, he will take care of him behind the scenes. This will only make Aiqing more naughty and lawless.

"Maybe, I should change Qing'er to another guard so that he can grow up." Ke Weiqing thought.

At this time, Huang Ye sent the eunuch to tell the queen to go to bed first, so there is no need to wait for him.Ke Weiqing understood that Huang Ye was going to stay up all night, so he repeatedly told Li Deyi to ask the emperor to pay attention to the dragon's body and rest early before moving to the bedroom at the back.

As for Jing Tingrui, Ke Weiqing didn't send anyone to keep an eye on him, he knew that Jing Tingrui would kneel down without hesitation until dawn before returning to the East Palace.