Pick all the cold branches

After discussing with the people, the emperor dismissed them all and ordered his three sons to wait outside the hall, but he did not speak to Zhen Xian alone.

When everyone retreated, they couldn't help but glance at Zhen Xian.

Including Chen Shiqin.

Those eyes gave Zhen Xian a feeling of creepiness.

Especially Chen Shiqin.

Like watching prey slip through the net.Or someone who should have been dead.

Jia Fei originally wanted to stay, but the emperor insisted on kicking him out, so he had to take a deep look at him.

Nuo Da Palace was suddenly very empty, and the cold air rose, unknowingly making Zhen Xian's fingertips feel cold.

The emperor was looking at him, his expression seemed dignified, but at the same time seemed very far away, hard to guess, hard to describe.

When stepping into Chengqian Palace, Zhen Xian was surprised at the first sight.

He felt that His Majesty the Emperor was much older.

The strong king in the impression has many obvious silver hair and wrinkles.

So what does His Majesty think of him?From a teenager to a young adult, there must be a huge change.

But Zhen Xian will never know that what the emperor sees at this moment is not him, but another person - his father Zhen Yunli.

When Zhen Xian, who was in his twenties, walked into Chengqian Palace, the emperor was so shocked that he almost collapsed.

so similar.

If it is not obvious to young children and teenagers in their teens, the grown-up young Zhen Xian has completely inherited the outline of his father Zhen Yunli.Of course, there is also the shadow of his mother, which makes Zhen Xian's eyebrows look softer than his father's.But still it looks great.

This feeling is like seeing the person who was killed by himself opened his eyes again and stood in front of him again.

And the same shock appeared in Chen Shiqin's eyes.

The emperor immediately grasped the armrest of the seat tightly, until his fingers hurt.

The number of people he has killed in his life has long been beyond count, some deserved to be killed, and some were killed unjustly.But even if they were killed unjustly, most of them have already been forgotten.Only Zhen Yunli, he can't forget, and he doesn't want to forget.

He personally killed the only person in his life who could be called a "best friend".

The Son of Heaven has no friends, only his subjects.

But Zhen Yunli is different.

Zhen Yunli was his teacher's son, he had been his school attendant since he was a child, and later he begged him to be his household secretary.

When he was young and reckless, he was only responsible for spending money, and he didn't care about how the money came from. It seemed that the treasury made money by itself.

Zhen Yunli helped him manage the household department, and he vomited blood every time he did the calculations, wishing he could break a copper into three, and finally couldn't bear it anymore, he copied the account books and chased him from the bottom of Jingshan Mountain to the top of Jingshan Mountain, what "extravagance and waste", " Arrogant and extravagant", "disaster for the country and the people", "the upper beam is not straight and the lower beam is crooked"...how ugly and rushed.

At that time, in order to "escape for his life", he simply climbed a cypress tree.

Zhen Yunli just stuck under the tree with his face upturned and continued to scold him. He scolded him for an hour without stopping, as if he had already written a piece of "Li Sao". Throwing the official uniforms on the ground together, he said that he would resign from office and take his wife and son to live in the countryside.

He had no choice but to get down from the tree in a hurry, coerce and lure him in every possible way to persuade him to stay, and he was taught until his ears were swollen.

Zhen Yunli was the only civil and military man in the Manchu dynasty who dared to scold him like that.Sometimes he couldn't help admiring some rare tributes, and when he heard the sound of Zhen Yunli's footsteps, he would be terrified.

Because we have known each other for too long and the relationship is too close, so that we have ignored some boundaries that should not have been crossed.

Ignoring, however, never means that boundaries don't exist.

When Zhen Xianchu first started studying with Jiafei, he couldn't help but think of the past when he was young, and he said to Zhen Yunli: "Your little son is like a mother, much more obedient and docile than you, how can you be so fierce, chasing after me every day? scold."

Zhen Yunli smiled very confidently, "I think he is more like me."

At that time, he frowned and replied, "Don't be like you. Wouldn't Jiafei like you be miserable in the future?"

Zhen Yunli laughed loudly, "Does Your Majesty think you are miserable? When Your Majesty never sees me again, you will know what is truly miserable."

Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a lesson learned.

After Zhen Yunli was imprisoned, he couldn't help but secretly fished out people again, gnashing his teeth and persuading him: "Yunli, don't be so stubborn, keep your head down... as long as you admit your mistake—"

But Zhen Yunli just stood in front of him, raised his eyebrows and smiled at him, and said:

"I won't be able to help His Majesty settle accounts in the future. Your Majesty should be more careful, don't be fooled by others and don't know. Don't just reward hundreds of thousands of bolts of silk like this. How can you afford such a flower? Otherwise, Your Majesty will invite someone else." Let the gods come back and become the secretary of the household department."

Then she turned her face away and never looked at him again.

This man is still teaching him until he dies.A bit of the so-called literati's strength of character and clear ambition really made his teeth itch with hatred, and he wished he could just pounce on him and bite him hard, and he would definitely bite this person begging for mercy.

Because he is not a literati, but an emperor.

Zhen Yunli, on the other hand, doesn't like arithmetic at all, doesn't like money, and doesn't like being an official. His biggest hobby is to just find a place to get up and read miscellaneous books.

After Zhen Yunli's death, he was still unable to decide on a candidate for the new Minister of the Household Department. No matter who he looked at, he thought it was not good, and he couldn't compare with Zhen Yunli.Later, it was too late. The Ministry of Industry complained of lack of money, the Ministry of War also complained of lack of money, and the Ministry of Officials still complained of lack of money. During the cabinet meeting, they fought hard.

He had no choice but to order someone to take out all the files that had been neglected for a long time and take a look for himself. While reading, tears welled up uncontrollably.

In fact, the dossier was well organized by the people under the household department, and it was not particularly difficult to understand.

It’s just that every time he turns a page, he can see the familiar handwriting, and when he turns another page, he thinks of the way that person is still or moving, sitting or lying, laughing or cursing, and remembers that person accompanied him on a trip in the On the way, he fell asleep in a daze and talked in his sleep: Your Majesty, you are really willing to exhaust me to death... Tears flowed out for some reason, and I couldn't stop it.

The courtiers heard that the emperor went to the household department to settle the accounts in person, and ended up crying all night. They all thought that the treasury was going to be completely ruined, and everyone in the court looked terrified the next day.

However, he said that the account book of the Ministry of Accounting was empty, so he found a few servants who could write and calculate on the same day, and removed all the unfiled account books of the Ministry of Accounting.

Later, he personally "concurrently held the post of Minister of the Household Department", and gradually understood the "mystery" of it, and only then did he realize how difficult it was for Zhen Yunli back then.

When Zhen Yunli was the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, there was never a deficit in the national treasury, there was never a shortage of border military salaries and court officials' salaries, and the taxation of the people never increased for a year.

But now that Yunli is gone, all these things will collapse. Court officials owe salaries, military funds are short, taxes are increased every year and taxes are expropriated in advance, and the hole in the national treasury is like a bottomless pit, which can't be filled no matter what... The majestic king of a country, unexpectedly It was reduced to the point where I had to bargain with the eunuch for money.

As far as greed is concerned, some people are not just starting out. When Yun Li was still there, greedy people were also greedy, but Yun Li has a way to make them spit it out, even if they don't spit it all out, at least they have to spit it out.

It's ridiculous that as an emperor, he doesn't have this ability.

Now that he finally knows "what is real misery", he really hopes that he will never know.

The emperor closed his eyes and rubbed his temples wearily.

During the entire discussion just now, he didn't dare to look at the child Zhen Xian, but he couldn't help but want to take a look from time to time.

It was as if Zhen Yunli was still sitting there.

But it was too quiet.

He saw Zhen Xian's hesitant to speak but stopped sighing

Zhen Yunli would never listen to him in silence.If Yun Li had something to say, he would have said it right then and there.

Maybe he was right at the beginning, Zhen Xian is more like his mother after all.

The emperor sighed, and asked, "Did you have something to say just now, but Shiro stopped you?"

Zhen Xian was still troubled, not knowing what the emperor was thinking, and why he was left alone, when he suddenly heard this sentence, he thought that his "little trick" just now had been discovered, so he explained: "Your Majesty the Fourth Highness has good intentions, and he is afraid of criminals. It offended His Majesty and implicated His Highness Prince Jing."

He even called himself a "criminal minister".

According to the law, Zhen Xian, as a scholar of the Imperial Academy, ran away without even seeing the resignation table, he was indeed guilty.

But this kind of innocuous crime, as long as he, the emperor, doesn't care about it, it doesn't matter.If he insisted on bringing up such a trivial matter, it would appear that he was stingy and unreasonable.

The emperor was suddenly heartbroken, and asked with a frown, "...what is your crime?"

Zhen Xian's breath was suffocated, and he seemed rather embarrassed, "Your Majesty has his own judgment, so why bother to ask more questions. And Zhen Xian...knows that he has committed a serious crime, so it's hard to tell."

The emperor said: "I have verified that you were held hostage by the little Tatar prince outside the pass, and you have not committed treason and collaborating with the enemy."

Zhen Xian shook his head sadly, "This is not what Zhen Xian is referring to."

If it's not this, it can only be that.

The one about Jiafei.

If you say you don't mind, of course you are deceiving yourself, but if you want to judge the crime, the emperor feels that it is not that serious.He was just angry that his son couldn't control him, but he never took this anger on Zhen Xian seriously.Otherwise, he would have given Zhen Xian to death for that glass of "poisonous wine".

He didn't believe that Yunli's son couldn't see through.

Zhen Xian tried so hard to take the "crime" on himself in order to excuse his son, lest he punish Jiafei.

The emperor's eyes flickered, he looked at Zhen Xian for a long time, and said slowly: "Speak out what you just wanted to say, I forgive you for your innocence, and I will not blame anyone."

Zhen Xianwen's eyes lit up slightly, "Your Majesty really wants to listen?"

"Say." The emperor nodded.

Zhen Xian raised his head to look at the emperor, and for a moment, Junxiu's eyes seemed to burst into flames.

He exhaled deeply, and said word by word quietly:

"Those who steal the hook will be punished, and those who steal the country will be princes. It shows that the death of the hook stealer is not from "stealing", but from "hook". The dog cooks, but the power is unscathed. It won't be long before the power comes back, and the old tricks are repeated, and the common people are like ants and grass. If you don't attach to the power, you will die. If you cling to the power, you will die. It looks like the common people are harming each other, but in fact the power is killing people. Your Majesty treats the Zhejiang incident as common people harming each other, and only kills Lu Lan, but ignores the weaving bureau behind Lu Lan and covers up his crime. Zhen Xian cannot be convinced, and the people of Zhejiang may not be convinced either. "

His voice is so calm, it doesn't appear to be high-pitched at all, and it doesn't appear to be strong in words, but it has a tenacity that does not give up an inch of ground.

The emperor stared at him blankly, unable to speak for a long time.

Actually speaking, Zhen Xian was indeed much gentler than his father, so he just scolded him "turn a deaf ear and cover up his crime".If it was Yun Li, there would be no such cheap one, and they would have already slapped the table and quarreled with him.

But this child spoke calmly in front of him like this, with brows and eyes, gestures, every word and every sentence, no matter how you look at it, it seems that Yunli is alive.

Sure enough, Yun Li was right again.He lost.

This child is indeed more like his father.

"I miss your father from time to time, but it's a pity that I can't have a drink and talk with him anymore. But I... must kill him. Even if I go back in time and do it all over again, I will still love you." Kill him."

His throat suddenly burned, and the emperor pressed down on the armrest of the seat again to suppress the too obvious trembling.

"So, I will give you two choices: Either, try your best to help my son, just like your father once assisted me; or, you will disappear from this world completely and never come back. You have to think carefully Alright, choose again."

He stared at the face that looked like an old friend.

He heard Zhen Xian whisper: "Your Majesty wants me to choose the second option. But I have made an oath to assist His Highness Prince Jing in this life, and I will be loyal to you until I die."

"What if one day you need to die for him?" The emperor pressed a step further.

Zhen Xian opened his eyes quietly, his face calm, "Hasn't Your Majesty already tried it?"

"Okay. You must keep the oath you have made. You will never regret it until you die."

Suddenly, the emperor's body sank into the seat, as if a life-consuming battle had finally ended.

"The volume of Lu's account book, you should keep it in mind, it will come when it is useful."

He closed his eyes and whispered.

"...Your Majesty doesn't even want to know?" Zhen Xian couldn't help being slightly startled.

The emperor waved his hand, "I don't need to know. I'll leave it to future generations."

He asked Zhen Xian to withdraw and call Jia Fei back.

Jiafei was anxiously waiting outside the hall.

The outside couldn't hear what the palace was saying, and they didn't dare to eavesdrop. When they saw Zhen Xian coming out, they rushed to meet him, but they didn't have the time to say a few words, so they could only go to see the emperor first.

However, the father closed his eyes and leaned back in the seat halfway up, as if he had fallen asleep.

"I only have one question. I asked you once back then, and I will ask you again now: do you want Jiangshan Tianxia, ​​or Zhenxian?"

Father's voice was extremely hoarse, and his old and tired breath had never been so obvious.

For a moment, Jiafei was a little dazed, not understanding why his father called him back on purpose, just to ask.

But he still can only answer: "I have no way to choose my son."

The emperor opened his eyes upon hearing the sound, and looked at him without speaking.

"Father thinks that, as the son of my father, I can still live in peace for a lifetime?"

Jia Fei could only smile wryly.

"If I don't want Jiangshan Tianxia, ​​I will die without a place to die, and I will not be able to protect what I think in my heart. So I don't choose, I want it. It's decided."

As he spoke, he clenched his fists suddenly, his eyes brightened.

After many years, this answer is different from before, but it is not different.

The emperor looked at his grown son and remained silent for a long time.

In fact, he already knew that no matter how many times he asked, Jiafei would still give him such an answer.

As early as that year, when Jiafei was only a young child, he had noticed it.

Something that he thought he should let go, that he had already let go, the child would never let go.

Dear relatives, loved ones, husband and wife, best friends... In order to strive to be an emperor and stand on this highest mountain, he let go of them all.

But Jiafei refused to let go.

His son is not him, not the same as him, but more brave and fearless than him, although thousands of people will go to him.

He was just not willing to accept it, and even felt that his face was hurt by a child, so he was furious.

But what if he doesn't accept it?

A son is always a son.He can't change Jiafei.

It is true that the emperor can kill his courtiers, but when an old father faces his son in his prime, most of the time, he will end up with an unsolvable loss.

"You... do you know what you're talking about?" The emperor blinked slowly a few times.

Jiafei immediately bowed down.

"I know it. But you are my father. My son never hides it from his father."

The emperor didn't say a word, just stared at his son for a long time, then closed his eyes tiredly, waved his hand and told people to go out.

His Royal Highness Prince Jing wanted to go back to the palace, so the cooks would naturally bring them back.

Beizhen Fusi was very disappointed, as if he had lost the meaning of his job.

Jin Yiwei and Dongchang went south to kill Lu Lan and confiscate their property.However, when we arrived in Suzhou, we saw that Ji Garden was already in a mess.

It is said that a fire broke out in Ji Garden for three days and three nights, burning half of the sky in Suzhou city red.Lu Lan, the patriarch of the Lu family, was in the garden when the fire broke out, and together with this "best in the world" garden, it turned into fly ash.

The servants had no choice but to copy the Lu Mansion, sealed all the money, returned it to Beijing, and returned it to the treasury. Afterwards, they searched among the ruins of the Ji Garden, as if they were looking for something crucial, but in the end they still couldn't find it. turn up.

Some people in Yangzhou clapped their hands and cheered, while others wept sadly.The Weaving Bureau quickly found a new silk merchant, who took over Lu's former weaver and embroiderer, and everything went on as usual.

At this time, the capital is full of jubilation.

According to the decree, the seventh prince, Jiashou, has made great achievements in defending against the enemy. His Majesty greatly praised him. He specially conferred the title of King Zhao, granted him the opening of the mansion, and married the Tatar princess Su Gebala. The auspicious day has been fixed.

Zhen Xian, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, is erudite and talented. From now on, he will serve as the young teacher of King Zhao and lead Wang Jia to study and learn.

The position of young teacher has always been only the third young master of the East Palace.

There was an uproar in the government and the public for a while, as if the elders had been abandoned and the young were appointed as the prince.

Not to mention that this Young Master Zhen was once a member of His Highness Prince Jing.

Maybe it still is.

And King Jing's great achievements in going north to Yingzhou, seem to have been completely forgotten by the world in the blink of an eye.His Royal Highness Prince Jing resumed his idle life in the palace.

Zhao Wang Xinli, Jing Wang Dayin, like a chess game overturned, how much shocked, how much bewildered, how much secretly delighted.

In Prince Jing's mansion, the fourth prince Jiayu was already vomiting blood with anger, yelling that he didn't know what my father suddenly cultivated, it was completely unreasonable.

"It's you who said that there are many things in this world that reasoning is useless." Jing Wang Jiafei calmed down, drew a bow and fired an arrow, and shot through Yang with a hundred steps.

On the other hand, Zhen Xian read the imperial edict that fell from the sky over and over several times, remembering that the emperor told him that he would keep his oath, be loyal to him, and never regret it until he died. .

A few days later, he received a piece of letterhead.

There is no signature, only the book "Xiuwen's virtuous brother personally entrusted", but when you take it apart, it is a blank sheet of paper without a word of letter, and there is another signature, still without a word of signature.

Zhen Xian was in a daze for a long time, and wanted to write something, but finally couldn't write, so he lit a stick of incense and burned the wordless letter together.