The Qinghe County Lord of the Red Chamber

Xuanwu five years, July 29th.

The Supreme Emperor died.The state-owned funeral, the world is nothing.

Jin You walked around in a hurry in front of the hall until he saw Shang Duo who had rushed over from the funeral ceremony, as if he had hoped for a savior.

"This servant has the audacity to ask someone to invite Lord Hou to come, and just ask Lord Hou to persuade the emperor. How can the dragon body stand without eating or drinking like this?"

Marquis Baoning sighed: "The emperor is extremely benevolent and filial, and mourns and destroys etiquette."

But I thought in my heart, maybe today is the fulfillment of my long-cherished wish, and I am so happy that I can't eat or sleep.

No one understands better than him that since the moment the late emperor's scissors were thrown at the emperor, the father and son have long since broken up, even worse than strangers.

Even the sages said: If you treat me like a countryman, I will repay you as a countryman! If you treat me like a passerby, I will repay you like a passerby! If you treat me like nothing, I will repay you with a vengeance!

What's more, the emperor's mind is far worse than that of a saint.

It was summer, and the scorching sun fell on several pairs of copper phoenixes and copper cranes below the steps, shining dazzling and sharp edges.

Shang Duo had to squint his eyes and didn't open them until he entered the door.

I saw that the emperor was holding a piece of slightly yellowed paper in his hand. Although it looked old, it was smooth and without any traces. It was obviously well preserved.

After Shang Duo entered to pay his respects, the emperor handed him the paper.

Marquis Baoning took it over and took a look, complaining that he could not keep it properly—it turned out to be the first emperor's handwriting.

"The emperor's emphasis is on the national book, riding and shooting, and all my descendants should abide by it. Don't imitate the book's stupid habits and flow into the void."

The emperor looked gloomy: "This is the handbook that my father ordered to stick in the upper study when I was ten years old."

"At that time, the abolished prince was still there. Since he was the elder, the posthumous father treated him differently from us."

"That day my father saw the fan in my hand, and the inscriptions and poems were inscribed as the abolition of the prince. He was furious and said that the prince pays attention to righteousness in reading and conducts himself. The prince should learn to govern the country and the people. How can he imitate the scholar? Habit, addicted to painting and poetry all day long."

"So I posted this handwritten letter in the upper study room as a warning."

After more than thirty years, Shang Duo suddenly realized.

He is only three years older than the emperor, and they grew up together under the emperor's lap.He remembered that when he was young, the emperor loved painting and writing, but later on, he was mediocre. However, he would only send two congratulatory speeches with gorgeous rhetoric and complicated words on the emperor's birthday.

"After I knew that my father didn't like it, I didn't dare to learn it anymore. I just worked hard and focused on studying."

"It's a pity that this is just my own sentimentality. It was not us sons, but the crown prince, that my father wanted to beat up that day."

The emperor squinted his eyes: "When the crown prince is abolished, the ambitious and promising brothers will be involved in bad things. There are only two ignorant younger brothers, Zhongyong and Zhongshun. My father only noticed me."

Shang Duo knew and participated in the following things.

The former emperor had no choice but to select a general from the inside and pick a successor to the crown prince, so he pinched his nose and picked the emperor, and then refused to let go of his power until his death.

Even during the few years when the emperor was the best at pretending to be a grandson and the father and son were the most harmonious, the former emperor once sighed: "The emperor is just benevolent and filial. When it comes to intelligence, alas."

I have repeatedly expressed the regret that I would not choose you if there was no one to choose from.

The emperor had heard it with his own ears, but he could only show a shameful and obedient smile, begging for his own uselessness.

Those times are finally over.

Now he is the only master in this world.

The emperor looked at Shang Duo and said with emotion: "In these years, only my mother and uncle have helped me wholeheartedly."

"Uncle, you believe in me, as long as you are always loyal, I will never let you down, and you will be rewarded accordingly. We must be a pair of rare and precious friends between monarchs and ministers."

Shang Duo understands the present very well, he knows that the emperor is speaking the truth from the bottom of his heart, but he also clearly understands that the emperor cannot do it.

Afterwards, Shang Chanchan once heard the emperor's promise from her father, and she was overjoyed. She wrote pinyin and said to Xie Ling with a smile: "The emperor's words are more unbelievable than those of a scumbag. The little girl who believed in a scumbag just lost her heart. Believable." If you lose the emperor, you will lose your head."

So Bao Ning Hou was moved to the face with tears in his eyes, expressing his allegiance to the emperor to the death, and there was no shortage of movements behind his back thinking about running away.

Until the emperor successfully discovered his "illness".

A prime minister who has lost his right hand can neither draw up a pen to write a memorial for the emperor, nor can he mount a horse and follow the emperor around.

Retiring is inevitable.

Besides, the emperor regarded him as a relative, and he would not continue to oppress a patient.

After his granddaughter was born, Shang Duo and his wife fled to the south of the Yangtze River.

Except for the few months when her daughter Ji Li and got married, she never returned to the capital for several years.

Even when grandsons and grandsons were born, they only asked people to send many things to Beijing.

Until the winter of the 12th year of Xuanwu.

A secret report came from the middle of Beijing: the emperor suddenly fell ill and was dying.

Shang Duo set off immediately and rushed back to the capital day and night without sleep.

At that time, the news of the emperor's serious illness was known to everyone, so it was not a secret report: the crown prince began to take over the supervision of the country, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs even prepared the coffin.

In the winter when dripping water turns into ice, a thick layer of frost formed on the copper cranes below the steps.

Even the gold carvings and jade carvings, and the gilded palace beams and eaves all reveal the heaviness and panic in the palace about the impending collapse of a generation of emperors.

Shang Duo was waiting for Jin You to go in and pass on the transmission.

After a while, Jin You came out with a nod and bowed his head: "Your Majesty invited the Duke to come in."

Then he couldn't help sighing: "The emperor has been sleeping more these days and waking up less. Unexpectedly, the servant just said the word Shang in the emperor's ear, and the emperor woke up. He only asked if it was Baoning. The public has returned to Beijing."

Shang Duo's heart was so heavy that it couldn't be more heavy, so he had to endure it, so as not to show his depression and sadness in front of the seriously ill emperor.

The house is as warm as spring, and ambergris is lit in the jasper pagoda on the table, and the smoke slowly overflows

The emperor was sick and haggard, and surprisingly thin.Only a pair of eyes were not cloudy, but became brighter and burning like fire.

Looking at the emperor's eyes like this, Shang Duo felt even more uncomfortable: the emperor was three years younger than him, and he was only 51 this year, not yet old enough to have cloudy eyes.

However, it is a symptom of helplessness.

When the emperor saw Shang Duo, he immediately struggled to sit up.Unable to help coughing twice due to the excessive movement, the maid serving beside him hastily and carefully handed over a cup of ginseng soup.

An imperial physician knelt in front of the couch, and hurriedly stretched out his hand to feel the emperor's pulse.

Speaking of Shang Duo's absence from Beijing for a few years, he didn't even recognize the imperial physician that the emperor used to use.

The emperor waved his hand annoyedly: "What pulse do you still need to feel, can you still cure me?"

The embarrassing imperial doctor was dripping with cold sweat and could only kowtow.

The emperor is in good spirits, but his voice is a little weak: "Uncle, sit next to me."

As if the imperial physician had received an amnesty, Ma Liu'er gave the place to Lord Baoning, and knelt a little farther away.

Shang Duo saluted and sat beside the couch, the emperor stared at him for a long time, then smiled softly: "Sure enough, the water and soil in the south of the Yangtze River support people, my uncle hasn't aged these few years, on the contrary, he is more energetic than before in the court."

Shang Duo was silent.

Indeed, leaving the disputes between the ruling and opposition parties, the days in the south of the Yangtze River are unrestrained, and naturally there is no twilight.

But the emperor is obviously aging.

Seeing his silence, the emperor didn't think he was disobedient, as if he had a lot of words waiting for him, he just said to himself: "But I have aged a lot."

"Uncle is not in the capital, I think everyone feels suspicious. Even the child Ling'er, who was obviously raised by me, can't help but suspect that he is more inclined to the prince."

"If he hadn't invited him to stay in Sichuan for two years and handed over the military power of the Beijing camp, I'm afraid I would have even more suspicion."

"But after Ling'er left Beijing, I didn't have any more suitable candidates, but I just filled the vacancy with random people."

Although Shang Duo people are not in Beijing, they know this matter clearly.

When my daughter went to Shu with her husband, she lived in the south of the Yangtze River for a few months to get together with her family.

Xie Ling had military duties, so naturally he couldn't leave without permission, Shang Chanchan just went to Jiangnan to find her parents, and she couldn't help talking about it when she saw her parents.

The situation in Beijing from her mouth is naturally clearer than that in the newspapers and letters: many things written in black and white are not daring to reveal the truth.Only by word of mouth can we say a few happy words.

Shang Chanchan complained to her father privately: "Employees don't doubt others. The former emperor never suspected Wang Ziteng in the end, but the emperor couldn't trust even Xie Ling."

"Except for the elder brother who has the emperor's trust, everyone else in the court is trembling. Even the crown prince is easily blamed. The fifth prince dare not touch the military power, not to mention, even with a cousin like Xu Jin, he has to avoid suspicion."

Shang Duo also understood in his heart: Shang Chi gained the emperor's trust, half of it was because of himself, and the other half was because of the errand of the Ministry of Household Affairs, he didn't care about people, soldiers, or money.That's why the emperor can trust it.

Seeing her father pondering, Shang Chanchan laughed again: "But the emperor doubts Xie Ling, who wouldn't doubt him?"

"Since Xie Ling left, the emperor doesn't trust others either—it's really unheard of for the governors of the Beijing camp to change every three months. Can't mobilize it?"

Shang Duo withdrew his thoughts from a distance, looking at the face of the emperor on the sick bed: it was not until last year that the emperor began to feel ill that Xie Ling was transferred back from Shu and continued to serve as the governor of the Beijing camp.

However, he kept the fifth prince by his side, serving the sick day and night, and had to taste all the food and drink himself.

It is nothing more than the beating and suspicion of Queen Xie and the prince.

The emperor Xu Xu talked a lot about the past few years, and he couldn't help showing tiredness, so the imperial doctor boldly asked the emperor to rest.

However, the emperor showed a look of anticipation and said: "I remember that when my father passed away, my uncle stayed with me all night and stayed with me in the palace. This time it is rare to return to Beijing, so I asked someone to tidy up the side hall , uncle stay here."

Shang Duo said with a smile: "This is my honor."

Then he got up to leave and prepared to go to the Queen Mother's palace to pay her respects.

The emperor nodded in agreement: "My uncle is with me, so I feel more at ease. Besides, with my body, I don't know how long it will last. In the end, there will always be something I need to tell my uncle."

Shang Duo's eyes were hot, he endured and endured, and then forced a smile: "The emperor rests at ease to recover from his illness, as long as there is heaven to protect the dragon's body."

Five days later, the emperor was critically ill.

In the twelfth lunar month of winter, when the sky was covered with snow and snow, all the imperial doctors were sweating profusely, kneeling in the outer hall, letting the cold wind blow by, blowing the beads of sweat into a cold war.

Everyone understands that the emperor has come to the light of day.The Empress Dowager Shang was so sad that she fainted, but Mrs. Jiang, Mrs. Baoning, sent her back in person.

Even the emperor himself probably knew it well, this time he called the crown prince, he didn't ask about any state affairs, he just gave a few words of encouragement, and said: "You are my good son, I am very relieved."

The prince couldn't help crying bitterly in front of the couch.

The emperor coughed twice, raised his hand and patted the shoulder of the Fifth Prince who was kneeling in front of the couch, and said with a smile: "Ranger is also very good."

Seeing Empress Xie standing beside her with a pale face, and the wrinkles at the end of her eyes were clearly visible, she couldn't help but sigh: "We are husband and wife, and I have always praised your virtuousness. Originally, I thought that if you walked ahead of me, I would Take Wen Xian as your posthumous title. Now it is I who took the first step."

Empress Xie burst into tears.

Even if she is a queen, she is also a courtier of the emperor. According to the rules at this time, she should advise the emperor to take care of the dragon's body and not make such unkind words.

Facing the emperor, she has been a qualified princess and empress all her life. These words are already engraved in her bones and can be easily grasped.

However, at this time the voice was choking, and after all, he couldn't speak, and finally said: "In the future, the concubine will use Wen Xian as his posthumous title."

At this time, Shang Duo was leading the group of officials to stand outside the hall, snowflakes fell all over his body, but no one dared to reach out to brush them off.

Lin Ruhai was right next to Shang Duo: he had never seen such a heavy and sad expression on Shang Duo's face.

For others, it is the change of emperors.But for Shang Duo, what will die inside is not only the emperor he followed all his life, but also his relatives, his best friends, and his confidantes.

For a while, the five princes helped the weeping Empress Xie go out, and said to Shang Duo: "Mr. Bao Ning, my father called you to have an audience."

After passing the imperial physicians kneeling like puppets in the outer hall, Shang Duo came to the inner room.

At this time, only the prince was still by the emperor's side.The emperor was already unable to get up, so he asked the prince to fetch two volumes of sealed imperial edicts from his case.

The prince respectfully presented it, the emperor stroked the two imperial edicts, and said to the prince: "I have something unresolved about these two imperial edicts, and I still need to consider them. You must follow the one that Duke Baoning took out later. "

Seeing the crown prince's respectful response, the emperor was relieved and said: "You go."

The prince choked up and couldn't speak.

Knowing this farewell is probably the eternal farewell between heaven and man.He couldn't help calling out with tears in his eyes: "Royal Father."

The emperor smiled and said lovingly: "My good boy, go."

Not only the crown prince, but even Jin You was kicked out by the emperor.

Only Shang Duo sat beside the emperor.

The emperor was still holding the two edicts, and suddenly said directly: "Uncle, is your hand injury real, or is it a fake? Are you just pretending to be sick in order to escape from the capital and from me?"

"Is it true that you, like others, regard me as such a mean and ungrateful person, I'm afraid that I will be suspicious of you in the future, so I act first and leave my side early?"

Shang Duo's face was calm and unchanged.

He didn't answer this question directly, but said softly: "In the past few years, the emperor must have been harboring this suspicion in his heart."

After a pause, he said again: "I thank you, Your Majesty."

It is a sincere thank you.

Even though the emperor was suspicious, he still gave him the honor of entering Lingyan Pavilion, let him leave Beijing to go to the south of the Yangtze River, and even showed his kindness to his children and family.

The emperor's complexion was a strange red, and his eyes became brighter and brighter, burning with what little life he had left.

"Yes. I can't bear to open my mouth, so I have been holding back these years."

He coughed lightly, with a calm and crazy look on his face that only a gambler would have: "But now, I'm going to die. Uncle, I'm going to die. I want to understand."

Shang Duo's eyes fell on the two imperial edicts tightly hugged by the emperor.

"Presumably the emperor has already arranged the ending for the minister."

The emperor nodded: "Uncle has always understood my heart best."

"One of the two imperial decrees is grace. Uncle is appointed Minister of Gu Ming, and the grace reaches the Baoning Duke's mansion. Chi'er's title will not be surrendered."

In the past few years, even if Shang Duo left the capital, the emperor has never approved Duke Baoning to remove his title, and Shang Chi is still the eldest son.

The emperor stared closely at Shang Duo's expression: "As long as my uncle never deceives me, this will of mine will be able to protect the glory and wealth of the Baoning Mansion for decades!"

This dynasty governs the country with benevolence and filial piety, if the only will of the emperor is to give grace to the Baoning government.The prince must abide by it, and he will not be able to touch the Baoning mansion in the end of his reign.

Shang Duo lowered his eyes: "What about the other way?"

The emperor coughed twice before continuing: "All the imperial physicians are outside. These imperial physicians have been promoted and cultivated by me in the past few years. The queen mother has never had contact with them."

"If they diagnose that uncle is not injured, then this imperial decree." The emperor paused, "It is the decree for the burial of Lord Baoning and me."

There was silence in the house, except for the "crackling" sound of the charcoal burning in the brazier.

Shang Duo's expression remained unchanged, he looked at the emperor's sick face, and even showed a slight smile: "Does your majesty still remember the time when you made up your mind to fight for the throne?"

The emperor nodded: "I tell you: Uncle, if I want to fight for the throne, do you dare to pay the whole family of the Marquis of Baoning to gamble with me? Then you agree."

At that time, the emperor was still a 14-year-old prince.

Shang Duo is only seventeen.

The emperor couldn't help but clutched the imperial decree in his hand, and asked urgently: "Is it because uncle mentioned this at this time to impress me with old feelings! Did you really deceive me?"

Shang Duo stretched out his right hand, with a scar on it.

He said frankly, "Your Majesty, please call the imperial physician in for an examination."

A trace of fear unexpectedly flashed across the emperor's face, and it took him a while to finally speak out, calling for someone to come in.

Five imperial physicians filed in, all unfamiliar faces that Shang Duo had never seen before.

They circled around Shang Duo's hands and examined them one by one. Under the emperor's focused and excited gaze, they recommended a person to act as a representative: "Back to the emperor, Lord Baoning's hand is indeed deeply injured, and it can no longer return to normal. Now that his injuries are getting worse, not to mention other movements, I'm afraid it will be difficult to even pick up a pen."

After listening with burning eyes, the emperor finally let out a long sigh of relief, and fell on the pillow behind him.

The imperial doctor rushed forward to make a diagnosis and treatment, but was dismissed by the emperor, so he had to leave the outer hall one after another, leaving only the monarch and his ministers inside.

The fire in the emperor's eyes gradually extinguished, and tears flowed down.

He stretched out his hand: "Uncle, I shouldn't suspect you."

It's not me, it's me.

It's as if in those years ago, he was still a cautious prince, and he always had a three-point dependence on Bao Ninghou's tone.

Shang Duo held the emperor's hand with his left hand, and said in a calm voice, "Your Majesty, I said before that I will be loyal to you for the rest of my life."

The emperor said blankly: "Father doesn't like me, he has no choice but to choose me as emperor. The courtiers also think that I am not a good emperor, not as good as father."

He grabbed Shang Duo's hand vigorously: "Uncle, am I a good emperor?"

He was obviously the Son of Heaven, but at this moment he looked embarrassed and lonely, like a drowned man holding on to driftwood, asking the person in front of him repeatedly.

Shang Duo's jaw was heavy, and his voice was unquestionable: "Yes. Above the fine brushwork in history books, the emperor must be a wise king."

The emperor's eyes gradually became distracted: "Uncle, I have always felt that I am alone. Even the queen mother will protect you and her mother's family first."

"Everyone says I'm suspicious, but how can I not be suspicious!"

"Fortunately, my uncle never lied to me, and finally I didn't end up being betrayed."

Shang Duo softened his voice, as if coaxing a child, and said softly: "Your Majesty, the empress dowager's most important thing is of course your own son, and the empress and prince really admire the emperor."

Gradually, Shang Duo's voice became choked with sobs that he couldn't detect: "You are a good emperor, a good emperor supported by everyone."

The emperor's hand hangs down weakly, unable to hold Shang Duo anymore, he said angrily and unwillingly: "What about the father, why does the father never like me?"

Shang Duo's tears finally rolled down, and he choked up and said, "That's the late emperor's mistake, he was too confused. The emperor is the best emperor."

A smile appeared on the emperor's face: "Uncle, I, I..."

Without finishing a word, he died suddenly.

Shang Duo quietly looked at the emperor's face for a moment, then reached out and took out the two imperial edicts from the emperor's arms.

One of them is the imperial decree to appoint the minister of Gu Ming, and the quasi-shangchi will not attack the duke.

In another imperial decree, the ink pen is clear, ordering Baoning Gong Shangduo to be buried, the merchants to cut the nobility, and all descendants of generations will be civilians, and they will not be allowed to be officials.

Sure enough, it is the emperor's disposition, with a clear distinction between likes and hates.

Shang Duo threw the imperial decree into the brazier on the ground, and saw it vanish without leaving any trace.

Xuanwu December 12th, 28th year.

There are three days until the new year.

The emperor died.

After the funeral ceremony in the palace, Shang Chanchan specially went back to her natal home to congratulate her elder brother for being promoted to the next rank and becoming a Duke.

Of course, during the national mourning period, the Boryeong government did not hold any banquets.

When Shang Chanchan saw Daiyu, she deliberately smiled and blessed and said, "Greetings to Mrs. Duke." Then she asked why Daiyu's son and daughter were missing, and she even specially brought some fresh snacks.

The two of them spoke a few words, and then saw the servant girl coming to invite her. It was her father and elder brother waiting for her in the study.

When Shang Duo saw his daughter, he said: "The new emperor succeeds to the throne, although he is a Duke of the state, but Duke Cheng'en's mansion is going to beat our family after all."

After 12 years, the glory of the emperor's mother's family was transferred from the Baoning mansion to the Cheng'en mansion again.

Shang Chanchan smiled and said, "I've been seamlessly connected, staying at the emperor's mother's house all the time."

Shang Chi shook his head and said, "You have been married for several years, and you have also experienced twists and turns when your husband was suspected by the late emperor. Why are you still so outspoken now?"

Shang Chanchan smiled and said, "Since brother knows that I have been married for several years, why does he always teach me?"

Shang Duo saw that the two brothers and sisters started their old tricks again, he couldn't help but raised his hand and rubbed his forehead and said, "Forget it, you guys go back and argue on your own."

Then he said to the two: "In a few days, our husband and wife will go back to the south of the Yangtze River. I have called you here now, but I have something to tell you."

The two brothers and sisters looked at each other in shock, Shang Chanchan blurted out: "Didn't the last imperial edict order father to be the Minister of Gu Ming?"

Shang Duo shook his head: "I won't do it."

Even Shang Chi was a little puzzled and said: "I understand that my father is naturally unwilling and will not take the position of this Gu Mingfu for a long time, but it will be beneficial and harmless to do it for a year or so."

Veteran occupies an old name, and Shang Duo has such an upright truth as the last emperor's edict. If he stays in the court for a long time, it will hinder the present. Naturally, it is unnecessary-Shang Duo doesn't even wait for Emperor Xuanwu who is as close as Emperor Xuanwu, hurry up Run away, not to mention the current emperor.

But since the previous emperor had a will, Shang Duo should stay in the capital and take care of the present one or two, so that he can benefit himself, and at the same time sell the present emperor a favor, which is the best of both worlds.

So Shang Chi didn't understand why his father had to go back to Jiangnan in such a hurry.

Shang Duo lowered his eyes and told his children about the events of the day Emperor Xuanwu passed away.

After listening to his words, not to mention Shang Chanchan, even Shang Chi felt chills all over his body: The merchants are really in front of the Hall of Yama.

Shang Chanchan was still in surprise and restarted her system, Shang Chi sighed: "Back then, my father insisted on ordering the old doctor to abolish my hand, and my son thought it was a pity and it was unnecessary, but today I understand my father's foresight. "

Shang Chanchan, who had restarted halfway, froze again and turned to look at her elder brother.

Shang Chi explained: "Father went through the road with a hand injury in front of the emperor, but he still asked the old doctor in the queen mother's palace to open the old injury with a sharp knife, and the veins in the hand were abolished."

Old memories surged out of Shang Chanchan's mind. That winter, Shang Chi let her have time to accompany her father and take care of his hand injury.

She also wondered what could be done to take care of the injury, which was clearly a fake.Then let Shang Chi fool the past casually.

It turned out that from that year on, my father no longer used his right hand, and the medicines that were placed in the house all year round were all real.

Shang Chi asked in a low voice, "Did father expect this day to come?"

Shang Duo smiled bitterly: "Half and half. Half of it is because I know the emperor's mind too well, and the other half is that I have betrayed the emperor after all."

So far, Shang Duo still refuses to call Emperor Xuanwu the first emperor.

His voice was indifferent: "Actually, you will understand when you live half a century. You are not afraid of losing your hands or people, but you are most afraid of guilt and anxiety in your heart. People who make up their minds and make trouble day and night can't rest in peace."

Therefore, I would rather not have this hand again, but also have a little peace of mind.

Shang Chi said softly: "My son understands. If he hadn't wanted to leave a way out for the family, father would never have lied to the emperor in the slightest, even..."

What he didn't finish, Shang Duo took it over and said, "Even if it doesn't end well."

Shang Chanchan's eyes widened: she never knew that Shang Duo was still a foolish and loyal person.As a subject, even if you don't die well, you still have to work hard for the emperor?Is there such a reason in the world? !

She opened her mouth to speak, but seeing her elder brother shook her head, she had to swallow the words again.

Shang Chi said calmly: "My son understands. Now that the previous emperor has gone, my father will no longer be a courtier for the current emperor, and would rather return to the mountains forever."

"The son will definitely speak for his father in front of the emperor with all his strength."

In terms of friendship with the current emperor, Shang Chi is better than Shang Duo.After all, the two are the same age, and they have known each other since they were young, but in the past few years, Shang Chi has often spoken good words for the present in front of the former emperor.

Shang Duo nodded: "It's still you who understand the will of being a father."

Seeing this, Shang Chanchan had no choice but to follow suit: "Since Daddy has made up his mind, daughter will let Xie Ling speak before the emperor."

Xie Ling and today's cousins ​​are even closer, so naturally they can talk.

In the past, Shang Duo protected them for many years, and considered everything for the family's children.Now that Shang Duo has made up his mind, it's up to them as sons and daughters to do their best in turn.

However, after leaving Shang Duo's study room, Shang Chanchan still couldn't bear it, and asked Shang Chi, "Brother, Dad, this is..."

Shang Chi sighed to his sister: "You have been sick since childhood, and you don't know what's going on outside. When you understand, the late emperor has already ascended the throne. So you only met the late emperor and his father who were monarchs and ministers, so you will naturally be puzzled."

He paused: "But to my father, the first emperor is not just an emperor who needs to be loyal."

The two have been monarchs and ministers for only 12 years, but before that, there were more than [-] years of time.

At first, Shang Duo was just the younger brother of Concubine Shu, the son of the Hou family, and there are many princes and grandsons in the capital who are more valuable than him.

And the emperor is nothing more than an unfavorable concubine in the palace.

The two supported each other, and along the way, one finally became the Ninth Five-Year Supreme and the other the Prime Minister.

The affection among them can no longer be exhausted by the words of monarch and minister.

Shang Chi looked sideways at his sister: "Chanchan, if one day, you have to guard against and even plot against Yu'er for the sake of your family and children, how do you feel?"

Shang Chanchan was startled, and only then did she feel a sudden sense of relief.

What Shang Duo failed and calculated was not only the emperor, but also the most important friend in his life.

What's more, with the death of the emperor, Shang Duo's experience, struggle, and hard work for most of his life were also covered up by the loess.

He also died halfway.

Shang Chi's tone was sad: "Chanchan, I just took a closer look, and my father is really old."

Shang Chanchan's tears fell from the excitement of her words, because she was going to see Mrs. Jiang soon, she quickly wiped away her tears and said: "Brother, I understand, I will explain the importance of this matter to Xie Ling .”

Shang Chi looked up at the eaves of the Baoning Mansion.

When he was a prince, he didn't feel that, but now that he is the Duke of the state and truly supports the destiny of this family, Shang Chi can finally realize how much his father has paid for the family these years.

In the early years of Yongjing, the Crown Prince Tai Fu Shang Duo resigned from his official position on the grounds that he was old and sick and unable to serve him, and the emperor gave him permission.

Since then, Shang Duo lived in the south of the Yangtze River in autumn and winter to recuperate, and returned to the capital in spring and summer to entertain his grandchildren.

Until the end of my life, I never said a word about the court affairs.