Linzhi

It's not winter yet, the sun is shining brightly, and even the wind is warm.

However, sitting under the tree, the emperor felt the coldness all over his body, seeping from his clothes to his bones, spreading unstoppably.

Even with a warm wool pad under his body, he was still covered with a thick fox fur.

"Your Majesty, it's windy, come back?" Ma Hong bent down and said softly.

The emperor closed his eyes, "Where is King Lu?"

Ma Hong: "Someone has already summoned him, and he will arrive soon."

The emperor stopped talking and closed his eyes to rest.

Recently, he felt more and more powerless, as if all the old diseases broke out all at once, his headache was splitting, and his breath was like gossamer, so many imperial doctors came and went, but they couldn't find out what was wrong. , and heart disease, should not be tired, to rest and so on.

But the emperor started to feel unwell ten years ago, and now, his body is getting worse and worse. Whether he works hard or rests, the problems are all there, and he has never recovered.

Finally, it was time to consider the issue of the crown prince. The sound of footsteps came from afar. The emperor opened his eyes slightly, and vaguely saw the figure following the servant, but couldn't see the face clearly. He couldn't help but sigh secretly that his eyesight was failing.

"Your Majesty, King Lu is here." Ma Hong whispered.

The emperor always had headaches, and over time, he also learned how to control the volume of his speech to make the emperor more comfortable.

He Tai stepped forward quickly, knelt down and saluted: "Your Majesty, Shengbless Wanan!"

Emperor: "Come with me for a walk."

He Tai originally thought that the emperor was telling Ma Hong, but Ma Hong quickly brought the emperor's walking stick, and he realized that, he hurriedly stepped forward to help him, and was slightly startled when he took it: "Why are your hands so cold!"

The old father's frosty temples came into view, He Tai's heart ached, and he held the emperor's hand tighter.

"My son's hands are full of bones, don't dislike him."

The emperor gave a rare smile, and there was some warmth in his smile, and he suddenly asked: "You have been in Fangzhou for 11 years, have you ever hated me?"

He Tai was taken aback.

Emperor: "Tell the truth."

He Tai asked himself that he had nothing to hide in front of his father, so he could only bite the bullet and said: "After a long time, looking at the four walls of the house and the thatched hut covering the body, it is inevitable to recall the past and feel a little bit of resentment, but the resentment is also my own incompetence. Your Majesty will never dare to hate you. I know that I have made a big mistake, and it is His Majesty's great favor to save my life. In the end, if I hadn't been vacillating back then, and wanted to have both ways, I wouldn't have been bewitched by He Lin and the others. If you make a wrong step, you will make a wrong step...Later, His Majesty Enzhunchen and his family returned to the capital. At that time, I was overjoyed and grateful. I thought that I would be satisfied if I could live in the capital for the rest of my life. I didn't expect you to restore my title..."

Speaking of this, He Tai choked up: "The more I think about the past, the more I feel that I am worthless, disloyal and filial, and have failed His Majesty's good intentions!"

The emperor quietly listened to him, and after a while, Fang said: "What if you not only restore your title, but also make you the crown prince?"

He Tai could hardly believe his ears.

Although he had already heard some hints from the words conveyed by Princess Pei to Concubine Yin, the effect of hearing the emperor's words with his own ears was completely different.

His heart was beating wildly, losing its original rhythm, but He Tai didn't dare to reach out to touch it. He felt his whole body stiffen instantly, and he even forgot how to walk and which foot to step on first.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"

"Excellence!" The emperor scolded softly, "I'm asking you something!"

"Yes, yes!" He Tai forced himself to gather his composure, and replied with a dry voice, "I must listen to you, and you will be enlightened, and you will be a wise king..."

"You can't be a Mingjun!" The emperor interrupted him bluntly, "There is no one who knows a son like a father, you have soft ears, you don't have the courage to make a decision, and you don't have the ability to see the opportunity. At best, you can only be a conservative." Jun, if you can listen and listen as you said, maybe this well-established foundation can last for a few more years."

He Tai blushed from being scolded, he was so embarrassed that he said in a low voice, "This minister is incompetent..."

The emperor sighed: "Do you know why I prefer you?"

He Tai was dumbfounded by the scolding just now, and before he recovered, he subconsciously replied: "Because I have several good sons..."

The emperor didn't hold back in the end, he was amused, and immediately lowered his face: "You have a good son, what does it have to do with you, is it possible that your son will help you manage the government and handle government affairs in the future?"

He Tai had a bitter face, he felt that his father's temper was really unpredictable, he would laugh and scold at times, he didn't know what to say at all.

The emperor walked for a long time, and his body couldn't hold on anymore. Ma Hong stepped forward to help him, but he waved his hand to stop him, and then stood back a certain distance away. weight.

"Because you are the head of the family, since ancient times, it has been the same principle to go up to the heavenly family and down to the humble family, and to establish a son and a son." The emperor said slowly, word by word, "What's more important is that you don't toss .If you don’t make trouble, there will be fewer incidents, you must remember this.”

He Tai hurriedly said: "Yes, I remember it!"

The emperor: "Zhou Ying and Zhang Song are the ministers I left for you. They are old enough to hold the country, and you can trust them. The generals have Zhang Tao, Ji Cuo, Li Kuan and others. When you are in trouble, Ask a few more people, don't listen to partial beliefs, but make decisions when you decide, don't hesitate, once you miss the opportunity for many things, you will regret it..."

The more He Tai listened, the more he felt something was wrong. Isn't this talking about setting up a crown prince? Why did it sound like he was confessing his last words? He hurriedly said: "The future will be long, my son doesn't understand many things, and I will have to rely on you to teach me in the future!"

The emperor shook his head: "Recently, I often dream of the prince."

He Tai let out a cry, and blurted out: "The prince entrusted you with a dream to make your minister the prince?"

If it wasn't for lack of strength, the emperor really wanted to beat up this son violently. He sighed: "The prince said that he missed me, that he had waited for many years, alone, crying with me, and I woke up every day. The pillow is all wet."

He Tai was worried: "You are thinking about it every day and dreaming at night. You need to rest and recuperate. You must take care of your dragon body. My son has never been a prince, and I don't know how to be a prince. I still want you to be a prince." Teach me more..."

The emperor laughed angrily: "You have never been a prince. How many people in this world have been princes? If you don't know how to learn, just ask if you don't understand. Is it possible that I have to teach you? You make a reply first, and I will look at it later."

He Tai didn't dare to babble anymore, so he hurriedly responded.

The emperor pondered: "As for King Qi and King Wei, how do you plan to arrange them in the future?"

He Tai hurriedly said: "I will be a respectful brother and friend, and treat my brothers well!"

The emperor sneered: "If they plan to rebel, will you treat them kindly?"

He Tai was speechless.

Emperor: "You are indecisive, but you are also soft-hearted. This is a good thing, and it is also a bad thing. You can be a benevolent king or a mediocre one. How to choose is up to you. It is impossible for me to hold your hand and lead you. For a lifetime."

With tears in his eyes, He Tai said: "Don't say that, I feel uncomfortable listening to you."

At this moment, all the resentment and hope in the past disappeared in his heart, leaving only his father's valuing and high hopes for him.

The emperor sighed secretly, patted his hands, and the two walked back slowly.

Even the emperor, there are things that can't be done, such as the death of the prince, such as his own life, the time of heaven and earth, gone forever, once high-spirited and smug, but now it has turned into frosty temples and fine lines between eyebrows.

"When the autumn wind rises, white clouds fly, and when the grass and trees fall yellow, the geese return to the south." The emperor couldn't help but whispered.

He Tai heard the origin of this poem, and said flatteringly: "Han Wu's life is full of achievements in the annals of history, why have you ever been inferior to him?"

If the old prince was still alive, he would be able to hear the deep meaning in it, and use poems to reconcile or comfort his father, but He Tai is not the old prince, his heart is full of excitement about being entrusted with important tasks, and fear, excitement and apprehension that he will not be able to do it The interweaving of the two made it impossible for him to experience his father's dying heroic mood.

The emperor was a little disappointed, but didn't say anything.

He Tai is He Tai, not the old prince, and none of his sons is like the old prince.

So the prince is dead.

Been dead for many years.

"After sending me back, you go and call Zhou Ying and the others. I have something to say."

"Yes."

……

Los Angeles.

He Zhan came back from the outside with his people, striding like a storm, and as soon as he entered the governor's mansion, all the maids and servants got busy, serving water and tea, and came forward to serve.

He took the handkerchief, he didn't need it himself, and first handed it to Luo Governor Shi Quhai who came in with him.

Although He Zhan is now the governor of Luozhou and in charge of the history of Luozhou governor, he knows that the emperor asked him to come here just to stabilize the situation in Luozhou, so apart from the Luozhou defenders, most of the civil affairs are handed over to Qu Hai. Qu Hai has been in Luozhou for many years. He is naturally more experienced than He Zhan in terms of local governance. He is also knowledgeable and knowledgeable. Seeing that He Zhan has delegated power to everything, he is not good at it. He must ask He Zhan or inform him about major matters. He just made a decision.

Qu Hai thanked He Zhan, wiped his face, and couldn't help sighing: "Winter is coming soon, and the autumn tiger is still so fierce. It's not cold when it should be cold, and it's not hot when it should be hot. Fortunately, there is another game today. Rain, the disaster victims outside the city are gradually dispersing, otherwise it will be really tricky."

He Zhan: "Has all the food relief been distributed?"

Qu Hai: "Yes, in the counties under Luozhou, those affected by the disaster have already opened warehouses to release food, and those who can be repatriated have also been repatriated. The few who wanted to take advantage of the troubled waters were also suppressed by you in time. No accidents, the relief and appeasement will end at the end of the month, this time there is no civil uprising due to the disaster in Luozhou, all thanks to He Hou's contribution."

He Zhan laughed: "It's obviously your credit, why did you plant it on me? It's also written in the memorial I handed to His Majesty."

Qu Hai gratefully said: "As a Shangguan, you should have taken the first place!"

When the emperor issued an edict earlier, he was really afraid that a clan member who didn't know anything would come and order him blindly. He didn't expect that He Zhan was young and young, and he was very safe in his work and speech. He didn't have the impatience of a young man at all. Bloody, although often with a smile on his face, occasionally makes people tremble in the heart.

He Zhan raised his eyes and looked around, and asked the attendant next to him: "Where is the third brother, why haven't they come back yet?"

Because of He Zhan's relationship, after He Rong and the others came to Luoyang, they did not settle down in the official post, but lived in the Dudu's Mansion.

The attendant said: "Mr. Sanlang has not returned since he went out this morning."

As soon as the voice fell, He Rong and Ji Ling came back from outside.

He Zhan followed the prestige, his eyes widened instantly, showing an expression of disbelief.

But I saw that He Rong changed into an old farmer's clothes that he found somewhere, and they were not suitable for the size. With dripping footprints, Ji Ling and others behind him are similar to him.

He Zhan had never seen He Rong, who was always neat and tidy, dressed like this. After being shocked, he wanted to laugh.

"Third brother, where did you come from?"

"Let's go to the river. There was a heavy rain on the way, and I was completely wet. Fortunately, a family that temporarily took shelter from the rain had clean clothes for me to change. Tomorrow, I will wash and change my clothes. Help me find someone to return them. Send some more."

He Zhan couldn't hold back, and finally laughed out loud, walked around He Rong several times to look at him, and clicked his tongue.

He Rong glanced at him: "Are you busy?"

He Zhan: "It's okay, it's okay, there is always time to talk to third brother."

"I don't need your company." He Rong took off the wet bamboo hat and handed it to Wen Jiang, then turned and went back to the room to change.

"Third Brother," He Zhan called to stop him, "Don't change into light-colored clothes."

This sentence came out of nowhere, He Rong naturally ignored him, and when he was having dinner in the evening, he appeared in He Zhan's sight wearing a blue robe.

He Zhan covered his forehead and wailed.

He Rong: "Take medicine if you have a headache."

He Zhan: "Third brother, my third brother who looked like Pan An was finally turned into a piece of coke!"

Wen Jiang couldn't help laughing.

He Rong didn't know how to control the river, but he had to do it himself. He followed Ji Ling out early and returned late every day. Sometimes he walked along the river for a day to observe the topography of the river bed, and sometimes he visited farmers on both sides of the bank to check the disaster situation. The sun was shining brightly every day, and he naturally got a tan quickly.

White is the most beautiful nowadays, and men are the same. Although the skin color does not affect the appearance, but compared with him before, coupled with a blue suit, he still can't help but make the corners of He Zhan's mouth twitch: "Third brother, I told you, Don't wear light-colored clothes, do you know what you look like in the sun!"

"What's it like?" He Rong sat down and picked up the porridge bowl.

There was a disaster outside, although Luozhou was less affected, but He Zhan did what he did, and his daily life was mainly frugal, and he was good at the top, but followed suit at the bottom. Because of this, although Luoyang City cannot be said to be a clean city of extravagance, At least it's contained.

He Zhan: "Are you going to the river tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? I don't want to have more Heitan brothers. You have bad legs and feet, and you don't pay attention to yourself. When you come back, your old legs hurt. It's just that no matter how advanced the medical skills are, acupuncture and moxibustion will be done. What's the use?"

He Rong's ears swelled when he read it: "I don't want to have more sparrow brothers."

He Zhan: "Why a sparrow? I am much cuter than a sparrow."

He Rong was impatient: "Because you are yelling endlessly!"

"..." He Zhan was greatly injured, feeling that his good intentions were treated like a donkey's liver and lungs.

He Rong was finally able to be quiet, and couldn't help being very satisfied. He slowly picked up the spoon to scoop up the porridge and drank it.

After being quiet for a while, He Zhan couldn't help it anymore: "Third brother, you have been away for so many days, and you have seen enough to see, so don't go tomorrow."

He Rong hummed: "I won't go tomorrow, Ji Ling will lead his subordinates to make a plan, so I won't make trouble."

He Zhan was surprised: "Aren't you participating in river governance these days?"

He Rong: "I don't know how to govern the river, so I just followed to see. How Ji Ling wants to govern, I will go to the court and let His Majesty decide. But since I am an imperial envoy, I must always know it in my heart, so as not to inquire about it. I don’t know, but although this trip is hard, it is also very rewarding.”

When he was in Fangzhou in the past, although He Rong didn't complain with a sad face like his father all the time, he felt that they, as descendants of the Tian family, had been reduced to this point, and their lives were already suffering. Jian Chang, on his mission outside the Great Wall, came to Luozhou again, patrolled the river bank with Ji Ling, and inspected the disaster situation, only then did he realize that although they were in hardship before, the emperor cared for them intentionally or unintentionally, and they were not suffering from hunger or cold.

The real desperation is when natural disasters and man-made disasters come together. Facing a hopeless life, no matter what you do, you can't change the ending. You can only watch yourself go to the final demise.

Among them, anyone who is somewhat ambitious and unwilling to be enslaved by fate will rise up and fight, so there have been various people who have rebelled in the past dynasties.

If you want to maintain the longevity of a dynasty, you can't just rely on strong force to suppress it, or the influence of the words of the sages. Many ordinary people live for nothing more than to survive. As long as they have a bite to eat, most people will not choose to rebel. Lu, even if someone is ambitious and wants to instigate a conspiracy, no one will follow him.Those who can gather a large number of people to rebel with themselves show that this world has indeed made it impossible for people to survive. At this time, those in power should reflect on their own governance.

It's not that He Rong didn't understand these principles before, but many things were intertwined in his heart, vaguely, and he hadn't formed a clear cognition yet. The trip to Luozhou was just the right time to let all these things he saw and heard burst out. .

"Your Majesty is very kind to us." He Rong said suddenly.

Being good to a person does not lie in how much you give him, but in giving him opportunities and letting him learn how to get it.

He Rong didn't have deep feelings for the imperial grandfather, even before the whole family was convicted and left Beijing, he hadn't met him a few times.The emperor treated him no differently from his other grandsons, but he saw He Rong's abilities, and was willing to give He Rong the opportunity to practice these abilities.

He Zhan nodded, thinking that the third brother was talking about the emperor pardoning their family and letting them go home.

"I have met His Majesty only a few times, and I really feel the majesty and majesty of the emperor, with an extraordinary mind."

It's a pity that my father is not like my grandfather.He Zhan added secretly.

He Rong was about to speak when Wen Jiang came in from outside.

"Mr. Xue, Mr. Xue and Mr. Da Lang wrote at the same time."

He Rong and He Zhan looked at each other, thinking that the two of them agree, something big must happen.

In He Rong's mind, he searched out a few major events that might happen. When he opened Xue Tan's letter and saw the contents, he said "Sure enough" in his heart, but still couldn't help his expression, and his fingers trembled slightly.

Looking at He Zhan's side, the content of He Mu's letter must have been similar. He gasped first, then beamed with joy.

Seeing this, Wen Jiang retreated quietly.

He Zhan no longer had to hide his joy: "Third brother, father has been made the crown prince!"