bluestone

On the night of enthronement, there was a night banquet in Chengqian Palace, where the monarch and his ministers enjoyed together until midnight, and the court was exempted the next day.

After the banquet was over, Qingming went to the Emperor's bedroom, where he would live in the future.

After returning to the palace, the palace servants were sent away, and they sat on the chair exhaustedly.

"Brother, you should go back and rest too, it's been a busy day."

"Okay, call me if you need something." Zigui nodded, turned around and went back.

Qingming has long been familiar with the structure of the emperor's bedroom, even if there is no palace attendant, he can complete everything by himself.

What's more, there is a hot spring pool brought from the mountain in the inner room of the emperor's bedroom, so there is no need for palace people to boil and carry the water, which saves a lot of trouble.

After resting for a while, just about to get up, I suddenly saw someone coming in.

"Yaoyan, haven't you returned to your residence?" Qingming said when he saw Han Tuo in official uniform who hadn't even changed his clothes.

"Go back, come here again." Han Tuo walked in front of him.

Seeing his different solemn expression, Qingming instinctively felt that he had something to say.

Sure enough, Han Tuo suddenly knelt down in front of him with a pious and solemn expression.

Qing Ming sat upright subconsciously.

Han Tuo put one hand on the sword at his waist, leaned forward with the other hand, gently put his right hand on his knee, and put it flat on his hand. His dark eyes stared at him for a long time, and he said in a deep voice: "I, Han Tuo, hereby swear: as long as I live, I will be willing to be a sword and a shield, to protect you well, to be a mountain of swords and a sea of ​​fire, and I will never give up. If I break this oath, I will be struck by lightning and die a bad death!"

Qingming looked at his serious and resolute face, stretched out his empty hand, caressed his face, and smiled bitterly, "Why bother? I never doubted your loyalty."

"I know," Han Tuo said clearly, "but I want you to trust me more. No matter what happens to our relationship in the future, I will always be your most loyal and trustworthy subject and will remain unchanged forever."

They are all intelligent people, how can they not think of the concerns in each other's hearts, they are not impulsive people, they all understand how many obstacles their relationship will face in this world, maybe they will soon To face those obstacles, maybe he will leave the imperial capital soon, maybe someone will ask someone to fill the harem tomorrow, but no matter what happens, they will always have an inseparable relationship - monarch and minister.

For them, these two words mean a heavy responsibility, an irreversible destiny, and an irresistible future, but it also means the unbreakable bond and connection between them.

Han Tuo's oath just strengthened this bond... Even if we are not by each other's side, even if we can't love each other, even if we can't touch each other again, I am still your monarch, and you are still my subject , even if we are dead, future generations will connect us: that generation of Mingjun and his most loyal humerus minister.

The new emperor ascended the throne for a hundred days, the government and the public are clear and bright, the people are in harmony, and there is a thriving trend.

It's just that the turbulent undercurrent hidden under this calm has already begun.

As the former empress, that is, the mother clan of the new empress dowager, the Zhu family did not become prominent until their daughter became empress.

The Zhu family was originally a scholarly family, and a descendant who knew the way of doing business relied on his outstanding talent to make the Zhu family an imperial merchant, which was prominent for a while; but when it was about to decline, another descendant with extremely high learning came out, that is, Qingming's son. Grandfather Zhu Zhixing, the former prime minister, made the Zhu family not only not decline, but to a higher level.

Zhu Zhixing has two sons and one daughter. The daughter is naturally the Empress Dowager Zhu. The eldest son is Zhu Xun, the father of Zhu Gan, who is the uncle of the dynasty. He seldom stays in the imperial capital, and doesn't deal with the dignitaries in the capital, so many people know about it, but few people have seen it.

Ever since Zhu Zhixing resigned from office and retired, he has not cared about worldly affairs, and spends his days tending flowers and plants in the courtyard in the suburbs of Beijing. His eldest son Zhu Xun's talent is not inferior to him at all, but he has not only talent, but also ambition.

From the day when Qing Ming was crowned prince, Zhu Xun imagined a future where one person would be under one man and over ten thousand people. In his eyes, no matter how smart Qing Ming was, he always had to rely on the Zhu family to gain a firm footing when he ascended the throne. , when he wants to take back the power, I am afraid it will not be so easy.

However, the relegation ten years ago disrupted his plans, and even made him feel that the Zhu family might not be favored any longer, so he lived in peace for two years until Empress Zhu gave birth to another son in the third year. And Emperor Wu did not restrict the Zhu family's power, and the honor and favor remained the same, so he made another plan: to support the sixth prince as the prince.

As a result, when he felt that he had achieved quite a lot, Qing Ming came back, not only succeeded in enthroning and proclaiming himself emperor, but even exiled his own son, disregarding blood relationship at all, which made him extremely angry, and his heart became more and more angry.

He knew that this nephew who had been away from the imperial capital for ten years would not obey his arrangement, and would even suppress and exclude the Zhu family, so he simply didn't bother to get close to the new emperor.

Thus, the planning began.

In the three months after the new emperor ascended the throne, Zhu Xun had frequent contact with the sixth prince, and the place and time of each meeting were truthfully reported to Qing Ming.

Qing Ming didn't pay much attention to it.

In fact, after he came back, he would go to the princes at least once a week, and he would take special care of this youngest brother, not only helping to check his homework, instructing him in martial arts, but also occasionally chatting with him about interesting things outside the palace.

In addition, the first impression was excellent, and the sixth prince respected and admired this brother who was not very familiar with him even more.

In addition, there were also changes in the court hall.

A group of courtiers headed by Zhu Xun began to put pressure on the new emperor.

Whenever Zhu Xun puts forward an opinion, some ministers will stand up and make second opinions.

Every time Qingming showed a feeling of helpless acceptance and forbearance, of course, this was just the appearance he wanted them to see; those who knew him had already sensed his coldness from his warm smile and indifference.

The reason why Qingming compromised was to find out the real Guoshudang.

Back then, when Zhu Zhixing was the prime minister, he promoted many talented people. Therefore, after he resigned and retired, the influence of the Zhu family still existed, and more than half of the ministers in the court had more or less been influenced by Zhu. Hui Ze at home.

Qingming needs to distinguish between those ministers who are truly loyal to the emperor and patriotism and those who blindly vassalize Zhu's family.

And always give them time to prepare, so that everyone can get the booty and uproot it.

He knew that Zhu Xun would not let him wait too long.

It was night, and the imperial study room was still brightly lit.

Qingming sat behind the table, put down his pen, and rubbed the corners of his eyes wearily.

"Your Majesty, it's late at night, it's time to rest." The attendant was beside him, Dong Gui, the new Chief Eunuch.

In the first month of the new emperor's ascension to the throne, Eunuch Hai handed over to him before leaving to accompany the Supreme Emperor. Dong Gui was trained by Eunuch Hai himself, and his abilities are not inferior to him in the slightest.

"Well, let's drive," Qing Ming got up, left the imperial study room, and returned to the emperor's bedroom.

Zigui, who was guarding in the imperial study, went back together.

Knowing that the new emperor didn't like the palace people making arrangements for his daily life, so after following him back to the emperor's bedroom, he retreated wisely.

Zigui also withdrew.

Qingming stood in the huge emperor's bedroom, not long after, a person walked out from the dark inner room.

Without saying a word, the visitor directly hugged him and kissed him deeply.

After the kiss, the two never separated.

Of course, the only one who can do these things is that Major General Han.

"It's so late to deal with government affairs again," Han Tuo touched his somewhat thin face distressedly.

"Just enthroned, there are always more things to deal with." Qing Ming grabbed his big hand that was placed on his face, and smiled nonchalantly.

The Imperial Study Room has always been heavily guarded. Even if Qing Ming doesn't like having too many palace people, he can't send away the guards of the Imperial Study Room. Therefore, after he ascended the throne, Han Tuo still came every night, but he didn't go to the Imperial Study Room, but came early. The emperor's bedroom, waiting for him to come back.

"Don't force yourself too much, there are some things that you can't rush." ​​Han Tuo said while stroking his cold hands.

"I understand." Qing Ming patted the arm around his back comfortingly, but suddenly paused, then touched the fabric behind him as if he had discovered something, and pulled out his other hand to grab his crotch. Hair, "What's going on? Why are your clothes damp and your hair still hasn't dried? It's late autumn, and you're not afraid of catching a cold! I wanted to say it before, since you've already washed, don't come here, no It's a day away."

He frowned slightly, and reproached in a bad tone, apparently this was not the first time he had discovered such a situation.

"Don't worry, I have deep internal strength and practice martial arts all the year round, so I won't catch a cold easily." Hearing what he said, Han Tuo felt a little embarrassed on his face, but Qing Ming didn't notice it in the dark.

"It's always right to be careful." Qing Ming stared into his eyes, reminding him a little seriously.

"I see." Han Tuo agreed, not wanting to make him angry.

Hearing the perfunctory in his words, Qingming chuckled and pushed him away, "If I find this situation again next time, you don't have to come back at night, you know, if I don't want you to come in, you must I can't get in." The words that came out were full of threats.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Han Tuo had to answer seriously this time.

"Sit here first, I'll take a shower and change, and we'll talk later when I come out." Qing Ming walked into the inner room, pushed a wall on one side, and there was a hole in the wall, which was only for the emperor. The hot spring pool is specially built into an airtight stone chamber in order to isolate moisture.

He walked in, and the stone door closed again.

Han Tuo was sitting on the chair outside, doing nothing. For some reason, Qing Ming's last words kept echoing in his mind.

Showering... changing clothes...

Soft long hair...reddish cheeks...moist eyes...slender neck...

The looming collarbone... the white and firm chest muscles... and two lovely ruddy spots...

All of a sudden, he recalled the picture of a beautiful woman in the moonlight when he was dragged into the water by himself in Qujiang Town and emerged from the water;

Huh?Why do you feel itchy nose?

Han Tuo suddenly felt that something was wrong, raised his hand and touched his nose, and then was shocked to find that his hand was stained with some kind of rusty liquid. He was shocked for a moment, raised his sleeve and wiped it on his nose.

Thinking of seeing himself like this after Qing Ming came out, Han Tuo couldn't sit still.

So humiliating.

Standing up and about to leave, he remembered that it would not be good not to say hello, but the stone gate is too thick, and the effect of waterproof and sound insulation is excellent, even if he shouted loudly to call all the guards in the palace, he might not be able to hear it.

Worrying around in place twice anxiously, suddenly heard the sound of the stone door sliding, and before Qing Ming could come out completely, he said, "I think I have something to do, so I'm leaving first."

Qingming heard what he said, and was about to inquire, but saw that he had disappeared.

"What's the matter, so urgent? It's very late now." Qing Ming looked out of the window inexplicably, "Forget it, I'll ask him tomorrow."