In the palace, the lights were bright, and it was rare that there were no musicians or dancers accompanying him. In the huge palace, the Supreme Emperor was at the top, and the three people below him were bowing to serve.
It was only after Zhu Yi arrived at the palace that he discovered that the Supreme Emperor had not only summoned him, but also Zhang Min and Jiao Jing.
"Your Majesty, Zhu Yi, comes to see the Supreme Emperor."
After a quick glance, Zhu Yi knelt down on the ground and saluted respectfully without looking too much.
"Plain body."
Different from his usual cynical appearance, today's Emperor looked very serious. However, he did not put too much pressure on people. On the contrary, these two simple words even made people feel a sense of indifference.
of cordiality.
Looking at the young man in front of him, Zhu Qizhen felt a little complicated. There were many things he wanted to say at the moment, but in the end, he only said one sentence.
"Today, I have wronged you."
Zhu Yi cupped her hands and said as sincerely as during the day.
"It is my blessing to be able to serve the Supreme Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince, and it is also the family motto passed down from generation to generation in the Chengguo Palace."
"Although my father is dead, I dare not forget your majesty's kindness. I should try my best to repay you. The title of my small family is not worth mentioning."
Obviously, these words moved Zhu Qizhen very much and he said repeatedly.
"Okay, okay, okay, I really saw you right. All the people in the Chengguo Duke's family are ministers of the country. If you enter the East Palace, I can rest assured about the safety of the prince!"
So, Zhu Yi immediately knelt down and said.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will do my best to protect His Highness the Crown Prince!"
For a moment, the monarch and his ministers were in harmony, and the atmosphere in the palace was very harmonious. Zhu Yi could clearly feel that the slight sense of estrangement between him and the Supreme Emperor had disappeared.
Speaking of which, the civil war was actually a lose-lose situation for all parties, especially in terms of attitude towards the battle at Yao'erling.
If nothing else, let’s just talk about Zhu Qizhen’s views on this war.
Zhu Yi knew very well that no matter what he said, the Supreme Emperor in front of him was a soft-hearted person who liked to shirk responsibility.
Everyone in the court was accusing Zhu Yong of humiliating the country by losing his master and causing the defeat of Civil Engineering. The Emperor's character probably felt this way in his heart.
However, after returning to the capital, he found that there were very few people available to him. Under the auspices of the Empress Dowager, the Duke of Chengguo got married to the British Duke, so he did not show this idea on the surface.
.
However, Zhu Yi could always feel that the Supreme Emperor did not particularly trust him, at least, not the kind of intimate trust.
The most obvious evidence is that on many important matters, the words of Zhang Mi, Jiao Jing and others are much more useful than his.
When the Supreme Emperor needs someone to ask for advice, he rarely goes to him.
As a person with a special status, Zhu Yi knew very well that his biggest task was to gain the trust of the Supreme Emperor.
Therefore, in order to change this, Zhu Yi made a lot of efforts, including but not limited to, making friends with a certain eunuch in charge of Nangong, asking this relative of the British government to say good things to him from time to time, etc.
However, this is a waste of time. The Emperor is soft-spoken, but he is not stupid. If he talks too much, it will have the opposite effect.
Therefore, Mr. Zhu has been keeping a low profile and waiting for opportunities.
No, the opportunity is waiting for you!
First, he whetted everyone's appetites, running around, making excuses, and looking for connections, making everyone think that Zhu Yi was going to do his best to regain his title. However, who would have thought that right now?
When this title was easily available, everyone suddenly realized that this young prince was actually for the East Palace.
In this kind of thing, who else wouldn't think that this is a true loyalist of the humerus?
His hard work during this period, coupled with the magic touch of the one on the throne, instantly eliminated all the discomfort in the Supreme Emperor's heart, making Zhu Yi one of the ministers he truly trusted and relied on the most.
Of course, sometimes, you still have to say something after something is done, otherwise, the effect will be greatly reduced.
However, you cannot say it yourself.
At this time, the importance of having an ally becomes apparent.
Seeing the scene where Zhu Yi and the Supreme Emperor were enjoying themselves, Zhang Min's eyes flashed and he stepped forward with a smile on his face.
"The Supreme Emperor is the orthodoxy of the late Emperor. We, the noble family, should serve the Supreme Emperor wholeheartedly. Although the young prince took risks today, he finally won the military equipment for His Royal Highness. It is indeed a great achievement."
After the words fell, Jiao Jing on the side couldn't help but grin. This was an expression of merit, and he made no secret of it.
But having said that, Prince Consort Jiao can also understand Zhang Shi's mood.
The Chengguo Duke's Palace is now in decline, and the British Duke's life is not easy, especially after Ren Li was imprisoned. Looking at the emperor's attitude, he is not going to let him go.
Now, what they can do to win back the situation is to help the Duke of Chengguo regain his title. In this way, the British Duke can continue to suppress the noble generals below.
But watching the opportunity to regain his title come and then miss it, how could he not be anxious?
Moreover, he was anxious, so he couldn't say anything. After all, the prince's affairs were definitely more important than the title of Duke Chengguo.
After finishing the performance, it is natural to find a way to get to the point.
Glancing at Zhu Yi who had just stood up next to him, Mr. Zhang had a trace of regret on his face and said.
"However, it is a pity that Cheng Guo has a loyal family, but in the end, he failed to give Cheng Guo a fair name, and he also failed to help the young prince get his title back."
For a moment, the atmosphere in the palace became a little heavy, and the Supreme Emperor frowned slightly, but still did not speak.
Seeing this situation, Zhang Xi was a little anxious, so he thought about it and continued.
"Your Majesty, I think we still have to try to get the title back for the young prince. Now, everyone in the court knows that the young prince is loyal to you and His Royal Highness. The last time the young prince came to the cabinet was for His Royal Highness.
, I was given the Iron Coupon of Alchemy Book."
"Now the young prince is seeking young troops for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Although the emperor is in peace now, he will definitely take action after returning to the court. Without the protection of the title, the Duke Cheng's family may be in danger."
This is not unreasonable.
After all, if we just look at the surface, Zhu Yi clearly lost the emperor's face on the high platform and stood up for the Supreme Emperor. Although he finally succeeded in getting the young army and entered the East Palace, he offended the emperor to death.
Given the emperor's character, it would be strange not to deliberately target him after returning to the court.
After the words fell, Zhu Qizhen's expression became solemn.
He was only happy about Zhu Yi's loyalty and getting the young army, but he didn't expect that there would be this section.
However, he did not panic, because he originally planned to help Zhu Yi get the title back.
After all, he had put in so much effort, and if he had said nothing, it would have chilled the hearts of the people below him.
It's just that it's a bit difficult to figure out how to do it...
"What Zhang Qing's family said is reasonable. This matter cannot be delayed. However, you still don't have enough say in the court today. You have also seen the attitude of those ministers on the high platform today. You want justice for Chengguo.
Name, I’m afraid this won’t be easy.”
"If we cannot do justice to the country and want the title to be successfully inherited, we must ask the emperor to speak. But in the current situation, how can the emperor agree to this?"
Having a plan is one thing, but how to do it is another.
Now that things have happened, Zhu Qizhen has to admit that this matter is not easy.
On the high platform, taking advantage of the opportunity of spring hunting, the opposition of the civil servants was so strong. Let alone the deliberate embarrassment after returning to the court, it would be even more difficult to regain the title.
It should be said that on the spring hunting ground, Zhu Qizhen had a clearer understanding of his situation.
Again, after all, he has been the emperor for more than ten years. Although he cannot fight foreign wars, he still has a certain grasp of the situation in the court.
For a long time before, the reason why he lived in Nangong and seldom directly interfered in the affairs of the court was not because he didn't want to, nor because of the edict from Fengtian Palace, but because he knew very well in his heart the influence of himself, the Supreme Emperor, in the court.
Very empty.
Yes, it’s just flimsy!
As the Supreme Emperor, and a very cooperative one who smoothly transitioned the throne, Zhu Qizhen knew very well that his status was nominally very high, so in theory, his decree should be no less effective than the real imperial decree.
.
However, this is only theoretical.
Whether it was the previous morning and evening Dingsheng, or the later leaving his wooden grid in Nangong, it actually proved that his influence only stayed on paper.
In other words, when it is not sent out, this influence exists, but when it is really sent out, it will be greatly reduced or even avoided in various ways.
Therefore, he was very wise not to try. Even if he did, it would be something insignificant.
The Young Army incident was his first truly successful attempt, but he knew very well that this could not be replicated.
After the spring hunting was over, it was difficult for him to find a situation where the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor were present at the same time, and all the envoys from all over the world were present, and the Emperor had no excuse to delay and needed to make a decision on the spot.
Therefore, when it comes to the matter of restoration, it is not that he is unwilling to speak, but even if he does speak, it will be useless and will consume his little remaining influence.
You know, the biggest fear of this kind of influence on paper is putting it into practice.
In the previous morning and evening Dingsheng, there was also the matter of the wooden grid. One of them used an 'alternative plan' and the other invited the Queen Mother, the Queen Mother, and it was still able to survive decently.
However, if he interferes too much and is pushed back, he will lose a lot of face. Moreover, face is secondary, and one has two. Once this kind of thing happens, then he will probably be, even on paper.
The influence is gone.
So, this kind of thing is really difficult to handle!
However, even if it is difficult, it must be done!
Looking at Zhu Yi's slightly depressed expression, Zhu Qizhen thought for a while, made a decision in his heart, and said.
"Zhu Yi, you don't have to worry about the title. After returning to the court, I will let Zhang Qing's family and Prince Consort Jiao find a way. You have made such a great contribution to the East Palace. No matter what, I will ensure that your title in the Duke of Chengguo is intact."
As he spoke, Zhu Qizhen seemed to be afraid that Zhu Yi would not believe him, so he turned to Zhang Shi and Jiao Jingdao.
"Zhang Qing's family, Prince Consort Jiao, I know that you have many connections in the Governor's Mansion of the Fifth Army and among the civil servants. As the Zhang Qing family said, the emperor will definitely target Chengguo's Mansion this time when he returns to the court."
"So after I return to the court, I will not care about other matters. No matter what method I think of, I will keep the Chengguo Palace, and I will get back both the title and the iron certificate of the alchemy book!"
"yes……"
After hearing this, Zhang Xi felt slightly relieved, but his brows were still slightly furrowed, as if he had something on his mind.
Zhu Yi, on the other hand, thanked her grace neatly and said.
"I am the first generation of the Duke of Chengguo. I am grateful to the Supreme Emperor for his kindness. I can serve the Supreme Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince. Not to mention the title, it is just this body. Why should Zhu Yi cherish it? I am really uneasy about letting the Supreme Emperor worry about this.
Only by being loyal to the utmost can we repay the kindness of the Supreme Emperor."
The words he said again and again made Zhu Qizhen blush a little.
In fact, he also understood that although he said he was determined and expressed his stance, in fact, it was still unknown whether this matter could be accomplished.
So seeing Zhu Yi's excited expression, even with Zhu Qizhen's shamelessness, he felt a little uncomfortable.
So, after hesitating for a moment, Zhu Qizhen spoke.
"It doesn't matter. Duke Cheng Guo died in the battle for me. This is what he deserves. However, this matter is not easy. If you have any ideas, you can also tell me. Even if you ask me to go and tell the emperor personally, it will be fine."
Go tell it in person... I'm afraid it's better not to tell it!
The three people below looked at each other, Zhang Xi gritted his teeth and said.
"Your Majesty, I have a plan that may be useful!"
Zhu Qizhen didn't expect them to come up with any solution right away, but now that he saw Zhang Xi standing up, his eyes lit up, he leaned over and asked.
"Oh, what's the plan?"
So, Zhang Xi took a breath and said.
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will leave the cabinet to study in another half month. As usual, when His Royal Highness the Crown Prince leaves the cabinet, the whole court and the whole world should celebrate."
"Especially, now that the young master is considered a member of the East Palace, he deserves to be rewarded. Taking this opportunity, he may be able to get back the title of Duke Chengguo..."
Zhu Qizhen was a little disappointed. He thought Zhang Shi could come up with some good solution, but he didn't expect it to be this solution.
The logic is quite good. The prince's resignation is meant to be celebrated by the whole world. However, the emperor has the final say as to the extent of the celebration.
If you do it in a big way, you will be able to grant amnesty to the whole world. If you do it in a small way, you can give a reward to the civil and military officials of the court and it will be over.
Moreover, even if it is a grand event and the rewards are many, they may not necessarily be rewarded with titles. What's more, Zhu Yi just offended him. With such a legitimate and disgusting opportunity, what will happen to his younger brother?
Will you let it go?
However, he didn't say it out loud, but Jiao Jing on the side raised questions and said.
"General Zhang, I'm afraid this matter won't be easy. After all, now that the Duke of Chengguo is in the spotlight, even if His Highness the Crown Prince comes out of the cabinet, he will just give him a reward and send it away. If we wait for advice on this kind of thing,
, but will be impeached.”
After hearing this, Zhang Xi became more and more hesitant. However, after glancing at Zhu Yi, he sighed, suddenly knelt down on the ground, and said.
"Your Majesty, of course it's more than that. Since we know that after returning to the court this time, the young prince will definitely be targeted, then we might as well let the young prince suffer some injustice for the time being. At the same time, we...then..."
"In this way, with a two-pronged approach and using the force of each other, we can regain the title for the Duke of Chengguo. However, I am afraid that I may offend the Tian family. I risk my life to speak out and ask the Supreme Emperor to forgive me!"
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
I originally wanted to write a small chapter today, but then I failed┗(▔,▔)┛
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