Liu Mingzhi looked in a daze at the group of people riding in front of him.
Ever since his father, Emperor Li Zheng, became famous, the title Prince Consort has become so strange and distant.
Everyone calls him King Bingjian or Master Liu. I haven't heard the title Prince Consort for many years. I can't even remember how long it has been.
It seems that since my father became famous, few people still call themselves that.
And the only one who still calls himself this is that old friend.
An old man who was loyal to Li Zheng and guarded the deserted imperial tomb for several years after Li Zheng's great success.
That old friend with gray hair and beard.
Liu Mingzhi stared at the group of people approaching on the official road with complicated eyes, and fixed his eyes on the old man in the lead.
"Old Zhou, even you have come out of the mountain. It seems that Liu Mingzhi is in doom this time."
"Hush!"
The fifty-horse horse stopped steadily on the official road thirty steps away from Liu Mingzhi. Zhou Fei, who had white beard and hair and a stooped figure, dismounted from his horse and walked slowly towards Liu Mingzhi with his stooped body.
"Prince-in-law, long time no see, please be polite."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Lao Zhou lightly, and nodded with a disappointed look.
"Yes, long time no see. If it weren't for your words of consort, I would have almost forgotten that I, Liu Mingzhi, was actually one of the consorts of the current dynasty.
It’s just that our meeting this time was beyond my expectation.”
Old Zhou Canglao could only see the joy of meeting old friends again, and he stopped in front of Liu Mingzhi without any hurry.
"Prince-in-law, what do you mean by this? Our old bones are useless. We can't even understand what the prince-in-law is saying."
Liu Mingzhi silently watched as Lao Zhou was still greeting him with greetings as before, and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Don't you understand? If you don't understand, forget it.
Lao Zhou, long time no see, how are you?"
"Thank you very much for your concern, Prince Consort. Our old bones are on the verge of decay and we may not have a few more years to live. If I can see my old friend Prince Consort again, I will be content to die."
When we meet the Lord in heaven, we can also give a message to the Prince Consort."
Liu Mingzhi fell silent looking at Lao Zhou's candid smile.
He didn't know what kind of mission Lao Zhou came with, but he knew that Lao Zhou had not changed, and he could still feel the sincerity contained in Lao Zhou's words.
Lao Zhou may not be willing to come, but he has to come.
From the first acquaintance with Lao Zhou at Dangyang Academy to the subsequent acquaintance, he understood Lao Zhou's character and character very well.
He may not want to come, but he has to come.
"Old Zhou, is there anything Liu Mingzhi did to the court that was not considerate?"
Liu Mingzhi's straightforward question made Lao Zhou's cloudy eyes become even cloudier, revealing a touch of sadness.
Looking at Liu Mingzhi's regretful eyes, he shook his head slightly.
"The prince-in-law has done his utmost to be benevolent and righteous."
"Then why did we end up in this situation today? Lao Zhou, tell me, what did I do for him, Li Ye, that wasn't enough?"
When Lao Zhou heard Liu Mingzhi call Li Ye by his first name, there was no dissatisfaction on his face and he just shook his head silently.
"The Prince Consort has already fulfilled his duties to His Majesty, reaching a level that even the Li family's relatives, not to mention his ministers, can't do."
"I have great power, you know!"
"Um!"
"Since I supported His Majesty to ascend the throne, have I ever acted in an inappropriate manner?"
"No!"
"You know that I have 300,000 hundred-war cavalry under my command given by the late emperor, right?"
"Um!"
"Have I, Liu Mingzhi, ever had the slightest intention of supporting the army and becoming self-reliant?"
"No!"
"The Empress of the Kingdom of Jin is my real and unnamed wife, and the Princess of the Kingdom of Jin is my biological flesh and blood, you know, right?"
"Um!"
"In order to help Dalong dominate the world, I personally led the three expeditions to Jin and Tu and two countries. This time, Commander Yun led the expedition. Although I did not make any plans, I spared no effort in providing food and grass support, but I have never slacked off."
"No!"
"Haha...Old Zhou, tell me, what else did Liu Mingzhi do that was not thoughtful enough? Even though I, Liu Mingzhi, have an heir with the Empress of the Jin Kingdom, it is true that I, Liu Mingzhi, am suspected of treason.
But what’s the crime?”
Lao Zhou, the former general manager who Zeng Hai even called "ancestor", just like Zeng Hai, bent his knees and knelt down in front of Liu Mingzhi with his frail body.
"Prince-in-law, please stop talking, it's the imperial court that can't help you.
But...but...but..."
"Say it. Today, there is nothing that can't be said!"
"Prince-in-law, you are not a master of power, you do not support your own troops, and you have never been disobedient, but before you know it, your royal power has exceeded the imperial power.
Although you have done your best for His Majesty, if you think about what has happened in these years, do you think the emperor still exists in front of you?
On the day Your Majesty ascended the throne, tens of thousands of soldiers did not respect the imperial edict, but you shouted them back.
All civil and military officials in the dynasty dare to argue with His Majesty, but no one dares to oppose you.
Although the millions of troops in the frontier army do not respect you, they are all restrained by you and submit to your majesty, Prince Consort.
You are Your Majesty, what should you think?
Your Majesty actually doesn't want this to happen. If you return to Beijing in a down-to-earth manner to report on your duties, everything will be as safe and sound as before. But now your loyalty has exceeded the bottom line of an emperor.
It's not because your Majesty is ignorant, or it's because you are disloyal.
Compared to the late Emperor Weihe and General Jin Yi, Your Majesty is already more generous and kind to the Prince Consort.
Prince Consort, please listen to me and come back."
"Although I, Liu Mingzhi, am not guilty, I am guilty of my weight. Is this what you mean?"
Lao Zhou closed his eyes and nodded sadly.
"Um!"
Listening to Liu Mingzhi's sigh, Lao Zhou took out the imperial edict from his sleeve and held it in his hand.
"Not only that, has your consort ever heard of stepping on seven stars?"
Liu Mingzhi looked at Lao Zhou with a shocked look on his face: "Of course I have heard of the saying that if you step on the seven stars, you will be destined by destiny, but what does this have to do with me?"
"The Prince Consort may be the so-called person who has his feet on the seven stars and is destined to be destined by destiny!"
Liu Mingzhi staggered back two steps and looked at Lao Zhou in surprise.
"What did you say?"
"Let me tell you, the Prince Consort may be the one who has his destiny set on the seven stars!"
Liu Mingzhi suddenly trembled, and hurriedly took off his shoes and socks in front of Lao Zhou, and looked down at the soles of his feet.
The right foot was blank, and the scar on the sole of the left foot came into view.
Liu Mingzhi put down his left foot in a daze and stepped on the cold snow, looking at Lao Zhou who was staring at the sole of his foot in a daze.
"Old Zhou, you saw it, it's just a scar. There is no so-called Big Dipper. Is it because of this scar that I, Liu Mingzhi, should be charged with an unfounded crime?"
Lao Zhou nodded with a bitter expression and looked away from Liu Mingzhi's soles.
"If the prince-in-law wants to prove his innocence, he has no choice but to return to Beijing to report on his duties.
Prince Consort, for the sake of my old bones, please come back.
When I came back, it was as if nothing had happened."
Liu Mingzhi staggered towards the back. After a moment, a dead body with no eyes open and no breath was placed in front of Lao Zhou.
"They were all men of great military exploits and meritorious service in defending their territory. They had served in the military for several years and did not die on the battlefield, but died in the hands of their own people.
They died on the battlefield, and I, Liu Mingzhi, have nothing to say when they sacrificed their lives for the country.
But they didn't deserve to die here, and they didn't deserve to die in the hands of the person they might have been fighting to protect.
I, Liu Mingzhi, may be guilty, but why are these meritorious ministers guilty?
I have seventeen bodies of Paoze here. Old Zhou, please tell me that it is both public and private.