In the Manlu Palace, General Zhao didn't speak for a long time after His Majesty the Emperor said something about marrying him.
After being silent for a while, he lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, my family is humble, how dare I climb up to the Tian family..."
The emperor narrowed his eyes and said with a smile: "The general is not willing to let his daughter marry into the palace as a concubine?"
Although this sentence is a bit direct, it basically means this. If the emperor is willing to marry the daughter of the Zhao family as his queen, General Zhao will naturally applaud him, but if it is a concubine...
Accepting a concubine is naturally very attractive to small families or some families that are on the fringes of the court, but for the Zhao family, which has already secured the top spot in the military,
And for a family that has always been at the center of power, it doesn't have much appeal.
Because if the daughter of the family marries into the palace, whether she is favored or not, it will not be of much help to the Anping Marquis Mansion.
But of course such words cannot be said openly.
Zhao Lu bowed his head respectfully and said: "It is a great blessing for me to be married to the Tian family. However, most of the daughters in my family have been wielding swords and guns since they were young. I am afraid that after they enter the palace, they will not follow the etiquette and offend Tian's face...
"
The emperor chuckled: "To put it bluntly, I just don't want to marry my daughter into the palace to be a concubine."
Hearing what the emperor said, Zhao Lu was about to speak and explain, but was interrupted by the emperor.
His Majesty the Emperor looked at him and said with a smile: "The Zhao family has been guarding the border for decades and has worked hard to achieve great results. If the legitimate daughter of the general's family is married into the palace and becomes a concubine, she will indeed be wronged."
"Well, how about I promise to give the general a real wife?"
Hearing these words, Zhao Lu suddenly looked up at the emperor, then quickly lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, the position of queen has been decided, you..."
The emperor shook his head and said: "The queen is about to give birth. The wife I am talking about is naturally not my wife."
The young Emperor said with a smile: "General, you should know that I have two brothers. My second brother, Li Yu, is already fourteen years old this year and is eligible for marriage. If the General agrees, we will marry him later."
I will go to Kunde Palace to ask my mother for instructions, and after she nods, I will arrange for him to meet the daughter of the general's family. If it is suitable, the marriage between your family and mine can be decided in the next few days."
The emperor does have two biological brothers, but they are not born from the same mother. He has a sister who is the same mother as him, and she is also about fourteen years old this year.
Because the two imperial brothers are still young and have not yet reached the age to leave the palace and open a palace, they are still living in the palace. However, the second prince Li Yu is indeed old enough to get married.
Hearing the emperor's words, Zhao Lu fell into silence again.
After hesitating for a moment, he lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, this matter is of great concern. I need to discuss it with my mother and madam at home before making a decision."
The emperor smiled and said: "The general is going back to ask for instructions from his mother, and I am also going to ask the queen mother. In that case, you and I will go back and ask our elders respectively. Tomorrow morning, we will still be here in the Manna Palace, and I will wait for the general's reply."
Zhao Lu bowed his head respectfully.
His Majesty the Emperor looked at Zhao Lu with his hands behind his back, and said calmly: "But let's talk in advance, any legitimate daughter of the Zhao family can do it, but the fourth girl of your family, Zhao Lu, can't do it."
"Don't bring her to see my brothers."
After Zhao Lu took a deep breath, he lowered his head deeply and said: "I...obey my order..."
After saying that, he bowed his head respectfully and stepped back.
The emperor, while watching, asked Gao Ming to escort the general out of the Manna Palace on his behalf.
After the head of the Zhao family left, the high eunuch took small steps and returned behind the emperor. After hesitating for a moment, the high eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said: "Your Majesty, this marriage you are talking about
, the Queen Mother will most likely not agree."
The emperor looked back at Gao Ming, who rarely expressed his own opinions, and smiled dumbly: "How do you know?"
Eunuch Gao lowered his head and said: "The second prince is not the daughter of the Queen Mother, and he is not very young. After getting married, he can leave the palace and open a mansion. If we find him a wife as powerful as the Zhao family...
"
"The Queen Mother is absolutely uneasy."
The little emperor smiled lightly: "Then don't let him become a vassal, just put him in Jiankang City and watch him."
"Didn't my father treat Uncle Jin the same way back then?"
Gao Ming lowered his head deeply and said with lowered eyebrows: "However, the second prince's status is too high. If the Huaihe Navy stands behind him..."
"Not very stable."
The little emperor smiled lightly and did not answer. Instead, he said: "Okay, I have my own opinion in my heart, so don't talk too much."
"Prepare the sedan chair, I'm going to Kunde Palace to see my mother."
He smiled faintly: "As my brother, I want to find a wife for my brother."
Not long after saying these words, His Majesty the Emperor got on the two-person sedan chair in the palace and walked towards Kunde Palace. His Majesty the Emperor, who was sitting on the sedan chair, narrowed his eyes slightly and looked a little lost.
He is not a fool, he naturally has some plans of his own.
The reason why he gave his brother such a powerful wife was to give the Zhao family...or the Zhao clan a new choice.
In other words, it means giving the Zhao family a new hope and a new opportunity.
At the same time, it also gave the emperor himself a chance.
An opportunity to completely replace Zhao Clan.
Although this opportunity is somewhat risky...
But the emperor was still young and he was willing to gamble.
While he was thinking, the sedan chair had already arrived at the gate of Kunde Palace. The emperor got off the sedan chair and soon met the Queen Mother Sun in Kunde Palace.
His Majesty the Emperor did not waste any nonsense and directly explained the purpose of his visit. After Empress Dowager Sun knew the emperor's purpose, she frowned first, then looked at her son and asked: "You should have your own reason for doing this, right?
?”
The emperor nodded, and after ousting all the palace officials, he roughly stated his thoughts, and then stood next to the Queen Mother Sun, waiting for the Queen Mother Sun's reply.
The Queen Mother did not speak immediately. After being silent for a while, she said quietly: "You have now taken control of the imperial army. Most of the civil servants in the court have also been subdued by you. Now even if someone rebels, you are at risk."
There is a probability that this position can be maintained, but..."
Empress Dowager Sun changed the subject and said calmly: "But if there is a risk, there is a risk. If you do this, you have to bear the risk."
The little emperor gritted his teeth slightly: "I am willing to take this risk."
Queen Mother Sun sighed and continued: "Once you lose the battle for the throne, you will not be able to survive."
She looked at her son and continued: "Not only will you die, but your mother will also die, your queen who is about to give birth, and the child in the queen's belly, your sister..."
"oh…"
The Queen Mother lowered her eyebrows and said, "And the girl outside the palace will all die."
Hearing the Queen Mother's words, the little emperor first widened his eyes and glanced at his mother with disbelief. Then he swallowed. After a brief period of fear, his eyes became firm again.
"Mother, my sons want to strengthen the country, want to strengthen the army, want to... go north..."
"And if you want to do this, you must first dismantle the Zhao family!"
"Their family is deeply rooted... I must do something before I can..."
He gritted his teeth and wanted to continue talking, but Queen Mother Sun had already waved her hand, indicating that he didn't need to say any more.