Among the princes in the Wei court, the unfortunate relationship between Prince Hongli and Yongwang Hongyu is the most legendary.
Once upon a time, their mothers and concubines, Wang and Shi, were said to be concubines who were summoned into the palace at the same time. It is even said that at that time, Wang and Shi were sisters with different surnames who had a very good relationship, and they worked together to resist the concubines from the palace.
With the pressure of the other concubines and mutual support, she finally rose from an insignificant beauty to the position of concubine step by step.
During this period, the Emperor Wei's love for them was indistinguishable.
What's more coincidental is that they were pregnant at almost the same time, and after getting pregnant in ten months, they gave birth to Prince Hongli and Yong Wang Hongyu at different times on the same day of the same month of the same year.
According to rumors, the two birthdays are no more than half an hour apart.
But it was this insignificant gap of half an hour that caused a huge gap in status between the two. Hongli was born a moment earlier and became the prince, and his mother Wang also ascended the throne of the queen in the following days.
The world; but because Hongyu was born a moment later, he lost the honor of being the crown prince and the eldest prince.
During that period, for some unknown reason, the sisters Wang and Shi turned against each other, and Prince Hongli and Yong Wang Hongyu seemed to have become lifelong enemies from the time they were born, opposing each other.
Even after twenty-five years, this is still the case.
And it's getting worse.
To be fair, Zhao Hongrun didn't want to be involved with them at all, but facts have proved that sometimes, even if you don't take the initiative to find trouble, trouble will come to you.
No, just after meeting Yong Wang Hongyu in the corridor of the palace and chatting with him for a few words, he met Hongli, the Crown Prince of the East Palace. It was simply unbelievable.
But now that the matter was over, Zhao Hongrun didn't want to delve into it any further. After all, King Yong had already taken the initiative to apologize to him. If he continued to pursue the case, it would become Zhao Hongrun's fault.
"Brother the Second Emperor wants to be the emperor?"
"ah."
This simple conversation made Shen Yu and other clan guards who were following Zhao Hongrun subconsciously shrink their heads.
They were shocked that His Highness King Yong actually spoke out about his passion for the throne in the palace. In contrast, the ten guards behind King Yong Yu were much calmer and expressionless from beginning to end.
"He...recognized it directly?"
Not to mention that Shen Yu and others were shocked, even Zhao Hongrun had a bit of surprise on his face.
Although many of the princes were full of enthusiasm for the throne, Zhao Hongrun had never heard of anyone who dared to admit this outright in the palace.
"Hongrun seems to be surprised?" King Yong stopped, looked at Zhao Hongrun, and said with a smile: "Hongrun, don't you think that my brother is more suitable to be the leader of the Wei Dynasty than him?"
"Oh...should we just call the Prince of the East Palace "him"?"
Zhao Hongrun secretly shouted in his heart, but did not show it on his face. He asked with a half-smile: "The second emperor brother seems to be very conceited."
"It's not arrogance, but calmness." After correcting Zhao Hongrun's words, Yongwang Hongyu flashed a few elusive and complex expressions in his eyes, and said lightly: "I know him too well... maybe he also knows me quite well, but he definitely doesn't understand me as well as I do.
He is so thorough."
"That's good." Zhao Hongrun said perfunctorily.
King Yong didn't care at all about Zhao Hongrun's perfunctory behavior.
Suddenly, he turned around and asked: "Hongrun, have you heard of Cai Huan?"
"Who is that?"
King Yong smiled strangely: "Silang, the Director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, one of the seventeen invigilators of the Civil Affairs Bureau who was framed by you... The East Palace has been wooing him, but he is mine."
"..." Zhao Hongrun stopped subconsciously and looked at Yong Wang Hongyu with a gloomy expression.
As if he had guessed what he was thinking, King Yong said with a smile: "Don't worry, Brother Wei is not the East Palace. He can tell the difference between the light and the weight. Cai Huan, Brother Wei will try his best to get him, but he obeys Brother Wei. In the past,
I also followed Fan Su and did a lot of things that violated the law. I'm not sure whether I can get him out of the prison in Dali Temple and reinstate him... But even so, I won't blame you, brother, because I
You can tell which one is lighter and which is more important."
Zhao Hongrun looked deeply at King Yong: "Is the Second Emperor Brother trying to win over me?"
"Ah, yes... Ever since that day at the Wende Palace, Brother Wei has been paying attention to you. Brother Wei thinks that Hongrun, you are definitely not as stubborn and ineffective as you show, otherwise how could your father and sixth brother do it?"
Do you look at you differently?"
"Ha." Zhao Hongrun said with a faint smile: "Thanks to the wrong love of the two emperor brothers, it is a pity that Hongrun is not interested in the fight between the emperor brothers."
"Oh? Brother Wei thought Hongrun would help me."
"Why do you see this?" Looking at the confident expression of the second emperor brother, Zhao Hongrun was happy.
Yongwang Hongyu looked at Zhao Hongrun and said seriously: "Because I am more suitable to be the emperor of Wei than him, and I am confident that I can make Wei more prosperous and powerful."
"What does that have to do with me?"
King Yong smiled, then narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice: "The more prosperous and powerful the Wei Dynasty becomes, Hongrun, the king of idleness in the future, will become more and more stable, right?"
"..."
Zhao Hongrun was slightly shocked when he heard this, and couldn't help but look up at the second emperor brother.
"From the civil service examination, we can see that Donggong will not be the best choice to treat his brothers well... At this point, my brother is much more reliable than him." As he said this, Yongwang Hongyu patted Zhao Hongrun's hand.
He lowered his head and whispered in his ear: "Think about it, we don't have much time left."
After saying that, Yongwang Hongyu nodded and said hello to Shen Yu and other clan guards, and then left with ten of his clan guards.
Only Zhao Hongrun was left standing in the corridor, frowning and thinking.
"Your Highness..." Shen Yu and other Zongwei gathered around.
Zhao Hongrun waved his hand to signal them to stop talking and stood in the corridor by himself, looking at the scenery in the courtyard and thinking.
After a long time, he whispered: "Shen Yu, go check the background of the second emperor brother."
"The second emperor's brother is...not King Yong?"
Shen Yu was stunned for a moment, and then he guessed that His Highness was obviously somewhat persuaded.
Indeed, Zhao Hongrun was indeed persuaded, at least partially.
After all, it was a promise from King Yong. Although it was only a verbal promise, and there was no telling what would happen in the future, but today, it was indeed a very tempting promise.
Just for Zhao Hongrun.
Of course, this does not mean that Zhao Hongrun will side with Yong Wang Hongyu. He wants to check the background of this second emperor brother first to see how he conducts himself in daily life and whether he has done anything against the public for personal gain.
Things, so as to judge the character of this second emperor brother.
But in any case, between Prince Hongli and Yong Wang Hongyu, Zhao Hongrun has slightly leaned towards the latter.
"Will it make His Highness King Yong unhappy?"
Zongwei Mu Qing asked hesitantly.
Zhao Hongrun shook his head: "Go and investigate, and investigate openly... Not only will the Second Emperor Brother not stop you, but he will cooperate with you, unless he is not what he said..."
"yes!"
Shen Yu left with several clan guards, while Zhao Hongrun led Mu Qing, Lu Mu and others towards Chui Gong Hall.
By the time he arrived at Chui Gong Hall, the other princes had already arrived, and all the princes paid homage to the emperor together.
Throughout the year, at this time, the Emperor Wei's attitude towards the princes was consistent and he would not treat them differently. He said some words of encouragement to each prince.
However, Zhao Hongrun always felt that when the emperor encouraged him, he seemed to have an illusion of malice.
For example, the phrases "Keep up the good work" and "Don't give up after setbacks" are simply alluding to the fact that he currently has one win and two losses. Zhao Hongrun was so angry that he secretly gritted his teeth.
After that, the princes dispersed and went to the harem to pay homage to their mothers and concubines. Zhao Hongrun and his younger brother Hongxuan also left Chui Gong Palace and headed to Ningxiang Palace.
At this time, Concubine Shen Shu had finished dressing up in the palace and was waiting for her two sons.
It has to be said that in the past years, Concubine Shen Shu was living in embarrassment and poverty because she was not favored. She was reluctant to spend money on tailoring new clothes in Shanggong Bureau, and gave the money she saved to her two sons. Now Concubine Shen Shu is here The emperor's status in his heart gradually improved, so much so that he would ask Shanggong Bureau to sew new clothes for her without spending extra money. After all, the number of clothes in Concubine Shen Shu's palace was indeed pitiful, and it was hard to compare with the concubines in the palace. .
Today, I put on newly made clothes and put some rouge on my slightly pale cheeks. Not only did I look much more energetic, but it also added a bit of charm.
After giving some instructions to the maids of Ningxiang Palace, Concubine Shen Shu took her personal maid Xiao Tao, accompanied by her two sons Hongrun and Hongxuan, to the Wende Palace.
The emperor's family banquet on Dragon Boat Festival is traditionally held in the front hall of Wende Palace at noon. However, generally the princes and concubines attending the banquet will arrive a little earlier and arrive at the palace at two or three quarters of noon to avoid losing time. Even later than the emperor, he was accused of not respecting etiquette and law.
Speaking of which, not all concubines are qualified to attend the Emperor's family banquet on Dragon Boat Festival, or are willing to attend the banquet. Some concubines who are not popular will not be notified by the chamberlain, such as Chen Shu'ai. , this woman is currently no different than being relegated to the cold palace.
There were also some concubines and concubines who did not come to join in the fun because they had no birth, that is, they had not given birth to a son or a daughter for the emperor.
Therefore, to put it simply, the so-called emperor’s family banquet on Dragon Boat Festival is simply a banquet where the emperor’s children, as well as these princes, princesses and their mothers and concubines gather together. Although it does not mean that unborn concubines are not allowed to attend the banquet, but To be more serious, the concubines who are not born will inevitably have a sense of frustration at this banquet, so in most cases they use illness as an excuse to be absent, so as not to be jealous when they look at other people's sons and daughters. .
Because it is a family banquet, the arrangement of the seats is a little different from ordinary banquets.
First of all, the emperor's seat is placed closer to the center, facing the entrance and exit of the hall. Next to it is the seat of the Queen and Wang. And behind the emperor's seat, there are tables and tables arranged in a fan shape, which are the concubines. seats.
Directly opposite the emperor's seat, nine desks are placed in a semicircle, corresponding to the nine princes. In the middle is the seat of the prince of the East Palace, and the other princes are arranged in order.
Behind these nine prince seats, there are tables arranged in a fan shape, which are the seats for the princes' guards, companions, and confidants. Each prince has about three to four places, maybe The banquet may be accompanied by the chief guards of the Zongwei, such as Shen Yu and Lu Mu, or by accompanying ministers, close aides, etc. It depends on each prince's own considerations.
The seats of the princesses are on both sides, next to the seats of the concubines. From this, it is not difficult to see that the status of the princesses in the palace is not comparable to that of the princes.
Behind the prince's banquet, there are more than a dozen seats placed on both sides. These are the seats where the emperor specially invited the courtiers from the Palace School, Zongxue, and the East Palace to accompany him. After all, the Dragon Boat Festival family banquet is not just about eating a meal. Even after that, the emperor would test the talents and learning of his children.
Therefore, for those princes who either wanted to please the emperor or compete for the throne, the Dragon Boat Festival family banquet was actually a war.
"PS: This book has been signed A and is published by the publisher. I hope readers of this book can take a minute to vote for this book at the starting point. I would be very grateful."