The Crown Prince sat restlessly in the Eastern Palace, sighing at times and pacing back and forth in a hurry.
When Prince Dashang saw him like this, he couldn't help but advise, "If the Crown Prince doesn't rest, I'm afraid the Emperor will use this as an excuse."
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The Crown Prince said with a frown, "How can I sleep?
Fuhuang said during the day that I don't have any ability and that I shouldn't be the Crown Prince.
A Zui, why do you think I'm the Crown Prince?
If I'm just a rich and idle person, I'll take Muhou and Didi to buy a large house in the countryside and live on a few acres of land. How good would that be … … "
A Zui covered his mouth, "Crown Prince, stop talking!"
The Crown Prince sighed and sat down dejectedly. After a while, he suddenly stood up, "A Zui, help me go to Muhou's Palace and find out the situation!
Fuhuang went to Muhou's Jing 'an Hall yesterday. I wonder if he'll talk to Muhou about me? "
Prince Dashang sighed and put on a snow green cloak before hurriedly leaving.
This Crown Prince was a good person, but it was a pity that he was born into the wrong royal family.
He was honest, kind, loved to read, and filial to his elders. If he was in any normal family, he would be a son that the elders would like.
It was a pity that he was born into the royal family and was Qianwandi's son.
When Qianwandi was fighting for the position of the Eastern Palace, he personally killed the Qiang Clan on the battlefield and stole the position of Crown Prince from the flames of war.
Now, in comparison, the weak Crown Prince was even more incompetent.
Prince Dashang hurried to the Empress's Jing 'an Hall. When he entered, he found palace maids tiptoeing around and a taiyi hurriedly passing by with his head lowered. The door to the inner room was wide open and the smell of medicine wafted out.
Prince Dashang was shocked and immediately pulled Si Yan from the Empress's Palace, "Daren, do you know that the Empress is sick?"
Si Yan shushed him and said in a low voice, "The Empress is taking care of someone."
Prince Dashang vaguely guessed who it was. With a glance, he saw a person being helped to a soft bed behind the curtain. Following this, several palace servants carefully carried the bed out.
The Empress leaned over that person and continuously wiped her tears with her hands.
Minister Dashang said, "Your Highness." Then, he lifted the curtain and walked in.
The Empress was sitting behind the coffee table, crying in a daze. Seeing her come in, she asked blankly, "You're here?"
Da Shang Gong hurriedly knelt down, "This servant is here to pay respects to the crown prince.
That person just now … but … but … "
The Empress suddenly threw the teacup on the floor with a loud bang.
Dashang Gong didn't dare to say a single word. The Empress' expression changed as she angrily gritted her teeth, "Li Ji, that bastard!"
Prince Dashang hurriedly got up and closed the jade-green screen cabinet.
The Empress didn't seem to notice and said sternly, "They were almost out of breath when they were sent here!
He didn't say anything and only sent a message. What do you think it was? "
Prince Dashang shook his head, "I don't know."
"He said: Leave it to the Empress to take care of!"
The Empress' voice was so shrill that it changed pitch, "That bastard!
He was simply inhuman!
There are so many beautiful boys in the world. Does he have to torture Mingde to death for it to count? "
Dashang Gong knelt down, "Your Highness, the most important thing now is for Mingde daren to go to the examination hall.
Mingde daren's literary talent is outstanding. As long as he goes to the examination hall, he won't have no chance. "
The Empress tried her best to calm her breathing and slowly stroked Dashang Gong's back, "Good child, you think the same as me in every aspect."
Dashang Gong said, "I don't dare."
"Why don't you dare?
With the crown prince's condition, if you don't take care of him, how can I … "
Dashang Gong looked up and a teardrop suddenly fell from the Empress' exquisite face, "I've already lost so much. What am I after?
Isn't it because I want him to ascend the throne?
If he doesn't ascend the throne, how can he face me, how can he face his younger brother!
How can he face us for so many years, living in silence … "
Mingde's consciousness wasn't clear. One moment, he was jolted in the sedan, the next moment, he seemed to have arrived at the Empress' Phoenix Cry Palace. The next moment, when he was about to fall asleep, he was pierced by a silver needle on the back of his neck, waking him up.
Then, a soft couch carried him to the examination hall. Before the rooster crowed three times, he arrived at the Hall of Imperial Learning where the examination was held.
He felt that his mind wasn't clear. One moment, it was very hot, the next moment, it was very cold. He didn't even know how he got to his seat.
After a while, the examinees came in one after another. The hall was completely silent. Every minute and every second was a painful torture for him.
He was thirsty and had a high fever. Every bone in his body seemed to have been broken and reconnected. He couldn't even sit properly.
He couldn't hold the brush steadily in his hand. His hand trembled so much that he almost couldn't write.
The invigilator of the Imperial Learning walked past this seat. Seeing that this examinee was acting strangely, he asked, "Are you alright?"
Mingde almost fell. He didn't even have the strength to raise his head. He could only shake his head slightly.
After three years of hard work, many examinees had high hopes for this examination. Even if they weren't feeling well, they would force themselves to go to the examination hall.
The Imperial Learning Examinee sighed in understanding. He didn't say anything, shook his head, and walked away.
Mingde leaned over the table and panted for a while. He looked at the question word by word.
The Strategy Question tested the way of an official. Ming Yi asked his son what filial piety was. Every word and sentence alluded to the current Emperor and Crown Prince.
Not bad. The Strategy Question of the Spring Festival. Such an important question. Tens of thousands of examinees entered the examination … That question was actually set for me alone.
Mingde's lips twitched. It seemed like he was about to smile, but he immediately covered his mouth because of the pain.
That man looked like he wanted to eat him whole. He didn't even let go of the tender skin in his mouth. He bit down on every inch, leaving behind a mess.
Mingde picked up his brush.
The way of father and son was different from the way of monarch and official … If the father was old and muddle-headed, the son should try his best to make up for it. If the monarch was muddle-headed, licentious, clumsy, and violated human relations, the official should try his best to remonstrate. How could loyalty and filial piety be mixed together?
— — Li Ji. Mingde thought coldly, "Since you set the question for me alone, then I'll tell you the answer."
It was already noon when the examination ended. The chief examiner made the final decision. The ancient bell rang, and the entire Chang 'an City could hear the endless echoes.
The examination papers were collected. The chief examiner lectured them again about how a gentleman should act as an official, and then waved his hand to let them leave.
The Imperial Learning Hall gradually became noisy. Mingde knew in a daze that he had to leave. His fingers were trembling so much that he couldn't pick up anything. In the end, he could only throw all his stationery on the table. He stood up and walked out shakily.
An examinee thought that he had forgotten his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, so he went up and patted him, "Brother …"
Just like that, Ming De didn't make a sound, and his entire person collapsed just like that.
That examinee was shocked, "Brother!
Brother!
What happened to you?
What happened? "
There seemed to be some noise and exclamations around him, but they were getting farther and farther away from him.
Mingde's vision turned black, and he fell down on the platform in front of the Imperial Learning Hall.
It wasn't a big deal that an examinee fainted after the examination.
The chief examiner, Ding Huang, didn't pay much attention to it. He just wanted to show that he was an official and loved the people like his own children in front of others.
So he ordered, "Imperial Learning Hall officials, help that examinee to the inner room. Ask the doctor to take a look."
He turned around and saw Eunuch Zhang, the favorite of the emperor, standing to one side. He hurriedly went up to him with a smile, "Eunuch Zhang, how are you?"
Zhang Kuo bowed, "Thanks to you, I'm doing well.
The spring examination is over. You'll have to work hard. "
Ding Huang hurriedly said, "It's not hard, it's not hard. I won't disappoint the emperor."
He wanted to ask about his youngest daughter in the palace, but before he could open his mouth, Zhang Kuo interrupted him, "Sir, I suddenly remembered something.
Who is that examinee who fainted just now? "
Ding Huang didn't know who that person was, so he turned around and asked the servant, "What's that examinee's name?
Where is he from? "
The servant quickly ran over and asked, "Sir, he's the youngest son of Shangguan Shilang, Mingde."
Zhang Kuo's expression suddenly changed, and he suddenly went up and asked, "Where is he?"
Ding Huang was shocked. He saw Zhang Kuo turn around and whisper to him, "Sir Ding, you don't know. That person's imperial favor … is … very deep!"
Ding Huang hurriedly went to the inner room with the servants.
Shangguan Mingde was lying on a small couch. His face was pale, and his breathing was shallow. There was no one around to serve him, and the servants outside were all busy.
A servant saw Ding Huang and Eunuch Zhang coming down with a few subordinates from afar, so he hurriedly ran over and shouted, "Sir!
The red maple tea was just brewed. Sir, do you want to try it? "
Zhang Kuo raised his hand and slapped the servant, "What were you doing earlier?
Get out of the way! "
The servant was slapped so hard that he fell and rolled on the ground. He hurriedly retreated to the side.
Zhang Kuo hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered the inner room. When he saw Mingde's condition, he hurriedly ordered, "Quickly, send him to the palace!"
Ding Huang was just asking someone to invite Shangguan Shilang over. When he heard this, he waved his subordinates away. He came over and pointed at Shangguan Mingde, asking in a low voice, "Eunuch Zhang, do you know who this person is …"
Zhang Kuo made a shushing gesture and said, "Originally, I shouldn't talk too much. But since I've known Sir for so many years, I shouldn't hide this from Sir.
This person and the Empress originally had some … some kinship. "
After saying this, he leaned over and gently pushed Mingde. He whispered in his ear, "Young Master Mingde, Young Master Mingde?"
Mingde frowned in a daze and opened his eyes slightly. After a while, he could see clearly and asked in a low voice, "What are you doing here?"
Zhang Kuo lowered his hands and said, "The Emperor sent me here."
Ding Huang was startled. Mingde closed her eyes and said in a low voice, "… Tell him to get lost."
Ding Huang almost lost his balance, but Zhang Kuo seemed to be used to it. He smiled and said, "Young Master, you should take care of yourself. Why do you have to make life difficult for yourself?
This servant has already sent someone to report to your father, saying that His Majesty has decreed that since your health is not good, you should be taken to the palace to recuperate. This is also the meaning of caring for an official … "
Zhang Kuo waited respectfully by the side. Seeing him gradually close his eyes and fall asleep, he slowly stopped talking. He gave a look to the palace servants who had been waiting outside for a long time.
Qianwandi's order was to send the child to his side, but there was no time limit attached to this' side '.
Could it be that the Emperor had already made it clear to the Shangguan family?
… Maybe.
The Shangguan family did not only have one son.
If there was only one son, then as an old official, he still had a position to argue and swear not to obey. If there was another son in the family, and it was a concubine-born son, then when the Emperor tactfully expressed his love, most people would not refuse too much.
There were such examples in the previous dynasty. It was not a big deal for an Emperor to have a few beautiful boys to accompany him.
He was a defenseless boy who had entered the harem alone. Other than the Emperor's favor, what else could he rely on?
As long as he left the Shangguan family, he would no longer be a son of an official.
It was difficult for Qianwandi to have a son from an official's family, but if he left the identity of a son of the Shangguan family, then no one would care even if Qianwandi ate him alive.