Work overtime

Chapter 659 Plot
Meng Zhao nodded frequently and wiped his tears with his father's sweat towel, "Don't worry, dad. The emperor is very kind to his daughter."

Meng Xiang's eyes swept over his daughter's belly. When we meet now, we don’t know when we will see each other again. I had mixed feelings in my heart for a moment, and there were words on the tip of my tongue, but in the end I didn't say them out. In fact, since his daughter entered the palace, he has been thinking about retiring and returning to his hometown.

He had been ups and downs in the officialdom for so many years. Although this time he chose to stand firmly on the side of the emperor during the repression of rebellion. He also showed his loyalty by voluntarily paying the amount of bribes and solved the bottlenecked treasury problem.

But he chose to support the son of the imperial concubine after all. This is a dark history that cannot be erased.

What's more, he has been prime minister for two dynasties. Under one man, he has great power. His daughter has entered the palace as a concubine, and now she is pregnant with a dragon heir. Emperors of all dynasties were most taboo about such powerful relatives. Historically, almost no prime minister with such a status could die a good death.

There is a saying that goes well in Qin Opera singing: "The old cow is exhausted and is on the tip of the knife, but Han Xin's service to the country will never end." It is inevitable that big trees attract the wind, rabbits will die and dogs will be cooked, and birds will disappear and hide in their bows.

As a minister, he was open-minded and had never had any thoughts of rebellion. But if he resigns as prime minister and goes into seclusion in the countryside, will the emperor settle accounts with his wife? Will his daughter be bullied in the harem?

But he also knew that as long as he held power, the emperor would always be wary of his daughter in the harem. If she gave birth to a princess, everyone would be happy, but if she was a prince, it was hard to say whether she would grow up safely.

No matter what we do now, we are stuck in a dilemma.

He felt that the young emperor's thoughts were becoming increasingly difficult to fathom and out of control.

After returning to the mansion, Meng Xiang called his eldest son Meng Qing.

He told Meng Qing that the court has been treacherous recently, be careful with his words and deeds, and not talk nonsense and get involved. If you have nothing to do, just stay at home with your concubine until she gives birth, and don't run around. He also explained his plan to resign and retire the following year.

Meng Qing said anxiously: "Isn't it because my father was the prime minister that my sister was promoted to the concubine position in the harem? If my father resigned, would my sister be bullied in the palace? The emperor no longer had to think about it in the court. Will you treat your sister well?"

Meng Xiang sighed: "I'm worried about this too. But if you don't retreat, do you think the emperor will let your sister give birth to a prince? Wouldn't he be suspicious that we want to make Zhaoer the queen and Zhaoer's prince inherit the throne?"

Meng Qing: "Isn't this what we planned before entering the palace? Zhao'er has liked the emperor so much since she was a child, and she has always wanted to be the queen."

Meng Xiang: "Zhao'er is young and shallow-minded after all. It's not easy to be a queen. I originally wanted to plan for her step by step and fulfill her wish. But..."

Prime Minister Meng shook his head. "You know your sister. She has been in the palace for two months, and I saw her today. She is still innocent and sentimental. With her looks and personality, she is more than qualified to be a favorite concubine. If you insist on vying for the position of empress, it may harm her. The position of empress is a trap set by the emperor and a bait. Whoever proposes to make her the empress will be punished by the Xie family."

Meng Qing suddenly realized: "That's it. There has been good news one after another recently, and problems everywhere are getting better. Why is the emperor particularly irritable and irritable, and he is completely different from before. Father, tell me what is going on. Is there any sister? say what?"

Prime Minister Meng was also wondering about this matter, but listening to his daughter's wishes, every time he went to Meng Zhao's palace for dinner, the two of them were very affectionate, and the emperor spoke softly and never became irritable.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "Zhao'er said that the emperor was very kind to her and very affectionate with her. Judging from Zhao'er's demeanor, it didn't look like he was lying. Maybe it's just that the weather is too hot, and people tend to be irritable and irritable. And a new emperor is rare. It’s normal for me to be in a bad mood when I’m busy every day, and I feel like getting angry for no reason.”

"Yes. So dad has made up his mind to withdraw?" Meng Qing said with some worry, "Our family has received quite a lot of money in private over the years. We only handed over two million taels. Dad thinks the emperor will let it go. we?"

Meng Xiang suddenly laughed, "Who is not greedy in civil and military affairs in the whole dynasty? There is no humaneness at the top and bottom, and there is no need to use money to do things. Doesn't the emperor know? Let us go, but the emperor feels that your father and I are not a threat As for his throne, the world of his Li family has nothing to do with whether he is in power or not. Even if he is in power, it would be better for him to use other people's hands to find out those dirty things, which will inevitably involve you. I can protect you."

Meng Qing suddenly understood the twists and turns. His father was planning a stable future for him and his sister, paving the way in advance to keep him.

It felt like there were bricks in my eyes, and they were so sore. He stared at his father blankly and was speechless.

Meng Xiangyi's eyes were wet and he sighed: "As long as you are still in the court, the emperor will not treat Zhaoer badly. And Zhaoer has already reached the concubine position. What else do you want? I hope she can have a daughter. Just live your life in peace. You'd better stay away from right and wrong like your father, don't get involved in any partisan disputes, and do your best to do good things for the emperor. If your son becomes the crown prince, you will stay away from him." Meng Qing had a complicated expression. He was a poor, wealthy young man who often made mistakes in the past. Now he was forced to do in-depth examinations. If he answered incorrectly, he would have to write on the board on the spot. He was forced to be so busy every day that he complained incessantly.

As long as you think about your old father protecting you, you can act like an ostrich with its neck shrunk. As long as there is no big mistake, the emperor will keep his father's face and won't do anything to him. If my father retreats, I will still stay in the court. Those ministers who were originally at odds with my father were no longer allowed to cause obstacles for him at every turn.

Meng Qing said with a mournful face, "Dad, how about I resign with you and start farming. Anyway, I'm not an official. I'm so tired. Without dad in the court, I would have to be tortured to death." Anyway, we save enough money to spend for two or three lifetimes.”

Meng Xiang glared at his son fiercely, "You are already thirty. You will be almost thirty in a few years. Do you still think you are a child? If you quit, what will happen to your sister? What will happen to your brother Meng Ran?"

Meng Qing said bitterly, "Those who didn't deal with dad before can no longer deal with me."

Meng Xiang couldn't help it and slapped his son on the head. "What nonsense are you talking about! I have trained you in vain for so many years? Isn't the relationship between father and you also the relationship between you? If you quit with me, will you still quit? What is the nature of it? It’s changed into taking advantage of one’s favor, do you understand?”

He was angry that his son was afraid of hardship and tiredness and lacked political sensitivity, so he slapped his son again.

If the two of them resign together, in the eyes of outsiders, it will not mean that they are resigning because they are old and returning to their hometown, but it will be a kind of protest against the emperor. Who knows what trouble will happen when the time comes.

"I mean, it's not easy to be an official now."

Meng Qing was unwilling to face a future in which she would be alone.

But he has been taught since he was a child that he is the eldest son, and his rights are different from those of a concubine, and his responsibilities are also different from those of other people. At first, his younger brother Meng Ran was jealous of his father for paving the way for him in the court and making him famous.

He naturally understands that it is his responsibility to support this family. What's more, Meng Zhao is his only little sister, and her heart has been in pain since she was a child. How could he really resign, leaving his sister helpless?

It’s just an instinctive desire to escape.

"What is easy to do in this world?!" Meng Xiang glared at his frustrated son, "I used to protect you too well and always do everything for you, so I raised you to be like this. Look. Let’s see if the emperor beats you a few more times and you still dare to be lazy.”

Meng Qing's face was almost distorted, "If it's so hard, I can give you half of the Meng family's property."

"That's just a little bit of progress," Meng Xin laughed angrily, "Okay, let's split it 50-50. Before I leave, I will give you a year-end reward based on your performance each year. If you do a good job and the emperor is satisfied, I will give you a new reward every year. What do you think of marrying a concubine?"

Meng Qing's eyes lit up after hearing this, and she stretched out two fingers, "Two rooms."

"Okay -" Meng Xiang, his son, was almost speechless. How could he, a capable minister of his generation, give birth to such a son?

Meng Qing responded with a smile: "Deal."

Meng Xiang looked at the four-character banner on the wall that read "The best is like water" and said slowly, "We men can endure any hardships. I just hope that your sister will live a comfortable and happy life in the palace, and live a safe and smooth life in the palace." "

He was indeed very ambitious in his life and hoped to change the country through his words and deeds.

But the older I get, the more tired I am of intrigues and fighting, and the more I hope that I and my children can live a peaceful life.