Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 215 Nobody's Noble Bones (1)

When Tong Guan knelt down and reported in tears: "Your Highness, the official, the official Dragon Yu has returned to heaven." Zhao Ke's mind went blank. Master Wei, don't try to lie to Gu, father, where is father?"

Tong Guan took the crown prince into the imperial study room, and saw Zhao You leaning on the dragon couch, as if he hadn't woken up from a nap, but the blood on his mouth and nose had turned black, Zhao Ke was startled in his heart, and shouted in a low voice: "Father, father." Seeing no reaction, he just stepped forward, tested his breath with his hand, and then retracted like an electric shock, took Tong Guan's hand, and cried: "Taiwei, lonely heart" It's a mess, I don't know what to do!" But it was as if a big stone had been removed from his heart.

Tong Guan choked with sobs and said: "My condolences, the official family died after taking the elixir sent by Shenbao Temple. However, I think the most important thing at the moment is that the country cannot be without a master. Your Highness should ascend the throne as soon as possible. Zhao Xiangye has been invited into the palace to discuss the summoning of the ministers. When Zhao Xiangye arrives, I will also invite Zhu Jiedu to discuss the matter of the imperial guards." He looked sad, but his words were arranged in an orderly manner .

Zhao Ke also thought about the matter of succession in a trance. After hearing that Tong Guan invited Zhao Zhifu instead of important officials such as Cai Jing and Li Bangyan to discuss the matter of succession, he regained his vigilance. Most of the courtiers around the late emperor were on good terms with the third prince. If they find out that the former emperor passed away and forcibly support Zhao Qi as king, what will happen to them... Thinking of this, Zhao Ke couldn't help but gasped, took Tong Guan's hand, and cried in a low voice: "Today's matter is all thanks to Tong Taiwei's help, I dare not forget it."

Tong Guan bowed his head and said: "The crown prince is famous all over the world, and the old officials made these redundant arrangements, just in case." As he spoke, he pulled Zhao Ke out of the imperial study.His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was born in the palace and grew up in the hands of a 'woman'. After staying beside the corpse for a long time, he might have developed a heart disease.

The eunuch was the emperor's domestic slave, Zhao You's sudden death had only been an hour, and Tong Guan had already changed his allegiance to the prince who was about to inherit the throne.He led Zhao You to the signing room where the eunuch in charge of the imperial study usually stayed, held the imperial seal that Zhao You used daily in both hands, knelt on the ground and offered it to Zhao Ke, choked with sobs and said: "The late emperor has passed away, I am afraid that the old minister will have a small child Taking advantage of the 'chaos' to cause trouble, I packed up the great treasure, and now, luckily, His Majesty has entered the forbidden area, and this great treasure should be handed over to His Majesty."

Zhao Ke looked at the imperial seal, which was the "treasure of the Song Dynasty" jade seal used by Emperor Taizu to draft the imperial edict sent to the officials of the military states all over the world. He couldn't help being excited, and took the jade seal with both hands.According to legend, the Imperial Jade Seal of the Qin Dynasty was carved out of Heshibi jade. Later, a corner was broken by the Empress Dowager of the Han Dynasty and filled with gold inlaid jade. It has been passed down through the dynasties as a symbol of imperial inheritance.However, due to the wars and chaos during the Five Dynasties, after Taizu took over the world, he searched for the treasures in Da Nei and found no trace of them. Therefore, he engraved this "Treasure of Destiny in the Great Song Dynasty", which can be used as a weapon of Anbang and can be trusted. in the world.There are five or six other imperial seals in the palace, none of which are as important as this one.

Zhao Ke held the imperial seal and rubbed it for a while, the jade was soft and delicate, and it was really extraordinary. After a long time, he sighed and handed it back to Tong Guan, saying: "I have written down the loyalty of the Taiwei. This Fang Yuxi also invites the Taiwei." Keep it safe for the orphan." He paused, seeing that Zhao Zhifu hadn't arrived yet, he couldn't help showing an anxious look on his face, Tong Guan observed his words and looked at his looks, and he knew what to do, so he waited carefully on the sidelines With this future Great Song Emperor.

After a stick of incense, Zhao Zhifu, who was full of doubts, came to the imperial study.After learning of the emperor's death, he was much calmer than Zhao Ke, and immediately suggested that Zhu Bona, the governor of the Wuchang Army, be invited to discuss the enthronement together.Zhu Bona is the commander of the imperial guards, as long as he submits to the prince, more than half of the success will be achieved.This person is upright and courteous, he is the most loyal to the former emperor, and he also attaches the most importance to the court system, usually detached from the party disputes in the court.Zhao Ke once privately proposed to marry Zhu Ying, the daughter of Zhu Bona, as the crown princess, but because the former emperor wanted to pass the throne to the third prince, the matter has been delayed, but the Zhu family did not reject it outright.

After a while, Zhubna, who came in uniform, hurried over.Hearing Zhao Zhifu explain that the former emperor passed away, and the most important thing for the country now is to arrange for the crown prince to inherit the general order, so as to prevent villains from taking the opportunity to disturb the imperial court, he had a complex expression on his face. After hesitating for a moment, he said in a deep voice: "Old minister Mengguan The family values ​​it, and entrusts it to the imperial guards, and I should do my best to serve the king." At this point, Zhao Zhifu and Tong Guan's hearts sank, but he paused and said, "Be loyal to the country and maintain the imperial system. It is my duty to defend the imperial palace. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince inherits the throne, and the old minister should obey the orders of His Majesty and the Prime Minister.” After speaking, he ignored his military attire and bowed three times to Prince Zhao Ke and kowtowed nine times.

Zhao Ke blushed with excitement, his hands trembled slightly, and said repeatedly: "Zhu Jiedu, please get up, please get up, please get up." After speaking, he strode forward, helped the old general up, and said with a sob: "I am today, thanks to Zhu Jiedu, a pillar of the country." While speaking, he didn't notice the difference in the expressions of Zhao Zhifu and Tong Guan next to him.

Zhao Zhifu and Tong Guan secretly scolded Zhu Berna for being used to pretending to be confused about small things, but he was smarter than anyone else for such big things, so they followed him and knelt and kowtowed three times behind him. Called "Your Majesty".After discussion between the four monarchs and ministers, it was decided that Zhu Bona would mobilize the imperial squad to confine all the palaces. All concubines, princesses, and wives are not allowed to leave the palace without permission, and foreign officials are not allowed to enter the palace at will.Zhu Berna sent another imperial guard to follow the eunuch who delivered the decree and "invite" the third prince Zhao Qi into the palace.Tong Guan was by Zhao Ke's side to assist His Majesty in dealing with important matters, and Deputy Prime Minister Zhao Zhifu immediately went out of the palace to summon a group of ministers. Before tomorrow morning, when all the important ministers were almost here, they held a grand ceremony for the new emperor's ascension to the throne.

After Zhu Berna and Zhao Zhifu went out to handle errands, only Zhao Ke and Tong Guan were left in the room, and it seemed deserted again.Worried about His Majesty's worry, Tong Guan purposely said some irrelevant words with him, and called a group of strong and confidant eunuchs, each holding a big stick, to guard the door of the imperial study. Tong Guan just dismissed the eunuchs when he was on duty. Regardless of his own noble status, he praised these palace guards on behalf of the officials and encouraged them to be loyal to the country.Zhao Ke saw all these in his eyes, nodded inwardly, and thought to himself, among the veteran ministers who are valued by the emperor, Cai Gong and others are all good at power and favoritism, but Tong Taiwei is still a minister who is loyal to the country.

After the Palace of Rouyi was blocked by the guards in front of the palace, the people in the palace panicked. Instead, the Sixteenth Princess Zhao Huan comforted Qingnu: "Maybe there are some thieves in the palace. It is common for these people to make a fuss over a molehill."

An ominous premonition rose in her heart, but she didn't want to think about it. She sat alone in front of the jade dressing table and secretly prayed for the safety of her father.However, three hours later, the news of the late emperor's death finally came. Zhao Huan finally burst into tears, which she had held back for a long time. In the blurred eyes, she came to the Daqing Palace with the maids. All the court officials were already standing in the hall, and even the other princes and princesses of the third brother Zhao Qi were also in the hall. Zhao Huan raised his head and glanced at the third brother, and saw that his face was pale and his lips were trembling slightly, as if something terrible had happened. Things are so-so, and my heart is sour again.In the forefront of the courtiers, Cai Gongxiang, Wang Shumi, Li Shumi and other important officials of the court were helpless. Firstly, they did not expect that the first emperor would die suddenly, and secondly, they did not expect that Zhao Ke would have such thunderous means, so that the three princes and their party had no chance to resist. , at this moment, no matter how strong they are, they have become "disorderly" ministers and thieves.

Zhao Huan was immersed in grief, like a marionette, he followed his brothers and sisters together like a big brother to pay homage to the emperor, and was immediately brought back to the Rouyi Palace by the maids. Before going to bed, another eunuch arrived , the eunuch looked at her with eyes that Zhao Huan had never seen before, took out an imperial decree, and announced the decree in a shrill voice.The newly succeeded eldest brother moved into the White Jade Palace, and the concubines and princesses of the original father were not suitable for living in the White Jade Palace, so they were asked to move into the Hanxiang Palace immediately.

Hanxiang Palace, that is, the cold palace where concubines who fell out of favor lived.Zhao Huan only felt a wave of anger rising in his chest, his father's body was still cold, and his elder brother was too urgent.Amidst the constant urging of the eunuch passing the decree, she swallowed her humiliation and packed up her soft clothes. After arriving at Hanxiang Palace, she still had to pack up her feelings to comfort her mother and concubine.There were very few things with her, so she deliberately took a pair of paintings from the bottom of the drawer and put them in a small bag.

Only Qing Nu followed Zhao Huan to the lonely courtyard.Qingnu was still busy in the yard, Zhao Huan stepped into the house, put down his burden, smoothed his hair, took out the painting, and unfolded it for a look.Many grievances welled up in her heart, tears accidentally wet the lapel of the green-robed Confucian scholar who bent his bow and set his arrows, she hurriedly dried him with her sleeves, and carefully put away the scroll again. "Father...Father!" She choked with sobs in a low voice, and the tears she had suppressed in the Daqing Palace just now fell like broken pearls from the eunuch delivering the decree.

Thousands of miles away in Liaodong, where the world is frozen and covered with snow, Zhao Xingde is teaching the Han army to 'shoot' arrows.Holding the bow and arrow in his hand, he said in a deep voice: "Practicing arrows should not only rely on brute force, but should be attached to the arrow with the heart. After loosening the string, it seems that you are also flying out with the arrow, far and near, high or low, as you want. That’s what it takes to be careful.”

Dozens of Chengying sergeants and the Han army surrounded them, and someone laughed and said, "General Zhao, on that battlefield, if you put your mind on the arrows, you can't defend against the enemy." Everyone burst into laughter, Zhao Xingde didn't take it seriously, took out an arrow, and said with a faint smile: "The so-called reading breaks through ten thousand volumes, and writing is as good as writing. Usually, put your mind on this arrow, and the arrow will naturally follow your heart on the battlefield, so you don't have to worry about it. "He put the long arrow on the bow and arrow, turned around, and released an arrow without pausing. The arrow flew a hundred steps away with strong wind, and hit a snow fox with a bang. The 'mao' skin was snow-white, fell to the ground and kept kicking his legs, everyone applauded loudly, Zhao Xingde was also quite surprised, he originally planned to hit a tree trunk at random, but after turning around, he suddenly felt that the snow in front seemed to be different, even He didn't even see the target clearly, so he let the arrow go out according to his mind, but who knew that the arrow really followed his mind and 'shot' a prey. "I'm afraid I won't be so lucky next time." He smiled slightly, "Everyone can drink broth today."