The Child Emperor

The competition for the throne is not the only thing happening in the capital. Officials still have to go to office as usual, and people have to support their families as usual. Throughout the winter, babies are born as usual, and the old and the weak die as usual.

In the middle of the first lunar month, Princess Hengyang died at home. There are various theories about the cause of death. Some people say that she died of anger after a meal, and some people said that she died because she was too happy to laugh.

Princess Hengyang is the younger sister of Emperor Wu, and a powerful force has been established around the Chai family. Her death is a big event for Chaotang.

In early February, the Chai Mansion was mourning, and the princess had a noble status. The body would not be buried in the Chai family's ancestral tomb, but to live in the royal mausoleum and reunite with her father and brother after her death.

The funeral was solemn and grand and lasted for a whole day. The colorful awnings on the road stretched from the inside to the outside of the city, attracting countless spectators. It was comparable to the liveliness of the lantern viewing on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. No exception.

This kind of human relationship cannot be decided by Han Ruzi himself. The Ministry of Rites and Zongzheng's government will automatically make arrangements. Although there is no approval in the palace, it has added some troubles, but the proper etiquette cannot be omitted. Since there is no imperial decree, it will be business as usual.

Marquis Tien's mansion contributed money and efforts, and also built a colorful shed on the way to the funeral. Han Ruzi didn't want to send the funeral in person, because Princess Hengyang hated him to the bone. There is a rumor that whether Princess Hengyang was overjoyed or angry before her death, she was all with Tien. Hou has something to do with it.

Yang advised him to show up to show reconciliation. Those who want to be emperors should try to minimize personal grievances. Even if they can't resolve them, they must make outsiders feel that they are not at fault.

Han Ruzi didn't need to participate in the entire funeral process. He only needed to show his face in the colorful shed of the Marquis Mansion when the funeral procession passed by. He didn't even need to get off the sedan chair.

There are many filial sons and grandsons of the Chai family, but only a small number of them are imprisoned in Broken Iron City, and there are many more left in the capital. The Marquis of Hengyang and the eldest son had to come to thank him.

He was also a marquis, and Han Ruzi was more than a prince. He could sit in a sedan chair and pay respects to the father and son of the Marquis of Hengyang.

The Marquis of Hengyang was not young, and being able to live longer than the princess was a hard-won victory for him. On his face, the mournful expression was just right, and he chatted with Yang Feng for a while. Very excited, he took his son to kowtow to Hou Juan and thanked him.

This scene was clearly seen by the mourning team and the crowd of onlookers, so news soon spread: Marquis Tien had ordered the release of the prisoners in Broken Iron City, and the trapped "Chai Family" would soon be able to return to the capital.

This is Yang Feng's idea. His idea is very simple: "It is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge for ten years, and it is never too late for an emperor to take revenge. Even if the hatred of the Chai family cannot be resolved, the suspicion of the outside world should be reduced."

Han Ruzi agreed. He didn't care about the Chai family. Although the Chai family always harbored ghosts, he never regarded them as equal enemies.

The crowd followed the funeral procession, but a few people came upstream, came to pay tribute to Marquis Juan, handed them a salutation note, saluted each other with Marquis Tien, said a few words to Yang Feng, and left, but the identities of these people It's a bit special. Without exception, there are sons and nephews who are locked up in Iron Broken City and are now released.

Seeing that no one was coming, Han Ruzi was about to order the sedan chair to go back to the house, when Yang Feng brought another visitor.

Qu Zixi, a doctor of the Imperial College, did not know when he arrived. He had no contact with the Chai family, his official position was low, and he was not even qualified to send a funeral.

Han Ruzi wanted to get out of the sedan chair to meet, but Yang Feng signaled that he didn't have to.

Qu Zixi walked to the sedan chair without being polite, and said directly: "There are indeed some rumors in the Western Regions, and in the past few years, there have been fewer and fewer tribute envoys from the West. Last year, there were only three. I also met the Hun envoys, tired. Everything Hou said is corroborated."

In the last "confrontation", Han Ruzi claimed that Great Chu was facing a huge threat from the West and needed a new emperor who could turn the tide. , changing dynasties is a common thing, the so-called attack on the Great Chu is just a momentary rant, and there is no need to take it seriously."

"Can the Western Huns be forced to move east, such a change of dynasties is also a common thing?" When Han Ruzi saw Qu Zixi, he was full of energy and did not want to be inferior in words.

Qu Zixi did not come here today to argue, and smiled: "There is one thing, it is not in the extreme west, but in the territory of Great Chu, not in a few or ten years, it is close at hand, and it is imminent, if the tired Hou can solve it, then People all over the world will benefit, and scholars are also willing to pay their respects.”

Han Ruzi glanced at Yang Feng and smiled, "Mr. Qu, please speak."

Qu Zixi coughed, "Natural and man-made disasters have continued in recent years, so that the people are unable to survive, and they have left their homes and wandered the rivers and lakes, either as refugees or as thieves. Because the imperial court has not issued an decree, although the government has surplus food, it refuses to open warehouses for relief. It’s like seeing the fire and not saving it. If Marquis Tien can make the world’s counties open warehouses and put grain, it will be an even greater achievement than blocking the Huns.”

Han Ruzi was stunned. He talked with Zhuo Ruhe, the governor of Hongnong County, and the government refused to open warehouses to help the victims. One was that there was no imperial decree, and the other was that they had to stock up food for the imperial court. The reasons were very complicated, unless the queen mother and the emperor resumed power , personally preaching the edict, this dilemma of having food and no food can't be solved at all.

Scholars did not support Marquis Juan's struggle for the throne, but asked him for the level of "emperor".

Indeed, Qu Zixi did not come to argue today, and without waiting for Hou Juan to give an answer, he bowed his hands and left.

Returning to Marquis Mansion, Han Ruzi asked Yang Feng, "What does Qu Zixi mean?"

"This is a test. Marquis Juan once claimed to be a fat field and a big ship. Now it's time to prove it."

"He doesn't think I'm too 'smart'?" Han Ruzi didn't have a good impression of the scholar.

"Marquis Tien should be happy. This shows that you persuaded Qu Zixi. He also thinks that Great Chu needs an emperor of ZTE, not a mediocre one."

"But the conditions he put forward are impossible to fulfill unless I become emperor first."

"You have to try, tired Hou, the support of scholars is very important."

Han Ruzi thought for a while, "Okay, let's try. I do this because I believe in you, Lord Yang, I value scholars very much, but I really don't see any use for them now."

"Take your time, the usefulness will always show."

Yang Feng's attitude of being confident but only willing to show one leaf at a time can make people angry, Han Ruzi had to smile back, some of Yang Feng's methods are exactly the same as those of the hopeful, I just hope that this eunuch's heart is really hidden A piece of bamboo, instead of being cryptic and "following the trend" like those who watch for qi.

"What should I do, does Duke Yang have an idea?"

"It's up to Tien Hou to come up with an idea, I'll run errands."

Han Ruzi became more and more dumbfounded. It was an important moment to seize the throne, but Yang Feng led him to the wilderness. He always said that there would be a road behind the mountain, but he never saw it. .

"If I ask Qu Zixi to help, will he agree?"

"As long as it is within my power, I can persuade them to agree."

Jizhi was useless at this time. Han Ruzi thought about it for a while and said, "No, I may be able to open warehouses in several counties and counties, but I can't make all places obey. Let me think again."

Yang said his farewell, he rarely stayed in the mansion during the day, and often ran around outside.

After lunch, the King of the East Sea came again. He seemed to have received the official position of the Marquis Mansion, and he would come every day.

"It's time for Princess Hengyang to die." King Donghai was very happy, and he went to pay his respects in the morning, "Without this old guy, the Chai family is nothing to be afraid of. I saw that the Marquis of Hengyang and his son are going to visit you and meet you when you come out. With joy, they dare not provoke you again."

"It's a good thing." Han Ruzi actually knew very well that all the clans and nobles had the same idea: betting on both sides, watching the fire from the other side, as long as the emperor has not yet ascended the throne, they will not sincerely loyal to anyone.

"A scholar also went to see you, why?" The King of the East Sea had to understand Han Ruzi's every move.

Han Ruzi didn't hide it, he repeated Qu Zixi's request, and finally said: "You said that the capital is your 'battlefield', help me think of a way."

"So that's Qu Zixi. He's clearly putting the cart before the horse. You haven't become an emperor yet, but let you be an emperor."

"I said the same thing, but Yang Feng felt it was necessary to win the support of scholars. This Qu Zixi and Guo Cong are said to be leaders of scholars and have a great reputation."

"That's right, especially Qu Zixi, who is not a big official, but he loves to judge people. A few words can make a person famous, but also make him notorious. If you want me to say that this is a moth in the imperial court, you should be locked up in the imperial court. In prison, beat him dozens of boards every day, let's see who dares to be mad?"

Han Ruzi smiled and said, "This is something that can only be done after becoming an emperor. In any case, Qu Zixi and Guo Cong have influence on scholars, and scholars have influence on officials in the DPRK and China, and it is worth fighting for."

"Don't overestimate the ability of scholars. Their influence on ministers is likely to be weaker than that of the Tan family." King Donghai lowered his head and thought for a while, "Have you ever thought that Yang Feng deliberately led you astray?"

"why?"

"For Champion Hou!"

Han Ruzi shook his head, "In the eyes of the champion, I'm not that important yet."

King Donghai shrugged, but he couldn't think of a way, "You didn't succeed in persuading Han Xing to recruit the refugees into the army, and now it's even more impossible for the government to open warehouses and supply food, I advise you to give up, or deal with it. That's it. How many people have you returned from your part?"

"I won't contact them until it is necessary, so I don't know how many people there are. According to the plan, they will not all arrive until after mid-March."

"That's right, there are many people in the capital, and even if you see a fly, someone will inform you."

"How about the 'Guanghua Tigers'?"

"The Tan family has persuaded the two tigers and is trying to arrange for them to meet the two of us. It is estimated that it will be done in a few days. This is a secret meeting, don't tell anyone, especially Yang Feng, just tell him after the fact. "

"Yeah." Han Ruzi got up and looked at the King of the East Sea, "It seems that the corner of your eye is hurt."

Donghai Wang's expression changed, and he said falteringly: "Where did the injury come from... Maybe it was hit somewhere, I don't even feel it..."

While embarrassed, the government chief came to report, and Zhang Yin, Marquis of Piyuan, asked to see Marquis Tien.

Zhang Yanghao, the direct grandson of Marquis Piyuan, was one of the very few people who were imprisoned in Iron Broken City and were not released. Zhang Yin seemed to have come to plead for his grandson, and he was also the first noble and minister to visit.