flstandardbreds Just because many people say something in Chapter 166, does that mean it must be true?
Just because many people say something in Chapter 166, does that mean it must be true?
The thought of opening the coffin and possibly seeing the lifelike remains of the late emperor...
The emperor was startled and instantly lost all interest in the "Golden Jade Abundance for a Happy Marriage" dish.
"Enough, enough." The emperor sighed softly, waved his hand, and looked at the bewildered Zhuge Kongfang.
"Minister Zhuge, you may leave now. I wish to have some peace and quiet."
"The minister obeys the order!"
Zhuge Kongfang was completely bewildered. "Your Majesty, you haven't eaten yet?!"
I suspect that the current emperor was displeased because he didn't treat him the same way the late emperor had treated him.
Oh dear, this emperor is something else. He's a grown man, yet he acts like a child. Why doesn't he just say what he's doing?
It's just eight spoonfuls of salt, no big deal. I'll just give you two and a half more spoonfuls and it'll be fine.
Although Zhuge Kongfang's mind was racing, he still respectfully accepted the order and then turned to walk out of the hall.
As soon as Zhuge Kongfang's figure disappeared into the distance, the emperor immediately set aside the "Golden Jade Hall, Auspicious Marriage" gift.
He then gave instructions to Cao Zhengchun.
"Go and have the imperial kitchen prepare another banquet. This time, don't let Minister Zhuge be in charge of cooking."
"The minister obeys the order."
Cao Zhengchun quickly accepted the order and hurried off to give instructions.
It must be said that the speed of the Ming Dynasty's imperial kitchen was really fast.
In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, tables of exquisite banquet dishes were prepared and served.
With Zhuge Kongfang's incident, the atmosphere became more harmonious, and everyone enjoyed themselves.
After several rounds of drinks and several dishes,
Dan Tianxie was the first to stand up, wanting to go to the Scripture Pavilion for a look, and the Emperor gladly agreed.
He then arranged for Cao Zhengchun to take Shan Tianxie to the Sutra Repository.
Yunluo, who was also restless, quickly found an excuse and hurriedly followed behind Shan Tianxie.
........
As Shan Tianxie and the others left, the vast Wuying Hall instantly became empty.
Only the Emperor and the Empress Dowager remained.
"My son, what do you think of this young master Shan?"
The Empress Dowager suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence.
"Young Master Shan?"
Upon hearing this question, the emperor pondered for a moment, then commented in a low voice.
"This person appears weak and frail, but in his heart, he disregards the emperor's power."
Even grandmasters and great grandmasters wouldn't have such a mindset; it seems rather strange.
When the Empress Dowager heard this, she was surprised that the Emperor would speak of Shan Tianxie in this way.
After all, in her opinion, apart from his slightly poor background, Shan Tianxie was...
His appearance and martial arts skills are both top-notch among the younger generation.
Furthermore, since he had saved my life, it would be a wonderful thing to recruit him into the royal family.
"So, according to my son, this person cannot be recruited into the royal family?"
As the Empress Dowager mentioned this, she seemed to remember something and continued, "However, in my opinion, Young Hero Shan and Minister Cao should have known each other for a long time."
"Yes, I noticed that too."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor nodded and then chuckled, "However, having Cao Zhengchun have another ally is not necessarily a bad thing for me!"
"Hmm? Is my son worried about the Dragon Guard Manor?"
The Empress Dowager was no simple character either; she immediately thought of the loyal and righteous Marquis in the court.
Although everyone inside and outside the court praised this Divine Marquis, only the royal family knew just how deep the water really was.
The Duke of Zhou feared rumors, and Wang Mang was humble before his usurpation!
This statement is quite clear: a prince wants nothing.
However, he also wields immense influence both within and outside the court, coupled with the Dragon Guard Manor under his control.
It is only natural that the emperor would be wary of him.
Having said all that, the emperor pondered for a moment, his feelings for this imperial uncle were quite complex.
"If I had been on the throne for decades and my imperial position were secure, I would naturally want as many swords as possible in my hands."
However, now that I have just ascended the throne, many people have expressed their dissatisfaction with my rise to power through the help of Wei Zhongxian.
On the other hand, my imperial uncle's power is far too great!
"The current commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Huangfu Yao, is unclear about his stance and has not yet fully pledged his loyalty to me!"
As for the Six Doors, although Guo Juxia was extremely loyal, there were still some internal constraints, making him impossible to fully trust.
Now, all I can rely on are the Eastern and Western Depots. Therefore, the stronger Cao Zhengchun is, the better; at best, he's just another Wei Zhongxian!
The emperor sighed as he spoke, knowing that with such an uncle around, whether he rebelled or not, he had to be prepared in advance.
"My son, you've really worked hard!"
The Empress Dowager looked at the young emperor with a pained expression, then sighed.
“If your father hadn’t died so young, you wouldn’t have to walk on thin ice like this now.”
"It's alright, the path of an emperor is one of loneliness and isolation!"
The emperor glanced at the throne beneath him. People often say that beauties are charming, but how can even the most beautiful woman compare to this vast land!
"If Your Majesty is interested in this position, you might as well give it a try!"
......
Meanwhile, Shan Tianxie and Princess Yunluo, led by Cao Zhengchun, headed to the Sutra Repository.
With Cao Zhengchun, the head of the Eastern Depot, leading the way, the journey was smooth and unimpeded.
From this perspective, Shan Tianxie thought to himself, Cao Shaoqin still needs to practice.
The three walked through a series of palace complexes and finally stopped in front of a simple, ancient wooden building.
The small building stands apart from all the palaces, and from the outside it looks ordinary and unremarkable.
Among the palace complex, it stood out like a crane among chickens!
There weren't even any imperial guards patrolling around, as if it were in a completely different space from the palace.
No one could possibly imagine that this is the legendary Ming Dynasty Buddhist scripture library.
"Young Master Shan, Princess Yunluo, this is the best we can do for you. Please wait here."
Cao Zhengchun said something to the two men with a smile on his face, and then walked towards the pavilion not far from the building.
Even though he was the head of the Eastern Depot, he could not enter the Sutra Repository at will without the emperor's decree.
"That eunuch Cao is actually quite sensible this time!"
Yunlu chuckled to herself, then turned to look at Shan Tianxie, her smile turning into a sweet one, her voice almost sickeningly sweet.
"Master, let's go inside,"
"Hmm." Shan Tianxie nodded, then said, "Eunuch Cao is a respectable man, Yunluo, you should be more polite to him next time."
"Master, don't be fooled by his appearance! He's not a good person!"
Princess Yunluo didn't want Shan Tianxie to misunderstand her, so she quickly explained.
Dan Tian asked with a wicked smile, "Oh? Since you're so sure, Yunluo, you must have personally witnessed Eunuch Cao doing bad things?"
"No, I don't have that." Yunluo was honest enough, stammering for a while.
"But that's what everyone says... Surely no one would falsely accuse him out of thin air!"
"Just because many people say something doesn't mean it's true."