"Your aptitude in cultivation is limited. You have made little progress in Taoism over the past ten years. Your temperament is not suitable to deal with the civil and military officials in the court. Naturally, you can't be the Master of the Nation. But you are my disciple. Without the dazzling Taoist robe of the Master of the Nation, I'm afraid that the people you offended will harm you."
Li Qingshan looked at his eldest disciple, his eyes full of worry and helplessness.
He Mingchi lowered his head and answered, "I really don't have much ability. I've been used to serving master and uncle these years, doing some general affairs such as files. If you die in the future, I'll go to your grave to practice Taoism after I've finished the rest of the things I should do. I don't need to seek Knowing Destiny State, I just want to live a few more years."
"Guarding a lonely grave in the bitter wind and rain? That sounds a bit too bleak."
Li Qingshan laughed out loud and then stopped smiling. He looked at He Mingchi and said, "His Majesty ordered you to supervise the First Prince's study. I know you have a good relationship with him, but this matter will bring you great trouble in the future. In order to deal with those possible troubles, I think you should make some preparations in advance."
At this point, his voice suddenly deepened.
He Mingchi was slightly stunned. He moved his knees two steps forward and listened to the words that floated into his ears. His expression became more and more nervous. There was a look of disbelief in his eyes. He raised his head and was shocked speechless.
Li Qingshan looked at his disciple and seriously exhorted, "When I met His Majesty in the past, we met at the fortune-telling stall outside the Fragrance Workshop. As long as I don't act recklessly, His Majesty will always allow me to fool around. I hope you can also become the First Prince's partner or even friend. In this way, we can be master and disciple. "
He Mingchi was so touched that he knelt on the ground, completely speechless.
Li Qingshan looked at him tenderly and said, "Go."
He Mingchi left.
Li Qingshan turned back and looked out of the window. Watching the slowly falling snowflakes, he was lost in thought.
Everyone knew that although he was in a high position, he was born in the streets and was an interesting person who liked to laugh and scold. However, after sitting in the position of the Master of the Nation for such a long time, he had to think about the important matters in the court.
He knew very well who would inherit the throne. As long as the Academy kept its vow to stay out of politics, no one in the empire, be it the military or the prime minister, had the right to speak. It was all up to His Majesty.
If His Majesty decided to let the Second Prince inherit the throne, then everything would be fine.
If the Emperor decided to let the Eldest Prince inherit the throne, would the Empress really be willing?
So many years had already passed, but Li Qingshan was still unable to understand why the emperor and empress would have such deep feelings for each other. However, he believed in his own eyes. He believed that the feelings between the emperor and empress were sincere. When his majesty was present, the empress would willingly wash her hands in the depths of the palace, but what about after his majesty left?
He looked at the slowly falling snow outside the window and sighed softly. As the Master of the Southern Gate Temple of Haotian, did he really dare to hope that the Saintess of Diabolism would let go of the supreme power of the Tang Empire?
…
…
"Last month, my uncle held a banquet in his mansion and wanted to introduce me to some officials in the court. However, three or four officials heard that I would also attend the banquet, so they turned back halfway and did not come to see me! And the day before yesterday, that woman held a banquet in the palace. All the officials with some status in the court sent their wives to the palace to flatter her. I think they even wanted to send their own mothers there! What on earth are they thinking! Don't they know that I am the eldest son! "
In a quiet courtyard, a young man dressed in bright yellow clothes sat on a chair and cursed at the falling snowflakes in front of the courtyard. There was no longer any morbid nobility on his pale and tender face, only endless hatred and resentment.
Li Yu sat on a chair next to him and was watching the falling snow. Hearing this, she could not help but frown. The things that happened in the court recently made her a little uneasy, and now she was even more displeased. She scolded in a low voice, "That's our mother. What do you mean by that woman? It's even worse to criticize the officials so rudely! "
The young man in bright yellow clothes was the First Prince, Li Huiyuan. Hearing his sister's scolding, he was a little shocked, but he still held his head high and said stubbornly, "Sister, we only have one mother. I don't think she is qualified to be our mother. Those officials are very unbearable in themselves. What's wrong with me saying a few words?"
Li Yu looked into his eyes and said solemnly, "As the successor of the Tang Empire, there are countless eyes watching you in the dark. So you have to pay more attention to your words and actions at all times."
Li Huiyuan sneered and said, "The problem is that father didn't make me the Crown Prince."
"That's enough."
Li Yu slightly frowned and asked, "How are your studies in the Imperial College?"
Li Huiyuan shrugged and showed an indifferent expression on his pale face. "Father asked He Mingchi to watch me every day. It's impossible for me to play truant even if I want to. Don't worry, the Grand Secretaries all say that I'm diligent."
Li Yu saw that he did not seem to be pretending and felt a little better. She reminded him, "He Mingchi is also in charge of the affairs of the Imperial Center Administration. He also has to watch you study. It's very hard. Don't be angry at him."
Li Huiyuan did not understand why she suddenly mentioned this. He said confusedly, "I have a close relationship with Mingchi. Of course I won't be angry at him. But why are you so cautious about this?"
Li Yu looked at the falling snow in front of the courtyard and said slowly, "A few days ago, the Academy, the imperial court and the Southern Gate Temple finally reached a consensus that Ning Que would not be a visiting professor of the Southern Gate Temple, but would directly take over the position of the Nation Master. But He Mingchi is after all the Nation Master's disciple and is deeply loved by the Nation Master. It's crucial for us to get the support of the South School of Haotian Taoism."
"Although I haven't asked him, I believe he will support us because of my relationship with Mingchi."
Li Huiyuan thought that even if He Mingchi could inherit the influence of the Nation Master Li Qingshan in the South School of Haotian Taoism in the future, he would not be able to sit on the position of the Nation Master. He could not help but feel a little regretful. He touched his head and sighed, "I'm afraid that Ning Que will be a key in the future. I don't know how to make him surrender."
Hearing this, Li Yu raised her thin eyebrows and scolded, "I told you to be careful. But you dare to say anything! As a core disciple of the Headmaster of the Academy, who in the world is qualified to say that he will surrender? "
Li Huiyuan could not hide his arrogance and said contemptuously, "Even if I can't do it now, when I sit on the throne in the future, there will be countless masters in the Imperial Center Administration and thousands of soldiers in the military. Do you think I will be afraid of him?"
Hearing this, Li Yu was angry and disappointed. She stared at him and said in a low voice, "The Academy does not interfere in the court affairs and obeys the law of the Tang Empire. That is the rule set by the Headmaster of the Academy. But the court is not able to make them follow this rule. If you want to sit on the throne safely, you must remember that you must maintain respect for the Academy in front of others and behind the scenes. Do you hear me?"
Li Huiyuan was shocked by the anger in her eyes. He felt a chill in his heart and nodded subconsciously. Then, to make her happy, he held her hand and shook it gently. He said with a smile, "I know, sister. No one in the world is qualified to say that he will surrender to the Academy. But I believe you can make Ning Que surrender."
Hearing this, Li Yu thought of the bonfire on the journey, the story beside the bonfire, and the lad carrying three knives on his back. She could not help laughing at herself and said lightly, "I don't have that ability."
At this time, a nanny came up and said softly, "The young Prince is awake. Miss Sangsang told him a couple of stories and brought him here. "
Li Yu glanced at her brother and said, "You go back to the palace first. Father will test you again tonight."
Li Huiyuan was puzzled and said, "What's there to be afraid of? Father has never opposed me and my brother being close. "
Li Yu frowned and said helplessly, "You have a bad temper. It's better to stay away from you. Sangsang seems to be indifferent, but her heart is as clear as a mirror. You can't hide your boring thoughts from her."
Li Huiyuan was so angry that he laughed and said, "She is just a little handmaiden. Why should I stay away from her?"
Li Yu did not bother to explain anything to him. She directly picked him up from the chair and summoned the eunuchs in the palace. She told them to escort him back to the palace quickly.
Looking at the yellow figure disappearing at the stone gate of the garden, she could not help but shake her head. Although her brother had made a lot of progress in the past year, he was still young after all. There were still many things he did not understand.
Sangsang was indeed a very ordinary and even lowly handmaiden. Her status was certainly far from that of a prince of the Tang Empire. However, Li Yu was very clear that this little handmaiden was the key to making Ning Que surrender and getting close to the Academy.
…
…
Putting the brush on the inkstone, Li Yu looked at the small regular script she had written and turned to ask, "What do you think of my calligraphy? Do you still like them? "
Sangsang shook her head and said, "I don't know how to judge the quality of calligraphy. As long as it is neat, I think it looks good."
Li Yu did not believe her and said with a smile, "Your young master is one of the famous calligraphers in the world. You have followed him for so many years. How can you not know the quality of calligraphy? How can you praise him when he is grinding ink and adding incense in the middle of the night? "
Sangsang opened her bright willowy eyes and said seriously, "Young master's calligraphy is naturally good. He doesn't need to think of words."
Li Yu thought about the meaning of her words and found the pair of master and handmaiden more and more interesting. She joked and said, "In your eyes, Ning Que is the best in everything he does. I really don't know how the two of you got along with each other like this. Now that he has been away from Chang 'an for some time, are you used to it? Do you miss him at night? "
Since returning to Chang 'an from the City of Wei, Sangsang often met with Li Yu. The Tang Princess and the little handmaiden really had some affection for each other and did not care about their status when they talked. However, when she heard this, Sangsang was probably a little embarrassed and actually threw a little tantrum. She turned around with a cold face and ignored her.
Li Yu smiled. She was very clear that this kind of teasing could only be used occasionally in the conversation to shorten the psychological distance between the two. The little handmaiden seemed to be embarrassed and annoyed, but in fact, she should be happy with the hidden meaning in this kind of teasing.
However, Sangsang was still young and probably did not know what this kind of emotion was. She did not even know why she was embarrassed and annoyed. Ning Que, who was not in Chang 'an, was obviously in a state of confusion.
Sangsang stood by the courtyard and looked at the falling snow outside. Her slender figure in the background of the messy snow formed a somewhat lonely and touching picture with some kind of hope.
Li Yu quietly looked at this picture and put the figure of Ning Que's back beside the little handmaiden in her mind. She found that the picture instantly became rich and harmonious, without the slightest incongruity.
She silently sighed and dispelled the trace of envy and regret in her heart. Thinking of a certain news, she softly asked, "I heard that you recently took in a lonely old man in the Old Brush Pen Shop?"
Sangsang was slightly startled, turned around and nodded.
Li Yu looked at her slightly dark and thin little face and felt a surge of love in her heart. She seriously reminded her, "Although Chang 'an is peaceful and there are people watching over the shop, you should still be careful about this kind of thing."
Sangsang felt the concern and affection in Her Highness's words and seriously comforted her, "It's okay. He is very honest."
…
…
The Great Divine Priest of Light, who had led two bloody cases in the world more than ten years ago and whose hands were stained with the blood of hundreds and thousands of innocent people, could be described as honest? This was a question worth thinking about.
But the Old Brush Pen Shop was indeed fine. Thanks to Ning Que's numerous solemn requests before he left Chang 'an, the Lin 47th Street now looked as lively and noisy as usual. In fact, the imperial palace's bodyguards often secretly came over to inspect, the Chang' an Local Government's runners patrolled more than five times a day, and the Fish-dragon Gang never left to protect the shop from dawn to dusk. Today, apart from the imperial palace, this inconspicuous alley was probably the safest in Chang 'an.
What was strange was that whether it was the imperial palace bodyguards, the Chang 'an Local Government or the Fish-dragon Gang that ruled the underground world of Chang' an, they were all carrying out another order recently. They were looking for an old man. However, no one would have thought that the old man they were looking for was in the bookshop that they were guarding.
In the evening, Sangsang was worried about the old man's food and came back from the Princess Mansion early.
She took out the key to open the shop door and walked to the patio to have a look. As expected, the old man was squatting by the stove, preparing to heat the leftovers. She could not help but frown and opened the food box that she brought back from the Princess Mansion. She said, "Eat this."
A few days ago, she had tried to let the old man cook. But that night, she saw the blackened rice and the half-empty woodpile beside the stove. She decided not to try this again in order to save rice and dry wood.
Just when the old and the young were about to eat dinner, there was a knock on the door.
Sangsang got up and was about to open the door when she suddenly thought of something. She lowered her head and continued eating.
The old man understood. He brushed a grain of rice off the front of his cotton-padded jacket and got up to open the door.
…
…
The door of the Old Brush Pen Shop was opened. A monk was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
The monk was very young and wore a tattered frock. He had a handsome face and seemed to be above the mortal world.
The monk was surprised to find that it was the old man who opened the door. He said, "I'm not looking for you."
The old man was stunned. He turned around and said, "I'm looking for you."
Sangsang walked over with a bowl of rice. She looked at the young monk and frowned for a while. She remembered that she had seen this person by the meadow outside the Academy when Ning Que climbed the mountain to the Second floor.
The monk's eyes suddenly brightened when he saw Sangsang's little black face. He recited excitedly in a trembling voice, "Beautiful girl, the Love Monk Wu Dao has finally found you. These days, I have made a few new poems for you."
"You're the flower on the cliff, waiting for me to pluck it. You're the fish in the lake, entangled in a net made of aquatic plants. You're the biggest obstacle on the way to the other side. I'm willing to stay with you and never leave …"
Sangsang listened to the words like flower and fish and glanced at the yellow croaker in the bowl.
…
…
(Please vote enthusiastically to encourage me, who is a little depressed and restless.) (To be continued.) If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
