Changgeng couldn't say it out loud. On the way here, everyone he met secretly looked at him. The waves of gazes almost drowned him, but he still couldn't see any resemblance between him and the person on the dragon bed.
He heard Gu Yun whisper in his ear, "Whether it's sincere or not, just say it once."
Changgeng turned his head and saw his adoptive father's eyes. Those eyes were clear and cold, without a single tear stain. There was no pretense at all. He looked beautiful and heartless.
This seemingly emotionless person sighed and said in a low voice, "I'm begging you."
No matter how much resistance Changgeng had in his heart, no matter how much he couldn't figure it out, he compromised after hearing this. He thought to himself, "Just take it that I'm an impostor to comfort him."
He lowered his eyes and said carelessly, "Imperial Father."
Emperor Yuanhe's eyes suddenly lit up. It was as if he had gathered the last of his vitality into a ball of light, exploding all together like fireworks. He looked at Changgeng for a long time as if he couldn't get enough of it. Then, he said weakly, "I … I give you the name Min. I hope that my son will be strong and bright, without any worries. May you live a peaceful life for a hundred years … Do you have a nickname? "
Changgeng, "Yes, I'm called Changgeng."
Emperor Yuanhe's lips moved slightly, but he couldn't say anything for a while.
Gu Yun could only step forward and help the old emperor up. He patted his back gently and made him spit out a mouthful of old phlegm. Emperor Yuanhe choked until his eyes rolled back. He gasped for breath and lay back down with a long sigh. A chicken claw grabbed Gu Yun's hand.
Gu Yun, "I'm here."
Emperor Yuanhe said like a broken bellow, "His brothers are all grown up. Only my Changgeng is left. I can't watch him grow up …"
Gu Yun seemed to have sensed something and met the old emperor's gaze. The old and the young, the tear-stained one and the calm one, they only exchanged glances and seemed to have a tacit understanding.
Gu Yun: "This subject understands."
"I'll entrust this child to you. Zi Xi, I have no one else but you. You have to take care of him for me …" Emperor Yuan He's voice became softer and softer as he muttered some gibberish. Gu Yun struggled to decipher his meaning. "I want to give him the title of Prince … Where did you find him?"
Gu Yun: "Yanhui from Beijiang."
"Yanhui …" Emperor Yuanhe repeated in a low voice. "I've never been there. It's so far away. Then … issue an imperial edict. Issue an imperial edict to bestow upon the Fourth Prince Li Min the title of Yanbei Of Gojoseon, but … ahem … ahem … but not now. We have to wait until he is crowned … "
Gu Yun listened quietly. In the Daliang Dynasty, a single title was usually bestowed upon a prince. For example, the Second Prince was bestowed with the title of "Prince of Wei". His title was slightly lower, and he was usually bestowed with the title of Prince of Wei.
Emperor Yuan He: "I'm not wronging him, but I can't protect him anymore. I can't let his brothers be dissatisfied in the future … Zi Xi, do you know why I have to wait until he is crowned before he can inherit the title of Prince?"
Gu Yun paused for a moment and nodded.
Changgeng didn't know what kind of riddle they were talking about. His heart started beating wildly for some reason, as if he had a premonition.
Emperor Yuan He said, "Because I'm going to issue an imperial edict to let you adopt my son Changgeng and let him stay with you for a few years without any title. Zi Xi, you have to treat him well. Even if you have your own children in the future, don't despise him. He's already in his teens, so he won't bother you for a few years. When he is crowned, let him go out and build a manor. By then, I'll use the title of Prince … I've already chosen the location …"
When Emperor Yuan He said this, he choked on his breath and started coughing violently. Gu Yun wanted to reach out to help him, but the old Emperor waved her hand away.
The old Emperor looked at Changgeng, whose face was inexplicably pale. The more he looked at him, the sadder he felt.
He thought to himself, why can't such a good child be by my side?
Why is it that I've finally found him after so much difficulty, but I can't take another look at him?
Emperor Yuan He hurriedly shifted his gaze away from Changgeng. Like a cowardly old boy, he said to Gu Yun, "It's a long journey. It's quite tiring. Let the child go and rest. I'll talk to you for a while more."
Gu Yun led Changgeng to the door and handed him over to the eunuch who was waiting there. She whispered in his ear, "Go and rest first. I'll look for you later."
Changgeng didn't say anything. He silently followed the eunuch who led the way and left. He couldn't describe the feelings in his heart.
This time, he had officially become Gu Yun's adopted son. It should have been a good thing, but he couldn't feel happy for some reason.
However, the words had already been spoken. There was no room for him to refuse, no room for him to resist, and even no room for him to say another word.
He could only involuntarily follow the eunuch who had his head bowed as he walked away from the palace filled with the smell of medicine and death. After taking a few steps, Changgeng couldn't help but turn around to look at Gu Yun. He saw Gu Yun turn around. The Marquis of Stability's side profile was picturesque. The large and heavy court robes wrapped around his body added an indescribable sense of restraint. It made one's heart ache.
"What are you thinking about?" Changgeng smiled bitterly and thought to himself, "A few days ago, you were still the son of a border official. You had a mother who would abuse you and poison you. Today, you've become the Marquis of Stability's adopted son. Can you even dream of such a good thing?"
He mocked himself while feeling helpless about everything around him. The thirteen-year-old youth walked through the dimly lit palace corridor. There were a total of eighty-one steps. It was an unforgettable walk.
The door closed gently. Faint smoke rose from the incense burner at the head of the bed.
Emperor Yuanhe said to Gu Yun who was kneeling at the head of the bed, "I remember that you were best friends with Ah Yan when you were young. When you stood together at the same age, you looked like a pair of dolls made of jade."
At the mention of the Third Prince who died young, Gu Yun's expression finally changed, "This subject is very naughty and mischievous. I can't compare to the Third Prince who was educated and reasonable since he was young."
"You're not naughty and mischievous," Emperor Yuanhe paused and repeated in a low voice, "Not naughty and mischievous … If Ah Yan missed you even a little bit, how could he have died so young? Dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes. What kind of species will grow into what kind of tree. Zi Xi, the blood flowing in your body is the blood of the late Emperor … "
Gu Yun said, "This subject is afraid."
Emperor Yuanhe waved his hand, "There are no outsiders today. I'll tell you a few heartfelt words. Zi Xi, you were born to open up new territory. Even a pack of wolves will tremble and bow their heads when they see you. However, I'm always worried that you're too vicious and will harm your good fortune in the future. "
There were rumors in the streets that Gu Yun's maternal grandfather, the Imperial Emperor, had killed too many people and ended up in such a miserable state. He couldn't keep any of his children.
"Although Prince Wei's ambition is big, with you guarding him, the Crown Prince's future empire can be considered secure. I'm just a little worried about you … You have to listen to me. Everything is as bad as nothing. You have to cherish your fortune and know when to advance and when to retreat … The old abbot of Huguo Temple watched you grow up since you were young. His Buddhist teachings are boundless. If you have time, visit him more often."
The old bald donkey of Huguo Temple had a crow's mouth. He once said that Gu Yun was fated to be evil and would bring bad luck to the six relatives. Because of this, Gu Yun was unwilling to step into Huguo Temple.
At this time, hearing the Emperor mention it, Gu Yun thought, "Oh right, I forgot about that old bald donkey. If there's a chance, I must settle the score with him and burn down his deceitful Buddhist hall."
After The Old Marquis died, the Emperor also used this argument to weaken the Black Iron Battalion. However, in recent years, the foreign people frequently traveled on the sea and frequently came to Daliang, Beijiang, Xiyu, and even Donghai. Which one of them didn't have covetous eyes looking at the divine continent?
If the sin of killing was too heavy and inauspicious, could it be that peace was the most precious and everything was fine when the country fell, the territory was filled with smoke, the people were displaced, and corpses were floating for thousands of miles?
If Marshal Gu was as sentimental as his eldest cousin brother, then who would the ignorant people in the great country rely on to guard the territory?
Send the imperial court's Hanlin to "win people over with virtue"?
Not only did Gu Yun want to fight, but he also wanted to fight once and for all. It would be best if he could directly flatten Xiyu and fight to the doorstep of those foreign people who coveted the land of the Central Plains every two to three days. He wanted to make them tremble in fear and no longer dare to covet other people's great rivers and mountains.
When the rebellion in Xiyu was quelled, Gu Yun had submitted a petition to make such a request. The Emperor might have thought that he was crazy and rejected it. Not only did he reject it, but he also sent him to Beijiang with the baffling task of "finding the Fourth Prince".
Of course, the Emperor didn't expect that he would pin Gu Yun down to Beijiang and Gu Yun would kidnap a barbarian heir for him.
Some people were like murderous stars. If they didn't expand the territory for good generals, they would definitely return to the imperial court and bring disaster to the country and the people.
The dying Passionate Emperor and the Heartless General in his prime, one lying down and the other kneeling, dug out their hearts and lungs for the last time on the narrow bed. Still, no one could convince the other.
Emperor Yuanhe looked at his pair of cold eyes and suddenly felt a wave of sorrow.
The old Emperor thought that if he hadn't coveted the imperial power back then, would he be just an idle prince now?
If he hadn't met the woman he was destined to meet, perhaps he would have promised his lifetime of love to someone else and wouldn't have been separated from his wife and children for so many years.
This kind of Emperor's Throne piled with thorns and dried bones, probably only people like the Marquis of Stability who were decisive and cold-blooded were qualified to sit on it, right?
Emperor Yuanhe muttered, "Zi Xi … Zi Xi …"
Gu Yun's iron-cast expression wavered for a moment. His eyelashes drooped slightly and his straight shoulders softened slightly. He was no longer so unreasonably upright.
Emperor Yuanhe asked, "Do you resent me?"
Gu Yun replied, "This subject doesn't dare."
Emperor Yuanhe asked again, "Then will you miss me in the future?"
Gu Yun shut his mouth.
The old Emperor stared at him unyieldingly. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Gu Yun was silent for a moment. He didn't look very sad and only said lightly, "If Your Majesty passes away, Zi Xi will have no more relatives."
Emperor Yuanhe's chest seemed to be gripped by a hand in an instant. He had never seen this little bastard say anything soft in his life. Now, with just this sentence, it was as if the undeclared grievances, love, and hatred of two generations had been written off, leaving only the faint attachment of loneliness fading away with time.
At this moment, an eunuch cautiously reminded him at the door, "Your Majesty, it's time to take the medicine."
Gu Yun came back to his senses. When he raised his head, he became the incomparably arrogant human weapon again. "Your Majesty, take care of your body. This subject will take his leave."
Emperor Yuanhe suddenly called his nickname, "Little Shi Liu!"
Gu Yun paused slightly.
Emperor Yuanhe struggled to reach under his pillow and took out a string of ancient wooden Buddhist prayer beads. "Come here, give me your hand."
Gu Yun looked at the panting old man fastening the string of worthless Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist. His mood was a little complicated.
"Eldest Cousin … is looking at you." Emperor Yuanhe patted the back of his hand and said almost inaudibly.
Gu Yun's heart was filled with grief. He almost couldn't maintain his composure on the surface and had to leave in a hurry.
Three days later, the Emperor collapsed.
The civil and military officials and the thousands of common people bid farewell to another era together.
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