The Great Lin Dynasty never lacked an Emperor
Old General Li was indeed a shrewd old fox.
He hid it very well, and the emotions in his heart were also good. He would never show it.
Perhaps, the longer he lived, the more cunning he would become.
Jing Rong had already walked to the eaves. He clasped his hands behind his back and spoke as if he was narrating a story.
He continued, "Regardless of Old General Li's purpose, this Prince would like to give you a piece of advice …" Finished speaking, he turned around and looked at Old General Li, who was sitting on the pear blossom chair. "After living for a long time, one should learn to let go. Moreover, the Li family has more than a hundred members. If because of a single mistake, your entire family will be executed, it would not be worth it."
Sure enough, Jing Rong's way of persuading was different from ordinary people.
From his words, it seemed like he wasn't the least bit interested in the reason behind Old General Li's actions.
Towards Jing Rong's words, the old man acted as if he was fighting a war on the battlefield. He wasn't anxious or impatient, and still had an expression of 'if you're anxious, then go ahead.'
His face, which had experienced the vicissitudes of life, inadvertently wrinkled a little. He smiled and said, "I didn't expect that a child who wasn't even three feet tall would become so astute. He's very similar to the Eighth Prince of the past."
The Eighth Prince was referring to the current Qi Zhen Emperor.
After he finished speaking, Old General Li used his hands to support himself on the pear blossom chair's armrests. With great difficulty, he propped up his somewhat cumbersome body.
He walked towards Jing Rong and said, "The Eighth Prince ascended the throne twenty years ago. When he was still the Eighth Prince, he didn't fight or seize power. Among the many princes, he was the least outstanding. On the contrary, Prince Ning was the most outstanding. He went to the battlefield to kill the enemy and made countless contributions to the Great Lin. Because of this, the position of Crown Prince belonged to him."
Old General Li sighed.
He stood beside Jing Rong and raised his head to look at the bright moon in the ink-black sky.
His face was filled with nostalgia and sorrow.
Jing Rong didn't want to interrupt him, so he quietly listened.
"However, after living in this world for a long time and moving around a lot, people like to be quiet. Prince Ning was no exception. The position of Crown Prince was handed over to the Eighth Prince. At that time, the Eighth Prince was smart but not flamboyant. He was indeed the best candidate for the position of Crown Prince. However, when a person is above authority, their temperament and desires will expand. No one can escape. Even the slightest threat cannot be tolerated. Thus, Prince Ning was conferred the title of Imperial Duke. He will be under the Emperor's feet for the rest of his life, chained and monitored."
A tiger that had its teeth pulled out was still chained up!
Jing Rong's heart sank as he listened to Old General Li's words. He seemed to gather his emotions for a while before the corners of his mouth curled up.
"This Prince still remembers that before Imperial Father ascended the throne, the Imperial Duke would often come to the Eighth Prince's mansion to play chess with him. The two of them would chat for a long time, but they didn't talk about politics. Instead, they talked about elegant things. At that time, this Prince was still young and could only listen to a few of their conversations. It wasn't until Imperial Grandfather decreed that Imperial Father was conferred the title of Crown Prince that everything changed. One was a monarch, the other was a subject.
Jing Rong still remembered that the Imperial Duke, whom he called Uncle, would often come to the Eighth Prince's mansion to carry him on his shoulders. He would also bring him many toys. He would never forget that period of time.
When Imperial Father was conferred the title of Crown Prince, Jing Rong was only three years old. In the autumn of the second year, Imperial Grandfather passed away and Imperial Father ascended the throne.
Jing Rong saw with his own eyes his Imperial Uncle kneeling in front of Imperial Father and calling him a 'subject'.
When Old General Li heard Jing Rong's words, he stroked his grizzled beard as if he was imagining the scene from twenty years ago.
He sighed, "It's all in the past. Whether it was the late Emperor or the Imperial Duke, it's all in the past."
Jing Rong said, "In that case, Old General Li should let it go."
"What do you mean by let it go, Your Highness?"
"It's all in the past!" Jing Rong said indifferently.
These four words made Old General Li's heart tighten. He tilted his head and looked at Jing Rong. "Does Your Highness not want to ask what kind of old matter it is that made this old man come to the capital?"
Jing Rong wasn't interested.
He only said, "No matter what it is, this Prince doesn't care. Today, I came for two reasons. First, I wanted to tell General that the lanterns have been replaced. Second, I hope that General will stop. Don't wait until things get out of hand before you regret it."
"Do you think this old man will regret it?"
Jing Rong said solemnly. "Even if Old General Li doesn't think for yourself, shouldn't you think for the Li family? There are hundreds of lives, why should they all be buried with me?"
The words' buried with me 'were too serious.
Unfortunately …
Old General Li smiled disdainfully.
"Since this old man has taken this step, I have already thought of this point. How could I regret it?"
"In short, this Prince has said all that needs to be said. Whether General will turn back or not is up to you. In consideration of the illustrious achievements you have made for our Great Lin, this Prince will help you block this matter. No one will know about the lanterns, but I hope that General can think clearly and turn back in time. Don't make the same mistake again and use the lives of your loved ones as a wager."
Jing Rong was really a good person!
Old General Li seemed to be moved by Jing Rong's words.
Jing Rong also wanted to strike while the iron was hot. "Whether it was the Eighth Prince or Prince Ning, I believe that they both miss those days twenty years ago. Those days were peaceful and aloof from worldly affairs. Now that General has been relieved of your armor and returned to the countryside, you should enjoy your life in peace. Why do you need to get involved in this turbulent capital? No matter what reason you have, this Prince will not ask. However, this Prince sincerely advises General to leave the capital this morning and return to Qingzhou. "
Old General Li quietly listened to Jing Rong's words with a calm expression. He didn't say a word.
Jing Rong also cupped his hands and bowed.
"Today, just pretend that this Prince never came. The lantern incident was just a joke. Don't let it happen again. This Prince will take his leave."
He lowered his body and left.
Jing Rong's words reverberated in Old General Li's ears.
Not long after Jing Rong left, another person appeared beside Old General Li. This person was none other than the Li Residence's housekeeper.
The old housekeeper looked in Jing Rong's direction and confirmed that he had left.
"Master, do you still want to continue?"
He asked.
Old General Li lowered his chest. He didn't look at the housekeeper, his eyes still on the moon in the sky.
After a long time …
He nodded his head.
The housekeeper understood his meaning and said, "Prince Rong only discovered the lantern incident. He didn't notice anything else. On the day of the Emperor's birthday, everything will go according to Master's plan."
Old General Li was silent for a while.
"His Highness is too similar to the Eighth Prince in the past." His eyes were filled with complicated emotions.
Suddenly, a gust of wind rose in the surroundings.
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