Li Yi sat down across from Ning Wang and casually asked, "When do you plan to return to Qing 'an Fu after coming to the capital this time?"
Ning Wang took a sip of tea and said, "There are still some things I haven't taken care of. I might have to wait until after next year's court conference."
Li Yi nodded. At this court conference, the local officials would all gather in Jingdou. All the princes would also return to the capital. It was indeed a good opportunity to announce that matter.
Ning Wang put down his teacup and looked at him. He suddenly asked, "The court conference is still early. All the princes have returned to the capital. Since you are the Minister of Honor, you should be familiar with the affairs of the court. The Eastern Palace has not been established yet. Who do you think will be the Emperor's princes?"
Li Yi looked at him with a smile on his face and didn't speak.
Keep pretending, keep pretending.
This matter had clearly been planned by him and the old Emperor's brother. Right now, he was acting like he didn't know anything at all. If it weren't for Li Xuan, the shameless spy who liked to peek at people talking, all of them would have fallen into their trap.
Ning Wang's gaze was slightly strange. He asked, "Why are you laughing?"
"Matters of the Eastern Palace should be decided by the Emperor alone. As officials, we really shouldn't speak carelessly … however, I feel that, at the latest, by this year's court conference, the Emperor should have made a decision …" Li Yi, who had changed into a new set of clothes, walked out. After saying something that seemed to have a deeper meaning, he raised his hands to Ning Wang and rose to leave.
For now, he was still an outsider, so he wouldn't disturb their family reunion.
When the Eldest Princess saw him out of the hall, Li Yi paused in his steps. He lowered his voice and asked, "Yesterday, I said that when you get tired of it, you can come find me … and then?"
The Eldest Princess, who had already walked to the door of the hall, paused and then turned. There was a smile on her face that Li Yi had never seen before. "Why don't you guess?"
Guess your sister. Where did you learn all these bad habits? You're the same as Liu Ruyi …
Li Yi turned around and strode away without looking back.
As a man, once a word was spoken, it was impossible to go back on it. Words that were spoken were like water that had been spilled. Even if it was said under the influence of alcohol, he had to be responsible for it. Thinking about it, MIngzhu would not simply fabricate something to deceive him at that time.
Taking ten thousand steps back, even if she made it up, there would be a limit. She couldn't possibly tell him that after he got drunk yesterday, he said, "When you're tired of me, come find me, I'll marry you …", right?
There was no such thing.
…
When he walked out of the palace gates and arrived at the Ceng Manor, Ceng Shichun was already waiting for him.
"Why did His Highness suddenly say those words? What did he mean? What exactly happened?" Before Li Yi and Zui Mo could speak, Ceng Shichun stood up and asked impatiently.
After coming out of the palace, he was full of shock and confusion.
There was no turning back. This matter involved a lot of people. Once it started, there was no turning back. Her Highness's words just now would cause all the efforts they had made these days to go down the drain. He was shocked and anxious. It was already very difficult for him to endure until now.
Li Yi sat down, picked up the teacup, and said, "It's what you understand."
Ceng Shichun was stunned and suddenly said, "Did things change?"
Li Yi stretched out his hand and gestured for him to sit down. Then he said, "Don't worry, the final result may be better. You can rest assured, and let them rest assured."
Some things could not be said clearly, but for a smart person like Ceng Shichun, it was enough to say this much.
Ceng Shichun did not ask anymore. After thinking for a while, he said in a low voice, "I understand."
If he understood, he should go back quickly. These days, the Ministry of Revenue and the capital governor's residence were not busy. As the boss of the two departments, he actually had the free time to sit here and drink tea. If people saw him, they would think he was slacking off again …
Of course, they were all polite people, and he could not speak so bluntly. Li Yi pointed to the teapot and said, "There should be no business in the yamen. It's still early. Would Lord Ceng like another cup of tea?"
Ceng Shichun nodded. "Thank you, Lord Li."
He had completely forgotten the traditional virtues of five thousand years, and he had also lost the face of his ancestors. He did not even have this little bit of insight. How did he sit in the position of the capital governor … Yes, if he had not gone through the back door with Her Highness, the Ceng family would have been in prison like the Cui family, not to mention the capital governor.
Then, Li Yi realized that this scene seemed familiar. He should have remembered that Ceng Shichun was such a blind person. Even the thought he had just had was not the first time he had thought about it.
People would always fall at a certain place, stand up, and fall a second time, a third time …
After waiting for Ceng Shichun to leave, Li Yi turned around and asked Zui Mo, "It's been so long. Your wedding dress is almost done, right?"
The Luo Shui Goddess glanced at him. "Soon, soon. Why are you in such a hurry …"
On the side, Xiao Cui opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something. After being glared at by the Luo Shui Goddess, she immediately closed her mouth.
Li Yi looked at her and said seriously, "By the end of this year at the latest, if you are not ready by then, I will take you back!"
"Taking a woman in broad daylight …" Ceng Zui Mo looked at him with disdain and said, "Lord Li, you are the head of the Mathematics Academy, a doctor, a county marquis, not a robber. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by the whole capital?"
"There's one thing you're wrong about." Li Yi looked at her and said with a smile, "What doctor, what county marquis, these are all my part-time jobs. In fact, my real job is — really a robber."
He picked her up by the waist and put her on his shoulder. Ignoring her panicked patting on his back, he strode into the room.
When he walked in, he looked back and said, "Xiao Cui, close the door."
"Got it!"
Xiao Cui ran over excitedly and closed the door. Then, she sat in the corridor with a silly smile on her face.
This time, she didn't put her ear on the door to eavesdrop because she knew that even if she did, she wouldn't hear anything. However, at the end of the year, she might be able to hear it. She was happy but also worried. The little servant girl named Xiao Huan in Li's family was very favored. If she went there, would she be bullied? If Xiao Zhu went with her, the two of them shouldn't be afraid of her …
Miss was also alone. If sister Ruoqing went with her, that would be the best. There would be no difference from now …
…
When Li Yi saw Li Xuan again, it was already three days later.
His clothes were disheveled and he looked haggard. Two dark circles hung on his face, which was especially conspicuous. He looked like a frosted eggplant.
He sat opposite Li Yi and gulped down a pot of tea. Looking into his eyes, he asked seriously, "Can I really not escape?"
Li Yi nodded his head. As the heir of Ning Wang, he could escape many things. But as the Crown Prince, as the Emperor, he had to bear what he had to bear.
Li Xuan lay on the chair in frustration, "Damn it!"
"Who are you scolding?" Li Yi looked at him and asked, "Ning Wang or His Majesty?"
"…" Li Xuan sighed, "Scolding me."
Li Yi could not empathize with his situation, but he could understand it very well.
Li Xuan wasn't a person suitable to be the Emperor. That position, to him, was only a restraint, only a burden.
What he yearned for was a bigger and more open sky, a sky that no one in this world had ever seen before.
Thinking about how he would be the Emperor — it was unimaginable.
"Say, can I tell … tell Imperial Father that I don't want to be the Emperor and let Li Han be …"
"He's still a child."
"Then say, can it be like what we originally planned, me being the Emperor and handing over the court to MIngzhu, just like now …"
"With MIngzhu's influence in the court and among the people, aren't you afraid that she will really become the Empress and make you a mere figurehead for the rest of her life, or even just abolish you and ascend the throne herself?"
Li Xuan's eyes showed yearning as he muttered, "That would be the best. At the beginning, didn't we also think that way …"
Li Yi thought for a moment, then looked at him and said, "You wish!"
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