Chapter Fifty
The crown prince is going north after all, and suddenly I found that it's only been a few days. Because of my unintentional deviation from history, under the influence of some intangible force, I unknowingly returned to the original track. Although there are still some things I don't quite understand, it seems that the emperor has made up his mind about something, which makes me feel quite introspective. After all, an individual's power is limited, and the huge inertia of history has taken effect again. Unknowingly, the deviated process is gradually being corrected back on track.
In fact, it was probably the tragic last battle and the petition of the military and civilians that led to our team's split. Considering personal safety and national security, the emperor and the heir were in danger of being overthrown together. The old emperor finally made up his mind to let the crown prince go north to gather troops and lead the restoration of the country.
In the humble great hall, civil and military officials gathered together, squeezing both sides of the table and chairs that had been removed, making a loud noise. On the temporary dragon chair made of imperial silk on the creaking couch, the old emperor was silent, ordering Gao Lishi to proclaim: "The Crown Prince is benevolent and filial, can be in charge of the ancestral temple, you all should serve the Crown Prince well." Suddenly, among the officials, it was like a stone being thrown into a boiling pot, stirring up a huge wave. Listening to this statement, it seemed that there was an intention to entrust the Crown Prince with the great treasure.
The edict announcing the Crown Prince's assumption of military command and governance, as well as his ascension to the throne to continue the great work of his ancestors, was read aloud. The scene erupted into chaos, with some people rejoicing and others worrying. Some were speechless, while others wailed loudly or beat their chests in grief. The Crown Prince himself was also overwhelmed, kneeling down and begging the old emperor to reconsider, repeatedly bowing his head and pleading for him to retract the edict. The crowd also fell to the ground, begging and pleading with the emperor to change his mind. After a dramatic display of filial piety and loyalty between two generations, the Crown Prince finally understood the emperor's determination and persistence, but still couldn't help but shed tears, repeatedly saying "It can't be, Father Emperor is still in his prime, I am unworthy, and there are still many things that rely on your guidance and support."
The old emperor sighed, "This is the will of heaven. My son, do not decline or pretend to be humble." He then stood up and said loudly to the ministers who were strongly urging him, "I feel that I am getting older, and I want to follow the example of my predecessor in enjoying a peaceful life. You should not discuss this further." And so the matter was settled. He ordered 2,000 soldiers from the imperial guard and horses from the imperial stables to be given to the crown prince for his journey north. He then summoned the crown prince to a side hall and orally instructed him that he would personally guard the gate, and anyone who dared to enter without permission would be killed.
He stood for nearly half an hour in front of the POSS, which was like a utility pole, his waist sore and dizzy from standing upright, feeling bored and distracted. He wondered if he would become the third door god in Chinese history, like Qin Qiong and Wei Tuo, who were demoted to guarding the gate because Emperor Taizong couldn't sleep well. But instead, the emperor and his son came out together, chatting warmly and harmoniously. The emperor instructed him, "The journey ahead is long, and the country's affairs are important, don't worry about me. I have treated the Western Hu people with kindness and they will surely be grateful in the future. You will also receive an edict to succeed me." The crown prince's tears had not yet dried, but his words were sincere, and he choked back sobs, saying, "Your Majesty's words are absolutely right, I will never dare forget your instructions." All the officials present were moved to tears at this moment.
Just now no one spoke, and the officials did not dare to leave. During this time, everyone adjusted their mood. Those with quick wit and reaction began to pay respects and congratulations to the new second-in-command, also expressing goodwill to the newly established master.
The private conversation between the old emperor and his son has sparked everyone's speculation, but I believe that this abdication also comes with certain reserved conditions. After all, taking the initiative to abdicate and gaining sufficient dominant power is far better than being unknowingly manipulated into a dangerous situation where one has no choice but to acknowledge the fait accompli. As expected, in the new edict drafted by Prime Minister Wei Zhen, there was a lot of verbose language praising the ancient emperors Yao and Shun, without mentioning anything about abdication or succession, yet clearly stating that the crown prince would take over the great unity, following the precedent set by the previous emperor. The edict also reserved some bottom lines as conditions for the exchange, such as the appointment and dismissal of officials above the second rank, and the transfer of high-ranking military officers still requiring prior approval from the old emperor, etc. (I think there should be more, including the old emperor's posthumous affairs and the future of Yang Guifei and others). Along with this came a list of personnel transfers, which was essentially preparation for the northern expedition. It was all very chaotic, with people's expressions ranging from joy to worry to indifference. However, I think it should no longer have much to do with me.
Just as I was getting bored, I heard someone calling my name in a loud voice. The room fell silent, and the prince's eyes were fixed on me with an ambiguous gaze that made my hair stand on end. I suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
"Rong Ruo, you've really disappointed me," the gentle tone, but I didn't feel any warmth or comfort. My head buzzed with a loud noise, and countless thoughts flashed through my mind like lightning. Could it be that "that matter" had been exposed? A cold sweat broke out suddenly. It should be that matter, everything else I've done was clean. Seeing the little girl squeeze behind the old emperor and being hugged by the crown prince,
Yesterday evening... "I'm bleeding" A soft, low voice, yet everyone around heard it clearly. The crowd fell silent for a moment before returning to normal, but they couldn't help but lean in and listen carefully. I was also stunned, speechless, and it had only been a few days since we last met. Did she really think I was her full-time nanny? I quickly pulled her aside to ask what was going on, leaving behind a trail of hushed whispers.
"It's all your fault" covering her buttocks, the soft and timid tone, combined with a pitiful and charming expression, made my blood rush to my head. What kind of expression is this? What kind of tone is this? What kind of action is this? Can such easily misunderstood words be spoken so casually? A mouthful of saliva almost choked me to death.
"Taking advantage", this word can have many meanings, whether it's the intimate teasing between lovers or the act of bullying the weak, but in this situation, it's easy for people to misunderstand it as that kind of non-consensual and over-friendly behavior. I quickly covered her mouth with my hand, looked around cautiously to make sure no one was watching, and then gently tapped her forehead. "You can eat a messy meal, but you can't just say whatever you want!" Who knew she would start crying even harder? "I'm really bleeding!" Suddenly, my face flushed red, I glanced around nervously, fortunately, there was no one nearby, otherwise, it would have been even more embarrassing.
It's really unlucky, after looking up and down, I didn't see any injuries, but when I asked, she cried even harder. After comforting her for a while and telling many stories, I finally found out... it was the girl's physiological age, oh my god! Were ancient people so precocious? No wonder I've never heard of spanking causing internal injuries before. Now they're still unclear about it and want me to take responsibility. It's probably due to the chaos of war, irregular diet and living habits, leading to endocrine disorders. With no suitable person around to teach her how to face these problems, she was at a loss and scared to death, thinking she would die. She couldn't bear to mention it to people around her, but somehow it all fell on me. Oh my god, why do I always get stuck with the most embarrassing things? It's as if I've committed a heinous crime or something. At this moment, I'm speechless and tearless, how is this my fault? I'm more wronged than a cicada!
No choice, who made us modern people (based on China's current education system and national conditions, I dare say that more than 80% of young people have completed their physical and health education through pirated discs and computer networks. In those years, due to the well-known educational characteristics of that era, physical and health education in schools was always a letdown, starting from the brain and avoiding the important parts, barely touching on the kidneys, intestines, and stomach, and then suddenly stopping at a certain part that eunuchs didn't need. As a result, many boys learned about the mysteries of life through pirated discs, street vendors, and network pictures and videos, completing their "self-study" process. So in this chaotic world, I am also one of those types who, as a certain high monk once said, "haven't eaten pork, but have seen pigs walk".
No way, I had to force myself to give her a crash course on physiology and hygiene, and only then was she placated. In the process, since I couldn't use examples or show her pictures, she asked me some very innocent but embarrassing questions like "Why is XXX shaped like that?" "Why are XXX and XXX different?" "How can a baby fit through such a small hole?" With an expression of pure innocence, she managed to ask some really awkward questions that left me stuttering and blushing, almost to the point of passing out.
What's worse is that just when I was at a loss for what to do, suddenly not far away a large piece of the camp curtain collapsed, and unexpectedly Wei Tao and Cheng Ten Li were among a group of people piling on top of each other and rolling around on the ground. Feeling extremely embarrassed, they suppressed their urge to burst out laughing and squeezed out strange smiles. What's even more infuriating is that they all simultaneously put on innocent expressions as if they hadn't seen or heard anything. It makes me so angry I have an urge to chop them up.
Although afterwards, one by one, they pinched their necks and forced them to ask, those boring guys, who guaranteed that they were still far away from each other, might not have heard much, but at the time, I didn't know that this action had already triggered a bigger misunderstanding. Because according to the usual interactions of the crowd, this nobleman was always casual and didn't even care about his own family members, what could make him so embarrassed and tense? Adding to that, people with sharp ears thought of the words they heard, as well as the fragmented words they overheard later, which was enough for them to fully exercise their wild imagination. It's not possible to avoid adding some wonderful content to the rumors anymore.
Every time I come up and see so many book reviews, I am both happy and terrified. The initial impulse and passion for writing have already faded with time, and what supports me to continue writing is only the encouragement and care of readers, thank you.
New Year's Day, and I'll post the previous chapter to make up for it. There are still some small details like this in the middle of the journey, but apparently some readers feel that the progress is too slow and can't bear it, so after retreating and finding an opportunity, I will reappear in recall mode. The previous article has some rough places, which can only be revised later, and I absolutely won't make any new versions. Besides, my protagonist is not the kind of person who takes the world as his own, and doesn't deliberately pursue changing anything unless it's related to himself.
