Chapter 055 Old Bricklayer Xiao He
Concubine Qi wiped her tears and Liu Bang looked at him helplessly.
Liu Ruyi stood in front of them, at a loss as to what to do.
"My son is about to show off his skills... How can I stop him?"
"Shut up!"
Madam Qi cursed, then looked at Liu Bang and pleaded, "Your Majesty, Ruyi is so young, how can he be sent to a fiefdom? I only have this one son in the palace, if he leaves too... then what's the point of me living?"
Faced with Concubine Qi's pleading, Liu Bang didn't know what to say.
The ministers were so determined that they all asked Liu Ruyi to go to the fiefdom. Liu Bang certainly understood why. On the one hand, it was the revenge of Empress Lu. After Concubine Qi said those words to Liu Chang, Liu Bang had already expected that Empress Lu would not let Concubine Qi go... On the other hand, it was also because of the previous turmoil over the change of the crown prince.
The ministers were very satisfied with the crown prince, and no one wanted to replace him. If Ruyi left Chang'an, he would completely eliminate the threat to Liu Ying, and Liu Ying could inherit the throne with peace of mind. This was why the ministers immediately followed Zhao Yao's suggestion.
After all, in the minds of his ministers, Liu Bang's crown prince was the perfect successor. Liu Ruyi was not bad either, but he was far inferior to his brother.
Even the prime minister insisted on sending Liu Ruyi to a fiefdom, which was a bit troublesome. As the emperor, Liu Bang could of course directly order Ruyi to stay. However, even as an emperor, he had to be reasonable in doing things. If he forced his ministers and the queen to do it, even Liu Bang would have to think about whether it was worth it.
Liu Ruyi felt very aggrieved. He really wanted to be a fiefdom. He was confident that he could achieve great success in the fiefdom and become a wise king of the Han Dynasty.
He didn't understand why his mother, father, and brother would all oppose it.
Liu Bang looked at him and was also hesitant.
He really likes this son who looks exactly like him, but how should this problem be solved?
Concubine Qi's crying made Liu Bang's mood become worse and worse.
"Okay! Stop crying!"
"All this is because you can't control your mouth! This time, I will think of a solution, but if you dare to talk nonsense again in the future, I will personally drive Ruyi away to the country!"
Inside the Pepper Room, little Liu Chang rested his head on Empress Lu's legs and dozed off.
Empress Lu held the bamboo slips in her left hand and looked at them carefully, while her right hand was gently stroking Liu Chang's back, coaxing him to sleep peacefully.
Suddenly, a man walked into the Pepper Room with loud laughter.
Empress Lu suddenly raised her head and frowned.
Liu Bang, who was laughing, stopped immediately like a duck with its neck strangled. He glanced at Liu Chang who was sleeping soundly, tiptoed to the front of Lu Hou, and slowly sat down.
"Why is this guy sleeping in broad daylight?"
Liu Bang asked in a low voice.
"He was in a bad mood these days and couldn't sleep well at night."
Empress Lu replied coldly.
Liu Bang was stunned. He could no longer say the words he had been brewing for a long time.
He cleared his throat and hesitated for a moment, "Well, let him sleep for a while..."
"Your Majesty, are you here to visit the chief?"
"I... um... yes... I came to visit him."
"That's good. I thought your majesty was here to lobby for Ruyi. It turns out that your majesty has other princes in mind?"
"This... Of course I won't be partial..."
Liu Bang scratched his head and said, "I feel guilty. I have been busy with state affairs these years and have no time to teach the princes. These princes are still young and need the queen to discipline them personally..."
"Well, Your Majesty, don't worry. I will teach you well. If there is nothing else, Your Majesty, please go back."
"This is also my bedroom, why should I leave?"
"Ying, Chang, and Heng are all your descendants. Why do you favor one over the other?"
"I don't have any!"
"Ying worked hard during the time when you and I were away. Even during the war, the refugees were properly resettled. The young and strong men were all fighting, but the spring planting was not delayed. The people were repeatedly forced to do corvée, but they did not complain. You never rewarded them, and you never even gave them a word of encouragement."
"I have been improving the machinery. These days, I have been working on the farmland for a long time, trying to improve the farm tools in every way possible, trying to make some contribution to the world, but you have turned a blind eye to it!"
"Heng is a successful scholar, and Lord Gai loves him very much. He has told me many times that he wants to take him in as an apprentice and teach him more advanced knowledge. Does Your Majesty know about these things?"
"Is your Majesty's eyes only focused on Madam Qi and her son Liu Ruyi?"
"Your Majesty, aren't you afraid?"
"What am I afraid of?"
"One day, you and I are no longer around, and because of your majesty's preference, the other princes join forces to kill the King of Zhao. What will your majesty do?"
Until Liu Bang left the Pepper Room, he was unable to say the words "stay with Ruyi". He tried several times but was scolded by Empress Lu. Liu Bang left here helplessly. As soon as he returned to the Xuanshi Hall, the Prime Minister came up to him.
Xiao He found Liu Bang with only one purpose, to execute Han Xin.
His attitude was very firm, as if he would not leave unless the emperor agreed.
Liu Bang felt something strange.
"You were the one who recommended the Marquis of Huaiyin to me, and now you are firmly asking me to execute him. What's the reason?"
Xiao He said seriously: "I recommended him in the past because of his talent and ability to help Your Majesty pacify the troubled times. But now I want to execute him because the world has just been peaceful and cannot go through war again."
Liu Bang smiled and asked, "I thought you and the Marquis of Huaiyin were very close friends."
"That is indeed the case. However, it is precisely because I know him that I ask Your Majesty to execute him!"
"If Your Majesty forgives Han Xin today, I predict that he will definitely cause chaos in the future, and the Han Dynasty will experience war again..."
The old prime minister standing in front of Liu Bang was already old. Over the years, he was probably the busiest person in Liu Bang's group. Liu Bang and others razed the original houses, and Xiao He was the bricklayer. He rebuilt a high-rise building called Dahan on the original ruins, which could shelter all the people in the world.
He would never tolerate anyone destroying this building. He could not bear to see war sweeping across this land again. He had fought wars in the first half of his life, and in the second half of his life, he had fought against ambitious people. He firmly supported Liu Ying because he knew that once Liu Ying ascended the throne, the war would go away and the world would truly become a peaceful and well-governed world.
This land is in desperate need of peace. After hundreds of years of war and millions of deaths, behind the countless sparks of thought, one can faintly hear the wailing of this land.
After becoming the prime minister, Xiao He spent the past ten years advocating for the people, doing things to improve people's livelihood, appeasing the people in various places, and wanting them to live a good life. Xiao He's thoughts continued in the early Han Dynasty. His successors, whether they were the tyrannical queen, his enemies, or a certain fourth brother who did not want to reveal his name, continued to move forward along Xiao He's path.
If the Reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing was the foundation for Emperor Wu of Han to conquer powerful enemies, then Xiao He was the foundation of the Reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing.
Faced with the prime minister's earnest plea, Liu Bang seemed to have thought of something.
"Prime Minister, are these words also instructed by the Queen?"
Xiao He was shocked, "Why does your Majesty say that?"
Liu Bang grinned and said, "It's just a joke."
"I will never let the Marquis of Huaiyin go. He has rebelled twice. If I let him go again, all the princes in the world will follow his example!"
Xiao He bowed to Liu Bang with great satisfaction, "That's great!"
After seeing off the prime minister, Liu Bang decided to meet the Marquis of Huaiyin in person.
Seeing Han Xin with disheveled hair and bruises all over his body, Liu Bang felt bad. He asked angrily, "Why do you want to humiliate the Marquis of Huaiyin like this? "
The jailer answered truthfully: "This is the Queen's order. The criminals must be flogged every three days... every seven days..."
"Okay! Don't do that again!"
"only!"
Liu Bang looked at Han Xin from behind the wooden fence and asked, "Why do you have to do this?"
Han Xin raised his head, without a trace of fear in his eyes, "I was deceived by others."
"oh?"
Liu Bang heard that Han Xin seemed to be showing some signs of surrender. You know, this tough guy never surrendered even after being captured by him. This surprised Liu Bang a little.
"Although you were deceived by others, you committed treason twice. Your crime is unforgivable. I have decided to execute you. It's a pity for your talent."
