Chapter 26: Hidden Danger, Jia Yuanchun Chooses Fengzao Palace
Wuying Palace.
"You all should step down as well."
After watching Sun Shaozong leave the hall, Emperor Guangde waved his hand and a group of guards and eunuchs rushed out like a tide.
Emperor Guangde waited for a while, then turned around and said, "Sixth Brother, there's no one in the room, please come out."
Before he finished speaking, a man appeared from behind the screen depicting two dragons playing with a pearl and shouted, "Your Majesty, I finally found you a rare military talent, why did you agree to transfer him to a civilian position?"
This man was only a few years younger than Emperor Guangde, but he was well maintained and looked to be in his early thirties. His facial features were very similar to those of Emperor Guangde. He was none other than his half-brother, Prince Zhongshun.
It turned out that after they parted on the river that day, Zhou Jingui, the steward of the palace, used a carrier pigeon to report everything that happened that day to King Zhongshun, and in the letter he highly praised Sun Shaozong's bravery.
When Prince Zhongshun received the news , he sent people to wait at the dock, waiting for the arrival of the passenger ship of the Jia Mansion, and then he excitedly rushed to the palace to "present treasures" - but who would have thought that before he could say a few words, Earl Yongyi Niu Jizong also came and demanded that Sun Shaozong be severely punished.
That's why the scene just now happened.
Hearing Prince Zhongshun's anxious questioning, Emperor Guangde said nonchalantly, "Young people are bound to have high expectations and low skills. If you don't practice well, how can you be controlled in the future?"
"But what if he manages to hold on? Your Majesty, don't forget that the guy found the remaining assassins in Qianxiang Country in just half a day!"
"Isn't that better?"
Emperor Guangde laughed out loud: "If my Great Zhou could really produce a Di Renjie who can command the army on horseback and the people on foot, I would wake up laughing in my dreams."
Prince Zhongshun thought about it and realized that it was indeed true, but he did not want to change his mind so quickly, so after a little hesitation, he laughed and said, "I am afraid that this kid does not want fame and fortune, but a gentle life - I heard that he kidnapped a beautiful foreign girl from the country of Qianxiang, and he kept saying that he wanted to marry her. Maybe he transferred to a civil position just to marry that foreign girl."
"Marrying a foreign girl?"
Emperor Guangde frowned and pondered for a while, then suddenly waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about him anymore. Let's talk about business first - what do you think of Niu Jizong's behavior just now?"
"He is so arrogant and disrespectful, he deserves death!"
Prince Zhongshun first uttered the eight words without hesitation, and then further analyzed: "I think he is pretending to advocate for his brother, and is really taking the opportunity to test your majesty's intentions! Now that my father and that old woman are old, it seems that in a few years, you will be the one in charge of the world. Therefore, this group of bastards want to test your majesty's intentions and make preparations early."
The 'old pious woman' he mentioned was actually the Empress Dowager Niu, who was also the biological aunt of the Earl of Yongyi Niu Jizon.
Empress Dowager Niu did not give birth to any children when she was young, so the throne fell to Emperor Guangde.
After Emperor Guangde ascended the throne, he tried to push his biological mother onto the throne of the Empress Dowager and honor her with the titles of the East and West Palaces - but he was stopped by Empress Dowager Niu, and in the end she was only hastily given the title of Concubine Dowager.
Therefore, the two brothers hated Queen Mother Niu to the core and privately called her "Old Hag".
"What a good way to prepare early!"
Emperor Guangde raised his lips slightly, revealing a sinister sneer: "After my father has passed away for a hundred years, I will eradicate these traitors who are causing harm to the country and the people!"
Thinking of the collusion between these four kings and eight dukes and the retired emperor, controlling the financial resources inside and outside the country, forcing himself, the emperor, to be short of money all day long and even have to let Prince Zhongshun sell salt illegally for profit, he could not help but feel hatred.
"His Majesty."
Although Prince Zhongshun was known as "arrogant and domineering", he did not join Emperor Guangde in scolding the four princes and eight dukes. Instead, he advised: "This matter should be delayed rather than rushed. I am afraid that we still need to appease them for the time being. It would be best to arrange some jobs for them that are not only vain but also costly and beneficial to us."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Guangde stood up from his desk and paced back and forth in the Wenying Hall for a few circles.
After a while, he suddenly called Dai Quan in and ordered, "Go to the Queen's Palace and pass on my order: Lady historian Jia Yuanchun is promoted to the position of Shangshu of Fengzao Palace and given the title of Xian De Fei; Zhaorong Liu Rumei is promoted to the position of Lady historian of Fengzao Palace and given the title of Yipin; Zhaorong Shui Wanyi is given the title of..."
He conferred titles on several concubines in one breath, all of whom were daughters of the four kings and eight dukes.
After Dai Quan wrote down everything, he said, "Spread the word for me that starting from the beginning of next spring, anyone who has a separate courtyard that complies with the royal regulations and can accommodate concubines will be allowed to return home to visit their parents and enjoy the happiness of family and the affection of their flesh and blood!"
When Dai Quan took the order and left, Prince Zhongshun was so happy that he scratched his head and praised, "Your Majesty is such a good man! The four princes and eight dukes are the best at showing off their wealth and competing with each other. With the limelight of the visit, they are all working hard to build gardens?!"
Emperor Guangde grinned slightly, but his brows were full of hostility.
--Dividing line--
Not to mention how Emperor Guangde and Prince Zhongshun plotted against the four kings and eight dukes.
However, Sun Shaozong got the emperor's approval and returned home joyfully. He mentioned the transfer to a civil servant to Ruan Rong, who was so happy that she burst into tears - if one could be the first wife, who would really be willing to be a concubine?
Although the cheap brother had some complaints, he had no choice but to accept it since the matter was done.
For the next three days, except for taking time out to go to Hou Yong's residence and pay a visit to the old lady of the Hou family, Sun Shaozong stayed at home and was in love with Ruan Rong. He was just waiting for the transfer of the civil servant to be finalized so that he could hold a simple wedding ceremony and swallow her whole.
Unexpectedly, on the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, an imperial decree suddenly came down from the palace, seconding Sun Shaozong to Shuntian Prefecture, temporarily serving as the sixth-rank criminal judge of Shuntian Prefecture.
And his original post of Captain of the Dragon Guard was not only not abolished, but he was promoted to the fifth rank, becoming Deputy Captain of the Dragon Guard Cavalry - this was not an empty title like Jia Rong's, but a real job.
Therefore, although Sun Shaozong became a civil servant as he wished, it was only a part-time position, and his main job was still in the military!
Now the two were really dumbfounded. They looked at the transfer order to take office after the New Year and didn't know what to say for a whole half day.
Only Sun Shaozu was extremely happy.
For him, the fact that his brother got a sixth-rank civil servant position was secondary. The main thing was that he had Jia Yucun, the chancellor, to take care of him, so he would not be cheated by the civil servants.
Most of the day passed in this confused state.
In the evening, a steward from the Jia mansion came with Jia Lian's business card, inviting Sun Shaozong to a small gathering at the Rongguo Mansion the next day.
Sun Shaozong was not in a good mood at first, but seeing that Ruan Rong was so depressed, he thought it was not a good thing, so he persuaded her to go to the Jia Mansion with him to play around and talk to her godsister Lin Daiyu about her feelings.
