Chapter Sixteen: Naijia’s Ten Rejections

Only two people remained beside the secluded wigwam, Zhu Hailin stared tightly at Su Yan, his gaze was amazingly bright, and the corners of his lips could not suppress a light tremor. His muscles tightened, and he looked about to leap over, but at the last moment he controlled his strength, and only used both hands to grab Su Yan’s shoulders and arms and gripped them hard, his throat a little stagnant.

“Qinghe, you …… have lost weight.”

Su Yan suddenly felt a little sour nose, cover up like a smile: “His Highness has also lost weight, but has grown taller, and his voice is also much better, like a young phoenix singing.”

Zhu Hailin raised an eyebrow, “What kind of words are these, could it be that I used to sound that bad?”

“It is difficult to hear the minister dare not comment, but it is also good to have a comparison.”

“Better than what?”

Su Yan said in a serious manner, “It’s like a male duck fighting for food.”

Zhu Hailin punched him on the shoulder and scolded him with a laugh, “Good you Su Qinghe, the Crown Prince dares to make fun of you, how come that fifty canes didn’t beat your sharp mouth bald!”

Su Yan looked as if he had forgotten the pain after the scar: “Naturally, because I have thick skin and flesh, the district of fifty canes is not a matter of concern.”

Zhu Hailin, however, was silent for a long time before saying, “How are the injuries?”

“It’s just some flesh wounds, nothing serious anymore, Your Highness don’t need to worry about it.”

“How can I not be concerned!” Prince suddenly grumpy, face rose red, “At first that twenty canes I didn’t even spare to let you suffer, now the whole fifty canes ah, your body is weak, in case you hit a three long and two short, I, I ……”

He stomped his feet and spun around hard twice, but never followed through.

Su Yan’s flirtatious appearance converged, softly said: ”I know your highness is good to me, heartache I this fifty canes received unjustly, but your highness must not for a little personal relationship with the courtier and offended the emperor. Your Highness is the Crown Prince of a country, your status is honorable, and your gaze should be directed further afield. The emperor now spring and autumn prosperity, your highness can still let go of the heart of the game, but in the future if there is a day, the burden of the river and the mountain on the shoulders of your highness, then …… your highness is ready for it?”

The Crown Prince rounded his eyes, clenched his fists, and said heavily as he swore, “I will be a good emperor! Qinghe, do you believe it or not, in the future, I will become a famous emperor in the world!”

Su Yan secretly sighed: Zhu He Lin, you will be a good emperor, it’s just a pity ……

His heart is unusually heavy, once upon a time, in front of this teenager is no longer a distant and flat record in the history books, but a living flesh and blood people, more than a month of living together, how can there be no feelings! Just for the other side of the future fate of him, this feeling is not a kind of psychological torture.

When it came down to it, he could only be ruthless and put these distractions behind him, pretending that he was an ordinary person who knew nothing and reacting as an ordinary person should.

He knelt down on one knee and said with emotion, “I believe! I will definitely do my best to assist Your Highness and help you realize your grand ambitions!”

Zhu Hailin helped him up, “Qinghe, as long as I have you by my side, I am filled with strength and fighting spirit, as if I have an inexhaustible energy all over my body.”

Su Yan lost his smile, “Saying it as if I’m a stimulant.”

“What mark?”

“No, nothing.” Su Yan suddenly remembered something, “By the way, has there been anything in the Eastern Palace in the past month or so?”

“There is nothing wrong, I was father emperor grounded, in addition to the Mandarin Palace can not go anywhere, only to obediently in the East Palace reading. But ……” Zhu He Lin deeply frowned, Su Yan for the first time in this flying arrogant impetuous teenager face saw the fearful and uneasy look, “Father Emperor used to come to the East Palace every now and then, and sometimes give me gifts, but recently he seems to be quite distant from me and doesn’t often come to see me anymore, instead he often stays at Noble Consort Wei’s place.”

He worriedly looked up at Su Yan, a ghostly light in his eyes as if he was desperately searching for solace, “Qinghe, do you think Father feels disappointed in me, that’s why–“

Su Yan interrupted him, “His Majesty’s love and respect for your highness is obvious to all, even if a momentary irritation is because of deep expectations, your highness must not think nonsense, self disorganization. Besides, Wei Guifei is about to go into labor, it makes sense for the emperor to take more care of her.”

Zhu He Lin bit her lower lip, her complexion calmed down a lot, and whispered, “I just remembered that when I was a child, my father always held me in his arms to write, took me to Nanhaizi to ride horses and shoot hunters, and before I moved to Duanben Palace, he came to look at me every night before he went to sleep, but now …… “

“Now that His Royal Highness has grown up and needs a space to develop independently, His Majesty knows that young eagles can’t always be covered in the nest.”

The fourteen year old prince gazed for a moment, and slowly released a radiance between his eyebrows, capturing people’s eyes like the rising sun. He smiled like a mature man with great ambition and spiritual wisdom, “You’re right, one day, I am going to soar into the sky.”

Cheng Sheng turned out from the wigwam path and reported in a fine voice: “Young master, the royal gate has finished listening to politics, the dragon carriage will return, do you think it’s not to go back to the East Palace first, so as not to give rise to any trouble.”

The crown prince looked at Su Yan with some reluctance.

Su Yan busily arched his hand and said, “Your Highness, please return, I still have to go to Qianqing Palace to face the saint, and I will go to the East Palace when I catch a free moment.”

Only then did the Prince reveal a smile and leave without looking back.

Su Yan looked at his back, his complexion gradually became grave, and while walking back, he fell into deep thought.

His Majesty seems to have been alerted to the fact that someone framed the Eastern Palace, but why did he not move his troops, and even had the intention to alienate the Prince, could it be that he was really dissatisfied with the Crown Prince? But their father and son love pro thick, should not be for these small things have a gap, unless there are unknown hidden feelings ……

He couldn’t help but smile bitterly and sighed silently, From the first time he met Emperor Jinglong, what this serene-faced, deep-minded emperor was thinking was always a mystery that I couldn’t guess.

–

“I, Su Yan, kowtow to our Emperor, Long Live the Emperor.”

Emperor Jinglong put down the folds in his hands and silently looked at the Crown Prince’s Servant who was bowing before him.

Su Yan crouched on the ground, like awn in the back, seconds like years, as if after a long time to hear a “flat body”, is already sweaty palms, rules and regulations to get up and stand on the side.

“How is …… injured?”

“Thanks to Your Majesty’s mercy, I’m no longer in the way, and I’m ready to be a deacon.”

The emperor asked a few more sentences, see he answered softly and respectfully, it is the officials in the day to deal with him those sets of words, tedious to the extreme, and then the heart is dull.

Outside the window a few rays of sunny light from the lattice penetrated, swimming silk like intermittent, seems to have been sucked out of the life force of this deep temple.

The emperor suddenly said, “Su Yan, accompany me for a walk in the garden.”

May day is getting hot, Taiyi pond in the water lily has been born in the field like cover, buds but still inconspicuous pink cluster of a few branches. The night had a heavy rain, out of the water slightly higher lotus leaves were beaten overturned over, revealing the back of the slender and thin veins.

Emperor Jinglong thoughtfully looked at a pool of green cover, murmuring, “Green lotus pity net blue, the persistent rain can not be attacked ……”

Su Yan behind him heard really, silently recited a few times, the bottom of his heart suddenly trembled, but heard the emperor faintly said, “Su Yan, do you think Lotus Leaf has a grudge in his heart?”

Su Yan immediately replied, “There should be no complaints.”

“Why?”

“The gentle wind and rain certainly nourishes, but without the refining of the sudden wind and rain, how can it grow into this kind of pavilion and plant.”

The Emperor looked at his bright and moist complexion, “Since there is no grudge, why do you go up and down on your back and not return to normalcy?”

Su Yan dawned on him and smiled sarcastically, “Perhaps it is because of the fear of heaven’s might, simply lying down like this, waiting for the next storm to come just in time to flip back.”

The emperor was dumbfounded, pointing at his nose: “But see a poor mouth, which has half a bit of fear. And wait for the next storm, teach you to knock back again!”

Su Yan wailed, almost jumped over to hug the dragon’s legs: “Emperor don’t scare me, I’m really scared!”

The Emperor smiled as he watched him beg for mercy, which was exceptionally soothing.

The two of them walked casually along the poolside for a while, before the emperor said with dignity, “The matter of the north, there are already some eyebrows.”

Su Yan was stunned, “North …… Tartar?”

The Emperor nodded, “Do you remember when you said that you were a concubine?”

Su Yan laughed, “Which room does His Majesty have his eye on?”

The emperor looked at him with half anger and half smile, “In the past years, North Cheng fled in defeat, and when it came to the vassal land of the Warrat Department, the Warrat leader took the opportunity to kill the former Lord of North Cheng and the crown prince, and plotted to seize the throne of Khan.

Later, the Mongol headquarters regained the throne of Khan, and Warat, to the stream, Wo Ye and other ministries for decades to fight, each other have consumed a lot of war power.

And now I sent secret envoys to visit the ministries, Wala response is particularly eager, only by the Pingning King tin number, as long as our dynasty to support his ministry to unify the steppe, would like to go to the North into the emperor’s name, renamed Tatar Khan.”

Su Yan said, “Wala does seem to be a suitable choice, however, he should not be able to enter into an alliance so easily, so he must have put forward some conditions, right?”

The Emperor stared and said, “Not bad, the current leader of the Warrat, Hu Kuaoli, has proposed for his eldest son, Kunle, and wants me to marry the royal princess to show that the two sides have a long-term friendship.”

Su Yan’s heart thumped, wanting to grab the dragon’s sleeve and yell, “Absolutely not! Don’t forget your ancestral training ah ah ah ah!”

On the face, but does not reveal the feeling, out of the words to test: “Throughout the dynasties, the heavenly princess married the northern barbarians, no matter in the country in the king is a major event, not lightly allowed.”

Emperor Jinglong’s eyes swept through the light, categorically said: “Not only ‘not to be lightly authorized’, is ‘absolutely impossible’! Don’t forget my Daming’s ancestral motto – no peace, no reparations, no cession of land, no tribute, the Son of Heaven guards the gate of the country, the King dies for the gods of the earth and grain!”

These words are contrary to his usual indifferent and calm tone, said in a loud voice, waving the air of jingoism.

Almost Su Yan heard a tearful: I finally witnessed the most impassioned declaration of the dynasty in history! If you add the most overbearing “Although far must be executed”, life is complete!

He bowed his head to hide his excitement, cleared his throat: “The history of the Han family and relatives, mostly due to the strong and tough hu captives, with the sharp division invasion of the border, both sides under the tug-of-war war miserable, unbearable for many years, only to meet and talk about the proposed marriage to rest the dust on the border, and ultimately, is not a long time the way to peace.

Now my dynasty people rich country rich, their troops exhausted, the emperor refused to marry, the other side can not be helped. Even if there is suspicion so what, the sweetness of the opening of the mutual market is not enough for them to taste it, even cheeky to think of Her Royal Highness, simply toad wanting to eat swan meat!”

Emperor Jinglong was almost amused by him, “in public there are ancestral training, in private, my three daughters, Zouyu has been married; Zoujia, Zouxi a fourteen year old, a twelve year old, is still young and naive, how can I be willing to marry them to the barren northern barbarians, in the future it is best in the capital still two Dragon Son-in-law.”

Saying that, he looked at him squarely: “Su Yan, do you know what ‘catching a son-in-law under the list’ is?”

Su Yan heard, the determination to promote and then some wavering: if there is an opportunity to marry the princess is not bad ah, the top of the extra horse harnessed by the side of a team of the emperor’s side title, what do not have to do the work, salary as usual, is not the fop to the real?

As if the emperor had guessed his thoughts, he snorted, “If you become the emperor’s son-in-law, you can only hold an empty post in the court, do you really think that I will let you be lazy and play around? Think of the beautiful!”

Su Yan knew that he was being teased, busy saying: “Princess golden branch, I have no intention of climbing. Should have stayed useful body, for his majesty as a cow as a horse.”

“As a cow as a horse even if, say how I treat my subjects like. You ah, this is a corner to scold me mean and unforgiving?”

Su Yan knew it was a joke and said he didn’t dare.

Emperor Jinglong waved his hand dismissively and continued to brush the willow along the poolside.

Su Yan saw him look calm, is calculating how to ask a side question about the East Palace, and heard the emperor open his mouth, “Su Yan, I want to transfer you to the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of Justice, what do you think?”

Su Yan was shocked, instantly thought a hundred times, bowed and said: “Emperor love, I can not thank you enough. Eat the king’s salary, take the king’s worries, no matter what position I hold, the same will share the emperor’s worries and solve the problem.

Just a few days ago, I just made a mistake to receive the blame, the emperor is not only not to depreciate the micro, anti-promotion promotion, and regardless of how the courtiers discuss, I myself also subterfuge to the extreme, really do not dare to brazenly take office, but also ask the emperor to allow the minister to first make up for his sins.”

The emperor was quiet for a moment, and suddenly let out a light laugh, “Su Yan, you resigned without thanks, could it be for continuing to serve the Eastern Palace?”

Su Yan kowtowed in terror, “I am doing this for the Emperor’s prestige.”

The emperor picked up a branch of bright green flexible willow in his fingers rubbing folded, slowly said: “no need to be afraid, you do not want to promote, is not I also forced not? I just hope that one day, you still remember the state of mind when you say these words to me today.”

“I will certainly honor the holy word.”

“Okay, get up, in the future there is nothing to do less kneeling around in front of me, every time I see your back, I want to punish your family cook.”

Su Yan got up and laughed: “Your majesty, which will be with a servant. Since my childhood is how to eat not fat physique, but let the emperor look at the choking should be.”

The emperor slightly frowned: “Which has a good end of people can not eat fat, turn around and ask the imperial physician to give you a prescription to adjust the conditioning.”

Su Yan heart screamed bitter, repeatedly said: “Eat fat eat fat, I will go home and ask the cook to prepare five meals a day, plus snacks for the night, to ensure that a month fat on three pounds, no, five pounds.”

The emperor kindly: “I have some good intentions, to your mouth how to say like feeding pigs …… also, since you made a military order, then if not add three or five pounds, I can punish you.”

Su Yan’s face crowed, “I accept the decree.”

Emperor Jinglong smiled and turned back to the hall.

Su Yan followed him, seeing his posture stretching, acting as if he was in a happy mood, greatly relieved.

He has made up his mind to become a powerful minister who can protect himself. The path of the bureaucracy is treacherous, and the more one must walk both boldly and cautiously, always weighing the pros and cons, and advancing and retreating appropriately.

This resignation promotion, although the loss of a chance to enter the key departments, but got the emperor’s trust, which can also be seen that the crown prince’s favor is not reduced, this move is considered the right move.