Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2400 Drastic changes

Facing Concubine Zheng's "intrusion" without greeting, Zhu Yijun's eyes flashed with complex emotions. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and said meaningfully: "I haven't been angry for a long time. Some people may think that I am too easy to talk to."

Concubine Zheng did not understand the hidden meaning of Zhu Yijun's words. She thought he was talking about the palace maids just now, so she chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, your health is more important. If it is nothing serious, don't worry about these insignificant people."

Zhu Yijun gently opened his eyes and asked, "What if something serious happens?"

Concubine Zheng sneered, "Your Majesty, you are just joking. Everyone knows that the Ming Dynasty is now well-off, with a strong army and powerful horses. The four barbarians are in awe and the power is spreading everywhere. What big thing can it be? After all, the most important thing for the court now is for the emperor to recover quickly and for the prime minister to return to the cabinet as soon as possible."

Zhu Yijun was about to say something, but he saw Concubine Zheng personally holding the medicine bowl to the emperor's mouth, exhaling sweetly and saying, "Your Majesty, please stop talking and drink the medicine."

Zhu Yijun already knew that Concubine Zheng had added the ingredient "black incense" to the medicine she gave him. He also knew that, apart from being defined as a "poison" by Gao Youshi, the outside world only regarded this "black incense" as a painkiller, so he didn't care - or rather, his situation at the moment had reached the point where he also felt the need for "painkillers", so he did not resist and opened his mouth slightly.

Concubine Zheng smiled and held the gilded porcelain bowl to feed the medicine herself. She said with a smile, "Your Majesty, why are you so lazy that you need me to feed you with my own hands?"

When Zhu Yijun heard this, he suddenly remembered that when Concubine Zheng was still Concubine De, they were in love with each other and he often teased her and insisted that she feed him some soup. Now many years have passed, although many things have happened, the relationship between the two is still the same...

Zhu Yijun looked dazed, and mechanically followed Concubine Zheng's movements, drinking the medicine in a few gulps. He didn't even notice that the medicine seemed to have a little extra flavor today.

There were only the two of them in the hall, and Zhu Yijun no longer had the dignity he had in front of others. Seeing Concubine Zheng put down the medicine bowl, he stretched out his hand to her. Concubine Zheng naturally leaned over and was embraced by the emperor.

"When I returned from Nanjing this year, I was only slightly ill, but I went to Yiku Palace to recuperate early on, citing physical discomfort. Do you know why, my beloved?" Zhu Yijun asked in a low voice.

Concubine Zheng buried her head in his arms and said without raising her head, "Maybe you are tired after the tiring journey south?"

Zhu Yijun chuckled twice and shook his head gently: "It's not just a moment of fatigue, I have been fatigued for a long time."

This surprised Concubine Zheng. She looked up at the emperor and asked, "How long? How long is a long time?"

Zhu Yijun sighed softly: "It's probably because I have already realized in my heart that I can't make Chang Xun the crown prince."

As expected, Concubine Zheng's expression changed, and her smile quickly faded: "Oh, so it was when Chang Hao was born."

Logically speaking, this guess made sense, but Zhu Yijun shook his head and said, "It was much earlier than this."

Concubine Zheng frowned immediately and asked in a bad tone, "It's too early?"

"Yes, much earlier." Zhu Yijun smiled bitterly, "I decided to agree to Rixin's request and let Li Shizhen treat the queen because I knew Chang Xun had no hope of becoming the crown prince... You know, I don't love Chang Luo. Instead of passing the throne to him, it would be better to pass it to the queen's legitimate son."

Concubine Zheng sneered, broke free from the emperor's embrace, sat up straight and looked at him and said, "It's really fate that makes people play tricks on us. If the emperor hadn't allowed the queen to seek medical treatment outside, the position of crown prince would have been Chang Xun's today."

Zhu Yijun certainly knew what Concubine Zheng was talking about. Wasn't it that Prince Ying Zhu Changluo died of lust? But the emperor still shook his head and said, "This is different. Before Chang Hao came, although Changluo was not liked by me, at least he was self-disciplined. Rather than saying that he died of lust, it is better to say that the appearance of Chang Hao made him lose his life goal... He died at my hands. I killed him."

Fortunately, the emperor only said this to Concubine Zheng. If Gao Youshi could hear this, he would definitely disagree. After all, in the original history, Zhu Changluo let himself go as soon as he ascended the throne. He became too extravagant after being emperor for a few days, and then caused the Red Pill Case. The ending was still too much joy and sorrow, and he died.

Concubine Zheng naturally didn't know about this. When she heard the emperor's words, she sneered and said, "Your Majesty is now sentimental, but you don't know that Chang Luo is not the only one who has lost his goal. Your Majesty, let me ask you, if Chang Xun also becomes as self-destructive as Chang Luo, will you also tell me that it was you who harmed Chang Xun?"

After all, she is a favorite concubine. She acts like this in front of the emperor and doesn't follow any rules at all.

Zhu Yijun didn't mind it at all. Instead, he nodded and said, "When I heard the news that Chang Luo died in the palace, I did think of this possibility right away. That's why I knew that Chang Luo's death was probably caused by excessive joy, but I was still filled with grief and anger and didn't hesitate to start a war... I know, I'm just afraid."

His frankness made Concubine Zheng speechless. She was not convinced, but angry. She could only sneer several times. Zhu Yijun felt a little sorry and comforted him, "Chang Xun is different from Chang Luo. Except for not being able to give him the title of Crown Prince, I have tried my best to satisfy him in other aspects. Not only did I set his fiefdom in the ancient capital of Luoyang, but I also gave him endless wealth..."

"Is that what he wants?" Concubine Zheng suddenly swept away her previous resentment and sighed, "What kind of life do the princes of the Ming Dynasty live? Doesn't the emperor know?

You must not forget that although your prime minister did not touch the interests of the princes when he lifted the ban on feudal fiefdoms, it was only because he was used to taking things step by step. Moreover, at that time, achieving that step had already loosened the financial constraints on the court a lot.

However, if there is a financial crisis in the future, do you think he would not dare to use a killer move again, and simply take back the fiefdoms of the vassal kings, and give the annual salary to those eldest sons, so that those dignified princes and dukes can't even afford to support a few servants in the palace? Humph, prince? Princes are not meat on his chopping board?"

Zhu Yijun was speechless for a moment. He knew that what Concubine Zheng said was true. Judging from Gao Youshi's style of doing things, if it really came to that, he would definitely not mind taking action against the princes. Moreover, once he took action, it must have been well arranged in advance, and no prince would have the slightest room to struggle.

Zhu Yijun was silent for a while, not knowing whether he was comforting Concubine Zheng or comforting himself, and said: "Rixin is not that kind of person. He knows how much I love Chang Xun and will not do anything to Chang Xun."

"Haha, well said, Your Majesty." Concubine Zheng couldn't help but sneer again: "Then does he know that Your Majesty loves me? Why did he take advantage of me and demote me from Imperial Concubine back to Concubine? Or is it that the reason he dared to do this was actually because of the Emperor's instructions?"

Zhu Yijun immediately frowned, looked at Concubine Zheng with displeasure, and said in reproach: "How can you talk like that? How can you doubt me for what I have done to you?"

After hearing this, Concubine Zheng looked at Zhu Yijun in a daze. After a long while, she suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, has the Dingling Mausoleum been completed?"

Zhu Yijun was stunned for a moment, and replied: "It was started in the 12th year of the Wanli reign, and was basically completed in the 18th year of the Wanli reign. It has been under continuous repair and improvement for more than ten years... Why are you asking this?"

"Is there a place for me?" Concubine Zheng asked instead of answering.

Zhu Yijun seemed to understand something and said softly, "According to the rules, there are only two places for the emperor and the empress in the main (tomb) chamber of the Shou Palace, but you don't have to worry too much. I have already made arrangements for this matter... I have reserved three places for the main chamber."

Concubine Zheng's expression eased a little, but she soon became dazed again. She felt like she was filled with melancholy but didn't want to talk about it. She kept it in her heart and her mind was distracted.

Zhu Yijun sensed that she was unusual, but thought that she was moved by what he said, and her previous resistance was reduced a little, so he struck while the iron was hot and said: "Eight out of ten things in life are not satisfactory, but at least you and I can always live and die together. As for Chang Xun, his children and grandchildren have their own blessings, and even the emperor can't control that far..."

After hearing these words, Concubine Zheng's eyes gradually regained focus, and she suddenly whispered, "Your Majesty, with your words, I have an idea. If I die first in the future, please do not go against your words today. If... if unfortunately Your Majesty dies first, I will also settle Chang Xun's future affairs as soon as possible, and then come to reunite with Your Majesty, without any delay."

Zhu Yijun felt that something was wrong with what he said, and he couldn't help but frowning. "Why would my beloved concubine say that? Let's not talk about who will go first, let's talk about Chang Xun. He is already the richest prince in the world. What does he need you to settle for him? I have already settled it!"

Concubine Zheng smiled sadly and shook her head, saying, "Who wouldn't want to go one step further? What's more, one thought is for the king, and the other is for the prisoner?"

Zhu Yijun's face changed drastically, and a sharp light suddenly flashed in his eyes. He asked: "The reason why you are the king is that the whole world admires you! Now all the civil and military officials in the court have recognized Chang Hao, and Ri Xin is also supporting him.

Why don't you calculate how many of the ministers, civil officials, and military officers in the court are firmly on his side? As for the rest...how many of them dare to stand up against Rixin?"

After hearing this, Concubine Zheng laughed. "Your Majesty is right. How many people in the world dare to stand up against Gao Rixin? I am just a little curious. Isn't it your Majesty who has allowed him to become so powerful? And now, your Majesty wants to use him to suppress others? Could it be that he has become so powerful that even the emperor has to give up?"

"That's enough!" Zhu Yijun slammed the table and said angrily, "Haven't you learned your lesson from last time? If these words were to spread, I'm afraid even I wouldn't be able to suppress them!"

"Alas... it's the same thing again." Concubine Zheng sighed and shook her head, "Your Majesty, I know you are determined, but you should also know that I am also stubborn. Since Your Majesty is unwilling to turn against Gao Rixin, then I will have to take on the role of the treacherous villain and vicious woman who ruined the good story between you two."

Zhu Yijun stood up suddenly, his eyes burning, and shouted: "Princess Zheng! How are you going to...uh." Before he could even utter the word "what", Zhu Yijun suddenly felt dizzy, his legs went limp, and he sat back on the throne, but he had lost strength in his body and collapsed sideways.

In a daze, he seemed to see the familiar face of Concubine Zheng approaching him and whispering in his ear: "Your Majesty, please take a rest for two or three days. I will apologize to Your Majesty when I have resolved these troubles. If I fail... I will let him be cut into pieces and will never bring trouble to Your Majesty's reputation."
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I'm in the countryside and it's difficult to post. Thank you for your monthly votes. I'll post again after I return to the city in a few days. Sorry.