Zhao Defang's road to the virtuous king

"Report to the lord!" The gatekeeper reported

"What's the matter?"

"Someone is coming from the palace, Your Majesty invites the prince into the palace."

"Understood, let them wait."

"Yes!" The goalkeeper was ordered to leave, and De Fang said, "Madam, I don't know if His Majesty's summoning is for party matters. The lonely king really doesn't want to go."

"My lord, according to my concubine, it should not be for party matters."

"Oh? Why does Madam think so?"

"If it's because of party matters, His Majesty should have summoned the prince into the palace as early as Li Jiyuan's court meeting. Now the court meeting is over and the banquet has already been retired. It must be something else."

Defang thought for a while, "Madam's words are reasonable, then I'll go see you now."

Defang came to the palace in a sedan chair, "I see Your Majesty"

"Brother, you don't have to be polite, sit down," Shinzong said.

"Thank you Your Majesty" De Fang took a seat, "Your Majesty summoned the ministers, I don't know why?"

"Brother Huang will attend the banquet in the future, I think it must be because of party matters."

"Your Majesty, since Li Jiqian took over the power of the party, there has been no peaceful day on the border, and surrendering now is just a stopgap measure for him to breathe."

"I also understand the meaning of the emperor's brother, but the border guards also need to rest now. If the party is sincere and submits, it is naturally good. If it is false, it does not matter. After our army has rested and recuperated, we will send troops to Xiping party."

"Your Majesty, the purpose of Dangxiang's surrender at this time is to win the opportunity to integrate the various departments of the Dangxiang. If it takes too long, his power may increase sharply. In this way, it will be difficult to check and balance him in the future."

"Brother Huang, now that Li Jiqian has proposed surrender and the envoys have arrived in Beijing, I have no excuse to send troops to attack. Although I know it is a serious problem, it is very difficult to deal with it at this time."

"If your majesty has something difficult to do, I would like to do it on your majesty's behalf."

"Thank you, brother." Shinjong smiled, "But I and brother are close brothers, I don't want to have something to do with brother, hehe, brother and I have said that we will protect each other, so no one can break their promise."

Hearing this, Defang smiled and nodded, "Your Majesty is right."

"Emperor Brother" Zhenzong said, "Do you still remember how many brothers there are?"

"What does His Majesty mean?"

"I am a brother of the same generation as the emperor's brother."

"If it's brothers of the same generation, there are 23 people in total."

"Well." Shinzong nodded, "There are four princes of the Taizu Emperor, nine princes of the former emperor, and ten sons of Uncle Wang."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Defang couldn't help but sigh when he heard Wang Shu Tingmei's heirs, "However, now that six brothers have died, it is even more difficult to see Wang Shu's lineage."

Zhenzong stood up and walked to the door and said, "Brother Emperor, now that I am the new emperor, why can't I do it?"

Defang looked at Zhenzong, "Your Majesty, what do you mean?"

Zhenzong pushed open the door with a smile, and walked in a person. Defang looked at the person who looked familiar, and the person stepped forward and said, "Brother Wang!"

Defang was taken aback when he heard this, Xiang looked at this person's face, and suddenly opened his eyes wide to look at this person, "You, are you Degong?"

"Yes, Brother Wang! It's my little brother Degong."

De Fang held De Gong's shoulders and looked up and down, "When did you return to Beijing?"

"Little brother came to Beijing this morning, His Majesty said he would give Brother Wang a surprise, so little brother has been waiting in the palace until now."

Defang looked at Zhenzong, "Your Majesty, why didn't you tell the minister in advance?"

"Today, the party's envoys will meet and have a banquet. I want my brothers to gather alone, so I asked Brother Degong to wait in the palace. After all the matters are over, I will have a small banquet with Brother Emperor and Brother Degong. This way, you can drink freely."

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