The filial son of the Red Mansion

It's going to happen!

How can Your Highness go together with this idiot?

The young eunuch beside the fifth prince was in a state of despair. He knew Jia Rong's reputation in the capital, and if these two people got together, wouldn't the whole capital be in chaos?

The Fifth Prince and Jia Rong didn't care about the chaos. They each had their own goals and left the Zhou family and went straight to the restaurant.

"The world is unpredictable, and the man on the stage is drunk with every cup. It is rare to have a true friend in life, and we can toast each other and talk about the past and present." Chen Zhou was very happy. He drank too much and even improvised a poem.

Jia Rong was present when he heard this and just chuckled.

He didn't care whether the Fifth Prince was truly infatuated with the world, or was hiding his incompetence to protect himself, or was just biding his time. As long as the Fifth Prince could take him to various funerals, it was fine.

It seems that there will be no fewer treasure chests in the future!

Chen Zhou's poem "Song of the Golden Cup" was soon spread into the palace and heard by Emperor Longtai, the Supreme Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Empress.

These people reacted in different ways.

Emperor Longtai remained expressionless, but the retired emperor was filled with satisfaction, the Crown Prince was extremely moved, and the Empress' eyes flashed with an unusual color.

Chapter 150: Conquer Japan?

On this day, Jia Rong had entered Shunzhen Gate to take up his post. He was promoted to a squad leader and led a group of about ten guards to stand guard at Shunzhen Gate.

Through the Shunzhen Gate archway, you can see the whole picture of the Imperial Garden. The Imperial Garden is far less spacious than the Huifang Garden in Ningguo Mansion. Inside, there are rockery and rocks, flowers and trees, and an imperial pond with lotus plants planted in it. The buds are now blooming beautifully.

Such a small garden does seem a bit shabby in such a huge palace.

However, the guards inside and outside Shunzhen Gate were very close to him, the squad leader.

It turned out that most of these guards were recruited from Shunzhen Gate. Most of the original guards of Shunzhen Gate were transferred to the outer court, such as Taihe Gate, Left and Right Wing Gates, and various departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Most of them were newcomers transferred from the outer court. Among them, only one had a complicated expression, and that was Rong Ge'er's sworn brother Yuan Zhen Yuan Xuanting.

Yuan Zhen was also transferred to Shunzhen Gate.

Rong Ge'er waved happily, "Brother Zhen, hello, colleagues." This was considered a greeting. She was thinking of taking Yuan Zhen for a walk in the Imperial Garden in the name of inspection.

Although the Imperial Garden was not as big or beautiful as imagined, it was a royal garden after all, so this guy was still curious.

Yuan Zhen ignored Jia Rong's playful smile and bowed in a businesslike manner, "Master Shichang, the Crown Prince has ordered that if Master Shichang is here, please go to the east courtyard of the palace."

The East Courtyard is also privately called the East Palace, but it is not the same as the real East Palace where the retired emperor lived.

The East Palace where the retired emperor lived was a large area east of the inner court, including the Ningshou Palace, Leshou Hall, and Yangxing Hall. The East Palace of the Crown Prince was just a small courtyard east of the Imperial Garden, commonly known as the North Five Houses, or the Qiandong Five Houses.

Since there is an East Courtyard in the Beisuo, there must also be a West Courtyard. The West Courtyard in the Beisuo is not for princes but for princesses, and not all princesses are born to the emperor.

These princesses and princesses are the adopted daughters of the current dynasty, such as the daughter of the former deposed crown prince, the daughter of Prince Yi Zhong, the daughter of Prince Yi Yong, and the daughter of Prince Zhong Shun. These princesses were adopted into the palace since childhood, and regardless of whether their fathers were excommunicated or not, they are still princesses and princesses.

The fifth daughter of the deposed crown prince was named Princess Leshun and was arranged to be married off to the southeast by Emperor Longtai. Now she is the wife of General Zhenhai.

Prince Yi Zhong's eldest daughter was named Princess Yongchang and married the son of the governor of Lingnan.

Prince Zhongshun's second daughter was named Princess Lening and married to Mo Nan. She is now the wife of General Suiyuan.

Although Emperor Longtai had several daughters in his early years, they all died young. The only princess who lived to adulthood and got married also died of illness before Emperor Longtai ascended the throne. Now, only the second daughter of Prince Yiyong and the fourth daughter of Prince Zhongshun live in the West Courtyard of Beisuo. In the future, they will probably be married off by Emperor Longtai to war-torn areas such as Monan, Yili, Southeast, and Qiongzhou.

This year, Prince Zhongshun's fourth daughter has been named Princess Yong'an, and it seems that the time has come for her to be married off.

But these are not what Jia Rong should consider.

What he was thinking about now was, "Why did His Royal Highness summon me for no reason?"

I heard some gossips before that the Crown Prince wanted to make trouble for him. Now that he has arrived at Shunzhen Gate, he has really fallen into the hands of the Crown Prince. In the future, he will definitely be called to the Imperial Garden or the North Palace endlessly, and his life will not be easy.

"Is it okay not to go?" Rong Ge'er asked Yuan Zhen in a low voice.

Yuan Zhen did not speak. Instead, a middle-aged eunuch with a fake smile came into the imperial garden. Hearing this, he smiled sinisterly and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince knows that Guard Jia must not go there obediently, so he has already asked the Emperor for permission. Today, Guard Jia must go to the Little East Palace obediently, otherwise I will have to obey your order and tie Guard Jia up and take him to the Little East Palace."

Look, the relationships in the palace are so complicated.

A Shunzhen Gate Shichang was originally under the charge of the Minister of the Dragon Guard. Even if a prince had something to ask, he should ask the emperor. But the prince asked the emperor, and Jia Rong, a first-class guard with a third-rank salary, had no choice but to obey.

Rong Ge'er took a deep breath. It seemed that he really had nowhere to escape. Instead, he smiled and said, "I was just joking. Let's go, let's go. Please lead the way, eunuch. This will prevent me from going to the wrong place in the inner palace."

Led by Wu Jinzhong, a eunuch serving the prince, Jia Rong and Yuan Zhen entered Shunzhen Gate and arrived in front of Qin'an Hall, then went to the Imperial Garden and passed Fubi Pavilion and Wanchun Pavilion.

The Imperial Garden was small and exquisite, and also lush and green. After a few steps, I passed the Imperial Garden and arrived at the Small East Palace. Looking up, I saw a young man in his teens wearing gorgeous clothes standing in front of the palace, with a group of eunuchs standing on both sides, looking majestic.

This person is the current crown prince Chen Jiong.

Chen Jiong is not tall. Perhaps it is because Emperor Longtai concentrated the essence of the emperor back then, making Prince Chen Jiong look a little thin.

At this moment, Chen Jiong was looking at Jia Rong with his bright eyes.

"He is Jia Rong? The Jia Rong who ranked first in the review and was meritorious in protecting the emperor?"

The crown prince Chen Jiong's face gradually fell, and he twitched involuntarily. There was still a bruise on his back from being beaten, and when he saw Jia Rong, he immediately felt a burning pain at the place where he was beaten with the cane.

It was this bastard who caused me to get beaten!

Chen Jiong, who was not very tall, led a group of eunuchs and servants and walked quickly forward in front of Jia Rong and Yuan Zhen, staring at Jia Rong with his eyes.

Ah!

How come this bastard is so tall?

Chen Jiong felt that he had lost all his momentum when he tilted his head up. He quickly lowered his chin, tilted his face to the side, and continued to glare at Jia Rong.

Jia Rong did not hesitate, and immediately put on a gentle smile on his face, and said with a bow, "I am Jia Rong, your humble servant, and I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Crown Prince Chen Jiong bared his teeth and looked at Jia Rong fiercely. Ever since Jia Rong's name spread into the palace, he has not had a good day. Yesterday, he was beaten with a cane for a trivial matter, and the pain was so severe that he couldn't sleep for half the night.

He had already made up his mind that instead of cutting Jia Rong into pieces, he would write the word "Chen" backwards.

"Jia Rong, how do you know that I am the prince?"

Chen Jiong's voice was like coming from hell, extremely deep. He stared at Jia Rong with a pair of cold eyes. If Jia Rong's answer was not good enough, he would immediately call the group of eunuchs around him and the guards on both sides to rush up and beat Jia Rong up.

Yuan Zhen was also itching to do something, just waiting for the prince's order, so that he could beat Jia Rong up with just a legitimate reason and vent his anger.

"Your Highness is very imposing, and his thick eyebrows are like those of Your Majesty." Jia Rong replied, and saw Chen Jiong frowning. He suddenly remembered the rumor that the Crown Prince was not close to the current emperor in private, but admired the retired emperor the most. There was even a rumor among the people that the retired emperor allowed Emperor Longtai to ascend the throne because he loved the Crown Prince.

Although folk rumors should not be taken seriously, we can get a glimpse of the closeness between the crown prince and the emperor from them.

Jia Rong hastily changed his words and said, "Your Highness has the heroic spirit of the Emperor. Even though I am standing far away, I can feel your majesty. Not only that, I have heard of your fame for a long time and have always admired you."

Chen Jiong was stunned for a moment. He had been in the palace for so many years and had seen many people with thick skins. But this was the first time he had seen someone with such a thick skin.

Yuan Zhen was also dumbfounded. What a fool! How could he say such things in the palace?

Who doesn't like to hear compliments?

Crown Prince Chen Jiong was in a dilemma. With Jia Rong in such a state, how could he have the nerve to order someone to take action? He could only continue to find fault and asked, "What do you mean by famous? What name have you heard of me?"

Jia Rong secretly smiled. He had heard a lot about the prince's reputation. After Feng Tang's tip, he asked many people about the prince's personality and preferences. Especially after hearing that the prince played the role of a general and attacked Mobei during the Dragon Boat Festival, how could he not be able to control this little brat?

He looked very respectful and worshipful, and started talking nonsense seriously.

"I really admire Your Highness very much. Your Highness is an extraordinary person. I have always known that Your Highness's punches and kicks are extremely powerful, and his strategies are as powerful as those of a million soldiers. Not only that, Your Highness is also good at riding and shooting, and has great ambitions. I have read ancient and modern books and have seen how many princes there are in history. Is there any one who can be half as good as our Highness Jiong?"

As Jia Rong spoke, he observed Chen Jiong's expression.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was first confused, then suspicious, then happy, and finally elated.

Rong Ge'er bowed again and said, "In fact, I know a little bit about the art of judging people. Judging from your character, you will surely be able to expand the territory of our Great Wu in the future, and have both civil and military achievements..."

Chen Jiong felt numb and soft, even his bones were soft.

He had originally wanted to bring an army to bear to hold Jia Rong accountable and find a reason to beat him up, but ended up hearing these words.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's face turned red, and he felt a strong sense of being recognized in his heart.

This guy actually knew that I learned boxing and kicking from the guards, and also knew that I was good at riding and shooting and proficient in military tactics?

What a pity, what a pity.

I have all the skills and strategies, but I have nowhere to display them. If my father appoints me as the General of Pingbei, I will be able to lead the troops to sweep across Mobei, and even repel Eros to the north of Mobei.

My father is truly not as good as my grandfather. My grandfather was able to personally lead the army to conquer Yili and pacify the Jurchens in the northeast.

This guy understands me!

Chen Jiong suppressed his excitement, looked at Jia Rong again, and asked, "What are your civil and military skills?"

Jia Rong calmed down and decided to brag a little, saying with great emotion: "Your Highness looks radiant, and there are several gods protecting him. He also has the star of Wu Qu attached to him. In the future, he will surely sweep across the desert and make the Hu people dare not go south again. He will also fire his artillery to the southeast and recover the Jilong and Penghu Islands. Not only will he win over Korea, but he will also be able to penetrate Japan."

hiss~

Yuan Zhen took a deep breath and cursed inwardly: Jia Rong is such a boaster.

Chen Jiong was shocked. These words hit the nail on the head. He was fond of learning horse riding and archery, and he appointed himself a general. He was thinking that one day he could lead the army to conquer the country like the retired emperor did.

"You can see that?" His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked with rapid breathing.

Chapter 151: Guard Jia is such a good man!

Jia Rong never thought about his boasting. He would speak to people in a way that suits them and to ghosts in a way that suits them. He patted his chest and lied to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, do you know my courtesy name? My grandfather saw that I was born with a keen eye, so he gave me the courtesy name 'Huai Zhi'. The character 'Rong' in my name means lotus in the water, which is straight outside and straight inside, without branches or vines. It grows out of the mud without being stained, and washes in the clear water without being coquettish. I am just like the character 'Huai Zhi'. I always tell everything I know and say everything I know."

Jia Huaizhi paused, and then hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please do not blame me for my straightforward character and words. Your Highness is a man of both civil and military strategies. Don't always dwell on those trivial matters. It is not a good idea to sacrifice public interests for personal interests and lose the greater for the smaller ones."

His Royal Highness is still a teenager, playful and has never seen the evil of human nature. After being flattered by Jia Huaizhi, his eyes were already full of tears and he was dizzy. At this moment, he only remembered to sweep across the desert, bombard the southeast, and penetrate Japan?

Why do we want to attack Japan?

Chen Jiong was stunned for a moment. Could it be because of the Japanese pirates? Who cares? I will accomplish greater feats than the emperor in the future. If I can conquer Japan, I will conquer Japan.

"Does Huaizhi also know the art of war?" His Royal Highness the Crown Prince even changed his address and called Jia Rong by his courtesy name.

Jia Rong shook his head and sighed, "I am ashamed, ashamed. I know a little, but I am not as good as you. I am neither as brave nor as heroic as you."

He is not the kind of person who is aloof, and he will not always be pretentious. There is no need for that, right?

Flattery is worth a lot of money. It made His Royal Highness the Crown Prince happy. You are good, I am good, and everyone is good.

Moreover, he started out with a stupid character. The whole city of Shenjing knew about it. It was impossible to change his character. It couldn't be changed, not at all. Whether what the stupid person said was credible or not depended on what the listener thought.

Chen Jiong would believe it very much at this time.

but……

Chen Jiong suddenly saw the anxious looks of several eunuchs and reacted suddenly.