freenovelworld Chapter 208: The Ruler and His Ministers
Chapter 208: The Ruler and His Ministers
Then the identities of the other two are not difficult to guess. They must be the late emperor and Taizu.
Students read and practice calligraphy in front of the portraits of past emperors. It can be seen that this was an era that highly respected the emperor's power. Even studying was done directly to serve the emperor. What they learned here was not only the way of sages and the way of being a human being, but also the way to assist the emperor and govern the country.
In addition, the genetic genes of the Tianyou Holy Dynasty are good, and the three generations of kings are all handsome and elegant men.
It is said that even a hero cannot resist the temptation of beauty. These three generations of kings all had their share of troubles with beautiful women.
Long Mohan didn't say anything, Zhao Ji was his calamity. The Zhao Ji he loved so much had been taken over by Ji Anni's soul from another world. In essence, Zhao Ji was no longer alive.
The previous emperor had just passed away more than three months ago. Hua Rong said that he loved Queen Wang very much. After Queen Wang's death, he had no intention of appointing another queen, so he made the decision to "make whoever gives birth to a prince first the queen." This resulted in a series of strange events three years ago.
Taizu was the one who built this palace. Legend has it that when he was young, he was infatuated with a fox demon, who said that she would marry him if he could flatten the mountain. But after Taizu really flattened the mountain, the fox demon disappeared.
There is another legend about Taizu. It is that a concubine gave birth to a fox, and Taizu ordered the concubine and the fox prince to be burned at the stake. The concubine and the prince were burned to ashes, leaving only a black bead, which is said to be the fox bead.
Now the bead is still sealed in the Demon-Suppressing Temple near Xian Palace. It is said that mournful cries can be heard from the bead. The Demon-Suppressing Temple is a place with a gloomy aura. It is one of the birthplaces of creepy ghost stories in the palace. Few people dare to visit it.
Thinking about it this way, the Tianyou Holy Dynasty has had an indissoluble bond with fox demons since its founding.
Although Ji Anni didn't believe in gods, ghosts, and monsters before, since she came to this world, especially after meeting Yun Zhen, the national teacher, she could not help but believe in evil.
Back then on the execution ground, she had witnessed with her own eyes a red fox jumping out to block a knife for her. Then Yun Zhen used some magic to trap the red fox in a golden net. The red fox resisted, and a red moon appeared in the sky.
The red moon was the only way for Ji Anni to return to her original world, but she gave up the chance to go back for Yun Zhen.
Yun Zhen knows immortal arts, and foxes know sorcery. In this world where immortal arts and sorcery coexist, anything beyond common sense is possible. Then the fox demon that Taizu fell in love with, and the legend of the fox beads in the demon-suppressing temple, can no longer be regarded as just nonsense.
Ji Anni was staring at the portrait in a daze when she heard Tian Ning's voice coming from beside her: "Concubine Zhao Cong, what's wrong with you?"
"It's okay, it's my first time here, I'm just a little curious." Ji Anni immediately came back to her senses and smiled at Tian Ning.
Tian Ning approached Ji Anni's ear mischievously and said, "Concubine Zhao Cong, I know what you are thinking. Are you thinking, it would be nice if the portrait of Prince Ming could be hung here one day?"
All the portraits that could be hung here were portraits of monarchs, so Tian Ning thought that Ji Anni was just thinking about Prince Ming ascending the throne.
In fact, Ji Anni was just thinking about the fox demon. After Tian Ning reminded her, the image of the Ming prince wearing a dragon robe and jade crown really emerged in her mind. At this moment, it was as if Zhao Ji had awakened in her body. She was just like the real Zhao Ji, dreaming about the bright future of the Ming prince.
But to be honest, the prince of Ming Dynasty is cute, but he lacks the majesty of an emperor. Even if he really ascends the throne and becomes emperor, he will probably be a tragic emperor like Li Houzhu, who wrote "The rain is trickling outside the curtains, and the spring is fading", right?
Thinking of this, Ji Anni glanced at Prince Ming. To be honest, she was not optimistic about the future of her "son".
Prince Ming was very shy. When there were many people around, he always wanted to hide behind someone.
At this moment, he was hugging Zhuang Xiaomeng's arm tightly and hiding in the corner. His neck was almost shrunk into his clothes, just like a frightened little rabbit. In addition, his figure was petite, so if you didn't look carefully, you really couldn't see him.
Zhuang Xiaomeng's posture was much better, standing straight like a small pine tree. Seeing that Prince Ming was shy, he gently held Prince Ming's hand to encourage him. At such a young age, he was very gentlemanly.
Ji Anni nodded, and she admired Zhuang Xiaomeng more and more. I wonder what kind of people his parents are, but they must be upright people, right? If Prince Ming can become friends with him, he will probably become more outgoing, right?
Just as I was thinking about it, the two men in white who were leading the way gestured for everyone to sit down wherever they wanted.
The desk in the middle of the lecture hall was reserved for students, while "parents" such as Ji Anni sat on the benches against the wall.
Huarong and Ningshuang did not dare to be on the same level as these dignitaries, so they stood quietly aside.
Princess Tianning, Radiani, deliberately sat next to Kang Xiaorong, but Kang Xiaorong's eyes always stayed on Huarong, with deep concern and worry in his eyes.
His worries were not without reason. Three years ago, Hua Rong was the "Principal's daughter" of Wenhua Academy. Now, when she revisited the old place, she was not even qualified to sit in the seat. The gap between "heaven and earth" was even deeper.
When Princess Tianning found out, she immediately became unhappy and deliberately sent Huarong away, saying, "Huarong, why hasn't Lord Changsun come yet? Go and urge him to come."
Hua Rong responded, lowered her head and left.
She seemed stronger than Kang Xiaorong had imagined, and did not show any sadness caused by the scene. Perhaps she had forced herself to forget her identity three years ago. Because only by letting go of the past can we recognize the present. She was no longer a rich lady, but just the daughter of a criminal who stayed in the palace as a maid.
Three years ago, Tian Ning came forward to save the lives of the beautiful sisters. I thought she didn't care about the engagement between the Kang and Xi families, but in fact she was still jealous. Which woman wouldn't be jealous when she sees the man she likes always staring at others?
After all the "parents" were seated, the man in white led the two students, Prince Ming and Zhuang Xiaomeng, forward.
Among the fifty desks, only three had writing brushes, inkstones, and paper on them. These three desks were specially prepared for the three students, Prince Ming, Zhuang Xiaomeng, and Changsun Mingri. If they were ranked according to seniority, Prince Ming should have sat in the center, but the two white-robed men who led the way led Zhuang Xiaomeng to the center and Prince Ming to the left.
Kang Xiaorong and Concubine An both felt something was wrong and stood up slightly. Before they could stand up, they heard the man in white say, "Prince Ming, please take a seat."
This sentence is correct, but the problem is that when the man in white said this, he was not looking at Prince Ming, but at Zhuang Xiaomeng.
On the other side, the man in white who introduced Prince Ming also said respectfully, "Master Zhuang, please take a seat."
The truth was finally revealed. It turned out that the seats were not arranged incorrectly. Prince Ming should indeed sit in the middle. The mistake was that the guide had mixed up Prince Ming and Zhuang Xiaomeng and brought them to the wrong seats.
After entering the palace, Prince Ming stayed in the East Palace and did not go out, so many people in the palace did not know him. Today was the first time for the two men in white to see Prince Ming. They could only judge their identities based on their temperaments and instincts. They did not expect to make such a big mistake.
Without waiting for Ji Annie and the other adults to correct him, the outspoken Zhuang Xiaomeng smiled and revealed the secret. He said to the man in white who pulled out a chair for him, "I am not the Prince of Ming. He is the Prince of Ming." As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed to the real Prince of Ming on the left.
The two men in white realized that they had made a big mistake and knelt down in unison, saying, "Scholars are blind, please forgive me, Prince Ming."
Prince Ming was not used to others kneeling before him, so he waved his hands and said, "It doesn't matter, it's all the same, you can stand up."
The man in white got up obediently. At this time, a child's voice came from outside the door.
"The relationship between the ruler and his subjects is like the relationship between heaven and earth. There is a difference between the ruler and his subjects, and between the upper and the lower. The ruler should be kind to his subjects, and the subjects should be loyal to the ruler. If this is violated, the world will be in chaos. The prince Ming is showing kindness by letting you stand down. But you did not accept the punishment and stood up like this, which is disrespectful and disloyal to the emperor."
This long speech was delivered in a very clear and orderly manner. If it weren't for the slightly childish voice, it would really sound like some great scholar had come.
Then a white shadow flashed by the door, and a little boy about the same age as Prince Ming walked in with his head held high.