freenovelworld Chapter 728 The Emperor's Suspicion?
Chapter 728 The Emperor's Suspicion?
The guard seemed surprised that just a few extra words from him had changed the Emperor's expression.
Lower your head and try to make your voice sound steady.
"Your Majesty, however, since the marriage of Prince Chang Le and his wife, Princess Chang Le has only seen Prince An a limited number of times, and all of those times have been in public."
"You mean to say that Princess Chang Le is very likely completely unaware of Chen'er's feelings for her?"
"Your Majesty, it seems that this is indeed the case at present. However, as you know, His Highness Prince Chang Le is always meticulous, and it is probably quite easy for men to detect such things between each other."
"I understand. Send more people to keep an eye on Chen'er's every move. Especially his villa. It seems I was too trusting of him before. This child is probably more cunning than he appears on the surface."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Someone, I'm a little tired. Go and invite the Empress over. Tell her my neck is a bit sore."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Emperor and Empress had been married for many years. Whenever the Emperor felt tired, he would always ask the Empress to massage his shoulders or twist his neck.
This has been a long-standing habit; if someone else were replaced, the emperor would feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
After closing the palace doors, the emperor leaned against the couch.
The Empress was kneeling behind him, carefully rubbing his shoulders.
"Your Majesty, what do you think of Princess Chang Le?"
"Your Majesty asked about Anuan? I think this child is excellent. She is sensible and truly understands the bigger picture. I had a private audience with Fang Yuan. According to her, Anuan never gossips about the Fourth Prince. In addition, she was the one who helped the Fourth Prince when he wanted to set up Chang Le Fang."
"You're saying that Mu Xin Nuan helped the fourth brother build Chang Le Fang?"
"Your Majesty, that's right. I heard that she not only took out all her dowry money, but also specially discussed with the fourth prince and took out several treasures to auction in Yanzhou. All the money obtained was given to the fourth prince."
"Now that you mention it, this child is indeed quite good."
"That's not all. I heard that the fourth brother started a public school in Yanzhou?"
"Yes, that's true." The Emperor nodded.
"She also contributed to the expenses. She never felt bitter following the fourth brother, and she put most of her dowry into it. Whenever she heard that the fourth brother had any plans, she would support them. Such a child is truly rare."
As the Empress spoke, she seemed to recall her own past, and said with emotion, "Which ordinary woman, after getting married, isn't afraid that her dowry will be squandered by her husband's family? But she is different. Seeing her reminds me of myself back then."
The Emperor's brow twitched. Back then, he and his wife had lived in hardship. Although he was a prince, there were too many places to spend money due to the frequent wars at the time.
His empress sold almost all of her dowry to fund his military campaigns.
"Is she as good as you say? How many women in this world can compare to you?" The Emperor's tone was slightly displeased.
The Empress chuckled, "Your Majesty, you have me as your wife, so why can't our son have a wife like me?"
These words seemed to instantly clear the Emperor's mind, which had been somewhat conflicted.
Yes, what kind of person is Duanmu Chuze?
Civil administration can govern a country, while military force can secure its peace.
His martial prowess goes without saying. Three years of service on the frontier earned him the title of War God of the Great Yong at a young age, and he struck fear into the hearts of the Turks!
As for Wen? Just look at everything he does in Yanzhou now, and you can see that this fourth son is someone who attaches great importance to etiquette and culture.
If everyone reads books and everyone upholds etiquette, how could Yanzhou not be stable?
More importantly, he not only encouraged people to read, but also encouraged the establishment of martial arts schools in the community.
They may not be considered martial, but if war were to break out, these people would be ready to go straight to the battlefield.
"Actually, I like the fourth prince the most and want to find him a good wife. But back then, he only had his eye on that girl from the Mu family. I couldn't do anything about it. It's also because we've spoiled him over the years. I even said that if I didn't let him marry Mu Xin Nuan, he would become a monk."
The Empress chuckled. "That sounds like something that rascal would say, but knowing his personality, he certainly wouldn't do it."
The Emperor seemed to remember something and chuckled, "You're right. He certainly won't really become a monk. If I were to bestow Mu Xin Nuan upon someone else, I'm afraid he would definitely try to steal her away."
The Emperor smiled and shook his head, his tone a mixture of indulgence and helplessness, "In the end, it's still because we've spoiled them."
"I don't think he's spoiled. Compared to Prince Ming and Prince Kang, I think the Fourth Prince is more sensible. Putting aside everything else, every time he comes to visit me in the palace, he never mentions the political affairs he was talking about. He just comes to chat with me. He has no other intentions."
The Empress glanced at the Emperor's expression, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I feel relaxed chatting with Anuan and the Fourth Prince. There's no need for me to be on guard."
These words truly struck a chord with the Emperor!
This feeling wasn't just shared by the Empress; he felt it too.
Whenever he spoke with the Crown Prince and Duanmu Chen, the Emperor felt he had to be careful, lest they discover or plot against him.
But with Duanmu Chuze?
The Emperor sighed inwardly, "This is true filial piety!"
All they wanted was to make life more comfortable and easier for the elderly couple, but they never thought about getting anything in return from him and the Empress.
Thinking about his other sons and daughters-in-law, even Duanmu Chen wouldn't have such thoughts.
"Speaking of which, they've been in the capital for quite some time now. Don't you think it's time to issue an imperial decree ordering them to return?"
The Empress's hand paused noticeably for a moment, then she gritted her teeth and said, "I will do as Your Majesty wishes."
The Emperor nodded and gently closed his eyes. His Empress was always the same—virtuous and understanding.
"I've thought it over. Let them go back this time, and I'll issue an edict to bring them to the capital next year on your birthday. Don't worry, I know you're suffering too, and I'm watching over you."
The Empress felt a lump in her throat; she hadn't expected that the Emperor was still thinking of her.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Someone, deliver the imperial decree: order them to leave the capital in three days, without fail."