Bachelor

Chapter 192 Zhu Houcong

The cabin was very hot and stuffy, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, and the faint blue light illuminated the cabin white.Xing Wang Zhu Houcong suddenly sat up from the bed, feeling that every bone in his body was sore and painful, sweat as big as soybeans rolled down from his vest one by one, soaking his shirt so that it looked like it had just come out of the water. It's the same as taking it out.

Just after Haishi, it was late at night, but the river was still very hot.The river, which has been exposed to the sun for a day, is calm and without waves, and there is a dense heat radiating from the surface of the water, which makes people unable to lift their spirits.There is no wind outside, the moon and stars are hiding in the thick clouds, there are faint lightning flashes on the river, the dense clouds are not raining, and the dull sky is pressed down, making it difficult to breathe.

Since news of Emperor Zhengde's serious illness reached Anlu, he has had nightmares every day.In the dream, someone was slashing at him with a knife.

Many times, he tried to open his eyes wide in the dream, so that he could see the appearance of that person clearly.But no matter how hard he tried, he could only see a black cloud rolling in front of him.

Then, there was a lightning strike, just like the flashes of lightning flashing in the sky.

He sat on the bed blankly, subconsciously groping for the drawer at the head of the bed.Probably just waking up from a nightmare and being in a trance, this movement was very loud in the silent cabin.

Zhu Houcong kept his hands in the air, and suddenly, he heard a low cry coming from beside him.Zhu Houcong frowned slightly, and looked at it intently. Beside him was a petite and soft figure, showing a seductive and graceful curve in the night.

After thinking about it for a long time, he didn't remember who the woman beside him was: Princess Zhang, Princess Du, or Princess Fang?
His mind was in a daze, and he only remembered that he took an elixir in the evening, and then he felt his head swelled and his body went numb, and he went to bed after taking a sip of soup. As for which princess was going to bed tonight, he did not know half impression.

Ever since he started taking the elixir offered by the alchemist, he felt that he had lost interest in the affairs of men and women.Although these elixirs are hot and hot things, for some reason, they just don't feel that kind of thing.

It was still hot in the cabin, and the surroundings were pitch black, making one feel like being in a steamer.

Zhu Houcong couldn't sleep anymore, so he got off the bed in cloaked clothes, lit a candle on the table with a flint.

A circle of bright candlelight spread in the cabin, and the scene in front of me became clear.

On the not-so-wide bed beside her, a woman shrugged her shoulders lightly, buried her head in the pillow, and sobbed softly.

Zhu Houcong is very familiar with this back view, because she is his first wife, Prince Xinghou Chen.

Zhu Houcong couldn't remember the last time he shared the bed with Queen Chen, and when he heard his cry, he didn't feel a little irritable in his heart: "Queen, why are you crying in the middle of the night? Answer my king's words. "

The crying person on the bed straightened up, revealing a beautiful face and soft body branches. Her eyes were full of sadness: "My lord, you are going to take the elixir again. Father, he just took the elixir and left. Now you are taking the elixir." It's so fierce, I'm afraid..."

Hearing the queen talking about her deceased father, Zhu Houcong felt a sudden pain in his heart, and then another evil fire rose from his heart.Glancing at her coldly, Zhu Houcong waved his sleeves, wrapped the long sleeves around his arms, and sarcastically said in a sharp voice: "Why, are you afraid that I will eat the elixir and die, ruining your queen's dream? This king knows that you have been waiting for this day for a long time, but now you have fulfilled your wish?"

Such heartbreaking words came out of her husband's mouth, like a lightning strike in Queen Chen's heart.She suddenly raised her head to look at Zhu Houcong, and said sadly: "My lord, this concubine is worried about your body! I know that since I married the king, I haven't given birth to a man or a woman, and I have a violent personality and don't know how to please You are happy. However, the number of times the king comes to this concubine in a year can be counted on both hands. The concubine does not know what makes the king hate it. The king is exhausted, and his body is already tired. I should not have said These. I don't blame you if you don't come to this concubine, but you can't eat this elixir anymore."

Zhu Houcong didn't get angry when he heard the words, he just bit his lower lip and sneered: "Okay, before you arrive in Beijing, you won't be able to tolerate Concubine Zhang and the others in your eyes. What will happen if you really have such a day in the future. I know you are jealous of Concubine Zhang and the others. Hehe, with your character of not wanting to let others now, how will you be the mother of the world in the future?"

"Jealousy, do I need to be jealous of them?" Concubine Chen's voice became louder: "Your Majesty thinks that Concubine Zhang and the others are good because they blindly follow your thoughts. If I intend to compete with them, I won't persuade you to take care of yourself." .”

"Competing for favor, you are a dignified queen, are you willing to fight with them?" Zhu Houcong's mouth felt dry for a while. Fever, body fluttering.

He became more and more irritable, and with a wave of his hand, the big sleeves wrapped around his arms "hoo!"Ignoring the stubborn Chen Hou in the cabin, he strode up to the deck.

Probably because Queen Chen mentioned the deceased father just now, Zhu Houcong felt a pain in his heart. He got on the deck, and the outside was still sultry. Looking at the wide river, he took a long breath.

Family affairs, state affairs, world affairs, everything is on his mind, making this future 15-year-old boy emperor unable to calm down for a long time.

Perhaps, as Empress Chen said, the death of the father was really related to taking the elixir.

However, no one knows better than him what kind of life his father lived before his death.Taking the elixir is probably his escape from reality, right?
The imperial court has strict control over the vassal princes everywhere, especially after the Ningwang Rebellion, they even treated the princes as criminals.Constantly ordered local officials to monitor nearby, and sent officials to the palace to manage daily affairs.It can be said that every move of the palace, and even every expense, would be impossible without their nods.

The most extreme thing is that according to the ancestral system, the vassal king is not allowed to leave the royal city without an order from the court, and those who violate the order will be severely punished.

Ever since he could remember, Zhu Houcong had never stepped out of the royal city. To him, the palace and the royal city were like a huge prison.Trapped in it, it makes people breathless.

Father Wang Yisheng had two sons and four daughters, but most of them died in infancy or when they were young, and he grew up alone.This may be related to his long-term use of elixir, which has affected the health of the next generation.

He still remembers that on the day his father passed away, he took his hand and said: "Hou, Gu really wants to see the capital again! I was born there, grew up there, and that is my hometown. People often say that fallen leaves return to their roots." , My leaf has fallen, but I can’t go home. Is there anything worse in the world? Ruthless is the emperor’s family. The prince of the Ming Dynasty is decent in the eyes of outsiders, but only we know it. It is the most tragic thing in the world. With Yigu's talent and learning, if he is an ordinary citizen, he can take the imperial examination, no matter what, he can pass the imperial examination, even if he is a seventh-rank county magistrate, he will be much happier than he is now!"

That is to say, from the day his father died, Zhu Houcong secretly made up his mind that he would never let fate dictate his life again.When a person lives for a lifetime, once the grass and trees fall, he has to be at ease, how can he be controlled by others?

God still did not disappoint him, and soon, news of Masanori's critical illness reached Anlu.And there is a gossip that Zhengde intends to pass the throne to Zhu Houcong.

After hearing the news, everyone in the palace was really excited, but Zhu Houcong was secretly vigilant.For him, if there is no accident, he will be like his father in this life, staying in the royal city for the rest of his life and not being able to leave a single step.Only by becoming an emperor can one get rid of this desperate life.

However, there are many vassal kings in the world, and people of the thick-character generation have the possibility of becoming the throne.He, Zhu Houcong, is not very eye-catching among them, but is just a possible choice.Moreover, he also faces a strong opponent: Zhu Houqiao, the king of Jianghua.

This person is quite prestigious in the court and the public, and has unclear relationships with several elders in the court.If you want to climb to the top smoothly, you have to knock him down completely.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong did not dare to slack off, and sent his most trusted and powerful assistant, Lu Bing, to the capital for activities in order to seize the upper hand in the future competition for the throne.

However, who would have thought that King Jianghua had deployed manpower in the capital long ago, and gathered a large number of court officials to lobby in front of the emperor.

I have to admit that the end of last year was the most difficult period for Zhu Houcong.The activities in the capital cost a lot, which made him a little stretched.What frustrates him the most is that he doesn't know who leaked the news.The officials sent by the imperial court to the Xingwang Mansion strengthened the management of the current accounts of the Wang Mansion, and the expenditure of every penny was extremely strict.If it weren't for the support of the Lu family, all his arrangements in the capital would be in vain in the end.

But to buy officials and get through the key points, you need money like flowing water to use it.Even though the Lu family is rich and powerful, they don't look at the burden, and it seems that they will not be able to support it.

However, as soon as the new year was over, things suddenly took a turn for the better.

A Shandong scholar named Sun Dan appeared in the chaotic political situation in the capital...

Thinking about everything that happened this year, Zhu Houcong stared blankly at the calm river.The huge fleet is moored by the river, the tired sails are lowered, and the white canvas is looming in the light of lightning.

If Lu Bing hadn't known Sun Dan, if Sun Dan hadn't been around the emperor to speak for Xing Wangfu, things might have been different, right?

Moreover, as soon as Sun Dan intervened in the battle for succession between Anlu and Qingzhou, he first raised a large sum of money for Xingwang's mansion with a money ticket. With this money, Lu Bing and the others successfully bought a lot of money. The seal of key departments.Secondly, Sun Danyou set up a clever plan to uproot Qingzhou's forces in the capital, and the means were accurate and fast, so fast that Qingzhou could not react.

On the day of Zhengde's death, Sun Dan stayed by the emperor's side from beginning to end.Whether it is making a will or issuing an imperial decree, he handles it all by himself.This method, this resourcefulness, is much better than those so-called celebrities and talented scholars who only know how to talk about their hearts and talk about morality.

Even Lu Song applauded after hearing his deeds: "Congratulations, my lord, I finally got a counselor like Zhang Liang and Chen Ping. On the other hand, King Jiang Hua, although Ping Qiuli under him is also an unborn talent, he can be compared with Sun Dan When I woke up, I was as immature as a three-year-old doll. This is the blessing of the prince, but also the nightmare of Qingzhou. God sent Sun Dan to the prince. Doesn't this just mean that the destiny is on the prince's side?"

As for Lu Bing, he admired Sun Dan's strategy to the point of complete surrender.

"But... why does Gu feel a little uncomfortable?" His eyes were still hot and red, and Zhu Houcong subconsciously reached out to touch the pill in his bosom, but it was in vain.

"Yes, Gu is jealous... The layout of the capital has always been under Gu's control, but the direction of the development of things is out of my control. Gu is also a man of great talent, how could he be compared by a small scholar?" Go down?" Zhu Houcong suddenly found the reason for his discomfort.

"In this world, there are always people who like to manipulate me. The officials in the palace, the grandma in the court, my subordinates, and even my concubines... This feeling is really uncomfortable!"

"Fortunately, Gu is finally going to be enthroned. The Son of Heaven is everywhere, so naturally he should do whatever he wants and cheer up."

A sense of ambition suddenly rose in his chest, and he raised his voice: "Put the wrench, this king wants to go ashore."

"No, my lord. If you leave the ship and go ashore alone in the middle of the night, if Shangshu Mao finds out, I'm afraid it will be a bitter experience." Huang Jin, who had been waiting on the deck for a long time, hurried up. Come to advise.

He was stabbed by Zhu Huan that day and his whole body was bruised, and he had to recover for a month on the road before he fully recovered. Although his body is fine now, his face is still extremely pale.

"Why, do you want to restrict me too?" Zhu Houcong couldn't get angry when he thought of Mao Cheng's swollen eyes and face full of false smiles.On this way, along the waterway from Anlu to Nanjing, then to Zhenjiang, and then turn to the north of the Grand Canal.Mao Shangshu and a group of officials from the imperial court guarded him like a prisoner.

Although Zhu Houcong is the prince of Ming Dynasty and is sometimes the crown prince, he is still a young man of fifteen or sixteen years old.He has all the characteristics that a young man should have. He has never been out of the royal city in his life, and finally caught a chance to travel far away. Naturally, he wants to travel to the mountains and rivers to enjoy his eyesight.

But Mao Shangshu and the others were nailed to his side all day long, not allowing this, not doing that, just treating him, the future emperor, like a lifeless object, as long as he just stayed in the cabin honestly.

It's a joke for the majestic prince of the Ming Dynasty, the future emperor, to be guarded by this group of bureaucrats.

However, he could only think about it in his heart, but on the surface he could only show an attitude of being open-minded and receptive.

Otherwise, Mao Shangshu and the others will definitely talk about the "ancestral family law" and "Da Ming practice" with a straight face.

"These old people, when I ascend the throne as emperor in the future, I must take good care of them."

At this moment, Zhu Houcong could only think about it in his heart, but he was so wronged that he wanted to go crazy, and he didn't want to hide it from Huang Jin.

Hearing the prince's bad tone, Huang Jin, who is used to checking his face, hurriedly knelt on the ground, "My lord, what status is this old slave, how dare you restrict you. If the lord really wants to go ashore, the slave will let go of the wrench. By the way, I Then go tell Lu Bing to come and escort him."

"If you tell him what to do, if you startle Lu Song, you will startle a large group of people." After Huang Jin put down the wrench, Zhu Houcong jumped on it, and said coldly: "Don't talk about escorting or not, Gu is just a poor man now. The prince who is at the mercy of others is not yet the emperor. You old slave, don't talk nonsense, be careful not to be overheard by someone with a heart, and cause trouble."

When we got to the river bank, it was still very dark, and we walked on the embankment with one foot high and the other foot low, stumbling from time to time.If it wasn't for that Huang Jinsheng stretching out his hand, I don't know how many tumbles he would have suffered.

Zhu Houcong walked faster and faster, but his footsteps became heavier. He angrily slapped Huang Jin's extended hand away, and roared angrily, "I'm only fifteen in my solitary year, and I'm young and young. Isn't it better than a lot of old killers like you?"

Huang Jin had a bitter face: "My lord has never even been out of the king's city, so naturally he is not used to this kind of road. He was born in a villain and a poor family. He has seen all kinds of ditches and bumps. He has fallen a lot and walked smoothly. gone."

"Well said, I fell a lot, and I walked flat." Zhu Houcong glanced at Huang Jin irritably, and suddenly said: "Huang Ban, you are the closest person alone, and there is no one else here, so start talking." I didn’t even think about it. I just thought that as long as you become the emperor, you can do whatever you want, and do whatever you want. But, look at them..." He stretched out his finger and pointed at the fleet in the river, his fingers were like nails He stabbed forward: "Look at them, everyone treats me like a child, and wants me to act according to their wishes. In Yigu's opinion, being an emperor is not that interesting. I want to go back to Anlu."

Huang Jin still had a bitter face, but there was a gleam of light in his eyes: "My lord, didn't you just say that as long as you become the emperor, you will naturally have a lot of opportunities to deal with them. Slaves come from poor people. I haven't read it before." How many books. It’s easy to think about things, whoever makes the old slave’s master unhappy in the future, the slave will make him unhappy for the rest of his life.”

"Okay, okay, let's see if we can deal with them slowly in the future." Zhu Houcong finally laughed.You took a few steps forward, turned around a backwater bay, and suddenly opened up in front of you.I saw a flash of lightning flashing across the water, and amidst the pale lightning, there was a strong wind blowing, rolling up billowing white waves.

The previous chagrin suddenly disappeared, and the strong wind blew the clothes, hunting and dancing, which made people feel relieved.

At this time, he suddenly saw a small boat jumping out of the white waves and shooting towards the shore like an arrow.Looking intently, it was Lu Bing who was fully clothed.

Zhu Houcong: "But Lu Bing?"

"I heard that Huang Ban sent someone to tell you that the prince came ashore to relax. As the guard of the palace, Lu Bing didn't dare to delay, so he hurriedly chased after him in a small boat, disturbing the prince's night tour." Before the boat landed, Lu Bing had already flew away. jumped up.

"Night tour, black lights and blind fire, I can't see anything. I'm depressed, so I come out for a walk." Borrowing the light of lightning, seeing that the leather armor on Lu Bing's body was splashed by the waves, Zhu Houcong suddenly felt a little nervous. Touched, he sighed unconsciously: "Xiao Luzi, Huang Ban. Now, the Yingjia fleet has sailed to Dezhou, Shandong, and it can reach the capital in ten days at most. One of you is the big companion who watched me grow up, and the other is with me. Brothers who grew up on the same mother's milk are really closer than relatives. But once we arrive in the capital, there are differences between rulers and ministers, and some things are not so easy to say. Well, today is the last time I will say some heart-to-heart words with you Yes. Now, I am going to be the emperor, and I will never forget the contributions of the two of you. Tell me, what request do you have, and I will agree to both of you."

When Lu and Huang heard Zhu Houcong's heartfelt words, their emotions were agitated, and at the same time they saluted: "It is a great blessing for me to serve the prince to death, why do I have other unreasonable thoughts."

"Haha, it's meaningless for you to say that." Zhu Houcong pointed to the two of them with a clear heart and said, "Huang Jin, when you enter the palace, the seal of the supervisor of ceremonies must be yours. You are the lonely companion and the most caring family member." , don’t let you do it, let others do it?”

Huang Jin choked up: "The slave only hopes to serve the prince forever, and it doesn't really matter whether he is an official or not."

Zhu Houcong sighed, patted him on the shoulder, then turned to Lu Bing and said, "Lu Bing, you are still young, and you have been practicing for a few years. Take care of Jinyiwei for me."

"Yes, I will definitely manage the North and South Yamen for you in the future, thank you for your trustworthiness."

"Well, you don't need to say thank you, let alone you and I love brothers, this time in Beijing, you have contributed a lot. It can be said that Gu is able to sit on the boat to go to Beijing now, which is part of your credit. Gu is not a merciless person, as long as you do your best for me, you will be rewarded." Zhu Houcong smiled rarely.

Lu Bing lowered his head and thought for a while, then suddenly shook his head: "It is mainly due to Mr. Sun Dan that the prince can return to the capital this time."

"Yes, this man is very powerful!" Zhu Houcong nodded: "This man is very clever, and he has an extremely accurate grasp of the situation, tactics and people's hearts. He is a man of great talent. Tell me, should I use him again?"

When Lu Bing heard the prince praised Sun Dan, he was also happy for him, and said: "This man has the talent of a prime minister, so he can join the cabinet as a prime minister."

"He does have this talent, but it's not in line with the ancestral system to be a commoner." Huang Jin suddenly said with a gloomy face: "This person is walking in a deceitful way, with deep scheming and vicious methods. Look at the bank he got, it is obviously going the wrong way, and it is full of tricks when dealing with Ping Qiuli. Is such a person suitable to be an official in the court? According to Huang Jin, this person knows too much More than nothing."

A thunderbolt exploded in the sky, illuminating the sky and the earth in white.

Lu Bing was startled and said in surprise, "Huang Ban, how could you be like this? Sun Dan is a man of sincerity, and he is a modest gentleman. We don't know how to repay you, but why did you do such an ungrateful act?"

Huang Jin said calmly: "He knows too much, my lord, think about it, if others know how you got your throne..."

Zhu Houcong's body trembled and he was stunned.

Lu Bing was still yelling: "Eunuch Huang, you can't be so harmful!"

Huang Jin said softly: "Xiao Luzi, you are too young and your heart is soft, why can't you let go at the critical moment?"

Zhu Houcong looked at Lu Bing: "Tell me what you think, I've said it all, today is the last time we have a heart-to-heart talk, if you have anything to say, just say it."

Lu Bing gave Huang Jin an annoyed look, and suddenly said, "My lord, you also said that you would never forget everyone's contributions. Why did you change your mind after listening to Huang Ban's words?"

Zhu Houcong's heart moved when he heard the words, and then he suddenly became annoyed: This Huang Jin, do you also want to influence this king to control this king?If Lu Bing hadn't reminded me just now, I would have been fooled by you.Although I know that Huang Jin's words are right and reasonable.But what the king wants to do and say is my business, and it has nothing to do with anyone else.

He glanced at Huang Jin and then at Lu Bing.Slowly said: "Gu is not an unreasonable person. Although he is the most ruthless emperor's family, but Gu still remembers Sun Dan, and your love for Lu Bing and Huang Ban. Although Gu is not easy to tell Sun Dan It's not worth an official position, but as long as he passes the Jinshi exam, he must be given a good future. Even if he fails the exam, Gu will take care of him for the rest of his life. Similarly, Gu will take care of you Lu Bing and Huang Ban for the rest of his life. "

Huang and Lu's eyes were hot, and they were trembling with excitement, with hot tears rolling down from their eyes.

The two were so excited that they were about to kneel down.Zhu Houcong hurriedly stretched out his hand to help: "You don't need to kneel, I've said it all, tonight I will treat it as my own family, without so much red tape. By the way, look at this, there will be a heavy rain soon, let's hurry back to the boat go."

Lu Bing woke up: "We have to go back to the boat quickly. When it rains, the river will rise sharply. I'm afraid we won't be able to go back."

"It's not because the water is about to rise." Zhu Houcong kicked the willow book on the embankment angrily, and said angrily, "It's just that I can't see Mao Cheng's stinky face. If I let him see this king in the middle of the night Hanging out, I'm afraid that the court system, the royal system, and even the words of the saints will be used to suppress me, and it will not spoil your mood."

Seeing Zhu Houcong losing his temper, Huang and Lu dared not speak.In order to hurry back to the big boat, the two of them didn't dare to delay, so they quickly helped Zhu Houcong onto the boat, and rowed towards the fleet with all their strength.

The river began to rush up, and the sound of the water was booming. If Lu and Huang were not of the generation with high martial arts skills, something would really happen.

Everything that should be said has been said. After getting on the boat, Zhu Houcong kept a sullen face and did not speak.

Seeing that he was meeting with the fleet, Zhu Houcong suddenly said: "I want to abolish the queen."

"What?" The two cried out in surprise.

"This woman is really annoying. She has a small belly and a small stomach. She talks nonsense in Gu's ear all day long. Gu feels tired of seeing her even more. Tell me, would you like to make Concubine Zhang the queen? woman."

Huang Jin: "Your Majesty, this matter has a lot to do with it, so it's better to have a long-term plan?"

"Suggestion, what is the plan? This king can establish whoever he wants, so what does it matter to others?"

Huang Jin bowed his head: "That's the king's family business, old slave...don't dare to talk too much."

"This matter is inappropriate. Abandoning the queen for no reason involves a lot." Lu Bing hurriedly said: "The family affairs of the king are also state affairs. Now that the king has not ascended the throne, it is better not to give excuses to those who invite corrupt scholars."

"But it is true." Zhu Houcong said depressedly: "This king can't do what he wants, so what's the point of being the emperor alone."

After boarding the ship, Lu Bing went to watch by himself, while Huang Jin served Zhu Houcong back to the cabin to rest.

The cabin was empty, and Empress Chen, who was still crying inside, had already left.Huang Jin hurriedly asked the maid outside, and the maid replied that the queen had gone back to rest in her cabin.

"This woman is so against Gu! Sooner or later, she will be abolished." Zhu Houcong was so angry that his complexion turned blue, and he took a pill to suppress the anger in his heart.

Then he said: "Huang Ban, hold the lamp, bring that "Tai Shang Induction Chapter", read a few pages alone and sleep."

Huang Jin: "My lord is impatient now, I'm afraid I won't be able to read it. Otherwise, the old servant will find you a good-looking romance book to relieve your boredom."

"What is there to read in the novel?" Zhu Houcong was very displeased.

Huang Jin smiled mysteriously: "That's not what I said. The name of this book is "Journey to the West", and it is also about gods. According to rumors, this book was written by Sun Dan."

"Ah, it was written by Sun Dan. This guy actually writes idle books. Let Gu read them in the future."

(End of this chapter)