Chapter 321 Minglan Really Understands Me
Looking at Yan Kuan, whose face was pale, Zhao Xing smiled and said, "Minister Yan is still strong and healthy. I think he can still work for many more years. What do you think, Minister Yan?"
"Since Your Majesty does not mind my old age and still wants to employ me, I am naturally willing to serve Your Majesty." Yan Kuan said bitterly.
"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded with satisfaction and said, "Come here, take Minister Yan to the side hall."
Upon hearing this, a eunuch stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Sir Shangshu, please come in!"
Yan Kuan bowed and followed the eunuch out of the main hall and into the side hall.
Not long after, a eunuch brought over the books that Zhao Xing had mentioned.
After the eunuch left, Yan Kuan did not look at it.
It's not that he really doesn't understand the law at all. If the law were to be followed for the crimes those people committed, the death penalty would be a light punishment, and their family members would not be able to escape.
Although he had guessed that it was Zhao Xing who sent the evidence, he only thought that Zhao Xing wanted to use this incident to establish his authority.
Now it seems that Zhao Xing wants to kill someone.
However, he had no choice. Since Zhao Xing was able to obtain evidence of those people's crimes, what about his?
Although what he did was not as great as what Peng Qingzhong and others did, he still made a lot of benefits in private.
In official circles, socializing, arranging promotions, and maintaining a wealthy life, which one doesn't cost money?
There are very few people who can truly keep themselves clean.
Even if there are some people like Sheng Hong who are not greedy, most of them are because there are people in their family who are engaged in business and can provide him with support.
Even if some people have ideals and ambitions at the beginning, after a long time, when they see others who have less political achievements than them getting promoted while they themselves are doing nothing, they will eventually become the person they once hated the most.
Yan Kuan knew what the consequences would be if he did what Zhao Xing wanted, but he had no choice.
After sitting there for half an hour, Yan Kuan sighed, asked the eunuch to bring him writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, and started writing.
After stopping writing, Yan Kuan hesitated for a long time, and finally sighed, handed the notebook to the eunuch, and asked him to present it to Zhao Xing.
After waiting for about a cup of tea, the eunuch returned with the note and gave it back to Yan Kuan, smiling and saying, "Your Majesty said that Lord Yan is the Minister of Justice, so Lord Yan can decide how to deal with it."
Yan Kuan knew Zhao Xing was satisfied after hearing this, and said, "In that case, it's getting late, so I'll leave first."
"Please come in, Lord Yan!" The eunuch stepped aside to lead the way for Yan Kuan.
…………
"Your Majesty!" Zhang Guifen saluted.
"Didn't I tell you that you are pregnant and you don't need to perform formalities in private?"
Zhao Xing stepped forward and helped Zhang Guifen up, saying with some displeasure.
"I am the queen. I should set an example and etiquette must not be abolished!" Zhang Guifen said with a smile.
"You always have a lot of great ideas to say."
Zhao Xing shook his head, pulled her to sit down beside the couch, and said, "You haven't had any reaction in the past few days, have you?"
"I am just a little sleepy, nothing else is wrong. Minglan has been suffering from severe morning sickness these days, so Your Majesty should visit her more often when you have time." Zhang Guifen said.
"You are becoming more and more like a queen now." Zhao Xing said with a smile.
Although Zhang Guifen had never dealt with or suppressed other concubines before, when Zhao Xing went to her room for several days in a row, she would not say anything to Zhao Xing to let him share the spoils equally and let him go to other concubines' rooms.
Zhang Guifen smiled and didn't respond. She touched her belly and said, "Your Majesty, I want to go to Daxiangguo Temple tomorrow to burn incense and pray for the child."
"Don't you believe these?" Zhao Xing asked in surprise.
"I don't believe it, but I went there just to seek peace of mind." Zhang Guifen said with a smile.
Women are weak by nature, but they become strong when they become mothers.
Zhang Guifen didn’t believe in these things before, but now that she has become a mother, she also wants to burn incense and pray that her child can be born safely.
"There will be a morning court tomorrow. I will accompany you after it's over." Zhao Xing said.
"No need. Your Majesty is busy with state affairs, so don't worry about these trivial matters. I will let Minglan accompany me, so that she can also burn some incense." Zhang Guifen said.
Zhao Xing pondered for a while after hearing this. He was afraid that tomorrow's morning court would not be peaceful and the end time was uncertain, so he might not be able to go.
"Then let Minglan go with you. I'll have someone go to the Duke of Ying's mansion to inform them and have your mother-in-law go with you as well." Zhao Xing said. This time Zhang Guifen did not refuse.
Zhao Xing called Sanshui over and gave him a few instructions, and Sanshui took the order and left.
After having dinner with Zhang Guifen and chatting for a while, Zhao Xing left.
The night before the morning court session, Zhao Xing would not stay with Zhang Guifen to rest, otherwise he would have to get up early the next day and disturb her rest.
After leaving Renming Palace, Zhao Xing went to Sheng Shulan's palace.
Zhao Xing arrived outside the palace and Shulan, who had received the news, came out to greet him.
What surprised Zhao Xing was that Rulan was also here.
"Why are you here too?" Zhao Xing asked in surprise.
Normally at this point, the concubines in the harem would stay in their respective palaces, waiting for Zhao Xing to arrive.
Rulan blushed slightly when she heard this and said, "I came to talk to Sister Shulan."
Zhao Xing didn't think much about it after hearing this. He nodded and walked into the palace.
Shulan followed Zhao Xing into the hall, while Rulan stayed where she was, somewhat hesitant.
When Minglan became pregnant, Ruolan didn't think much about it at first, but she couldn't stand it because Mother Hua kept telling her about how miserable the fate of those concubines who had no children was.
Zhao Xing still has few concubines now, but after the selection in the future, the number of concubines and reserve beauties will be at least hundreds.
At that time, I couldn’t even taste the new ones, so why would I care about the ‘old ones’?
Only by conceiving a child can one secure his position.
Didn’t you see that since Shulan gave birth to a daughter, Zhao Xing often came to see the child and often stayed with her to rest?
Rulan had been told this several times by Mother Hua, and she also asked the palace maids in her courtyard and learned that many concubines who had no children were favored once and never favored again for the rest of their lives. She was a little scared, and thought of the idea that Minglan had given her before.
Minglan's idea was very simple, which was to let Rulan go to Shulan or Yu Yanran more often at night.
Make sure Zhao Xing has rested before leaving.
With Zhao Xing's personality, as long as he went to the palace to rest and saw her there, he would definitely keep her.
Rulan was too embarrassed to go to Yu Yanran, so she came to Shulan.
However, Zhao Xing did not ask her to stay, leaving her unsure whether to leave or stay.
After hesitating for a while, Rulan stamped her feet and followed him into the hall.
Zhao Xing and Shulan entered the hall and sat down on the couch. Seeing Rulan following in, she seemed to understand something.
He came to Shulan at this time, obviously to rest here.
But Rulan didn't leave. What was Rulan planning? How could he not understand the little plan in Rulan's mind?
Seeing Rulan standing there at a loss, Zhao Xing waved to her and said, "Come here."
Rulan walked forward upon hearing that. Zhao Xing patted his legs. Rulan happily sat down in Zhao Xing's arms, putting her arms around Zhao Xing's neck.
Zhao Xing put his arm around her waist, looked at Shulan and said with a smile, "Did you give her the idea?"
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty..."
Shulan blushed slightly when she heard this and spoke hesitantly.
"It seems that it's not you." Zhao Xing turned his head and looked at Rulan who was lowering her head in his arms. He held up her chin with his hand, letting her look at him, and asked playfully: "Was it Minglan who gave you the idea?"
"No...no...it was my own thought." Rulan said hurriedly.
Zhao Xing lowered his head and kissed her until she was in a trance. Then he let her go and said with a smile, "Minglan really understands me."
(End of this chapter)