coobybook Chapter 281 281 Confusion
Chapter 281 281 Confusion
Chapter 281 281 Confusion
The emperor nodded to Feng Ling with satisfaction and said, "Hmm, I trust you to handle things. If you do a good job, I will reward you handsomely."
Feng Ling bowed and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness."
"That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. I was heartbroken by the Crown Prince's unruly behavior and saddened by the suffering of those innocent girls," the Emperor sighed. "If the Left Chancellor had been there to guide and teach him, he wouldn't have ended up like this. Of course, I also bear a great responsibility for his condition; I have neglected to discipline him."
Gongsun Kai said, "Your Majesty should not blame yourself too much. The Crown Prince is currently in the prime of his life and acts impulsively. With no one around to keep him in check, he naturally makes a mistake. He is still young, and with Your Majesty's guidance, he will surely be able to correct his ways."
"He's not young anymore. Look at the third prince, he's only half a year younger than him, but he's very steady. The fourth prince is three years younger than him, and although he's a bit eccentric, he's very dedicated to his duties and always puts the people first. As for the sixth prince... let's not talk about him. Although he's smart, he always uses his intelligence elsewhere and is unwilling to share my burdens. But he has a very good temperament. If you ask him to do something, even if he's not happy about it, he'll do it to the best of his ability and make everyone satisfied."
Gongsun Zhan and Feng Ling listened quietly, not daring to respond.
“Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve spoiled him too much? He thinks the world will eventually be his, so he doesn’t cherish it. I give the third, fourth, and sixth princes tasks so they can show their skills in court. Actually, I want to give him a wake-up call—although he is my eldest son, he is not my only son. There are many people more capable than him who can be the crown prince. If he doesn’t work harder, I can depose him and reinstate him.”
Gongsun Zhan said, "Your Majesty, please don't say that. A stable crown prince means a stable court, and a stable court means a stable empire. The reason why the crown prince is the crown prince must be because of his unique qualities and special abilities, which has nothing to do with whether he is the legitimate son or a concubine's son."
The emperor shook his head and laughed, "You, you, you understand me best. You always know exactly what's on my mind. Alright, don't look so nervous. I called you here to have a heart-to-heart talk. I've finally resolved my inner conflict, and I owe it all to you."
Gongsun Zhan said, "I am deeply honored to be able to share Your Majesty's burdens."
When Feng Ling left the Imperial Study, the sun was already past noon. The autumn sky was high and clear, and the sunlight was even more scorching than in summer. As Feng Ling walked under the eaves, although he was in the shade, his heart felt as if it were being scorched by the sun, restless and burning.
"Teacher, did you already foresee this outcome, which is why you kept me from revealing this matter to His Majesty?" Feng Ling asked suddenly, following behind Gongsun Zhan.
Gongsun Zhan paused for a moment, but did not stop, continuing to walk steadily forward. After a long while, he said, "I have served His Majesty for so many years, and I understand His Majesty's thoughts better than you do."
Feng Ling stopped and looked up at the patch of blue sky separated by glazed tiles above the palace. He said, "Teacher, I don't even know why I'm doing this job in this palace."
Gongsun Zhan turned around, looked up at the sky, and said:
"Many years ago, I had the same question as you."
Feng Ling asked, "Did the teacher eventually find the answer?"
Gongsun Zhan said, "Of course I found it."
Feng Ling asked, "Could you perhaps offer some guidance to the student?"
Gongsun Zhan said, "If you want peace in this world and the people to have no worries, don't rely on others, but do it yourself. Even if you eventually find that you can only protect a small piece of land and uphold justice for a small group of people, as long as you stick to your principles, everything you do is right and you will have no regrets."
“But I feel guilty,” Feng Ling said.
Gongsun Zhan noticed a hint of tears in his eyes and his heart softened. He asked, "Are you referring to the woman who gave you the list?"
“It’s not just her, but also the teacher’s granddaughter, Miss Ye Pianran,” Feng Ling said. “They trusted their student so much, believing that the student would thoroughly investigate the case and bring the mastermind to justice. But now, for some reason, the student can only find a few scapegoats to end the case as soon as possible. I have no face to see them again.”
Ye Pianran... Ran'er.
Gongsun Zhan sighed inwardly and said, "I will speak to Ran'er myself. As for Zheng Yan... you asked before where she is now?"
Feng Lingdao said, "She was taken back to the Nanping Prince's Mansion by the Fourth Prince."
Gongsun Zhan pondered for a moment and said, "How about this? After I go back, I will go to the Prince of Nanping's residence, bring Zheng Yan back to the Prime Minister's residence, settle her in, and explain this matter to her properly. You just need to focus on doing what His Majesty has asked of you."
"That's all we can do," Feng Ling said.
The two set off again towards the palace gates. Passing a lotus pond, they saw water lilies in the water. Suddenly, Feng Ling remembered something, his face changing abruptly. He hurriedly stepped forward and said to Gongsun Zhan, "No, teacher, there's something very important I forgot to mention! It's about..."
"Her Majesty the Empress and Consort Min have arrived!"
At this moment, the eunuch's sharp voice interrupted Feng Ling's words. Gongsun Zhan and Feng Ling turned slightly to the side and saw the Empress and Consort Min, Chunyu Jing's birth mother, walking hand in hand, chatting and laughing, surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids, towards the direction of the lotus pond.
Upon seeing this, Gongsun Zhan and Feng Ling immediately bowed in greeting:
"Your Majesty the Empress, may Your Majesty live a thousand years! I also greet Consort Min, may Your Majesty be blessed with ten thousand years of happiness and peace."
The Empress and Consort Min then noticed that there were other people in the garden. The Empress smiled and said, "Left Prime Minister, it has been a long time since we last met."
Gongsun Zhan asked with concern, "Yes, Your Highness, how have you been lately?"
The Empress sighed softly, raised her hand to rub her temples, and said, "Alas, lately I've been feeling rather tired and lethargic, always very sleepy, and once I'm asleep I don't want to wake up, it's so annoying."
Gongsun Zhan asked, "Is that so? Has the imperial physician been summoned to examine him?"
The Empress said, "I have heard about it, but they couldn't find anything wrong with me. They just said that I've been thinking too much lately and my blood and qi are insufficient. They prescribed some calming medicine. The medicine has been somewhat effective, and I feel a bit better these past two days. I happened to see that the weather was nice today, so I came out for a walk with the Consort."
"The autumn hunt is about to begin, and the journey is long and bumpy. I hope Your Majesty will take good care of your health," Gongsun Zhan said.
Glancing in the direction Gongsun Zhan and Feng Ling had come from, the Empress asked with a smile, "Did the Left Chancellor just return from discussing matters with His Majesty in the Imperial Study?"
Gongsun Zhan said, "That's right."
Empress: "Alas, His Majesty did not sleep well all night last night. I wonder what troubles he encountered. The Left Prime Minister is the most trusted person by His Majesty's side. I hope that the Left Prime Minister can share His Majesty's worries and let him take care of his health."
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will certainly do my duty and help Your Majesty resolve your troubles," Gongsun Zhan said. "Your Majesty, I have other important matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."
The Empress said "Go," and then continued her stroll with Consort Min. Gongsun Zhan and Feng Ling, eager to leave, failed to notice the cold, sharp gaze that Consort Min inadvertently cast upon them.