20demayo Chapter 421 Emperor Wen...died!
Chapter 421 Emperor Wen...died!
The sky is dark and cloudy during the day, and it is going to snow heavily.
Gu Jingzhi was riding in the carriage, looking at the capital city which was getting closer and closer, and he felt a sense of impatience in his heart.
"My Lord, it's very windy outside. You should rest in the carriage!"
Erhu looked at his own master and whispered, "We'll be able to enter the city in half an hour!"
"Ok!"
Gu Jingzhi nodded.
Three months after leaving the capital, he inspected the border. The capital was just around the corner, but only Erhu, who had been by Gu Jingzhi's side for many years, knew the deep longing in his master's heart.
Erhu didn't read much, and with his limited vocabulary, he only knew that his master was really great!
The Marquis’ family is also good.
Be nice to these servants, and every day in the Marquis' Mansion is full of joy!
Only a home like this... is worthy of the Marquis's longing!
Thinking of the people and everything in the Marquis' Mansion, Erhu became a little impatient, because his wife and children were also in that Marquis' Mansion!
"My Lord, let's get going!"
Erhu said something, Gu Jingzhi nodded, then turned around and was about to get into the carriage.
At this time...
A guard of more than ten people came on horseback, escorting a eunuch. Gu Jingzhi paused.
"My Lord, someone is coming from the palace!"
Erhu reminded.
Gu Jingzhi frowned slightly.
He was about to enter the city, so why was there an imperial decree at this moment? It was a bit too hasty. Could something have happened in the palace?
Without thinking, Gu Jingzhi knew that this guard must be coming for him. Gu Jingzhi jumped out of the car and waited there!
The guards came galloping over, and when they were about to meet Gu Jingzhi's guards, they all pulled back their horses. The eunuch leading the team slowed down slightly, but did not stop. Instead, he shouted loudly: "Your Majesty has ordered that the Marquis of Xiling enter the palace immediately..."
Enter the palace?
My Lord Marquis hasn't returned home yet to see his wife and the young masters and ladies!
Erhu turned his head and looked at Gu Jingzhi.
Looking at the eunuch who had reined in the horse, the eunuch shouted again: "My Lord, please come into the palace as soon as possible. His Majesty... His Majesty is waiting for you!"
Gu Jingzhi saw that he looked anxious, as if something big had really happened in the palace. He didn't have time to think about it and said directly, "Let's go!"
As he spoke, he pulled out a warhorse from the side and jumped onto its back.
……
In the palace.
The imperial palace, where no one dared to make loud noises in the past, became even quieter today.
The palace maids and eunuchs were all very cautious, afraid of angering anyone, and the imperial guards stood silently, motionless.
The atmosphere of sadness spread like a plague.
"Tattoo..."
Gu Jingzhi rode a fast horse into the palace, and a young eunuch hurried over: "My Lord, His Majesty is waiting to see you, hurry to Yangju Palace..."
Gu Jingzhi dismounted from his horse, not caring about his appearance, and walked quickly towards Yangju Palace.
Although he didn't know what had happened, seeing what was happening in the palace, he probably figured something out.
As expected, after arriving at the Yangju Palace, the ministers who usually attended court were all kneeling on the ground, Emperor Wen was lying on the dragon bed, and the empress, the crown prince and others were surrounding the bedside.
Hearing the footsteps, everyone looked at Gu Jingzhi.
"Is it Jingzhi?"
Emperor Wen's hoarse voice sounded and he turned his head.
Gu Jingzhi looked at this scene and felt a slight pang in his heart.
"Your Majesty, it's me, I'm back!"
He walked quickly to the dragon bed and looked at the haggard Emperor Wen. Somehow, although the two of them no longer had the friendship they had in the past, and even to some extent, they could be considered enemies, he still couldn't help but feel a little sad!
"Jingzhi, I miss you!"
Emperor Wen stretched out his hand weakly and said something that surprised everyone!
Your Majesty misses Gu Jingzhi?
The two used to have a close relationship, but over the years, Emperor Wen seemed to have forgotten Gu Jingzhi. Although they met at every court meeting, apart from official business...
Your Majesty hardly mentions Gu Jingzhi's name!
Now he actually said that he missed Gu Jingzhi?
"His Majesty!"
Gu Jingzhi hurried forward, grasped the Emperor Wen's cold hands with both hands, and said in a slightly sad tone: "I have only been away from the capital for three months. How could your Majesty's health be in such a state?"
"Jingzhi!"
Emperor Wen grinned, as if filled with nostalgia, and said, "I miss Ningzhou!"
Ningzhou...
Wasn't Gu Jingzhi's sadness at that moment a thought of Ningzhou?
No matter what the two of them were like, when they first arrived in Ningzhou, they followed the people all day long, carrying hoes and cultivating one terraced field after another.
At that time, Gu Jingzhi thought that a prince who could achieve this would definitely be a good emperor in the future!
This is indeed the case.
Emperor Wen was a qualified emperor for the world, even though he failed Gu Jingzhi.
"His Majesty……"
Gu Jingzhi lowered his head. Emperor Wen missed Ningzhou, and he missed it too, but the crack in his heart did not allow him to continue the topic.
Gu Jingzhi missed Ningzhou because he missed everything about it, and Emperor Wen mentioned Ningzhou just to rekindle the friendship of the past. Emperor Wen... his time is up!
"Your Majesty, I have been inspecting the border. God blesses Great Xia. The borders and rivers are peaceful, and the people live and work in peace. I think..."
"Jingzhi..."
Emperor Wen smiled slightly and interrupted Gu Jingzhi. He knew the subtlety in Gu Jingzhi's heart. Although he felt regretful, he did not mention it again. Instead, he said, "I am tired of lying down. Help me up!"
"His Majesty!"
"His Majesty……"
The ministers looked at Emperor Wen with concern. Emperor Wen smiled weakly and said, "It's okay!"
"Jingzhi, help me up!"
"promise!"
Gu Jingzhi stepped forward and helped Emperor Wen to his feet. Emperor Wen leaned weakly against Gu Jingzhi and said in a trembling voice, "Jingzhi, although you and I are monarch and subject, I have always regarded you as a brother in my heart!"
"Your Majesty! I don't dare!"
"Your Majesty is the true dragon emperor, the most noble in the world. I have been humble since childhood, how can I be worthy of being your brother!"
Gu Jingzhi ignored the surprised expressions of the ministers and royal nobles, and continued to speak in a heavy tone.
Emperor Xia shook his head slowly.
"Jingzhi, why are you so self-conscious? Publicly, you are my right-hand man. Personally... I have always regarded you as a brother. It was so in the past, it is so today, and it will be so in the future..."
"I know you've been wronged..."
"Your Majesty! I do not feel wronged!"
Feeling wronged?
Not aggrieved, but heartbroken...
How could anyone not feel heartbroken after doing so much and being treated so coldly in the end?
Now that he has apologized to Gu Jingzhi, how much of it is genuine and how much is fake? Perhaps it is to win over the people and ensure that his son can succeed to the throne smoothly!
He thought that Emperor Wen would entrust his son to him, after all, he was the youngest and had the most profound background among the ministers in the court.
He is not only an assistant minister of Daxia, but also a great sage of literature and Taoism who is regarded as a half-teacher by scholars all over the world. In terms of his profound knowledge... who in the world can compare to him?
This is no longer the era when aristocratic families control half of the world, so... Gu Jingzhi's reputation is even more valuable.
Emperor Wen could tolerate Gu Jingzhi, but if his son did so, it would be hard to predict whether it would be a blessing or a curse!