The beginning of the counterattack! The time-traveling boss is famous in Beijing

As night fell, Emperor Jing Zhao, dressed in plain clothes, accompanied by Eunuch De and several guards, quietly arrived at the gate of the Fifth Prince's palace.

When the gatekeeper saw that it was the emperor himself, he knelt down and saluted, and wanted to go in to report it, but was stopped by the emperor.

"No need to pass it on."

The guards did not dare to delay and hurriedly led the emperor and Eunuch De, quietly passing through the winding corridors of the mansion and going straight to the study of the Fifth Prince Si Ce.

When they reached the door, Emperor Jing Zhao did not let the guard speak, but raised his hand to signal him to retreat.

In the study, candlelight flickered.

The fifth prince, Si Ce, was standing in front of the desk, writing with a brush and a look of concentration and devotion.

Hearing the footsteps behind him, he said in a gentle voice without even turning his head: "Didn't I tell you? No one is allowed to disturb us today."

Emperor Jing Zhao did not say anything. He just looked at the fifth prince's back quietly, with a hint of deep meaning in his eyes.

Si Ce seemed to sense something and slowly turned his head. Seeing that it was Emperor Jing Zhao and Eunuch De, he quickly put down the pen in his hand.

He quickly stepped forward and knelt down, his voice full of respect and surprise: "I didn't know your Majesty was coming, and I failed to greet you from afar. I hope your Majesty will forgive me."

"Get up. I heard from the imperial physician that you have been feeling unwell recently, so I came to see you. You are feeling better now."

Emperor Jing Zhao raised his hand to signal Si Ce to stand up, and then slowly walked into the study.

"Thank you for your concern, father. I'm much better now. I just caught a cold, but it's nothing serious. Your Majesty is very busy, yet you still take time out to visit me. I feel guilty. I hope you take care of yourself and don't work too hard." Si Ce stood up and said with a smile.

Emperor Jing Zhao nodded, walked to the desk and carefully examined the calligraphy. He saw the powerful strokes of the brush and the force that penetrated the paper. He nodded with satisfaction.

"Cer'er's handwriting has improved again. Not bad! Not bad." Emperor Jing Zhao stood with his hands behind his back, speaking in a gentle voice.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. I am just killing time when I have nothing to do." Si Ce responded respectfully and humbly.

"Why are you standing here talking? There is no need to be formal between you and me." Emperor Jing Zhao walked to a chair nearby and sat down, waving to the Fifth Prince. His tone was more casual and intimate.

Eunuch De stood behind Emperor Jing Zhao, looking at the scene of loving father and filial son, as if he was already accustomed to it.

"Since you are fine, you can go to court with the ministers from tomorrow and learn how to handle government affairs. It's time to help your father."

The Fifth Prince was overjoyed when he heard this, but there was no sign of abnormality on his face.

The fourth and sixth princes both held positions in the court and attended court meetings. However, since he came of age and started his own court, the emperor seemed to have deliberately forgotten about him and had not assigned him any position, let alone attended court meetings.

“Your son is terrified. You are dull-witted by nature and lack experience. I am afraid that you will fail to live up to your father’s expectations…” The fifth prince knelt down again with a plop.

"Ce'er, don't underestimate yourself. The fourth brother is reckless, and the sixth brother is eager for quick success. Only you can always grasp the right measure, not losing your enterprising spirit, but also keeping your original heart. If your fourth brother and sixth brother can be so worry-free, I can also worry less. I am old, and this kingdom in Dasheng will eventually be handed over to you young people."

Eunuch De's heart was filled with shock and he even breathed lighter, trying to minimize his presence.

"Father, you are in your prime. Thanks to your wise decisions, Dasheng is peaceful and prosperous under your governance. I am deeply humbled to receive such great love from you today..."

"Come on, get up. Don't kneel down at every turn. Do you think I can eat people? This matter is settled." Emperor Jing Zhao stood up and personally helped the fifth prince up.

"I thank you, father. I will remember your teachings and live up to your expectations." The fifth prince tried hard to restrain his inner joy.

"Your mother, Consort Xu, is gentle and virtuous, and has both moral integrity and talent. She has taught you very well. She has been serving me diligently over the years, and it is time for her to be promoted. The position of Consort Shu has been vacant for a long time, and I have ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare for your mother's promotion. When you have time, please come to the palace and spend time with your mother."

The fifth prince immediately knelt down and kowtowed deeply, his voice unable to conceal his excitement: "Your son obeys your order. Your son is here to thank your father for his grace on behalf of your mother!"

Emperor Jing Zhao stayed there for a while before leaving with Eunuch De and several palace servants and guards.

Not long after Emperor Jing Zhao left, rewards from the palace flowed to the Fifth Prince's Mansion like water.

Late at night, two aides from the Fifth Prince's Mansion walked into the study.

The fifth prince went up to greet him personally, bowed and saluted, and then they exchanged a meaningful look.

The Fourth Prince and the Sixth Prince became entangled in a conflict in the court over the enthronement ceremony of Princess Ning'an, which aroused the Emperor's wrath.

During this period, the fifth prince had been feigning illness and had not gone out.

Even when court ministers came to visit secretly, they were turned away on the grounds that the Fifth Prince had caught a cold.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, you have achieved what you wished for. From what happened tonight, it seems that the Emperor values ​​you even more. Your Highness's position as the crown prince is just around the corner. However, the situation in the court is changing rapidly, so I hope Your Highness will continue to keep a low profile and stabilize the hearts of the people." One of the aides stroked his long beard, a cautious look on his face.

Another aide immediately nodded in agreement.

The Fifth Prince Si Ce looked calm and said slowly, "Sir, you are right. When the snipe and the clam quarrel, the fisherman gains. I just took advantage of it. I have my own calculations. Father is just taking this opportunity to punish my fourth and sixth brothers."

"My mother's promotion is an unexpected gain." The fifth prince mentioned his mother, and his tone became much lighter.

When the fifth prince's mother first entered the palace, compared with the other beautiful girls who entered the palace together, her mother's family background was poor and she was not valued by Emperor Zhao. She was only given a small title of Baolin.

It was not until she gave birth to the fifth prince three years later that the emperor promoted her and bestowed upon her the title of talented lady.

Ever since he was promoted to a talented person, his status has not changed.

It was not until the Fifth Prince came of age and established his own government, and successfully completed several tasks assigned by Emperor Jing Zhao, that this usually inconspicuous Fifth Prince gradually came into the ministers' field of vision.

After that, things got out of control.

The family of the fifth prince's biological mother also began to gradually emerge in the court.

Thanks to her son's status, Xu Zhaoyi was promoted from a talented woman to Zhaoyi, the head of the nine concubines.

To survive in the cracks and be promoted step by step from a small Baolin to Zhaoyi, and now to Shufei, the hardships involved are self-evident.

"Your Highness, your move of retreating to advance is brilliant! First, let the Fourth Prince and the Sixth Prince fight each other to weaken their rivals, and then anger the Emperor in the court. Now that the Emperor has taken advantage of the situation to promote you to the position of consort, now is the best time to consolidate your position. Once that commoner princess enters the capital, the next step is to strike while the iron is hot..."