It's easy to be a villain, but hard to be a princess

Back at the mansion, Uncle Song said that someone had come to the palace, who said he was preaching the imperial decree, and had been waiting for a long time.

Han Zixiao and Chu Muqing went to the front hall to receive the decree. The eunuch who announced the decree was the chief eunuch in the palace, holding a volume of imperial decree in his hand.Seeing Chu Muqing and Han Zixiao approaching, he opened the imperial decree and said, "Han Zixiao, Yushi Zhongcheng, accepts the decree."

Han Zixiao raised his front hem and knelt down, and the eunuch announced the decree loudly: "Fengtian Chengyun Emperor, the edict said: Han Zixiao, the prime minister in the censor, is outstanding, and he is a rare talent. I order you to be the governor of Jing'an today. It’s about reviving the long drought. It’s time to set off in three days, so there’s no mistake. Here it is!”

Han Zixiao was stunned, knelt on the ground for a long time without moving, and the eunuch announced the order: "Lord Han, accept the order."

Han Zixiao came back to his senses, glanced at Chu Muqing with a complicated expression, and said, "I accept the edict." He raised his hands up and took the imperial edict.

The eunuch who announced the decree said his farewell and left the palace.Han Zixiao looked at Chu Muqing with the imperial decree in his hand, "My lord."

Chu Muqing held her hands behind her back and was silent for a moment, "What's on your mind?"

"Naturally, the lower official wants to stay in the capital, and stay with... the prince."

Chu Muqing said: "In this case, you can just stay in the capital, and the rest will be arranged by the king."

Han Zixiao pursed his lips and smiled, "No need, this is my own business, I will go and explain it to the emperor myself."

"You are my king's concubine, your affairs are my king's affairs."

"But you can't rely on the lord for everything. Some things, you can solve them by yourself." He knew that Chu Muqing and Chu Ruihong, the uncle and nephew, had always been at odds. The consequences would be even worse.

"How do you solve it?"

Han Zixiao pondered and said: "I'm an official, let's make it clear with the emperor first, I hope he can take back his will." If he can't make it clear, he can only resign. He has lost Chu Ruihong's trust and will stay in the court in the future Many things are inconvenient.It must be the reason why Chu Ruihong transferred him suddenly.

In the early morning of the next day, Han Zixiao finally showed his face in the court hall.After the morning court, Han Zixiao went straight to the imperial study room to meet the saint, but the eunuch in the imperial study room said: "The emperor has ordered that if you don't see Mr. Han, please go back, Mr. Han."

Han Zixiao took out an ingot of silver from his sleeve and stuffed it into the eunuch's hand, "Eunuch also knows that I am very close to the emperor, so it's fine even if you don't report it, I just ask you to let me know."

The eunuch looked very embarrassed, and returned the silver, "Master Han, this slave really can't make a decision. The emperor ordered you yesterday, but he didn't see Mr. Han. If the slave disobeyed the holy will and let you in, the emperor Long Yan would be furious. I'm going to lose my head."

Han Zixiao looked at the ingot of silver in his hand, and sighed softly. Chu Ruihong probably knew that he would come to him early in the morning, so he ordered him early.

But he had to make it clear to the emperor today, otherwise he would leave for Jing'an tomorrow according to the imperial decree, and if he didn't go, it would be disrespectful to the decree.

Han Zixiao put the ingot of silver in his hand into the eunuch's hand again, "Eunuch Lao informed me that I will kneel and wait outside until the emperor is willing to see you."

After finishing speaking, Han Zixiao raised his front skirt and knelt down on the marble floor.

The eunuch frowned, "Master Han, why are you doing this?"

Han Zixiao looked up at him, "Eunuch Lao conveyed it."

The eunuch said: "The slave will go in and report to the emperor."

"It's work."

The eunuch put the ingot of silver into his sleeve, turned around and walked into the imperial study.Chu Ruihong stood in front of the window, looking at the decayed trees in the distance outside the window.

The eunuch whispered: "Your Majesty, Mr. Han is outside."

Chu Ruihong looked out the window, "I've already said, I don't see you."

The eunuch said again: "But Mr. Han asked the servant to bring a message to the emperor."

"Say."

"Master Han said that he will kneel outside until the emperor is willing to see him."

Chu Ruihong was silent for a moment, "Then let him kneel down."

"Yes." The eunuch responded, turned around and left, and sent a message to Han Zixiao, "Master Han, the emperor doesn't want to see you. According to this old slave, you should go back to your residence."

"I am in a hurry to face the saint. I really have something important to do. I can't delay it. I'll wait here."

The eunuch sighed lightly and said nothing more.

Chu Ruihong never came out, even the Chinese food was sent to the imperial study.The weather was cold, Han Zixiao was only wearing official robes, not even a cloak, his nose and ears were red from the cold, and his kneeling legs were already numb.

Suddenly, a black cloak was added to his body. Han Zixiao looked up and saw Chu Muqing.Chu Muqing said, "Get up."

"Why is your lord here?"

"If this king doesn't come, I'm afraid you will kneel here until tomorrow." Chu Muqing helped his arm to get up, after all, she still felt sorry for him.

Han Zixiao's feet were numb and he couldn't stand steadily. Chu Muqing half hugged him, "I will go to see the emperor with you."

Han Zixiao hurriedly stopped, "Don't, you and the emperor are at odds with each other, if you start a dispute over this matter again, I'm afraid it will become more tense, and the lower officials should come forward."

Chu Muqing said: "The king will go in with you, and what you want to do is up to you."

Han Zixiao thought for a while and nodded.

Chu Muqing ordered the eunuch to go in and report that Chu Ruihong could not see Han Zixiao, but Chu Muqing wanted to see Han Zixiao even if he didn't want to.

It was said that the regent asked to see him, but two people came in.Chu Ruihong looked at the notebook in his hand with a straight face, "If it's for the imperial decree, you two don't need to waste your words, I won't change it."

Han Zixiao turned his head to look at Chu Muqing, "My lord, I have something I want to talk to the emperor alone."

Chu Muqing understood, saluted Chu Ruihong and went out.

Han Zixiao looked at Chu Ruihong behind the case, but Chu Ruihong looked at the note in his hand, "Say something quickly."

"My minister implores the emperor to send another talented person to Jing'an."

Chu Ruihong raised his eyes from the notebook and said, "Do you think being an official in the imperial court is something you can do whatever you want?"

"The humble minister should follow the emperor's will to act, but now the humble minister is also the regent princess, and has the responsibility to serve the prince, so he cannot be transferred far away. Please forgive me."

When Chu Ruihong heard his words, he frowned, "Han Zixiao, you have really changed." At the beginning, Han Zixiao vowed that he would not marry as a man, let alone be trapped in the Prince Regent's Mansion as a princess for the rest of his life. , but now, the original intention has long since changed.

Han Zixiao said: "Your Majesty, everything in the world will change, and people are no exception."

"So, I trusted you in every possible way at the beginning, but now it has changed, and it is reasonable."

Han Zixiao said: "But some things will never change."

"what?"

"The past. The past will never change." Han Zixiao said as he recalled: "Back then, my minister was studying with the emperor, ignorant of public rules, and often causing trouble. It was the emperor's favor for this minister. My minister was punished, and the emperor was also punished together. During those days, my minister still remembers it vividly."

Chu Ruihong was silent for a moment, "The past is the past, and the present is the present."

"Whether it is in the past or now, I have always wanted to be loyal to the emperor and solve problems for the emperor."

"That's nice to say, so you did it?"

"The humble minister is incompetent, and he has been an official for a year without doing anything. But the humble minister asked himself, and he has never done anything harmful to the emperor." Han Zixiao paused, "That time I deceived the emperor, it was true that I had selfish intentions, but every word I said was true. This is a heartfelt statement. The minister is willing to guarantee with his life that the regent has no ambiguity towards the emperor, let alone a rebellion. During this period of time, the mausoleum king has used many conspiracies and tricks, and it was the regent who saw through them before causing a catastrophe. The emperor did not give the slightest reward, instead he became suspicious again and again, who would dare to serve the emperor in the future?"

Chu Ruihong stared at him, "You are beating around the bush and scolding me!"

"I don't dare. In the eyes of my minister, the emperor is not only the king of a country, but also the best confidant. In front of my confidant, my minister has always spoken straight."

Chu Ruihong said: "Do you think I won't care if you say that?"

"If what I say is unreasonable, the emperor can blame me, I am willing to be punished."

Chu Ruihong looked away and remained silent.

Han Zixiao continued: "Have you ever thought about it, if the regent is wholeheartedly serving the court and serving the emperor, but the emperor repays virtue with complaints and is always suspicious, should he do this?"

Chu Ruihong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then remembered what Chu Muqing said that day, he said: Instead of trying to seize the ruling power, it is better to learn how to be a wise monarch first, the minister is only in charge of the Sixth Army Commander Yin Bingfu temporarily, It's not for the dragon chair, the emperor can rest assured about this.When the time is right, the minister will present the Commander's Seal and Bing Talisman.

Could it be that he was too suspicious?Chu Ruihong looked at Han Zixiao self-deprecatingly, "So, in your eyes, I am a fool."

"No." Han Zixiao said without hesitation, "The emperor is diligent for the country and the people, and he is diligent in governing the government. He will definitely become a wise king in the future. As for the suspicion of the regent, I feel that the regent is also at fault. He is arrogant and withdrawn. He is a bit stubborn, and often does not pay attention to the emperor's feelings. It is reasonable for the emperor to suspect him. Not only the emperor, but also the humble ministers thought that he coveted the throne at first. But after entering the palace, they gradually realized that he is cold on the outside and hot on the inside. , although he holds a lot of power, he is loyal to the court and the emperor, and has no evil intentions. I hope that one day, the emperor will understand as well as the humble minister."

Chu Ruihong sat behind the court case and remained silent for a long time. After a long time, he said, "Even if what you said is true, what does it have to do with my transferring you to Jing'an?"

Han Zixiao lowered his head, "It doesn't matter."

"Then why don't you go to Jing'an?"