Chapter 462
In Gu Zezhi’s view, the emperor was a benevolent ruler. A monarch who was willing to accept advice, broad-minded, had his people in mind, implemented benevolent governance internally, at the same time not losing his pride, and was upright.
If the late emperor, the defeated monarch of the declining country, had not preceded him, he would be able to restore and bring prosperity to the Daqi Dynasty. However, there was no “if” in this world, the Daqi dynasty left by the late emperor was just a pile of dilapidated mess. Thus, if the emperor who rules now was not benevolent and upright, or lacking courage, the Daqi dynasty would not have come to this point today. It has not been easy!
Gu Zezhi could imagine that in the 11 years since he ascended the throne, the emperor must have worked hard to preserve these thousand miles of rivers and mountains, otherwise, his dragon body would not have been so damaged that he was in danger.
Gu Zezhi knew what words should be said and what words should not, but although he did not say it explicitly, the emperor was also aware of what he lacked.
“Zhen’er’s temperament is actually like mine…” the emperor sighed.
Previously, the emperor had asked Gu Zezhi to evaluate several of his princes, but he knew it well. After all, nobody understands one’s son better than his father, and they were not ordinary families. The royal family controls the lifeblood of the world; therefore, from the birth of several princes, the emperor has been observing their temperament and whether they were worthy of the throne.
Gu Jing could neither be a virtuous ruler nor a wise emperor.
Gu Zezhi looked at the emperor and said, still smiling. “If your majesty leaves Gu Zhen with peace and prosperity, then he can give Daqi a prosperous era.”
Remaining the gentle and elegant smile plastered on his face, Gu Zezhi said these words with burning eyes and a kind of confidence that soared within as if looking down upon the world.
The emperor, who was still a little depressed, smiled again, feeling refreshed, and deliberately asked again, “Zezhi, do you really don’t want to take Zhen’er back?”
Gu Zezhi flatly refused, “Your Majesty, I’m about to get married.”
Just thinking about it, Gu Zezhi’s eyes bloomed like stars at night.
In order not to delay Gu Zezhi’s marriage, the emperor only gave Wang Yu’s children three days to depart, and when the time came, Gu Xi and County Princess Duan Rou set off.
The emperor did not send them off with gifts, and the group left the capital in a cold and deserted manner.
On the same day, Dowager Consort Fang asked Empress Dowager Liu to send her grandson and granddaughter away; however, Empress Dowager Liu refused. Dowager Consort Fang cried and made a mess in her palace, but Empress Dowager Liu remained unmoved and ignored her; she only gave a word to the eunuch to let her be.
With no other way, Dowager Consort Fang was kneeling and crying at the memorial tablet of the late emperor in the palace, saying how hard her life had been and why the late emperor did not take her away, or why the empress dowager and the emperor did not even remember the late emperor’s edicts, deliberately excluding her…
These words reached the ears of Empress Dowager Liu.
When Empress Dowager Liu thought of her long-dead daughter Yongle, and her bitter granddaughter, her heart became even more hateful, and she said a harsh sentence, “Since the Dowager Consort misses the late Emperor so much, and is deeply in love, she should go and accompany the late Emperor, what’s the use of crying!”
Empress Dowager Liu said this, and the eunuch truthfully conveyed her edict.
On the evening of that day, the Jiuqu Garden was flooded.
The people living in the Jiuqi Garden were all the concubines left by the late emperor, who were now called imperial concubines, and the burning Tai’an Palace was where Dowager Consort Fang was.
The crimson flame flew up with billowing smoke, dyeing the night red looking like a flood.
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