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At this time, the eunuch outside the palace walked in lightly and said, "Your Majesty, Miss Jia from Shou'an Palace is waiting to see you outside the palace."

"Shou'an Palace" is the palace where the old empress dowager lived. Ms. Jia must be Jia Yuanchun, the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Jia family. The original book records that Jia Yuanchun was selected to enter the palace as a female historian because of her virtue, filial piety, talent and virtue.

Hearing the name of Shou'an Palace, Emperor Yongkang nodded slightly and said, "Announce."

After a while, a female official wearing a bamboo green silk brocade with dark patterns and a goose yellow brocade palace skirt came slowly with lotus steps.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has ordered me to invite Your Majesty to have dinner at Shou'an Palace."

The voice was as beautiful as spring water, touching the heart. Shui Rong took a glance at her. She had put on light makeup, her skin was as white as snow, her eyes were as bright as waves, her eyebrows were well-trimmed, her nose was straight, and there were dimples on her cheeks. She was so beautiful.

I remember Jia Yuanchun commented that the palace was a cannibalistic place, which shows that she was unwilling to enter the palace. However, she had a life of ups and downs. She was born for the glory of the Jia family and died for the decline of power. She lived in the shadow of her family from beginning to end. She was not at all controlled by others. She was also a pitiful person. It was a pity that such a delicate girl ended up with a tragic ending.

Although Shui Rong felt pity for her, he would not be confused because of pity. Nvshi was equivalent to a senior palace maid rather than a concubine. As a female official in the palace, she was an official and had no problem paying homage to Emperor Yongkang. However, to some extent, she was also the woman of Emperor Yongkang, just like the maids who signed a contract to sell themselves in the palace of Prince Beijing. No matter how respectable the maids were, they were Shui Rong's private property. How could he allow others to interfere with them?

The most important thing is Jia Yuanchun's identity as a member of the Jia family, which is very sensitive. Shui Rong just glanced at her curiously and then lowered his eyes.

Emperor Yongkang could not refuse the old concubine's invitation, so he said, "I understand. I will go there after I finish my political affairs."

Upon hearing this, Yuanchun bowed gracefully and left immediately.

After the beauty left, Shui Rong groaned for a moment and said respectfully, "Brother Emperor, I would like to ask for your grace."

Emperor Yongkang was somewhat surprised when he heard this. He tapped the table with his fingers and said with a smile, "What grace? Tell me about it."

Seeing Emperor Yongkang asking, Shui Rong looked a little embarrassed and said respectfully, "It's my brother's marriage. As you know, my brother is not young anymore, and mother is very anxious about it."

Men should get married when they are old enough, and women should get married when they are old enough. At Shui Rong's current age, he should have a wife and children long ago. He had previously coaxed Princess Beijing with the story of Qin Keqing, but things did not go as he wished. The next step will definitely be a blind date. Instead of letting Princess Beijing busy herself, it would be better to ask the emperor to grant the marriage to avoid trouble.

"Oh, do you want me to make the decision for you and marry the Qin family girl? Or do you want me to grant you a favor by picking a girl you like?"

The first half of Emperor Yongkang's sentence was in a kind tone, but the second half carried an inexplicable meaning. Although Shui Rong's action was covert, Emperor Yongkang still noticed it. If it were an ordinary person, since Shui Rong took a fancy to her, it would not be a big deal to reward her, but she was from the Rongguo Mansion.

The Rongguo Mansion has been in charge of the Beijing Camp since the founding of the country. The Beijing Camp is different from other armies and is the emperor's personal army. Even though the current governor of the Beijing Camp is Wang Ziteng of the Wang family, the Jia family has been operating it for many years and has long been deeply rooted. Even Wang Ziteng's governorship of the Beijing Camp was sponsored by the Jia family.

The Beijing Prince's Mansion already has an exclusive status, so why is it now thinking about making friends with the Jia family?

Shui Rong was a little embarrassed when he heard this, and said, "Brother Emperor, I want to marry the daughter of the Qin family. I beg you to grant me the marriage. I will be grateful to you.

Qin Keqing has already entered the mansion. At first sight, Shui Rong was impressed by her gentle temperament and steady behavior. He liked her very much. Rather than marrying a woman he didn't know, it would be better to settle the marriage as soon as possible. Besides, the Qin family had a simple family background and there wouldn't be so many troubles. However, the Princess Beijing was a hurdle. Therefore, Shui Rong thought of asking Emperor Yongkang to grant the marriage. As long as Emperor Yongkang opened his mouth, there would be no problem.

Emperor Yongkang looked at Shui Rong with amusement and said unhappily, "You came up with a good idea. You got the advantage, but I got blamed."

Shui Rong hurriedly said, "Thunder and rain are all grace from the emperor. If mother knew that my brother was so happy about the marriage, she would not complain."

No matter how dissatisfied one is with the emperor's marriage arrangement, one dares not show it. Even if it is to marry a pig, the Prince of Beijing's Mansion will still be grateful.

Emperor Yongkang nodded slightly upon hearing this. He was very satisfied with Shui Rong's attitude. After a moment's silence, he shook his head and said, "Princess Beijing has her own reasons. I won't say much."

In the feudal dynasty, marrying someone of equal social status was the right thing to do. Even if one wanted to marry a virtuous wife, according to the royal standards, she had to at least be a lady from a noble family. However, the Minister of Food of the Ministry of Works was just a minor official. If the daughter of the Qin family had a better family background, Emperor Yongkang would have granted the marriage. However, the Qin family was very different from the Prince of Beijing's Mansion. If the marriage was granted, others would think that Emperor Yongkang was mistreating the Prince of Beijing's Mansion, which would not be worth the loss.

Shui Rong felt helpless when he heard this. Although the wealthy families lived a worry-free life, they could not make the decision on their own in terms of marriage. Most of the decisions were made for personal gain. Just like why in the original novel, Jia's mother chose Baochai instead of Daiyu, it was because Baochai was beneficial to Baoyu. What could he do in such a situation?

"Then I would like to postpone the marriage for a year or two. I beg your Majesty to grant me your permission."

Since Qin Keqing's relationship didn't work out, Shui Rong could only settle for the next best thing and get married a year or two later. After all, he was still young! !

Emperor Yongkang frowned slightly. Men should get married when they are old enough, and Shui Rong should be married even more so since he is a member of the royal family. However, Shui Rong sounded reluctant. It seemed that he was blinded by lust and bewitched by the daughter of the Qin family. He tried every means to marry her.

Prince Zhong, who had remained silent, spoke up at this time: "Royal brother, isn't next year the year for the selection of concubines? Then, your Royal Brother can take a look and find a suitable one for Little Sixteen."

Emperor Yongkang thought it was a good idea. It not only showed the emperor's grace, but also satisfied Shui Rong's request. It was a two-birds-at-one deal. So he asked Shui Rong, "Little Sixteen, what do you think?"

Shui Rong was speechless after hearing this. Given the current environment, there was nothing he could do.

"Then I will wait. If she is not good-looking, I will not accept her."

Hearing Shui Rong's joke, Emperor Yongkang couldn't help but laugh, shook his head, and said with a smile: "Okay, I know what I'm doing. When the concubines enter the palace, I'll let you choose and I'll make sure you're happy."

Hearing this, Shui Rong was shocked. The selection of palace maids was basically the emperor's selection of concubines, but Emperor Yongkang asked him to choose from among the beauties. Even if he had the intention of winning her over, his respect for her was not evident.

"Then I would like to thank you, my Royal Brother."

There are beauties in the world for him to choose from. Shui Rong has no reason to refuse such a good thing. He can choose carefully by himself when the time comes. It is better to choose someone with a simple family background and who is gentle and kind than to leave everything to fate.

Emperor Yongkang smiled but said nothing when he saw this. He did not care much about beauty. Instead, he was comforted by Shui Rong's performance.

The matter was over, and Shui Rong had no need to stay any longer, so he bowed and said, "I will not disturb you from handling government affairs, and I will take my leave now."

Emperor Yongkang nodded and said no more. Shui Rong bowed to Prince Zhongshun beside him and then left the West Warm Pavilion.

Chapter 10 Meeting the Emperor

After Shui Rong left the West Warm Pavilion, Emperor Yongkang asked leisurely, "How real do you think Little Sixteen is?"

Prince Zhongshun had been in the warm room the entire time. He knew everything about the conversation between Emperor Yongkang and Shui Rong. Shui Rong had been expressing his attitude, but whether it was true or false was still debatable. It was impossible for him to believe everything Shui Rong said, especially for an emperor, who hated the word "trust" the most.

After a moment's silence, King Zhongshun said, "I think that no matter how true it is, the attitude is acceptable."

Emperor Yongkang could not deny what he heard. Compared to others, Shui Rong's attitude was indeed upright. After a light laugh, he said coldly: "Those old ministers are just sitting there doing nothing. They are all experienced people. They are not as clear-sighted as Xiao Shiliu."

Prince Zhongshun understood what he said. Emperor Yongkang was extremely dissatisfied with those old ministers. Most of them were descendants of the founding heroes. They had titles and were related to the country. For their own interests, they ignored the laws of the court, formed cliques and factions, and were eroding the Daqian country day by day and changing its appearance.

Emperor Yongkang wanted to change, but as an emperor, he could not do whatever he wanted. They colluded with each other and formed cliques. Their single move caused a lot of trouble. Although Emperor Yongkang had been on the throne for many years and the emperor emeritus did not care about things, he was there to keep the pressure on. Emperor Yongkang did not dare to use too drastic measures, otherwise it might lead to a catastrophe.

"Royal brother, what should we do next?" Prince Zhongshun changed the subject and talked about business.

Emperor Yongkang did not answer immediately after hearing this. He tapped his fingers lightly. After a moment's silence, he said, "I roughly understand what Little Sixteen means. In the final analysis, he just wants to be a leisurely prince. If he knows what's good for him, he will naturally have a glorious life."

Upon hearing this, Prince Zhongshun understood. Although the attempt to win over Shui Rong failed, it was a good thing that Shui Rong had indicated that he would not get involved. One must know that the Beijing Prince's Mansion had a transcendent status and had countless students and old friends. If Shui Rong took the lead in singing a different tune, Emperor Yongkang would have a lot of headaches.

"I will go to Shou'an Palace for dinner later. Do you want to go and meet the Empress Dowager?" There was no point in thinking too much, so Emperor Yongkang changed the subject.

Prince Zhongshun saw that Emperor Yongkang knew what was going on, so he stood up and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty did not invite me, so I will not go and cause trouble."

Everyone knows what the old queen mother is thinking, so Prince Zhongshun will not offend her.

Emperor Yongkang nodded without saying anything more.

On the other side, Shui Rong had just left the Qianqing Palace when an eunuch in a red python robe and holding a whisk came trotting forward, swaying his body as if he had been waiting for a long time. He approached and flattered, "Sixteenth Master!!!"

Shui Rong looked at the eunuch in front of him, his face was ruddy and he looked blessed, and he looked naive. He knew the other party's identity, it was none other than Dai Quan, the eunuch in charge of Daming Palace. This eunuch was a rare eunuch in the original novel, and his characteristic was greed for money. However, for a eunuch, greed for money was a very normal thing. After all, without strengths, there would be no more ideas, and power and money became the spiritual sustenance of the eunuchs.

Shui Rong also guessed the purpose of Dai Quan's arrival. As the eunuch in charge of the Daming Palace, he came here naturally in accordance with the order of the retired emperor. However, when he heard the other party calling him, Shui Rong frowned and said, "I am now the prince of Beijing Prince's Mansion, not the Sixteenth Master."

Dai Quan saw Shui Rong's dissatisfied tone and instantly understood what Shui Rong meant. Shui Rong used to be the Sixteenth Master, but now he is the Prince of Beijing Palace. With different identities, he naturally had to be careful about how he addressed others. In front of other people, Dai Quan dared to show off, but he dared not disrespect the royal family. So he quickly put on a flattering smile and said embarrassedly, "It was a slip of the tongue. I deserve to die."

Seeing Dai Quan's flattering expression, Shui Rong didn't care much and waved his hand, saying, "Okay, be more careful next time."

It's not easy for a eunuch to be in the imperial palace, so Shui Rong wouldn't make it too difficult for him.

Dai Quan's face lit up when he heard this, and he quickly said humbly, "My Lord, the Emperor knows that you have come to the palace, so he specially asked me to wait for you."

Shui Rong understood what he said. The emperor that Dai Quan mentioned was naturally the emperor emeritus. He was waiting for him, so he naturally wanted to see him. Shui Rong originally planned to leave the palace directly, but since Dai Quan came, he still wanted to see his "real father". Thinking of this, Shui Rong waved his hand and said, "Lead the way..."

Upon hearing this, Dai Quan half-bowed and led the way. Shui Rong followed Dai Quan towards the Daming Palace.

Dai Quan led Shui Rong to Luoyue Lake in Daming Palace. In front of Luoyue Lake, an old man in an apricot-yellow dragon robe was sitting in front of the lake. Shui Rong stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Your servant Shui Rong greets the emperor."

The emperor frowned upon hearing this, and looked at the kneeling Shui Rong with cloudy eyes, and whispered: "Little Sixteen, are you blaming your father?"

Shui Rong understood what the retired emperor meant. Although the Beijing Prince's Mansion was also a royal family, it was not the same line as Emperor Gaozu after all, and there was a difference in closeness. For Shui Rong, adoption would actually lower his status. If he was not adopted, Shui Rong could at least get the title of a county prince, and it was not impossible for him to become a prince. Why would he need the grace of Emperor Yongkang? In the eyes of the retired emperor, Shui Rong's etiquette between the monarch and his subject was expressing his dissatisfaction.

"I am the prince of Prince Beijing's Mansion." Shui Rong responded. It didn't matter whether Shui Rong was dissatisfied with the emperor's decision to adopt him or not. What mattered was that the adoption had already become a fact, so there was no need to bring up past events. The "old man" in front of him was no longer his father, but the emperor.

The emperor looked at Shui Rong sharply, and after a moment's silence, he said, "Well, come and fish with me."

Shui Rong responded after hearing this, and stood up and walked to the side of the retired emperor. Dai Quan was busy bringing the brocade cushion and tying the fishing rod. Shui Rong took it and sat down to fish. The two of them fished peacefully without saying a word. After a while, the retired emperor took the initiative to ask, "How about the title of Prince Beijing's Mansion?"

"My royal brother has been very kind to me and granted me the title of a prince and the salary of a prince." Shui Rong answered honestly.

The emperor nodded in satisfaction and said in a deep voice, "That's good too. Just be at ease as your Prince of Beijing. The Fourth Master will definitely not make things difficult for you."

Shui Rong understood what he heard. He also had some guesses about the reason why the retired emperor wanted him to be adopted. This move was not just for the sake of the incense of Prince Beijing's Mansion. The brutal fight for the throne was still fresh in his mind. Most of the princes were implicated, but in the end, the Fourth Prince, who was not well-known, won the throne. Many people were dissatisfied.

After Shui Rong was adopted, on the one hand, his thoughts were cut off. On the other hand, if Shui Rong was still a descendant of Emperor Gaozu, there was no telling what accidents might happen. But now he was a descendant of Prince Beijing's Mansion, and basically posed no danger to Emperor Yongkang. In addition, due to the transcendent status of Prince Beijing's Mansion, Emperor Yongkang would only appease and win over him. As long as Shui Rong did not commit suicide, there would be no problem for him to live a rich and noble life.

Shui Rong understood the emperor's painstaking efforts and remained silent. When he traveled through time, it was the time for him to be adopted. He did not have any feelings about this, and he also felt that it was good to be an idle prince, so that he would not easily get into trouble. It would be a good thing to carry a bird cage and listen to music in a brothel.

"I will be a good Prince of Beijing. Please rest assured, Your Majesty." After a long time, Shui Rong said softly.

Upon hearing this, the retired emperor nodded in satisfaction. Since ancient times, the youngest son has been favored, and the retired emperor is no exception. Now that the throne has been decided, he must make plans for the youngest son. He adopted Shui Rong into the Beijing Prince's Mansion, not because he is partial, but because he wants to get rid of him. If everything goes well, Shui Rong will have no worries for the rest of his life.

So far, everything seems to be going according to his plan.

Chapter 11 How could the prince be so abrupt

Shou'an Palace, Chunxi Hall, this is the palace where the old empress dowager lived. Emperor Yongkang was sitting beside the phoenix couch and chatting with the old empress dowager. Jia Yuanchun, wearing a goose yellow brocade palace skirt, came forward with a golden bowl with a mandarin duck and lotus petal pattern in her hand, which was filled with fresh fruits.

Emperor Yongkang raised his eyes and looked at Jia Yuanchun who was kneeling in front of him. She had a crystal-clear complexion, was as soft as jade, and had a beautiful personality. In the past, he had disliked her because of her Jia family background, but now, after taking a closer look, he realized that she was indeed a pretty lady. No wonder Shui Rong took a second look at her.

When the old concubine saw that Emperor Yongkang was looking at Yuanchun, her cloudy eyes lit up. When she saw that Yuanchun was about to leave, she hurriedly ordered, "Yuanchun, you just serve tea and food."

Yuanchun responded softly upon hearing this, and then stood respectfully beside Emperor Yongkang.

Emperor Yongkang understood clearly what the old dowager meant, but he was extremely dissatisfied with the Jia family's ignorance. The Jia family had two dukes who were once prominent. Among them, the Rongguo Duke's Mansion was in charge of the Beijing Camp at the beginning of the founding of the country. The Beijing Camp was different from other armies. It belonged to the emperor's personal army. When Rongguo Duke Jia Daishan was in charge of the Beijing Camp, he performed his duties conscientiously and was highly regarded by the emperor. After Jia Daishan died of illness, his descendants took the position of the governor of the Beijing Camp and used the Beijing Camp as a private army, which was unacceptable to Emperor Yongkang. In addition, in the dispute over the crown prince, the four kings and eight dukes were loyal to the emperor and mostly held a neutral attitude, but there were also many people who bet, and the Jia family was one of them, standing on the opposite side of Emperor Yongkang. Therefore, Emperor Yongkang has always despised the Jia family. If he was not afraid of the old ministers, how could the Jia family survive?

After a moment, the old concubine suddenly asked, "Did Little Sixteen come to the palace today?"

The imperial palace is neither tight nor loose, just like a fence that appears to be tightly enclosed, but is actually leaky on all sides.

The news of Shui Rong entering the palace spread to all the major palaces in a short while, and there were also some speculations that it might be a matter of title.

"Well, Little Sixteen has entered the palace. I will let him inherit the title of Prince and receive the salary of a prince." Emperor Yongkang nodded in response.

The old empress dowager was delighted to hear this, because she was thinking of forming an alliance between the Zhen family and the Beijing Prince's Mansion, so the higher Shui Rong's status, the more secure the Zhen family would be.

Emperor Yongkang understood what was happening. He was the first to know about Lady Zhen's visit to Prince Beijing's Mansion. He also roughly guessed what the old concubine was thinking. If it was consensual, Emperor Yongkang would not say much. However, Prince Beijing's Mansion refused now.

"Grandmother, I think Little Sixteen is not young anymore, so I plan to arrange a marriage for him after the concubines enter the palace next year."

Since Emperor Yongkang had promised Shui Rong, he naturally could not go back on his word. Therefore, Emperor Yongkang told Shui Rong about the marriage first to avoid embarrassing the old empress dowager.

Upon hearing this, the old concubine’s face darkened. She knew that Shui Rong was not young anymore and that his mourning period had ended, so he really wanted to get married. Therefore, she had already signaled the Zhen family’s wife to visit the Beijing Prince’s Mansion to let the Zhen family and Beijing Prince’s Mansion become relatives. She originally thought that there would be news in two days, but she never thought that Emperor Yongkang actually wanted to grant the marriage. Isn’t this ruining her plan! ! ! !

Although the old empress dowager had her own ideas, since Emperor Yongkang had spoken, she had to respect them. Besides, the matter of granting marriage would have to wait until the concubines entered the palace next year, so there was still room for maneuver.

However, the purpose of the Zhen family bringing the second young lady to visit Prince Beijing's Mansion is obvious, but the attitude of Prince Beijing's Mansion is unclear, which makes people worry.

On the other side, Shui Rong left the Daming Palace after staying there for a short while. The palace's carriage sped out from the imperial city, passing through the bustling streets, all the way to the Beijing Prince's Palace in the west city.

Shui Rong did not enter from the corner gate in the carriage, but came to the main gate of the palace. After getting off the carriage, Shui Rong looked up at the four big characters "Prince Beijing's Palace" written on the plaque above the main gate. He felt a lot in his heart. Although he was adopted, the family property and real estate of the palace did not belong to Shui Rong. But it would be different after today. Shui Rong inherited the title, so everything in the Prince Beijing's Palace belonged to Shui Rong.

"Young Master, you're back." The gatekeeper saw Shui Rong and hurriedly stepped forward, bowing.