A Ruler and His Minister Discuss Old Times (2)
Moreover, the Emperor first informed Gu Yuanshi of the decision to release Xu Weibei.
Gu Yuanshi adopted a businesslike attitude, "Your Majesty is wise; this humble subject will have an imperial edict drafted immediately."
"I have already given the order to draft the decree." The Emperor looked at Gu Yuanshi, his smile meaningful. "Minister Gu, is there some good news coming up at your residence? Would you like to invite me to a celebratory drink?"
Gu Yuanshi replied flawlessly, "Your Majesty, it is too early to say that good things are about to happen. Although my son has someone he loves, he is unruly and unfit for important tasks, and the girl has not yet agreed to be with him."
The Emperor stroked his beard and chuckled, scolding, "You old fox, trying to evade the main point with me. There's no one else here, so why don't you tell me the truth? When did I ever ask about your unruly youngest son?"
The Emperor, out of affection for Gu Anfang was on duty in the palace.
The Emperor was very fond of Gu Anfang and knew his temperament very well. He even specifically instructed the leader of the Imperial Guards not to restrain him too much.
"Your Majesty, I am foolish and do not know what joyous occasion Your Majesty speaks of. Could it be that the princess is about to give birth, and another member is to be added to the household?"
"Qingyi is about to give birth? When did she get pregnant? I didn't even know." The Emperor was somewhat surprised, then said, "This child has always been quiet and reserved, and she never even came to the palace to pay her respects to me."
Gu Yuanshi hurriedly said, "Speaking of which, this is my son's fault, and has nothing to do with the princess. This pregnancy was not easy for the princess, and my son took great care of her, keeping her in bed to rest, which is why she did not go to the palace to pay her respects to the emperor."
"Alright, just let her take good care of herself." The Emperor clearly had no feelings for this daughter, stopping there before returning to the main topic, "Old fox, don't beat around the bush with me. I'm talking about your capable daughter, the one who made my Marquis of Yingchuan lose his temper for her. This time, a hero saving a beauty, isn't good news on the horizon?"
Gu Yuanshi said, "Your Majesty, my daughter has acted recklessly and unruly, and I can no longer control her. Whether she marries the Marquis of Yingchuan or someone else in the future, I only hope that she stays far away from me, so that I can live a few more years and serve you faithfully."
"Come on," the Emperor laughed, "Still pretending in front of me! We had a personal relationship back when I was still a prince. Do you think I don't know who you are?"
The Emperor's tone was relaxed, but Gu Yuanshi had already knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing and valuing me is something I could never repay, even if I were to give my life for you."
"Am I, in your heart, a narrow-minded and intolerant person?" the Emperor said quietly. "You and the Marquis of Yingchuan are both my trusted advisors. One is a civil official, the other a military commander; you complement each other perfectly. I couldn't be happier to see you working together. If you two get married, I will reward you handsomely. What are you afraid of?"
Nobody's a fool.
Gu Yuanshi saw through the Emperor, and the Emperor saw through him as well.
"Your Majesty is magnanimous and not one to tolerate others," Gu Yuanshi replied calmly. "I have my reasons for this, which I cannot share with outsiders."
"I'm not an outsider, am I? Stand up and speak."
Gu Yuanshi, supporting himself on his knees, slowly stood up, revealing a hint of the slowness of old age.
"As Your Majesty knows, my daughter didn't grow up with me. After I brought her back, she insisted on sending my eldest daughter away, but I refused, which created a rift and caused chaos in the household..."
The Emperor nodded and sighed, "That's because she was immature. They're both my children; you've handled it very well."
Gu Yuanshi shook his head and said, "In the past year, my daughter has finally become more willing to interact with the family. However, if we get too close, I worry that it will cause disagreements. So I simply choose not to interfere in her affairs. For example, regarding Zheng Jian's matter, I do not approve of this way of handling it, but if I were to speak out, the relationship between father and daughter would probably be even more difficult to repair. It's better to avoid seeing it and worrying about it. Children and grandchildren have their own blessings, so let her be."
Playing the victim is always the most effective tactic when dealing with those in power.
Sure enough, the Emperor sighed as well, "Children are all debts, they're all the same. But their marriages should be put on the agenda soon."
Chapter 246 The Emperor and His Ministers Discuss Past Events (Part Two)
Seeing that the Emperor's penchant for matchmaking had returned, Gu Yuanshi quickly said, "Let them be. Your Majesty, I implore you to pretend you know nothing. Previously, Your Majesty bestowed upon them a marriage, a great favor, but they failed to appreciate it and made a fool of themselves. Now, let them be, and don't disappoint Your Majesty's good intentions again."
The Emperor laughed loudly, "If it were anyone else, I would have been furious long ago. But that's the Marquis of Yingchuan and your beloved son. I have to consider the consequences, even if I don't care about the monk."
After a pause, the Emperor's smile faded. "Actually, I'm at ease having him as your son-in-law. Xu Weibei's personality is exactly the same as his father's when he was alive. Sometimes when I look at him, I'm reminded of Guanshan."
Xu Weibei's father was named Xu Huan, courtesy name Guanshan, and had once served as the emperor's study companion.
However, Xu Huan later abandoned his studies to join the army, where he distinguished himself on the battlefield.
"... I am always heartbroken whenever I think of Guanshan's death. But I also ask myself, if Guanshan hadn't met with this accident, given his eccentric behavior, would I have been able to tolerate him in the future?"
That's too candid.
Gu Yuanshi said, "His Majesty is a benevolent ruler, tolerant of others, and mindful of past relationships. If the Marquis were still alive, he would surely receive your guidance and support."
"I don't think so. Take back then, for example. I forbade him from marrying that barbarian woman. Didn't he disobey the imperial decree and bring her back to me? My aunt was so angry with him that she was bedridden. I even gave him a beating. Did he back down? In the end, I was the one who cleaned up his mess."
The Emperor arranged an identity for the woman.
Marrying the enemy's daughter would be a wonderful thing if it led to peace between the two sides.
The problem is, with both sides still locked in a fierce, life-or-death struggle, does that sound good if word gets out?
Won't this shake morale?
Thus, the daughter of the King of Southern Border became the daughter of an insignificant civil official in the Capital.
This matter is a secret, but not to Gu Yuanshi.
"But to be fair, he left his wife and children in the Capital, which put my mind at ease. It's just that I never imagined that fate would be so cruel; Guanshan would die from such a seemingly insignificant injury..."