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

half year ago.

Han Zixiao is the second son of Han Yunyin, a wealthy businessman in Suzhou. He also has an older brother named Han Zifei.The elder brother Han Zifei is very talented in business. He helped the family manage the business at the age of 12, and was praised by the neighbors. Han Yunyin also planned to hand over the family business to the eldest son.

The second son, Han Zixiao, is very different from his elder brother. He does nothing but play all day long. Han Yunyin has a headache, fearing that the family business he has built will be lost in his hands in the future. After thinking about it, It was decided to let him take the imperial examination, one is to find some things for him to do, and the other is, if he really gets a name in the exam, he can get a part-time job in the court or a local government, so that he can calm down his sloppy mind.

Although Han Zixiao is idle at home and is regarded as a playboy by outsiders, he is not without knowledge.At any rate, he was also a prince's companion in the palace, and every day he followed the princes to listen to the lectures of the academicians of the Hanlin Academy in the Shangshufang, and he also memorized the Four Books and Five Classics by heart.

Back then, Han Zixiao was able to enter the palace as the prince's companion, thanks to his grandfather, an extremely talented minister.His grandfather, Han Mingde, had been an official for more than [-] years and won the position of prime minister after struggling in the officialdom for [-] years.At that time, the seven-year-old prince Chu Ruihong in the palace was short of a companion, so Han Mingde sent his nine-year-old grandson Han Zixiao to the palace as a companion, and the companion lasted three years.

After being an accompanying student for three years, Han Zixiao returned to Suzhou. His father and elder brother took care of the family affairs. He had nothing to do all day long, so he became a playboy in the eyes of others.Since taking part in the imperial examination three years ago at the order of his father, he has passed the college examination, the township examination, and the public examination in sequence. He has written all he has learned in the examination papers, and with the help of his father at home, Han Zixiao's journey from scholar to scholar has been smooth and smooth. To Jinshi.

The final examination of the imperial examination is the palace examination. This examination is administered by the emperor himself and supervised by all civil and military officials.Although today's son is the prince he studied with for three years back then, and he has some kind of friendship in private, but all the officials are watching, Han Zixiao knows how much he is, and he has no hope of being on the list.

On the day when the list was released, there was actually the word Han Zixiao on the imperial list hanging under the city gate, and he was still among the top three. Although he was the third in the top three—Tanhua, to Han Zixiao, this was heaven. Dropped pie.

After winning Tanhua, Han Zixiao was assigned to Yushitai as Yushi Zhongcheng, and the official position was under the fourth rank.The news that Han Zixiao is the grandson of the former prime minister Han Deming spread like wildfire, and all civil and military officials praised Han Zixiao even more. Tanhua Lang's limelight even surpassed that of the No. [-] scholar who was parading horses in the capital.

After Han Zixiao took office, he was highly valued by the emperor, and he was often called into the palace to discuss political affairs.At the end of the day, the emperor still thinks about the old love of those three years.

In addition to the current emperor, there is another person who misses the old love is the regent.When the Prince Regent was young, Han Zixiao's grandfather, Han Mingde, was still working in the Imperial Academy, responsible for teaching the princes.Back then, Chu Muqing and Han Mingde were both teachers and friends, and Chu Muqing respected Han Mingde very much. Even after becoming a prince, she never forgot her mentor.

After the regent Chu Muqing learned that Tanhualang Han Zixiao was his mentor Han Mingde, she somewhat took care of her.One day after leaving the imperial court, he was specially invited to the mansion to personally teach him how to be an official in the imperial court.

With the importance of the current emperor and the favor of the regent, Han Zixiao has been in the court for half a year like a duck to water, even officials who are a little higher than his rank respect him three points, which makes the top three champions Lang and the second place were extremely jealous.

In the court hall, the young emperor Chu Ruihong sat on the dragon chair, and the civil and military officials were separated on both sides of the jade ranks, which seemed to be orderly. The head of the civil officials was the regent Chu Muqing.

Wu Fang, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, came out and said: "Your Majesty, there has been a severe drought in Jing'an for two consecutive years, and the people have no income and the people are not able to live. I heard that since the beginning of spring this year, Jing'an still has no rain, and the people miss the spring farming. If this continues, I am afraid that Jing'an The common people have to rely on the government's disaster relief food to survive this year."

Chu Ruihong thought for a moment, then said, "According to Aiqing, how should the long-term drought in Jing'an be resolved?"

"Returning to the emperor, I thought that Jing'an had experienced severe drought for three consecutive years, and the cultivated land was abandoned. If things go on like this, it will definitely become a barren land. It is better to dig canals and divert water for irrigation, so as not to worry about the future."

After hearing this, Chu Ruihong agreed very much, "What Aiqing said is very reasonable, and I also think so." Looking at all the civil and military officials, "Do you have any objections, Aiqing?"

"Your Majesty, I think it's inappropriate." It was the regent Chu Muqing who spoke.

When Chu Ruihong heard that it was the regent's voice, he felt very upset, and asked casually, "What does the regent think is wrong?"

"The water diversion project of the canal is a huge project, ranging from three to five years, and as long as ten or eight years. This is one of the first. The treasury can't afford it."

Chu Ruihong held back the displeasure in his heart, and said: "I think that the digging of the canal can be completely entrusted to the people of Jing'an. There are tens of thousands of people in Jing'an. The imperial court requisitions the digging of the canal for labor, and distributes food and clothing on a monthly basis to protect them. His family has food and clothing. In this way, when the canal is successfully dug and water is diverted for irrigation, the people will have enough food and clothing.”

Chu Muqing said coldly: "Jing'an is located in the south of the Yangtze River. In previous years, there was plenty of rain. There has only been a severe drought in the past two years. The drought will not last forever. Has the emperor ever thought about the use of this canal after the drought?"

Chu Ruihong opened his mouth to explain, but he didn't know what to say, so he simply said: "Then from the point of view of the regent, the imperial court only needs to allocate funds for the long drought in Jing'an, and ignore other things?"

"I don't mean that."

"What does that mean?"

"I think that instead of letting the people sit and wait for the imperial court to provide food for the disaster, it is better to let the people temporarily move to another place, and the government will help them, and arrange for the victims to reclaim wasteland. Firstly, it will expand our court's arable land, and secondly, it will increase local taxes in the coming year. When the drought in Jing'an improves , and then move back." Chu Muqing said.

Before Chu Ruihong could speak, a courtier immediately came out to speak, "Your Majesty, I think that what the prince said is very true. Judging from the current situation, it is a good idea."

Chu Ruihong was dissatisfied, "Although the regent's method is good, how many people in the world are willing to leave their homes and live under the fence?"

Hubu Shangshu came out and said: "My lord, now is not the time to consider leaving home, but to save your life!"

Later, several ministers came out to agree with the regent.Chu Ruihong was furious, but all the officials supported the regent one after another, so he couldn't say anything more, so he reluctantly agreed.

After the court, the emperor ordered Han Zixiao to come to the imperial study.Before Han Zixiao entered the threshold of the imperial study room, a candlestick flew across and brushed his face.

When the emperor saw that it was Han Zixiao, he was shocked, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Why, are you hurt?"

Han Zixiao cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern, it's not a big problem for mere ministers."

Chu Ruihong showed displeasure, "I have already said that when no outsiders are around, you don't need to care about etiquette. It's been several months, and you haven't remembered it yet."

Han Zixiao smiled and said: "There are a lot of gossip in the imperial palace, it's always good to pay more attention, otherwise it will spread to the ears of civil and military officials, and the humble minister will commit the crime of disrespect."

Chu Ruihong said: "What are you afraid of? In this palace, I have the final say. If I say I'll forgive you, is it possible that someone still dares to punish you?"

Han Zixiao chuckled, Chu Ruihong frowned when he saw him smiling, "What are you laughing at?"

Han Zixiao shook his head, "It's nothing."

Chu Ruihong's anger in the court hadn't subsided yet, and a bit of grievance appeared on his face, "Don't think that I don't know, you must be thinking that there is a regent pressing on my head, and I am just a useless person. The real puppet emperor."

"The emperor misunderstood, how dare the humble minister."

Chu Ruihong laughed at himself, "It's not my misunderstanding, it's the fact. I've been on the throne for five years, and when have all the civil and military officials listened to me? Just now in the court, you saw it, and the regent's word has hundreds of officials. Echoing, no one will listen to what I say, no matter whether it is right or wrong. In this court, how can I, the emperor, have the right to speak?"

Han Zixiao felt uncomfortable listening to him laughing at himself, "Your Majesty, you are always the king of a country, and the regent is at most a prince. Even if he is capable, he still has to call himself a minister in front of you."

Chu Ruihong didn't take it seriously, "Do you know what I'm most afraid of in the past few years since I've been in power?"

Han Zixiao looked at him, and without waiting for him to ask, Chu Ruihong said directly, "With the military power in his hands and the support of all the officials, if he wants to force the palace, I will be powerless to resist."

Hearing this, Han Zixiao wasn't surprised, no matter who was sitting on the throne, with such an all-powerful regent, he must have such concerns.

The Prince Regent is the younger brother of the late emperor. The late emperor died young due to illness and was only thirty-two when he passed away.Before his death, the 13-year-old eldest prince Chu Ruihong was drafted as the crown prince, and the twenty-one-year-old Ninth Prince Chu Muqing was the regent, assisting the prince to succeed to the throne.

In the past five years, because the emperor was young and inexperienced, most of the government affairs were handled by the regent, and all civil and military officials gradually formed the habit of reporting to the regent when they had something to do.As the emperor grew up, he became more and more dissatisfied with the actions of the regent, and always wanted to be alone, so that he deserved the title of king of a country.

But in the court hall, whenever the emperor expressed his opinions, the officials in the court hall headed by the regent would always refute that this was inappropriate, that inappropriate, and finally the emperor compromised.After swallowing his anger for too long, Chu Ruihong accumulated resentment in his heart, which reached the point where he couldn't bear it.

"This big Qi's country was left to me by my father, and I will never allow it to fall into the hands of others!" Chu Ruihong said.

When Han Zixiao came back to his senses, Chu Ruihong took Han Zixiao's hand, "So, Zixiao, you must stand by my side no matter what."

"Of course, the subject is the emperor's subject, so naturally he has to serve the emperor."

"You, Han Zixiao, are not only my subject, but also my bosom friend." Chu Ruihong looked at Han Zixiao and said, "Everyone around me, whether it's civil and military officials or the emperor's relatives, is all hypocritical. Now, only in you can I realize my sincerity."

Han Zixiao said: "How come, from the point of view of the minister, there is no one in this world who treats the emperor sincerely."

"Who else?"

"At least, the Queen Mother is one of them."

"Of course, the Queen Mother is my biological mother." Chu Ruihong said.

Han Zixiao smiled, and then turned to the main topic, "By the way, I don't know why the emperor summoned the humble minister?"

Chu Ruihong looked at the eunuchs and guards standing at the door, and said: "The door is really not a place to talk, why don't you accompany me to the Imperial Garden?"

"it is good."