Do You Know?: Rule the World

Seeing Zhao Han come in, he quickly wiped the corners of his eyes with the corner of his sleeve, straightened his back, and exuded an innate nobility from head to toe.

"Your servant Zhao Han pays homage to the emperor and Her Royal Highness the Princess." Zhao Han bowed respectfully.

When Zhao Zhen saw him, the anger on his face immediately subsided by three points. He waved his hand and said, "My dear minister, there is no need to be so polite. Come forward and answer me."

"I obey your order." Zhao Han stepped forward, and the corner of his clothes just brushed past Zhao Huirou's feet.

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Chapter 71 The Li Family

Before and after Zhao Han came forward, Zhao Huirou couldn't help but look up at him.

I saw that this person had clear eyebrows and a nose like a hanging gall bladder, like a piece of warm and beautiful jade, and he also had a unique and reassuring temperament.

He was very different from the officials in the court who were either sycophantic or rigid and arrogant.

"Chengyuan, I don't feel like listening to history today."

"In your opinion, is it appropriate for the princess to marry into the Li family, the emperor's uncle?"

Hearing this, Huirou suddenly became anxious, with a hint of grievance and dissatisfaction in her voice.

"This is a matter between father and daughter. Why would father ask an outsider?"

In her opinion, in order to have a smooth career, the minister would definitely follow his father's wishes and make the marriage sound very rosy.

Just as Zhao Han was about to speak, Huirou suddenly stood up, her eyes red as she cried, "Daddy, if you insist on listening to the words of an outsider, then I will make my point clear today."

"Li Wei is a crude and uncultured man. I heard that by the age of sixteen he hadn't even finished reading the complete Book of Filial Piety."

"My daughter would rather die than marry a man like this."

Zhao Zhen's expression, which had eased slightly when he heard this, suddenly became serious again and he scolded, "Hui Rou!"

"Have I been too indulgent towards you?"

Zhao Huirou looked at Zhao Zhen's furious expression and was so scared that she took a step back.

The Li family, the emperor's uncle, was originally a poor family living in Bian Jing, making a living by making paper money and paper horses. His sister Li was just a maid beside Liu E.

Who would have thought that the situation would change so drastically, and Liu E gave birth to the current emperor through Li's womb, and successfully ascended to the throne.

When Zhao Zhen ascended the throne and learned of his true life experience, he felt extremely guilty for not being able to fulfill his filial duty to his biological mother.

Even when the children in the harem died one after another, Zhao Zhen felt that this was God's punishment for his unfilial behavior.

So, over the years, he tried every possible way to make amends with his biological mother's family.

Even though the Li family had already been promoted to ministers and high-ranking officials, Zhao Zhen still felt it was not enough.

He was determined to marry Huirou to his cousin Li Wei, so that his biological mother's family could truly become part of the royal family.

Although Li Wei was good at calligraphy and painting, he was plain-looking and was born into a bastard family.

This princess, who is obsessed with looks and is deeply favored by Zhao Zhen and has had everything she wants since childhood, it is normal for her to look down on Li Wei.

"Chengyuan, you come and answer." Zhao Zhen flicked his long sleeves and focused his gaze on Zhao Han.

Under Huirou's scorching gaze, Zhao Han calmly straightened his sleeves and said respectfully, "This is the emperor's family affair. I'm afraid it's not right for me to interrupt without warning."

Zhao Zhen raised his eyebrows and tapped lightly on the imperial desk with his fingertips, feeling that Zhao Han was trying to get away with it again.

"The emperor has no family affairs, and there are no outsiders here, so you can speak freely!"

Zhao Huirou took a deep breath and unconsciously clutched the hem of her skirt, her eyes shifting back and forth between Zhao Zhen and Zhao Han.

"You are kind, gentle, and respectful to the people, and you are kind to the widows and the orphans."

"The emperor gave the princess the name Huirou, which shows how much he cherishes her."

"I would venture to speculate that the emperor must have chosen a husband for the princess with great care, seeking not only a good match in social status but also one with equal talent and virtue."

"But marriage is based on mutual love. If you force a marriage, not only will it fail to become a harmonious relationship, it will also hurt the relationship between father and daughter."

As soon as these words were spoken, Huirou's hands, which were originally tightly grasping the hem of her skirt, suddenly loosened, and she looked at Zhao Han in surprise.

For a moment, I was even a little dazed.

How strange, he's not afraid of offending his father?!

"Do you know that this marriage..."

Zhao Zhen wanted to say something but stopped himself, his brows furrowed, and his fingers on the imperial desk unconsciously closed.

Zhao Han bowed and said, "From ancient times to the present, I have observed that many couples' conflicts were caused by their parents' orders."

"The Emperor loves the Princess so deeply that he cannot bear to see her shed tears in the future."

Seeing this, Huirou raised her jade-white face and stared at Zhao Zhen. "Daddy, are you willing to watch your daughter marry into the Li family and be unhappy for the rest of her life?"

Seeing that neither of his only two children agreed with him, Zhao Zhen felt his temples throbbing.

After a long silence, he looked up to the sky and sighed, waving his hands and saying, "Forget it, your marriage... we'll discuss it later."

"Everyone, go out and leave me alone."

Huirou pursed her lips and drooped her eyelashes, "Daddy, it's my fault for making you unhappy."

As she spoke, she took a half step forward and whispered, "As long as Daddy doesn't let me marry into the Li family, even if Daddy wants to beat me up to vent his anger, that's fine."

Hearing this, Zhao Zhen felt even more helpless and couldn't help but raise his hand and frown.

"How could Daddy bear to hit you? Daddy will carefully consider this marriage."

Wait until the two of them leave Wenhua Hall.

Huirou looked up at the clear blue sky, and the depression that had been pent up in her chest for many days inevitably dissipated a little.

She stopped and turned to look at Zhao Han. There were still undried tears hanging on her long eyelashes, sparkling with tiny rays of light.

"Thank you, Lord Zhao, for speaking up for me. Otherwise, I'm afraid my father wouldn't have given in so easily."

Looking at the bright-eyed and white-toothed girl in front of him, Zhao Han smiled gently and said in a gentle voice, "Your Highness, your words are too kind. I am only expressing my own thoughts. After all, the Emperor still loves the princess."

He remembered that the princess had been depressed all day long since she married into the Li family, and even fell into a state of sympathy with her personal eunuch.

Huirou smiled, with dimples on her cheeks.

"Anyway, thank you very much today. If Daddy can really change his mind, I will definitely reward you handsomely!"

Zhao Han nodded slightly, bowed, and left.

Huirou, who was standing in the same place, frowned unconsciously. When he stood in front of the emperor just now, the expression between his eyebrows was indescribably similar to his father's.

I begged for many days, but my father never wavered.

Today, Lord Zhao's few words made my father begin to change his mind.

Thinking of this, a strange feeling flashed through her mind unconsciously.

-

Inside the hall, Zhang Maoze carefully served Zhao Zhen a cup of hot tea. Zhao Zhen put down his red brush and looked at him with a frown.

"You said that I was wrong to insist on Huirou marrying into the Li family?"

Zhang Maoze paused for a moment before answering cautiously, "Li Jia Liulang is loyal and honest, and indeed a good match. It's a pity that the princess, being a royal and favored princess, naturally has higher standards."

"But I already owe the Li family a debt. If I regret this marriage..."

Zhao Zhen's voice suddenly stopped. Whenever he thought about the fact that he had failed to fulfill his filial duty to his biological mother, his heart ached.

Zhang Maoze saw this and quickly said softly, "Your Majesty, please allow me to report."

"Your Majesty has a daughter as beautiful as Princess Fukang, and now you have His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to enjoy his affections. This shows that Heaven is not punishing your Majesty."

"In my humble opinion, the government has treated the Li family well over the years, offering promotions and rewards. They have done their utmost to show their kindness."

"If the marriage hurts the relationship between father and daughter, it would be unpleasant. After Your Highness ascends the throne, if he sees the princess unhappy in the Li family, wouldn't that cause more trouble?"

After saying this, he carefully observed the official's expression. After all, Princess Fukang was the girl he had watched grow up.

The hall fell into silence for a moment.

After a long time, Zhao Zhen gently put down the teacup. At this moment, the knot in his heart that had been there for many years began to quietly dissolve.

"You're right. Han'er can come to my side, which shows that God has not punished me. I was just too persistent!"

Chapter 72 The disaster of collapse

After several days, the autumn air deepened and the white dew arrived. When I woke up in the morning, I could see a thin layer of white frost in front of the steps.

Gu Tingye had already set off for the White Deer Grotto Academy, and this time he was even more determined, vowing not to return unless he passed the imperial examination.

Today is the regular court day.

As soon as the sky was getting light, Zhao Han dressed neatly and headed straight for Donghuamen with the help of Hualan.

In the Chuigong Hall, Zhao Han was still at the end of the civil service team, his dark green official robe looking unremarkable among the other officials.

Zhao Zhen sat upright on the dragon throne. As his eyes swept across the civil and military officials, they unconsciously lingered on Zhao Han.

After all the officials had finished their formalities, the gentle expression on Zhao Zhen's face gradually faded, and he said in a deep voice, "Last night, I received an urgent report from the Shaanxi Road Transport Commissioner, which traveled eight hundred miles."

"Western Xia is quite dissatisfied with the amount of this year's annual gift and has already gathered troops on the border. Judging from their movements, they seem to be planning to invade Huanzhou."

After the Qingli Peace Agreement, the Great Zhou had to pay Western Xia 72,000 taels of silver, 153,000 pieces of silk, and 30,000 kilograms of tea every year.

In order to cover up the humiliation, it was called the annual gift.

The Western Xia was ambitious and dominated the area like a poisonous scorpion. It wanted to obtain economic supplies from the Great Zhou through annual tributes, but was unwilling to be restricted by peace talks.

They often claimed that the amount of the annual gift was insufficient or the quality of the items was not up to standard, and stationed troops on the border to put pressure on the court, or even led troops south to burn, kill, and loot, forcing the court to make repeated concessions and increase the annual gift.

"You are all pillars of the nation. This matter concerns the safety of the border. Please speak frankly on how to respond."

After these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall became a little solemn.

Chai Jin, the Minister of Revenue, who had always advocated peace, was the first to step forward and say, "I think it would be better to stick to the same principles as in previous years."

"If we add some annual gifts to the original amount, Xixia will benefit greatly and will withdraw its troops soon, and the border will be spared from further conflict."

Wang Juzheng, a deputy minister of the Ministry of War, stepped out right behind him and said, "I second the motion."