90Chapter 90 Questioning

Outside the study of Tingfeng Pavilion, there were a group of guards and maids, but none of them dared to go in.

"Do you think that trading with foreign countries is a good thing for Dachen?" Emperor Hongzheng sat behind the desk, playing with the crystal glass in his hand.

"I think the foreigners overseas are very coveting Dachen's products, but they have no way to get in," Mu Hanzhang stood in front of the desk, lowered his eyebrows and looked submissive, and spoke in a calm tone, neither humble nor arrogant, "I have read the account books of tribute from foreign countries, and asked about the prices of sea merchants when I was in the southeast. It is said that overseas, one foot of silk can be exchanged for ten gold coins, which is two taels of gold."

"Hanzhang, why do you still call yourself a minister now?" Emperor Hongzheng smiled and did not respond to the previous words, "From the day you married into the royal family, you should call yourself a son."

Mu Hanzhang pursed his lips and said a little embarrassedly: "Your son will remember it."

This is the scene that Jing Shao saw when he came in. It was not as tense as he imagined, but rather a happy scene. He couldn't help but be a little dumbfounded.

"Where have you been?" When Emperor Hongzheng saw Jing Shao coming in, he immediately stopped smiling.

"I went to see a friend off." Jing Shao answered honestly, wondering in his heart that he was his father's biological son, so why did he have such a bad face when he saw him?

Emperor Hongzheng looked at him deeply for a long time, lowered his head and picked up the military book beside him to read: "The King of Huainan appeared in the capital recently, did you know?"

"The King of Huainan?" Jing Shao secretly glanced at his own princess, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Emperor Hongzheng closed the densely annotated book in his hand, stood up and walked to Jing Shao, "Who did you send off today?"

Jing Shao's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show it on his face. His father must have known that Gu Huaiqing had left the capital when he asked this question, but he was not sure whether it was him who sent him out. He thought that the idiot Jing Yu would not dare to tell his father nonsense before he was caught red-handed: "A friend in the underworld."

"A friend in the underworld I met in Zuixianlou? "Emperor Hongzheng looked at him coldly.

Zuixianlou! Jing Shao felt a bang in his head. When he mentioned Zuixianlou, his father must have known that the man was Gu Huaiqing! After a moment of blankness in his mind, he suddenly remembered what Duofu Chuan said. Jun Qing told him to insist that he didn't know Gu Huaiqing, but was just a friend in the martial arts world. However, his father didn't send anyone to intercept him when he knew that Gu Huaiqing was going to escape. That means his father intended to let Gu Huaiqing escape. He came here today to test whether he was colluding with the King of Huainan.

His mind raced in an instant. Jing Shao looked up at his father and said calmly, "I met him in Jiangnan. He came to Beijing to play. Today, he learned that his mother was seriously ill at home and was anxious to leave the city, so he asked me for help."

"Pa!" As soon as he finished speaking, a solid slap fell on Jing Shao's face, and Jing Shao staggered.

"You are a man of temperament. Do you know that the man is the King of Huainan, Gu Huaiqing! "Emperor Hongzheng looked at him with a look of disappointment. This son was capable, but he was raised wild. He didn't look like a prince or a grandson of the emperor at all. Instead, he looked like a chivalrous knight. Not only was he irritable, but he also valued the loyalty of the martial arts world. It was really infuriating.

Jing Shao was beaten to the point of bleeding from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't bother to cover his face. He was stunned for a moment, then knelt on the ground with a plop: "I really don't know. He only said his name was Gu Qing. I met him by chance in Jiangnan. I have always kept my identity a secret from him. I..." Jing Shao's voice sounded very flustered, as if he was stunned by such shocking news.

"Father, I have also seen that man in Jiangnan. Your Majesty really doesn't know his identity. "Mu Hanzhang also knelt beside Jing Shao.

Emperor Hongzheng glanced at him, and the expression on his face eased a little, because Mu Hanzhang admitted from the beginning that the friend Jing Shao sent was someone they knew in Jiangnan. If he had a guilty conscience, he would definitely not say so. He turned to look at Jing Shao and saw that he was no longer flustered, but stiffened his neck, as if he was a little dissatisfied: "Why, you are still not convinced?"

"Your son dare not." Jing Shao said with his head down, but his tone was a little stiff.

"I didn't say you colluded with the vassal kings, but you were dissatisfied first?" Emperor Hongzheng was almost amused.

"My father told my fourth brother about the identity of the King of Huainan, but didn't tell my son! "Jing Shao looked up at his father. Although he said this to trip up the Fourth Prince, his questioning at this moment came from the heart. He had always known that Emperor Hongzheng was partial. No matter what mistakes Jing Yu made, they would never be resolved. Instead, he was always harsh on him and finally locked him up for some unfounded charges.

Emperor Hongzheng was stunned for a long time, then he remembered that he did not tell the Fourth Prince. He knew about it because the ministers who had visited the King of Huainan came to report to him. So how did Jing Yu know? He walked back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back: "Don't you want to think about where you are wrong, but you are criticizing me?"

"I dare not." Jing Shao stiffened his neck, obviously still unconvinced.

Emperor Hongzheng pointed at him, his fingertips trembling with anger: "You will reflect on your mistakes in the palace for me. Without my order, you are not allowed to go anywhere!"

"Father, calm down!" Mu Hanzhang hurriedly persuaded and pushed Jing Shao, "Prince! "

"Your son obeys your order." Jing Shao seemed to have just come to his senses, and he kowtowed to admit his mistake.

"Hmph!" Emperor Hongzheng snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves and left. Before leaving, he turned back and said, "Han Zhang, write down what you said in a rule and show it to me another day."

"Yes!" Mu Han Zhang hurriedly responded, and stood up to see Emperor Hongzheng out.

Emperor Hongzheng waved his hand to tell him not to see him off, and left with his guards and eunuchs, full of anger.

After a moment of silence, Mu Hanzhang walked to Jing Shao and squatted down to look at him: "Father has gone out."

Jing Shao slowly sat on the ground, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and breathed a sigh of relief: "Thanks to you."

Mu Hanzhang reached out and gently touched his red cheek, and his slightly cool fingers comforted the burning finger marks. Jing Shao rubbed his palm greedily. It didn't matter how partial his father was, at least this person's heart was with him, and that was enough.

Mu Hanzhang quietly looked at the person who rubbed his palm lightly. The questioning of Emperor Hongzheng just now didn't notice it, but he could see clearly that there was indeed resentment in Jing Shao's eyes. Without his mother's protection, the prince had no room for maneuver in front of the emperor. If there was a conflict, he could only bear it. He couldn't help feeling pity in his heart, and slowly reached out and hugged him in his arms: "Father is not partial, but as an emperor, he needs checks and balances."

Emperor Hongzheng must have known about the Ministry of Revenue. He didn't severely punish the Fourth Prince's faction. In the final analysis, it was the emperor's mind. There needed to be checks and balances in the court. Therefore, as a shrewd emperor, he would choose to turn a blind eye before his bottom line was touched.

Suddenly being hugged into a warm embrace with a fresh fragrance, Jing Shao was stunned for a moment, greedily took a deep breath, consciously arched his chest, and reached out to hug the flexible waist: "Jun Qing, I'm under house arrest again, so don't go to court."

"Why?" Mu Hanzhang looked down at him.

"This way we can sleep in, and we can do it again in the morning!" Jing Shao said with sparkling eyes.