Chapter 1083: Zhao Pu, the unlearned but skilled man, and Feng Dao, the celebratory

Shangyang Palace, inside Chongyang Hall.

This was originally the residence of Princess Yining of the Tang Dynasty, Princess Yongle, and Princess Zhenning of the Liang Dynasty.

In the past few years, Princess Zhenning was getting older, and her son Li Yuanjie was granted a title of nobility, which was considered a good ending. She no longer wanted to stay in the harem and get involved with the young concubines.

With Su Mingzhe's consent, Princess Zhenning moved to the nunnery in the harem, and practiced Buddhism in black robes with some old maids who had left the palace not far away.

After Princess Zhenning left, only Princesses Yining and Yongle were left living in Chongyang Palace, along with some beauties, talented women, and royal attendants.

This day.

Su Mingzhe came to Chongyang Palace and asked Princess Tianxing, the daughter of himself and Princess Yining, whether she had someone she liked and whether he, as her father, would like to arrange someone for her.

Princess Tianxing hadn't spoken yet, but Princess Yining couldn't help but say:

"Your Majesty, what do you think of my nephew, the Marquis of Xining?"

Marquis of Xining was Li Yuanjie, the former second prince of the Tang Dynasty.

Li Yuanjie has followed Su Mingzhe in battles for many years and has always been brave and fearless.

After continuous accumulation of merit and promotion, Li Yuanjie earned the hereditary title of Marquis of Xining.

Among the nine dukes and sixteen marquises, Li Yuanjie's title of Marquis of Xining ranked twelfth.

Su Mingzhe had also met Li Zhen, the son of Marquis Xining. He was a heroic young man who was absolutely worthy of Princess Tianxing.

Under Princess Yining's earnest gaze, Su Mingzhe shook his head fiercely and refused:
"no!"

"Yining, have you forgotten that I have written in the article "Marriage" of the "Han Law" that direct relatives such as aunts and uncles cannot marry."

When Princess Tianxing heard that her father had rejected her mother, a hint of joy flashed across her originally calm eyes.

Princess Yining did not notice the change in her daughter's expression, and wanted to ask the man to give her special care.

Su Mingzhe noticed the change in his daughter's eyes and couldn't help asking her:

"Tianxing, do you have a favorite young man?"

Tianxing glanced at his mother who turned back, gritted his teeth, and whispered:
"Father, I...I heard that Zhao Pu, the son of the Lord of the Capital, is quite knowledgeable..."

"The son of the God's Capital Order...isn't that Zhao Pu, who failed in the exams many times?"

Su Mingzhe looked at his daughter Tianxing with a strange look, hesitated for a moment, and nodded:

"Although Zhao Pu has failed in many examinations, he does have some skills. Over the years, he has helped his father solve many cases."

In history, Zhao Pu was known as "ruling the world with half of the Analects of Confucius", but it is not certain whether this is true or not.

However, Zhao Pu was really not well versed in Confucianism.

Su Mingzhe once went to inspect the examination room.

Zhao Pu is a historical figure, so Su Mingzhe took a look at the test paper he wrote.

To put it in a positive way, he is simple and unpretentious.

To put it more clearly, Zhao Pu could only write articles using semi-literary and semi-vernacular language, and when quoting from classics, he could only borrow old historical wisdom without any new ideas.

After seeing him, Su Mingzhe disliked him very much.

However, now that his daughter has taken a fancy to him, Su Mingzhe can only sigh in his heart and admit that this brat has talent.

Princess Yining had never heard of Zhao Pu, but seeing that the Han Emperor spoke highly of him, she could only secretly feel sorry for her nephew.

Turning around, Yining asked his daughter curiously:
"Tianxing, how did you know about this Zhao Pu?"

"Mother, when I returned to Beijing last year, I saw him helping the city gate guards..."

Tianxing spoke softly and told the story of how he met Zhao Pu.

Su Mingzhe laughed at first, then admonished:

"Girl, you should have told me earlier if you had a lover. Fortunately, I know that Zhao Pu has made a vow that he would not marry unless he passed the imperial examination. If it had been someone else, wouldn't he have missed out on such a good marriage?"

Upon seeing this, Tianxing quickly apologized.

Su Mingzhe was not really angry, he just wanted to take this opportunity to send a signal to the concubines in the harem.

It was the next day in a blink of an eye.

Su Mingzhe sent someone to invite Zhao Jiong, the governor of Shendu, to discuss the marriage of the two families' children. Zhao Jiong never expected that his son, who failed to pass the imperial examination, would win the heart of a princess.

Sighing at his son's good luck, Zhao Jiong immediately agreed to the marriage.

As for the son’s oath that he would not marry unless he passed the imperial examination, wasn’t that just a joke?
Zhao Pu was about to become the emperor's son-in-law. If he went to take the imperial examination again, which examiner would dare to let him fail?

The first month of the new year has not yet ended.

Su Mingzhe found princes-in-law for more than twenty princesses in one go.

This incident caused a huge uproar in Luoyang city.

For a time, the news that the prince was going to marry a princess was suppressed.

The pressure on the He family was instantly reduced a lot.

In the blink of an eye it was February.

The process of the prince's wedding continued in an orderly manner.

With Najib finished, the wedding date was set.

Su Shaoan took the prince's attendant Feng Dao back to Chang'an.

As for the remaining three steps of paying the betrothal gift, asking for the date of marriage, and welcoming the bride, he only needs to wait for the completion of the last step.

On the return carriage, Feng Dao was even more excited than the prince and said:
"Your Highness, the Emperor has already set the date for your crowning ceremony, which is in August. I think the date for marrying the Crown Princess should be in September or October. Once Your Highness marries the Crown Princess, he will definitely be able to become Regent soon!"

The crown prince regulating the country was an important system in the pre-Tang period.

After the founding of the Han Dynasty, when the "Han Code" was compiled, the "Prince's Office" was also retained.

According to the system, during the period when the crown prince is regent, officials of the Eastern Palace will be responsible for handling national affairs, and documents will be issued to the whole country using the official document format of the crown prince's regent system.

Although at this time, high-ranking officials from the three provinces and six ministries would be given the title of temporary Eastern Palace officials, and would assist the prince together with the original Eastern Palace officials.

However, the original officials of the Eastern Palace, as the prince's true confidants, will also take control of the court power.

By then, the power that a servant of the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace like Feng Dao would have would be no less than that of the officials in the three provinces and six ministries.

This is also the fundamental reason why Feng Dao is excited.

The prince was naturally very happy to be able to regent.

However, his happiness did not last long and he became confused.

During the two or three months in Luoyang, the prince quietly tried many ways to meet He Zhenniang, but unfortunately he was never able to do so.

During these few months, he only heard people talking about how virtuous He Zhenniang was.

However, he had never heard anyone talk about what He Zhenniang looked like.

As a result, the prince is still very worried, fearing that he will marry an ugly woman.

Don't doubt that this possibility does not exist.

You know, it has only been six or seven hundred years since Emperor Hui of Jin married the ugly and weird Empress Jia Nanfeng.

When the prince thought of this possibility, he secretly regretted:

"If I had known that I would have to endure this kind of psychological torment, I should not have listened to the Taoist priest and believed that the He family girl had the potential to bring good luck to her husband."

Unfortunately, at this point, it is useless for the prince to regret it.

With the end of Najib, the die is cast.

Even if the emperor agreed to the prince's breaking off the engagement, the prince himself did not dare to do so.

After all, this involves "faith".

The prince, who received Confucian education since childhood, deeply understood a truth: as a prince, if he wants to win the hearts of the people, no matter how dirty his heart is, he must abide by the five virtues of a gentleman on the surface.

The five virtues are: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness.

If the news of my regretful engagement gets out, the reputation that I have worked hard to maintain for more than ten years will be ruined.

Therefore, at this point, even if Daughter He was really ugly, the prince would grit his teeth and complete their marriage.

(End of this chapter)