The Child Emperor

On the third day of the 12th lunar month in the first year of success, the emperor read out the edict of abdication in Tai'an Hall. This day was less than nine months after he ascended the throne, and exactly five months before the capital's earthquake.

The history books recorded a series of disasters in this year, such as the collapse of emperors, military disasters, palace changes, earthquakes, epidemics, pirates... A seal of seal was sent from all over the world, and at first it was only implicitly implied that the disaster was related to the inner palace. , after being acquiesced and encouraged, the memorial was directed at the emperor himself.

Almost every month, the emperor promulgated one or two edicts on his own crimes, and took the initiative to take responsibility. More and more officials smelled the fragrant blood. The content of the memorial became more and more straightforward, and the emperor's "bad deeds" were all. As evidence of the crime, it shows that he has offended God and caused all the disasters this year.

Therefore, the abdication on the third day of December came naturally.

Han Ruzi didn't know much about these things, he did not write the edict of guilt, and although there were many memorials, he never had the chance to see them, and he didn't even go to the Qinzheng Palace much, and stayed in the inner palace in the name of fasting. Reading, especially history books, no one restricts him anymore, he can read at will.

Mother Wang Meiren came every day to chat with her son for a while, never mentioning the outside world.

Others seldom came, Yang Feng did not show up once, Meng E came once and brought him the last pill, and since then there has been no trace. One month before the abdication, Zhang Youcai and Tong Qing'e were both transferred away, and their whereabouts are unknown. , and the other "hard people" have never been here. When Han Ruzi asked, Wang Meiren just said "there are other arrangements" and refused to reveal more details.

Slowly, Han Ruzi's mind also faded. Since he will soon abdicate, there is really no need to care about the attitude of others.

King Donghai has been here a few times, always sneering and sarcastic. He doesn't know he has the chance to become emperor, so he is in a low mood. After taunting, he always complains about his uncle Cui Hong. In his opinion, his uncle's courage is too small, and he misses it. good opportunity.

Han Ruzi never saw the queen again, and the practice of being lucky to Qiuxin Palace every five years was canceled.

Occasionally, he could hear a bit of news: the eunuch Zuo Ji was not forgiven by the empress dowager, and he was beheaded in prison the day after the failure of the palace change; Junyang Hou Huabin and his son and two grandsons escaped from the capital and were never arrested. , the family members who stayed in Beijing were all imprisoned; Chunyu Xiao, who was looking for air, was the most miraculous. Every few days, news of his arrest came, but none of them could be confirmed.

But these have nothing to do with Han Ruzi. Reading history books is purely a hobby, and he doesn't think he has a chance to become emperor again.

On the afternoon of the second day of December, the eunuch Jing Yao sent a prepared edict to abdicate. Implying that you have an incurable disease.

Han Ruzi wrote everything correctly, but stopped writing once and asked in surprise, "When did I change my name to Han Xun? The word is 'yes', right?"

"The emperor usually changes his name before he ascends the throne, so that people in the world can avoid it. His Majesty's name was changed in March, and there is a record on the affiliation of Zongzheng. , In the face of the emperor who will abdicate the next day, he still maintains basic etiquette.

Han Ruzi continued to write the edict, whether it was "Han Song" or "Han Lu", he didn't care, his real name was "Ruzi".

"Okay." Han Ruzi put down his pen and admired the edict he wrote, "My characters are much neater than before, will the ministers recognize it?"

Jing Yao looked a little embarrassed, "Yes, definitely. Please rest, Your Majesty."

Han Ruzi lay on the bed silently for a while, and felt that the sense of breath in his body was becoming clear. Unfortunately, he could only practice this step. If Meng E did not come, he would not be able to practice other methods.

He slept well that night.

Compared with the enthronement, the abdication ceremony the next day was unusually fast and crude. The ceremonial officials read the edict in public, the ministers knelt down, and then stood up to give way to both sides. Han Xing, the military commander, stepped up to the rank as an important official of the clan and received it from the emperor. Retire the treasure seal that never belonged to him.

Then Prime Minister Yin Wuxian went up the stairs, stretched out his hand and said "His Royal Highness", guided Han Ruzi out of the Tai'an Hall, and handed him over to the two generals at the door.

Han Ruzi recognized one of them, it was Liu Kunsheng, the palace guard.

When bowing to the deposed emperor, Liu Kunsheng obviously bowed lower, "Your Highness, please follow me out of the palace."

Han Ruzi took a carriage and was escorted by Liu Kunsheng personally by Zhonglang. When the vehicle drove to the Nanbianmen, he encountered the first group of messengers. The eunuch Jing Yao read the decree of the Queen Mother to the Emperor Abolition: Han Yu was named King De Zhong. Keep the capital's mansion.

King De Zhong is not a good title, Han Ruzi didn't like it and didn't care.

The carriage continued to move forward and drove out of the palace, all the way deserted, and no one was there during the day.

On the way, the carriage stopped again, and the second group of messengers stopped the road to read the decree of the Empress Dowager Yi: After discussion among the ministers, it is not appropriate for the abolished emperor to be called the king, and the title is changed to "Marquis of Tiredness".

Han Ruzi asked Liu Kunsheng who was beside him, "How far is it? If this goes on like this, I won't be abolished as a commoner, right?"

Liu Kunsheng looked embarrassed. He should not have talked to the Emperor Abolition, but he turned his head slightly and said in a low voice, "No, Your Majesty... No, Your Highness... No no, you are the Marquis of Tired, and you will not descend again, you should not meeting."

Han Ruzi smiled, "Marquis Tired, is this the 'tired' of 'tired', or the 'tired' of 'tired'?"

Liu Kunsheng was right. Marquis Tien was the identity of Han Ruzi. The carriage drove all the way into Beicheng and stopped in front of the gate of a mansion. The plaque on the lintel clearly read the four characters "House of Marquis Tien". New, apparently just hung up not long ago.

The third group of messengers waited at the door, and read the Queen Mother Yi's decree to the deposed emperor again. The wording was stricter than the previous few times. After recounting the various "bad deeds" of the deposed emperor, he asked him to "rehabilitate" from now on. Only very few of the decrees Substantial content: Although the abolished emperor Han Kuang was a marquis, he was more than a prince and could "enter the palace without worshiping".

It was only then that Han Ruzi remembered that he did not get out of the car and kneel after receiving the decree several times.

After reading the decree, the messenger withdrew, and the guards in the palace who escorted the abolished emperor had to retire. Liu Kunsheng knelt on the ground at this moment, kowtowed to Marquis Ruan, bowed his head to the courtier, and then got into the carriage and led his troops away.

This is a very risky move, and Han Ruzi has no time to stop it.

Eight guards stayed behind, guarding the gate, and Han Ruzi turned around and walked into another new home of his own.

There were more than 20 servants kneeling in the courtyard, and they were all "hard-boiled people" in the palace. Han Ruzi recognized Zhang Youcai at a glance, and couldn't help but be overjoyed, "So you are all here!"

Everyone kowtowed, Zhang Youshang raised his head, cried and called "Your Majesty".

Han Ruzi shook his head, stepped forward to help everyone up, and said loudly, "From today onwards, I am Han Ruzi, the Marquis of the Tired, don't call me 'Your Majesty' again, thank you all... Thank you..."

He didn't know what to say.

The crowd cried, and the more mature eunuch persuaded everyone to stop.

Han Ruzi didn't see Tong Qing'e and Cai Xinghai, Zhang Youcai wiped his tears and said, "Jing Sijian said that we have done a good job in saving and driving, and we can choose to go out of the palace to follow... You can also stay in the palace. We, the people, went out of the palace voluntarily. Yesterday It was only delivered at night, Sister Qing'e and the others stayed in the palace, saying it was..."

Zhang Youcai was quite dissatisfied, Han Ruzi smiled and said, "I understand."

"Brother Cai asked for a military post, and went to the frontier to fight again, and he didn't know whether to start. He asked me to say to His Majesty... to the master, 'Being able to climb the wall with the master is the greatest honor in his life, until his death. Don't forget.'"

Han Ruzi smiled and said, "Who will forget? I hope he can make a fortune this time without falsely reporting his head."

Zhang Youcai also laughed.

"Show me my new home, we can be free here."

Everyone crowded around the tired Hou to look around.

The mansion is not small, with five entrances in the front and back, there are many houses, the courtyard is more spacious than the courtyard in the palace, more than 20 people are not satisfied with even 30% of the rooms, and the back is a garden, unmaintained and covered with thick accumulations. Snow.

"It would be great if it was just us." Zhang Youcai quickly became excited and walked around with his master, throwing everyone else away. In a study, Zhang Youcai knelt down again. , whispered: "Your Majesty..."

"Don't call me that again."

"Master, when are we going back to the palace?"

Han Ruzi said in surprise: "Why do you say such a thing?"

"You are the emperor of Great Chu, and only you are worthy of being the emperor. When you leave the palace, you will retreat to advance, and you will go back sooner or later, right?"

"Does everyone think so?" Han Ruzi asked seriously.

Zhang Youcai hesitated for a moment, "I didn't ask, but I think... everyone thinks the same as me."

Mother Wang Meiren did say to wait patiently for the opportunity, but the opportunity is far away, and there is not even a shadow. Just thinking about going back out of the gate of the palace will only cause big trouble.

"Tell everyone, don't mention the matter of 'returning to the palace', this is my home, and I want to live forever."

Zhang Youcai stood up with a knowing smile on his face, "Understood, I'll talk about it later."

"Forget it, I don't need to say anything." Han Ruzi found that there was no way to explain this kind of thing, and only wanted to cover it up.

A eunuch ran in and said in a panic, "Someone is coming outside, and it looks fierce."

Han Ruzi hurriedly went out, and when he arrived at the front yard, he saw more than a dozen men in strong suits closing the door and looking around. They were all carrying knives.

When Han Ruzi was surprised, a eunuch walked out of an upside-down room, came to him a few steps, bowed and saluted, "Could Marquis Tien still like it here?"

"Yang Feng!" Han Ruzi was taken aback, "The queen mother asked you to come? Is there something wrong?"

"Come to be the head of the Hou's mansion. If Hou Juan doesn't want to use me, you can change someone else. In this house, you are the master."

Han Ruzi was overjoyed, "Yes, of course, but... no one told me that you would also leave the palace."

"Before something happens, there are always surprises, so let's talk about it after it happens."

"These people..." Han Ruzi pointed at the men in strong suits, feeling that they didn't look like eunuchs in the palace, and some of them had prominent beards.

"Some of my friends, please come to protect Juan Hou."

"Protect? Why protect?"

"Because someone might misunderstand the Queen Mother's intentions."

Han Ruzi was taken aback, "Didn't the edict and the empress dowager's decree make it clear?"

"No matter how clear the queen mother is, there will always be people who think too much, thinking that they can take advantage of the opportunity to make merit. The first few days of the abdicating emperor are the most dangerous, and it's good to get through it."

It was only then that Han Ruzi understood that his life after abdication was not as leisurely as he imagined.

(seeking for collection and recommendation)