Lu Hongxi clenched his fists tightly. As a military general, he didn't understand the subtleties in these words. But even a fool would realize by this time that these people were targeting him. Yet he was also a bit confused. Was it wrong that he had been whole - heartedly devoted to the country?
He and Lu Hanchi still knew that this was not the time to talk nonsense, but Lu Hannian didn't think so much. He just stood up angrily, glaring, and wanted to confront the right vice - minister of the Ministry of Revenue, saying that the Wangfu could pay for the hundreds of thick cloaks by itself.
But before Lu Hannian could speak, Lu Wanning looked at the emperor with bright eyes and said, "Uncle Emperor, I was there on the day Father returned to the capital. It was freezing cold. Many common people didn't have warm clothes. The faces of babies and old people were frozen red. Even I felt really sorry for them. I followed them for a while and got my shoes and socks wet. I was so cold!"
She was very coquettish and looked so aggrieved that the sternness in the emperor's eyes softened a bit. He just lowered his head to look at her feet.
Lu Wanning walked around to the emperor's side, spread out her hands and showed them to him. "My hands were frozen stiff that day. Nanny Gui rubbed them with ginger for me, boiled hot water with rose juice for me to soak my hands, and applied the cream specially made in the palace so that I didn't get frostbite. But Uncle Emperor, those common people were dressed thinner than me. They had no carriages and no servants. Women carried their children, and elder siblings led their younger ones. They knelt and walked in the snow. It was really pitiful."
The emperor unconsciously reached out and pinched Lu Wanning's little hand. It was soft and gentle. But when he heard what she said, he felt really heart - ache. She was right. She was loved and taken care of, but his people, his subjects, had knelt and walked in the wind and snow just to welcome the great general?
At this time, Lu Hongxi knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I saw the common people's shabby and thin clothes and them kneeling on the ground in the wind and snow. I really couldn't bear it, so I took off my clothes and gave them to an old woman. More than a hundred soldiers who entered the capital with me were determined to share hardships with me, so they took off their clothes too. It was by no means a deliberate waste."
The emperor frowned slightly, looked up at Lu Hongxi, but didn't tell him to get up.
The crown prince's eyes searched among several old ministers for a moment. Just as he was about to get up and speak, Sheng Jinyu calmly said,
"Father, I think what the King of Zhennan did was quite inappropriate. The common people were willing to go and kneel to welcome him out of respect, which was their courtesy. If the King of Zhennan didn't want to accept it, he could just order them to go back. Why did he have to give away his clothes in person? This kind of behavior would only make the common people more touched. I'm afraid that every time the king returns to the capital in the future, the common people will come out of the city to welcome him. The King of Zhennan is at fault, and Father should punish him."
An angry look appeared on the crown prince's face. He quickly said, "Father, I think what the third brother said is wrong. The King of Zhennan is beloved by the common people because of his great contributions and his concern for them. Although the King of Zhennan was at fault in this matter, it was reasonable. Please Father don't believe what others say. Your Majesty, the King of Zhennan is your cousin and the most valiant general of the Great Zhou. He just came back from a victorious battle. How can you punish him?"
The emperor laughed. "Cousin? What do you think, cousin?"
Lu Hongxi quickly kowtowed. "It's my fault. I'm willing to accept the punishment, but the soldiers who came back with me..."
"Those who are at fault should all be punished," Sheng Jinyu said slowly and continued.
Lu Wanning looked at Sheng Jinyu with a straight face. What was he doing? Was he forcing the emperor to punish her father? Was he just wishing that something bad would happen to the Zhennan Wangfu? She didn't quite understand what the King of Yu meant, but the crown prince must have had ill intentions.
But they were discussing official business, and it was not appropriate for her to interrupt. She was really anxious.
Just then, He Nanfeng got up and knelt down. "Your Majesty, Nanfeng has some doubts and wants to ask the King of Zhennan."
"Let's hear it," the emperor leaned back in his chair and patted his shoulder.
Lu Wanning felt a little relieved. The emperor asking her to massage him showed that he didn't suspect the Zhennan Wangfu to that extent. She quickly walked behind the emperor and began to massage him slowly and steadily.
He Nanfeng continued, "Your Highness, in the past few years of my travels for study, I've deeply felt that the customs vary from place to place, but human feelings are somewhat similar. For example, it's normal for the common people to respect the emperor and love the king. But I remember that it was snowing heavily and the weather was really bad on the day Your Highness returned to the capital. Even if the common people wanted to welcome you back, they should have taken care of themselves. But just now, from what Your Highness and the princess said, it seems that even the old, the weak, women and children came out to welcome you. This doesn't seem very reasonable. Or is it that Your Highness's reputation has made the common people ignore their own and their families' safety?"
Towards the end, his tone became a bit intense, even with a hint of dissatisfaction.
Now Lu Wanning understood. Just as the crown prince had ill intentions, deliberately pleading for her father but actually trying to anger the emperor, He Nanfeng was also doing it on purpose. Her eyes swept over Sheng Jinyu and saw that he looked calm and was even pouring himself a drink.
She quickly turned her head and murmured softly, "Uncle Emperor, I didn't say anything wrong. That day I told Father that those common people were not willing to do it, but he told me not to talk nonsense."
The emperor's eyebrows relaxed a bit. He laughed and asked Lu Hongxi, "Is there such a thing?"
Lu Hongxi quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I've been away from the capital for a long time. On the day I returned, I only knew that the common people were very enthusiastic. I felt really ashamed towards Your Majesty and the common people, so I dismounted and asked the common people to go back. Later, I even scolded the attendants of the Beijing Garrison for not stopping the common people. But my daughter's words that the common people were forced were just nonsense. I didn't dare to believe it."
Lu Wanning let go of her hands, ran in front of the emperor, knelt down and pouted. "Uncle Emperor, you have to judge. When have I ever lied?"
The emperor seemed to just notice that everyone was kneeling. He waved his hand and said, "Why are you all kneeling? I'm very happy at today's palace banquet. Don't be so formal. Get up. Zhaoyang, I naturally believe you. Your father is such a muddle - headed old man."
Lu Wanning grinned. "Thank you, Uncle Emperor."
The emperor then looked at Sheng Jinyu. "King of Yu, since Zhaoyang said that someone deliberately made things difficult for the common people in this matter, you go and investigate it."
Sheng Jinyu got up lazily. "I obey the order."
The queen beside him waved to Lu Wanning lovingly. "Ning'er, don't be naughty. Come here to your aunt."
Lu Wanning didn't want to go, but she couldn't refuse. Seeing that her father had already gotten up and returned to his seat, she just nodded to the queen. After thinking for a while, she said, "Uncle Emperor, my father has won a great victory. You haven't rewarded him yet."
This audacious act made everyone at the banquet gasp.
The emperor wasn't offended. Instead, he asked, "Indeed. What kind of reward does cousin want?"
Lu Hongxi was very anxious. He knew his daughter was naughty, but he had never seen her act so recklessly before. He quickly walked forward and knelt down properly. "It's the mission of the Lu family to defend the country. It's our duty and we would never dare to ask for any reward for this."
The emperor shook his head and laughed. "Whether it's a civil official or a military general, those who are loyal to the country should be rewarded according to their merits. Zhaoyang, you tell me what rewards I should give to your father and brother."