"Why don't you wait a little longer? I'll talk to the emperor again in a while. You shouldn't be in such a hurry."
Ji Huang lowered his head, looking a bit disappointed.
"What the empress dowager said is right. Then I'll wait a bit longer."
With his head down, his back seemed inexplicably vicissitudinous.
Cui Qizhou had watched him grow up. He couldn't be too heartless; otherwise, he wouldn't have shown up to meddle in this matter today.
"Maybe I'll find someone else to talk to the emperor."
"Forget it. The emperor won't listen to anyone at this moment."
"But the prince has indeed reached the age to gain experience. There is actually someone who can persuade the emperor, but this person requires the empress dowager to invite in person."
These words made Lan Xi a bit unhappy.
"What kind of person has such audacity that the empress dowager has to invite them in person?"
He stared at the man with a dark face and full of vigilance. The answer he got made him immediately shrink his neck.
"After the last incident of saving the emperor, the person whose words the emperor is most likely to listen to now is probably only the eldest young master."
When this was mentioned, everyone remembered.
Ji Huang felt a bit embarrassed.
"Isn't it inappropriate to trouble Uncle with this matter?"
However, Shi Muwǎn didn't think too much about it. In this era, everyone had their dreams. If they didn't appear around her, it would be fine. But once they did, she would definitely help.
"There's nothing inappropriate. He's your uncle. Why can't he run around for you a few times?"
After saying that, Shi Muwǎn didn't hesitate to send a letter to Shi An to tell him about this matter.
When Shi An saw the content in the letter, he felt a headache. His little sister was really never quiet, but he could only spoil her.
At night.
Shi An sneaked into the palace quietly when no one was paying attention.
After the experience during the day, even if he didn't say anything, the young emperor knew what he had come for.
"Uncle, Ji Huang is at least my younger brother. How could I harm him?"
"Your Majesty knows that I'm not one to beat around the bush. Yes, I came today for this matter, but I don't intend to force you."
Ji Heng was stunned. At first, when he heard this, he didn't quite understand what he meant.
Seeing him in a daze, Shi An shook the wine jar in his hand.
"This is the osmanthus wine that your mother sent someone to deliver last time. I haven't drunk it for so long. It's been sealed underground all the time. How about we taste it tonight?"
"Okay."
Just like this, the two carried the wine jars and climbed onto the roof of the imperial study. Sitting on the eaves, they could see the scenery of the entire Changjing City from here.
With such scenery, the young emperor's mood improved a lot.
"Of course I know that the imperial younger brother has reached the age to gain experience. But the mess that even the national master couldn't handle, how could he, a young boy, stir up any trouble?"
"But if Your Majesty doesn't even let him try, how can he prove himself?"
"Sigh, there was a time when I also held such an idea. In the end, during the rebellion that day, I couldn't even protect the person I cared about most."
As he said this, two lines of clear tears slid down the young emperor's face.
At this age, he was still just a child. He still couldn't forget the mess that day.
Shi An gently patted his shoulder and wiped his tears with his own handkerchief.
"Look over there."
Following the direction of Shi An's finger, the young emperor saw many sky lanterns rising and floating above the entire Changjing City. He had never seen such a spectacular scene before and looked confused.
"It's not a festival today. Why are there so many sky lanterns, and they all seem to be gathering in the same place?"
"Your Majesty has also noticed. Actually, it all started some time ago."
It turned out that since Shi An took power, he had set such a rule in the army.
On the middle day of every month, there would be a night when sky lanterns would be released in the army to console the heroic spirits in the sky.
Over time, this rule had been retained.
His original intention was not to let the living forget those heroic spirits who had died. They had sacrificed too much for this country.
If those who had given their lives for the country could be forgotten, who would dare to trust this so - called court in the future?
Hearing this, Ji Heng was deeply shocked.
"I never knew there was such a rule."
"Your Majesty actually doesn't know another thing. Look at that place."
From their angle, they could just see the scene under the sky lanterns.
Tens of thousands of people were gathered there, and there seemed to be some official ladies and monks among them.
"Almost on this day of every month, these people will appear there. They are all praying for those heroic spirits who have died."
"Logically speaking, on this day of every month, I should also do these things with the common people. It's ridiculous that I've never even heard of these things. What a failure this emperor is."
He mocked himself. He was probably the last one to know such an important thing. He had really missed too much.
"I'm telling Your Majesty this today. Your Majesty should understand my intention. If the common people can do this much for the country this year, how can we, who are in high positions, live in comfort? There are many people in this world who are the same age as the prince, but they are buried on the frontier. Don't they have parents, relatives, brothers, and sisters? They do, but they have no choice. They would rather use their own bodies to protect this peaceful land."
There is no such thing as time being quiet. It's just that more people are shouldering the burden in front.
Shi An looked at the sea of people in the distance with a vicissitudinous look in his eyes. The broken light shone on his side face, making it hard to see his thoughts.
The young emperor seemed to have figured it out at this moment.
"Since he wants to go so much, then let him go. Send more people to follow him."
Ji Heng's compromise quickly spread to the Shoukang Palace. When Shi Muwǎn heard the whole process of the persuasion, her clothes were soaked with tears.
"Big brother is really a reasonable person. Huang'er, don't forget what your imperial brother said. Don't let down those frontier soldiers."
"Son will surely keep it in mind."
He knelt on the ground, with the joy in his heart overflowing.
Soon, this matter spread to everyone's ears and caused quite a stir. There were still some people in the court who didn't quite agree.
"Your Majesty, this is still too dangerous for the prince. Please think twice before you act."
"Alright, all of you can retreat. I know what I'm doing. If it's just about this matter, then there's nothing more to say."
In the end, Ji Huang left Changjing City as he wished and went far away to the northwest. And Lan Xi, as his deputy general, also went with him.
Before leaving, Lan Xi specially went to the Shoukang Palace to express his feelings.
"Empress dowager, please wait for me to come back. Don't listen to the sweet words of the national master. He must have ulterior motives towards you."