Eine erfolgreiche Liebe

Kapitel 1

A Dream of Spring

Copywriting:

With the late emperor's unexpected passing, the prince and prime minister, besides worrying about state affairs, also had to take time to be the fathers of the infant emperor.

As the prince continued, he found himself increasingly finding this nemesis more and more pleasing to the eye.

Chapter 1

Emperor Wen, the restorer of the Great Chu, died young, leaving behind only a posthumous son. His mother, Consort Duan, died in childbirth, leaving the country in turmoil due to the young emperor. Fortunately, the late emperor had left a will stipulating that if Consort Duan gave birth to a prince, Prince Meng Chifeng and Prime Minister Duan Tingzhen would jointly govern until the new emperor came of age. Both men were loyal to the Great Chu and did not disappoint the late emperor's expectations. Nearly seven years later, the Great Chu had grown increasingly powerful, surpassing even the strength of the late emperor's reign.

It was March, a time of blooming flowers and gentle breezes, with trees sprouting new buds. In the Great Chu Imperial Palace, the doors and windows of Chongwen Pavilion were wide open, letting in the bright spring sunshine, which also imbued the tables and chairs with vibrant life.

The young emperor, with a pained expression, stood beside a young man and stammered as he recited: "Near and far are united, leading guests to return to the king, the phoenix sings in the bamboo, black... black..."

The young man said, "White Horse Restaurant."

The five-year-old emperor finally couldn't hold back any longer and admitted his mistake with a long face: "Master, I shouldn't have skipped my homework. I know I was wrong."

However, the young man was not buying it. The young emperor had been well aware of the principle of admitting mistakes but never repenting since he could speak. If he let him off the hook today, he would dare to do even more tomorrow. Therefore, his expression did not change at all, and he said indifferently, "Since you haven't done your homework, then put out your hand."

"Let's not punish him today, since the Imperial Uncle is coming back." He said with a grin, "It wouldn't be good if the Imperial Uncle saw us. You can punish him quietly when he's not looking."

The young man smiled and said, "Does Your Majesty consider your ministers to be fools?"

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, he reluctantly took his hand out from behind his back and let the young man tap it three times with the ruler. Then, after looking at the young man's face and secretly assessing the situation, he felt that the young man was not angry, so he looked at him expectantly and said, "Xun'er's hand hurts."

The young man finally couldn't help but laugh, bent down and hugged the little emperor in his arms, sighing, "You..."

The five-year-old child pressed his face against the young man's chest and chuckled secretly.

This young man was none other than Duan Tingzhen, the Prime Minister of the Great Chu Kingdom.

Although Duan Tingzhen was from a prominent family, his status was somewhat different from that of other members of the Duan family. This was because a wandering Taoist priest had predicted in his childhood that he had no affinity with the Duan family.

The Duan family initially didn't believe it, but a few days later, he developed a high fever, so they had no choice but to bring the Taoist priest back. The priest patted him on the forehead, and the fever subsided.

From then on, although his parents loved him dearly, something was still missing between them.

Duan Tingzhen didn't think much of it. After growing up, he followed his family's wishes and entered politics. He was even given the task of assisting a child. Unfortunately, he had no interest in plotting to usurp the throne, so he focused on raising the young emperor.

Over the years, his education has begun to show results, and the young emperor has now displayed qualities that far surpass those of his peers. The child is intelligent and lovable, and Duan Tingzhen, feeling sorry for him having lost his parents at birth, treats him with a fatherly affection, and the young emperor is extremely dependent on him.

As the trusted confidant of the late emperor, entrusted with the care of the young emperor, he possessed the ability and courage to live up to the emperor's high expectations. Despite his young age, his methods were extremely skillful. The only one who could rival him was Meng Chifeng, the Prince of Jin appointed by Emperor Wen.

At first, Duan Tingzhen thought that this man was both arrogant and unruly, and that if he were given power, it would be like inviting a wolf into the house. However, to everyone's surprise, after Meng Chifeng seized military power with swift and decisive measures, he did not have any rebellious intentions.

Although the two men had different political views, they both cared about the Great Chu. Therefore, for more than six years, Meng Chifeng guarded the border while Duan Tingzhen controlled the overall situation in the capital, and the two lived in peace.

Last winter solstice, there was a change in the northern frontier, and the Prince of Jin demonstrated his military talent for the first time, achieving a great victory over the northern barbarians.

Now that the border is finally at peace, the Prince of Jin has set off to return to the capital, and the army will return to the city today.

"Your Majesty, the Prince has arrived at the palace gate. Would you like to see him?" The old eunuch Jin Bao greeted him with a smile.

"Quickly, quickly announce it!" The young emperor nestled in the prime minister's arms, gazing longingly into the distance as if that person would be there any minute.

Duan Tingzhen was still holding the little emperor and showed no intention of putting him down. The little emperor couldn't resist and jumped out of his arms, staring longingly at the doorway. But Duan Tingzhen felt a pang of disappointment and could only stand beside the child, waiting for the person to come in.

When Meng Chifeng arrived, he was wearing silver armor. His demeanor was dignified, but he also exuded a murderous aura. He strode in and bowed to the young emperor, saying, "Your subject Meng Chifeng greets Your Majesty."

To avoid suspicion, Duan Tingzhen took a half step back to the side, squinting at him with an inscrutable expression. After Meng Chifeng finished his greetings and stood up, he stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said, "Your Highness."

Meng Chifeng politely returned the greeting: "Prime Minister Duan".

The young emperor, however, was too lazy to pay attention to the silent undercurrents between the adults. He ran forward a few steps and hugged Meng Chifeng's waist, saying in a childish voice, "Uncle, have you missed Xun'er? Xun'er misses Uncle so much."

Meng Chifeng's expression softened considerably. He picked him up and weighed him in his arms, saying, "You've gained weight."

The little emperor immediately frowned, as if he were extremely unhappy. But when his uncle lifted him high, he couldn't help but giggle.

The smile reached Duan Tingzhen's ears and made him feel a little sour. He stepped forward and said, "Your Highness must be tired from your journey. Your Majesty, please don't make a fuss. Let Your Highness rest for a while before you come back to talk to me, okay?"

Hearing this, the young emperor reluctantly got out of his uncle's arms and whispered, "How about I rest in the palace for a while and have lunch with Xun'er at noon?"

Meng Chifeng smiled and readily agreed.

But then the young emperor said, "Master, why don't you stay for lunch too?"

Although he wasn't particularly interested, he couldn't bear to refuse the young emperor's kindness, so he reluctantly agreed. Ultimately, the one who was most upset about the discord between the two was the young emperor.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed and saw the young emperor about to jump for joy, and couldn't help but smile slightly. He was young and already held a high position, and he never wanted to be looked down upon, so he rarely smiled. This occasional smile, however, revealed a captivating charm that left people somewhat mesmerized.

Tsk.

Meng Chifeng thought to himself, "It's such a waste that I've kept such a beauty hidden by my side all these years without even noticing her."

Since he was going to stay in the palace, he naturally had to freshen up and wash himself to remove the dust and grime. When he came out, carrying a faint scent of pomelo leaves, the young emperor was dozing off in Duan Tingzhen's arms.

Logically speaking, a child who is born into the imperial family should be mature beyond his years and very proper. However, the young emperor happened to have two elders who treated him like their own son, so he really grew up to be a child. He would often act spoiled and demand kisses and hugs, and was even more pampered than children from ordinary families.

Duan Tingzhen placed him on the soft couch, took the thin fleece blanket from Jin Bao, and covered him with it. Then he gestured for Meng Chifeng to sit down in the quiet room next door and asked, "Would Your Highness be willing to play a game of chess with me?"

Meng Chifeng: "It is something I could never have asked for."

Jin Bao, who was serving nearby, hurriedly had someone set up the chessboard. Meng Chifeng casually picked up a jar of chess pieces, glanced at them, and smiled: "White pieces, Duan Xiang, please go first."

Duan Tingzhen remained calm, picked up another jar of chess pieces, took out one, and seemingly casually placed it in a position, saying, "I heard from the palace servants that His Majesty missed the Prince last night and didn't go to sleep until after 1 AM. Now that he's seen the Prince, he's not quite able to stay awake."

"This child is like the late emperor; he seems innocent, but he's actually very shrewd." Meng Chifeng chuckled. "And what about Prime Minister Duan? Did he sleep well last night?"

"Of course I can't sleep." Duan Tingzhen lowered his eyes, making it impossible to discern his true expression. "Your Highness fought with great gusto in the front, and we in the rear cannot simply sit idly by. The great battle has lasted for months, and Your Highness should know the cost. Therefore, I, Duan, have exhausted all my efforts, and only through the coordination of many others have we managed to raise the military funds. Now that Your Highness has returned, you could retire gracefully, but we have only completed half of our duties. As for compensation for the wounded and the dead, we still don't know where it will come from."

Meng Chifeng said, "Is Prime Minister Duan trying to feign poverty?"

"If Your Highness can come up with a plan, it wouldn't hurt for me to cry."

"Let's not beat around the bush." Meng Chifeng spoke bluntly, his hands also busy, taking several of Duan Tingzhen's insults. Although he was in the army, he was well aware of what was happening in the capital, and he roughly understood what Duan Tingzhen was referring to. So he sneered, "Is Prime Minister Duan determined to take the lives of the Xiao family? I was away fighting, and as soon as I returned to the capital, Prime Minister Duan proposed to exterminate my maternal clan. Isn't that disheartening?"

Duan Tingzhen remained calm and said in a low voice, "How can it be that I want the Xiao family to die? They have cut off their own path to survival."

After saying that, the black piece fell without making a sound.

The Xiao family were the maternal relatives of the Prince of Jin, but they had little contact with Meng Chifeng. The reason for this was that Meng Chifeng's mother was a palace maid and not favored, causing him to be neglected in his childhood. The palace was rife with sycophancy and backstabbing, making his life difficult. It was only because the late emperor took pity on him and raised him that he became the Prince of Jin he is today.

The Xiao family, however, never considered his feelings whatsoever. After their daughter gave birth to a prince and received a title, they became arrogant and domineering, like a pheasant with peacock feathers, and he was reprimanded several times by his father, the emperor, for this. After Meng Chifeng became the Prince of Jin, the Xiao family, which had been somewhat restrained in the past, suddenly became arrogant and domineering, to the point of becoming a malignant tumor.

Finally, when Meng Chifeng went to war, he caused an uncontrollable mess.

Meng Chifeng said, "Before Prime Minister Duan uttered those words, the witnesses and evidence must have already been prepared. If I were to obstruct him, I would be a sinner for all time in the Great Chu. Now that he has spoken, what does it matter what my opinion is?"

"As the old saying goes, one should consider the owner before beating a dog. If we act rashly, Your Highness may think that I am disrespecting you. What should we do then?"

Since Duan Tingzhen dared to speak, he was certain that Duan would not object.

As expected, Meng Chifeng remained silent. To him, his maternal clan's existence wasn't particularly important; tolerating them using his name was already the bottom line, but Duan Tingzhen had overstepped his bounds.

The white piece fell like lightning cleaving through dark clouds.

Meng Chifeng leaned back in his chair and chuckled lazily, "Prime Minister Duan's chess skills have greatly diminished. I'm afraid I'm going to win."

Duan Tingzhen lowered his eyes, pondered for a moment, and smiled, "That's not necessarily true."

Before they could finish speaking, a child's heart-wrenching cries suddenly came from next door. Both of them paled. Meng Chifeng threw down his chess piece and ran over, while Duan Tingzhen also felt a pang of anxiety. In his haste, he accidentally knocked over the chessboard on the table, and with a crash, the chessboard fell to the ground, scattering chess pieces all over the floor.

Chapter 2

"His Majesty just woke up and started crying when he didn't see you two. This... this old servant doesn't know what's wrong with him." Jin Bao stood helplessly to the side, but neither of them had time to pay attention to him.

When the young emperor saw the two elders approaching, he cried and rushed into Duan Tingzhen's arms, a sight that made Meng Chifeng feel extremely uncomfortable.

Compared to Duan Tingzhen, Meng Chifeng's way of spoiling the young emperor was much simpler and more brutal. If he didn't want to go to school, he didn't have to go; if he didn't want to get up early, he didn't have to get up. It was as if he wanted to ruin him. But who knew that when the two of them were together, the young emperor would still seek out Duan Tingzhen, who was the one who beat him up.

Duan Tingzhen held his son like a widowed old man who had lost his wife, comforting him for a long time before the little emperor gradually stopped crying. He sobbed, "Xun'er... Xun'er dreamed that Master and Imperial Uncle were fighting. Master was bleeding a lot..."

Upon hearing this, Meng Chifeng's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said, "Uncle, you respect him too much to even think about hitting him. It's all a dream, don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

Even so, the young emperor was still terrified, grabbing one of the two men by the arm and refusing to let go, leaving the two men both amused and exasperated.

Duan Tingzhen suddenly felt that the scene was somewhat like a divorced couple comforting their child.

It is said that memories of dreams can only last for a short time, and this was probably the case for the young emperor Meng Jiaxun. In no time, he had forgotten the details of the dream, only vaguely retaining the feeling of fear. And this feeling also quickly faded away.

When it was time to eat, the little guy had already reverted to his usual mischievous and adorable self, occasionally even acting cute towards Meng Chifeng. Duan Tingzhen had planned to be less restrictive with him today, but he was unusually well-behaved, only eating half of his usual portion and barely touching even his favorite dish.

Meng Chifeng was also curious, so he half-coaxed and half-tricked him into asking, but the little guy said, "If I were thinner, Master and Imperial Uncle could hug me more."

Duan Tingzhen was startled and didn't know what to say for a moment. He knew that this child lacked a sense of security, but he was usually busy with political affairs, so he was only nominally his teacher and rarely saw him. Hearing the child's thoughts suddenly made him feel very sorry for him.

Hearing this, Meng Chifeng felt sorry for him and quickly comforted him, saying, "When you're six years old, if you still need someone to carry you, some old man will come up with a memorial to scold you. You're only a little bit old now, how many pounds can you gain in half a year? Your uncle can carry you."

"Really?" he blinked his big eyes, seeking confirmation.

"Really." Duan Tingzhen smiled and wiped the vegetable juice from his mouth.

With his parents' assurance, the little emperor ate with gusto.

When his uncle and teacher were around, the young emperor absolutely refused to be served by eunuchs, not even Jin Bao, who usually took care of him. Duan Tingzhen observed that Meng Chifeng, who was usually very decisive and efficient in court, was a very gentle and considerate person when facing children.

And surprisingly, he was quite principled at this moment, estimating that he wouldn't let Duan Tingzhen move anymore after eating about 80% full, even if Duan Tingzhen looked pitiful. Duan Tingzhen glanced at him, finding it strange. He felt that this good father was not the same person as Meng Chifeng, who usually acted as if he knew everything.

It was a rare treat for his master and uncle to spend time with him, and the little emperor was overjoyed. Coincidentally, neither of his parents wanted him to go to sleep right after eating, so they decided to keep him occupied and play chess with him.

Seeing that Duan Tingzhen had taken the pieces and was slowly placing them, and that the little emperor occasionally tried to get back the four pieces that had been captured, Meng Chifeng was not angry. He would then capture five more pieces, which infuriated the little emperor.

When the little boy hesitated while holding the chess piece, Meng Chifeng took his hand from behind and made the decision for him, earning the boy a dissatisfied look in return. But upon closer inspection, he realized that he had actually gotten the better deal, and immediately beamed with joy.

"I'm not playing anymore." After a while, the little emperor pouted and said, "My uncle and master are bullying me."

Meng Chifeng chuckled and gave his head a good rub with his large hand.

After lulling the young emperor to sleep, the two left the imperial palace and walked together to the door. Duan Tingzhen tucked his sleeves into his sleeves, bowed slightly, and said goodbye to Meng Chifeng.