The days passed like this. Yang Zhen trained with the army during the day and was on duty at night. A month passed very quickly. Fortunately, Yang Zhen had learned how to ride a horse and would no longer feel the jolts on the back of a horse.
On this day, the White-Eared soldiers were training on the drill ground when an attendant walked over. When he saw Chen Dao, the attendant first bowed and then spoke to him. Chen Dian nodded and shouted,""Yang Zhen! Come here!"
Yang Zhen walked to Chen Dao's side and cupped his fists.""General, why did you call me?”
Chen Daoxian pointed at the chamberlain and said to Yang Zhen,""This is His Majesty's inner servant. His Majesty wants to see you, so follow the inner servant to see His Majesty.”
Hearing this, Yang Zhen panicked. He was a soldier and couldn't think of any reason for the Emperor to see him. He asked,""Your Majesty, you want to see me? Why does Your Majesty want to see me?"
Chen Dao said," Why are you talking so much nonsense? If His Majesty asks you to go, go. You'll know what's going on when you go!"”
Yang Zhen replied with an "oh" and placed all the weapons on the weapon rack. He said to the chamberlain,"Please lead the way, Eunuch!"
Yang Zhen followed the chamberlain for a while and soon entered the Emperor's living room. Arriving at the door of the Emperor's living room, Yang Zhen's heart was thumping wildly. He had long wanted to see the Emperor again, but he had never had the chance. Now that the Emperor had summoned him, he could not figure out why, making his heart feel uneasy. "Wait here," the chamberlain said to Yang Zhen."I'll go in and report."”
"Thank you!" Yang Zhen said.
The chamberlain entered the room. Yang Zhen heard the chamberlain's voice from outside."Your Majesty! Yang Zhen was already waiting outside the door!”An old voice came from the room,""Let him come in quickly, let him come in quickly.”The chamberlain soon appeared at the door of the room and said to Yang Zhen,"Hurry up and go in to see His Majesty!"
At this moment, Yang Zhen was a little fearful, and his heart was beating even faster. He tidied up his clothes outside the door and straightened his helmet before stepping through the door. Yang Zhen lowered his head and entered the room. As soon as he entered the room, Yang Zhen smelled an extremely strong medicinal smell. His first reaction was that the Emperor was sick. Yang Zhen did not dare to look up. He only took three steps into the room before stopping. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed."Long live Your Majesty!"
The Emperor suddenly coughed a few times. Yang Zhen immediately said,""Your Majesty's body is not well. You need to take care of your body!”The Emperor's aged voice rang in Yang Zhen's ears,""Hehe, you should get up. Zhen just caught a cold, it's not a problem!”Yang Zhen stood up, but he still didn't dare to raise his head. "Yang Zhen, come over here, come to this one's side!”
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yang Zhen replied. Since the Emperor had given the order, how could Yang Zhen dare to disobey? Hence, he slowly walked to the Emperor's side. The Emperor patted the edge of the bed and said to Yang Zhen,""Yang Zhen, sit down!" Yang Zhen followed the Emperor's orders and sat upright on the edge of the Emperor's bed, not daring to move even a little.
Yang Zhen's head was still lowered, and his hands were on his knees. Suddenly, he saw the Emperor's hand reach out to his hands and finally land on the back of his hands. Yang Zhen immediately felt a warm current surge into his heart. The Emperor held Yang Zhen's hand tightly and said to Yang Zhen,""Do you know why I called you here?”
Yang Zhen shook his head. The Emperor said,"Raise your head and look at me!"”
One had to know that every word of the Emperor was an imperial edict. How could Yang Zhen dare to disobey? He raised his head and looked at the Emperor with bright eyes. An old man with white hair, a face full of wrinkles, and slightly atrophied facial muscles, with slightly dull eyes, entered Yang Zhen's sight. Yang Zhen was shocked. In just a short month, His Majesty the Emperor had become so old. He looked completely different from the person he had seen on the battlefield that day. "Your Majesty!" Yang Zhen cried out involuntarily.
The Emperor seemed to have noticed Yang Zhen's surprise and chuckled.""It's fine! It's not a problem! It's understandable that people look like this when they're old. You don't have to worry about me.”
Yang Zhen felt his eyes turn a little moist. Looking at this old and kind old man, he couldn't hold it in anymore and tears flowed out of his eyes. When the Emperor saw this, he first laughed out loud, then coughed several times. Then, the Emperor raised his hand and dismissed all the servants in the room. "Cry, cry if you want to!" The Emperor, who was originally half-lying down, suddenly sat up and hugged Yang Zhen in his arms. Yang Zhen's eyes were blurred by tears. At that moment, he really cried out loud and cried in the Emperor's arms. He didn't know why he was crying, but he felt very uncomfortable and wronged. He thought of his father. He often heard his mother say that his father was a general who often led troops outside and rarely returned home. When his father died, he was only eight years old, but he could not even remember what his father looked like. At this moment, he was in the Emperor's embrace. He had never felt a father's love before, but when faced with the Emperor's fatherly treatment, he suddenly lost control of his emotions.
After a long time, Yang Zhen stopped crying. The moment he moved away from the Emperor's embrace, Yang Zhen saw that the Emperor's clothes were wet. Yang Zhen wiped away his tears and knelt on the ground, saying to the Emperor,""Yang Zhen was rude, please punish him, Your Majesty!”The Emperor looked at Yang Zhen with a smile on his face. He said to Yang Zhen,""How could I dare to punish such a man who is so straightforward and cries because of emotion? Get up and continue to sit beside zhen. zhen has something to say to you!”
Yang Zhen stood up and sat down beside the Emperor again. The Emperor said,""Yang Zhen, do you know when we first met?”"Your Majesty!" Yang Zhen replied. The first time I saw His Majesty was on that mountain when the Wu army surrounded our army.”
The Emperor nodded." That's right. It's on that mountain. Your eyes are staring at me." "When I first saw you, I already liked you, but…" The Emperor paused and suddenly changed the topic."Yang Zhen! Do you know how your father died?”"Your Majesty! I often heard my mother say that my father was a brave general. He died bravely on the battlefield and lived up to the honor of a soldier.”The Emperor sighed and said,"Your mother is also a benevolent person!"”"Your Majesty, do you know my mother?" Yang Zhen asked.”
The Emperor nodded and asked,"How is your mother?"”
"Mother passed away last year," Yang Zhen said with a choked voice.”
"Sigh!" the Emperor said. I pity you. Yang Zhen, there's no one else in this room except you and me. You don't have to be so reserved. Don't treat me as an emperor. Just treat me as an elder.”
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yang Zhen nodded.”
"Yang Zhen, do you know? You're really similar to your father."
"Is that so?" Yang Zhen asked. I've never seen my father, so I don't know what he looks like.”
"Do you still remember your father's name?" the Emperor asked.”
"Of course I remember. My father's name is Yang Huai!" Yang Zhen replied.”
When the Emperor heard this name, his hands suddenly trembled. His heart was uneasy."I don't know if I should tell Yang Zhen the truth. If he knows that I am the enemy who killed his father, how will he react? Then will he accept what I am about to entrust to him? This matter concerns the survival of the Great Han Dynasty. Is he really worth my trust?”All sorts of guesses surged into the Emperor's mind.
Seeing that the Emperor was deep in thought, Yang Zhen did not dare to disturb him. "Yang Zhen, do you know who your enemy is?" The Emperor finally spoke after a long time.”When Yang Zhen heard this, he suddenly became extremely nervous and asked,""Does Your Majesty know who killed my father?”Seeing Yang Zhen's nervous reaction, the Emperor asked,""What's wrong? Didn't your mother tell you?" " No," Yang Zhen said." Mother only told me that my father died on the battlefield. As a general, dying on the battlefield is a supreme honor. She never told me who the enemy who killed my father was! I had asked her about it before, but she always said that it was all in the past. In this era of war, as a general, you should serve your master and be loyal to your master. You should die in a proper place and with honor. Don't ask me who my father's murderer is! Before my mother died, she only asked me to join the army and fight for my country like my father.”
When the Emperor heard this, he sighed." Your mother is truly a person of great benevolence and righteousness. Even a husband is not enough!" Fine, fine, fine! Yang Zhen! Since your mother has already left a will, are you willing to die for this country?”"Why wouldn't I dare?" Yang Zhen asked. I, Yang Zhen, am not a coward!”The Emperor shouted,"Magnificent! Yang Zhen! I will give you a task. If you complete it, I will tell you the enemy who killed your father. Are you willing?”
"Ever since Yang Zhen joined the army, he swore loyalty to His Majesty. He also wanted to be a person like his father, a man of indomitable spirit!”
"Good, good, good!" the Emperor said. Yang Zhen, come here!"
Yang Zhen leaned close to the Emperor, and the Emperor leaned close to Yang Zhen's ear and whispered a few words into it. When Yang Zhen heard this, he immediately felt a chill down his spine and cold sweat appeared on his face. As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, Yang Zhen knelt on the ground and said to the Emperor,""Your Majesty! This matter was of great importance, and Yang Zhen was probably not competent!”"Yang Zhen!" the Emperor said angrily. Do you want to disobey orders? This was an imperial edict! For me and for the country, this matter is not up to you!”
Yang Zhen was helpless and could only obey. However, his heart was still in a mess. He reluctantly replied,"Yang Zhen receives the decree!"
The Emperor personally helped Yang Zhen up and said to him,""Yang Zhen, I know that this matter is too important, but I can't find anyone else to do it.”
"General Chen's martial arts skills are outstanding and he is extremely loyal and brave. Why didn't Your Majesty summon him to accept this mission?" Yang Zhen asked.”
"Yang Zhen, you've already received the order, so you can't go back on your word. A true man's words are final!" How could I not know that Chen Dao is loyal and brave? However, I also have my difficulties and hope that you can understand. From today onwards, you will guard by this one's side. This one will appoint you as the commandant of the central army. This way, no one will suspect you!”
"Yes, Yang Zhen!" Yang Zhen replied.
After leaving the Emperor's bedchamber, Yang Zhen returned to the camp. As soon as he lay down, the White-Eared soldiers who had finished their training on the drill ground returned one after another. Yang Zhen's heart was in a mess. He kept thinking about the mission the Emperor had given him. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became. He simply lay in bed and refused to get up again.
The next day, the chamberlain announced that Yang Zhen was promoted to the rank of Commandant of the Central Army and would often accompany the Emperor. Even the living room was moved into the palace.
On the third day, the Emperor ordered the officials to issue a decree to change White Emperor City to Yong 'an Palace.
On the fourth day, the Emperor's chamberlain issued an edict, ordering all the ministers to come to Yong 'an Palace. The Crown Prince was stationed in the capital, so Prime Minister Zhuge Liang led a group of ministers on their way to Yong' an Palace.
The three consecutive imperial edicts made Yang Zhen even more nervous. He felt that the day was getting closer and closer.
In just three short days, the Emperor's condition had also deteriorated rapidly. Yang Zhen often stayed by the Emperor's side alone, not leaving him at all. At night, the Emperor was often awakened by nightmares, often dreaming of some dead people. The old and frail Emperor could not bear such torment. Yang Zhen could see it, but he also felt pain in his heart. Although the Emperor had given him a mission that was close to rebellion, Yang Zhen had always remembered this Emperor, the Emperor who had shown him kindness and entrusted him with an important task.
On the fourth night, Yang Zhen was guarding the Emperor when he suddenly heard the Emperor shout,""Second brother! Third brother! Don't go! I've come to find you! Wait for me! Second brother! Third Brother!"
Yang Zhen was already used to the consecutive nightmares, but he did not dare to wake the Emperor up. He could only silently pray for the Emperor, hoping that he would wake up soon and no longer be disturbed by the nightmares. The Emperor spoke in his sleep again, but he still did not wake up. This made Yang Zhen very worried. Looking at the terminally ill Emperor in front of him, he could no longer sit idly by. Thus, Yang Zhen walked to the bed and gently shook the Emperor's body, shouting,""Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
The Emperor did not wake up, but his left hand suddenly grabbed Yang Zhen's hand and said,""Second brother! Third brother! Don't go! I've let you down! Wait for zhen, zhen will come and meet you soon!”
Seeing the Emperor like this, Yang Zhen felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife. Yang Zhen held the Emperor's hands tightly and said,""Your Majesty! General Guan and General Zhang are no longer here. Why are you doing this?”
After an unknown amount of time, the Emperor woke up from his dream. He saw Yang Zhen lying on the edge of the bed, his hands still holding his own. He sighed. "Yang Zhen!" Yang Zhen! Yang Zhen!"
Yang Zhen was awakened by the Emperor's voice. Seeing that the Emperor had woken up, he immediately said,""Your Majesty! Just now, His Majesty had a nightmare and kept calling General Guan and General Zhang's names. Yang Zhen was very worried. Fortunately, His Majesty has woken up. That's great!”
"Yang Zhen! Zhen will give you a name!"
"Your Majesty! Yang Zhen couldn't ask for more! Your Majesty, please bestow me with a name!"
"The truth is not false," the Emperor said. With a son like this, it should be like an abyss! Let's call him Zi Yuan!"
"Yang Ziyuan? What a good name! Yang Zhen thanks Your Majesty for bestowing the title!" Yang Zhen shouted happily.
"Zi Yuan! My health is getting worse by the day. It seems that I can't last much longer. However, the Prime Minister and the others are still on the way. If I can't wait for them, the country will fall into panic. Go and call the chamberlain over. I have an edict to issue!”
Yang Zhen received the order and left the palace. As soon as Yang Zhen left, the Emperor saw Guan Yu and Zhang Fei standing on both sides of the bed. The Emperor smiled and said,""Second brother, third brother, bear with it for a few more days.”
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]