Ciqing Palace, just after Zishi.
Now that the summer is getting deeper, ice cubes are placed in each palace and pavilion so that the nobles can have a peaceful sleep.
Queen Mother Chen did not receive such treatment when she was in the palace. Now she enjoyed a rare cool summer night and fell asleep early.
At this time, the eunuchs and maids who usually served him had already left.
Empress Dowager Chen stretched her neck and showed off her hair, resting peacefully on the bed.
Inexplicably, a look of uneasiness began to appear on his face, and his eyebrows gradually furrowed, as if he had a nightmare.
Suddenly feeling palpitated, Queen Mother Chen opened her eyes.
She rang the bedside bell a little tiredly, preparing to ask the palace servants to bring some water.
But after waiting for a while, the palace maid was not there.
Instead, an unexpected person came in.
Queen Mother Chen blurted out: "Mother, why are you here?"
Her eyes were full of caution as she looked at her slightly older mother, who slowly walked in from the outside.
In the past few days, the Chen family has repeatedly sent people to contact her, but she refused them all without showing any kindness.
Now her mother has entered Ciqing Palace! How did she get in!?
Mother Chen looked at her daughter with a complicated expression.
But she didn't explain the problem, she just gently sat on the edge of the bed and said: "The Queen Mother has lost a lot of weight."
Queen Mother Chen frowned, stepped back, and shouted outside: "Here comes someone!"
This time, no one was called.
Mother Chen held the Queen Mother Chen's hand and said with pity: "I am the one who recruited Chen into the house, so you will still give me this face."
"Come, mother will dress you up. Let's go to the main hall. Mother has something to tell you."
Queen Mother Chen looked at her mother blankly.
She was not a stupid person, so she understood immediately without calling anyone.
Why should Chen give me face? It’s not like there is no one else in the palace.
This is clearly a story repeating itself.
When she was driven to the cold palace, the Chen family sold her out like this.
It's even more the same now... If she goes to the main hall, the people waiting for her will probably be Li Shi, Li Jin and Feng Bao.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile miserably.
Seeing that Chen's mother was about to dress her up, she suddenly calmed down her emotions, sat up, and said sternly: "Get dressed for me!"
Mother Chen was silent for a while and then nodded.
The two of them looked at each other in silence and waited in silence for a long time before they found the crown uniform and started to put it on.
The Queen Mother's imperial attire is only worn when she is enthroned, when she visits the temple, and when she attends court meetings. Now that she has this requirement, she obviously treats this time as a unique time.
Empress Dowager Chen allowed her mother to dress herself up and took the crown with her own hands.
Its crown is round and round, made of jade and decorated with nine dragons and four phoenixes. It is extremely precious.
After she was dressed, she gently supported the Twelve Flower Trees on the crown, and took the lead to move: "Let's go, I want to see who is paying my respects at night."
…
The main hall of Ciqing Palace.
Queen Mother Chen met the second unexpected person tonight.
Turns out to be the emperor!
After Chen's mother retired, there were only two people in the empty hall: the emperor and the empress dowager.
Zhu Yijun took a look at Queen Chen's uniform and tried to figure out her state of mind.
But he showed enough etiquette on his face: "Your Majesty, Jun, pays homage to your mother."
Empress Dowager Chen also looked at the emperor intently, with a confused expression.
She thought it was Mr. Li who was waiting for her, but she didn't expect that it was the young emperor whom she even liked.
Looking back from outside the palace, Empress Dowager Chen's doubtful gaze returned to the emperor.
Is the emperor taking the lead on behalf of his biological mother?
Or is the inner court simply under the control of the emperor?
Empress Dowager Chen nodded slightly and said tentatively: "The emperor came to look for me at night, which is not in line with etiquette. I don't know why he came."
But the emperor's answer was not what she expected.
Zhu Yijun prostrated himself again, as if he had thousands of emotions: "My child, I came here to question my mother!"
Queen Mother Chen was noncommittal and waited for him to continue.
Zhu Yijun continued: "Mother, that Gao Gong bullied the Chief of Ceremonies, coerced the Lord, and bullied my biological mother. Didn't he rely on the power of the queen!"
"Now, Gao Gong is saying the right thing in the court, using ministers to suppress the king, making the children miserable. It is bitter and unbelievable. It is the mother's instruction!"
"I haven't been able to sleep for several days. I tossed and turned all night long. Today I can't help but ask my mother!"
"Mother! Am I neglecting my son?"
Zhu Yijun knows very well what is preemptive and preemptive.
Even if he wanted to force Empress Dowager Chen, she couldn't do it forcefully.
It is very important to take the moral high ground from the very beginning.
People are the best at brainwashing themselves.
If she is not put into a situation where she is wronged, her mentality will rebound strongly when she is forced - I am White Lotus, why are you bullying me?
At that time, if his emotions got the best of him, he saw that the situation was over, and he crashed to death in the palace, Zhu Yijun would be covered in yellow mud, and he would be either shit or shit.
Once someone suffers from something like this, it will be a lifelong political stain.
Any gossip, unofficial stories, or conspiracies will burrow under his butt like flies.
It can be said that if Empress Dowager Chen dies here tonight, outsiders will think it was him, no matter whether he did it or not.
At that time, not to mention that the power will be affected, even Gao Gong will seize on this flaw and struggle to the death.
Even the scholars, officials and civil servants all over the world would put a big question mark on him as the emperor.
Under such conditions, not only is it difficult to move forward, it is at least twice as difficult.
So, this is his only concern tonight.
He must force Queen Mother Chen gently and never do anything intolerable.
Empress Dowager Chen was dressed in a royal robe, looking calm and relaxed as she walked closer.
She looked the emperor up and down.
Good son, indeed a good son.
Before you knew it, there was such a huge trend.
She originally thought she was here for the Li family, but now it seems that she has underestimated this holy king.
Empress Dowager Chen said expressionlessly: "The emperor is naturally my son."
"It is precisely because he is my son that I have to supervise the country for the emperor and make good use of old ministers. The emperor is still young and is worrying too much."
She naturally knew that the emperor had come here with a reason - everyone inside and outside Ciqing Palace probably belonged to him.
But if you want to find fault with her, she won't admit it.
At worst, it's just a piece of white silk. She has been waiting for three years in the cold palace.
It can't get any worse.
But Zhu Yijun didn't want to see her pretentious.
He directly removed all disguises, looked at Queen Mother Chen and said in pain: "I know that the two palaces are not getting along, and there is a reason why my mother did what she did."
"But...what's wrong with the child?"
He raised his head stubbornly and looked directly into the eyes of Empress Dowager Chen: "My biological mother is my mother, and my aunt's mother is even more so."
"The dispute between the two palaces now is like a war between heaven and man in a child's heart!"
"The child also wants to serve his mother filial piety and let the two elders enjoy all the honors."
"Mother, if there is even the slightest chance, please don't trap your child in an unfilial place."
"The heart of the fist is a clear lesson from my mother!"
This is really unreasonable.
The emperor has always been filial, greeting her every now and then, and sharing good things with her every time.
Not to mention his frequent consultations made her understand that the emperor was indeed a filial and kind person.
The only time she was somewhat modest was when facing the emperor.
But... that was before. Now that the emperor has broken into Ciqing Palace at night, he is still pretending to be pitiful, which is too underestimated.
She looked directly at the emperor and said in a strong tone: "The emperor broke into Ciqing Palace at night just to show off?"
If the emperor were really so submissive, he would not secretly control the inner court.
Not to mention breaking into the palace at night, leaving her unable to even shout to anyone around her.
Zhu Yijun shook his head and said sadly: "Mother has mother's caution, and the child also has the child's grievances. If there is any way, the child will not break into the palace at night."
"I know my mother is planning to give me an unfilial name in order to destroy me."
"If Gao Gong hadn't secretly threatened me today and said he wanted to help my obedient four-year-old brother ascend the throne, why would the child be so flustered that he is now rude to his mother?"
Queen Mother Chen was startled.
These words caught her off guard, and she asked subconsciously: "Yuan Fu said he wanted to destroy you!?"
Even she herself didn't know about this.
Seeing that he had taken the rhythm astray, Zhu Yijun continued to strike while the iron was hot.
He raised his head and said with a stubborn look on his face: "Mother, why do you ask questions even though you already know it? How could Gao Gong say such a thing without your approval!"
Zhu Yijun must not let his mother-in-law think of herself as a perfect victim. Only he can afford this persona.
Queen Mother Chen was silent.
Although she and Gao Gong had some tacit understanding, their fundamental purposes were different.
I don’t have that many nationalities and worlds in my heart.
She couldn't care what Gao Gong thought. At most, the two of them could do what they wanted.
Thinking of this, Queen Mother Chen finally sighed and helped her son up in front of her.
He turned his head unnaturally and explained calmly: "I didn't mean that."
Although deposing the emperor was sensational, she actually didn't care.
She doesn't care about the overall situation or the world.
However, she just wanted to settle the accounts that needed to be settled, and was not in the mood to mess around with the rest.
Queen Mother Chen raised her eyes and looked outside the palace. There was silence, and continued: "I may have said this too late. Should the emperor be prepared to kill me for this?"
Of course, the emperor could not have come to complain to her when he did this.
Perhaps, just for peace of mind, I would like to have a few words with my family so that we can take action.
But Zhu Yijun did not accept this guess. Instead, he looked at Queen Mother Chen in disbelief: "Mother, do you think of me like this?"
He suddenly felt a little lost: "My child has long wanted to express his love to his mother in person, but he has been blocked outside Ciqing Palace."
"Now, in order to meet my mother, I have no choice but to take this step."
He said softly: "Why do I rely on Gao Gong to support my mother-in-law?"
"My mother is resentful that she is the main palace but has no children of her own. She is also resentful that the emperor moved his mother to another palace..."
The words are not finished yet.
Empress Dowager Chen suddenly lost her composure. She turned back suddenly, stared at the emperor, and said word by word: "Who do you think caused it?"
The emperor didn't know anything, yet he tried to convince her?
If the world's affairs can be solved with words, why did the Ming Dynasty maintain so many armies?
To her surprise, Zhu Yijun nodded: "Of course I know."
"Not only did he know about it, he also brought the culprit to his mother."
Queen Mother Chen stopped abruptly.
She looked at the emperor blankly: "Bring...brought?"
Zhu Yijun stepped forward and supported Queen Mother Chen: "My child, I will take you to see it."
Empress Dowager Chen pursed her lips and allowed the emperor to pull her to the screen.
In her mind, Mrs. Li was going to turn around and come out the next moment and laugh at her.
But once again something unexpected happened - the emperor pushed down the screen and revealed a corpse!
Astonishingly, it was Feng Bao!
Just listen to the emperor saying angrily: "Feng Bao deceived the king and cheated the country, and he committed a serious crime!"
"During the Jiajing period, he relied on Dongchang to do sinister things. I see that several of Huang Kao's children died in infancy, which is not unrelated to this person!"
"During the Longqing period, he flattered me and offered me the medicine of tiger and wolf for our Emperor Kao, causing our Emperor Kao to die young!"
"Now, I heard that this person is driving a wedge between the two palaces and causing disharmony in the harem. He deserves to die!"
"My child, I went out of my way to kill this beast, not only to uphold the law of the country, but also to vent my mother's anger!"
Some things are unclear.
The best solution is to stop talking.
If there are people who can be killed, kill them quickly. If there is a visible result, that is enough.
If you still want to get to the bottom of it...then you really don't know what is good and what is evil.
Queen Mother Chen did not take her eyes away from Feng Bao.
It seems to be unexpected, and it seems to be a little fun.
She stared blankly at Feng Bao's body.
Just when Zhu Yijun thought that the matter had been revealed, the queen mother was about to walk down the steps.
Then I heard Empress Dowager Chen murmur: "The emperor has never stayed outside the palace and has not seen much. Do you know that if a commoner is bitten by a dog, should he chase the dog away or go to find trouble with the owner?"
This means losing face.
Zhu Yijun sighed.
He didn't want to know who did these dirty things in the inner palace, and he didn't need to know.
This was the reason why he had no intention of asking anything from Chen Hong.
But, at least based on his guess, there was a high probability that it would not be Queen Mother Li's order.
But many things are not subject to human will.
As Empress Dowager Chen said, a dog is a dog after all, and the owner must bear the blame.
What can we do? We can't tie Empress Dowager Li here to vent her anger.
Fortunately, he didn't have to give his mother the favor - it was enough as long as his mentality was not so extreme that he actually bumped into the palace and died.
Zhu Yijun opened his mouth and said, "My mother taught me this lesson."
"Everyone is guilty, but I am the one to blame."
"Feng Bao used his slave to deceive his master. It is naturally the master's fault."
"Everything must be blamed on me, Huang Kao!"
He turned his face sideways, looked at Queen Mother Chen, and continued: "However, the son does not complain about the father's fault. Since my emperor has passed away, this debt should be settled on my son."
"If mother wants to be beaten or punished, please let the child take it for her."
Queen Mother Chen sneered: "What a filial and good son..."
She was about to say her sarcastic words.
Suddenly, I heard an emotional shout: "Mother!"
Zhu Yijun suddenly knelt down and paid homage to his parents.
He said sincerely: "I know that my mother was very upset at one time. No matter how filial the child is, it is not her own child."
"But please, mother, please don't insult my child's heart!"
"Whether it is the biological mother or the biological mother, the children are all regarded as close relatives, and there is never any distinction between them!"
"If you don't believe it! The child is willing to cut open his heart and guts and present it to his mother!"
Say it.
Zhu Yijun suddenly acted up.
He pulled open his shirt, revealing his open breasts.
Then he casually pulled out the blood-stained dagger stuck in Feng Bao's body, wrapped it in a rag, held it up with both hands, and handed it to Queen Mother Chen.
The sudden behavior made Queen Mother Chen suddenly panic.
The emperor remained motionless and looked down upon his death. Empress Dowager Chen was also shocked and stunned silently.
Only Zhu Xixiao, who was outside the palace, held his breath and watched the scene.
He knew that the emperor had a blunt, edgeless dagger arranged in advance.
Although he couldn't hurt anyone, even if he bumped into someone, it was Zhu Xixiao's fault!
Even if the emperor ordered it, he could only break in when the queen mother made a move.
But things were expedient, and he had already made up his mind. If the Queen Mother showed signs of picking up the dagger, he would rush in and knock her down.
Time seems to have frozen.
Feng Bao's blood was still dripping on the dagger.
It heightens the solemn atmosphere to the extreme.
The emperor took off his shirt and exposed his chest, testing the Queen Mother's bottom line.
This scene was like a piece of performance art like Twenty-Four Filial Piety, but it really shocked the person involved to the point of being at a loss what to do.
This is not a simple sell-out.
This is what the emperor told the queen mother with practical actions.
Either compromise or go to war.
There is no second option.
No matter what Empress Dowager Chen planned to do before, whether it was against the Chen family, revenge on Empress Dowager Li, or even wanting to have a taste of power, for various reasons, tonight, she must pass the emperor's test.
Intensifying conflicts is also one of the negotiation skills.
Zhu Yijun lowered his head, waiting for Queen Mother Chen's decision.
This choice determines not his fate, but Queen Mother Chen's.
Regardless of whether he believed it or was willing to take this step, he would never embarrass the queen mother in the future.
On the contrary, if he refuses to go down this step, then he has no choice but to make the queen mother sick with worry.
At the same time, it was also squeezing Queen Mother Chen's choices.
In this way, one can only choose between compromise and killing one's son, quietly annihilating the possibility of taking one's own life in revenge.
Time passed little by little.
Queen Mother Chen took a deep breath to calm herself down.
I have seen the greedy, lustful and ruthless emperor who expelled his first wife.
Now when I see in front of me this beloved emperor who risked his life and wanted to bridge the two palaces, I just feel like it is a wonder.
The emperor told himself with practical actions that if he wanted to support Gao Gong and disrupt the inner palace again, it would be better to step over his corpse.
What a filial and good son, he actually forced her in this way.
How dare you?
Are you betting that you are soft-hearted and haven't gone crazy yet?
Or is it true love and pure filial piety?
Or... whenever she makes a move, an arrow will pierce through her immediately?
A son and a mother, one kneeling and one standing, the scene is almost frozen.
No one moved.
Zhu Yijun was very patient, the Queen Mother was lost in thought, but Zhu Xixiao was the most anxious outside.
finally.
Zhu Yijun heard the voice of Queen Mother Chen.
"In order to force me, His Majesty also spent a lot of effort."
Zhu Yijun raised his head and saw Queen Mother Chen closing her eyes in pain.
She turned around and waved her hand, signaling the emperor to throw the dagger.
Zhu Yijun threw it out casually and asked Zhu Xixiao to pick it up. Then he turned around and said, "My child's scheming is also for this family."
"Mom, please don't be angry. The children will definitely serve their mothers filial piety in the future."
It's enough if the play does this.
There is no quarrel, everyone has a step down, and it will not hinder the business.
Of course, it is better for the Empress Dowager Chen not to see outsiders these days, and wait until the situation stabilizes before being filial to her.
Queen Mother Chen seemed to have been drained of all her strength and asked tiredly: "Where are Chen Hong and the others?"
Zhu Yijun didn't shy away from it: "Everyone has a way to die, and all the children have been killed!"
The late emperor's early death from taking too much of the tiger-wolf medicine should be attributed to Chen Hong.
Isn't it a good thing to kill a few eunuchs who are seeking their own death and the old debts from the past can be wiped out?
Empress Dowager Chen became increasingly powerless.
She wanted to accuse the emperor, but she also understood that for things like this that threatened the imperial power, it would be good if she had the strength to overturn the table and save her, the queen mother, her life, let alone a few mere eunuchs.
But after all, they had been masters and servants for many years, and Empress Dowager Chen felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
She looked sad and waved her hand: "There is no need to keep anyone waiting. The emperor can do whatever he wants."
Zhu Yijun did not respond.
Queen Mother Chen looked indifferent to life and death, how could he just let it go?
He said softly: "Mother, please wait a moment."
After saying that, Zhu Yijun walked out.
Empress Dowager Chen felt sorry for herself and did not speak.
Not long after, the emperor's voice was heard: "Mother, look."
Queen Chen turned her head and saw Zhang Hong holding a one-year-old baby girl beside the emperor.
Zhu Yijun said warmly: "This is the sixth daughter of the imperial examination, Zhu Yaoji, born to Wang Guiren. She is now one year and nine months old."
"After Mr. Wang died in childbirth, he was raised by Mr. Qin."
"Now that the queen mother is in the harem and is the mother of the world, she should naturally leave it to her mother."
Queen Mother Chen walked in slowly and looked at the baby in Zhang Hong's arms.
She reached out and fiddled with it twice.
Then he turned to face the emperor.
She could no longer distinguish between the false feelings and the true intentions of this young emperor.
In fact, she was now faintly afraid of her son - his ability to see into people's hearts was truly inhuman.
Is this because he is afraid that she will commit suicide and affect his throne?
Or do you simply see that you are lonely and helpless and find a daughter to raise for yourself?
She hugged Zhu Yaoji and asked absently: "Why did the emperor come tonight?"
Zhu Yijun met her gaze and said respectfully: "Mother, I really have nothing else to do. I just want to untie my mother's heart."
"However, now that I'm here, I just remembered something. Tomorrow, there were some mistakes in the announcement of the reward for the clan, so I had to draft a new decree."
"Now all I need is for my mother to add her name."
Empress Dowager Chen suddenly realized: "You want to depose Gao Gong!?"
She certainly knows what she is doing.
Precisely because she supports the high arch, the high arch can suppress the inside and outside.
Only a few days later, the emperor broke into Ciqing Palace at night, probably for this reason.
However, Zhu Yijun shook his head: "Yuan Fu is a veteran of three dynasties, with high moral standing and great achievements. How can I let him go?"
His tone was deep and the meaning was hard to find: "I must reward him well."
Queen Mother Chen was surprised, but she didn't ask further questions.
Nowadays, she has no interest in asking about these things.
He nodded casually: "Give me your will."
This means you agree to add your name.
Zhu Yijun stood there without moving.
After a pause, he slowly said: "No need to trouble mother... I have sent someone to get the seal."
Queen Mother Chen was silent.
The two were silent for a long time.
Zhu Yijun respectfully excused himself: "Mother, I have to excuse you first."
Empress Dowager Chen only coaxed and hugged Zhu Yaoji without saying a word.
After the emperor retreated, she glanced at his back and smiled to herself.
Laughing and laughing, I cried inexplicably.
…
Zhu Yijun tilted his head and listened to the movement in the hall.
I felt relieved when I heard the wisps of crying.
It's good to cry. Crying also vents your emotions, and you won't easily commit suicide.
As he walked out, he felt a little emotional in his heart. This should be the last time he pretended to be so tender in front of the two palaces.
Today, Zhang Juzheng has a tacit understanding with him.
Empress Dowager Li could only rely on him.
Treat him with dignity as Allah.
Japanese officials regard him as a genius.
Wait until tomorrow to expel Gao Gong and reorganize the cabinet.
He is the upright emperor in the eyes of the two palaces, courtiers, nobles, and ministers!
The emperor is the emperor!
Zhu Xixiao silently followed the emperor, and suddenly saw the emperor touching his belly subconsciously, and then it seemed that the touch was empty, so he put his hands behind his back and walked calmly like a car.
With this posture, he inexplicably felt that the emperor's aura had suddenly changed.
He doesn't look like a young emperor, but like a high-ranking person who has been in power for many years!
Still wondering, he suddenly heard the emperor speaking to him: "Zhu Qing, clean up before leaving."
Zhu Xixiao's thoughts stopped abruptly, he bowed and retreated.
Zhu Yijun then ordered Zhang Hong: "Go, find two raccoon slaves and bring them to the queen mother, and then let more female members of the Chen family enter the palace to accompany the queen mother."
Zhang Hong said hurriedly: "I will go and do it tomorrow."
As Zhu Yijun walked out, he seemed to think of something again: "During this period, you will personally serve my mother. She has no one to boss around and is easily bullied."
"If you don't have enough people, ask Li Jin for it."
Zhang Hong heard what Xian knew: "I will not let the Queen Mother be wronged, nor will anyone disturb the Queen Mother's purity."
Zhu Yijun nodded.
As soon as Fang walked out of Ciqing Palace, he saw Jiang Keqian waiting outside with a decree in his hand.
Zhu Yijun took it, glanced at it, stamped the seals of the emperor and the two palaces, and handed it back to Jiang Keqian.
He ordered: "Let's go back and rest."
He looked up at the white rainbow light that was gradually dissipating, and murmured: "I'll be busy tomorrow."
——
It should be Sanjiang on Sunday and will be on shelves next week.
Chapter completed!