Being snatched away by the Queen Mother, Zhuang Jingjia's face turned pale. She glanced at the sleeping emperor, bit her lip, stood up and said, "What the Queen Mother said is that I think too much."
Empress Dowager Li was still angry and wanted to say something. Empress Dowager Chen interjected: "Well, what you are worried about is not unreasonable. But my father is kind and my son is filial, and my brothers, friends and brothers are respectful, but they are not as dirty as the previous dynasty."
Queen, don’t worry too much about it.”
Zhuang Jingjia's eyes were red, and she lowered her head and said: "What the Queen Mother has learned is that I am just worrying blindly. I just thought that if the emperor's horse was tampered with, the treacherous traitor would definitely regard King Lu as a rare commodity, and he would not be able to bear to say anything.
It's not that I doubt King Lu - he is still a child, how can I, my concubine, doubt him?"
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li's face changed color. She initially thought that the emperor's fall from the horse was an accident. After Zhuang Jingjia analyzed it, she was horrified and calmed down. She looked directly into Zhuang Jingjia's eyes and asked: "Why, the emperor's horse was touched by someone?"
Is it possible to use your hands and feet?"
Zhuang Jingjia lowered her head and replied: "I don't know, but the horse is now being guarded by the guards. I haven't received the order, and I don't dare to do anything with it."
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li said: "What is your request? A thorough investigation!"
Before he finished speaking, an internal official outside the palace announced: "The Queen Mother, the Prime Minister of the Cabinet is here."
At the sound of footsteps, Zhang Juzheng, along with Duke Yingying, Lu Tiaoyang, Wang Guoguang, and Zhang Siwei, kowtowed outside the hall to greet him.
Queen Mother Li glanced at Queen Mother Chen and saw that she nodded, so she ordered: "Let them come in."
Zhang Juzheng, with red eyes and a solemn expression, led several important ministers into the palace. As soon as he entered the door, he asked: "The emperor fell from his horse, and all the ministers were heartbroken - I wonder what the holy bow is like?"
Just as Empress Dowager Li was about to speak, Zhuang Jingjia had already replied: "Old sir, don't worry. The imperial doctor just looked at her, but she suffered some concussion on the head and injured her leg. She will wake up in a while."
Zhang Juzheng took a deep breath and suddenly fell to the ground, choked with sobs. His thin body trembled slightly, and tears rolled down his face. It took him a while before he said in his voice: "Your Majesty has a body of ten thousand pieces. You must never do what Meng Lang did in the future. I...
.... Chen..." I was speechless.
Seeing his true feelings revealed, the two queen mothers and the empress felt a little sad in their hearts. Empress Dowager Li nodded and said, "What the old man said is that the emperor will not be allowed to ride horses in the future. However, the empress is afraid that the horse has been tampered with, and this needs to be investigated clearly.
"
After Zhang Juzheng heard this, his beard and hair stood out, and he shouted angrily: "Is there such a crazy beast in the palace? Where is the Supervisor of Ceremonies?!"
With an angry shout, the three women and the ministers kneeling behind him were all startled by him. Empress Dowager Li's heart thumped and she asked: "Why hasn't Zhang Hong come yet? Didn't he send him away tied up?"
are you coming?"
After hearing what Empress Dowager Li said, Wei Chao went out from the gate of the palace and arranged for someone to rush him. He walked quickly two steps and went to look outside the gate of Bailu Palace.
Suddenly, I saw people around the Queen Mother who had gone to see Zhang Hong running from a distance, holding some papers in their hands and running very fast, panting.
When Wei Chao arrived, he saw the official's mouth wide open, with a look of fear on his face, and his lips were trembling and speechless.
I heard the eunuch say in a high-pitched voice: "Ancestor, ancestor..."
Wei Chao walked up to him, slapped him on the mouth, and cursed: "I told you to get something, why did you arrive just now? Shut up."
After hearing this, the official shut his mouth tightly. Wei Chao glanced around and said, "The Queen Mother is waiting, why don't you go in?" He kicked him again and followed him into the palace gate. .
The eunuch trotted into the main hall, knelt down with a plop, and said in a trembling voice: "The Queen Mother, Eunuch Zhang, Eunuch Zhang..."
Empress Dowager Li frowned and said, "What's wrong with Zhang Hong? You're so eager to reply." Zhang Juzheng and others were also given seats at this time. Looking at the appearance of the prisoner, doubts arose in his heart.
The eunuch took out a breath and said: "Eunuch Zhang hanged himself, and there is still a suicide note here!" After saying that, he seemed to be paralyzed, and he held up a few pieces of paper in his hand.
It was like there was a scorching thunder in the middle of the room, and everyone in the palace changed their colors. There was a buzz in Queen Mother Li's head, and her voice changed: "What did you say?"
The eunuch trembled and said: "The servants searched everywhere but could not find Eunuch Zhang. Later... later... they found him in the side hall of Qianqing Palace. He was already hanging... hang......."
Wei Chao took two steps forward from the entrance of the palace, took Zhang Hong's suicide note from the eunuch, lowered his head and glanced at everyone in the palace, and handed the suicide note directly to the empress. Empress Dowager Li was stunned at first, with an angry look on her face, and then Sighing, a wry smile appeared on his face again.
Zhuang Jingjia's face was pale. When she took the pieces of paper and looked at them, she saw that it read:
"The most heinous criminal, Zhang Hong, made a memorial statement: Since the emperor came to power, he has carried out wanton reforms, destroyed the state system, refused to listen to loyal advice, and is so happy with his achievements that he is just like Emperor Yang. The country may be overthrown in an instant. Although I am not the sole proprietor of the late emperor, I can't bear to see it." The emperor destroyed the imperial court and caused trouble to the world!"
"The crime of conspiracy will not be pardoned! The emperor's reform will bring suffering to all people, bring disaster to the world, destroy the country, etc., and it will be even more sinful for the ministers! The emperor has abolished Dongchang, and later wants to abolish the ceremony, and the ancestral family law will be completely destroyed. And it will lead to the worry of the collapse of the country."
"In the past, I remonstrated with the king but did not listen. Today I am admonishing the king to die, but I will not live alone. I rebel against a single husband, but I am not disobeying the king's father! If I am lucky, King Lu is young, and the queen mother may be in charge, and the country will be prosperous. If it survives, the ancestral temple and the country will be safe."
"Zhang Juzheng is the treacherous official who brought trouble to the court! Wang Guoguang, Zhang Siwei and others are all members of the party! If the affairs of the country are complicated, I only hope that the new emperor will rule, depose the traitor, recall the honest ministers, and diligently seek governance to live up to the ancestors. The hope of the clan."
"What's the point of a minister's death? Now that I have died to remonstrate with you, you can see that there is righteousness in the midst of chaos."
"When I was inspecting the emperor's saddle, I hid a steel needle inside and chased the sound at the speed of sound. If the emperor rode the saddle, he would be unlucky. On the one hand, it showed the fate of the Menglang king in the world. The two have nothing to do with others and need not be implicated. If the emperor can Saving one's life depends on God's will. I try my best without any regrets. I am Hong, this is my last work." [Note]
"My family was broken up early when I was young, and I am an orphan. Although I have a biological relationship, my son will be burdened by me, but it is just a dead ear. How can we cry together as a family? What's more."
Zhuang Jingjia read Zhang Hong's suicide note, her face turned pale, and she said in a trembling voice: "He is indeed a treasonous and evil person. Please read it, Queen Mother." After that, he handed the suicide note to Queen Mother Chen.
Empress Dowager Chen glanced over it, not knowing what to say, and handed it to Empress Dowager Li with a solemn expression. Empress Dowager Li took it with trembling hands. When she saw Zhang Hong admitting his guilt, she felt dizzy and almost fainted.
After everyone in the palace had seen it, Zhuang Jingjia asked Zhang Juzheng and others: "Old sir, what should I do with it?"
Zhang Ju felt hot and cold, bitter, spicy, and sour in his heart. Although he was a resolute person, he also felt a little discouraged and frustrated at this moment.
Finally she shed tears and said: "It's hard for the emperor! It's hard for the ministers too! It's just to reform politics and make the country rich and powerful. How can such things happen! If the emperor is unlucky..., it will be a waste for the ministers to be crushed to ashes."
It's hard to atone for his sin! Alas -" The man in his fifties choked up again. The British public and others also shed tears when they saw the sadness he said.
Although Zhuang Jingjia was pale, she could still speak calmly. When she saw Zhang Juzheng losing his composure, she coughed lightly and said, "Old sir, there is no need to feel sad. Fortunately, His Majesty the gods protected him and he survived the catastrophe. Please calm down and tell me what to do."
Empress Dowager Li stood up and said: "Zhang Hong is my appointee, and the suicide note says what happened to Prince Lu and me. Now I am in a place of suspicion. I will go back to the palace first - Prince Lu will be sent to him later."
After hearing this, Zhuang Jingjia looked at her with bright eyes, as if to judge whether Empress Dowager Li was trustworthy. Empress Dowager Chen was indeed a little numb after such a big change - the emperor was murdered by Zhang Hong. Although he did not succeed, Zhang Hong kept saying
If King Lu succeeds to the throne and the Queen Mother continues to govern, it will indeed be difficult for Queen Mother Li to be clean.
When Zhang Juzheng and others saw the quarrel between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, they didn't know what to say. Zhuang Jingjia suddenly knelt down and cried: "There is no need for the Queen Mother to say this, they are all your flesh and blood, how can she kill the eldest son because she loves the younger one? Besides, the Queen Mother is so cruel to the Emperor.
Who in the world does not know kindness and kindness? Whenever the emperor thinks of it, he will sigh with his concubines, "I am blessed to be the Queen Mother." If you return to the palace today, I will be afraid that the emperor will wake up, so I will first blame you for your unfilial piety!"
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li felt very hot and her eye circles turned red. Queen Mother Chen quickly stood up and said, "Sister, you really don't have to say that."
Zhang Juzheng and the British ministers also knelt down to persuade Empress Dowager Li to stay. Zhang Juzheng advised: "The Empress Dowager does not need to restrain herself. I think that although the Empress Dowager is a female, she has served in the government for many years and has the virtues of Yao and Shun. How can she put the emperor at this time?"
It is a place of unfilial piety. It is an unfaithful place for animals, and it is heart-wrenching and crazy. Why bother with the words that alienate a mother and her son? These are my sincere words. Please accept it, the Queen Mother."
Empress Dowager Li shed tears and said: "I never expected that a beast like Zhang Hong would do such a thing. I have lost my mind and no one. That's all, I'm still here. I just ask King Lu to come and let the queen take care of me for a few days."
Zhang Juzheng heard this and said: "I think this is not necessary. The emperor is just sleeping, and it is less than two hours before he falls from his horse. If King Lu is called, there will be shock and doubt inside and outside. I think that from Sun Long, the Wei Dynasty
, Cui Min and other people around the emperor, choose one to serve him, so that we can live in peace with each other."
After hearing this, Queen Mother Li nodded in agreement. Then she looked at Zhuang Jingjia. Zhuang Jingjia thought for a while and said, "I will do as the old man said. Cui Min, you go over and serve King Lu." Cui Min knelt down to accept the order.
At this time, Zhu Yijun, who had been ignored on the bed, suddenly said: "I...where am I?"