The deep Song Dynasty Palace was shrouded in the dark night. Only the three main halls where the emperor and important harem figures such as Empress Zheng were, were still brightly lit.
Zheng Di, who was admitted to the Imperial Guards Department, was a fellow villager of Empress Zheng. This was Empress Zheng's confidant selected from thousands of internal guards in the harem, so it goes without saying that she was reliable.
It's just that after the death of Queen Xianggong Wang Fanying, Queen Xianren Zheng, as the successor, except for the first one or two years of great glory, has now become lonely.
Zheng, who is 29 years old this year, also had a honeymoon period with Zhao Ji.
It's just that Zhao Ji was too fond of the new and disliked the old, and pursued beauty. As he grew older, although Zheng's charm still existed, the fussy-minded officials of the Song Dynasty still lost interest in her.
So the official family didn't come for a long time.
So much so that Ms. Zheng sometimes wondered whether the emperor had forgotten the existence of her as a queen. Whenever she heard the news that the emperor was having fun with a certain concubine or a certain maid, Ms. Zheng was heartbroken.
But nothing can be done.
Since ancient times, emperors have been unlucky, especially Emperor Huizong.
This official family of the Song Dynasty had no less than 150 concubines of all levels with titles, and at least 500 palace maids who had been favored or had not been favored and who knew when they would be favored. Zhao Ji was simply too busy.
Moreover, he had to spend a lot of time studying the art of calligraphy and painting, and secretly left the palace to meet with various brothel lovers, and Li Shishi was not the only one.
However, at this time, Zheng Di stumbled out of the palace, his voice trembling and excited: "Mother, the officials are here, the official officials are here!"
Empress Zheng was already ready to go to bed. She had taken off her makeup and was only wearing a light blue shirt except for her palace skirt. She was stunned for a moment, and was about to change her clothes and make up in a hurry when Zhao Ji strode into the palace.
Empress Zheng had no choice but to greet the emperor with her breasts half-covered.
However, when she immediately saw the emperor looking depressed and even a little angry, she felt a chill in her heart.
The ecstasy and the thought of recommending oneself to the pillow suddenly faded away.
Zhao Ji glanced at Mrs. Zheng, let out a long breath, and walked around the hall, sometimes scratching his ears and cheeks, sometimes stamping his feet and sighing, sometimes gnashing his teeth.
"Official!"
Zhao Ji waved his hand impatiently: "I'll rest here with you tonight."
After saying that, Zhao Ji opened his arms directly, and all the palace maids and eunuchs came forward to help him change his clothes and take off his belt.
So Zhao Ji jumped on Zheng's bed and lay down on his own.
Zheng hesitated for a while, then slipped onto the bed like a kitten, and lay down next to Zhao Ji. Intentionally or unintentionally, she rubbed her delicate body against the emperor, sending out a very strong hint.
However, Zhao Ji remained indifferent and actually turned his back.
Mrs. Zheng felt sad in her heart, so she had no choice but to turn her back. The two faced each other with their backs to each other, each with their own thoughts.
Zhao Ji was upset and wanted to get angry but couldn't find the target.
He had just gone to see Concubine Wei, but when he arrived, he found that he could no longer do it. No matter how hard he tried, it was to no avail, so he summoned the imperial doctor to the palace overnight to give her a scolding, but what could he do?
Concubine Wei was so disappointed that Zhao Ji was speechless and had to change her clothes and leave.
Passing by Zheng's side, I casually walked in.
As if he noticed Mrs. Zheng sobbing sadly on the pillow, Zhao Ji had no choice but to sit up, put his hands on Mrs. Zheng's shoulders, and said softly: "Queen, don't think too much, I... I am sick, so it is not convenient today."
!”
Zheng was stunned and said hurriedly: "The official is ill, can you send the imperial doctor to come for diagnosis and treatment... Zheng Di, please quickly order the imperial doctor to come to the palace to diagnose the official!"
Zhao Ji couldn't stop him in time, and the internal prison guard Zheng Di had already rushed away in a hurry.
…
The imperial physician Zhang Cheng was summoned back by Empress Zheng before he left the palace. When Zhang Cheng saw the embarrassed official at Zheng's side, he sighed in his heart, although he believed that the official's vitality had been damaged and he had been injured.
It reached the vital point, and it has been inhumane since then, but it cannot be said even if it is beaten to death. It can only be delayed one day, and one day is fooled.
Zhang Cheng pretended to check Zhao Ji's pulse again.
Mrs. Zheng said anxiously: "Zhang Cheng, what disease does the official family suffer from..."
Zhang Cheng smiled bitterly in his heart and said to Queen Zheng, you are a mature woman, can't you guess that the official family cannot be humane at this moment?
"Ahem, back to the empress, the official was injured outside some time ago. At this moment, her vitality has not recovered. It may take another one to two years to raise her before..." Zhang Cheng hesitated, with an ambiguous expression.
Mrs. Zheng gradually came back to her senses at this moment, and she couldn't help but turned pale and said in shock: "Could it be that the former official came out of the palace and was injured by Gao Qiu's adopted son?"
Zhao Ji gritted his teeth and closed his eyes.
Zhang Cheng could only nod silently.
Zheng was furious: "Gao Qiu is so audacious that he dares to raise his adopted son and hurt the official family. He deserves death!"
Zhang Cheng put his hand on his forehead and lowered his head.
Gao Yanei is indeed worthy of death. Once the officialdom is overturned... there are countless beautiful women in this palace who have to guard the empty room alone. Just these women can spit Gao Yanei to death!
But Zhang Cheng would never dare to agree with this.
Although Gao Qiu's power was inferior to Cai Jing's and other "Six Thieves of Tokyo", he still controlled the military power in the capital and had access to both the government and the public in Tokyo. He was actually more difficult to deal with than Cai Jing.
"Officials! How can Gao Qiu's adopted son not be punished for his heinous sins?" Zheng said angrily.
There is still some rift between her and Gao Qiu, and if she seizes the opportunity now, she will definitely add insult to injury.
Zhao Ji let out a long sigh and waved his hand: "Zhang Cheng, please step back."
In fact, at Concubine Wei's house just now, Zhao Ji was on the verge of going berserk and almost issued an edict to kill Gao Yanei.
However, he still couldn't get over the hurdle of cowardice and worry about gains and losses in his heart.
It is easy to kill Gao Yanei, but after killing Gao Yanei, Gao Qiu will become dissatisfied with him as an official. Who should he expect to counter the Cai Party, which is becoming increasingly difficult to contain?
Cai Jing has become a huge force that cannot be easily touched. Without Gao Qiu to check it, he will be unstable as an emperor.
In the eyes of many courtiers, Gao Qiu and Cai Jing were the same as Tong Guan, but only Zhao Ji knew clearly that Gao Qiu was an important chess piece that he deliberately supported to check and balance Cai Jing.
Although he devoted all his energy to calligraphy and painting, it did not mean that he did not attach any importance to the foundation of the Zhao family's imperial power.
This Gao Qiu was his confidant when he was the vassal king, and he has followed him all the way to this day.
Without Gao Qiu as a troublemaker, Cai Jing would have controlled Chao Gang to arbitrarily rule the world.
Zhao Ji knows a little bit about the art of checks and balances.
Is this an ancestral skill?
"Gao Qiu's son also accidentally hurt me. Besides, Gao Qiu is loyal to the emperor and the country, and has made great contributions to the court. I will still have someone to rely on in the future. Let's put this matter aside for the time being!"
Zhao Ji sighed.
At this time, he did not realize that he had permanently lost his function. He thought that it was because the injury was not healed, so he just needed to recuperate.
…
Early the next morning, Zhang Shuye went to Wang Lin's Mansion in person to deliver the emperor's imperial letter.
After all, it was written by the emperor himself and stamped with the royal seal. This was a very grand reward, so Zhang Shuye framed the emperor's calligraphy and covered it with red and colorful colors. He held it with one hand high and rode through the streets on horseback.
Went to Wang Lin's house.
Under the horse, there were two people sent from the palace to serve at Xiaohuangmen, one on the left and one on the right, following each other, shouting one after another: "The martial arts exam, Wang Lin from Qinghe County, Shandong Province, won the first prize in one fell swoop!"
"The official has decreed that Wang Lin be given an imperial letter and a red flower, and he will be praised for three days to commend him!"