It has been several days since the Queen Mother Guo returned to the palace. She still lives in the Lingzhi Palace in the Xiyou Garden on the north side of the palace. The Xiyou Garden is not the main area of the palace, and there are relatively few palace buildings. However, the Queen Mother is not like the emperor and has many concubines to accommodate. Queen Mother Guo I think this place is quite nice, with a wide view and better scenery than that of Zhaoyang Palace.
Returning to the palace this time, the eunuchs and maidens were even more in awe of Queen Mother Guo. At this time, people thought that Queen Mother Guo's backer was Wang Ling, and everyone was talking privately that Wang Ling was going to become the new powerful minister.
But in Empress Dowager Guo's heart, among the powerful people, Qin Liang is of course the most reliable.
However, at this time, Qin Liang and the Wang family have not yet determined the distribution of power, and the Queen Mother Guo is still waiting. Her uncle has written a letter from his younger brother asking for an audience, and she is not in a hurry to meet him yet. She needs to wait until the situation is confirmed before she can talk to the Guo family.
So Queen Mother Guo didn't take care of too much these days, she just changed some people around her. She sent the eunuchs and maids who she thought were unreliable before to the Yongning Palace in the southwest, and promoted a few people who were close to her before.
After Zhang Huan came back from Tingwei's Mansion, Zhang Huan cried bitterly and begged Empress Dowager Guo for forgiveness. He used to seek refuge with Cao Shuang, but now that Cao Shuang's family and close associates are all dead, Empress Dowager Guo didn't want to make things too difficult for him.
The most important thing is that Zhang Huan met Qin Liang before returning to the palace and relayed what Qin Liang reminded him that there was a difference between the Queen Mother Guo and the emperor and asked him to be loyal to the Queen Mother Guo. After hearing this, the Queen Mother Guo still asked Zhang Huan Continue to do the Great Changqiu Visitor Order.
It turns out that the eunuch who always told Empress Dowager Guo about what happened in Luoyang, with vivid descriptions and facial expressions, was named Huang Yan. Empress Dowager Guo also reused him and put him in charge of the Westward Journey Garden and Hualin Garden.
At this moment, Queen Zhen Yao came to Lingzhi Hall from Zhaoyang Hall. As usual, Zhen Yao had a resentful look on her face and red eyes. She was only a teenager, but she became like a resentful woman.
Empress Dowager Guo took her face into consideration and immediately turned away Huang Yan and others.
As soon as the eunuchs and maids left, Zhen Yao started to cry and just wiped away her tears with a silk handkerchief.
"The emperor beat you again?" Queen Mother Guo couldn't help but ask. She leaned over and looked carefully at Zhen Yao's little face, but she couldn't see any injuries. Her eyes were red because she was crying. But Queen Mother Guo gently held her hand. When he put it on Zhen Yao's shoulder and wanted to say a few words of comfort, Zhen Yao trembled in pain.
Empress Dowager Guo frowned and pulled down her collar, and saw bruises on her chest and arms.
Zhen Yao hurriedly pulled up her silk clothes to cover her face, glanced at Queen Mother Guo, and said aggrievedly: "Even a beauty is laughing at me."
Queen Mother Guo didn't know how she became the queen, so she asked: "Which beauty?"
Zhen Yao glanced at her mouth and said, "Beauty Zhang." She then choked and said, "I also want to obey Your Majesty and am willing to please him, but I don't know why he hates me so much! He even insulted my father."
The Cao family didn't care about filial piety. It was normal for the emperor to scold Zhen Yao's father, but this sentence reminded Empress Dowager Guo.
Empress Dowager Guo looked carefully at Zhen Yao, who was young and fresh-faced and quite good-looking. Zhen Yao is the grand-niece of Empress Wen Zhao Zhen Mi. When choosing the queen, an old eunuch said that her eyes and mouth looked like Empress Wen Zhao; And Queen Wen Zhao is a world-famous beauty. Why did the emperor dislike Zhen Yao?
Queen Mother Guo paced for a few steps, wondering if the emperor was dissatisfied with the Zhen family? The Zhen family was indeed not close to the emperor, especially Zhen Yao's father who had served as an official under Cao Shuang, and later went to Wei County to become a local official. Do not associate with the emperor.
If we follow the practice of the Eastern Han Dynasty, in order to consolidate power, the emperor would rely on relatives and eunuchs as the easiest force to rely on. In the Wei Dynasty, these two forces were completely useless, and even the clan declined. But Emperor Cao Fang could not find any force to rely on.
So do you have any thoughts about your relatives?
Queen Mother Guo was not sure. After all, Cao Fang was only a teenager. Would he really think about so many things?
At this time, Empress Dowager Guo recalled what happened a few days ago. Although the emperor brought his car and ministers out of the city to greet her, his expression was indifferent and he said few words. At that time, Empress Dowager Guo pretended to be moved and wiped tears in public, but Cao Fang had no reaction.
She looked reluctant and her eyes were wrong. There was also something that happened two or three years ago. Queen Mother Guo was sad because of her mother's memorial day and didn't think about food. However, Cao Fang was still sneering next to her, which made Queen Mother Guo particularly chilled.
At this time, Empress Dowager Guo looked at the crying empress. She couldn't help frowning and felt a little headache towards the emperor.
After all, Cao Fang is the adopted son of Empress Dowager Guo and has a good reputation. In fact, Empress Dowager Guo really wants to get along well with him and is willing to see him survive and keep the throne. However, Cao Fang does not appreciate it and seems to still have resentment towards Empress Dowager Guo.
Queen Mother Guo knew that she had selfish motives, and of course she could not treat Cao Fang like her own son, but Cao Fang treated her as an enemy, which was indeed an injustice.
At this time, Zhen Yao's voice said: "The queen mother is in charge of the beauties Zhang and Yu Wan. They take advantage of your majesty's favor and ignore me at all. They keep saying bad things about me. When they see me being beaten and scolded, they become angry
His face is so happy, so irritating!"
Empress Dowager Guo kindly reminded Empress Zhen because she adopted her younger brother into the Zhen family, "I can punish them, but the emperor will hate you even more."
Zhen Yao was resentful and angry. She gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty beats and scolds me. He is my husband, so I can bear it. But Zhang, Yu Wan are nothing. I will beat them to death!"
When Queen Mother Guo heard this, she said, "Please follow me to Zhaoyang Palace."
So Empress Dowager Guo summoned Huang Yan to prepare a car and take the empress, Zhang Huan and other eunuchs and maids to the south.
When a group of people came to the corridor behind Zhaoyang Hall, they heard the eunuch say that the emperor was in the Liangfeng Pavilion on the west side of the back. So Queen Mother Guo led people back from the corridor and came to the courtyard on the west side.
Sure enough, I saw Cao Fang practicing his sword in the open space between the corridors and pavilions! The beauties Zhang, Yu Wan and others next to him were stroking their hands and applauding.
The eunuch shouted: "Her Royal Highness the Empress Dowager has arrived!"
People around him knelt down one after another, and Cao Fang actually walked towards him with a sword.
The visitor ordered Zhang Huan to shout loudly: "Her Majesty the Queen Mother is here, please put down your sword."
But Cao Fang didn't listen. She just put her sword into the crack of the bricks, bowed in a graceful manner and said, "Meet the Queen Mother."
Empress Dowager Guo glanced at the sword on the ground. Although her expression remained calm, seeing the bright blade of the sword, she could still think of the terror of the emperors of the Cao family. When Emperor Wen was in power, tens of thousands of people were killed every year because of "evil words".
, Emperor Ming was also bloodthirsty. Whether it was the harem or ministers, he would kill anyone who didn't like him!
Although Cao Fang was only the adopted son of Emperor Ming, he had been exposed to it since childhood and was probably particularly obsessed with force. No wonder he did not listen to his advice and wanted to learn both horse riding and sword training.
Empress Dowager Guo ignored him and walked straight towards her. Zhang Huan, who had just taken refuge with her, was particularly loyal. He followed nervously and protected Empress Dowager Guo with his body. Because the emperor's sword was on the ground, right at her hand!
Empress Dowager Guo showed no fear. Cao Fang was not crazy. She did not believe that Cao Fang dared to kill her mother in public! Her adoptive mother was also a mother.
When a group of people passed by Cao Fang, Cao Fang raised her head and glared at Empress Zhen who was complaining.
Empress Dowager Guo glanced sideways and noticed Cao Fang's eyes, and she suddenly felt very angry. She didn't feel like scolding the emperor, so she pointed at the emperor's favorite Zhang family and said: "You are by the emperor's side, do not practice virtue, and slander the queen. The following is my fault. Come on.
, take her to the violent chamber and execute her!"
The exposure room was actually a place where silk fabrics were dried, but palace maids were often punished and even hanged there. In addition, there were many hanging cloths floating in the wind in the courtyard. The palace maids believed that the place was haunted, and it was the place they least wanted to be on duty.
It's a violent room, it's so scary!
Huang Yan and other eunuchs rushed forward immediately. Seeing this, Zhang Meiren turned pale with fright and said in panic: "Your Majesty, save me, Your Majesty..."
Cao Fang hurried forward, caught up with Queen Mother Guo, and said anxiously: "Queen Mother, everything is done by me and has nothing to do with Zhang Meiren!"
Empress Dowager Guo said: "The Queen is a virtuous person who knows etiquette. You alienate her, but you are deceived by these villains. How can I just sit back and watch?"
Cao Fang's eyes showed hatred, but she still insisted on pleading: "Please spare her life, Queen Mother."
Empress Dowager Guo's eyes swept across Cao Fang's face and noticed the way Cao Fang looked at her. She was silent for a moment, and finally endured it, and said to Zhang Meiren: "The emperor begs for mercy for you. I will spare your life so that you can take care of yourself."
!Drag her to the violence room with twenty canes."
Eunuch Huang Yan said: "Here!"
Zhang Meiren is still begging for mercy: "Have mercy on me, I can't bear the beating with the rod, your majesty, please save me!"
Cao Fang turned around and watched Beauty Zhang being taken away. She hesitated to speak and finally said nothing.
Mother and son looked at each other in silence. Queen Mother Guo suddenly looked at Cao Fang and said "Alas".
Although the teenage Cao Fang in front of her was not the biological son of Emperor Ming, Empress Dowager Guo could still feel that there was a vague shadow of Emperor Wen and Emperor Ming in him.
Empress Dowager Guo didn't know what to say about him, just saying he didn't know how to live or die. He was indeed the emperor. The emperor was not content with the status quo and wanted to learn from his ancestors and make a difference. It didn't seem to be a big mistake. But after all, Cao Fang was seven years old.
He ascended the throne at the age of 18, and now he is only fourteen. He understands some things, but not all of them. His actions that he only half understands and do not understand make people anxious.
After all, Queen Mother Guo was not his biological mother and was still resented by him, so she could only sigh.
In fact, Cao Fang was dissatisfied with Cao Shuang, the clan leader who controlled him before. Teenagers are not so scheming. Of course, Queen Mother Guo could detect it in the palace. But Cao Fang should not have realized that his situation at this time was worse than that of Cao Shuang.
It's much more dangerous.
Cao Fang's eyes were cold, and she obviously didn't trust Queen Mother Guo. Seeing this, Queen Mother Guo felt that she really didn't have that much power and could control everything. She had to take care of herself first. Now her biggest demand is for a new powerful minister.
There must be Qin Liang inside!
Not only because of the close relationship, she also believed that when Qin Liang was in power, her treatment would not be too bad. A few years ago, the eunuch Huang Yan talked about how Qin Liang treated the former emperor's palace wives who were kidnapped by Cao Shuang. Empress Dowager Guo felt that Qin Liang
Liang will treat women as human beings.
Empress Dowager Guo didn't want to say more and just said: "The emperor should take care of himself."