Pan Shu was at her wits' end and still wanted to see Ma Mao, the foreign governor.
Because the people close to her, such as her sister and brother-in-law, had no talents, or were difficult to trust, Sun Liang was too young, and Pan Shu had not been able to gather a group of talents around her for a short time after becoming the queen.
Only Ma Mao, whose previous speculations about the court situation were almost correct! And he was also willing to trust Pan Shu and spoke his heartfelt words in front of her.
She summoned Ma Mao to the palace for an audience, but he didn't come, so Pan Shu thought of another trick. The next day, she summoned her brother-in-law and sister to tell her what she had experienced in the palace, and asked her brother-in-law to ask Ma Mao for advice; Pan Shu herself
Then he took his bodyguards with him and prepared to return to his sister's house to offer sacrifices.
The reason was that he was in a big disaster for the first time and almost died, so he went back to offer sacrifices and pray for the blessings of his ancestors.
Of course, this method may not work. The queen summoned her directly in the palace, but Ma Mao didn't come because she was sick. If she summoned him in private, if he didn't want to come, he didn't even have to make an excuse!
But at least it is very simple for Pan Shu to get out of the palace. Emperor Sun Quan is now bedridden, so of course he will not care about such trivial matters. In addition to obeying the emperor's orders, Pan Shu is now the queen, and she can do whatever she wants and go wherever she wants.
Wherever she goes, no one has the right to restrict her anymore. At most, it's just slander after the fact.
Just like when Pan Shu summoned Zhongshu Ling Sun Hong, and Sun Hong started talking nonsense afterwards, the queen asked Empress Lu for her story.
After everything was arranged, Pan Shu came to the Pan family's ancestral temple to burn incense and paper to offer sacrifices just like last time. The palace maids and eunuchs all stayed in the courtyard. As soon as she entered the temple, she immediately discovered that the person standing in the corner praising was none other than Ma.
Mao!
Pan Shu felt happy immediately! Maybe Ma Mao also felt happy at this time.
The situation was helpless, but Pan Shu was still very relieved to see him coming. This feeling was like being plotted against someone that day and suddenly seeing Princess Zhu appearing next to her.
Pan Shu turned her back to the door, knelt down at the banquet, and started to light incense. She took the initiative and said without looking back: "Have your brother-in-law and sister told me about my matter? What can I do?"
Ma Mao's voice said: "I have a plan, but the queen has had a hard time getting to where she is today, so I'm afraid she won't agree."
Pan Shu immediately ignited a glimmer of hope. She knew that Ma Mao might have a way! Pan Shu hurriedly said: "General, why don't you speak out and listen?"
Ma Maodao: "The seventh prince has become the crown prince and may ascend the throne soon. I said it last time that some people don't want to see Her Royal Highness the Queen alive. But Her Highness the Queen said that she has allies in the palace and does not believe what I said.
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At this time, Pan Shu could only put down her arrogance and said sincerely: "I believe General Ma's words from now on. It should have been like this a long time ago. Don't blame General Ma."
Ma Mao was silent for a moment and said: "For this reason, if you want to save your life, there is only one way to leave the palace and hide."
Pan Shu looked sideways and said: "All the state and county officials are ministers of Wu, let alone the unfamiliar place, where can they hide?"
Ma Mao asked: "Has Your Highness ever heard of Wang Biao?"
Pan Shu still burned the paper slowly and replied: "I know this man. He is a Taoist priest. His Majesty favors him very much and worships him as a general to assist the country. It was not until the arrival of eminent monks, Kang Senghui and Zhi Qian that His Majesty
After believing in Buddhism, I ignored Wang Biao. I heard that Wang Biao can escape from form?"
Ma Mao said: "The hiding is probably a misinformation, but I have a close friendship with him, so I can ask Wang Biao to arrange it in Piling."
A quiet room for His Highness to live in seclusion."
Pan Shu never thought that she could still hide. She couldn't make up her mind for a moment and pondered: "Is Wang Biao reliable? If he has contacts with courtiers, will he tell the truth?"
Ma Mao said: "Wang Biao has never met His Highness, and there is no need for Your Highness to reveal his identity. He owes me a great favor, and it is not difficult to hide two or three people. Now Wang Biao has lived in seclusion and has not interacted with the nobles, but he is still a great favor." General Wu Fuguo: When His Highness returns to Jianye, Wang Biao can escort him as a guarantee and confirm that His Highness is living in a quiet room to pray for His Majesty."
Pan Shu said dejectedly: "How long should I hide?"
After hearing no response for a while, Pan Shu hurriedly said: "It's not that I don't want to part with glory and wealth. I understand now that those things don't belong to me. I'm just attached to them. But I really suffer in these days of fear."
Ma Mao said: "At least we must wait until the several factions in the court have completely determined the winner. Then depending on the situation, His Highness will join the winner. And we must try to convince them that His Highness has no intention of power, and it is best to move to another palace." "
Pan Shu asked: "The winner is still not decided?"
Ma Mao nodded and said: "Even the former prince has not completely failed, but the chance is indeed slim. The only person who really failed is King Lu, and he is already dead."
Pan Shu blurted out: "Those who supported the former prince either died or were deposed. Wasn't Sun He also deposed?"
Ma Mao said: "A big family can only be dismissed but cannot be eradicated. Especially Prime Minister Zhu, as long as he is still breathing, he will have a chance to revive. In addition, His Majesty may also change his mind."
Pan Shu frowned and pondered Ma Mao's words.
Ma Mao then said: "Your Majesty
was not sick, so His Majesty had a different idea. Now that His Majesty is lying on the bed sick, he may feel regretful, after all, the Crown Prince is still young."
Pan Shu asked hurriedly: "What should I do with my son?"
Ma Mao said calmly: "Your Highness, don't worry about the Crown Prince. There is no reason to target the Crown Prince on either side. Among them, Princess Quan, who has the best chance of winning, her enemy is the Third Prince. Your Highness should look after yourself first, especially if you can't stay with Your Majesty all the time." Otherwise, is His Highness guarding the imperial edict? Or is it to verify the authenticity of the edict?"
After Ma Mao reminded her, Pan Shu suddenly realized! What she had been thinking before was indeed too simple, because she was grateful to His Majesty for canonizing their mother and son, and just wanted to do her best before the collapse. Only then did she really wake up. The emperor is the most bizarre center of power!
Pan Shu subconsciously asked: "What does General Ma mean? Does anyone dare to correct the edict?"
Ma Mao said: "The queen dares to assassinate, so why not dare to issue an edict? Once the third prince finds a chance to stand up, all the princesses will die without a burial place."
He paused, "But the third prince will not have any prejudice against the prince. He is just a young brother. By hiding, Her Majesty the Queen can protect the prince."
Pan Shu asked: "Why?"
Ma Mao said: "Since no one in Taichu Palace killed the queen, the powerful ministers don't have to be suspicious. When the prince grows up, he will remember the hatred of killing his mother."
Pan Shu couldn't help but nodded in agreement, thinking that if these men's husbands turned into women, their methods in the harem would probably be even better than those of the women!
Pan Shu pondered for a moment and then asked: "Since Wang Biao can't make people hide,
, how should I go to Piling without anyone noticing?"
Ma Mao seemed to have thought of a way a long time ago, and said without thinking: "The Jianchu Temple built by your Majesty for Kang Seng Hui is on the Huai River in Jianye City, and Zhi Qian now lives here. This temple has aura, and Kang Seng Hui was After closing the door for fourteen days, the relics were born out of thin air in the copper vase, and then His Majesty built this temple for him."
Pan Shudao: "The general asked me to go to Jianchu Temple to pray for His Majesty's condition?"
Ma Mao nodded and said: "The eminent monk Zhiqian who lives in Jianchu Temple was recently appointed by His Majesty as the Prince's tutor. He is a person whom Your Majesty trusts. Moreover, Your Majesty believes in Buddhism and has personally prayed for his mother in Jianchu Temple. Your Majesty went to Jianchu Temple." The Ashoka Pagoda of the Chu Temple is closed to pray, and His Majesty will grant permission."
Pan Shu whispered: "The most powerful person in Taichu Palace now should be Princess Quan."
Ma Mao said: "It doesn't matter. As I said just now, as long as Your Highness doesn't stand in front of Your Majesty's collapse, everything will be fine. And because the Queen has a good reputation, the best way to deal with Your Highness is assassination. Now that you can't hit a single hit, it will take time to redeploy. His Highness took the initiative to leave the palace, but those people didn't get what they asked for."
Pan Shu's eyelids jumped when she heard "redeployment", and that terrible feeling suddenly hit her heart again!
Ma Mao paused for a moment and continued, "Your Highness is praying in the Ashoka Pagoda. He has deployed defenses on all sides. You can order your troops to protect you."
Sister Pan finally said: "Sister, are you really going to leave?"
Pan Shu didn't think about it and didn't respond.
Ma Mao said: "General Tan, Madam, don't worry. What Princess Quan and others care about is the title of the Queen or the Queen Mother. There is no need to create extraneous matters to deal with people who are not a threat. The Seventh Prince is the Queen Mother."
My son, the future emperor, General Tan is a relative of the prince, but he is just a cavalry captain, so he should be able to keep it."
Pan Shu hurriedly said: "If I want to leave, brother-in-law, sister, please come with me!"
My sister Pan persuaded me nicely: "It's not easy for us to be where we are today. Please think about it again."
Pan Shudao: "I will come back."
At this time, Ma Mao said: "Mrs. Pan is a close relative of His Highness, so it is best to stay in Jianye. Once Your Highness is settled, you can send a confidant back to report that you are safe. Your Highness has an honorable status, and I should also send a confidant of the same clan to protect His Highness." "
Sister Pan really didn't want to run away. When she heard this, she breathed a sigh of relief and said, "General Ma is very thoughtful."
Ma Mao said: "This matter is of great importance. It would be best for Her Majesty the Queen to think deeply about it. As long as Her Majesty goes to Jianchu Temple within half a month, then we will act according to our plan. If not, the matter will end here."
Pan Shu suddenly asked: "General Ma is not related to me, so why are you willing to take risks several times to help me?"
Ma Mao said: "I offended the powerful in Yangzhou, Wei State, and fled to Wu State. All the people in Wu State are not relatives. Your Highness values me, but I have no intention of harming Your Highness! It's because Your Highness has no life now, and I am suffering. After thinking about this plan, I ask Your Highness to decide for yourself where to go. I will do my best without any regrets."
Pan Shu said with emotion: "General Ma is loyal and brave."
Ma Mao bowed deeply and said, "That's it for now. Your Highness can't stay for a long time. We'll see you later."
Pan Shu's position was facing the temple door and she could not return the gift. She suddenly felt uneasy again and blurted out: "Can we see you again?"
Ma Mao didn't answer. Pan Shu had no choice but to get up from the banquet, said goodbye to her brother-in-law and sister, walked out of the temple gate, and left the temple with a group of attendants.