Chapter 203: The Choice of the Empress Dowager
Because the concubine Xian was poisoned and her life was in danger, the emperor personally sat in the Xuanqing Palace and had no time to go to court for several days. He even summoned the Imperial City Commissioner to conduct a thorough investigation... such a big matter, of course the front and rear palaces are very concerned.
Before Sun Yu resigned from the imperial court, he already knew the news inside and out that he was going to report.
For a while, the harem was full of turmoil, and everyone was preparing to wait for the emperor's thunderous wrath.
It's just that there was no movement from the emperor this day, and the next day at the court meeting, all the ministers were ready for Yan Yin to come over to collect the memorial, but Chun Jia came.
With a sullen face, he ordered Ping behind him to scan the crowd like lightning, and said straight to the point: "The real culprit has been found out about the poisoning of Concubine Xian."
There was a little uproar at the bottom. After Sun Yu's whereabouts came out yesterday, everyone guessed that the Imperial City Secretary should have found something to report, but they didn't expect that this matter would be brought to the temple-but Chunjia was not after all. He was a loner when he first took office. Since he opened his mouth, someone from below stood up and asked who the real culprit was.
Some people were filled with righteous indignation and said that someone in the most important place of the palace had such a murderous hand.
Chunjia listened expressionlessly, and after a while, let Sun Yu go to the hall with the evidence.
These evidences were prepared according to his wishes, pointing to the regent's father-in-law, former Qingping Marquis Lu Chuncao.
As we all know, Lu Chuncao was born as a servant of the common man Ji Sheng, served Emperor Xiaozong, has a deep foundation in the palace, and has the ability and power to murder the virtuous concubine who is in the sky.
He also had a reason to do so, after all, Chunjia had been communicating with the regent during this time, discussing the disposal of his adopted daughter Lu Qidao.
Lu Chuncao has a deep relationship with Lu Qidao's father and daughter. She feels sorry for her daughter and resents the emperor. Because she dare not or cannot kill the emperor, it is not impossible to take revenge on the emperor's favorite concubine Yun Fenghuang.
Although the group of people who supported the emperor were very surprised, seeing Chunjia's attitude, they immediately stood up and launched an attack on Lu Chuncao. In fact, Lu Chuncao is not at the court meeting at all. He began to think behind closed doors.
Originally, Chunjia promised the regent that after a few days, after disposing of Lu Qidao, he would find an excuse to return the title to him.
But because of the undecided debate on the issue of Lu Qidao, this matter has been shelved.
Everyone knew very well that the menacing momentum of the crowd seemed to be aimed at Lu Chuncao, but in fact, the real target was the regent.
The officials on the Prince Regent's side showed obvious anxiety and sullenness on their faces. They didn't believe the so-called evidence before them at all. In their view, this was nothing more than a collusion between Chunjia and Concubine Xian to frame the Prince Regent.
One after another, someone stood up and argued.
Just like the previous few times, at first it was restrained, but gradually, the voice became louder and the words became more and more fierce... After a good court meeting, it gradually developed into the battlefield.
Chunjia stood at the top and did not end in person immediately, and so did the regent.
As officials were involved, the atmosphere became more solemn and intense. Finally, after Duke Yi stood up in person, the regent finally stopped being silent and strode out. After looking around everyone like a falcon, he said hesitantly: "The virtuous concubine is the emperor's favorite concubine, and she has always favored the sixth palace! She was suddenly poisoned. If the real culprit is not found out as soon as possible, I am afraid it will be detrimental to the emperor... When the emperor told me that day, Gu also thought it was true. Therefore, in private They also sent people to investigate secretly, but they also got something!"
"It's just that the choice of the murderer is not the same as the conclusion of the imperial envoy!"
Under the crown, Chunjia frowned slightly, feeling something was wrong.
The next moment his premonition came true: the regent also asked for a lot of evidence to prove that he was not just talking about it.
However, the real culprit he found out was the long-forgotten Princess Ming Hui who lived in the palace!
"It's just nonsense!" Ouyang Yanran couldn't help standing up to defend Minghui, "Not to mention that Her Royal Highness is still young and innocent, why would she poison Concubine Xian? I have been involved in the palace power, and my biological mother has just left, and I have been sick in the palace until now... Where did I get the opportunity to do such a thing?"
Most people nodded slightly when they heard these words. Of course, Princess Minghui's status is honorable. Even if her biological mother, concubine Ji Sheng, ended up in such disgrace, it would not affect her treatment.
After all, she is Xiaozong's only prostitute, isn't she?
But whether it was during Ji Sheng's time or after his death, she never had real power, just a favored golden branch and jade leaf.
There is no comparison with a powerful concubine like Concubine Xian who started to assist the sixth palace not long after entering the palace.
If it is said that Concubine Xian went to harm the eldest princess in private, how could the eldest princess have harmed concubine Xian?
"Master Ouyang has forgotten that although Her Highness the Princess is innocent and young and ignorant, her biological mother murdered two generations of palaces." Someone from the Regent came out to remind everyone, "When Ji Sheng, the commoner, died Just in the palace, how do you know if you have told the eldest princess and her friends in private to make the eldest princess feel resentful? With the means and foundation of the common man Ji Sheng in the palace, what's wrong with murdering the concubine Xian? When your majesty gets married There are many empresses and concubines who entered the palace, but how many of them escaped from the disaster of the three corpses?"
"Even though Concubine Xian is favored, her days in the palace are short and her background is not high. It's not surprising that she can't guard against common people Ji Sheng's methods!"
Ouyang Yanran snorted, and a censor from Yushitai came out to refute, saying that even if the eldest princess is heartbroken over the death of her biological mother, if she wants to vent her anger, shouldn't she go to your regent palace first? How did you find Concubine Xian!
Concubine Xian is very innocent!
The demise of the Ji family and the death of the common man Ji Sheng, which one has anything to do with her?
"I'll have to ask the emperor." The regent sneered, cupped his hands towards Dan Chi, and said, "As far as I know, Princess Minghui liked Concubine Xian very much. Princess Minghui brought it with her. But later Concubine Xian became more and more favored, but she began to alienate Princess Princess. Presumably the princess blamed Concubine Xian for not being able to intercede with the common man Ji Sheng? But in fact, this is not a big deal."
"After all, Minghui is the late emperor's blood and blood, and His Majesty's direct heir and sister. In comparison, Concubine Xian is just a concubine from a humble background. Your Majesty must know which is more important."
"With the honor of Minghui, don't say that Concubine Xian is not dead yet, even if the Xuanqing Palace is dead, what is it? Could it be that His Majesty still wants to punish Xiaozong's flesh and blood for a few pets? Back then, Brothers Zheng Fengsen and Zheng Fengfen have done such wrong things, His Majesty has tolerated them for the sake of His Royal Highness Princess Yun'an."
"Could it be that Xianfei is more valuable than the Ji family, and Minghui is not as valuable as Yun'an?"
Chunjia was silent for a while, then said slowly: "Speaking of which, the people involved are not present, so this is a big matter, how can we decide?"
He said that this matter should not be discussed for now, and that Lu Chuncao and Minghui would be brought over to confront the court before making a judgment.
After saying this, seeing that the Regent not only didn't panic, but sneered slightly, Chunjia squinted his eyes, and talked about other political affairs as if nothing had happened... After the Celestial Court was over, he didn't go to Xuanqing Palace immediately, but let the imperial chariot arrive Qingci Palace.
"Why?" The Qingci Palace had already been surrounded by Chunjia's order. Except for the main hall where there were some close attendants who had been following the Empress Dowager, all the other places had been replaced. He only encountered obstacles outside the main hall—but he didn't wait outside in a polite manner like before, but directly pushed the palace guards and broke in!
Inside, the Empress Dowager was leaning on the soft couch under the west window, and she could hear an elderly palace man not far away holding a scroll and reading something to her in a soft voice.
Chunjia didn't bother to bother, and went up to question, "Gong Xiangruo beheaded Ji's family before and after, and even hung Duke Ye and Marquis Haixi alive on the door frame, so that the corpses were so horrible that they couldn't hide it when they were encoffined... ...So you still want to join hands with him?! Since you sent it to Gong Xiangruo like this, why did you have to adopt me as the first emperor of Xiaozong?!"
He asked this not out of anger, but because he really couldn't figure it out.
With the foundation of the Ji family's three dynasties of phoenix lords and power over the government and the public, the empress dowager already knew the end of the Ji family. Chunjia was not surprised, and he was not surprised that she hated him.
The key is why the empress dowager is willing to collude with the regent?
As for how Chunjia knew - the Prince Regent pointed the poisoning of the concubine Xian to Princess Minghui, and he was not afraid of confrontation. At this moment, who else could persuade Princess Minghui to cooperate with the King Regent, except the Empress Dowager?
The former queen Ji Lingzi did not have the qualifications.
After all, Minghui seems to be easy to talk to, so why is she the princess who was raised by her husband!
Her biological mother, Ji Sheng, had just passed away, and her death was so tragic. Under such circumstances, how could sister Ji Lingzi and Ji Muzi persuade her to cooperate with the Prince Regent, the murderer who indirectly caused Ji Sheng's tragic death?
The empress dowager is also the direct grandmother of the eldest princess Minghui. In terms of status, seniority and blood relationship, the eldest princess never refuses to listen to her.
"... Is it strange?" The Empress Dowager waved her hand to stop the palace servants from reading, glanced at the emperor slowly, and asked instead, "The concubine Xian was ordered by you to greet Ai's family that day, and she came empty-handed." Let's go, shouldn't you be enlightened?"
Chunjia said in a deep voice: "I do intend to let the concubine Xian come to greet you, and remind you that no one from the Ji family will come to reunite with you. I also think that the concubine Xian and the regent have always been at odds. If you hate the regent, Or you might be willing to give her something to send to Gong Xiangruo... But I'm not surprised if you don't want to give it. After all, in your eyes, you also hate me and Concubine Xian."
"But why did you choose Gongxiang Ruozhi?"
"Is it because he promised to protect the remnants of the Ji family, is it because he is your concubine after all, and is closer to you than me, or is it because you think that I am your enemy more than him?!"
The Empress Dowager propped her hands together, sat up slowly, looked at Chunjia with some strange eyes, and after a while, she laughed sullenly: "The emperor raised all kinds of possibilities and conjectures, but why don't you ask the most important point? That is, in the eyes of the Ai family, who is more suitable to sit on the throne, you or Gongxiang Ruozhi?"
She said leisurely, "Judging from the status of a great empress dowager, both of them are people who have no blood relationship with the Ai family. Isn't this what the Ai family should consider the most?"
"You don't think so, because you think that Aijia is not the kind of person who will consider the overall situation, right?"
Without giving Chunjia a chance to answer, the Empress Dowager burst out laughing, "Whether you guessed intentionally or instinctively, you guessed it right—that's right, the Aijia chose Gongxiang Ruozhi for no other reason. It's because Aijia thinks that he is not as good as you! Not only is he not as good as you, but his son is far behind you!!!"
"So even if the Ai family hates him, the Ai family will still support him—in this way, if he wins, it may not be a good thing for the Gongxiang family; even if he loses, the Ai family will stand by him. It's probably a mess in his hands, and it's not a good thing for the Gongxiang family either!"
"It's fair, isn't it? Back then, Aijia's father and brother helped Shenzong win the throne, and the monarch and ministers rose at the same time."
"Now that the Ji clan has been destroyed, the Gongxiang clan...especially the Gongxiang clan from the Shenzong lineage is doing well. What are you doing?"
"Shenzong is your husband, and Xiaozong is your own flesh and blood." Chunjia sighed and said, "In your eyes, the Ji family is so important, more important than your married husband and only son?"
The Empress Dowager said indifferently: "But you are not my son's bloodline! You can't even treat my son's bloodline well! They are just three princesses, it is impossible to compete with you, and you still want to use them up. Of course children are more important than the Ji family, but you or Gongxiang Ruozhi? Hah!"
She raised her chin in disdain, showing a malicious smile, "If you really care about the world, there is actually another choice, you can get rid of Aijia's plan. That is to arrest without a fight. , There is no internal friction between your uncles and nephews, maybe Gongxiang Ruoji will still have a chance to work hard and cultivate a qualified prince for the country!"
"How? Would you do that?"
"Won't?"
"Then shut up - you see, you also have selfishness, the future of the Gongxiang Clan and the well-being of all the people in the world are not as important to you after all, so is it natural for the Ai family to do this?!"
Chunjia was not angry, and only said: "I do owe the three eldest princesses, but the three eldest princesses are also your biological heirs, you let the eldest princess Minghui bear the reputation of murdering the concubine Xian, what will happen to her future? manage?"
"Minghui is the granddaughter of the Ji family. Now that the Ji family is destroyed, her future will not be very good." The empress dowager said indifferently, "If this is the case, if she can cheat you, I will treat her as Ji." Let's be filial."
"I see." Chunjia nodded, "I understand...then let's compete against each other according to their means!"
After saying that, don't stay any longer, turn around and leave.
The empress dowager watched his back for a long time, then snorted coldly: "Is everything arranged over there?"
The left and right nodded slightly: "Don't worry, ma'am, the news spread out last night, and the matter will definitely not be missed."
After hesitating for a while, he said, "It's just that our people found out that the Huangcheng Si Anzi named Liuhong is the most suspicious."
"It can't be Gongxiangruoji's hand." The Empress Dowager said decisively, "There is no need for Gongxiangruoji to lie to Ai's family about this matter! And that Liuhong came to her side when Concubine Xian was still in Huzhu Palace .If it is really the person arranged by Gongxiang Ruoji, something should have happened to Concubine Xian as early as the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, as for delaying until now?!"
She breathed a sigh of relief and frowned, "Check again... Pay attention to the Xiachun Palace, that lowly servant girl also dislikes Concubine Xian a hundred and eighty times, maybe it's her?"