Chapter Thirty-Eight Encounter on a Narrow Road

It wasn't that the palace people in the Jiuying Pavilion were suspicious, but the people who were crowding around in the main hall, and those who were not qualified to enter the hall and could only wait outside, were also feeling uneasy, and they all suspected that the emperor had made another big move.

Those who could see Lord Yi, Ouyang Yanran and other emperor's close ministers looked at these two out of the corners of their eyes, hoping to guess the direction of the matter from their every move.

However, Yunzhao was also confused at the moment. Seeing that the emperor hadn't come yet, he quietly asked Ouyang Yanran beside him, did he know what was going on?

"..." Ouyang Yanran still wanted to ask him, so she shook her head slightly.

The two of them don't know, so it is basically certain that Chunjia probably didn't mean this matter.

But who is this, dare to do such a thing?

Just as I was thinking about it, I saw the beaded curtain swaying not far away. It was the empress dowager who came out. She didn't come out alone, but behind her were three masters in Diyi clothes. They were the two empress dowagers and empress Gu. Proverbs.

The four nobles took their seats on top, and the Empress Dowager frowned lightly, and said: "The emperors of the previous dynasty were very particular about the five small fairy mountains when they set up the five small fairy mountains. Why did the summer banquet last year and the osmanthus appreciation banquet today be the same? Not going well? Even Xiangrui can't stop it?"

"Perhaps it's because the traitors haven't been eradicated completely." Hearing that the others hadn't said anything, the Queen Mother Yuan responded indifferently, "After all, the common man Ji Sheng made the late emperor extinct. What is the identity of the late emperor? Such grievances With humiliation, how can there be no movement in the dark? Although the White Deer is auspicious, after all, it is a bit peaceful, and it is not good at conquest, and it is understandable that it cannot resist resentment and anger."

The Empress Dowager didn't look at her, and said calmly: "Although my son has no sons and no heirs, but heirs are young and promising, wise and powerful, and having a son like this, my son must be gratified even if he is under the nine springs. Why don't you, Yuan Shi?" think?"

The Empress Dowager Yuan hated the Empress Dowager for helping the Empress Dowager Qu just now and beating herself in public, so she wanted to embarrass the Empress Dowager right now, who knew that the Empress Dowager felt a little embarrassed when she said this, she quickly glanced at the empress... ...But Gu Zhen is not that kind of alert person. Although he sensed her gaze, he couldn't react, he just looked blank.

Without the Queen's help to pass the ladder, the Empress Dowager and Queen Mother Qu would definitely not help her, it would be good if they didn't make trouble.

Empress Dowager Yuan was so angry that her heart ached. She took a deep breath and calmed down. Just as she was about to speak, Empress Dowager Qu said first: "Empress Dowager Mingjian, Sister Yuan is probably lying in bed all year round, so that people are confused and can't speak. , you don't want to be familiar with her."

At this moment, the words were not polite, but the Empress Dowager Yuan couldn't say anything, and her face couldn't help but look a little ugly.

The Empress Dowager also ignored it, and said to herself: "Where are the people who fed Xiangrui on the cliff just now? Come up and let the Ai family have a look."

These people were taken outside early in the morning, and upon hearing the news, some palace officials went out and announced them in.

Changed into a short-sleeved short jacket with red plum leaves and narrow sleeves, the size of red plum flowers and leaves embroidered with primrose bottom, paired with an ai green moon white intercolor skirt, and Kunze, who wore suet jade wrapped branches, squirrel grape curly grass pattern and flower dark green silk ribbon, started the head. There are six people in line according to their backgrounds and ages, male and female, they are Ouyang's son Ouyang Jiping, his daughter Ouyang Fulu, Yi Guogong's nephew Yunxike, Cui Wan's niece Cui Lianshui, Zheng Juyi His son, Zheng Fengfen, and Uncle Xingning's nephew, Yuan Ke.

After the seven people saw the ceremony, the Empress Dowager asked them to talk about what happened.

So they talked again tremblingly, but the group of people listened carefully, but there was no new news, that is, after the atmosphere relaxed during the banquet, they went out for a walk to let off the smell of alcohol and so on, and happened to come together , and happened to be at the bottom of that cliff, so I decided to go up to sit, and not long after, I found Xiangrui gnawing on the grass and leaves at the bottom, because there were many plants, trees and flowers growing on the side of the gazebo, many of which were still in this season. Delicate and fresh, they picked it up and threw it down to tease auspiciousness.

When it's over, the auspiciousness is not good.

It was Cui Lianshui who discovered this scene. She was the biological daughter of Cui Wan's younger brother. She lost her biological father when she was very young. She grew up with her uncle Cui Wan, so she has a somewhat withdrawn personality.

When the seven of them were chatting in the pavilion, she couldn't catch up on the conversation very much, and when she was bored, she just lay down on the beauty's bed and concentrated on the teasing Xiangrui.

As a result, after teasing and teasing, I watched Xiangrui start to fall to the ground, twitching, and foaming... just now he was cold.

"Then do you remember, what did the white deer eat and do before it fell to the ground?" The Empress Dowager asked with a frown.

Cui Lianshui shook her head with sobs: "At that time, the minister said that she was teasing Bailu, but she was actually listening to the conversation of the princess of Tingzhong and the brothers and sisters, so she didn't pay much attention to it...even when she first saw the white deer. When the white deer fell down, I thought it was tired and wanted to rest for a while, but then I called the Princess and the others to take a look."

This was confirmed by Ouyang Fulu. Ouyang Fulu said that she was the first to propose to feed the deer, because there is a word "deer" in her boudoir name, and she usually has a good impression of deer, and she often goes to the garden to feed the deer at home. of.

If you meet the rare auspicious white deer in Xiaofanghu, you will never miss the chance to get close.

Everyone else nodded in approval of the two testimonies.

The empress dowager was noncommittal, and asked the important officials not far away to discuss, what is going on?

At this moment, the ministers can't discuss too much, so they can only discuss it urgently, and realize that this is not a holy intention, um, it is not Chunjia's intention, so it will be interesting, or in other words, then we can continue to investigate.

They all supported letting the imperial physician from the Royal Beast Garden come to check Xiangrui to see how he died, and then to find out who did it and why did he do it?

Just as he was talking, someone from outside announced that it was Chun Jia who had arrived.

Chunjia entered in a hurry, and ordered to be free while walking, and asked Kunze and the others to tell the story again, and also agreed with the suggestions of the ministers, so that everyone should not panic and continue to feast. In the final analysis, the prosperity of the dynasty requires the unanimous efforts of the monarch and his ministers. It does not mean that with auspiciousness, one can sit back and enjoy the success.

Of course, the courtiers responded to his remarks, and praised him as a wise king...

In short, the monarchs and ministers greeted each other politely, the palace servants came up to take away the remnants of the banquet, and served another round of food and wine. Everyone persuaded each other to drink and ate a little, and the veterinarians from the Royal Animal Garden brought them over.

There were only three people who came, and the oldest one couldn't stand still.

Because of the incident with the auspicious white tiger before, the Ji family was destroyed, and those who were close to the common man Ji Sheng in the Royal Beast Garden couldn't escape, and almost all of them were dealt with. The ones who came up at this moment were added later, and they didn't seek refuge with any high-ranking officials, just the ordinary ones, who had never seen a nobleman before.

It's very tense right now.

After Chunjia spoke, they were at a loss for a while before going outside.

How many brushes are there to be able to enter the Royal Beast Garden?

It didn't take long for the three of them to come back and report that they confirmed that Xiangrui died from eating something that shouldn't be eaten, and that this thing was not uncommon, it was the well-known heartbroken grass.

Broken Heart Grass is also known as hook kiss. Since ancient times, there have been many people and animals planted on it, because it looks very similar to a medicinal herb that relieves heat and thirst: honeysuckle.

After saying this, the expressions of the seven people in Kunze changed, and they all exclaimed: "There is a clump of honeysuckle beside the gazebo on the cliff, and someone did pick a few of them and throw them down the cliff... Could it be that it was actually a hook?" kiss?!"

Chunjia glanced at Yan Yin beside him, Yan Yin hurriedly ordered a servant and asked him to check by the gazebo, what's going on?

After a while, the little servant broke off two branches and came back to report. He said that he searched carefully by the gazebo and found a small part of a large clump of vines that was not of the same type, so he took some for the veterinarian to distinguish.

The three veterinarians only looked at it for a while, and recognized that one of them was a hook kiss, and euphemistically reminded Kunze and others that this season, the honeysuckle flowering period has passed, but the hook kiss is still in bloom... So, What they threw down as honeysuckle were all hook kisses.

Well now, the reason for Xiangrui's sudden death has been found, but why did Gook Kiss appear in the palace ban, and it happened to be taken away to feed Xiangrui?

Empress Gu Zhen came out with a livid face and knelt down in public to plead guilty.

Behind her, from the side of the courtiers, Mrs. Gu and other officials of the Gu family also came out one after another to plead guilty.

Not only her, Concubine Shu Ouyang Fulu, Concubine De Wei Hengyan, and their family members also knelt down.

After all, this banquet of osmanthus appreciation was organized by the queen and assisted by the third concubine Gui Shude.

Now that something went wrong, no matter what it was, the four of them were all to blame anyway.

This meant that the imperial concubine was not around, otherwise Yun Fenghuang would not be able to sit and watch the fun.

"If you don't apologize, I'll talk about it later." Seeing this, the Empress Dowager said slowly, "Let's talk about the hook kiss outside the pavilion, but when did it grow? Why has no one discovered it? Empress, before you When I suggested placing the banquet on the small square pot, I knew that His Majesty would allow Xiangrui to live freely on the island, so no one checked whether the flowers, plants and trees on the island would be detrimental to the white deer?"

Gu Zhen's heart was in a mess, so he calmed down and said, "Back to the Empress Dowager, my grandson told the servants at that time, but I've never heard that there is a hooked thing outside the gazebo."

The steward in charge pleaded guilty, saying that he had checked the gazebo himself, but he really didn't find the existence of the hook kiss.

In fact, he really can't blame him completely for this matter, because the small square pot covers a vast area, and it's not as clear as Xiaoyingzhou.

Because of the fantastic scenery, there are many flowers and trees planted here, and there are so many types that even the imperial physicians of the imperial hospital may not dare to say that they can recognize them all.

Then this place has not been used for several decades, there are few people, the vegetation is more and more lush, the servants are lazy, and all kinds of wild flowers and plants are squeezed out... This is just one person in charge It's just an eunuch, and he doesn't know a few words. Where did he get the ability to recognize the flowerless hook kiss from a pile of honeysuckle vines?

Everyone knows this in their hearts, and they know that this manager is also unlucky.

But there is another problem here. According to the little servant who just went to Zhegouki and Honeysuckle, although Gouki and Honeysuckle were born in the same place, it is impossible to tell them apart unless you look carefully. The ones that grow in one place are newly transplanted.

He was careful, and carefully observed the grass and leaves by peeling away the soil. Goose kisses were transplanted here, and the transplanting days would not exceed two months.

In fact, this rhetoric is already conservative. Everyone's speculation in their hearts, what the little servant wants to say is that it was just moved over in just a few days.

Then the top was covered by grass leaves, and a little camouflage was made underneath, so if you didn't lie down and break the grass leaves, you would have no idea that it was just transplanted.

From this point of view, this hook kiss is obviously specially prepared for auspiciousness.

So here comes the question, how can the people behind the scenes be sure that someone will throw the branches and leaves of the hook kiss to the white deer to eat?

"..." Hearing this, everyone subconsciously looked at Ouyang Fulu.

Ouyang Fulu almost didn't cry: "It's not a court lady! It's really not a court lady! Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to see clearly and return my court daughter's innocence!"

After saying that, he knelt down, kowtowed heavily, and explained that he was born in a famous family, and his grandfather was deeply favored by the emperor. He had always been in awe and obedience to the Tian family, without the slightest disagreement, so how could he intentionally murder Xiangrui?

She also mentioned the heir in Concubine Shu's womb, saying that her first cousin was pregnant. As an aunt-to-be, she was too busy helping her nephew or niece to accumulate virtue. She still looks very cute white deer?

"Your Majesty, my sister has always been well-behaved and sensible, and I will never do such a thing." Of course Concubine Shu would not stand by and stand by her sister, and hurriedly stepped forward to speak for Ouyang Fulu, asking the emperor to investigate thoroughly and not let her sister bear the burden of evil. reputation.

Chunjia looked indifferent, ignored Concubine Shu, and only asked the Empress Dowager what she thought?

The Empress Dowager looked calm, and said: "It is good for the emperor to decide this matter alone, why ask the old Ai family for advice?"

Chunjia pondered for a while, and named Ouyang Yanran.

Ouyang Yanran clasped her hands and stepped out, saying: "Your Majesty, this is a good omen!"

Hearing this, everyone present was startled towards the harem, subconsciously looking at him, everyone had the same meaning in their eyes: "I see how you make it up! Can this also be a good omen?!"

Then Ouyang Yanran started to make it up, saying that the ancients had a saying "chasing the deer in the Central Plains", and deer, in ancient times, had a metaphor for the world.

But now that this white deer appeared in the middle of the country, it was a kind of auspicious omen. It was offered to the emperor by the county magistrate of Wannian, raised a small square pot, and died suddenly at the osmanthus appreciation banquet... What does this mean?

Explain that Your Majesty is the real dragon emperor!

Therefore, after the white deer, which represents the world and represents auspiciousness, took the initiative to send it to the door, saw the Holy Son of Heaven, and conveyed the auspicious omen, wouldn't he go back to the sky and return to the sky?

After all, this is auspicious, can it still be like those ordinary deer, eating and drinking in the hands of the emperor?

Everyone has a mission in the world.

After the mission is completed, of course he will not stay in the world of mortals again!

"..." Everyone was silent. Although everyone present, except for a few very young people who were stunned for a while, everyone knew that this was pure nonsense, but, I have to say, Ouyang Yanran's rhetoric was actually Can make sense...

It's strange that this old boy won the trust of the emperor after he recovered...

All the ministers cursed secretly in their hearts, and they all spoke in agreement.

One said, "Master Ouyang is right, this is a good omen, a sign of great prosperity for the country", and the other said, "The presence of the Holy Son of Heaven is really a blessing for the people and the country."

All in all, the tense atmosphere just now was broken by endless flattery in an instant, and there was an indescribable joy for a while.

But at this moment, in the Jiuying Pavilion, facing the mirror with a thick layer of powder, Yunfenghuang exhaled lightly, and said: "Let's go."

It was the first time for her and her attendants to come to Xiaofanghu. Even though they had learned some paths from the palace people who had been here in advance, they were not familiar with them. So after going down the rockery, they obviously walked in the direction of the main hall. After walking for a while, he found silently that there was a cliff directly ahead.

So a group of people could only go down the rockery surrounded by Yun Fenghuang, and find another way from the side.

Those who walk around in this way will meet people on a narrow road.