Chapter 290 The Army Returns to the Court
At this moment, Queen Zhou's voice came from outside the door: "I beg your Majesty to deal with the traitors of the Zhou family justly."
Lu Chen looked back at Queen Zhou, "Mother?"
Empress Zhou knelt on the ground and said, "I failed to discipline Duke Wu well and allowed my family to commit such wrong things. I am willing to be punished."
Emperor Huilin stepped down from the dragon chair, helped Queen Zhou up and said, "This matter has nothing to do with you, Prince. Everyone in the Zhou family deserves to be punished for treason, and I will not forgive you lightly!"
"After Qin Shu was sent to the frontier, he still refused to repent and rebelled. His crime should be punished and he should be punished by Ling Chi!"
"The Minister of Household Affairs was dismissed from his post and investigated, and his house was searched and investigated..."
Emperor Huilin convicted a party of those who conspired with King Huai one by one. Many ministers were more or less implicated. For a time, everyone in Changan was in danger.
People who had a close relationship with Uncle Chengen's Mansion and Prince Huai all began to seek connections with Anyuan Hou's Mansion.
After the funeral of the Empress Dowager in Luoyang, His Majesty ordered the lifting of national filial piety. After the death of the Empress Dowager, the period of mourning can be three years or one year. One year can also be replaced by 7749 days, but it can also be regarded as 7749 days after the funeral.
Although the censors felt it was inappropriate to lift the national mourning right after the funeral, they did not dare to take the lead at this time.
After all, because of Tong Lei, many censors secretly had contacts with King Huai.
After Qiao Jinniang returned to Chang'an from Luoyang, before entering the palace, she saw all the women of the Zhou family being rushed to the classroom. She sighed.
When passing by the Tianlao, she saw Lu Chen's carriage, and asked someone to stop the carriage and enter the Tianlao.
In the sky prison, a dark and damp prison.
Zhou Siming squatted in a corner of the prison with disheveled hair. Inside, Lu Chen and Lin Mo sat in front of Zhou Siming with wine and food.
Lu Chen said: "Cousin, tomorrow is the day of execution. Today Lin Mo and I are here to practice it for you."
Zhou Siming looked at Lu Chen and said, "I know that there is no way to survive the mistakes I have committed, but I hope you can spare Sisi for the sake of our brothers."
Lu Chen said: "Impossible!"
"After all, she didn't do anything wrong. She just loves you very much. Do you really have to ignore the affection you had since childhood for that woman Qiao Jinniang? What's good about her?"
Zhou Siming stood up and asked.
Lu Chen looked at Zhou Siming and said, "She is my wife. If I don't do it for her, who else should I do it for? Don't you understand to this day? Jin Niang has never done anything wrong. You made the mistake of making the Duke of Wu think too highly of yourself. I thought it would be impossible to be alone in the Duke Wu's mansion."
Zhou Siming said: "Back then, the Duke of Wu handed over the military power to make the queen the queen and you the prince. Now you have come to avenge the enemy!"
Lu Chen sighed helplessly: "Zhou Siming, do you think that if the Duke of Wu had not given birth to a queen, how long would His Majesty have been able to tolerate the arrogance of the Duke of Wu after the death of Princess Zhou? When my grandmother asked the Duke of Wu to hand over military power, it was not for the sake of my mother, but for the queen. In order to protect the Zhou family.
But I didn't expect that more than 20 years later, the Duke of Wu would still be so arrogant after losing military power. The reason why the Zhou family is today is entirely due to the Zhou family's contempt for imperial power! "
Zhou Siming saw a bright yellow skirt outside the prison and said: "Today's Zhou family is tomorrow's Qiao family!"
Lu Chen said: "The ancestors of the Qiao family conquered the country together with the founding emperor. They have always been loyal and loyal. If you, the Duke of Wu, want to be compared with the Qiao family, you are not qualified!"
"Different Taoists do not agree with each other. I have been in Lin'an for more than three years. I should have known that we are no longer the same as before. After drinking the wine of practice, I hope we will never meet again in the next life!"
Zhou Siming added: "Lin Mo, Qin Miaomiao is innocent. She almost committed suicide in order not to collude with us. She should not be implicated by the Qin family and become a prostitute. You are still engaged to her, please. Leave her alive."
Lin Mo calmly said: "If Qin Miaomiao does not join in the conspiracy, I will naturally protect her."
Zhou Siming cupped his hands and said, "Thank you very much."
…
In the East Palace, Qiao Jinniang watched the palace people clean up, then lay down on the imperial concubine's couch and closed her eyes to rest.
When she heard the announcement outside, she stood up. Lu Chen strode up to her and said, "Did I wake you up?"
Qiao Jinniang shook her head, hugged Lu Chen and said, "You have tried your best to deal with the Zhou family. If you are really sad, just cry. I won't laugh at you."
Lu Chen gently scratched Qiao Jinniang's nose: "What are you talking about? Zhou Siming deserves it. I'm just worried for my grandmother. She is so old and the Zhou family building is about to collapse. Isn't she uncomfortable?"
Qiao Jinniang said: "I am more curious about the queen mother. I never thought that not only did she not plead for the Zhou family, but she actually asked your majesty to deal with it impartially when you plead for mercy. I don't understand this."
It's not like Queen Zhou would ignore her natal family for the sake of her own virtuous reputation.
Queen Zhou was very straightforward in doing things. Without Queen Zhou's acquiescence, it would have been impossible for her to be alone in the East Palace.
Lu Chen said: "Maybe he was heartbroken by the Zhou family."
"Crown Princess, Princess Fulu is outside asking for an audience."
Although she had gone out to mourn, Fulu was still wearing a light undershirt. She walked to Qiao Jinniang and said, "Jinniang, can you save Qin Miaomiao? She has nothing to do with the Qin family's rebellion. . She is also an innocent person."
Qiao Jinniang looked at Lu Chen who was standing aside and said, "Yes, many women were innocent during the confiscation of homes and genocide this time. The wife of the Minister of Household Affairs was in Luoyang to keep filial piety for the Queen Mother. Her husband conspired against her, but she was going to be killed." Filled with a lowly status and become a slave..."
Lu Chen replied: "There is nothing she can do about being implicated by her husband. She also benefited from her husband's glory. As for Qin Miaomiao, she is engaged to Lin Mo and is considered a married woman. If the Lin family is willing to protect her, she can be spared. Be punished.”
Princess Fulu said repeatedly: "That's good. Without Qin Miaomiao quarreling and quarreling with me, my life would be meaningless!"
Jin Niang smiled: "You will be the prince's wife of Anyuan Hou Mansion in the future. Is this what you want to pursue in life?"
"My mother-in-law is young." Princess Fulu said, "Besides, there is still my grandmother here! The Anyuan Marquis Mansion doesn't need me to take the lead. This is the advantage of having a young mother-in-law."
Fulu said: "Qiao Lu has been in the northwest for so long and has never come back. I'm so worried about him!"
Lu Chen said: "The Qiao family's army will return to the court soon. Qiao Lu is fine, but Marquis Anyuan is indeed injured."
Qiao Jinniang asked: "Is it serious?"
"I heard from the imperial doctor that it's not serious, but my father-in-law told the imperial doctor to tell the public that it's more serious..."
Qiao Jinniang realized that Zheng Xiaoke did not fully understand Anyuanhou. This was because Anyuanhou wanted to use a bitter trick.
The Qiao family's army contributed a lot to this attack on Xiliang and Beimo. When the two armies returned to the court, Emperor Huilin led hundreds of officials to greet them at the city gate in person.
The common people also stood in the streets and watched the army return to the court, but some people were saying: "As the Queen's mother-in-law, the Zhou family is ready to fall. The Qiao family has already achieved great success in conquering Xiliang. After today's glory, I'm afraid it will only be overthrown." It’s going to be a recession.”
"Yes, yes, the Qiao family is too powerful. The emperor may not be wary of the power of the Qiao family and the prince."