The prince is hard to serve

At this time, outside the palace.

As soon as Jiang Xi received Concubine Liang's letter, after reading it quickly, his expression changed. He pursed his lips, changed his clothes quickly, and then hurried out, rushing to the palace gate.

However, he was still too late.

He had just arrived at the gate of the palace, and was about to apply for a notification to enter the palace, but the news from the palace had already spread out first - the good concubine had no virtue, and was demoted to the cold palace.

"..." At this time, it was meaningless for him to enter the palace again.

For a moment, Jiang Xi had mixed feelings in his heart, and his face was extremely ugly. He felt that all the strength in his body seemed to be taken off in an instant, and he couldn't help but clang under his feet, almost falling to the ground.

Holding on to the wall, he managed to stand still. One of the gate guards saw this and asked, "Master Jiang, are you alright?"

Twitching the corner of his mouth, Jiang Xi shook his head, "I'm fine." After speaking, he turned and left.

Seeing him leave suddenly again, the gate guard scratched his head, ran a few steps, and asked: "My lord, do you still want to enter the palace?"

After a pause, Jiang Xi said, "...no need."

Standing behind Jiang Xi, the gate guard watched Jiang Xi leave, with a blank expression on his simple face, and said to himself: "Why is Mr. Jiang acting so weird today?"

No one answered for him, the guard stood there for a while, then ran back to the gate of the palace, and continued to guard it dutifully.

On the other side, the Fifth Prince's Mansion.

When Yan Wenzhi received the news that Concubine Liang had been demoted to the cold palace, it was almost four o'clock, and he quickly got up from the bed of the concubine in the room, and he came to the study.

He was scratching his hair irritably, his heart was full of anger, and there was also a hint of fear in his heart, always feeling that it would be his turn next.

Locking himself in the study room alone, Yan Wenzhi lost his temper a lot, his eyes were red with anger, and he was like a devil crawling up from hell. He walked around the study room several times uneasy, and finally Unable to bear it, he immediately rushed into the palace and asked Emperor Yan for an explanation.

But just as he opened the door of the study room, he ran into Jiang Xi who was coming towards him. Jiang Xi's complexion was very bad, but when he saw him, he still bowed politely.

"His Royal Highness."

After leaving the palace gate, Jiang Xi originally wanted to go back to the mansion, but after thinking about it, he was worried that Yan Wenzhi would lose his mind, so he hurried over again.

As soon as he saw Jiang Xi, Yan Wenzhi seemed to have found someone to vent his anger on, and he was full of sarcasm and sarcasm, without a good attitude.

"It's Master Jiang, haven't you been avoiding me? I haven't seen you for a long time, why did you come here suddenly today? Or in the middle of the night?"

Jiang Xi was already irritable, but now he heard Yan Wenzhi's words, and he was even more angry, so he no longer cared about the etiquette of monarchs and ministers, and said directly, "His Royal Highness, you still have the heart to blame Wei Wei. Minister?"

Frowning, Jiang Xi raised his eyes to stare at Yan Wenzhi, and continued to ask in a cold voice: "The empress is in the palace now, and I don't know what's going on. You don't want to save the empress, but you still want to fight with Wei Wei here." Do you care about these insignificant things?"

Hearing this, Yan Wenzhi's complexion turned ugly again. He was already very dissatisfied with Jiang Xi, but now that Jiang Xi dared to scold and contradict him openly, he couldn't help laughing angrily, and asked, "Jiang Xi, what do you want?" Who has the right to question me like this?"

With his lips curled up, a mocking smile appeared in his eyes, he glanced up and down at Jiang Xi, and said with a smile: "Do you think that if you save Concubine Mother this time, Concubine Mother will be grateful to you and fall in love with you?" Are you there yet?"

As early as a few years ago, Concubine Liang told Yan Wenzhi all about Jiang Xi's feelings for her. The purpose was to let Yan Wenzhi know that Jiang Xi was a trustworthy and available person.

And this is also one of the reasons why Yan Wenzhi has always been disliked by Jiang Xi.

Hearing this, Jiang Xi's face turned pale, he suddenly raised his head, looked at Yan Wenzhi in disbelief, his mind went blank, and his voice trembled: "You..."

"Yes, my concubine told me everything."

Glancing at Jiang Xi with disdain, Yan Wenzhi passed him and was about to rush to the palace, but he stopped after walking a few steps, with great malice in his voice, and then sarcastically said: "Jiang Xi , put away your small thoughts, my concubine mother, how can someone like you be able to rise above the ground?"

After finishing speaking, he snorted again, and then he didn't stay any longer, and went out of the courtyard directly, out of the mansion in the night, and rushed to the palace, leaving Jiang Xi alone, with a pale face and a numb expression.

Standing aside for a long time, Fuzhou raised his eyes cautiously, glanced at Jiang Xi who seemed to be about to fall unconscious at any time, and finally couldn't help but whispered: "Master Jiang, please go into the house and rest for a while ?”

"Ah..." Hearing the sound, Jiang Xi was startled, and finally came back to his senses.

Jiang Xi closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the boundless sadness in his eyes had all been put away, and he tried hard to pull out a calm smile, but he couldn't move the corners of his mouth even after a lot of effort.

In the end, he lowered his head, waved his hands weakly, and said softly, "No, I'm going back now."

At this moment, he no longer has the strength to do anything.

His thoughts are already a mess.

Seeing his precarious state, Fu Zhou was afraid that something might happen to him, so he hurriedly stepped forward to help him, and then asked, "May I prepare a car for you?"

"No, I can go by myself."

Refusing Fu Zhou's support, Jiang Xi turned his back to him, and slowly left the Fifth Prince's Mansion step by step.

Walking alone on the street, Jiang Xi laughed silently, laughing at himself for being stupid for so many years, laughing at his self-indulgence, but when he smiled, his eyes were red.

Once, he thought that the kind, innocent little girl in his memory still existed. Even if she entered the palace and became a concubine, she would still be there. Even in the palace, she needed his help...

However, from the looks of it now, he was just a joke from beginning to end, a pawn being used, in her heart, he might not even be comparable to a maid in the palace.

Otherwise, how could she be cruel and trample his heart like this, allowing his heart to be trampled into the soil?

This time, he really gave up, despaired, and couldn't make any ripples anymore.

※※※

At the same time, in the palace.

After leaving the Ling Xiao Pavilion, Emperor Yan stayed in the imperial study room without sleep all night.

Hearing the eunuch's report at the door, Emperor Yan was silent for a while, then nodded, agreeing to let him in.

As soon as he stepped into the gate of the palace, Yan Wenzhi went straight to the point, he even forgot to salute, he asked: "Father, what mistake did Mother and Concubine make, so you want to demote him to the cold palace?"

Seeing this, a trace of displeasure flashed in Emperor Yan's eyes. He raised his head, looked at Yan Wenzhi, pondered for a moment, and replied softly: "Your mother and concubine intended to murder your second brother. Fortunately, Fuquan found out early. The second emperor brother has not yet had an accident."

Clenching his fists tightly, Yan Wenzhi cursed in his heart, wishing he could rush to the Lingxiao Pavilion and kill Yan Wenhao with his own hands, but on the surface, he didn't dare to show it at all, and just anxiously argued: "Mother concubine can't do it." For such a rebellious thing to happen, someone must have framed her."

Emperor Yan lowered his head and continued to review the memorial, neither looking at him nor paying attention to him.

Fuxi, who was at the side, glanced at Emperor Yan's expression, and replied in a low voice: "Your Highness, the empress has already pleaded guilty." The implication is that the case will not be adulterated.

But how can Yan Wenzhi listen to him? He has already lost a servant of the Ministry of Rites and a Duke Mu, and now he must not lose another good concubine.

At this moment, he had completely lost his mind, and he blurted out: "The concubine mother must have been forced to admit it, the concubine mother has no grievances with the second brother, so how could she murder the second brother for no reason? "

After a pause, Emperor Yan suddenly raised his head, and said angrily: "According to what you said, I forced her to admit it?"

"My son doesn't dare."

With a plop, Yan Wenzhi knelt on the ground, lowered his head, covered his distorted face, and said, "My son thought that someone must have threatened the concubine from behind, so the concubine had to admit it. Yes, I hope the emperor will see clearly."

Disappointment could not be concealed on his face, Emperor Yan shook his head, and looked at Yan Wenzhi sternly: "Your concubine mother is a good concubine, second only to noble concubine in rank, who in the palace can threaten her?"

As soon as his eyes lit up, Yan Wenzhi immediately whispered: "Maybe it's Concubine De Gui, she is in the palace, and has always been at odds with the concubine mother..."

Before he finished speaking, Emperor Yan interrupted him angrily: "How many people do you want to implicate innocently? In the end, you still want to blame your second brother? You are so ignorant, indiscriminate, let How dare I use you?"

Emperor Yan was a little exhausted, he let out a breath, then waved his hands, and said to Yan Wenzhi, who was kneeling on the ground with his face darkened, "From today onwards, you should go back and contemplate your mistakes behind closed doors, without my permission, you are not allowed to step out of the mansion. "After finishing speaking, he ordered Hou's guards outside the palace: "Send His Highness Fifth out of the palace!"

※※※

That night, two major events happened in succession.

The first thing is that Concubine Liang sent someone to murder Yan Wenhao, but was caught on the spot, and Concubine Liang was demoted to the cold palace.

The second incident was that Yan Wenzhi broke into the palace at night and made a big fuss in the imperial study. Emperor Yan was furious and fined him to confine him at home, and he was not allowed to go out without Emperor Yan's permission.

These two major events soon spread throughout the capital.

Overnight, the situation between North Korea and China changed drastically.

With the downfall of Concubine Liang, Yan Wenzhi was imprisoned, and the Li family, who was once in the capital, had completely declined, and there was no chance of a comeback.

Those ministers who originally chose to stand in Yan Wenzhi's camp, seeing that Concubine Liang was still there, left one after another after learning of this, or planned to turn to Yan Wenyuan's sect, or planned to join Yan Wenzhi's camp. In the camp, very few people stayed in Yan Wenzhi's camp.

——The various performances of Yan Wenzhi really made them feel too chilled.

Among these people, only three or four generations of veterans could smell a little difference. They thought about the sudden changes in the past few months, and then turned their attention to Yan Wen who had just recovered and returned to court. on Hao.

They realized that the downfall of the Concubine Liang might be because of Yan Wenhao.

Thinking about it this way, I have a new candidate in my heart.

It's just that although they wanted to vote for a post, to show their loyalty to Yan Wenhao, and then join Yan Wenhao's camp to support him in competing for the position of the Eastern Palace...

However, Yan Wenhao still lives in the palace. The prince's mansion outside the palace is just a decoration. Until now, there is still no one living there. As courtiers, they cannot go to the harem, let alone see Yan Wenhao.

The only chance they could see Yan Wenhao was at the court meeting, but after Yan Wenhao left the court, he would immediately leave with Yan Wensi, never staying for a while, and never winning over anyone With the appearance of officials, they naturally couldn't suddenly go forward and stop people to show their loyalty.

They still have concerns.

In fact, in the final analysis, Yan Wenhao himself was not in a hurry.

At the moment, he still has no idea of ​​forming a clique for personal gain and enlisting a large number of officials for his own use. Today, he still needs to hide his clumsiness and not show his edge too much. Yan Wenzhi is still there, so is King Huai, and the soldier in King Huai's hands Horses have always been his scruples and worries.

What's more, Yan Wenyuan and Concubine Degui are existences that should not be underestimated. They are not Yan Wenzhi and Concubine Liang.

If he doesn't have a well-developed plan, he can't act rashly, otherwise the gain will outweigh the loss.

And he couldn't allow his plan to fail and any accidents to happen.

Yan Wenzhi was imprisoned, Concubine Liang was demoted to the cold palace, Yan Wenhao's goal was temporarily achieved, so he stood still and enjoyed a few days of leisurely life.

Such a peaceful day passed quickly, seven or eight days passed in a blink of an eye, and five days were left before Emperor Yan's birthday.

However, on the ninth day, An Yi suddenly appeared in Ling Xiao Pavilion with a solemn expression, and there were many bloodstains on his body, obviously injured.

With a tense face, he knelt heavily in front of Yan Wenhao, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, something has happened—"