When the scenery is right

His help helped me gain a foothold in the court.At that time, I had no idea of ​​competing for the throne, but when the Chen family helped me, I gradually became aware of their ambitions. "Speaking of this, he suddenly stopped, turned his head and asked Jing He: "Guess what kind of ambition it is?" "

Jing He thought for a while, then asked doubtfully, "Could it be that you miss yourself..." He pointed to the sky, "Do you want to be the emperor yourself?"

Meng Shiqing smiled relievedly, "The Chen family has gone through three dynasties and five generations. The family has a huge family background, but they have always been among the ministers. Over the years, the head of the family has already had a different heart. They helped me in the court. There are two results. One is to use my power to eliminate dissidents, and then Get rid of me and be the emperor yourself; the second is to use my power to eliminate dissidents and let me become their puppet emperor."

Jing He frowned deeply when he heard about this level. He didn't expect that there was such a complicated relationship between Meng Shiqing and the Queen Mother.

"Zhan'er's mother is...?"

"It's the queen mother's cousin, the niece of the head of the Chen family. They married her to me not only to make it easier for someone to keep an eye on me, but also to let her give birth to Zhan'er to restrain me."

When Jing He heard this, he suddenly understood why Zhan'er didn't live with Meng Shiqing anymore, "Zhan'er was raised in the Chen family?"

Meng Shiqing smiled lightly, and there was indescribable tiredness in the slightly pulled smile, Jing He saw inexplicable palpitations in his eyes.

Meng Shiqing said again: "They were afraid that I would be out of control, so they raised Zhan'er in the mansion. If something happens to me in the future, Zhan'er will be the puppet emperor for me."

Jing He didn't expect Meng Shiqing to tell him these words, and he felt a sense of satisfaction from the bottom of his heart that he was deeply trusted.Meng Shiqing's words not only made him feel a little bit of sympathy, but also felt that the man in front of him could still talk and laugh and say such words at this stage, which was really very human.

"Listen to you, your current situation... is actually helpless." Jing He said in a low voice.

Meng Shiqing laughed suddenly when he heard his words, and urged the horse to speed up gradually: "Now I tell Xiaojing these words, you are my real help."

Jing He tightened the reins, and watched Meng Shiqing's figure running away, feeling that there was nowhere to vent the fullness in his heart, so he also galloped at full speed.

When they returned home in the evening, the two said their goodbyes and went back to their rooms, but Jing He's habit of falling asleep on the pillow suddenly disappeared because of Meng Shiqing's words in the daytime.He tossed and turned on the bed, unable to fall asleep, because the grievance caused by Shao Qiang's rude behavior had long since disappeared because of Meng Shiqing's frank confession.

Jinghe became more and more tired as he lay down, so he simply got up and walked to the stone steps in the courtyard to sit down.The spring night is silent, everything is noisy all day long and has already fallen asleep, leaving only spring insects chirping from time to time in the grass.In the silence, Jing He suddenly heard a few sounds breaking through the sky, so he carefully followed the sounds under the moonlight.

Meng Shiqing was punching behind the house, his shots were sharp and fast, and the sharp and fierce wind of fists roared in the air.Jing He stood there quietly watching for a long time, then suddenly asked: "Do you often practice boxing here?"

Meng Shiqing didn't expect him to appear suddenly, his usually calm face froze, and he said in a deep voice, "Yes, when I'm in a bad mood, I will practice boxing here."

Jing He walked over and said, "No wonder you are so good at practicing martial arts when you don't usually see it. It turns out that you practiced secretly behind the scenes."

"How about you, why haven't you slept yet? Are you coming out to enjoy the shade or get up to relieve yourself?"

Jing He couldn't help laughing: "Why are you practicing boxing here, and why am I here to watch you boxing."

"How is the swordsmanship that master taught you?"

Although Jing He didn't have a weapon, he put on a provocative posture and said, "Want to come and test it?"

Meng Shiqing smiled and said: "Okay." When he punched, his momentum was obviously restrained. The two of them went back and forth for a few moves. Meng Shiqing always gave Jing He a hand. He made a gesture to pinch Shangjing and the throat, which means he won.

Although it is a contest, the strength of the two sides is too disparate after all.Jing He was sweating, but he felt much more refreshed. He sat on the stone bench and wiped his sweat, "I'll come to fight with you when I can't sleep."

Meng Shiqing sat across from him, threw him a handkerchief to wipe his sweat and said, "Xiaojing's way of comforting people is always so special."

Jing He knew that the person in front of him couldn't hide what was on his mind, so he curled his lips and said, "Punching alone is sullen, and fighting with two is venting. Are you happier now?"

Meng Shiqing glanced at him and said, "You used to ask me why I was so kind to you, but now I have to ask the other way around."

Jing He smiled foolishly for a long time, until his face was almost stiff, and then he eased up. He rubbed his face and said, "Reciprocity, you treat me well and I treat you well."

Meng Shiqing said "um", and remained silent for a long time.Jing He felt sleepy, got up to say goodbye and went to sleep, but Meng Shiqing suddenly took his hand and said, "Xiao Jing, if one day you want to leave, I will definitely not stop you."

"What?" Jing He listened to his words in a daze, and after a long time did not realize what Meng Shiqing meant, but Meng Shiqing let go of his hand one step ahead and said, "You are so kind."

Jing He asked in surprise, "You just know?"

Meng Shiqing laughed, reached out and rubbed Jing and the broken hair on his forehead, and said, "Those who bully you today, I will make them pay back twice as much in the future."

Jing Heyuan wanted to hurt him, but in the dark night, he saw that his eyes were firm and gentle, and when he looked closely, his expression was no different from his usual calm and composed expression, so he asked in a trembling voice: "How sure are you about that throne...? "

Meng Shiqing's eyes flickered, "Not only against the throne, but I also want to eliminate the influence of the Chen family in the capital."

Jing He didn't expect that Meng Shiqing wanted to uproot the Chen family, and at the same time fight for the throne. He felt a little worried: "On your own?"

"I said, I still have you, Xiaojing."

Although Jing He didn't know what Meng Shiqing's plan was, and he had some chances of winning, he suddenly felt full of courage in his heart when he heard his calm tone, and seemed to want to follow him until he ascended the throne. The day when the Chen family's thieves were wiped out.

Spring is getting stronger, and at the beginning of April, the world has completely faded from the chill of winter, and all things are competing to grow, so full of vitality.However, as the spring breeze passed across the strait, the epidemic in the capital gradually grew in this warm wind.

That day Meng Shiqing was immersed in the case, when he suddenly heard a report from his servants that His Royal Highness was seriously ill, and the Chen family wanted him to come and visit him.When Meng Shiqing heard that his son was ill, he threw down a table full of books and rushed out the door.Jing He saw him passing by in the courtyard, and hurriedly followed him. Meng Shiqing saw Jing He following him, so he simply took him with him.

When we arrived at the Chen Mansion, the grandeur of the pavilions and pavilions was even worse than that of the Prince's Mansion.Jing He can imagine how domineering the owner of the house is just by looking at those Xuanxie buildings.The head of the Chen family was about half a century old, with gray hair and sharp eyes. When he saw Meng Shiqing coming, he explained Zhan'er's illness straight to the point, and then sent Meng Shiqing away without saying a word.

Jing He saw Meng Shiqing being treated like this, but the latter didn't seem to be thinking about the Patriarch at all, so he hurriedly urged someone to lead the way outside Zhan'er's residence, and was stopped by someone.

The people guarding outside said that the chickenpox the son got was contagious and no one else could get close to him.

Jing He's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he said eagerly, "I'll do what I can! My mother said that I had chickenpox when I was a child, and now I won't be infected again!"

"really?"

Jing He nodded sharply at Meng Shiqing with earnest eyes.

Meng Shi said coldly: "Your master asked me to come, why don't you make way?"

The two people in the front looked at each other, although they were still embarrassed, they were finally allowed to pass.Jing He followed Meng Shiqing in dumbfounded, and Meng Shiqing said flatly, "Seeing is believing, but hearing is not. You see, even the servants in the mansion have this virtue."

Jing He nodded hurriedly.

Meng Shiqing and Jinghe were smoked up and down with wormwood before entering the room, and then put on a white cloth covering their mouth and nose, and then they entered the room and saw Zhan'er lying on the couch.

Jing He didn't expect that when he saw this pink and jade child again, what he saw was chicken pox all over his face.The nanny was feeding medicine to Zhan'er. The child couldn't eat the bitter herbal medicine, and his whole body was itchy and hot. While struggling, he spat out all the soup medicine he had finally fed.

Seeing this, Meng Shiqing stepped forward and took away the nanny's medicine bowl and put it aside, then picked up Zhan'er himself.Zhan'er was so burned that he suddenly saw Meng Shiqing's figure, opened his eyes a lot, and said with a trembling smile: "Father, Daddy..."

Meng Shiqing gestured to Jing He with his eyes, and Jing He immediately picked up the medicine bowl he had just put aside after understanding.Meng Shiqing touched Zhan'er's hot little face, and comforted him: "Zhan'er is good, daddy is here to see you. Zhaner listened to daddy and drank the medicine, okay?"

Zhan'er frowned, and whispered softly: "The medicine, the medicine is bitter..."

"Good medicine is bitter, Zhan'er, and the disease will get better soon after drinking it."

Hearing Meng Shiqing's consolation, Jing He felt a little funny, pushed him lightly and said, "How can you understand Zhan'er when you say that?" He scooped up a spoonful of decoction and blew on it, then brought it to Zhan'er's mouth , and asked with a gentle smile, "Is Zhan'er itchy?"

Hearing Jinghe's words, Zhan'er stretched out his hand to scratch, then retracted his hand timidly, curled up in Meng Shiqing's arms and said in a low voice, "Itchy...Father, Zhan'er is so itchy...but they won't let Zhan'er scratch, they won't let Zhan'er scratch it. Said that Zhan'er would not be allowed to see my father if she scratched her... I can't see him in the future...but Zhan'er misses my father very much..."

Meng Shiqing's arm holding Zhan'er froze, his eyes darkened a lot, he touched Zhan'er's head, and remained silent.Jing He's ability to observe words and demeanor has been practiced in the Xianke Pavilion. He knew what Meng Shiqing was most taboo at the moment, so he said to Zhan'er: "Zhan'er drink the medicine obediently, and the itching will soon disappear. Then Zhan'er You can see your father often."

Zhan'er looked eagerly at Meng Shiqing, "Really, Daddy?"

Meng Shiqing nodded, reached out and carefully took the spoon in Jing He's hand, and fed Zhan'er himself.As soon as the herbal medicine was taken in, the child's face wrinkled tightly together, and the room was filled with the smell of the herbal medicine. Jing He knew that the smell must be unpleasant. He couldn't remember the memory of chickenpox when he was a child, but he saw The scene in front of me still feels inexplicably distressed.

After Meng Shiqing fed for a long time, Zhan'er finally finished drinking the herbal medicine. Seeing that Meng Shiqing was still sitting by the bed and had no intention of leaving, he slowly fell asleep under his gaze.Jing He noticed that Zhan'er was still holding Meng Shiqing's clothes tightly with his small hands even when he was sleeping, and his heart immediately melted away.

☆, Zhan Ergui

Zhan'er's high fever persisted, so Meng Shiqing was always on the sidelines to take care of her.Change the handkerchief to wipe sweat and body, do everything by yourself, and don't want to do it to others.

It wasn't until the evening that the Patriarch of the Chen family asked someone to call for dinner, and Meng Shiqing put down the handkerchief in his hand.

Before entering the house, Meng Shiqing had the same scene and asked someone to smoke up and down with wormwood before walking in.The head of the family waited in the upper seat, and when he saw Meng Shiqing came in and asked him to sit down, he did not move.

Meng Shiqing seemed to have long been accustomed to his attitude, and sat down as usual.

When Jing He saw him eating with a blank face, he also became cautious. The head of the house lingered on him for a while, and asked, "Who is this little brother?"

"It's the king's counselor."

Jing He followed and nodded.

"Oh." The head of the family narrowed his eyes and looked at Jing He again, and said with a smile in his eyes: "You counselor is a bit interesting."

"Yes." Meng Shiqing wiped his mouth, frowned slightly and said, "Zhan'er is about to wake up, I'll go take a look."

Jing He sat up straight and planned to follow, but was stopped by the Patriarch.He and Meng Shiqing looked at each other, Meng Shiqing nodded to indicate that it was okay, then Jing He moved his buttocks back and sat back on his seat.

The head of the family watched Meng Shiqing walk away, then turned to Jing He and asked, "What's your name, little brother?"

"Jinghe."

"Oh." The Patriarch looked at him kindly, smiled kindly, and said, "Jinghe, you don't have to be so restrained, the old man won't eat you."

"Hehehe." Jing He smiled stiffly, "No, I don't know why you left me here?"

The head of the family said: "He brought you by his side, it seems that he values ​​Jing and younger brother very much."

Hearing that there was something in his words, Jing He didn't dare to answer for a while, the smile on his face was still hanging, so he simply raised the corners of his mouth higher, and gave a smirk to the Patriarch.

The head of the family laughed and laughed, his slender eyes left only a slit on his face, "Brother Jinghe, do you know who you look like?"

Jing He wondered, "Who?"

But the head of the family suddenly put on a show: "It seems that he didn't tell you, and that old man doesn't talk too much."

"Who didn't tell me? Your lord?"

The head of the family suddenly put away the smile on his face, as if he was thinking about something: "Well, the prince probably has other plans if he doesn't tell you."

Seeing that he didn't want to say anything, Jing He didn't want to say anything, even though his heart was about to explode with curiosity, he didn't ask any more questions. Seeing the Patriarch's scheming look, he didn't seem like someone who would say anything when asked.

Later, when Meng Shiqing saw that Zhan'er's fever could not subside, he wanted to take him back to the house to take care of him himself. The head of the family was probably afraid of the contagiousness of the chickenpox, so he didn't stop him.

When Jing He returned to the palace, the palace had already made arrangements for Zhan'er's arrival, presumably it was Meng Shiqing who thought everything into consideration.Jing He was also worried about Zhan'er's condition, so he followed Meng Shiqing to see Zhan'er.

It wasn't until Meng Shiqing woke up the sleeping Zhan'er to drink the medicine that Jing He knew that every step Meng Shiqing took was carefully planned.

It turned out that Zhan'er's fever had subsided a long time ago. Meng Shiqing had tampered with the cold handkerchief he had handled when he was in Chen's mansion.

Meng Shiqing watched Zhan'er drink the medicine obediently, then turned around and went back to sleep, so he felt relieved.

Jing He was dumbfounded and asked, "Why?"

Meng Shiqing brushed away the thin, soft hair on Zhan'er's face, and said, "Bring him out this time, and I won't let him go back."

Jing He probably understood Meng Shiqing's meaning in his heart. Since he intends to eliminate the influence of the Chen family in the capital, he will definitely not leave Zhan'er in the cave of Longtan and Tiger.Although he doesn't know what method he will use to keep Zhan'er who is gradually recovering, but since he has taken the first step, the second step must also be in his plan.

Jing He suddenly remembered what the Patriarch had said to him, and wondered for a long time whether he should ask Meng Shiqing. Seeing his hesitation, Meng Shiqing smiled and said, "What's the matter? Do you have something to say?"

"You...do you know who I look like?"

Meng Shiqing's smile froze for a moment and said, "What did that person say to you?"

Seeing his unkind expression, Jing He said in a daze, "He said I look like a person..."

Meng Shiqing looked down at the sleeping Zhan'er, and said softly, "Let's go out and talk."

Jing He sullenly followed Meng Shiqing to the porch in front of the court. It was raining lightly outside, and the rain in mid-spring brought a little warmth, covering the sky and covering the ground so that the ground was wet.

Jing He only heard Meng Shiqing sigh lightly, and he said, "Xiao Jing, do you still remember that sentence that Shao Qiang said when you went to the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet with me that day?"

Jing He couldn't remember that day clearly, he only remembered the scene that almost scared him out of his soul, "You mean that Shao Qiang almost recognized me?"

"He said at the time that you looked like the prime minister's dead daughter, do you still remember?"

Jing He frowned and thought for a while, it seemed that there was such a thing. "What the Patriarch means is that I resemble her?"

Meng Shiqing shook his head and said, "Xiaojing was dressed in women's clothing that day, which was somewhat similar to the prime minister's daughter. What if she regained her male body?"

"You mean..." Jing He blurted out with disbelief on his face: "I look like a prime minister?"

"Didn't Xiaojing miss your father all the time?"

When Jing He heard Meng Shiqing's words, he was stunned on the spot. The question in his mind suddenly had an answer, but he didn't want to know the answer anymore.

Meng Shiqing sighed softly, his voice was low and pleasant, and he said: "As far as I know, although the prime minister failed in the imperial examination for a year and only won one of the candidates, in the future, he will rely on his smooth and sophisticated official skills and outstanding political skills. His wrist has been promoted step by step, until he is now the prime minister."

Jing He listened to Meng Shiqing's words in a daze, and when he heard him stop suddenly, he hurriedly said, "Go on, I'm fine."

"The prime minister came from a foreign country in his early years. At that time, the household registration in the capital was not complete. There was nowhere to check where he came from. All I know is that Ji Zengfu's name is not his real name. As for whether he is your father or not, I'm afraid I won't know until I see your mother."

Jing He frowned and looked stunned. Seeing his pale face, Meng Shiqing comforted him, "If you want to prove it, I can arrange for the prime minister to meet your mother."

Jing He sat down in front of the porch, he shook his hand and said, "No need. There are all kinds of wonders in the world, it doesn't matter if they are somewhat similar. Besides, if he is really my father, I'm afraid he will be the same man after meeting my mother." The prime minister will be beaten to death by my mother's feather duster."

Meng Shiqing said softly: "Since that's the case, I won't let anyone track me down anymore."

Jing He pulled Meng Shiqing to sit next to him, and the two of them watched the spring rain in front of the porch dripping down along the eaves, Jing He smiled slightly and said, "It's been so many years, it was only me who found my father." It’s just an obsession.”

Meng Shi listened quietly to his ramblings, heard him say that he had long let go of the not-so-perfect childhood memories, listened to him describe the missing father, heard him complain about Luya and used a feather duster to warn himself not to be weak, listen to him No matter how timid Shu Lang is, he always stands up and fights back when someone bullies him, and listens to him talk about old things that have been buried in Jing He's heart for a long time and have been inhumane.

Jing He spoke dryly, turned his head to look at Meng Shiqing, who listened seriously, saw Jing He stop, and asked with a smile, "Why don't you continue talking?"

"It's over." Jing He flicked his legs, stretched his waist again and said, "I think the Patriarch deliberately betrayed me, but I couldn't help but come to ask you."

Meng Shiqing nodded and said with a light smile, "He's warning me. It seems that some of my recent incidents have offended him."

"what have you done?"

Meng Shiqing put away his smile and narrowed his eyes, "Recently, southern Xinjiang has invaded, and the imperial court is going to send officials to suppress it. I recommend Shao Qiang to go."

Jing He didn't know the subtlety of employing people to recommend people, but felt that if Shao Qiang was not in the capital but went out to fight the barbarians in southern Xinjiang, he would feel much happier.He even maliciously hoped that Shao Qiang would defeat Nanjiang, and then be ambushed and killed by the desperate soldiers from Nanjiang on his way back.Thinking of this, I was taken aback by my own thoughts. When did he have such a deep grudge against Shao Qiang?

Zhan'er's chickenpox in this room slowly started to get better, and the court in that room was arguing over who to send to suppress it.Meng Shiqing was expressionless when he returned home every day. Jing He looked at his indifferent face, and suddenly missed him when he was smiling.

Zhan'er is very happy that he can stay in the palace for so many days. Jing He goes to take care of him every day. Zhan'er remembers everyone who loves him very well. As soon as Jing He entered the door, Zhan'er pretended to get out of bed. After climbing down, Jing He hurried over to pick him up.

"Did Zhaner drink the medicine obediently today?"

Zhan'er raised her small face and said proudly: "Zhan'er drank a big bowl full, and the nanny said Zhan'er will recover soon." As he spoke, his face suddenly became clouded, and he asked Jing He softly, "Brother Xiaojing... Could it be that Zhan'er can no longer live in Daddy's house after he recovers from his illness?"

"Silly Zhan'er, this is Daddy's and Zhan'er's home." Meng Shiqing walked in from the door as he spoke. His expression of coldness in the past few days was gone, and his eyes were half angry and half smiling. He hugged Zhan from Jinghe's arms. Son, smiled and glanced at Jinghe.

"Laughing so happily, Shao Qiang went out?"

The smile in Meng Shiqing's eyes was so full that it seemed to overflow, and the bright smile seemed to be able to bloom many flowers on his face. Jing He couldn't help being happy when he saw him sweep away the haze of the previous few days.

Meng Shiqing lowered his head and touched Zhan'er's head, and said in a low voice: "This is Zhan'er's home, Zhan'er will stay here in the future, and never leave again, okay?"

Zhan'er asked happily: "Don't Zhan'er need to go back to uncle's house?"

"Yes, I don't need to go back when I'm cured."

Upon hearing Meng Shiqing's promise, Zhan'er grinned, revealing a few milky white teeth.

Meng Shiqing said to Jing He: "Now that Shao Qiang has gone out, the Chen family has lost a strong general to help. The power of the prime minister's faction in the capital is bound to grow. Today, some officials in the court said that several places in the capital also had epidemics. Many people from the prime minister's side have gone to stabilize the epidemic area, and now that the two forces have been put on hold, it is a good time for me to do it."

Listening to his explanation of why he was so happy today, Jing He's heart suddenly settled down, and he touched Zhan'er's head, and smiled at him: "Zhan'er, your father is really proud of himself today."

Meng Shiqing saw the two of them, one big and one small, having fun, and said softly, "Xiaojing won't go out of the house recently if he has nothing to do. I'll send someone to look after your mother. Now everyone in the capital is in danger and is afraid of getting infected." Get sick."

Jinghe stayed in the palace to accompany Zhan'er in recent days, not knowing how serious the epidemic is now outside, so he promised not to go out.As for Meng Shiqing's actions, if Meng Shiqing didn't take the initiative to say it, he wouldn't take the initiative to ask.But he knew that there would be a day when Meng Shiqing would need him, and that day would come soon.

☆, express loyalty

Zhan'er's chickenpox is almost healed, but he can't go out to have a wind, so Jing He stays in the house all day long to accompany Zhan'er to learn how to read and read.Although Zhan'er is young and not very literate, she has a strong ability to infer other cases from one instance.

That day Meng Shiqing went to the morning court as usual, and Jing and Tong Zhan'er didn't see him back after dinner.In the evening, Jinghe took care of Zhan'er to sleep, and when he was about to go back to his room to sleep, he saw Meng Shiqing coming back with a tired face.

He stopped Meng Shiqing and asked, "Why did you come back so late today?"

Meng Shiqing's face was a little pale, he waved his hands and said, "Something happened in the palace, the queen mother left me here."

"What's the matter?" Jing He stepped forward and asked.

"Zhaner fell asleep?"

"Just fell asleep."

Meng Shiqing said "Oh", frowned slightly, and said softly: "It's okay, you go to sleep. I'll talk to you about this tomorrow."

Jinghe turned his head and walked away in three steps, still muttering in his heart that Meng Shiqing's face was so ugly, it must be something bad.

Sure enough, early the next morning, Jing He saw Meng Shi eating breakfast calmly at the dining table.

Jing He wondered, "Why don't you go to court so late today?"

Meng Shiqing said: "The morning courts in the past few days have all been waived."

"Why?"

"The disease in the city has already spread to the palace. Many people in the palace have been infected. Now people in the palace are panicking. The Empress Dowager temporarily waived the morning court for a few days."

After listening to his explanation, Jing He knew why he came back so late last night, and he couldn't help but feel worried: "You are running both outside and inside the palace, pay attention to your body."

Meng Shiqing nodded, "Yesterday I took the prescription from the imperial physician, and asked the housekeeper to boil the medicine and then distribute it to various places in the mansion. Those medicines are warm in nature and can prevent and treat even if there is no disease."

He continued: "Now that the epidemic in the capital has spread, it is expected that the barbarians in southern Xinjiang have known about it. I am afraid that Shao Qiang's battle will not be easy, so the Queen Mother decided to send a few more troops to fight for Shao Qiang. Clang to help."

"It's too cruel to say so, but..."

"However, this epidemic is not useless." Meng Shiqing continued with a smile.

Jing He rolled his eyes at him and said: "If you say this so frankly, I will think that you deliberately created this epidemic."

Meng Shiqing's smile deepened, and the more Jing He looked at it, the more creepy he felt, and he said in shock, "You really didn't do it, did you?"

Meng Shiqing quickly denied it: "How could I do such a despicable thing? If it is true that someone with a heart is behind the scenes, I am afraid that he is also the prime minister in charge of the epidemic."

Jing Hesi and the grievances and resentments in it, I don't know how many innocent people have become cannon fodder in the struggle of party feathers, reduced to stepping stones to the throne, and some sadness can't help but arise in his heart.

Meng Shiqing said in a deep voice: "It has been like this since ancient times. In the matter of seizing the throne, there has never been any right or wrong, only winning or losing."

Jing He said: "I understand. When you become a king in the future, you must be a benevolent king."

"In the past, I seized the throne because I couldn't help myself, but now I do my best to protect more people. Zhan'er, you, the whole palace, and the surviving common people. Do you know that the southern border has been quelled for many years? Why is the chaos suddenly rising again?"

Jing He shook his head and listened carefully to every word Meng Shiqing said.

Meng Shiqing continued: "After the battle between the imperial court and Southern Xinjiang, the imperial court delineated the border, and the well water of the two sides has not violated the peace of the river for so many years. A few days ago, the imperial army suddenly entered those villages in southern Xinjiang and plundered them wantonly. Killing, this angered the leader of the southern border."

"Is there such a thing?"

Meng Shiqing nodded and said: "And those invading troops are under Shao Qiang's subordinates, so I strongly recommend Shao Qiang to go this time."

Although Meng Shiqing mentioned the military aggression in an understatement, the slight frown on his face showed that the matter must be very serious, which made Southern Xinjiang attack with all its strength.

They were talking, listening to each other's steward report - something happened to the emperor.

The butler ran up to Meng Shiqing in a hurry and said in a trembling voice, "My lord, something is wrong with my lord... Your majesty, your majesty also got that disease..."

Meng Shiqing sat up straight suddenly, and hurriedly asked, "How is your condition?"

The housekeeper said: "The old illness is not cured, and the new illness is added... I'm afraid it's... I'm afraid it's..."

The steward was hesitating here, and the palace sent people to come. After Meng Shiqing heard the report from the people in the palace, he immediately decided to go to the palace to visit in person, and brought Jing He along with him.

The little emperor's bedchamber was full of imperial physicians, court ladies came and went, the whole palace was filled with the smell of wormwood, the queen mother was sitting in the hall, her slender eyebrows were tightly frowned, when she saw Meng Shiqing coming, she quickly got up and walked over.

Meng Shiqing asked, "What's the matter?"

"The high fever doesn't go away, and I can't even drink the medicine." The queen mother said worriedly, and after she finished speaking, she glanced at Jing He behind Meng Shiqing, and said, "Is Zhan'er's chickenpox cured?"

Meng Shiqing made a gesture to go in, but was stopped by the queen mother, "Don't go in, it will be contagious."

Meng Shiqing pushed his hand slightly to let the queen mother get out of the way, but the queen mother said anxiously: "This disease is highly contagious, and the emperor fell ill within a few days after it was introduced into the palace. The prince has worked so hard for the past few days, and I am afraid that he will also be infected after entering the palace. "

Meng Shiqing withdrew his hand and stood there quietly looking at the queen mother and said, "Zhan'er has chickenpox and I take care of her every day and she is safe and sound. What's the harm in just taking a look now?"

Jing He stood aside and said softly: "My lord, don't go in. The imperial physicians are highly skilled. With them taking care of you, I'm afraid you can go in..." He suddenly retracted the "it's just adding to the chaos" that he was about to blurt out, and changed his words: "It's useless... "

Meng Shiqing turned his head to look at him, and sighed almost inaudibly, "Yes, this king is in a hurry and confused. Fortunately, you reminded me."

Just as Jing He was about to smile at him, he saw the Empress Dowager glance at him, and quickly withdrew the corners of her mouth slightly.

The queen mother said: "In that case, let's sit down and rest for a while."

Meng Shiqing thought for a while, and asked, "How many people know that something happened to the emperor?"

The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "Everyone in the palace already knows about it, and I'm afraid the outside of the palace won't be able to hide it either."

Meng Shiqing signaled that he knew, and rubbed his brows with a headache, "I never thought that something happened to the emperor."

The Empress Dowager also seemed to be in a dilemma, she frowned and remained silent.

Jing He stood there at a loss, looking back and forth between the Queen Mother and Meng Shiqing.The queen mother also noticed his gaze, snorted softly and asked Meng Shiqing, "What are you bringing him here for?"

Meng Shiqing glanced at the scene and said: "He is the minister's counselor. Now that something has happened, the minister will naturally take it with him. What is Xiaojing doing standing up? Sit down."

Jing He moved to Meng Shiqing's place, and then sat down with his buttocks clamped tightly, his back so straight that he dared not speak.When he confronted the Empress Dowager last time, he was full of confidence because the Empress Dowager was outside the palace and dressed in casual clothes, but she was much more approachable.Now in this majestic palace, the empress dowager is dressed in a gorgeous official uniform, adding a bit of majesty and solemnity.

The corner of the queen mother's mouth was slightly raised, and she sneered: "You have protected him several times, is it really as simple as a counselor?"

"It is better for the Queen Mother to worry about General Shao than to worry about her counselors."

The Empress Dowager froze and said, "What do you mean, my lord?"

Meng Shiqing smiled lightly and said, "The Empress Dowager knows better than I do. If General Shao's subordinates had not received orders from anyone, how would they dare to act so boldly?"

The queen mother said coldly: "Your lord, you mean to blame Aijia for indulging General Shao? My lord, do you still remember where you stand?"

"Shiqing used to know which faction I should stand in, but now that it's been a long time, I'm a little confused. How do you measure Shiqing's value in Guozhang's mind?"

The Empress Dowager's face suddenly turned paler, Jing He gloated at the sidelines, and was still thinking that the Empress Dowager's face could become faster than the pillars of the theater troupe.

She said: "The prince is too worried, the Ai family has always fully supported the prince."

Meng Shiqing slowly and calmly threw a smiling face at the queen mother, "In this matter, Shiqing has always believed that you are unkind and I am unrighteous. The head of the country threatened the minister with Xiaojing, and recommending Shao Qiang to send troops this time is the minister's return gift. "

The queen mother suddenly stood up, pointed at Jing He with her fingertips, and asked sharply: "You are going to fight against the Chen family for him now? You don't want your throne anymore?"

Meng Shiqing also stood up, walked up to the queen mother and said: "Queen mother, the emperor is still inside, isn't it too..." Meng Shiqing's tone changed, his voice lowered a lot, and he raised his eyebrows and said, "It's too out of character. mother."

Jing He saw that one of them spoke harshly and the other softly. Seeing that the Queen Mother's anger was about to accidentally hurt him, and he had no position or ability to stop it, fortunately, the Queen Mother finally regained some sense and sat back in her seat. After taking a sip of tea, as if to swallow the anger back to his stomach, he said coldly to Meng Shiqing: "The Ai family knows that you have been dissatisfied with that Shao Qiang for a long time, but why are you so restless? Now you will He sent him out of the capital, and the prime minister's faction has recently taken advantage of the epidemic in the city, and its momentum has increased a lot, you are not asking for trouble for yourself."

Meng Shiqing nodded slightly and said: "The queen mother is too worried. As long as the minister releases the patients from the isolation epidemic area in the western suburbs, it is the prime minister's intention to release such words. I don't know how the prime minister will respond."

The Empress Dowager asked suspiciously, "You actually found out about this matter?"

Meng Shiqing said: "What if there is such a thing, so what if it doesn't? Now that the epidemic is spreading in the capital, the prime minister who took the initiative to take over this matter cannot escape the crime. The minister just used it to fabricate an accusation of collaborating with the enemy for the prime minister's subordinates." .”

After hearing this, the queen mother flicked her sleeves and sighed: "Forget it, let you go. The Ai family is tired, so if you want to keep it, you can stay here."

"Respectfully send off the Empress Dowager." Meng Shiqing stood on the spot and bowed, and Jing He also saluted to send the Empress Dowager back to the palace.After the queen mother walked away, Meng Shiqing stood up straight, looked at Jing He and asked with a smile, "Are you scared?"

Jing He waved his hand and said, "The queen mother is so majestic."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Meng Shiqing's smile was still as bright as peaches and plums, but people couldn't feel a trace of warmth like falling into an ice cave. "I'm talking about what I just said to the Queen Mother."

Jing He stood still and watched Meng Shiqing sit back and drink tea calmly, and then looked up at him calmly.

"Although these methods are not clever, they are also helpless. I, I am not frightened."

Meng Shiqing looked at Jinghe as if looking at an interesting gadget, smiled lightly and listened to Jinghe and said after he finished speaking: "It's not a helpless act, I have many ways to make the prime minister lose people's hearts, but I chose this one The most laborious and costly."

Jing He was stunned, not knowing what to say.If it was said that what Meng Shiqing and the Queen Mother said just now was a small stone that hit Jinghe's heart, what he said now is no different from a thunderbolt hitting the scene.