Mikago

The torture method used by Jiang Qiguang should be very bloody and terrifying.But if you don't use the thunderbolt method on the guilty, how can you comfort those who have been victims.

According to Yu Cheng's confession, the official messenger found a large number of files and objects in a hidden room in his mountain pool courtyard.After a rough check, it turned out that they were all the impeachment documents and physical evidence that he had suppressed over the years.

That is to say, in the past few years when he served as the censor of the Taiwan Academy, Yu Cheng helped many officials suppress the performances that were not conducive to them, but secretly kept a copy, apparently to guard against "contingencies" ".

But now, these documents and physical evidence have all become the most advantageous weapons in the hands of the prince.

Bearing the brunt of it, Zhao Yun was the first to find Li Changkun's handle, and was going to strike at the servant of the Huangmen whom he hated so much.

However, there is no impenetrable wall in the world, and the news leaked out somehow.Early this morning, Empress Xiao's sister-in-law ran into Anren Hall to cry, begging the prince to spare Li Changkun for the sake of in-laws.After the person left, Empress Xiao immediately ordered the prince to be called to the Hall of Anren. At this moment, she had been talking for half an hour, and there was still the sound of things breaking from time to time.

Zhao Yun's rebelliousness is hard to tame, and Empress Xiao is even more respectful.Two people tit for tat, I am afraid there will be no good results.

At this point, the crowd suddenly fell silent.

There was a sound of "touch", and the gate of Anren Hall was kicked open.Prince Zhao Yun walked out quickly with a dark face, angrily.

The accompanying eunuchs rushed forward to greet them, not even daring to show their air.Lu You also quickly saluted the prince.

"You came quickly enough." The prince glanced at Lu You, "There is nothing in this palace that you eunuchs don't get involved in."

"I don't dare." Lu You lowered his head in a humble gesture, "I just think...whether I can do my best for the prince."

"Oh?"

Zhao Yun raised his eyebrows, and his face softened a little.

"Then you can take a few steps with the king."

After finishing speaking, he turned his back to the left and right, and walked into the garden path with Lu You alone.

"You've heard all the things. Let me tell you what you think first."

Lu You nodded and said: "Your Highness has the ambition to make good and eliminate bad, which is naturally a good thing. However, the case of Yu Cheng, the imperial censor, is very entangled, like a string of strands, and one hair can affect the whole body. If you are not fully prepared, you can rashly draw , I'm afraid it will ruin the picture of a river, mountain and community."

"This king naturally understands this matter! Why do you need to remind me?"

Zhao Yun was a little sullen: "Now that Yu Cheng has made a confession, and all the documents and evidence have been handed over to the third department for detailed decision, this silk must be smoked if it is not smoked! Now I am asking you about Li Changkun, who told you to talk about Yu Cheng?! "

"Your Highness said so."

Lu You still said unhurriedly: "As for the position of the servant of the Huangmen, although the official rank is not high, he goes in and out of the court day and night, and he is not competent if he is a confidant. You have pulled down a Li Changkun today, Prince, have you ever thought about who else?" Can you take on this responsibility?"

"Can Li Changkun be considered a confidant?"

Zhao Yun almost burst out laughing: "That's just another moth that the Queen Mother stuffed into the court!"

Speaking of this, he frowned and looked at Lu You: "I originally thought that you really had some good ideas, but if you plan to keep talking such frustrating nonsense, then immediately go back to the servant province!"

"Your Highness, calm down."

Lu You took a step back and bowed his hands: "Since His Highness the Crown Prince has made up his mind, I am willing to help His Highness and persuade Empress Xiao to agree to dismiss Li Changkun, the servant of the Huangmen."

"...Oh?" Zhao Yun immediately responded angrily, "Can you have that kind of ability?"

"Willing to try for Your Highness."

After speaking, Lu You asked Zhao Yun to resign, and walked towards the gate of Anren Hall alone.

When they arrived at the door, they saw several eunuchs and maids bowing their heads, as if they wanted to go in to clean up the mess, but they dared not act in fear.As soon as he saw Lu You, he felt amnesty immediately, and was anxious to pass it on.

Just at this time, there was an "Aiya" in the hall, and it was Empress Xiao who cried out in a low voice.

It was an emergency, and Lu You didn't care about being polite, so he just announced at the top of his voice, and hurriedly opened the door to enter.

I saw that the Anren Hall was in a mess everywhere, and all kinds of exquisite and gorgeous porcelain decorations were all turned into worthless fragments.The lamp holder and the smoker are crooked, and there are even ink stains on the ground.

Look again, Empress Xiao is leaning on the precious couch in the center of the hall.Her face was pale, she was covering her arm with one hand and trembling uncontrollably all over her body.

At a glance, Lu You saw dark red blood dripping from between her fingers, around her wrists, and even wet her sleeves!

He hurriedly ordered the eunuch outside the door to go to the imperial physician, and at the same time ran to Xiao Hou's side in three steps at a time.

Only recently did he realize that there were several fragments of jade bracelets lying on the ground beside Empress Xiao - it is not difficult to infer that she should have slapped the table with her palms when she was furious, but accidentally smashed the jade bracelets, causing the fragments to pierce into pieces. Into the wrist 1.

The imperial doctor is still on standby in the south of the imperial city, it is impossible to rush to Anren Hall so soon.Fortunately, Lu You had learned from Li Honghe some tips for emergency response to knife wounds. He first asked Empress Xiao to raise his injured arm, and then took out a handkerchief and tied it tightly an inch below the wound.Then he carefully tried to remove the piece of broken jade that caused trouble from the wound while pressing the wound.

At about this time, the medical officer finally arrived quickly, checked the wound immediately, said that there was nothing serious, and also praised Lu You for handling it properly.

After that, everyone was in a hurry for a while, finally bandaged the wound on Empress Xiao's hand, and invited her from the messy Anren Hall to a side hall to rest.

When Empress Xiao had just recovered from her shock, the idlers retreated one after another, leaving only Lu You alone, serving spoonful after spoonful of blood-enriching and soothing desserts for Empress Xiao to slowly suppress her shock.

She didn't know how many spoonfuls she drank, Empress Xiao, who had been silent since just now, finally let out a sigh.

"Today...fortunately, you are still here."

Lu You didn't speak, just held the jade bowl and shook his head slightly.

Empress Xiao asked again: "Why don't you speak?"

Only then did Lu You reply: "Lu You is clumsy, afraid to say something wrong and make you unhappy, Madam."

Empress Xiao sneered: "What else can happen today to make me even more unhappy? If you can make a scene, it will be considered a skill."

"You little one dare not." Lu You blinked his eyes: "If your lady feels bored... why don't you let the little one tell you a story to relieve your boredom?"

When Empress Xiao nodded, he pondered for a while before speaking.

"It is said that there is a strange tree in the hot and humid land of Nanban. This kind of tree does not die for a thousand years, and its crown can cover the sky and the sun, and it can even cover an entire mountain. However, outsiders who come from the north cannot recognize this kind of tree—— Because in addition to its thick trunk, it also hangs thick woody roots from the branches and penetrates into the soil, making it look like a forest from a distance. 2

"These wooden roots can survive independently of the main trunk, but they are closely connected with the trunk, like brothers and sisters in the same family, which coincides with the words 'same Qi and branches', so some northerners call this kind The tree is 'Lianzhimu'.

"This forest of single-branched trees shelters a side of water and soil. The phoenix gathers on the branches and the beasts dance in the forest. It is very lively. Unexpectedly, one night, the wildfire ignited the dead branches, and soon burned again. A root of the Lianzhi tree. The flames melted and burned, and the birds and animals ran away in fright. Although the trunk of the Lianzhi tree did not catch fire, it could not move, and could only watch the flames spread...

"The flames burned bigger and bigger. But at this moment, a little mouse living at the root of the tree, facing the scorching flames, struggled to bite off the branch connected to the root of the fire, and the trunk of the branch tree was preserved. After the fire, the phoenix bird is still inhabiting, and the beasts are still dancing, but the lush branch tree is no longer willing to hang down more roots."

After the story was finished, Lu You silently bowed his head again.

Empress Xiao sighed: "Although I have never heard of the tree in your story, even if it is the branch of the big tree outside the Anren Hall, how can a small mouse bite it?"

Lu You said: "The little one is willing to be that little mouse, willing to go through fire and water for the empress, and will not hesitate to do so."

"Hmph." Empress Xiao sneered softly, "Little mouse, why are you helping the prince to speak."

Lu You said: "The crown prince is the crown prince of a country. Not only me, but also the other people in Zichen Palace, who would dare not speak for him? However, although Lu You speaks for the crown prince, he is thinking for the empress in his heart. Think about it."

"Oh? So what?"

"It is a foregone conclusion that the crown prince will ascend the throne, and you are about to become the empress dowager. Don't talk too much about it, just the food and clothing expenses in the future, which one is not restricted... It's better to be convenient with him today, so that he can appreciate your kindness .”

Empress Xiao said bitterly: "He has confirmed this, knowing that he is the only son of the palace, so he is so arrogant and domineering! If Yang'er...if Dong Jun is still here..."

As he spoke, he whimpered twice, and suddenly wanted to cry again.

Lu You hurriedly persuaded again: "Your Majesty, everything has two sides. You are the crown prince's biological mother, and you are also the empress who respects the world. It is impossible for the crown prince to ignore your face. However, those people outside the palace are no different from ordinary courtiers in the eyes of the crown prince." Different. Then Li Changkun saw this point, and tried to cheat your kindness with blood relationship, hoping that the prince would give them special treatment. But in fact, the prince will always be with you, not the one who is attached to you, Li Changkun who looks up to you..."

When Empress Xiao heard the words, she remained silent.

Knowing that she was conflicted in her heart, Lu You didn't urge her, but just quietly stood aside.

After a long time, he finally heard this woman with a gorgeous appearance but an empty heart let out a heavy sigh.