Si Tian Guan

"Everyone in Beijing should know more about what happened than me and Shizi."

There was a table and six chairs in the room, just suitable for several people to sit down. Qu Shenzhou sat by the table, glanced down, and looked across the table.

"Is the son well? Have you ever heard about the Queen Mother?"

"Okay, okay," Liu Chongming's face was still ashen, he endured the pain, and replied calmly: "I went back to Beijing yesterday, and I've heard it said. On the Queen Mother's birthday, King Ning committed a murder with a knife. Eunuch Xi saw it with his own eyes. See."

He asked the person on the right hand side: "Does the emperor want you to intervene?"

"No," Ling He shook his head: "Dali Temple is not in charge of Tian Family's affairs. I only went with the Emperor to meet Eunuch Xi once, and Eunuch Xi insisted that they had just rested in Yuancui Garden not long ago. King Ning used the pretext of visiting the empress at the door, and they opened the door unprepared."

"I heard that Eunuch Xi also had a knife wound," Liu Chongming asked, "How is the injury? How did you get the knife?"

"I don't know, what Eunuch Xi swore poisonously in front of the emperor was true, so he hanged himself that night and chased after the queen mother. The emperor didn't ask you to do an injury test at first, but the queen mother..."

Ling He turned to Rong Jiu'an, beckoning him to speak.

"Tang Shizhong made a lot of noise in the court, clamoring for an autopsy for the Empress Dowager, but the weather is hot, the Empress Dowager has already been buried, and more people oppose reopening the coffin, which is disrespectful to the Empress Dowager."

"In the end, the two sides can only give in one step each. According to the results of the autopsy, Eunuch Xi was indeed injured by the blade in King Ning's hand, and the direction of holding the knife matches the blood on both sides."

"Shizhong Tang has nothing to say, and instead wanted to see King Ning, but the emperor did not allow it."

Ling He nodded: "If this case is in Dali Temple, I will not allow it. The Tang family has too many hands and feet to move. If you get it right twice, the Empress Dowager will die in vain."

"What do you think of Ling He?" Qu Chenzhou gently tapped the handrail with his finger: "Is King Ning really the murderer?"

"I don't know if he is the murderer, but judging from the results of the operation, the knife was indeed held in King Ning's hand when the murder was committed."

"Is this not easy to do?"

Bai Shiyan got up, holding the handle of a knife vaguely in his hand, and motioned to Fang Wuyang.

When Fang Wuyang came in front of him, he dodged behind him, covered Fang Wuyang's mouth with one hand, put the knife in Fang Wuyang's hand with the other, stabbed forward, then backhanded, and stabbed himself several times in the waist and ribs.

Everyone could clearly see that the difference in height between the two was almost the same as Eunuch Xi and Mu Jingzhao, especially when Mu Jingzhao was in a daze, the gap in strength was even greater, and there was almost no room for resistance.

"Very good," Qu Chenzhou agreed: "In this way, everyone actually agrees. Rather than saying that the queen mother was killed, it is better to say that the queen mother committed suicide by using King Ning's hand and blamed King Ning."

No one refuted this statement. In fact, Tang Shizhong and the empress had a lot of trouble in the front and rear palaces, and it was also because of this speculation.

It's just that the people who testified at the scene were dead, and King Ning's confession was empty words, not enough to prove his innocence.

Out of habit, Ling He's focus is on the case itself: "I really don't understand why the Empress Dowager did this?"

Liu Chongming glanced at Qu Shenzhou, and smiled at Ling He: "It's useless to think too much. If you can understand the grievances in the harem, you will not be far from the family raid."

Ling He shut his mouth wisely.

Rong Jiu'an leaned slightly towards him: "Brother, otherwise..."

"Need not."

Ling He knew what his younger brother wanted to say—or else you should leave first, such an open and bloody trick was once what he hated the most.

However, the source of fairness and justice has been distorted, and he cannot control absurdity with absurdity.

"I understand that the wicked have their own grind."

The corner of the "wicked man"'s beautiful eyes twitched, and he smiled slightly: "That's right. The wicked have their own troubles. The emperor looks vague now, but in fact he has already developed a tendency. He only needs a wicked man to relieve his worries."

"What do you mean?" Bai Shiyan didn't understand.

Liu Chongming explained to him: "Prince Ning's case is full of doubts. If the emperor really wants to clear his grievances, there are many places where he can intervene."

Speaking of this, Bai Shiyan also understood: "The emperor doesn't want to keep King Ning?!"

"It's not just that he doesn't want to keep King Ning?" Qu Chenzhou answered him: "King Ning has been spoiled like that. The emperor may have no intention of King Ning succeeding to the throne, but he is afraid that there is a reason for the Tang family. In the palace, the Tang family is also used to be wary."

Fang Wuyang remained silent at the side all the time, and now he frowned puzzledly: "Throwing rats? I don't know about all your twists and turns, but listening to this, if the Tang family takes back King Ning, would they dare to do something outrageous? ?”

"Whether they dare or not is the same thing, but the emperor doesn't want them to fight to the death, to bring out all the old things."

Liu Chongming gradually sorted out the clues in this analysis, and exchanged a glance with Qu Shenzhou: "The emperor has Tang family's heart hanging on him, and he is looking forward to something. Shi Yan."

"how?"

"Did the emperor mobilize the Beiya these days?"

"Yes," Bai Shiyan responded, "Half a month ago, he said that the emperor wanted to watch the Beiya martial arts performance, so he asked me to transfer the left and right dragon cavalry troops to the Guanshan Pavilion. Later, the emperor became unwell, and now the troops are still staying there. It's on."

As soon as he finished speaking, he himself realized: "Could it be that the emperor is just to guard against..."

Guanshan Pavilion is between the capital city and Shili Pavilion. If there is a commotion in Shili Pavilion, the left and right dragon cavalry troops will be a deadly ambush.

This was supposed to be a secret in the military and unknown to others. If it wasn't related to the matter under discussion right now, I wouldn't think it was so creepy.

"It's not just guarding, but anticipating," Qu Chenzhou corrected him: "Just one suspicious assassination, even if it can cut off King Ning's way to climb up, it's not enough to kill the Tang family completely. Now the situation is stalemate. , need a person..."

"This person was framed by Qu Sitian halfway, escaped from the dead, and is about to return to Beijing." Liu Chongming said calmly: "I was robbed because of my meritorious service, and I am eager to make meritorious service. If this is successful, I will definitely go one step further. If you want to flatter and curry favor, don't forget to hurry up."

Bai Shiyan was dumbfounded, looking back and forth at the two younger brothers sitting at the table.

"You...you two have already talked to each other?"

"No, I just met the prince," Qu Chenzhou replied seriously: "It's just that. This is the most important way to go. If you want to break the situation, the emperor is also waiting for such a person, and the prince is the last one. Good candidate."

There was a moment of silence in the small room.

No one refuted it, they knew more inside information than others, and everything went smoothly, but it always made people feel very uncomfortable.

Ling He wanted to leave, but hesitated again, and sat back down again.

"My lord, if that day comes, will your Highness become like this?"

"I don't dare to be [-]% sure about the future, but my sister would not teach His Highness like this," Liu Chongming stood up solemnly, and bowed his hands to several people: "In the future, I will thank you all for your support. I am overcorrecting. Liu Chongming thank you in advance."

Ling He was silent for a moment, and then returned a salute.

The tense moment just now finally eased back.

Liu Chongming sighed lightly: "Now that King Ning and King Huai are still alive, I dare not be arrogant, and you all cherish each other."

"The most important thing right now is not to give the Tang family a chance to stand up, otherwise the reputation of the emperor will be affected, and the country will be uneasy."

"If everything goes well with me, it may not only be the Tang family's business later, if the emperor..."

He paused.

"If the emperor really has a long-standing grudge against the Tang family and intends to get involved, Shen Zhou and I will naturally find a way to avoid it, and I would appreciate your help."

"We will discuss it with my father later on. The matter of seizing the heir is of course important, and of course no one should be allowed to stay, but the innocent cannot be implicated."

"Whether the emperor asks Jiu'an, or someone gets caught in Dali Temple later, please judge the situation."

"Although King Huai is confined at home, it's impossible not to intervene secretly. You should also take care of yourself. If there is any accident, Shen Zhou and I will definitely help each other with all our strength, and we must not fight alone."

The words have come to this point, there is no need to say more.

He sent the four of them away, turned around and saw Qu Chenzhou smiling with his lips pursed, and couldn't help but smile: "What are you laughing at?"

"Chongming was really full of momentum just now. As expected, thinking about the past, it is different."

Liu Chongming was most afraid of mentioning this, and he also knew that the little fox was just teasing him, so he bullied him: "I'm not going back to the palace tonight, are you? I don't want to sleep anymore?"

Qu Chenzhou stopped him: "My lord just sent them missions, why did you miss me?"

"How dare I order you," Liu Chongming flanked back and forth with the chair, forcing him to be immobile: "What do you want again? Talk to me around the corner."

"It's not what I want, but what the prince wants? Is Shiliting's military power right?"

Liu Chongming laughed: "You can't hide anything from you, would Qu Sitian make a divination for me?"

"The emperor has an order that lower officials are not allowed to divination privately. Does the son want to use force?"

Qu Chenzhou curled his hair with his fingers, gradually suppressed his smile, and sighed.

"If King Ning makes a fuss here, don't say that the emperor can't let your family dominate, Mu Jingyan will follow the trend and come out. Unfortunately, there is no reason right now, so that he can't turn over."

"Once the Ten Mile Pavilion is vacated—it's not that I'm saying something frustrating, the prince may not be able to compete with him, especially now that the dragon cavalry army of the Beiya has been conscripted to such a close place, it is actually not good for the prince."

For something that even Qu Shenzhou couldn't predict, Liu Chongming wouldn't promise it with red lips and white teeth.

"I know, I can only try my best to win it. Even if I can't win it, the emperor will consider rewarding me in other ways. If I can take this opportunity to win the title for Lan'er, it will be considered a step forward."

Qu Shenzhou was silent for a moment, shaking his head slightly.

"inappropriate."

"I personally experienced the chaos of forcing the palace back then, and I know very well what will happen to Shiliting's military power in Mu Jingyan's hands. Even if the little highness is crowned king, there will be a serious problem there, and it must be killed in advance."

The corners of his eyes were raised, and he had that lazy and sly smile again.

"Just now the prince asked me what I want, I really want it, will the prince give it?"

"Of course I will." Liu Chongming scratched his chin with his fingers, watching him raise his head and narrow his eyes: "What do you want?"

"I want... the prince to share half of King Ning's achievements with me."

Zhiwei shook his body, feeling that the sedan chair was jolting a little fast, but he didn't know where he was going.

Everyone in the building envied his good life, and he thought so too—I don't know how outstanding he is, so that he can be raised in the building by the eldest son, and he doesn't have to pick up guests.

More than half a month ago, someone took him directly to the Shizi's other courtyard, but he never saw the Shizi.

I called him out again today, but I don't know where he is going.

Always being called around like this, I always feel uneasy, afraid that I will be sold somewhere again.

He was thinking wildly, when suddenly he heard a heavy voice from outside the sedan chair asking sharply: "Who is blocking the way! How courageous!"

The accompanying servant outside went forward and said something, but the other party obviously didn't buy it.

The car curtain was thrown open.

Without waiting for anyone to reprimand him, Zhiwei hurriedly got off the sedan chair and fell to his knees, prostrating himself on the ground.

"Your servant knows what it's like. Kowtow to all the military lords. If you accidentally offend me, you deserve death. I hope the military lord will forgive you."

There was silence in front of him, he didn't dare to look up, he could only hear someone being helped off the horse and walking towards him slowly.

A blue and white pattern appeared in the low field of vision, embellished on the sandalwood hem. Among the nobles he has seen, there is no such rank, and he doesn't know how to call it, so he can only bow down deeper: "Excuse me, my lord. crime."

The coiled whip hit his chin, causing him to raise his head.

"Xiao... Brother Xiaoqu..." Zhiwei was taken aback.

Someone shouted angrily above their heads: "Presumptuous! This is Qu Sitian!"

Zhiwei was at a loss, and wanted to lower his head in a panic, but his jaw was pinned and he couldn't move.

"The affection of the son?"

The voice was that of Brother Qu he knew, but the tone of the sneer was not like that.

"The clothes are nice, where is Zhiwei going?"

The servants at the side hurriedly responded for him: "Return to Qu Sitian, the prince ordered Zhiwei to serve him with him, this is to find the prince."

Zhiwei's hand on the ground trembled slightly.

He chatted with people in the building, so naturally he heard about it occasionally, but after all, it was too far away from him, no matter how he heard about it, it was not as shocking as seeing Qu Chenzhou with his own eyes.

"Ququ Sitian, please forgive me..." He knew too well who he was going to replace now: "I dare not..."

"Don't dare to do anything?"

Qu Chenzhou looked at him calmly, and tapped his whip on his shoulder twice: "Take care of him."

He didn't get up slowly until the sound of horseshoes and footsteps left him.

"Brother Xiaoqu...why does he look like a different person?"