Lord Prime Minister

Concubine Lan hanged herself, the eldest prince was imprisoned, and the emperor became seriously ill overnight, and he was unable to attend court after five days of convalescence.

In the Golden Luan Hall, the morning after a five-day absence seemed particularly busy.The accumulated work piled up into mountains, and all the things that could be dealt with in the hall were resolved, and a large number of memorials were still sent to the imperial study room.

"Left Prime Minister, I will leave this matter to you." Emperor Guangcheng rubbed his eyebrows, showing a little tiredness.

Changsun Xiuwen took a step forward to accept the order, and then returned to his original position.

Since the First Prince was imprisoned, the officials of Concubine Lan's faction have defected one after another, and now most of them have switched to the Empress's sect. Now the faction headed by Prime Minister Zuo dominates the court.Right Prime Minister Cai Chong has almost lost power, and he can't manage his own affairs well, let alone make trouble.

"Ai Qing, what else is there to announce? If there is no more, let's just leave it like this today." The emperor lowered his head, resting his forehead with his fingers, his brain throbbing faintly.Illnesses come and go like a mountain, and go away like silk.

"Your Majesty, I have something to do." The Minister of the Household Department took a step sideways and walked to the middle of the hall, bowing and saluting, not daring to raise his head.

"What else is there?" The emperor was a little impatient. The Minister of the Household Department followed him all the way since he ascended the throne, and he was always highly regarded.But now that people are old, many criticisms are revealed, such as long-winded nonsense, and sticking to stereotypes and stubbornness.

"Your Majesty." The Minister of the Household Department did not answer, but directly knelt on the ground, knocking his forehead on the floor tiles. "I dare you to ask the emperor to appoint a prince to suppress the government and the people."

As soon as these words came out, there was silence above the Jinluan Hall, no one dared to speak, and no one dared to move.Before, some officials asked for orders to be crowned princes, but in the end they either lost their officials or lost their heads.Why does the Minister of the Household Department dare to mention this? Could it be that people are really old and confused?

"Prince Li?" Emperor Guangcheng stopped rubbing his forehead with his hand, looked up at the person kneeling in the center, with a head of gray hair under the official hat, and a thin body kneeling on the ground. "You also let me establish a prince..."

As soon as the officials standing below heard the emperor's tone, they knew that this was a sign of the emperor's anger, and the timid ones already knelt down.One person knelt down, and the rest also knelt down and dared not speak.

"Prince." Emperor Guangcheng sighed again, and looked up. Because of this matter, all the officials knelt down and extended to the outside of the Jinluan Hall, and he couldn't help sighing again. "It is indeed time to register a crown prince."

When the officials heard that the emperor did not scold the Minister of the Household Department, but really wanted to establish a prince, they were shocked, but they dared not speak.

Hubu Shangshu knelt on the ground, and he was risking his death to accept advice. Unexpectedly, the emperor, who has always been attached to the throne, agreed this time. Wise."

Emperor Guangcheng slightly lowered his head and looked at the Secretary of the Household Department on the ground, his eyes were dim, as if he had thought of something, he didn't know if he was talking to himself or to all the officials: "Prince, I already have a candidate, let's retire today."

At noon that day, an imperial decree spread throughout the palace with the news of the canonization of the crown prince, and the imperial list was immediately posted outside the palace, informing the people of the canonization of the crown prince.

The news was also received in Prince Minqing's mansion.

"How could it be him?" Mu Zihuai didn't go to the Hanlin Academy today, but stayed in the palace to take care of the prince who just came back from the palace. He couldn't help but exclaim when he heard the news.

"The establishment of a crown prince now seems to be just the emperor's plan to slow down the army. After being the emperor for more than 30 years, how could the emperor be willing to let go of his high position?" Ren Danfeng frowned slightly. Although he said so, why did the emperor choose that? It is beyond everyone's expectation that a man becomes a prince.

Huangfu Yunhua put a new gauze on his back, raised his hand to ask Mu Zihuai to help him put on his clothes, and said, "I'm afraid the new prince is also shocked now, he is really only surprised or not happy." After finishing speaking, he couldn't help laughing When he got up, the vibration in his chest pulled the wound on his back, making him frown again.

Mu Zihuai quickly supported his body, stroking his back to help him relax. "My lord's wound is not healed yet, so you should be more careful."

Huangfu Yunhua raised the corner of his mouth, glanced at Mu Zihuai, and said with a smile: "After staying in the palace for a few days, Zihuai has learned to care about people."

Mu Zihuai was taken aback for a moment, and quickly let go of him, but his face blushed uncontrollably.Just now the lord called all the maids out again, looked around and couldn't find anyone, so he had no choice but to take the clothes and help the lord get dressed quickly.

Ren Danfeng sat at the side, his gaze still remained on the gauze on the prince's chest, and he did not move away until the clothes were covered, looking at the prince with worry. "My lord shouldn't be so reckless in the future, what should I do if the assassin's hand moves a little bit to the left?"

Huangfu Yunhua waved his right arm indifferently, as if he didn't take Ren Danfeng's words to heart. "Thanks to the assassin, if it weren't for this injury, I might not have escaped so easily."

Ren Danfeng was silent, and complained quite a bit about the prince's risking his life.

"How is the chief guard?" Huangfu Yunhua was not annoyed, but continued to ask.Some time ago, he was trapped in the palace, and he didn't know anything about the outside world.If it wasn't for the certainty that the two of them would be able to guess the message he sent, and they would do their best to save people, he wouldn't dare to be so bold while guarding the palace alone.

"I was given medicine to make him dumb and deaf, and after gouging out his eyes, he was sent to the south, and the whole family also sent them." Ren Danfeng reported truthfully, although the original intention was to kill him, but in the end he decided to let him live. But in order to ensure that the secret is not leaked, the most comprehensive arrangements were made.

"Where are the Nanzhao envoys?"

"I will return to Nanzhao soon, and I have expressed my willingness to assist the prince in the future. I just want to see the prince before leaving."

Huangfu Yunhua narrowed his eyes slightly, remembering that this person was still on the side of the eldest prince and what the emperor said before, he couldn't help being curious. "The faces of Nanzhao know people, and I want to see them too."

After speaking, he remembered another thing, and asked with a smile: "Where is the Jinxiu Pavilion? Who solved Sipa?"

"It's Zihuai."

Mu Zihuai quickly said: "I only remembered it after hearing it from the management of the Imperial Academy. It was just a coincidence that I happened to see the little eunuch next to the eldest prince when I went there."

Looking up and seeing the prince looking at him, he couldn't help feeling a little flustered, and replied sternly: "When the emperor's heir entered Dali Temple for trial at the end of summer last year, the eldest prince came a little late, and checked the people who had seen the eldest prince at that time. It happened to be the day when the Nanzhao envoys entered the palace. I am afraid that from that time on, the eldest prince had already started planning for this time. The guards for the emperor's personal farming were also arranged at that time, and the news had already been sent to Hong Shaoqing. .”

Huangfu Yunhua looked at him and nodded with satisfaction.

"It's just that I didn't expect Concubine Lan to exchange her death for the life of the eldest prince, so that the investigation of the case stopped." Ren Danfeng looked at the prince, and suddenly thought of Concubine Lan who hanged herself by Bai Ling, and suddenly sighed.

Huangfu Yunhua didn't take it seriously, and explained casually: "Concubine Lan and his mother have been serving the emperor since he was not enthroned, and his mother has Prime Minister Zuo and a general by his side, and Concubine Lan is unparalleled in beauty, even after more than 30 years. , the emperor has always loved her very much. The emperor really had to give up and give up hunting down those who dared to kill him for the sake of a woman."

Mu Zihuai listened to the prince's words, his lips moved, and finally he couldn't help but said: "Maybe the emperor still loves the eldest prince, a tiger's poison doesn't eat its offspring, let alone a human being."

Huangfu Yunhua looked at Mu Zihuai upon hearing the words. "What about the incumbent, his relatives? What about his heirs? Cowardice and weakness will only collapse his empire, there is no other reason."

Mu Zihuai remained silent, frowning slightly.

Seeing that he was silent again, Huangfu Yunhua had no choice but to change his words and mention other things. "How is the Hanlin Academy recently?"

"After receiving the emperor's secret decree, I am eager to erase the assassination. It will not appear in the historical records in a few days." When the prince mentioned it, Mu Zihuai remembered it and hurriedly reported.

Huangfu Yunhua nodded, and said: "It is very beneficial to be an official in the Imperial Academy to be able to walk around the palace. You should run around more. After this matter is over, you will find a reason to be promoted."

"Yes." Mu Zihuai bowed his head and agreed, the prince sent him to be an official in the imperial court definitely not to make him idle

"Now that the crown prince is registered, I'm afraid the queen mother will make some moves. Now we don't need to do anything, we just need to watch. The bigger the trouble, the better for us." Huangfu Yunhua stood up and took two steps, feeling betrayed The wound didn't hurt very much, and he told the two behind him again.

"Yes." Both of them clapped their hands together.

Inside the palace, Kunning Palace.

The queen picked up the teacup on the table with trembling hands. When she thought of the imperial decree just heard, she became angry again. Her hand shook again and again, and finally she smashed it with her backhand. The teacup fell to the ground with a crisp cracking sound, and the tea splashed land.

"Mother, don't be angry, your body is important." The second prince sat in the lower seat on the right, equally angry in his heart, but he still patiently comforted the queen.

"I didn't expect the emperor to be so ruthless. I thought about it so hard that I couldn't think of it. He let him be the prince. Is it really a joke?" The queen couldn't help raising her voice, and the gentleness she had maintained for a long time was torn apart in an instant.

"Mother, think about it now, it's justifiable for my father to make him the crown prince, and it's not groundless." Although the second prince was annoyed, he still thought about it carefully and spoke hesitantly.

"You mean that the emperor is still attached to the throne and doesn't want to let go? Just pull him out to make a show?" After Huangfu Renhao said this, the queen finally calmed down and frowned speculatively.

"I'm afraid that's the case." Huangfu Renhao leaned back slightly on the back of the chair, but the expression on his face was not relaxed.

"This emperor is really..."

"Mother!" The queen frowned, but was interrupted by Huangfu Renhao in the middle of her sentence.

Knock, knock, three knocks on the door, and the two of them fell silent at the same time.

"What's the matter?" The queen asked with a steady heartbeat, glanced at Huangfu Renhao, and asked loudly.

"Empress, Qing Zhaoyi asks to see you." The maid outside the door informed immediately.

Just in time!The queen's eyes froze, and she kept looking at the closed door, as if she had already seen the person outside the door.

"Please come in."