turmoil

At that moment, countless thoughts ran through Zhang Jingche's mind. He first thought: These letters clearly imitated my handwriting on purpose, so how did they get into the Changchun Palace?Could it be... someone planted an inner ghost in the Changchun Palace?

Then I thought again: "Anyway, I didn't want to stay in Beijing early in the morning. Why don't I admit this crime? The new emperor has always shown tolerance and benevolence. Now that he has just taken office, he shouldn't be in a hurry to change course, even if it's a border pass? As long as you stay With this life, there will always be a bright day."

Thinking of this, Zhang Jingche simply pushed the boat forward: "Returning to the emperor, I have known Concubine Shu since childhood. I know her pure nature, and I am afraid that she will be bullied in the palace, so I would like to say a few more words."

He paused, and raised the corners of his mouth with a half-smile: "Now it seems that my worries are not unfounded."

Liu Yanzhao was trembling with anger: "You...you blame me for treating my concubine harshly? She is a court lady with a humble background. I pity her for serving her mother for many years and elevated her to the position of concubine Shu. How could I feel sorry for her? She is usually well-clothed and well-fed, and her actions are taken care of by palace servants, and she has been wronged!"

Zhang Jingche sneered: "May I ask Your Majesty, how many times a month can you visit her? She sees you more than the eunuchs around you! You locked her in a beautiful cage, thinking that feeding her with water would be enough Is it? She is a human being, not a cat or dog raised by the royal family!"

Liu Yanzhao's complexion changed drastically, he picked up the tea bowl and threw it on the ground, the broken porcelain splashed everywhere, some pieces even brushed against Zhang Jingche's temples, leaving faint bloodstains.

Liu Yanzhao was extremely angry, and his usual self-cultivation was thrown into the sky: "You... well, you finally showed your true colors! I knew that you seemed to be submissive, but in fact you were very rebellious. It's just that you pretended too well. Make it hard for people to see the flaws! If you commit crimes next time, I won't bother with you... When will it be your turn, a foreigner, to speak up about my harem? Zhang Jingche, don't forget your identity!"

Zhang Jingche smashed the jar, and tore away his usual forbearance, revealing his claws and claws, which he had not shown for a long time: "Of course I remember my identity. It's the emperor who can't see himself clearly! Jing Su doesn't know how to plan, and stays in the palace alone." In the deep palace, there is neither a husband to care for nor a family to help, I grew up with her, and treat her as my own sister, as a brother, I think more about my sister, is it wrong?"

Liu Yanzhao was furious: "Zhang Jingche!"

Zhang Jingche looked at him indifferently, with a mocking smile.

Liu Yanzhao's chest heaved violently. After a long time, the anger in his eyes gradually subsided, and there was a sharp and sharp coldness: "What else do you want to say?"

Zhang Jingche lowered his eyes, with a clear boredom and impatience on his face.

Liu Yanzhao has been in a high position for a long time, and some people have devoted their lives to him, why has he ever been contradicted like this?He looked down at Zhang Jingche, feeling powerless again. He couldn't see what this man was thinking, and he couldn't hold him in his palm.

Liu Yanzhao said coldly: "Come here!"

At this moment, a long voice came from outside the hall: "The Empress Dowager is here!"

Liu Yanzhao's expression froze, and he ordered people to clean up the mess on the ground, and then went forward to greet Empress Dowager Wu into the palace pavilion: "It's late at night and the dew is heavy, what's the matter with the empress, just tell my sons and ministers, why did you come in person?" ?”

Empress Dowager Wu glanced back at Zhang Jingche, sat down on the round stool, and sighed quietly: "The Ai family doesn't want to disturb the emperor, but this harem is so lively, there are so many good plays in one night, the Ai family just wants to live in peace. None."

Liu Yanzhao reluctantly said: "Concubine Shu has a private relationship with foreign ministers. The evidence for this matter is solid. The letter is hidden under the dressing table box in the Changchun Palace. The queen mother..."

The queen mother raised her hand and interrupted him calmly: "Emperor, this is what I mean..."

Liu Yanzhao was stunned for a moment: "Mother..."

The queen mother gathered the emerald beads on her fingertips, and glanced at Zhang Jingche casually: "Concubine Shu came out of my palace. I know her temperament best... She is an honest person, and she can't learn to fight for favor." , It is inevitable to suffer in the harem. It is not good for the Ai family to bother the emperor with such a trivial matter, thinking that Commander Zhang and Concubine Shu are from the same town, so let him have a few words about Concubine Shu in his spare time, but..."

The Empress Dowager Wu paused, looked at Zhang Jingche as if she had nothing to do, and said in a tone of reproach: "You can just mention something, why did you make such a big commotion? Ai Jia remembers that you have always done things without leaking, this time you turned around." Can't you have sex?"

No matter how dull Zhang Jingche was, he could tell that the queen mother was trying to save herself.Although he didn't want to accept the favor, he could only follow the Queen Mother's words and say: "It's the humble minister who is not doing his job well, which made the Emperor and the Queen Mother bother."

Liu Yanzhao said suspiciously: "Mother, did you really tell him? What do you have to say, you can't tell Concubine Shu by yourself, but ask him to convey it..."

His voice stopped suddenly, but it was the Queen Mother who pressed his wrist, and said gently and unquestionably: "Emperor, Aijia has already said, what happened tonight is Aijia's intention, don't ask any more... But Concubine Shu today Wan was quite frightened, she is pregnant with a royal heir, how can she bear such a torment? You should go and have a look..."

Liu Yanzhao hesitated, but hurried footsteps came from the entrance of the hall, and the eunuch Yuezhao, who was serving beside the emperor, scrambled towards him and said in panic, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, there is news from Changchun Hall, Concubine Shu Frightened, I'm afraid it's not good!"

Liu Yanzhao was shocked: "Show me!"

This night, Miyagi lived in the midst of war and turmoil. First, there were assassins in the palace, and then the Changchun Palace searched for letters with foreign ministers. , with symptoms of redness.

After all, this is the new emperor's first child. Both Liu Yanzhao and Empress Dowager Wu valued it very much. They hurriedly announced to the imperial physician, and after a long while of diagnosis and treatment, they finally came to a worrying conclusion: "Go back to the emperor, go back to the queen mother. Concubine Shu's body can't be called strong, and now she's overly frightened, she's getting red, I'm afraid it's... a sign of miscarriage!"

Liu Yanzhao was surprised: "Is that child still safe?"

The imperial doctor was hesitating and said: "I should do my best to keep the dragon fetus, but... the medicine is still secondary. The most important thing is that the concubine Shu should relax herself, not to worry about fatigue, let alone be stimulated by great joy and sorrow."

No matter how important the other things are, they are not as important as the safety of the emperor's heir. With the words of the imperial physician, Liu Yanzhao did not pursue the matter of letters and foreign officials. He fed her medicine and comforted her with soft words.

After this incident, everyone in the palace could clearly see that the noble lord of the Changchun Palace had the protection of the emperor's heir and the protection of the queen mother. If the emperor's heir was born safely, he might become the No. 1 concubine in the palace.

When the sun rose the next day, the news that "Concubine Shu's mother and child are safe" came out. At the same time, Zhang Jingche, who had been kneeling in the Palace of Qinzheng for a whole night, finally got permission and was driven back to the mansion to contemplate behind closed doors.

Hearing the new emperor's dictation, Zhang Jingche smiled lightly, avoided the support of the little eunuch, staggered up by himself, and limped out of the palace.When walking halfway, a thick cloud floated from nowhere, covering the bright sky, the wind blew up for a while, and it actually started to rain.

Zhang Jingche came in a hurry, so naturally he didn't bring an umbrella, so he walked out slowly in the rain.When Kankan walked to the gate of the palace, he didn't pay attention to the threshold under his feet, accidentally tripped, and fell straight forward.

A hand reached out quickly, and gave him a very steady and precise hand.

Zhang Jingche looked up in surprise, and saw Yang Fan standing in front of him, his tall figure covering the sky and the sun, blocking the sudden wind and rain like a wall.He took off the cloak on his shoulders, put it on Zhang Jingche's shoulders, took the umbrella from Liang Yi, and propped it over Zhang Jingche's head: "Let's go."

Zhang Jingche: "Where are you going?"

Yang Fan: "Go eat something first, and then send you home."

Zhang Jingche didn't say anything, maybe because he had an inexplicable trust in Yang Fan, or maybe because...he was simply exhausted physically and mentally, and had no strength to object.

In short, when Yang Fan helped him get on the horse, he didn't raise any doubts.

After a while, the two riders broke through the rain curtain and galloped out quickly.Zhang Jingche turned his head and saw Yang Fan holding the rein of the horse, keeping a distance of half a step, walking side by side in a protective posture, neither passing nor falling behind.

He thought for a moment, and took the initiative to say: "There is no grand meeting today, why would Lord Hou wait here?"

Yang Fan didn't speak, and turned his head to look at him. Zhang Jingche realized that the changes in the palace last night had not been hidden from Dingbianhou's eyes and ears, and he knew about it.

Zhang Jingche exhaled from his chest, a smile was hidden in his eyes, and the only thing left was the prey of the storm.

Yang Fan led Zhang Jingche back to his other courtyard. Ginger soup was already prepared inside. Yang Fan pressed Zhang Jingche to drink a bowl, then changed his wet clothes, and threw a dry handkerchief on his face: "Wipe your hair dry, be careful. Get migraines."

Zhang Jingche took off the hairpin crown, his jet-black hair draped over his shoulders, and the strands of his hair framed his jade-like face, as if thick ink was supporting a white and flawless suet jade.

But this time, Yang Fan didn't feel anxious, just a little indescribably bored: "I always thought you were a smart person, since you choose to endure, you should endure to the end... It's not right to pick and choose halfway, not to be in the same place. Like your style."

Zhang Jingche paused for a moment, his hostility gradually melted away, and a real wry smile appeared.

Of course he knew that he should continue to endure, lower his posture into the dust, and wait for the opportunity to break through the net.For a long time, he has been doing little fuzzing, just to protect himself...and the safety of Concubine Zhang Shu in the palace.

If he was born and bred in Great Yin, he might be able to continue to endure... Unfortunately, he is not.

If you haven't traveled in the vast sea and sky, you don't know how cramped the splendid cage is.If you haven't tasted the taste of freedom, you don't know how painful the moment your spine is bent.

Zhang Jingche rubbed the center of his brows, and suppressed the hostility and impatience surging in his chest: "I know... I will send you an apology when the Holy Majesty's anger subsides. Fortunately, the Queen Mother will come forward in person, and finally there is still a way to turn things around." room."

Raindrops slammed on the doors and windows, and the century-old prosperity was shrouded in an indelible haze. Yang Fan was suddenly in a daze. He looked at Zhang Jingche's face, wanting to smooth his frowning.

"If you really can't take it anymore... forget it," Yang Fan said in a mysterious way, "Do you want to leave? I can help you."

Zhang Jingche glanced at him in surprise, Ding Bianhou knew he had made a slip of the tongue, and quickly went back to make amends: "I think you are born rebellious, and it is uncomfortable to stay in the capital. If one day you get angry and annoy the present, ten lives are not enough." Yes! You and I have some friendship, I can't just watch you go to death."

For a moment, Zhang Jingche showed genuine heartbeat.Yang Fan didn't force him, he put a bowl of rice porridge in front of him, Zhang Jingche sipped the porridge, and said after a while, "...not yet."

Yang Fan's heart sank first, and then he breathed a sigh of relief: "Why?"

"It's not long since I came to the throne, and the court situation is still uncertain. I feel uneasy about withdrawing now," Zhang Jingche said in a low voice, "Furthermore, Jing Su is pregnant now, so I have to wait for her to give birth safely before I can leave with peace of mind. "

Yang Fan knew right away that he saw the right person.

Establishing a heart for the world, establishing a life for the living and the people, inheriting the knowledge of the past, and creating peace for all generations, this is what every scholar-official who enters the court talks about, but how many people really internalize it people?

The world situation is like a knife, grinding away the blood of countless literati with lofty ideals, but there are also some people who have been drinking ice for ten years and remain the same.

Even though half of his life was rough and he was mistreated.

Yang Fan sighed, and picked up a piece of rouge goose breast for him: "Don't just drink porridge, eat more meat, look at you, you are so skinny!"

Zhang Jingche frowned, picked up the goose breast with the tip of his chopsticks, and pushed it aside in disgust: "It's so early in the morning, it's greasy, who eats this?"

Yang Fan snorted lightly: "I don't eat much, and I'm quite picky."

Zhang Jingche gave him a flirtatious look, with a half-smile: "It's no match for Marquis Yang. He's been hanging out in the border since he was a child, and he's used to rough skin and thick flesh."

The two have been arguing a lot since they met, but from the beginning, they were hiding their wits and holding guns and sticks, and turned into well-intentioned ridicule and banter. There was a tacit tacit understanding between them, and Zhang Jingche was briefly driven away. The cloud between the brows.

After breakfast, Yang Fan personally sent him back to the courtyard, and before leaving, he deliberately held Xu Shen and gave him a detailed warning.

Zhang Jingche didn't pay attention to what they said. He felt a headache when he came out of the palace, but he tried not to show it.After Dingbianhou left, he couldn't hold on any longer, and collapsed between the pillows like mud. When Xu Shen came in to deliver the ginger soup, he saw Zhang Jingche wrapped in the quilt, half of his cheeks flushed.

Xu Shen touched his forehead and said in surprise, "My lord, do you have a fever?"

Zhang Jingche opened his eyes in a daze, touched his forehead, but couldn't figure out why: "Oh... Maybe it was rained in the morning, it's okay, just sleep and sweat a lot."

Xu Shen said anxiously: "How can this be done? No, I'll ask Lord Hou to come and have a look."

Zhang Jingche grabbed him, and said, dumbfounded: "Master Hou doesn't know how to treat illnesses, what's the use of asking him to come? It's nothing to make him worry... If you are really worried, just ask a doctor to take a look, don't be disturbed people."

Xu Shen agreed and left quickly.

The doctor came quickly, he was an old scholar with white beard and hair, he muttered some medical theories that no one could understand.Zhang Jingche was in a daze from the fever and couldn't hear anything clearly. He waved his hand while half asleep and half awake, motioning for him to prescribe the medicine himself.

The ear gradually became quiet, Zhang Jingche turned over and finally fell asleep soundly.I don't know how long it took, and there was a "babble" sound from a very far away place, and someone pushed the door and came in.

Zhang Jingche thought it was Xu Shen who brought the medicine in, and said vaguely, "Put it there, I'll drink it later..."

Before he finished speaking, he felt a chill on his neck, and someone grabbed his collar and slipped up from the quilt.

Zhang Jingche suddenly opened his eyes, and sneered at Liu Yanzhao: "You slept well!"