turmoil

The friendship between Zhang Jingche and Su Sashan was purely accidental, and the so-called "acquaintance" was scheming from the very beginning.It's not that Zhang Jingche didn't regard Persia as his way of retreat, but the hearty enthusiasm of the children of the desert made him gradually lose this thought of taking advantage, and when getting along with each other, he was a little less calculating and more sincere.

Susan trusted Zhang Jingche, and in order to help him, she did not hesitate to go against the Emperor of the Central Plains.For this reason, Yang Fan also tried to find out about Su Sashan. The answer of the Persian princess was very simple: "We children of the desert, making friends is a matter of life. I believe that he is not a bad person, and he will not harm me. If one day , He did something that I was sorry for, and I only blame myself for being blind and mistaken."

The Persian princess was so glamorous, it seemed that Marquis Dingbian was very cautious and very villainous, so he fell silent immediately.

Zhang Jingche also trusted the Persian princess. He even told Su Sasan everything about what happened to him in the Central Plains, and she was filled with indignation as expected.Susan didn't ask about Zhang Jingche's future plans, but when You Yunwei came to question him, she dismissed him without hesitation, which was tantamount to showing her position.

Yang Fan asked very heartily, but he didn't really take it seriously. Compared to the Persian princess who was a friend but not an enemy, he was more troubled by the princess in the palace.

"Now he is the biological son of Empress Dowager Wu, and everyone around him has been sorted out one by one," Yang Fan mused, "If there is something wrong with Yuezhao's life experience, how could Empress Wu not find out? How can he be allowed to stay by Donggong's side?" ?”

"You Yunwei found out that Yuezhao's family name is Feng, and he has two older brothers. Because of his poor family, he had no choice but to send the youngest son to the palace," Zhang Jingche said, "I wanted to find out the origin, but I can send someone Only after I went there did I know that just two years after Yuezhao entered the palace, Qinghe was hit by a drought, and the crops failed. The Feng family's mistress and a son starved to death, and the rest of the father and son also left their hometowns and have not heard from them since. .”

Yang Fan hesitated: "That is to say, there is no proof of death?"

"It's impossible to start from the Feng family, so I just want to ask, is there anything wrong with the son of Uncle Zhongyong when he was dispatched to the border?" Zhang Jingche looked at Yang Fan's expression, and was a little more careful in his words, " I remember that Uncle Zhongyong is your father's subordinate, you have regarded him as half an elder since you were a child, if his family is in trouble, you must care more than others, right?"

Yang Fan pinched his white jade-like fingers in his palm and rubbed them repeatedly.

"When Duan Shibo's family had an accident, I was still young after all, and I was a soft-spoken person, so I couldn't say much in front of the late emperor," Yang Fan said in a deep voice, "I knew that the youngest son of the Duan family was sent to the border. I also paid attention to his whereabouts and thought about going there in the future. In the northwest, if you can take care of it a little more, who would have thought that the Beile cavalry raided the frontier defense on the way, and none of them survived."

Zhang Jingche's eyes narrowed slightly: "Beile people?"

Yang Fan nodded: "After the incident, Jin Yiwei inspected the scene and found the bodies of the escorting officers and soldiers and the youngest son of the Duan family in the ravine, as if they had been gnawed by wild animals, and they were incomplete. Take the belongings of this group of people back to Beijing."

Zhang Jingche pondered: "That is to say, no one has seen the body of the youngest son of the Duan family except the Jin Yiwei who went on an errand?"

"If what Jin Yiwei said is true, the youngest son of the Duan family didn't even die. Not to mention people he doesn't know, even if acquaintances meet, they may not recognize each other." After many years, Yang Fan has been able to face the situation calmly. The fate of the Duan family, "Why, you suspect that the youngest son of the Duan family escaped by feigning death?"

Zhang Jingche knew that Yang Fan would not like to hear what he said next, and he also understood that this was purely his own speculation and had no real evidence.But right now, this is indeed the most reasonable explanation: "Yuezhao and Uncle Zhongyong are both from Qinghe, Zhili. When Concubine Xian was adopted by Cai Yun, it happened to be the time and place when Miss Duan's family died in Jiaofangsi... It's too coincidental, it can't be explained by a simple 'coincidence'."

Yang Fan closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

"If your speculation is true..." After a long time, he said hoarsely, "If the youngest son of the Duan family is really still alive, and he changed his name and surname to sneak into the palace under the identity of the Feng family, are you worried... Was this done under the instigation of the Beile people, with the intention of harming the Central Plains?"

This is a speculation that Yang Fan is very unwilling to accept, but there are clues in front of him, so he can't help but admit it.Except for the confidants and eunuchs around the emperor, who can instruct the military supervising officer who escorts the army rations?Who can calmly attack the emperor's servants?And who can intervene in You Yunwei, putting Han Xun and Jian Sihui together?

This trick of borrowing a knife to kill people is really high!

"...What exactly does he want to do?" Yang Fan said hoarsely, "Want to reverse the case for his father? If it is for this, he can clearly say that even if I risk my life, I will help him achieve his wish! He must... must To ruin the name of Zhongliang of Uncle Zhongyong's mansion!"

Zhang Jingche sighed, raised his hand and pressed Yang Fan's shoulder.

"The reputation of Zhongliang in Uncle Zhongyong's mansion has long since disappeared. From the moment Uncle Zhongyong was labeled as a rebel, the Duan family is no longer a pillar of the court," he said softly, "It is better to sit on the truth than to waste the name in vain." A word of 'rebellion' would set off a bloodbath in the Central Plains, and it would be better to die without knowing why... If it were me back then, I probably thought the same way."

Yang Fan couldn't help but startled.

In the afternoon of this day, Xiu Mu's Imperial Forest Army led out of Miyagi and hurried back to the mansion.The commander of the imperial forest army, surnamed Jian and named Zhaoting, is Jian Sihui's distant nephew. Although the blood relationship is far away, the power of relatives can still be borrowed.These years, relying on the power of Shangshu Jian and Queen Jian in the palace, Jian Zhaoting lived a very comfortable life, not to mention walking sideways in Beijing, at least no one dared to underestimate him.Who knows that things are impermanent in the world, seeing him building a tall building, seeing him entertaining guests, seeing his building collapsed, but in just a few months, Jian Sihui died in prison, Empress Jian fell ill, and the Jian family, which was originally the head of the family, There is a faint momentum of disintegration.

Although Liu Yanzhao held back the pace of investigating the family for the time being in order to appease the officials and Empress Jian in the palace, but anyone with a discerning eye can see that the Emperor's Sword has been unsheathed and it is not so easy to take it back.

These days, Jian Zhaoting is anxious, fearing that the emperor will not dare to wrestle with the powerful family members, and take the innocuous role first - he is a collateral child of the Jian family, and if they share the glory together, they have to bear the guilt together.What's more, Jian Sihui didn't take all the bonuses from reselling military rations, most of them were used to support the family's children who hadn't become officials. Jian Zhaoting's salary was limited, and he didn't have much business acumen, so he had to get a hand in it.

Fortunately, what happened to Zhang Jingche distracted Emperor Xinglong for the time being, but no one knows when this wise and mighty emperor will think of this incident again, and he will investigate thoroughly at that time, but there will be no second Jian Sihui On the front.

Because of this life-threatening old account, Jian Zhaoting can't eat or sleep these days.On this day, when he returned to the mansion, the butler came forward and handed a letter to Jian Zhaoting.

"Yesterday, my lord was on duty in the palace. I don't know who pushed this letter in through the crack of the gate, and the porter saw it," said the steward. "When the villain opened the door to look, he found that the messenger had disappeared. ...This letter is written to be personally signed by the adults, and the villain dare not open it without permission, for fear of some important official business."

Jian Zhaoting glanced at it casually, saw that it was just an ordinary envelope, so he didn't take it seriously, carried it into the study room, ordered his servants to bring a pot of hot tea, and then casually opened the seal.However, as soon as he glanced at it, his complexion changed drastically. He read the not-so-long letter to the end, his fingers trembling slightly.

At this moment, the old housekeeper brought tea and snacks, and as soon as he opened the door, Jian Sihui walked out in a corner of his clothes.He was taken aback, and hurriedly said, "My lord, where are you going?"

Jian Sihui paused slightly, gritted his teeth and said, "Prepare your horse and go to Fang Shilang's residence!"

Liu Yanzhao was so busy tracking down Zhang Jingche's whereabouts that he didn't even realize that the family in the capital that had been suppressed by him for many years was about to move in an invisible corner.Soon, the turmoil merged into a dark undercurrent, stalking under the calm water of the capital, just waiting to stir up trouble.

Youyunwei and Jinyiwei were ordered by the emperor, and they also had the duties of prison, supervision, and clerkship. The newly appointed commander of Jinyiwei should have noticed something wrong at the first time, but he was busy searching the capital, so he was really at a loss.When the end of the year was approaching and the northwest wind was roaring and domineering, the Empress Dowager Wu once again called Emperor Xinglong into the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and ordered people to serve him a cup of sweet soup for peace of mind and spirit.

Liu Yanzhao took two sips and frowned: "This is... almond lotus seed dew? Lotus seeds are not something that should be used for the occasion. Why did the queen mother think of preparing this?"

The empress dowager twirled the beads between her fingers, and the incense mist from the altar hung between her eyebrows: "The lotus seeds clear the heart and relieve the fire. Although it is not suitable for the occasion, it is in line with the symptoms of the emperor."

Liu Yanzhao's expression darkened, and he put the bowl lid back on the cup: "Queen Mother, just speak up if you have something to say."

The queen mother then said bluntly: "Emperor, you have had enough nonsense these days!"

Liu Yanzhao has been on the throne for many years, and he is used to his promises, but now he is reprimanded again and again. Those daring assassins come and go, and even the palace has people crawling in and out of it... I thoroughly investigated this matter, and I also think about the safety of myself and my mother!"

The queen mother turned the beads, and there was kindness and compassion in her eyes: "The emperor wants to thoroughly investigate the chaotic party, and the Ai family can't say anything, but you ask yourself, how much of the commotion is for the sake of the Ai family, and how much is it? Is it because of the remnants of Zhang?"

Liu Yanzhao clasped the fingers of the teacup tightly: "He is a criminal and an assassin's accomplice, so it is only natural that he be arrested and brought to justice! Besides, Youyunwei was founded by him and has been operating in Beijing for many years. He has many accomplices. If I don't find this person, I will always have trouble sleeping and eating."

The queen mother sighed: "You can just fool outsiders with your rhetoric, but how can you hide it from your own mother? Since four years ago, you have been concerned about the remnant of that surname Zhang, and later learned that he is still alive, so why are you so happy?" As if, in the name of rewarding the army, Xiao Heshan was ordered to go to the northwest to bring the man back... Now that the man has escaped from the palace under your nose, how can you swallow this breath? He said 'captured and brought to justice' , When you find him back, don’t you want to tie him firmly by your side?”

Liu Yanzhao was said to be the center of the matter, he was speechless for a moment, and after a while he said: "Mother, I am the Son of Heaven!"

Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Wu's remarks coincided with Zhang Jingche's: "Even the Son of Heaven, there are things he can do and can't do, and he doesn't do everything as he pleases! It's like before, when you pressed the aristocratic family step by step, and finally drove Jian Sihui to death." , we have to take a Han Xun! Now that the remnant Zhang has escaped, the emperor should arrest him, but he should not ignore the others for the sake of one person!"

Liu Yanzhao took a deep breath, and managed to suppress the anger rising up his throat: "...What the empress mother taught me is that my son knows it."

The relationship between Empress Dowager Wu and Emperor Xinglong had just eased, and she had no intention of being too persuasive, and then softened her tone: "I know that the emperor is very affectionate, and Zhang Jingche on the left and right can't escape the capital, and he can always be found. How to deal with it at that time is of course a matter of course." It's up to you...but right now, the emperor has more important things to do, so don't mess up the priorities."

This time, Liu Yanzhao finally listened to it: "The empress refers to..."

"The first one is the year-end ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven," Empress Dowager Wu said. "Now that the northern barbarians have conferred their heads and the frontiers have been settled, this is an inexhaustible feat, and it all depends on the emperor's kindness. Therefore, this year's ceremony must be grand, so that the people of the world will know , the emperor is wise and benevolent, no less than the ancient sages."

This is a serious matter, Liu Yanzhao nodded his head convinced: "The queen mother is right, counting the days, it should be taken care of."

"Also, these days, the queen's condition is getting worse and worse. The imperial hospital has been looking at her in turn, and they only say that she will be fine after this winter." Empress Dowager Wu rubbed her forehead. Gently rubbing her temples, "How do you say, the empress is also the emperor's first wife. These days, have you visited her in Zhaoyang Palace?"

Liu Yanzhao interrogated the spies in the inner palace, and Zhaoyang Palace was not spared. The empress's condition was aggravated by several disturbances, and she was drowsy for most of the day.These days, Liu Yanzhao got angry because of Zhang Jingche, and no one dared to come to him easily. As a result, the queen's illness was delayed again and again, and no one reported it to the emperor until now.

Hearing this, Liu Yanzhao was a little surprised, and also a little guilty: "My son, my son has been busy with government affairs these days, so I didn't take care of these things... I heard from the imperial doctor a while ago that although the queen is seriously ill, she will not be unable to think about it. So serious all of a sudden? Erchen, go and have a look!"

He made a gesture to stand up, but the queen mother waved her hand and signaled the emperor to sit down: "The queen is sick...Jian Sihui died, and of course he deserved it, but he was the emperor's head of state after all, and he made great contributions back then. The emperor's respect for his dearest relatives Your family is persecuting you like this, and you fall into the eyes of others, how should you think of you?"

Liu Yanzhao had a bunch of thorns in his heart. Although he was a noble son and granted the title of East Palace, he was constrained for half his life - the late emperor, family, and even his biological mother could suppress him, even Zhang Jingche, who was a criminal , and disdain him in every possible way.

Liu Yanzhao always remembered the look in Zhang Jingche's eyes, the undisguised contempt and mockery, as sharp as a blade suddenly unsheathed.Under the gaze of that person, he felt ashamed of himself, and then asked himself: Can I really take care of the country?

Is it true that I am not worthy of virtue?

This idea took root in Liu Yanzhao's mind like a bewilderment, torturing him day and night, making him more suspicious and more intolerant of others' criticism of him during the tossing and suffering.

"Mother," Liu Yanzhao said coldly, "it's related to the government. I have my own considerations. Mother is in the harem, so I should focus on recuperation. Don't worry too much about these foreign affairs."

Empress Dowager Wu stared at him blankly, her fingertips slipped without warning, and the emerald beads rolled to the ground.