The whole world is waiting for my deposed empress

Everyone thought that this was the final decisive battle between Xiqin and Nanguo, and they would have to fight to the death to determine the Lord of Qindi before they could stop.

No one could have imagined that this decisive battle would end in a tragic situation where the emperor of one country fell off a cliff and the other was poisoned.

Xiqin's army was busy looking for the emperor, wanting to see people alive and corpses, so the whole army had no intention of fighting.

The emperor of the Southern Kingdom was seriously ill from poisoning, and for some reason, a plague suddenly broke out. It is said that the plague spread from the palace. The skin of the infected person will have rugged patterns and poisonous spots, which can be disfigured in mild cases or fatal in severe cases. , Even the frontier army suffered, and naturally they have no energy to fight.

The two countries therefore ceased fighting.

The news that Huaijin fell off the cliff and disappeared was not concealed, and the whole Xiqin panicked.

A country cannot be without a king for a day. If the emperor dies, he can go through the process to let the prince succeed him. Now his life and death are unknown, and there is only one male queen in the palace who controls the government.

When the emperor was safe and sound, Xi Qin could still accept Ming Feiqing's temporary supervision of the country. It was not impossible for a year or two. After all, with him around, Xi Qin was surprisingly stable during the war.

But now that the new emperor's life and death are unknown, maybe he won't be able to come back. Is it possible that Ming Feiqing will permanently control the government as a male empress?

This power, which is tantamount to deputy emperor, has been held in his hands for a long time, and there is no guarantee that he will not become the real emperor. Does Xiqin Jiangshan want to change his surname to Ming?

Although the monarchs of the Huai clan made mistakes of varying sizes in their later years, they were still mostly benevolent monarchs. Not only the civil and military officials, but also the common people could not accept that the Huai clan was easily replaced by Ming Feiqing.

The doubts and suspicions that were finally subsided have returned.

Someone brought up the late emperor's last decree, saying that Dixing would indeed replace the Huai family's throne, making alarmist remarks and making people feel uneasy.

Someone also mentioned the third prince Huai Qi on the eastern border, saying that even if the new emperor did not come back, there was still a prince of the orthodox Huai family blood, and it should be the third prince who was ordered to carry the Xiqin River and Mountains, not Ming Feiqing and That Huai Yuan who was raised from nowhere.

The proposal to let the third prince return to Beijing to preside over the overall situation was quickly written into the memorial.

Ming Feiqing read five or six letters in a row, all of which mentioned this matter.

Huai Qi was the only imperial brother of Huai Ziyu who did not kill, it was only because Huai Qi had been raised under the empress Shu's lap for a year when he was a child, and his brotherhood with Huai Jin was deeper, but only a little.

Back then, before Tuzhou was attacked by the southern kingdom, Huaijin predicted the crisis in advance, asked the imperial city for help a month in advance, and wrote a memorial requesting army reinforcements, which was rushed to the palace, but did not receive any response .

During that month, Huai Ziyu wrote ten memorials, all of which were requests for reinforcements from the imperial city.

The reason why Ming Feiqing remembers it so clearly is because he was the one who grinded it for Huai Jin with his own hands.

However, none of the ten memorials received a response.

When Tuzhou was massacred, naturally no support army came to help.

After Huaijin's [-] fraternal soldiers and [-] civilians were all dead, and Ming Feiqing was captured into the Southern Kingdom, Huai Ziyu found out that all ten memorials were held by his brothers. , It couldn't be sent to the old emperor at all.

Since then, in Huai Ziyu's eyes, the words "brothers and brothers" no longer exist.

He killed all the imperial brothers who had withheld the memorial. Since the third prince only knew about it and did not report it, and because they had called the imperial concubine Shu "mother concubine" together, Huaijin did not kill him, but only did not give up. killer.

The eastern border is the most barren land in Xiqin. It is windy and sandy all the year round, cold in winter and hot in summer. It is not like a place where people can live.

Huaiqi spent three years on the eastern border, but failed to return to the capital once.

As for the hatred of Tuzhou, Ming Feiqing and Huai Ziyu were in perfect harmony, he knew the inside story, when he heard about Huai Jin's brutal murder that day, he didn't think Huai Ziyu was scary at all, but he just felt that Ah Jin was pitiful from the bottom of his heart.

When the old emperor suppressed Huaijin because of these princes, Ming Feiqing in his previous life was also willing to understand Huaiziyu's difficulties.

Now Ming Feiqing will naturally reject all the proposals in these memorials, but he knows that this is not a long-term solution.

The commander of the capital, Wen Heng, has been waiting in the Heyang Hall. Seeing the sad face on the back of the king, he guessed the reason and said: "Recently, in the court hall, everyone is advocating that the third prince should return to Beijing to preside over the overall situation. Does the queen plan to call him back?"

Ming Feiqing said without thinking: "Huaiqi wants to return to Beijing? In the next life."

Wen Heng was taken aback for a moment, and suddenly said bitterly: "Your Majesty also said this sentence, verbatim."

Ming Feiqing: "... On this matter, I understand his hatred."

Ming Feiqing was good-looking, and his behavior was gentle and calm. Only then did Wen Heng boldly say: "People say that the emperor and empress are at odds in private, but my ministers feel that it is not those foreign ministers who can see through the harmony and discord between the emperor and empress." of."

Ming Feiqing glanced at Wen Heng, motioning for him to continue talking.

Wen Heng went on to say: "Just like now, His Majesty's life or death is uncertain, and only you can stabilize the situation for him. If it were someone else, you would have already had a different heart. Just say that this group of courtiers who wanted the third prince to return to Beijing, their selfishness is obvious. Ruojie."

Ming Feiqing said softly, "I did this only to protect myself."

His voice was a little hoarse, half a month had passed since he knew that Huaijin had fallen off the cliff, and he seemed to be a normal person on the surface, as if he didn't care about Huai Ziyu's life or death, and he didn't care if he could come back.

However, in the eyes of others, the queen is getting more and more haggard day by day, and this haggardness cannot be concealed.

Ming Feiqing held a vermilion pen, and rejected a memorial for the third prince to return to the capital. He couldn't help asking: "In the current situation, if Huaiqi forces his way into the imperial city, what is the probability of success?"

Wen Heng: "Almost zero."

Ming Feiqing: "Why are you so sure?"

Wen Heng: "When His Majesty expelled him to the border that day, he had envisioned the situation like today, so he set up twelve checkpoints in advance."

Wen Heng went to the cowhide map, and marked out twelve eastern states on the boundary of Xiqin: "If the third prince wants to return to Beijing, he must pass through these twelve cities on the way, and in these twelve cities, All of them are guarded by His Majesty's confidantes. If the third prince wants to attack the capital by force, he must first pass through these twelve checkpoints. There are all elites. The little soldiers in the hands of the third prince are afraid that they will be bloodbathed when they reach the third city. If he dares to attack and return to Beijing without summons, he will not only fail, but also end up being punished for treason."

Not only Ming Feiqing and Huaijin will never forget the life-debt owed by the [-] people in Tuzhou, but even those who are still bloody will never forget how these princes once treated the people like nothing.

Wen Heng said: "So, your queen can rest assured, as long as you don't order the third prince to return to Beijing, the third prince will die suddenly at the border, and he will not be buried back in the capital."

This was a situation set up by Huaijin. Many years ago, he solved half of today's dilemma for Ming Feiqing.

Ming Feiqing didn't want to admit that Huai Ziyu was good, so he wrote a few words on the memorial in a state of distraught, "Tomorrow this group of officials will definitely make a memorial requesting Huaiqi to return to Beijing, and then it will be another tough battle."

Wen Heng cupped his hands and said: "Don't worry, Your Majesty's confidants are your confidantes. Tomorrow, you will definitely not be alone."

Ming Feiqing said without raising his head: "You step back."

Wen Heng was about to leave now, and when he reached the gate of Heyang Hall, he suddenly heard the slightly hoarse voice behind him reluctantly asking: "Border... Is there any new news?"

Wen Heng had expected it a long time ago, and turned back to report: "Your Majesty has not been found yet. The bottom of the cliff is sand and rivers. It has been covered with ice and snow for half a month, so there is no clue."

Ming Feiqing lowered her eyes and said, "I see."

He muttered in a low voice that only he could hear: "I just thought, whether it is life or death, there must be an explanation."

On the second day, early morning.

Ming Feiqing sat on the phoenix chair on the left side of the dragon chair.

He probably didn't sleep well last night, when he was dazed he saw Huai Ziyu sitting beside him, pushing aside the crown and smiling at him.

However, in the blink of an eye, those phantoms dissipated, and the dragon chair was still empty.

Today, he is the only one facing civil and military officials.

After the group of ministers performed the salute, as Ming Feiqing expected, he cut to the point and forced him to issue an edict for the third prince to return to Beijing to preside over the overall situation.

Prime Minister Lin took the lead.

"It's not a long-term solution for the queen to supervise the country. The orthodox royal blood should be allowed to return to Beijing to be the master of Xiqin."

Lin Xiangyi's party has a strong voice in the ruling and opposition parties. As soon as this remark was made, many people echoed it.

Wen Heng stepped forward and said: "The third prince was exiled to the border because he committed a serious crime back then. It was the emperor's own order that he could not return to Beijing unless he was recalled. The imperial decree was issued by the first emperor. Today, the prime minister wants to overturn the decision of the two kings?" ? You are treason!"

Behind Wen Heng are all people Huaijin trusts.

Since Huai Ziyu can secure the throne, it is naturally impossible for him to be controlled by Lin's party.

Ming Feiqing just didn't expect that this group of people spoke so boldly that they would put a big pot on the Prime Minister when they came up.

Lin Xiang was so angry that he blew his beard and stared: "How dare you slander the court officials!"

"Everyone here, who is not an official of the imperial court?" Yushi Zhongcheng He Lanqi said in a strange way, "Lin Xiang's official prestige has been put in front of the queen, it is really amazing."

Prime Minister Lin was furious, but he didn't get entangled with these juniors. Instead, he looked at Ming Feiqing and said, "Your Majesty's life and death are uncertain now, and we all hope that your Majesty will return safely, but if there is an emergency... the Empress really intends to Do you exceed your authority and become the emperor of Xiqin?!"

He Lanqi scrambled to defend: "Your Majesty has already raised Prince Huaiyuan, even if there is an eventuality, it should be Huaiyuan who inherits the throne, and it will not be the third prince's turn to be a repeat offender!"

The officials of Lin's party said: "There is only one man in the emperor's harem, and he is barren. Huaiyuan was adopted, not of royal blood!"

"So what about adopting him? As long as the empress recognizes him as his own flesh and blood, then Huaiyuan is Xiqin's undisputed prince!"

The two sides quarreled over whether Huaiyuan was qualified to inherit the throne, and they almost turned on each other.

Ming Feiqing didn't even insert a word, he really didn't expect that the confidantes behind Huaijin were capable of both literary and martial arts, won battles, and their articulation was not forgiving.

Prime Minister Lin's words were all aimed at Ming Feiqing, while He Lan, Qi Wenheng and others stood in front of Ming Feiqing like a shield, blocking all the sharp arrows of words, not only that, but also retorted, making Lin's One party scolded bloody.

Ming Feiqing looked at the two people who were about to fight below, feeling helpless and having a headache.

"Stop arguing!" Prime Minister Lin stopped the scolding battle, and said, "If Huaiyuan is really His Majesty's appointed prince, I will naturally have nothing to say, but now that His Majesty is not here, he has never ordered to rectify Huaiyuan's name." I have no choice but to suspect that Huai Yuan is a puppet brought in by the empress to usurp the throne and interfere in politics!"

Ming Feiqing looked at Prime Minister Lin coldly.

Huaiyuan is still young, so he is easy to be controlled by others. If the identity of the prince is determined early, it will inevitably make the queen mother have undue thoughts.

Therefore, Huaijin has not made a decree yet, and only privately regards Huaiyuan as an heir to cultivate.

If the prime minister doesn't let go, this matter will be very difficult.

Ming Feiqing can only hope that Prime Minister Lin doesn't know much.

Lin Xiang met Ming Feiqing's gaze, and said sinisterly: "I heard that Huaiyuan is the bastard born from the sexual intercourse between Princess Derou and the criminals in the corruption case."

As soon as these words came out, the court was in an uproar.

Wen Heng and the others were also taken aback.

After all, the origin of Huaiyuan is a palace secret, not many people know about it.

This hit caught everyone off guard.

Ming Feiqing clenched the armrests of the Feng chair.

Prime Minister Lin said aggressively: "Princess Derou poisoned the commander-in-chief before the war, was deprived of her title by the late emperor, and was placed under house arrest in the suburbs of Beijing. She is no longer an orthodox princess of the royal family. Husband is still a corrupt criminal!"

He turned to look at all the officials in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and asked loudly: "The bastard born to such unbearable parents has turned into the prince of my Xiqin? As we all know, the king and Shoukang Palace have always been at odds. How can he do that?" Maybe to take care of Derou's child?"

He turned around and looked at Ming Feiqing again: "I can only guess that it was the Queen who concealed Huaiyuan's origins and deceived the Holy Majesty in order to sit firmly in the back seat, and waited for the day to support the youngest son and control the entire Xiqin in a legitimate way! "

Ming Feiqing's face was heavy. He had never thought of using Huai Yuan, but he was helpless in the face of Prime Minister Lin's accusation.

Because of such things, it is not unprecedented in previous dynasties.

What outsiders saw was that Xinwu Palace adopted the son of a criminal with impure thoughts.

No one would believe that Ming Feiqing only saved the child's life because he saw how pitiful he was. Huaijin went so generously to adopt the blood of Ming Feiqing who killed his mother and enemy.

In the eyes of outsiders, every move of the royal family is for power and profit.

Seeing that Ming Feiqing was in a predicament, Prime Minister Lin was full of arrogance: "Unless Your Majesty comes to clarify for you in person, otherwise, the Queen has done such a nasty thing, and she is no longer worthy of sitting on this phoenix chair!"

"The emperor is here!!"

Suddenly there was a loud voice from outside the hall.

Everyone in the court was shocked!

Ming Feiqing was shocked, and looked towards the gate of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, only to see Zhang Qi, the national teacher, walking in holding a plate covered with brocade under the dazzling sunlight.

Ming Feiqing's heart was inexplicably empty - it wasn't Huaijin.

Prime Minister Lin heaved a sigh of relief, and accused: "The national teacher is so courageous! How dare you pretend to be the Holy One!"

Zhang Qi stepped onto the jade platform, lifted the brocade cloth embroidered with dragon patterns, and an imperial decree stood in front of everyone in amazement.

"Seeing the imperial decree is like seeing the sage, Lin Xiang still doesn't kneel down?!"

Prime Minister Lin was shocked, so he had to accept his fate and knelt down. All civil and military officials also shouted long live to the imperial decree.

Ming Feiqing stood up - Huaijin actually left an imperial edict? !

Zhang Qi turned his head and glanced at the queen, and then unfolded the imperial decree, and read with great enthusiasm: "The prince Huaiyuan is smart and smart, and he will become a great weapon. Let Huaiyuan be the crown prince. The child is young, and the empress Ming Feiqing will be in charge." In government affairs, civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty must respect the queen, and the queen's order is also my emperor's order, and anyone who violates it will be killed without mercy."

After the imperial decree was finished, Prime Minister Lin immediately said, "Is there a national seal on it?!"

Zhang Qi displayed the imperial decree in front of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty. The "Treasure of the Son of Heaven" on it is majestic and eye-catching. It is the imperial decree written by Huai Ziyu himself, and the seal stamped by himself!

Prime Minister Lin didn't dare to have any further objections, he just asked, "When did Your Majesty issue this decree?"

Zhang Qi held up the imperial decree and said: "This is the last decree that His Majesty made in secret before he set off on the expedition."

Ming Feiqing's pupils trembled.

Zhang Qi looked at the Queen, and these words seemed to say to him: "Your Majesty said that he would die on the battlefield, and if anything happens to him, Wanwang Ziwei Xing can protect the people of Xiqin. Your Majesty, please accept this will." .”

The hands hidden under the sleeves clenched a little, Ming Feiqing retreated subconsciously, but was blocked by the gilded phoenix chair.

He could only reach out his hand and accept the will.

"Now, is this hall justifiable?"

His voice was muffled, giving others the illusion that he was about to cry.

Ming Feiqing didn't shed a single tear, he looked down at Prime Minister Lin condescendingly: "Prime Minister Lin, who made you stand up?"

Prime Minister Lin was startled, and was forced to kneel down again by Ming Feiqing's gaze.

"Lin Jiuchang, colluding with the criminal minister Huaiqi, slandering the crown prince, and being disrespectful to the hall is also wrong..."

The word "Xiandi", Ming Feiqing couldn't say it no matter what, he restrained his sorrow, and said: "This hall uses the power of the emperor to remove your official title as prime minister, do you have any objections?"

Lin Jiuchang was shocked: "I am the minister of the first emperor, how dare you!"

Ming Feiqing took the will, walked to the dragon chair, sat down calmly, touched the dragon on the armrest, and looked down upon the officials:

"So far, what else am I not afraid of?"