"What a death." The Empress Dowager looked at Fang Zilan steadily, with a trace of obvious fear in her eyes.
She originally thought she would give up her tail to survive and abandon everyone in the north. Even if she can escape by then, she will be a target of gossip and fall from her high position as a minister, and she will no longer have anything to fear.
But she didn't expect that she would actually develop a hard bone.
It was said that he came to ask the Empress Dowager to show her noble hand, but in fact it was coercion and coercion.
She is willing to take risks and is not afraid of the consequences of her death and reputation, but aren't the Wang family, the royal family, and even the Empress Dowager standing behind them afraid?
Thinking about it this way, it actually seemed a little more provocative and demonstrative.
The more the Empress Dowager thought about it, the more annoyed she became, and she shouted in a deep voice: "The Duke of Yue State, Zi Lan, barged into the harem without permission and offended the majesty of the royal family. Come here, drag the Ai family down and give him a hard whip!"
Before the attendants on the side took action, they heard Fang Zilan say: "Wait a minute." She was so full of momentum that no one dared to step forward.
She only heard her say in a cold voice: "I entered the palace with the official's order, which is not considered trespassing. Furthermore, I hold a high position as a public official, one person is subordinate to ten thousand people, and no one can punish me except your majesty. The emperor and the queen mother scolded me. , Aren’t you afraid of humiliating His Majesty?”
She watched with satisfaction as the Empress Dowager turned blue with anger, and then she stopped talking, "However, since the Empress Dowager wants to be punished, then I will admit it."
After saying that, she ignored the people who were standing there and walked out of the Yuzhang Palace. She knelt at the door of the palace and said loudly: "The people in the north have offended the Empress Dowager, and Fang Zilan is willing to be punished on their behalf. The Emperor." If the Queen Mother doesn't calm down, I will kneel here and not get up."
Her voice was so loud that it could be heard clearly both inside and outside Yuzhang Palace.
The Empress Dowager was even more furious. When she said this, the incident in the North seemed to be an unreasonable cause of her Empress Dowager, and a major corruption case turned out to be a way for the superior to make a temper. This way Xiaojiazi is so angry that he is really very good.
The nuns beside the Empress Dowager had been following her for a long time, and they couldn't help but ask: "My Majesty, are you really going to let Master Fang kneel outside?"
"If she is willing to kneel, let her kneel." The Empress Dowager looked gloomy, "It's true that the Ai family underestimated her before. Since she wants to make trouble, she might as well make it known to the world and make it in front of the emperor to see if the emperor still Can we save her?"
At this time, in the imperial study room, Li Shengxuan heard someone report that Fang Zilan had contradicted the Empress Dowager and was kneeling in front of Yuzhang Palace to plead for everyone in the north.
After hearing this, his face couldn't help but darken. Xia Houzhang beside him also shook his head and said: "Master Fang can't help but be so angry."
Li Shengxuan casually dismissed the people who came and said in a low voice: "It's not that she can't keep her temper, I'm afraid she is sincere to everyone in the North."
Xia Houzhang was shocked and said in disbelief: "Your Majesty means..."
"Didn't you hear what she said?" Li Shengxuan's tone became more solemn, "Not everyone dares to say that one's body and reputation will be destroyed. Those who hold high positions are all doing their best to hang on, for fear that one day they will lose their high position. If you fall, you will never be able to get back up. It's good for her, she said it so calmly, as if it didn't concern her."
Xia Houzhang was involuntarily stunned by Li Shengxuan's words, and felt an inexplicable awe at the end.
For people in the world, it is easy to die physically, and it is not difficult to die in name.
But the weight of these four words together, death and reputation, is really heavy. Only people like them who have tried their best to stand in high positions understand that those who dare to speak out will definitely risk their lives.
After a long time, Xia Houzhang spoke again: "Your Majesty, forget about everything else and just investigate the case. I think Master Fang is right. It would be more fair to ask a minister from outside the northern border to investigate. It’s better than letting the two adults from the Wang family come to investigate.”
Li Shengxuan said nothing and looked sideways out of the window.
At some point, snowflakes began to float outside and fell in a flourishing manner. It reminded him of that day in the Imperial Study Room - she asked him, "Does Your Majesty still remember Xia Houyan?"
The people in the north today are just like Xia Houyan in the past.
At that time, he left Xia Houyan and others in the Wind River Valley, not without thinking about what would happen, but he couldn't help but eventually let him abandon them.
"Xia Houzhang." Li Shengxuan asked slowly, word by word: "Tell me, what if I let go of Fang Zilan today, what if I don't let go?"
"If Your Majesty abandons Fang Zilan, I am afraid that it will chill the hearts of the soldiers in the north, and also chill the hearts of the poor disciples headed by Zhong Yao. It will also give people from the former dynasty like Qi Yuming a reason to rebel." Every sentence was spoken very slowly, as if it had been carefully considered over and over again.
Li Shengxuan raised his eyes and looked at him, "According to your opinion, I must protect Fang Zilan?"
"But if Your Majesty protects Fang Zilan..." Xiahou Zhang paused, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, "I'm afraid that from now on, the powerful people in the court, led by the Empress Dowager and King Yucheng, will cause turmoil in the imperial court. disturbed."
Hearing this, Li Shengxuan suddenly smiled slightly and said: "Fang Zilan has put the power of choice into my hands, but how does she know that I will never abandon her?"
"Your Majesty, Xia Houzhang is stupid and presumes that Lord Fang does not believe that Your Majesty will protect her." Xia Houzhang's voice was trembling, but he did not hesitate, "She was afraid that she had prepared the worst before entering the palace to meet the Emperor. The Queen Mother’s. Even if His Majesty cannot protect her, she will protect everyone in the North at the cost of her own life and reputation.”
Xia Houzhang's words shocked Li Shengxuan's heart. It was only at this moment that he realized that Fang Zilan's words were never high-sounding words.
From the moment she was appointed as the head coach and went to the northern border, perhaps she had become an unscrupulous puppet under the influence of power. However, even though she was a puppet, she still took on her responsibilities.
Now in the case in the North, as long as she is not involved, there is always a way to escape. But she stood up on her own and reached the forefront of the storm, not recklessly without knowing the consequences, but thoughtfully and bravely.
She said, who in the world has no worries? It's just that she is unwilling to do so.
In fact, isn't he unwilling? But being imprisoned in the position of emperor, he may never be able to be as generous as she is.
He couldn't protect Xia Houyan, but she risked her life and death to protect everyone in the north.
Such a comparison actually made him feel a little ashamed, and even made him feel determined.
After a while, Li Shengxuan collected his thoughts, looked at Xia Houzhang and asked, "How long has she been kneeling in front of Yuzhang Palace?"
Xia Houzhang quickly replied: "It's been more than an hour."
"It's almost done." Li Shengxuan smoothed out the wrinkles on his robes without haste, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, you have knelt down and begged in the snow for an hour, and you have given enough dignity to the Empress Dowager. Let's go, Come with me and have a look."
After saying that, he stood up and left the imperial study room.
