On the seventh day of the first lunar month, the news came out that Li Shengxuan personally went to Jiangnan, shocking both the government and the public.
Suddenly, there was a lot of discussion in the capital. From the death of a person in the New Year's Eve social drama on New Year's Eve to the scandal at Xu Youtong's house at night, it seemed to indicate that this was destined to be an uneven year. Now the emperor of Beijing is leaving the capital again...
Although no one said it, what everyone was thinking was that they hoped that Li Shengxuan would stay in Beijing and stabilize the situation. However, his ideas were too correct, and once he decided something, it would be difficult to change it.
So all the censors at the Censorship Station heard the news and took the lead in writing a letter to persuade Li Shengxuan to stay in the capital. However, there was no follow-up to the letter after it was submitted. It was neither rejected nor adopted, and everything was shelved.
Seeing that the Yushitai, who was testing the waters, was in trouble, other officials in the court did not dare to act rashly. It was neither a matter of submitting a letter nor a letter. When the two sides were in a dilemma, they heard the news that the Empress Dowager was about to return to the Yuzhang Palace.
"What are you talking about? The Empress Dowager is going back to the palace?" Fang Zilan was so shocked that she almost couldn't hold the medicine bowl. Fortunately, Awan had quick eyesight and quick hands, and held it up in time, so that the medicine bowl would not fall to the ground.
"This medicine is expensive, be careful!" A Wan shook her red fingers, "It's absolutely true. The palace people are all in a rage, and there are also some rumors outside, saying..."
She lowered her voice as she spoke, and leaned into Fang Zilan's ear, "Your Majesty has gone to Jiangnan for a kiss, and I'm afraid he won't come back."
Fang Zilan suddenly turned cold, "If His Majesty doesn't come back, will he give up the throne to King Yucheng?"
"Shh!" Awan quickly reached out to cover Fang Zilan's mouth, "It's good that you know, why do you have to say it? What if the walls have ears..."
"Who can hide this from my ears?" Fang Zilan raised her eyebrows with a half-smile, "Don't worry, Qiu Chan went to chant sutras and pray with the Queen, no one will come."
"Reciting sutras and praying for blessings?" Awan looked suspicious, "When did the Queen change her gender and actually started chanting sutras and praying for blessings?"
"What are you talking about?" Fang Zilan said amusedly: "The capital worships Buddhism, isn't it natural for the Queen to recite sutras and pray for blessings?"
Awan pursed her lips and changed her voice as if she remembered something, "By the way, I have one more thing to tell you."
Fang Zilan saw that Awan's expression was a little more serious, so she couldn't help but sit up straight and asked, "What's the matter?"
"It has something to do with Mr. Xie Yanping, the Yin of Jingzhao Mansion." A Wan looked worried. "He said that Mr. Xu Youtong's house was not an ordinary accident, but someone deliberately set fire to it, and everyone in the house was killed before that. Arson. , just to cover up the truth of the murder."
Fang Zilan calmed her expression and said quietly: "Awan, what do you want to say?"
"Fang Zilan, someone will find out the truth." Awan held Fang Zilan's shoulders and stared into her eyes, "Master Xie Yanping will not give up. As long as he continues to investigate, one day..."
"Even if there is such a day." Fang Zilan interrupted Awan in a deep voice, "I will not escape."
"But..." Awan hesitated, and finally said: "As far as I know, Mr. Xie Yanping has been kneeling outside the palace for a day. It just snowed yesterday..."
She paused for a moment before saying, "If Mr. Xie Yanping insists on remonstrating, your Majesty cannot ignore it. If the matter becomes serious, officials and even the people of the world will not give up easily."
"The matter has become serious." Fang Zilan's expression was gloomy and unclear, "Dozens of people in the Xu family died overnight. No matter how you look at it, it is a shocking case."
"Then you can still sit still?" Awan's brows knitted together, and Fang Zilan said noncommittally: "Because there are more important things, otherwise why do you think the Empress Dowager suddenly returned to the palace?"
Hearing this, Awan was stunned, "Are these two things related?"
Fang Zilan did not answer directly, but said paradoxically: "If His Majesty goes to Jiangnan in person, someone will be needed in the capital. The affairs of the court can be left to His Highness King Yucheng, and the affairs of the harem can be left to the Queen, but the people in this city... …”
She paused meaningfully for a moment and then said: "We need to be led by a superior person who can stabilize people's hearts."
"Can't His Highness King Yucheng and the Empress control people's hearts?" Awan asked doubtfully: "With their status, isn't it easy to stabilize people's hearts?"
"Not necessarily." Fang Zilan shook her head, "The Empress Dowager has gone through the chaos of the previous dynasty and three generations of emperors, and she can stabilize people's hearts better than any relatives of the emperor."
"So what you're saying is..." Awan's eyes widened, "The Empress Dowager is most likely invited back to Yuzhang Palace by His Majesty?"
"Yes." Fang Zilan nodded slightly, "However, for some people, this is also a signal."
"What signal?" Awan asked curiously, and Fang Zilan lowered her eyes and said, "Before His Majesty ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager joined forces with the ministers of the court to assist His Majesty King Yucheng in ascending the throne. Now if His Majesty is not in the capital, you Do you think they can still keep their composure?"
Awan was so shocked that she couldn't open her mouth from ear to ear and whispered: "This is treason, how dare they..."
Fang Zilan snorted lightly but didn't say much. At the same time, in the imperial study room, Li Shengxuan and Zhuge Yu stood opposite each other, talking about the same thing.
"Your Majesty, when the Empress Dowager returns to Beijing, I'm afraid..." Zhuge Yu didn't continue, and Li Shengxuan said, "Are you afraid that she will encourage Qiyou to usurp the throne?"
"It's not impossible." Zhuge Yu said frankly, and Li Shengxuan's lips curved slightly, "Although the Empress Dowager dotes on her and prays for her blessings, in the current situation, what is right and what is wrong, she has never disappointed."
Zhuge Yu's expression froze, "Your Majesty, are you talking about Yuning King Ji Ningtian?"
Li Shengxuan narrowed his eyes and his expression became a little sharp, "The resentment between the Pei family and the previous royal family is very deep. As long as Ji Ningtian is in the capital, the Empress Dowager will not let down her guard."
Hearing this, Zhuge Yu finally understood. Li Shengxuan probably heard the rumors outside, but he did not place his hope on Li Qiyou not usurping the throne. Instead, he used Ji Ningtian and the Empress Dowager to contain each other. , thus leaving Li Qiyou with no time to take care of him.
However, his questions eventually needed to be answered by someone.
"Your Majesty, do you really believe that King Yuning Ji Ningtian has nothing to do with the recent cases?"
Zhuge Yu's words were like throwing a stone into the sea, without causing any splash. Li Shengxuan looked calm and said: "No matter whether Ji Ningtian is related to the recent case or not, he is inseparable from the Jiangnan corruption case. However, it is not appropriate to alert the snake at this time. After the Jiangnan corruption case is investigated, it will not be too late to deal with it together."
Dispose of them together? Zhuge Yu was shocked when he heard these words. He knew very well that Fang Zilan was involved. Would Li Shengxuan also deal with her?
