Zhu Biao was originally immersed in the grief of losing his son and reacted very slowly to Han Du's words. He saw his father and Han Du looking at him together.
He asked doubtfully: "Father, Han Du, what are you looking at us for?" Zhu Biao suddenly came back to his senses, his eyes widened, and said: "You don't think it's us, do you?"
Is not it?
Han Du had a suspicious look on his face.
In the entire East Palace, except for you, Zhu Biao, even the mosquitoes are female. Who else is it not you? If a female officer is pregnant, it cannot be because she is pregnant on her own. There must be another man who cooperates. The biggest suspect is naturally Zhu Biao.
This is also the reason why Han Du and Mao Xiang shirk each other.
If Zhu Biao really had an affair with this female official, it would be a big problem. From Zhu Biao's point of view, his "kind and generous" image in the hearts of hundreds of officials will collapse in an instant. The reputation that has been accumulated among the officials for a long time will be gone in an instant.
Because, if Zhu Biao really likes this female official, he can adopt her as a concubine through formal channels, so that neither the emperor nor the officials will say anything. After all, Zhu Biao was fulfilling his responsibilities as the prince by spreading his branches.
But if you give birth to a child in private, that would be too much. This is not a matter of things, but a matter of a person's character and morality.
You could obviously accept her as a concubine, but you refused to accept her, and instead had an affair in private. This is not low moral character. What is this?
And an ordinary person's low moral character may not have much impact. He may die in society. Being thick-skinned does not mean he cannot survive. But if it were Zhu Biao, the future prince, the problem would be huge. The Ming Dynasty governed the country with filial piety. How could a person with low moral character be qualified to be an emperor and govern the world?
Zhu Biao is the heir that Lao Zhu has cultivated with painstaking efforts for more than ten years. If he cannot ascend the throne, wouldn't it mean that Lao Zhu's hard work for so many years has been in vain?
If this is the case, Lao Zhu will definitely go crazy! In addition, Lao Zhu had just experienced the tragic death of his legitimate grandson. Under the wrath of thunder, it was light to kill people with heads rolling down and blood flowing into rivers.
This is why Mao Xiang tried his best to push Han Du to the front. If he didn't push Han Du to the front, and if he came to report the news to the emperor, Mao Xiang would die without a burial. Good ending. Even if it was Zhu Biao's problem in the end, he would be alienated by the emperor. And for a person like him, once he alienates the emperor, he is not far from death.
"It's not us, it's really not us." Zhu Biao's eyes were still red because of Zhu Xiongying's death, and he shook his head in explanation. "If it were us, taking her as a concubine would be just a matter of words. Why should we shoot ourselves in the foot?"
This is the truth.
Lao Zhu was infinitely tolerant of his sons' concubines. Because of Lao Zhu's background, he believes that having many children and grandchildren is a blessing. There is no such messy rule as in the past where the royal family did not marry anyone. In Lao Zhu's eyes, the sons can marry anyone they want, whether it is the noble daughter of a prince or a minister, or a girl from a commoner's family, as long as the sons like it, as long as they can Lao Zhu would not object to adding a grandson to Lao Zhu.
It can be said that the Ming Dynasty was the most open dynasty in history when it came to marriage. There are countless examples of ordinary girls becoming the mother of a country.
Lao Zhu also believed that his eldest son, whom he carefully taught, would not be confused like this. He nodded and asked, "Who is it?"
Yes, if it wasn't Zhu Biao, then who was the one who planted the seeds?
Now if this person can be found, then the assassination of the emperor's grandson may take a turn for the better.
Han Du lowered his head and thought hard.
The East Palace is not an ordinary place. It is as heavily guarded as where Lao Zhu lives. Men are strictly prohibited from entering the place where Zhu Biao's concubines live. Not to mention finding a way to get in, even if Zhu Biao invited Han Du in, Han Du would resist to the death. Of course, Zhu Biao would not be so confused that inviting men in would only invite outsiders to the study or the garden.
No matter what Han Du thought, apart from Zhu Biao, he could never imagine that there would be another person who wanted to be the seed.
Zhu Biao himself was also deep in thought. Suddenly he had a flash of inspiration and said in surprise: "We thought about it, could it be a guard?"
right!
In addition to Zhu Biao, the guards in the East Palace are also people who can plant seeds.
"But the guards can't enter the inner palace?" Han Du asked doubtfully.
The guard is indeed a suspicious candidate, but the guard cannot enter the inner palace. The inner palace was filled with eunuchs and maids, and even the guards were responsible for the eunuchs. Because there are guards guarding the East Palace, the guarding task of the inner palace is not heavy to begin with. It is enough to have eunuchs guarding it so that there will be no disturbance.
Zhu Biao's eyes brightened and he said with a sneer: "It is true that the guards cannot enter, but don't forget, the female officials can come out of the inner palace at will."
Yes!
Han Du was also shocked when he heard this. The defense of the East Palace was to protect against men but not women. Many places are restricted for men, but for women, they can move freely between the inner and outer palaces.
Therefore, there are opportunities for a female officer to come into contact with guards, and as long as she wants to, there are many opportunities.
Lao Zhu suddenly asked Han Du: "You just said, when did that bitch give birth?"
"Back to the emperor, the doctor said it should not exceed three years." Han Du came to his senses and replied quickly.
"Three years?" Zhu Biao murmured to himself, and suddenly said: "We remembered that more than two years ago, a guard said that his mother was seriously ill and wanted to return to his hometown to take care of him, but he never came back and there has been no news since. .what do you say that is?"
Zhu Biao couldn't remember it for a moment. After all, a guard asking for leave was just a trivial matter for Zhu Biao. The fact that he can still remember it is a rare and amazing memory.
If it was normal, Zhu Biao wouldn't think that something would happen if the guard never came back. After all, in this era, there are too many accidents that can be encountered when traveling outside. It's possible that there were robbers, wild beasts, or even someone who lost his footing and fell into a ditch and lost his life. Therefore, Zhu Biao did not pay too much attention to the guard's departure.
But now that a female official has given birth to a child, things are different. The guard's sudden departure, coupled with his never returning, made him the biggest suspect.
Thinking of this, Zhu Biao immediately shouted outside the palace, "Come here, call Shan Yong in."
"Yes." A voice echoed from outside the palace door.
Soon, the heavy palace door was opened, and a man covered in armor and holding a knife walked in.
