The inner hall was a little dark. His Majesty Li Er was lying on the dragon bed in Nuo Da, covered with a thin blanket. He had woken up at this moment. Concubine Yang, Concubine Wei and other concubines with high status were sitting beside the bed silently. Weeping, although I was extremely worried, I didn't dare to cry out.
The life and death of the emperor means the change of imperial power and the overthrow of power in the court. Some people rise and fall, some are happy and some are sad.
But for these concubines who were dependent on the emperor, it was a completely different life.
Even if there are countless concubines in the palace, the emperor likes the new and dislikes the old, and many of them may not have been blessed for many years, but as long as the emperor is around, they will be the most noble women in the world; but once the emperor dies, they will become the most unfortunate women, although they will not be like in ancient times. To be buried like that is to cut off your hair and practice cultivation in a Buddhist temple. You will never see your family or friends for the rest of your life...
Li Zhi was quick on his feet and was the first to rush to the bedside. When he saw His Majesty Li Er slowly opening his eyes with a lifeless look, he suddenly called out "Father" sadly, then knelt down beside the bed and hugged him tightly. He held one of His Majesty Li Er's palms tightly and cried loudly.
The sadness of the cry and the sadness of the emotion can make the listener sad and the listener shed tears...
Li Tai didn't react in time and fell one step behind. He also knelt in front of the bed and shed tears.
Li Chengqian had inconvenient legs and feet and fell last. The best opportunity to show his filial piety had been lost. If he followed the example of the two brothers, he would be as ridiculous as learning to walk in Handan. So he walked to the bed, wiped away the tears that flowed out, and then warmed He asked in a voice: "Everything in the court is as usual, father, emperor and mother must be worried."
There is a difference between a prince and a prince. A prince can cry and mourn and wear colorful clothes to entertain his relatives, but a prince cannot. As the crown prince of the country, he should stand up and be a pillar of support when the emperor is in trouble.
Even though it was already too late when he received the news, he hurried to Tai Chi Palace without having time to do anything serious...
His Majesty Li Er woke up from a coma. He was not yet fully conscious. His eyes were half open and half closed. It took him a while to recover. He looked at the legitimate sons around him, and then turned to his descendants, brothers, and ministers behind him. He didn't speak, he just let out a long breath and closed his eyes again.
The imperial doctor on the side hurriedly stepped forward, checked his pulse and checked, and after a while he said to everyone: "Although His Majesty has woken up, he is still mentally weak and cannot take care of things. Please go out and wait, so that Your Majesty can take a rest."
Everyone did not dare to delay His Majesty's rest, so they quickly exited the inner hall after hearing this.
After they went out, everyone took their seats. As they looked at each other, they could see that the other person was secretly relieved...
His Majesty was in the prime of his life. Who could have expected that he would suddenly faint and become ill? Although the battle for the reserve position was in full swing, due to the power of His Majesty Li Er, either party tried their best within the rules and did not dare to go beyond the limit. Even though the King of Jin had the support of Cheng Yaojin, he never expected to rely on the army to make a sudden appearance in the fight for the reserve.
This is the bottom line, no one dares to cross it.
In this way, a situation is formed in which the King of Jin has the upper hand but is not certain. If His Majesty Li Er dies suddenly, the situation will become increasingly chaotic due to the chaos of military power. The battle for the reserve is likely to turn into a battle involving all parties. A melee in which no one is sure of victory.
That is a scene that neither party wants to see...
But from now on, the battle for military power must be carried out as soon as possible to prevent what happened today from happening again. Once something unbearable happens to His Majesty suddenly, all parties will try their best to determine the overall situation as quickly as possible and at the lowest cost.
…
Fang Jun and Li Chengqian gathered together. The former looked around and saw that no one was approaching, and said to Li Chengqian: "Wei Chen has sent people to inform Duke Wei that the entire army is on alert, and at the same time, people have been sent to the East Palace to enforce martial law. If there is an emergency, , then the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince can quickly leave the capital through the secret passage and rush to the military camp to ensure nothing goes wrong."
Li Chengqian's face was solemn, and his eyes could not hide his worry. He glanced at the door of the inner hall and said in a low voice: "My father is in his prime in the spring and Autumn period. Even if he is slightly ill, nothing he cannot bear to say will happen. But Erlang, you have taken precautions and done your best." very good."
Fang Jun shook his head and did not answer.
His Majesty Li Er is indeed of the right age. Even in this era when the average commission is extremely low, he is still far from old age. However, Fang Jun is well aware that "mercuric substances" can cause serious damage to human body functions, especially cardiovascular damage, and the probability of myocardial infarction is extremely high.
And with the medical level of this era, once a myocardial infarction occurs, there is absolutely no way to save it...
I had ignored the possibility in this regard before, thinking that the imperial power would transition smoothly no matter what. It would only give the East Palace a tight hold on an army, so that when His Majesty Li Er passes away in the future, he would be able to have the capital to fight with the new monarch. Negotiate conditions.
However, if His Majesty Li Er dies suddenly, the East Palace will become the target of all forces' efforts to encircle and suppress it. How can the East Palace be defeated simply with the six-digit rate?
*****
The sky was getting brighter, dark clouds suddenly covered the stars and moon, and light rain fell again.
Since last year, the weather has been different from usual. Winters have become colder and snowstorms have become more frequent. In summer, rains have increased, causing flooding everywhere. Many rumors spread among the towns, such as "the state is a traitor and a warning from God" and "the emperor is unworthy". , the world is turned upside down" and so on, we hear it all the time.
In addition, an Eastern Expedition almost took away the whole Guanzhong, and the Yichu incident happened one after another, and the people in Guanzhong were panicked...
Cheng Yaojin came out of Taiji Palace and had just returned to the military camp near the West City when numerous battle reports came in. It was said that suspicious people were constantly coming in and out of various places in Chang'an City, especially the palaces where people gathered. , whereabouts unknown.
Cheng Yaojin, who was in charge of the central army, issued a decisive order: "Anyone who wanders around without formal credentials will be arrested immediately and thrown into prison. Anyone who dares to resist will be killed on the spot!"
His Majesty fainted and did not know when he would wake up. And even if he did, who would know whether the dragon's body was intact? At this time, all forces are ready to move, and a little carelessness will cause great turmoil. With the responsibility of guarding the capital, he did not dare to be careless in the slightest, and would rather kill the wrong person than let him go.
Besides, how can the people who call for help at this time be innocent?
After an order was issued, the Zuowu guards under his command immediately rushed everywhere with murderous intent to control the entire Chang'an city. Heavily armed and tough-looking soldiers put the area under martial law, strictly prohibiting the entry and exit of idlers. Their clanging iron hooves and bright swords and guns caused panic and chaos in the city of Chang'an.
Cheng Yaojin was sitting in the barracks with his armor, stomach, and sword. He was a bit addicted to alcohol, but thinking that the situation was tense tonight, he didn't dare to be careless, so he could only endure it and ordered someone to make a pot of tea. , while drinking tea with refreshments, he listened to his subordinates' requests for instructions and reports.
The eldest son Cheng Chumo came in from outside, shook off the rainwater on his body, took off his bag and put it aside. He walked to his father and poured a cup of hot tea, took a sip and let out a breath of cool air.
Then he raised his head and asked, "May I ask, father, that my family is completely on the side of King Jin?"
The battle for the throne has been known to all parties for a long time. The two who have the greatest chance at the moment are King Wei and King Jin, the two legitimate sons besides the prince. This time, Zuo Wuwei was recommended by King Jin's faction to replace the six leaders in the East Palace. Chang'an's position has obviously been decided.
At least that's what it looks like...
Cheng Yaojin picked up the teacup, frowned and reprimanded: "Are you stupid or something? His Majesty Yi Chu's edict has not been issued, and the current prince is still in office. I am crazy and support someone else. Is it possible to rebel?"
Cheng Chumo wiped the rainwater from his face and said with confusion: "But now the clans in Shandong and Jiangnan are supporting the King of Jin in his fight for the throne. My father is the most powerful military power among the clans in Shandong except the British prince, and he can also be regarded as the leader in the court. How can one stay out of it?"
The so-called "butt determines the position", the Cheng family is from Shandong. Even though they are not close to each other in the years since Zhenguan, the entanglement of interests cannot be categorically separated. In the eyes of others, since the Shandong clan supports the King of Jin in his fight for the crown prince, it is natural that the Cheng family and Zuo Wuwei, who are under their control, are on the side of the King of Jin...
However, Cheng Yaojin not only never admitted to participating in the fight for the heirloom outside, but also never expressed his position towards the younger members of the family even at home, which inevitably left everyone in the family confused and not knowing what to do.
Now hearing Cheng Yaojin's words, Cheng Chumo became even more confused...
Cheng Yaojin scolded with a dark face: "What a fart! What a bastard family! You have to remember that our Cheng family is first and foremost ministers, your Majesty's ministers. We must take your Majesty's orders first at all times." It’s not too late to wrap up your body in horse leather and wrap your body in horse leather! The throne is the foundation of the empire, and His Majesty has his own decisions. Who he appoints as the Crown Prince is His Majesty’s business. We, the ministers, only need to be loyal to Your Majesty. What else does it have to do with me?"
When people are in the officialdom, it is inevitable to weigh the pros and cons and worry about the gains and losses. It is natural to seek personal gain, even if it is impossible for the emperor to prohibit it.
But the bottom line cannot be exceeded at will!
What is the bottom line?
Two words: loyal to the king!
Your Majesty, without even passing away, became the master of the empire and the object of allegiance to all ministers!
As for the crown prince... After His Majesty's death, whoever Your Majesty appoints as the crown prince will naturally be the legitimate new prince.
How can you despise the imperial power because of your own position and interests, try to influence His Majesty's mind, and seek benefits in deposing and establishing the crown prince? This is the way to die. Even if you succeed for a while and suffer endless troubles later, you will never escape the reckoning. This is what a wise man will not do.
Cheng Chumo was confused when he heard this. If he stayed out of the matter, why did he secretly plot and accept the recommendation from King Jin's faction?
But at this point, even if I don’t understand, I don’t dare to ask anymore. My father is not a good-tempered person...
A captain walked in quickly from outside and reported: "Commander Qi, we just found that at least a hundred people entered the East Palace, and then the entire East Palace was under martial law and no one was allowed to approach! May I ask how to deal with it?"
Cheng Yaojin thought for a while, waved his hand and said, "If you ask me, just pretend you can't see me."
Then he added: "All the soldiers near the East Palace have withdrawn. Even if someone in the East Palace tries to leave the city, don't pay attention."
Once something unspeakable happens to His Majesty, the battle for the reserve will break out in an instant, and the East Palace will become the target of joint efforts from all parties. He does not want the East Palace to be involved and the prince to die tragically in front of him.
Although the King of Jin is currently powerful, he still needs to keep a line in his conduct, so we may not miss each other again in the future...
