Han Yong, who had been promoted to the rank of sergeant in the Emperor's Jiafu Palace, but actually worked for a high-ranking official connected with Qingqingyuan, was overjoyed when he saw the emperor become so angry that he vomited blood and fainted.
When the imperial doctor rushed over and diagnosed the emperor's pulse, he found that although the emperor was extremely angry and physically damaged, after all, he had received acupuncture from Li Huigu before and had taken several decoctions prescribed by Huigu, so the situation was not too bad.
The imperial doctors also followed the prescriptions prescribed by Huigu preserved by Empress Mao, and gave Cao Rui daily baths and baths for external application. After a few days, Cao Rui's condition improved slightly, but compared with the previous situation just after Huigu's acupuncture. , it’s another difference between cloud and mud.
On this day, the emperor dreamed of his deceased emperor Cao Yin in his dream. When he woke up, he felt very unwell. Seeing that the time had come, Han Yong said to the emperor:
"Your Majesty, there was a farmer in Shouchun, and his wife said that she was a descendant of the gods. According to folk rumors, this farmer's wife had been told by the gods that she was destined to be an ascended daughter, to guard the emperor's house, and to shoulder the responsibility of deposing evil and bringing good fortune. As for the people in Shouchun who had major or minor illnesses, as long as they drank the peasant woman's sacred water or used this sacred water to cleanse external sores, many of them were cured. Now that His Majesty is ill, all the ministers and people inside and outside the court are cured. I hope that His Majesty’s dragon body will recover soon. In recent years, this peasant woman may appear in this world, maybe, maybe..."
When Han Yong said this, he carefully observed Cao Rui's reaction and paused deliberately. Cao Rui didn't have any big reaction at the moment. When he saw Han Yong suddenly hesitating, he frowned slightly and asked:
"I don't know what, just say it if you have something to say!"
Han Yong hurriedly kowtowed and apologized, and continued:
"Perhaps, this peasant woman is really the goddess sent by God to protect your majesty. I don't know... What I mean, my majesty, why don't you summon her now to test whether her miraculous medical skills are effective? ..... If it really has miraculous effects, then His Majesty’s dragon body will be better than before, wouldn’t it be a great blessing for the world?”
After hearing Han Yong's words, Cao Rui was silent for a long time, lost in thought, and did not speak.
And Han Yong was thinking in his heart that the Shouchun peasant woman was a talent trained for many years by the master who was related to Qingqingyuan. Not only was she really proficient in medical skills, but she also received many miraculous medicines from her master. Even though she came to the palace today, It shouldn't be a problem. And once this peasant woman gets His Majesty's new appointment, everything will be much easier to implement the master's next plan.
Fortunately, His Majesty has been impetuous and in poor health over the years, and has lost the shrewdness and calmness he had a few years ago. Otherwise, although this plan is clever, it may not be effective.
A few days later, the Shouchun peasant woman was summoned to Luoyang by the emperor. Not only that, the emperor also issued a special edict praising the peasant woman's medical skills and setting up a medical clinic in the harem for the peasant woman. Officials from the Imperial Medical Office Seeing that this little-known peasant woman was so favored by the emperor, she was naturally jealous and frightened, and felt bad in her heart.
Of course, this matter will not be hidden from the Queen Mother Guo.
After Queen Guo heard about this incident, she was extremely worried. As the emperor, Cao Rui rashly appointed a peasant woman who started out as a witchcraft to serve as the royal physician. Not only would this lead to criticism from the world, but she would also put the royal family's wealth and life in the hands of others. How could she feel at ease with this matter?
When Queen Guo thought of this, she felt frightened. She immediately summoned her maid Qingluan and a group of internal servants and headed towards Jiafu Palace.
After Cao Rui saw Queen Guo, he still treated him as the "mother queen" with the same respectful attitude he had shown every day for more than ten years.
"Your Majesty, the Aijia heard that your Majesty recently asked a peasant woman to use witchcraft to cure the illnesses of the people in the palace, which caused panic among the officials in the Imperial Medical Office. The Aijia felt uncomfortable after hearing this..."
Queen Guo hadn't finished her sentence yet. What she didn't expect was that the emperor, her "son", who had been respectful to her for many years, would actually turn towards her, the queen, after sending all the maids in the palace away. He roared hysterically:
"That's enough! You killed my queen mother, my children, Yin'er, and Shu'er. Isn't that enough? Are you going to kill me again!?"
Looking at the emperor with red eyes, pale face and bulging veins on his forehead, Queen Guo, who had always been calm, calm, courageous and knowledgeable, couldn't help but shudder.
Faced with the power of the emperor, she did not dare to speak for a moment.
In this way, the "mother and son" were speechless for a while. After being silent for a long time, Queen Guo recalled the time she had spent with Cao Rui for more than ten years and felt pain in her heart. Then she cried to the emperor:
"Your Majesty, do you really think that Queen Wen Zhao was killed by the Ai family... Do you really not remember the care and love the Ai family has given you for more than ten years..."
After venting his roar, Cao Rui felt a little clearer for the time being.
Of course he has not forgotten how the woman in front of him has treated him over the years. For more than ten years, Queen Guo, who has no heirs, has indeed regarded herself as her biological son. If Queen Guo had slandered her suspicious father, maybe she would not be sitting on the throne.
Everything slowly became clear in his heart, but as soon as he closed his eyes, he felt a pain in his heart when he thought of his dead mother and several children.
The pain that had accumulated and fermented over the years had made the emperor's heart more paranoid and mean than he had been in his youth.
And this paranoia and meanness now resembled his father, Emperor Wen Cao Pi.
At this moment, the emperor's red eyes were filled with tears, but he did not stop attacking Queen Guo:
"Stop being hypocritical. Do you think I don't know? Everything you do is just to consolidate your own position. If you are really for me, how can you kill several of my princes? You are You want me to let an infant child be a puppet emperor in a hundred years, while you yourself can be a tyrannical Empress Dowager Lu!"
After hearing these words, the pain in Queen Guo's heart could not be increased. At this moment, she only regretted that the rain in Xuchang Palace was not strong enough, otherwise she would be like the queen of Chu who died in the river waiting for the king, but she would still be able to survive. A good name.
After the "mother and son" were silent again for a long time, the bloodless Queen Guo just weakly bowed to Cao Rui and left gently.
Cao Rui, who had always turned his back to Queen Guo, was already in tears at this moment. When he heard the carved pear wood palace door creaking, he immediately turned around. When he wanted to open his mouth to shout something, it was already too late. .
Less than half an hour after Queen Guo left, the chamberlain informed her that Bian Lan, Marquis of Kaiyang, wanted to see her. Cao Rui was exhausted both mentally and physically and didn't want to see anyone, but he thought that Bian Lan had been feeling very unwell recently, so there must be a reason why he came here today. Cao Rui thought about this and called for Bian Lan.
After the monarch and his ministers met, they realized that each other looked very shabby, and both had a lot of gray hair on their temples. The only difference was that Bian Lan was middle-aged, while the emperor was only in his thirties. That’s all.
In addition, Bian Lan's mouth was as dry as a crack and she looked even more depressed.
"Zifang, long time no see, you have aged a lot..."
Hearing this, Bian Lan felt a sadness come from nowhere in his heart. He said to Cao Rui with tears in his eyes:
"Your Majesty, I am worried about state affairs, but I have no good laws, so I am old..."
Cao Rui sighed:
"Although the two parties are not at peace now, they are still relatively stable. Why should Zifang be so worried?"
A few years ago, Bian Lan encountered a dilemma, and as an emperor, he paid attention to the palace, so
Cut admonishment several times. Therefore, when Cao Rui saw Bian Lan's gray hair today, he naturally thought that Bian Lan was worried about the border military.
Cao Rui suddenly remembered something again and immediately said:
"Zifang, the female medical officer in the palace, is the goddess of Shouchun. Her formula of divine water is very effective when taken internally and externally. Many people in the palace have used her divine water and they have cured their illnesses. I look at you, Zifang. I've been feeling uneasy recently, and the medicinal wine is taking too long to take effect, so why don't you try the divine water too."
Bian Lan bowed to the ground again:
"Your Majesty, what I am worried about is not the matter between the two parties, but your Majesty's belief in witchcraft!"
When Cao Rui heard this, his expression suddenly changed. He had just argued with Queen Guo about this matter, and in the blink of an eye, even Bian Lan, whom he trusted, said the same thing.
Bian Lan didn't seem to notice the emperor's anger. He continued:
"It is natural to treat diseases with medicine. How can your Majesty believe in witchcraft?"
When Cao Rui heard this, his expression changed again. At this moment, the anger he had just suppressed rose again:
"If Zifang is just here to talk about this matter, then you'd better go back, I'm tired!"
After hearing this, Bian Lan wanted to say something more, but the emperor had already thrown away his sleeves.
A few days later, the 51-year-old Queen Mother Guo passed away in Yong'an Palace. And her personal maid Qingluan also hanged herself after conveying the Queen Mother's last wish, and chose to follow Queen Mother Guo.
Soon after, Bian Lan, Marquis of Kaiyang, became seriously ill and died in his own house.
On March 11, according to Queen Guo's will, the emperor buried her on the west side of Emperor Wen's Shouyang Mausoleum.
In addition, the emperor also performed a filial piety funeral for Queen Guo. Based on the merits and demerits of the adoptive mother's life, the emperor posthumously named her Queen Wende.
Not only that, Emperor Cao Rui once again granted the title of Guanjin Qianhuhou to Guo Biao, a relative of the Queen Mother Guo, and Guo Xiang to the title of Prince Consort Duwei. Queen Guo's parents were also posthumously named Guanjin Jinghou and Tangyang Jun, her late brother Guo Fu was named Liangliting Daihou, Guo Du was named Wuchengting Jinghou, and Guo became the new Changting Dinghou. All sacrifices are performed with the ritual of Tai Lao.
As for the Bian family, Bian Lan's son Bian Long also received comfort and rewards from the emperor.
In the Su family teahouse, some people in the market were talking in low voices.
"I heard that Empress Zhen was killed by Empress Dowager Guo. She stuffed chaff into her mouth and covered her face with her hair before she died. Therefore, your Majesty has avenged her biological mother this time!"
Another voice whispered:
"I heard that Your Majesty not only personally wrote a memorial for the Queen Mother, but also personally delivered it to the funeral mausoleum. You know, after Your Majesty ascended the throne, you didn't even go to deliver Emperor Wen's coffin!"
"Also, I heard that Kaiyang Marquis Bian Lan was sentenced to death by His Majesty because he opposed the use of the divine water!"
"But I heard that Marquis Kaiyang died of illness at his residence..."
"Hey, who knows about these secrets of the royal family..."
————
In the Jiafu Hall, the emperor dug out the ode that Bian Lan had written for Emperor Wen, who was still the crown prince of Wei:
Prince Mingming is both wise and intelligent. The knowledge is strong and the memory is strong, and the holy thoughts are unparalleled. Yi Yi is like a tiger or a dragon. The eight handsome men are by your side, and there is no flattery or evil around you. The rich do not forget to give, and they are respectful and respectful. Study books carefully and meditate on the similarities and differences. Making plans and making suggestions, I suddenly became enlightened. The world stretches its neck to sing the praises of virtue. I heard it in ancient times and saw it today. Unfathomable deep, unsearchable high. The law has been created for thousands of years, and now it will rest.
[Note 1: See it in Volume 16 of "Yiwen Leiju"]
After Cao Rui finished reading, he opened Bian Lan's "Motto":
Buildings with multiple steps will definitely ruin your integrity. A room full of gold and treasure will disturb your spirit. The rich taste brings disaster, and the beautiful color is dangerous to the body. If you seek heights, you will fall; if you seek wealth, you will become poorer. Being closed off from emotions and desires is something Lao cherishes. Zhongni followed the inscription of Zhou Temple. Be careful with what you say, and be careful not to offend anyone. Be calm and obedient, and be in harmony with the light. It's useless to be in the desert, no one can hear it. There is no need to live in the dark world, just like a group of people. Do not seek blessings first, and do not harm your neighbors. Keep Xuan and uphold the principles, and avoid chaos. If you are always close to the deep, you will always be pure.
[Note 2: See it in Volume 23 of "Yiwen Leiju". 】
Cao Rui couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart: My cousin understood the principle of "being calm and obedient, and living in harmony with the world" in the article. But my cousin is a very outspoken person. Everyone knows that hardness can easily be broken, but it is still difficult for him to be firm and gentle.
"Cousin, if you weren't so straightforward, maybe I would listen to you..."
Under the eaves of the palace, iron horses jingled; the palace was empty, but there was no echo from anyone at this moment.
