In the early winter season, the north is already covered with snowflakes and cold wind and rain. However, Lin'an City still has green trees and red leaves, desolation and heat coexist, holding on to the tail of nature's gifts.
At the entrance of Funing Hall, it was dark and unclear at the moment before dawn. Zhao Hong grabbed Li Gu's hand and forced a bunch of huizi into his hand.
"Eunuch Li, how is the official family doing?"
In the more than a month since he came back, he could count the number of times he saw Zhao Kuo on one hand.
"Your Highness, the Guan family's condition is not good, and it is good and bad. The imperial doctor said that the Guan family may not be able to survive this winter."
Li Gu shivered and put away the money. He looked around nervously and spoke cautiously, but hesitated to speak.
Zhao Hong was startled and said softly:
"Eunuch Li, don't worry. My guards are watching around and no one will come."
Zhao Kuo can't survive the winter, but it's only this month and a half.
People's hearts are unpredictable, so I'm afraid I have to make preparations early.
"Your Highness, the Prime Minister came here two days ago and gave another box of golden elixirs, which he said were made by some immortal. The officials were very happy. They often practiced at night and rested during the day. As a result, their bodies became worse and worse... ..”
Li Gu's words shocked Zhao Hong.
"How long has the official been taking the golden elixir? Can you persuade him not to use it?"
Historically, Zhao Kuo was obsessed with cultivating Taoism and consuming golden elixirs. Now that I heard it from Li Gu, I realized that it was indeed true.
"In total, it has been more than a year."
Li Gu said as he pulled Zhao Hong to a hidden place in the corner of the palace.
"Your Highness, please do not persuade the officials to disobey the golden elixir! Otherwise, if the officials are unhappy, your position as prince may be in jeopardy. Yesterday, the palace maid accidentally dropped the golden elixir on the ground, and she was killed by the officials. Get angry, drag him out and beat him to death. Your Highness should live a while and wait until the official's body and bones are better before he can act on his own initiative."
Li Gu's persuasion made Zhao Hong stunned for a long time.
It sounds like Zhao Kuo's consumption of golden elixirs has reached the point of obsession. He is manic and irritable, and may be terminally ill.
Can't survive the winter at most?
When I saw Zhao Kuo at the beginning of the year, I didn't think he was terminally ill at all. Is this the truth, or is it a rumor deliberately spread by Shi Miyuan?
"Eunuch Li, do you think the imperial doctor told the truth about the official's illness?"
Zhao Hong asked subconsciously.
"Your Highness, all the doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau say this, so they shouldn't be lying. This is a serious crime that affects the nine clans. They don't have such courage."
Li Gu couldn't help being stunned and blurted out.
Zhao Hong felt heavy and frowned.
The imperial doctors all said this, and it seemed that Zhao Kuo's condition was indeed not good.
"Eunuch Li, can I go in and take a look at the official's house?"
Zhao Hong asked tentatively, feeling anxious.
He really wanted to see what Zhao Kuo was like.
"Your Highness, the officials are already asleep. There is no point in going in. If the officials happen to find out and Long Yan becomes angry, Your Highness may be implicated and the gain will outweigh the losses. Your Highness lives in the palace, so there is no need to rush."
Li Gulaocheng was cautious and sincere, and Zhao Hong nodded helplessly.
"Then it will be a lot of trouble for Eunuch Li."
If Zhao Kuo is in a trance, gets angry, and deposes himself as the prince, then the joke will really be big.
Anyway, in the palace, there is plenty of time, so there is really no rush for this moment.
Zhao Hong said goodbye to Li Gu and retreated.
"Guanren, have you seen the official family?"
Seeing Zhao Hong coming out with a gloomy face, Zhou Xiuniang held her sleeping son and asked softly.
"The officials have gone to bed, I'm afraid we have to wait until next time."
Originally, I wanted to take the emperor's grandson with me to make Zhao Kuo happy. Now it seems that the effort was in vain.
After taking the poison pill, he was in a trance and in a fog all day long. Who knows how long Zhao Kuo can survive?
Zhao Kuo is seriously ill, so he can't just sit around and wait for death, right?
"Let's go to Kunning Hall!"
Zhao Hong was worried, so he took his son and stepped forward.
After paying homage to the emperor Zhao Kuo and paying homage to the emperor, the empress Yang Guizhi was naturally indispensable.
Seeing that Zhao Hong was preoccupied, Zhou Xiuniang followed closely without saying a word.
At the entrance of Kunning Hall, Zhao Hong and Zhou Xiuniang, who was holding the emperor's grandson Zhao Quan, respectfully came to pay their respects to the queen.
"Eunuch Zhao, please go in and inform me, and tell the prince to come to pay his respects to the queen."
Zhao Hong remained calm and stuffed a stack of huizi into Zhao Guochen's hand.
I heard that this guy has a good relationship with Shi Miyuan, so he'd better be a double agent who can be used.
"Your Highness, the queen is in a good mood today."
Zhao Guochen said softly with a smile, muttering to himself.
Compared with Shi Miyuan, Zhao Hong had no airs and acted boldly, which made him feel comfortable.
"come in."
Zhao Guochen went in to report, and soon Yang Guizhi's feminine voice sounded.
Zhao Hong and Zhou Xiuniang came in, respectfully saluted Yang Guizhi together.
"The child and concubine Zhou, together with the emperor and grandson, pay their respects to the empress."
On the day the prince ascended the throne, after the two quarreled, as he moved into the prince's east palace and met Yang Guizhi every day, the two became peaceful again.
Yang Guizhi put down the teacup in her hand and looked at the baby in Zhou Xiuniang's arms.
"The child is sleeping. The royal heirs are in a difficult situation and need to be taken good care of."
"Thank you, Madam. My child will remember your words."
Yang Guizhi's words were not sure whether they were true or false, and Zhao Hong's answer was also a mixture of truth and falsehood.
There were too many visits to greet each other, and both parties were perfunctory and acting. However, both he and Zhou Xiuniang could clearly feel that Yang Guizhi was lukewarm towards the emperor and grandson, and even said he was a little disgusted.
"If you have any needs for meals, please tell me, and I will go to the kitchen in person to make arrangements."
No matter how unhappy he feels in his heart, he must maintain the respect of a filial son and a virtuous grandson.
During the Song Dynasty, the imperial dining room was called the "inner chef". Its main responsibility was to cook delicious food for the emperor and empress and ensure the dietary health of the royal family.
"Everything is fine with me, the prince doesn't need to worry about it."
Yang Guizhi drank tea slowly and asked softly.
"Has the prince already been to the official's house?"
"Go back to my mother, my child has already been there. My father is meditating and practicing Taoism, and no outsiders are allowed to come near. My child did not go in so as not to disturb his father's spiritual practice."
Zhao Hong replied calmly, feeling that time was almost up, so he wanted to end the topic.
"Mother, I'll go see Mrs. Yan and Mrs. Zhong. I'll leave."
There were four concubines around Zhao Kuo, including Queen Yang Guizhi, Cao Jieyu, Yan Meiren and Mrs. Zhong.
Among them, Cao Jieyu died of illness when Zhao Hong was on a mission to the Kingdom of Jin. Only Yan Mei and Mrs. Zhong were left. Both of them had no heirs and were very lonely in the palace.
It is worth mentioning that Cao Jieyu, who died of illness not long ago, had a close relationship with Han Yuzhou, the prime minister at that time. After the death of Zhao Kuo's Queen Han, Cao Jieyu gained the support of Han Kanzhou and was expected to be made the queen. However, Zhao Kuo finally made his concubine Yang Guizhi the queen.
In the winter of the third year of Kaixi, Han Yuzhou was jointly killed by Yang Guizhi, Shi Miyuan and others. Cao Jieyu lost her most important supporter. She was also depressed in the palace and died of illness in obscurity.
"Then I won't keep you, Your Highness."
Yang Guizhi nodded slightly, his face still calm.
"By the way, I have something else to do with my child. Please give me your permission."
As if he suddenly remembered something, Zhao Hong suddenly turned around and said respectfully.
In the current situation, he had to leave the palace. Plan ahead, half a day is enough.
"The prince said so directly."
Yang Guizhi had just breathed a sigh of relief, and her heart was lifted again, and the tea cup she was holding stopped at her mouth.
This guy is smelly and hard, and can say anything. He won't get mad at her again, right?
"My child has some friends whom I haven't seen for many days. My child wants to go out to the palace and stay in the old residence for two or three days. Please be kind to me."
Every day I look at my meal and say hello, twenty-four filial sons. Now that you are leaving the palace, you must of course inform yourself in advance.
"Go, but don't live too long. The official's body is too weak. You are the prince and you have to return to the palace to take care of him from time to time."
Yang Guizhi looked gentle and drank tea.
"Resign, kid!"
"I'm resigning!"
Zhou Xiuniang followed Zhao Hong to say goodbye and left. From beginning to end, she only said two or three sentences.
Zhao Hong and Zhou Xiuniang hugged their son and left. Yang Guizhi looked at his back, put down the teacup, and murmured softly.
"A sanctimonious, duplicitous villain!"
After coming out of Kunning Hall, Zhou Xiuniang hugged her son. She looked around and then lowered her voice.
"Ms. sir, why do I feel that the Queen doesn't seem to like Quan'er very much?"
When she came to the palace, she also learned and got used to observing words and emotions, and listening to all directions.
"Madam, you are right, she will not like Quan'er unless this is the child born to me and Mrs. Wu."
Zhao Hong replied in a low voice, looking around cautiously.
Yang Guizhi has been in power for a long time, and he is domineering and will retaliate. He divorced the Wu family. I am afraid that Yang Guizhi will never forgive him in this life.
He didn't care, he had already expected this situation.
Everything is just playing the game and getting what they need.
"Ah! It's been so long, how could it be like this?"
Zhou Xiuniang shook her head in surprise.
Why is this Yang Guizhi, the Lord of the Sixth Palace, so petty-minded and domineering?
Not only did he interfere in the government affairs, but he also made trouble for Zhao Hong in every way. Even the only grandson of the Song Dynasty royal family treated him indifferently.
If the official Zhao Kuo hadn't forced his way to the throne, Zhao Hong would still be wishful thinking about his position as the crown prince.
With such a lack of distinction between public and private affairs, is she still the queen of a country with a mother-in-law?
"The human heart is the most unpredictable in the world. Is it any wonder?"
Zhao Hong said as he walked, feeling helpless.
There are always things in the world that cannot go as planned, and it is impossible for him to please everyone in the world.
"Ms. sir, where has Wu gone now?"
Zhou Xiu Niang asked curiously about her former "love rival", who was arrogant and domineering, but still had a lingering power.
"I don't know either. We've already broken up, so there's no need to care anymore, and I'm not interested either."
After Zhao Hong finished speaking, he suddenly smiled and said:
"Xiu Niang, do you want to go to the old house and see your parents?"
Zhao Kuo died in just a moment. He couldn't just wait around and take advantage of him.
Some things need to be arranged. The palace is not a place for planning.
"That's great! Living in the palace, all I have to do every day is greetings and meals. It's so boring."
Zhou Xiuniang nodded happily.
Zhao Hong had already "asked for leave" and just went out to relax.
When she was outside the palace, her mother took care of her at the Jiguo Palace. But since she moved to the palace, due to her mother's status as a commoner, she couldn't often go into the palace to take care of her.
Speaking of which, she and her parents and brothers have not seen each other for a long time.
"Xiu Niang, you are so considerate. Thank you."
Zhao Hong took the child and held it himself.
After such a long time, the child is still sleeping soundly and his face is red, which shows that he is in good health.
"Ms. sir, my family, why are you so polite?"
Zhou Xiuniang said with a smile.
Generally, she would agree to Zhao Hong's decision as long as it didn't go too far.
Zhao Hong was gentle and considerate to her, which always made her feel flattered.
Looking at the entire Song Dynasty, there are very few good men who respect women like this.
Of course, except for those men who are "strictly controlled by their wives".
"Xiu Niang, you go back and clean up, and I'll report it to the officials. Then call Tian Yi and Xu Liang, and let's all have fun together."
Zhao Kuo practiced Taoism and nourished his energy. He lived in seclusion and was already asleep. But the etiquette in the palace still needs to be taken care of.
The most important thing is that he must tell Li Gu to communicate with him at any time if anything happens, so that he will not be unknowingly defeated by Zhao Kuo Yu Long Bintian.
Father, the enemy is too cruel, the child is under too much pressure, too far south! You'd better persevere, show kindness, and abdicate the throne to me.
Let the traitor Shi Miyuan die early.
