In the study room of the East Palace, Zhao Hong was in front of the window, looking at the continuous winter rain outside in trance.
He spent the whole day greeting An Shishan. Although he only met Zhao Kuo a handful of times, he found that Zhao Kuo's health was indeed declining. Although he lived a few months longer than in history, as the imperial doctors said, he was probably I can't survive this cold winter.
He can't influence what Zhao Kuo does. For example, if Zen is on his side, with Zhao Kuo's current mental state, this may be self-defeating and put him in danger.
As for him and Empress Yang Guizhi of the Song Dynasty, they seemed to have broken up since the quarrel. He could not change his impression in Yang Guizhi's mind, and he did not want to bend down to change it.
Looking at the recent actions of Shi Miyuan, the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, he knew clearly that a country is easy to change, but a character is hard to change. People are always obsessed with things they think they can succeed. This powerful prime minister was determined to take his destiny into his own hands.
Even though he was already the crown prince of the Song Dynasty, Shi Miyuan was determined to "replace" himself.
The road ahead is long, and I have to go on a rampage and overcome obstacles. Placing your hopes on others is tantamount to self-destruction.
The Mongolian cavalry in the north are watching eagerly, always ready to attack the city and seize the territory. On the other hand, the Southern Song Dynasty court was still fighting in the nest. The emperor was obsessed with Taoism, the queen interfered with the government, and the powerful ministers were daring. The Southern Song Dynasty court was in a state of confusion. He was upset when he thought about it.
According to the news from the Ministry of War, the Mongolian army has not returned from the Western Expedition. It seems that only part of the Mongolian army returned without success in India, and the main force of the Mongolian army seems to have no base.
This also made him feel inexplicably relieved.
The Western Expedition was a long journey, and the Mongolian army needed to recuperate, so it would take about a year. If the Song Dynasty worked hard, there would still be room for improvement.
After returning to the chair and sitting down, Zhao Hong picked up the pencil and wrote on the paper:
Keep an eye on the Yiwang Mansion, Shi Mansion, and Cheng Mansion;
Keep an eye on Huang Yan, Xu Gui, and Feng Shu;
Prepare firearms and fight to the death;
Zhao Hong raised his head, always feeling uneasy and distracted.
If he is caught off guard and is replaced by Shi Miyuan, and he is weak and the end is done, how can he fight back?
The crown prince of the Song Dynasty sounds tall and noble, but he looks like a coward, has no power, and is not worth mentioning.
"Your Highness, are you there?"
There was a knock on the door outside the study, and it seemed to be Yang Yi's voice.
"Come in, Miss Yang."
Zhao Hong quickly picked up the note, crumpled it into a ball, and put it in the drawer.
Yang Yi couldn't let Yang Yi know about these secrets.
I don't know if it was because of his "godmother", or maybe because of the identity of the queen's niece, Yang Yi went in and out of the East Palace with ease, and sometimes even Zhao Hong's personal guards, such as Li Tang and Xu Sheng, did not dare to stop him.
Although Yang Yi and Zhou Xiuniang seemed to be in harmony and getting along well, Zhao Hong had a feeling in his heart that the friendship between the two was not very good.
A woman's heart is like a needle in the sea, and she doesn't know whether these two are "plastic sisters" or real "best friends"?
"Your Highness, do you still have the time to sit still?"
Yang Yi was sweating profusely, holding a book in his hand, and said hurriedly.
"What happened? Is there a fire in Lin'an City?"
Zhao Hong asked in surprise.
"You still don't know? Something went wrong in "The Collection of Jianghu". Liu Kezhuang, Chen Qi, and Zeng Ji were all imprisoned, and Zeng Ji was sent to Chongling in Hunan; Chen Qi had his family property confiscated, and all the films in "The Collection of Jianghu" were lost. Being chopped into firewood, Liu Kezhuang and Chen Qi will also be exiled!"
Yang Yi wiped his sweat with his handkerchief, grabbed the tea on Zhao Hong's desk, and drank it slowly.
"What exactly happened? Tell me slowly."
Zhao Hong sat down, feeling even more surprised and suspicious.
On the day "Jianghu Poems" was published, he reminded Liu Kezhuang and others to avoid irritating Shi Miyuan and others. Now it seems that what he worried about has finally happened.
Is this the so-called "Jianghu Poetry Collection" case in the history of the Southern Song Dynasty?
"Look here, look here! Look at the pages I folded!"
Yang Yi put down the tea cup, placed the book on the table, and opened a few folded pages.
Her hands were white and slender, like spring onions, and Zhao Hong's lust couldn't help but flutter.
"What are you looking at? Look at this!"
Yang Yi's face turned red, her heart felt happy, and she pointed at the opened page of the book.
It seemed that Zhao Hong always had her in his heart.
"Okay, okay!"
Zhao Hong smiled awkwardly and picked up the poetry collection "Jiang Hu Ji".
Since the autumn, the first batch of printed copies of "The Collection of Jianghu" have been put on the shelves at Chen's Bookstore in Lin'an City. It immediately caused a sensation in the entire Lin'an City. For a while, it was as "Luoyang paper is more expensive" than Zhao Hong's "Selected Poems".
Unexpectedly, when the bookstore business was booming, disaster would also follow.
Zhao Hong opened the poetry collection and read through it one by one.
"Look, on page 16, Zeng Ji's "Spring Poems": "Ninety days have few sunny days, but a thousand years have many troubled times." The censor Li Zhixiao believed that this was an allusion to the absence of Mingjun and the darkness of the government. He viciously attacked the Song Dynasty court, and his heart is worthy of death!"
Yang Yi pointed and reminded Zhao Hong.
She obviously understood the whole story and was running for it.
"Look here again, Liu Kezhuang's "Falling Plum Blossoms": "The east wind has the power to control flowers, but it avoids being aloof and not claiming it. "Isn't this a blatant accusation of Shi Miyuan's domineering behavior? You said, isn't this asking for death?"
Yang Yi came one by one, and Zhao Hong was secretly frightened when he saw it.
Liu Kezhuang and Zeng Ji violated Shi Miyuan's taboo.
"How did it happen? Where is the person being held now? Where was the trial conducted?"
Zhao Hong asked with a frown.
If it were Lin'an Mansion and Dali Temple, he could still move around.
"Li Zhixiao, the spokesman for Yushitai, was Shi Miyuan's lackey. He had an old feud with Zeng Ji, a member of the "Jianghu Poetry School", and was looking for an opportunity to take revenge. "Jianghu Collection" sold so well, of course it was easy for Li Zhixiao to find trouble. "
Yang Yi's words made Zhao Hong stunned for a while.
"Li Zhixiao? Wasn't this troublemaker expelled? Why, he returned to the court again?"
Literary prison is so shameless that it gives people a headache to think about it.
"The official family was seriously ill, and Li Zhixiao was transferred back to the center by Shi Miyuan. He was running around the censor's station and started making trouble again!"
Yang Yi urged, his face full of anxiety.
"After Shi Miyuan received the impeachment of Li Zhixiao's new poem "Jianghu Pai", he was furious. He immediately sent the Ministry of Punishment to supervise the investigation and sent Liu Kezhuang and three others to prison just now. Now these celebrities involved in "Jianghu Pai" are all imprisoned in the prison of the Ministry of Punishment Among them. Zhao Rushu, the Minister of Punishment, is Shi Miyuan’s loyal lackey and will definitely punish Liu Kezhuang and the others. You are the prince, you have to think of a way!"
The prince is powerless and useless!
Zhao Hong smiled awkwardly and suddenly said in surprise:
"I didn't even know that Liu Kezhuang and the others were arrested. How did you know?"
"After listening to what my aunt said, I asked around, but unfortunately it was too late. I went to ask my aunt, but she refused. I really have no choice now, so I came to you!"
Yang Yi came over, grabbed Zhao Hong's arm, and said eagerly:
"Quick, quick, quick! Go to the Ministry of Punishment! Didn't you often deal with Ge Hong, the Minister of Punishment, when you were in court? Asking him to take care of Liu Kezhuang and the others won't be a problem, right?"
"Okay, okay! I'm going to prepare some things. I can't go to the Criminal Department empty-handed!"
Zhao Hong had no choice but to stand up with a wry smile.
No matter how difficult his situation is, he has to speak out, firstly to save these loyal people, and secondly to prove his existence and create trouble for Shi Miyuan and others.
That old fox Ge Hong is over seventy years old, so he can use it.
"Get out of the palace quickly, maybe the Ministry of Punishment has already tortured them!"
Yang Yi took the lead and went in a hurry.
Seeing Yang Yi's anxious look, Zhao Hong couldn't help but smile.
"Don't worry, get something!"
The ancient ways are warm-hearted and the pleasures of gratitude and hatred. If there were more people in the world who were like Yang Yi, the world would be a much better place.
Unfortunately, there are too few such people in the world, and there are many shameless people who are selfish, mean and unkind.
After leaving the Prince's East Palace, after walking a few steps, a group of armor-clad Forbidden Army soldiers came slowly over, embracing two purple-robed officials.
The leading official was tall and fat, with sweat on his forehead. Zhao Hong looked carefully and saw that it was Xia Zhen, the commander of the front department.
The official next to him was tall, thin and dark, in his forties, with protruding cheekbones and stern eyes. He was Xu Yi, the deputy commander of the front department.
One is tall and thin, the other is fat, and both black and white evil spirits control the entire palace guard. Once Tu Qiongdiao met, how could he manage these two people in the palace?
His eyes glanced at Jiang Wanzai, an acquaintance in the Forbidden Army. Jiang Wanzai nodded slightly. Zhao Hong knew it well and withdrew his gaze.
The young officer obviously didn't want Xia Zhen and others to know about his relationship with Zhao Hong.
Human relationships are cold and warm, and the water in the palace is not that deep.
Seeing Xia Zhen, Xu Yi and others blocking the way, Yang Yi turned his head with disdain on his face.
As for the other forbidden troops, including Jiang Wanzai, she paid no attention to them all.
"Your Highness, are you leaving the palace?"
Seeing Zhao Hong and Yang Yi coming over, Xia Zhen stopped and bowed his hands, quite casually.
Only that fat face was still smiling.
Xu Yi forced out a smile, but the smile was superficial.
"Xia Shuai, I have some personal matters and I have to leave the palace. How is Xia Shuai always?"
Zhao Hong bowed his hands to Xia Zhen and Xu Yi in return.
Looking at Xia Zhen's chubby figure, which makes him panting after just a few steps, one can tell that it is the result of years of drinking, sex, wealth, and pampering. This person occupies a high position and is not short of money or power. He has long since lost the motivation to fight.
And Xu Yi herself is a ruthless person, greedy and domineering, and she doesn't have much of a good attitude towards Zhao Hong, making it difficult to win him over.
Trying to bribe these two people is tantamount to seeking the skin of a tiger and seeking death.
"Your Highness, everything is fine with me."
Xia Zhen looked at the charming Yang Yi beside him, his little eyes bright.
"Your Highness, you are so lucky!"
"Xia Shuai, go on inspection quickly! Don't let thieves enter the palace and steal your treasures!"
Yang Yi's face turned red and her thin eyebrows raised, obviously dissatisfied with Xia Zhen's words.
"I live outside the palace, how could it be stolen..."
Xia Zhen smiled. Before he finished speaking, Yang Yi was already striding forward and talking loudly.
"Your Highness, hurry up! If you're later, you'll be in trouble!"
"Shuai Xia and Deputy Marshal Xu, please take your leave!"
Zhao Hong said goodbye to Xia Zhen and turned around to leave.
Xia Zhen looked at the backs of him and Yang Yi leaving, with envy and jealousy in his little eyes.
"This Zhao Hong is so handsome!"
Xu Yi looked around and suddenly frowned.
"Where has Feng Yuhou gone?"
Xia Zhen was also startled and subconsciously looked around.
Feng Shu was the chief minister in front of the palace, and was responsible for the imperial guards of the inner palaces, including the emperor's sleeping quarters, Funing Hall and Qinzheng Hall, Jiaming Hall, where the emperor ate, and the queen's sleeping quarters, Kunning Hall, Ciyuan Hall, and Renming Hall. etc., are all under the jurisdiction of Feng Shu.
The guy who was responsible for the safety of the Emperor and Queen's palace was actually off duty. This guy was getting bolder and bolder.
"Back to Xia Shuai and Xu Shuai, we don't know. Feng Yuhou left the palace early in the morning and didn't say where he went."
Xia Zhen's nephew and palace chief, Xia Yuanmin, said from the side.
"I'm afraid it's Guan Pu who's gone. Marquis Feng Yu loves this the most."
Xu Yi said with a smile, his eyes full of sarcasm.
He and Feng Shu were at odds, fighting openly and secretly, and were incompatible with each other. He did not forget to give Feng Shu eye drops.
"This is an unsatisfactory thing!"
Xia Zhen's face was ugly, he didn't bother to wipe his sweat and stepped forward.
When on duty, going out of the palace to gamble privately is like a wall that cannot be supported by mud!
Xu Yi looked playfully, then followed.
