In the prime minister's house, Huo Zheng looked at the edict in his hand. This was the edict of succession that he and Gao Zhong conspired to rewrite.
Huo Zheng came to Zhangtai Palace alone, took out the imperial seal from the box with trembling hands, calmed down his excitement, and finally stamped the seal carefully.
Huo Zheng looked at the eight characters of the seal on the edict of passing the throne: "Ordered by Heaven, I will live forever". This false edict became the real edict at this moment.
Huo Zheng carefully checked the edict and found that there was nothing wrong with it, so he carefully put it into the wooden box, sealed it with beeswax, put it in a small gold cabinet specially used by the royal family, locked it, and it was done.
Huo Zheng sighed secretly in his heart! Finally able to sleep soundly, at night, Huo Zheng returned to his house and fell into a deep sleep under the care of his concubine.
Early the next morning, Prime Minister Huo entered the palace in high spirits and sent someone to summon Zhang Daoling, the national advisor.
After a while, Zhang Daoling, led by the eunuch Shi Shiran, came to the side hall of Xichui Palace in the outer palace to meet with the Prime Minister.
When Huo Zheng saw him coming, he raised his head and said: "Master, please sit down. I will not beat around the bush. Now that the great emperor Long Yu has passed away, do you have a secret method that can guarantee that His Majesty's holy body will not be corrupted or damaged? At present, the court still has When we were discussing the time for the burial of the late Emperor, I was worried that the weather would get hotter after spring and the holy body of Emperor Daxing would be damaged, which would not be good."
Zhang Daoling frowned when he heard this and said: "Master Xiangguo, don't worry about this. Pindao knows a kind of elixir made from Hanxuan grass that grows on the snowfield. One elixir can guarantee that the late emperor's holy body will not last for half a year. Incorruptible.”
Huo Zheng was overjoyed when he heard this, but his face remained calm, and he said in a sad tone: "Okay! Okay! In order to prevent the late emperor's holy body from being contaminated, please trouble the Imperial Master to refine it as soon as possible. What kind of heavenly materials and earthly treasures do you need?" Just make a list and send it to the Prime Minister's Mansion for reimbursement."
Zhang Daoling accepted the job without doubting his presence.
In the afternoon, Huo Zheng finished handling the government affairs and secretly summoned Zhao Cu, one of the four assistant ministers. Seeing Zhao Cu enter the palace, he took out an edict and handed it to Zhao Cu, watching him without saying a word.
After Zhao Chu took the edict and read it, he looked sad and angry, and angrily scolded Huo Zheng: "Huo Xiangguo, what are you going to do? Have you forgotten what the late emperor did to you back then? Are you really going to be that traitor who seeks national power? ? Everyone inside and outside the court knew that the late emperor intended to be the king of Anguo during his lifetime. This edict was definitely not what the late emperor meant. I, Zhao, made a mistake. I didn’t expect it! I didn’t expect that you actually wanted to establish a new king? Do you know this? It's a serious crime of treason and annihilation of the three clans. Aren't you afraid of being criticized by others when you act like this? You...you..."
When Huo Zheng heard this, he interrupted Zhao Cu impatiently and said: "Of course I know that this is a huge sin. The matter has been done as it is, and the edict of passing the throne has been rewritten. You see clearly, I am standing." It's your nephew Gongzi Sheng, don't you understand? You are a smart man, I will give you a day to think about it carefully, and I will come to you when you understand the truth."
The Huo and Zhao families were related by marriage. Huo Zheng knew Zhao Cu's character very well. When he saw Zhao Cu's character, he knew that he and the Right Prime Minister Wang Yi were the same kind of people. They were both moral gentlemen who didn't know how to adapt. , simply put him under house arrest in the palace, threw up his sleeves and left.
Zhao Chu looked at the copy of the edict in his hand and froze on the spot. It seemed that he was remembering the first half of his life that he had worked diligently by the late emperor's side for decades. In a daze, he sighed, and suddenly there was a smile on his lips. He no longer looked sad and angry just now. color.
Zhao Chu held the edict and walked around the hall several times, and then murmured to himself for a long time, as if talking to the air:
"Sister, have you seen it? This is Sheng'er's edict of passing the throne. I did it. I didn't expect it. I didn't expect that Sheng'er should be so lucky. He is about to become the new master of this country. Hahaha... No My careful planning for more than ten years was in vain, God help me, hahaha..."
Zhao Chu laughed strangely and said to himself: "After playing the role of a moral gentleman for so many years, I have almost forgotten who I am. Sometimes I really feel that I am a loyal minister. Even the late emperor did not expect that. Who am I? In the end, I was actually made a solemn official, hahaha... Sister, if you have a spirit in heaven, you can rest in peace... Hahaha..."
Zhao Churu repeated one word nervously: "Big things can be done, big things can be done...hahaha..."
Early the next morning, Huo Zheng arrived at Zhao Cu's main hall on time.
Seeing him sitting there blankly, Huo Zheng wanted to step forward and persuade him: "Master Zhao, how are you thinking about it?"
Zhao Chu's face was solemn, he held the edict tightly and was silent for a long time before saying: "Master Xiangguo, I promise you that I will support you as a new king together. Even if I don't promise you, you will not let me go easily, and I don't want to give up." Following in the footsteps of the Yang brothers, the country cannot be without a king for a day, and the throne cannot be vacant for a long time. Since I can't stop you from deposing Lord An, then I can only choose to be loyal to the country. I feel unworthy of your majesty's kindness. I will fully cooperate with you to welcome the new king..."
When Huo Zheng heard this, he secretly laughed in his heart, "Old Zhao, you have been carrying the Chastity Arch for so many years, and you are finally willing to let go of your stature."
Before Huo Zheng could think about it, Zhao Chu continued: "Master Xiangguo, before I help you, I have a condition."
When Huo Zheng heard this, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and his heart moved. He didn't expect that he, Old Zhao, also knew how to exchange interests? Then he pretended to be generous and said: "Okay, only you can help me achieve great things. Don't mention one condition, I will satisfy you with ten conditions."
Zhao Cu nodded and said: "After the new king ascends the throne, Zhao will resign from all positions and return to his hometown to farm. From now on, he will no longer interfere with the affairs of the court."
Huo Zheng's expression changed slightly when he heard this, and he shouted sharply: "Master Zhao, what do you mean?"
Zhao Chu had a mocking look on his face and said: "That's what you think. I, Zhao, am ashamed to associate with you and other villains. I am ashamed of the late emperor's entrustment to help you. I am ashamed of the country of Jin Dynasty if I don't help you. Since I have decided to help you accomplish this, but I, Zhao, am also shamelessly standing high above the temple. I hope that in the future, Mr. Huo, you can sincerely assist the new king in reorganizing the court and rectifying the world. The late emperor can rest in peace even though he is alive in heaven."
When Huo Zheng heard this, he felt awe in his heart. He, Old Zhao, was still the same Old Zhao in the past, and he was worthy of being a true gentleman. Compared to him, what he did was really unworthy of the late emperor's trust.
Huo Zheng then thought, well, if Lao Zhao wants to resign, let him go. Anyway, after the new king comes to power, as the uncle of Prince Sheng, Prince Sheng will definitely keep him close to him, and Zhao Chu will be an upright official. , there are many ministers who support him in the DPRK. The rise of Zhao Cu in the new DPRK is inevitable in the future, and he may also be a potential opponent in the future. This statement is exactly what Huo Zheng wants. It is better to leave early to avoid the time. An eyesore.
Thinking of this, Huo Zheng nodded slightly and said: "Okay, I promise you, as long as you can help me achieve my goal, you can go or stay as you wish."
After taking care of Zhao Cu, Huo Zheng suddenly felt enlightened and immediately summoned Gao Zhong to hold an internal meeting of three people to discuss the next strategy.
After Gao Zhong arrived, when he saw Huo Zheng and Zhao Cu present, he knew that Zhao Cu had been persuaded by Huo Zheng to join their "reform and establish a new king" alliance.
After seeing Gao Zhong arrive and take his seat, Huo Zheng said: "We are now on the same boat. Before Anlehou arrives in the capital, we have to help the new king clear some obstacles on his way to heaven. The truth was that he thought last night After a long time, I want to use the former crown prince’s incident to completely eradicate An Guojun’s party, what do you think?”
Gao Zhong raised his eyebrows and said: "Master Xiangguo, do you want to use the old affairs of the former Crown Prince to involve An Guojun and his party? However, more than three years have passed since the Taiji Palace Incident, and the dust has long been settled. Now we are bringing up the old affairs again. , is it a bit far-fetched to overthrow Lord An Guo?"
Huo Zheng said: "Gao Zhong, you don't know something. We all witnessed the Taiji Palace Incident back then. Later, the late emperor ordered me to supervise the case of the former prince's rebellion. When the Tingwei tried the main criminal, there was evidence that Mr. An Guojun Xiu’s disciples were indeed involved, but at the time they only had oral confessions and no solid evidence."
"Later, the late Emperor hinted the Tingwei not to try to get involved with Young Master Xiu. The truth was immediately understood. After the Prince was deposed, the late Emperor wanted to pass on the throne to Lord An Guo, Young Master Xiu. Now that we want to overthrow Young Master Xiu, he might have been involved in the previous Isn’t this the matter of the crown prince playing into our own hands?”
Gao Zhong suddenly said: "I see, I think this matter is feasible. Mr. Xiangguo, you can just leave this matter to your subordinates. By then, Yang Lin, Yang Yan, and Gongzi Xiu will not be able to escape."
After hearing this, Shaofu Zhao Chu objected: "Don't worry, before that we need to send some signals to the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty. In the name of the late emperor, we will recall some of the ministers who were implicated in the former prince's affairs to the court and restore their official titles." Let’s test the reaction of the government and the public.”
Gao Zhong cupped his hands and said: "Master Shaofu, I think these people are implicated in the former prince's affairs, so we can use them to win over them."
Huo Zheng said: "It makes sense, but that's not enough. We need to use the name of the late emperor to express our love for the former prince in the next imperial edict, so as to bring the family of the prince who was exiled to Yunzhong County back to Qingyang to settle down. "
The high point nodded in agreement and said: "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, you are far-sighted. In this way, the government and the public can understand the current direction of public opinion. When the time comes, we can use the excuse of the former prince's incident to capture An Guojun's party. It is logically justified."
Gao Zhong reminded again: "Your Excellency, An Guojun's father-in-law, Yang Yan, holds the military power of the border army. Before touching the Yang family, we'd better find a reason to transfer this person back to the capital. In the name of Your Majesty, we will give him first Give him the post of Taiwei, and then he will be promoted openly and secretly."
Huo Zheng sneered and said: "It makes sense, let's do it as it is. I'll draft the edict right now..."
Xunri, in the Qingyang Palace, the newly appointed inner court manager Yang Liuyang, Eunuch Yang, personally carried the royal wine to a side hall of the inner palace.
In the side hall, there is the former inner court manager Lu Liang, Eunuch Lu, who has been with the late emperor for more than thirty years. Lu Liang has been under house arrest here for more than a month. After a series of changes in the inner palace, the late emperor has not yet announced his mourning secretly. Keenly aware that something big had happened.
Lu Liang saw Yang Liu coming and saw that he was dressed like a palace steward. He knew that this adopted son had climbed up a high branch with his own intelligence, and the sparrow had turned into a phoenix.
Yang Liu saw that his adoptive father Lu Liang had been the steward of the inner court for many years, and he still looked calm and composed. He secretly admired him. He put down his royal wine, stepped forward to greet him and said, "My son has met his adopted father."
Lu Liang hummed and glanced at the royal wine sent by Yang Liu. He had already guessed his fate. Some important ministers in the outer court wanted to keep the mourning secret and took the opportunity to act like monsters. Then those of them in the inner court who knew the truth about the late emperor would surely Can't live.
Lu Liang asked: "Liu'er, I guess this imperial wine was sent by Master Xiangguo?"
Yang Liu saw that the old leader who always supported him was about to reach the end of his life. He looked sad and knelt down to say goodbye: "Father, I can no longer honor you from now on. Huo Xiangguo said, for the sake of my foster father Because you have served the late emperor for so many years, after the late emperor is buried, you will be buried with him in the imperial mausoleum."
Seeing the sad look on Yang Liu's face, Lu Liang felt relieved. He had no children, so his love for this boy was not in vain.
Lu Liang sighed and said, "Liu'er, please get up. Today, we say goodbye to you and my son forever. Fortunately, your boy is also smart enough to climb up the prime minister's high branch and finally save his life."
Yang Liu heard this and cried: "Father, the child is unfilial..."
Lu Liang stepped forward to help Yang Liu up and said in a trembling voice: "Liu'er, you have to live a good life. If you think of me well, and burn some paper money for my father on Qingming Festival from now on, my father will be able to rest in peace."
"Father..."
Lu Liang stepped forward and bowed three times to the direction where the emperor died in Changle Palace, then raised his wine glass and cried sadly: "My late emperor, this old slave has come down to follow you..."
After saying this, Lu Liang drank the imperial wine in one gulp. After a while, the former chamberlain general died in the west.
