The Empress Dowager's eyes were fixed on Ying Zheng. For the first time, she sincerely hoped that this was her biological son. There was even a hint of pleading in her tone: "Your Majesty..."
Concubine Zhang said sternly: "Your Majesty inherits the late emperor's world and is the late emperor's son. How can you not keep your eyes open for your father? This witch has killed all the late emperor's descendants and almost cut off the imperial line. How can she comfort the late emperor without punishing the nine clans?!"
Ying Zheng watched silently as Mrs. Zhang forced the Empress Dowager into a corner, as if watching a spider crawling towards the prey caught in the spider's web with ease, killing it, and then slowly eating it. .
He knew that the Queen Mother could not escape.
It doesn't actually matter whether what Mrs. Zhang said today is the truth or not.
Because it is absolutely impossible for the Empress Dowager to agree to open the coffin for an autopsy, no one will know the true cause of death of the late emperor's many heirs until the end of the story.
But at the same time, because the empress dowager refused the autopsy with the most resolute words and attitude, the clan headed by the king could only make a presumption of guilt against her - if she did not have a guilty conscience, why did they not dare to open the coffin for an autopsy?
But for the Empress Dowager, this matter itself is a dead end, and she will lose anyway.
If the coffin is not opened - the clan will presume her guilty.
Opening the coffin - It was discovered that the body of Princess Chongqing was missing, which shocked Chang'an. At the same time, the royal family began to investigate the matter thoroughly, and the Feng family's conspiracy was completely exposed.
Given the lesser of two evils, the Empress Dowager could only choose the first.
Although chronic poison can kill people, it is better than poison that seals the throat with blood.
There was a faint fragrance sneaking into the hall through the window, and Ying Zheng heard a small crackling sound. It was the sound made by agarwood piled up and burning in a place outside the hall.
On the special day of the Empress Dowager's birthday, the agarwood worth thousands of dollars was just an insignificant decoration. Dozens of them were piled up and lit in one place, causing the fragrance to rise into the sky and pass through the closed doors and windows in the summer. , just a wisp of smoke coming through the window...
The sunlight entered the inner hall through the shark gauze curtain, and the wisp of light smoke seemed to turn into a fine mist, curling in the air. Ying Zheng lowered his eyelashes to cover the emotions in his eyes.
Queen Mother, today is your birthday.
I wonder if the birthday gift I gave you is still to your liking?
Chapter 22
The Empress Dowager, Concubine Zhang, and even several elders of the clan, including King Dai, all unanimously set their sights on Ying Zheng, waiting for the emperor's decree.
Ying Zheng looked a little embarrassed,
After hesitating for a long time, he finally said: "Queen Mother, are you really unwilling to open the coffin? I'm afraid it's hard to convince the public with empty words..."
The Empress Dowager dug her fingernails into her palms, but she sneered and asked: "It's hard to convince the public with empty words? Isn't Zhang's words today unfounded? Just because this bitch talks nonsense, Your Majesty wants to open the late emperor's mausoleum. , Are you doubting your mother so much? As for her life and the lives of the nine Zhang family clans - it’s a joke, are these despicable lives worth the late emperor’s peace after death?!”
The expressions of the clan members changed again. Concubine Zhang immediately resisted and said, "Since I dare to sue the Queen Mother in front of everyone today, naturally there are witnesses! The prince was born that day, and his appearance was like this. Hey, everyone has seen it before. The Taiyuan Hospital has its own pulse records, and the prince has blue spots on his body and purple nail beds, all of which are recorded in the records!"
The Empress Dowager's face suddenly turned blue.
Concubine Zhang looked at her from the corner of her eyes and said sarcastically: "In addition to this, I also tried every possible means to find the palace servant who had served Princess Chongqing, and asked her what the ceremony was like after Princess Chongqing's death - - According to the regulations of this dynasty, after the death of an unmarried prince or princess, the coffin of an unmarried prince or princess must be suspended for seven days before the funeral ceremony can be carried out. However, only three days after the death of Princess Chongqing, the coffin was hurriedly sent to the imperial mausoleum. Some officials even Isn’t it strange that no one has ever prayed for the purification of the princess’ body?!”
"The Queen Mother!"
She said in a long voice: "After the death of Princess Chongqing, the late emperor was very sad and bedridden. You have full authority to handle the funeral of the princess. Can you explain why you made such reductions after the princess's death?" Funeral ceremony? Is it because the princess was young and did something offend you during her lifetime? Or is it that the cause of death of the princess was different? You were afraid that others would find something strange on the princess' body, so you didn't even dare to ask people to pray for the princess's purification. , and hurriedly buried the princess and sent her to the imperial mausoleum?!"
The Queen Mother was speechless.
Concubine Zhang especially felt that it was not enough. She sneered "ha" and said to several clan members: "Uncle Dai Wang, you don't know, there is an even more bizarre thing - after the death of Princess Chongqing, all the recent All the palace servants who had served her had disappeared! Whose eyes had been offended by a group of people who had served Princess Chongqing, and they were wiped out from the world? Or did they discover something wrong? You know, he was killed and silenced?!"
Cold sweat broke out from her back and forehead, soaking the Empress Dowager's underwear, causing a flash of silver on her temples. Her lips trembled a few times, and she was speechless for a moment.
"The Queen Mother."
At this moment, King Dai spoke up: "Old minister, I would like to ask, do you have anything to explain to Concubine Zhang?"
"I, I, I..."
The Empress Dowager repeated it twice feebly, finally gradually regaining her ability to speak: "I originally wanted to take this matter to the grave, but it's just that today , I’m afraid I have to say it.”
She lowered her eyes and said slowly: "The servants who served Princess Chongqing are indeed dead. It was not me who ordered their execution, but... the late emperor."
The expressions of Dai Wang and others changed again.
Concubine Zhang said sternly: "You are talking nonsense! The late emperor has always been kind -"
"No matter how kind a person is, he will be heartbroken and lose his mind over the death of his beloved daughter!"
The Empress Dowager's voice gained a third of strength: "My old confidant who served the late emperor is still resting outside the palace. If you don't believe it, you can call him back for questioning!"
Speaking of this, she gradually regained some confidence, turned to look at Ying Zheng, and said earnestly and seductively: "Does Your Majesty think that I am determined to prevent the coffin from being opened because I have a guilty conscience? ?I am worried about your majesty’s reputation! How should the world comment on digging up the emperor’s tomb as a son of a human being? He did this nonsense just because of the nonsense of this bitch, Does Your Majesty want to see the world smile at you?!"
"Taking a step back, even if the coffins are opened, the bodies of the prince and princess are really different. Can it be proved that I was the one who did it? If someone insults the bodies of the prince and princess after their death, and What’s the point of framing this palace?!”
After saying this, she softened her voice again and said slowly: "Ms. Zhang dares to swear, wouldn't I dare not? If it is true as she said, all the descendants of the late emperor will die at my hands, then Tell me to be struck by five thunders, and I will not be reincarnated after death, and the nine Feng clans will not have a good death!"
Ying Zheng was silent for a while. After a long time, he finally looked at Dai Wang: "Uncle Dai Wang, in your opinion..."
Dai Wang was silent for a while.
What the Empress Dowager said is indeed reasonable, but the doubts in it cannot be completely relieved.
The physical evidence and witness that Mrs. Zhang mentioned, whether it was the events after the birth of the prince, the funeral ceremony after Princess Chongqing's death, or even the disappearance of Princess Chongqing's attendants, were all things that actually happened. Affection.
And the explanation given by the Queen Mother...
Does what the late emperor's attendant said must be true?
Objects are dead and real, but people are different.
King Dai was the uncle of the late emperor and the current great-uncle, and he was also the oldest person in the clan. With his multiple identities combined, his position was destined.
"Your Majesty," the king said solemnly, "This matter is of great importance. I would like to invite the prime ministers of the three provinces to discuss this case together!"
The Empress Dowager's breathing involuntarily became rapid for a moment.
She stared closely at Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty..."
Ying Zheng frowned, and after thinking for a few moments, he finally said with some hesitation: "Taiping, go, let the prime ministers come in."
The Queen Mother almost fell into despair: "Your Majesty!"
…
Today is the birthday of the Empress Dowager, and it is also the first grand palace banquet after taking the throne. How many distinguished and important officials have entered the palace?
The clan members were members of the royal family. After entering the palace, they went to the Empress Dowager to say hello. The ladies of each family attended the ceremony according to their rank and exchanged greetings.
After a while, the prime ministers and important ministers from the three provinces came together, chatted and laughed with the neighboring nobles, and waited for the emperor and the empress dowager to come to the main hall.
After waiting like this for two quarters of an hour, seeing that the time was coming, but the real owner was still nowhere to be seen, they could not help but murmur in their hearts.
The attendant, Li Chun, was always cautious. He looked around and couldn't help but whisper to another attendant, Wei Zhongzhi: "It's strange that the respected clan members are not present."
Wei Zhongzhi frowned slightly and said in a low voice: "Perhaps there are some unexpected changes in the Queen Mother's affairs."
As the minister's right servant and the younger brother of the Empress Dowager, Feng Mingda was well aware of the Feng family's plans today. When he suddenly saw that things were progressing differently, it was inevitable that he would be shocked - not just the Empress Dowager. , the female relatives of the Feng family are not in the palace either.
He was secretly worried, and after saying a few words to the minister beside him, Zuo Pu, when he shot Dong Chang, he got up and went to investigate the situation in person. Before anyone could leave the palace, he was invited by Commander Zuo Wuwei, who seemed polite but could not refuse. came back.
Although the prime ministers were far away from the entrance of the hall, they saw the soldiers and guards standing outside the door. They exchanged glances with each other and their expressions became solemn.
Seeing this, everyone in the hall noticed something strange. They gradually stopped talking and laughing, and looked over uneasily.
Commander Zuo Wuwei and Feng Mingda came to the palace together and said in a deep voice: "The emperor's oral message."
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat and they hurriedly left the table and knelt down.
Immediately afterwards, Commander Zuo Wuwei said: "Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday and the great celebration of the country. I didn't expect that there would be a traitor who assassinated me at the palace banquet. The crime will not be forgiven. The matter is not yet clear, for safety reasons." , the palace banquet is temporarily suspended, and the king of Zhou, the left servant of Shangshu, Dong Changshi, and the right servant of Shangshu, Feng Mingda, are led by the three to care for the courtiers and their wives, and wait quietly in the palace for a while, without any mistake! "
The three people who were called hurriedly paused and said: "I accept your order."
When Dong Chang heard that there was an assassination attempt at the palace banquet, his heart skipped a beat. Then he thought that the emperor was still able to give orders with ample room, so he expected that there would be no danger.
That being the case...
While he was thinking about it, Feng Mingda couldn't help but ask: "Is the Holy Driver safe and sound?"
Commander Zuo Wuwei paused for a moment, looking a little hesitant. Seeing the eyes of several prime ministers and the guests in the palace, he finally said: "The Holy Master is safe and sound."
He lowered his voice again and said with a somewhat sympathetic expression: "Feng Pu Shejie mourns. Just now, the old lady in the house has passed away."
Feng Mingda was caught off guard, his face turned pale suddenly, and his legs became weak. Fortunately, Dong Changshi had quick eyesight and quick hands, and he helped him up: "Brother Mingda!"
Feng Mingda was filled with sadness and fear.
The sadness is the pain of losing my mother, and the fear is that things will change. At this point, the plan has obviously been disrupted.
what happened?
How could something happen to my mother?
It's the emperor...
Or was someone else taking action secretly?
A sudden panic came to his heart. Feng Mingda felt as if a black hole had appeared somewhere beyond his sight. He didn't give him a chance to react, so he swallowed him in one gulp...
When Dong Chang saw his panic-stricken look, he knew that he might not be able to count on his colleague in the short term. Fortunately, King Zhou was still there. He stepped forward to stabilize the courtiers, and King Zhou stepped forward to comfort the clan. With a two-pronged approach, the palace collapsed. Still alive and well.
After more than half an hour, they finally got the result - although they didn't know whether it was good or bad.
Taiping, the provincial eunuch beside the emperor, personally came to declare: "Your Majesty has an order, please invite the prime ministers to come and discuss matters."
Then he said to the King of Zhou with great respect: "All matters in the palace will be entrusted to the King of Zhou."
Prime ministers, you look at me, I look at you, you can't even guess what kind of medicine is sold in the emperor's pot.
Being able to issue an order to let the prime ministers go over, instead of turning big things into small things, it can be seen that today's affairs cannot be related to the emperor, but in this case - the Empress Dowager's affairs To what extent has it become so rotten that neither the emperor nor the elders of the clan can make the final decision, so they need to call in all the prime ministers?
When I arrived in the palace, I heard—Oh my God, it shocked my whole family. It was indeed an earth-shattering event!
I'm afraid that if I leave the palace today, the emperor will immediately arrest me and have my head twisted off because I know too much!
The late emperor's concubine accused the empress dowager of severing the former emperor's line of succession, and requested that the coffin of the prince and princess be opened for an autopsy. If the truth is different from what she said, the nine Zhang clans will be devastated!
The Empress Dowager said that the killing of Princess Chongqing's servant to vent her anger was done by the late emperor. She also insisted on not allowing it on the grounds that the late emperor's mausoleum should not be touched lightly, let alone disturb the souls of the deceased!
Prime Ministers: "..."
Emmm.
It’s not that we are being biased, the Queen Mother, the current situation is not good for you!
Ying Zheng looked embarrassed and had a headache: "The Queen Mother is my mother, and what the Queen Mother said involves the late Emperor. I really don't know how to deal with it!"
