Empress Dowager Sun also understood that in order to fight against foreign aggression, one must first settle the domestic affairs. Before dealing with the emperor who created the problem, the capitulation faction within the Sun family must first be dealt with.
Fortunately, according to Queen Mother Yisun, there are not many surrender factions in her family.
It happened that Sun Zhong, the Marquis of Huichang, once again sent someone to take his great-grandson Sun Ming back to his home. Sun Jizong's daughter-in-law and daughter brought Sun Ming to say goodbye.
Empress Dowager Sun no longer tried to persuade her to stay this time, but ordered Gao Ping to load the prepared gifts into a carriage and send the Sun family back home together. When everyone left, Queen Mother Sun secretly exchanged a look with Sun Jizong's daughter-in-law, which contained both deep expectations and a strong warning.
Since all the palaces around Yinghua Hall were being cleared and demolished, the Sun family left the north gate of Yinghua Hall and headed east, taking the Xuanwu Gate and leaving the Forbidden City.
After sending away her parents' family, the Queen Mother still continued to beat and curse her.
Gao Ping added fuel to the fire and reported the demolition situation of various palaces to Empress Dowager Sun in detail, which caused Empress Dowager Sun to rub her forehead and lament:
"It is really a crime that all the good palaces were demolished. A large group of palaces from Kunning Palace and Qianqing Palace to the west, except for the Yinghua Palace in the northwest corner, almost all were demolished.
I really regret it. If Zhu Qiyu had been born that year, I would have taken him to the palace to raise him. How could things happen today?
Now that he's better, he doesn't know who taught him, but this scoundrel actually avoids the Forbidden City like a snake or a scorpion. All the forces in this palace are in the palace. If he runs to the western suburbs, it is really beyond his reach.
I remember that the emperor was raised in Wang Jin's home. Wang Jin was one of the most trusted eunuchs of the late emperor. He didn't even give me face. I tried several times, but Wang Jin refused to give in.
At that time, I felt that Zhu Qiyu could not cause any trouble, so he did not pursue and eradicate the roots.
In the end, Zhu Qiyu survived.
It's fine now, it's become a serious problem. "
Empress Dowager Sun's words were so straightforward, which was another test of Gao Ping.
If Gao Ping went to report to the emperor, he would be dead.
If Gao Ping passes the test, Queen Mother Sun will have to handle some confidential errands.
There was no way, Queen Mother Sun's original confidants were almost eliminated by the emperor. Even if Gao Ping was by his side for a short time, he could only use it.
Gao Ping was not stupid, and immediately showed his loyalty: "Your Majesty, I was ordered to contact Chen Xiang the day before yesterday, but Eunuch Chen instead asked the emperor to win over the slave and handed over a small courtyard in Ming Yufang to the slave to take care of. Not only was there 10,000 taels of silver in the accounting room at the disposal of the slaves, but even a jade sculpture that Queen Qian cherished the most was placed in the small courtyard.
The servant pretended to agree to Eunuch Chen and then tried to trick him. It turned out that Eunuch Chen wanted his slaves to closely monitor the Queen Mother's movements and report to him in time.
Most importantly, Eunuch Chen also wanted his slaves to help investigate the rumors about Emperor Gongrang's life experience, and whether Eunuch Xing was secretly working for the Queen Mother.
The matter is so important that I dare not master it. Please ask the Queen Mother to show you how to act. "
Empress Dowager Sun nodded and praised: "You have done a good job, you can accept those things with peace of mind. Emperor Gongrang has grown up than before, and the entanglements in the inner court are even more important than the struggles in the previous dynasty.
In the past, Emperor Gongrang was too naive. He only knew how to send ministers to prison, lock them up for a period of time, and then release them. Those methods are worse than those of the women in the palace.
Alas, I don’t understand how I gave birth to such a son, and how I brought him up to be like this.
If you look at Zhu Qiyu again, he is usually cheerful and seems harmless to humans and animals. In fact, killing the Wang family, wiping out the entire Prince Yin's palace, completely eradicating the roots and eliminating future troubles forever; in the case of a civil servant beating Ma Shun to death, the ministers involved were executed on the spot without blinking an eye.
There are also clan members who exterminated Yang Hong and killed Hu Hui and Li Xian.
Every time Zhu Qiyu makes a move, he does it cleanly.
This time, it's better. Once Sanyang is completely eliminated, I will be the one to kill me. "
Gao Ping lowered his head and did not dare to answer.
Queen Mother Sun shook her head and sighed heavily: "Logically speaking, if you want to save me, you should save Sanyang first. It's a pity that there is really no reason for what Sanyang did.
As for me, I was chased and beaten fiercely by the emperor after he caught the "killing his wife with his concubine", and he couldn't be justified in reasoning.
Hey, let's work hard to select the queen first, and take advantage of the vassal king's visit to Beijing to congratulate him and hold a grand wedding ceremony for the emperor.
You go to urge the Ministry of Rites and Cabinet Ministers tomorrow, and the draft will begin immediately. Let’s start with Zhili, Shandong, Shanxi, and Henan. Forget about those places like Guangxi, Guangdong, and Yunnan that are too far away.
It doesn’t need to be so complicated. Within a month, each province will send beautiful girls to the capital.
There is one more thing. The emperor's Zi Palace should also start construction. You should also give me a reminder. "
A night of silence.
By the afternoon of the next day, the emperor's order to dig Yang Shiqi's grave was widely known, causing a sensation in both the government and the public.
Anyone with a little bit of savvy could see what signal the emperor was sending.
In addition, the Ministry of Rites suddenly shortened the draft process and was eager to select the queen.
No matter how dull you are, you can now see that the battle between concubines and concubines is about to get heated.
But no one dares to say for sure who will lose and who will win.
Previously, the emperor Gongrang, the crown prince, and the prince were seriously ill one after another. It was not easy here, and the emperor over there was also ill and could not even go to court.
Moreover, the emperor did not even see an imperial doctor, so no one knew what the emperor's condition was.
Now all parties are ready to take action. Once there is conclusive news about the emperor's condition, that will be the beginning of choosing sides.
Zhu Qizhen was eating dinner and listening to Chen Xiang's performance.
Chen Xiang first recounted the Queen Mother's words and deeds in detail.
Gao Ping did not hide anything and told Chen Xiang exactly what the Queen Mother said and what she did.
Nowadays, most people in the inner court can no longer understand the true and false situation, the true and false, and the true and false.
Each person can only master a small part of the information, but cannot see the entire chess game.
Even this small part of information is mixed with false news and real news.
Even Zhu Qiyu, a chess player, can no longer see it seriously, let alone others.
Zhu Qizhen was not very interested in choosing the queen. He just listened to a few words and then told Chen Xiang: "You don't need to tell me about choosing the queen in the future."
Chen Xiang was very puzzled when he heard this.
Zhu Qizhen explained: "You have forgotten that on the first day I returned to the capital, I was greeted by hundreds of officials, and my younger brother held a banquet at Fengtianmen to welcome me.
At that time, I met my brother's two little princesses, the twin sisters Hua'er.
Now these losers from the Ministry of Rites spend a long time selecting women, and the women they select are not even as good as a finger of their younger brother, the princess. Can they be favored? Or do they have to go to the cold palace to eat ashes. "
Chen Xiang rarely sang the opposite tune and said: "Your Majesty, that's not what you said. The Ministry of Rites selects a group of outstanding women from all over the country and then sends them to the capital for further screening.
The women who eventually became empresses and concubines must be the most outstanding women in the Ming Dynasty. They were all beautiful and charming, and they were knowledgeable, courteous, and generous. How could the emperor not fall in love with them when he saw them? "
Zhu Qizhen mocked angrily: "Please save me some time, I don't know what the Ministry of Rites is like.
Just look at my women and you will know that they really think of themselves as people. Every saint follows the etiquette and rules, even if they sleep with each other, this won't work, and that won't work either.
I could only turn off the lights and lie on the bed. If you let her lie down, you are being treasonous and violating the etiquette of the saints.
That is why I, a kind and virtuous king, am not as knowledgeable as them.
If they were still like this in front of their younger brother, he would have set them on fire.
Women's problems are all caused by habit. "
Chen Xiang laughed helplessly and did not dare to refute anymore.
Zhu Qizhen continued to sigh: "Many times, I still admire my brother. He really dares to think and do. The things he does are enjoyable to watch.
If I win this battle for the throne, I will let my brother go back to Shandong and live a comfortable life. I will give him the position of King Qi. "
Chen Xiang quickly shouted that the emperor is wise, but he did not agree in his heart. My own emperor is just talking about it. If the emperor really loses, there will naturally be many people willing to serve him and do the 'all-difficult thing'.
At most, the emperor's daughters were lucky enough to survive.
As for the emperor and the emperor's young sons, they have to act according to convention.
Chen Xiang continued: "Your Majesty, according to the latest military report, there is another Miao rebellion in Guizhou, and the Ming Dynasty is about to fight again."
Zhu Qizhen asked curiously: "Didn't my brother send Wang Ji to lead the army south?"
(End of chapter)
