Within the palace.
Yongle Palace.
Queen Mother He looked at a white-haired old man who was nearly seventy years old, with a smile on her face, and said: "Mr. Yuan, I didn't expect you to come to Beijing. If I had known, I would have gone to pick you up personally."
This old man has no beard, is energetic, and has a strong bookish air. His name is Yuan Bao.
He smiled at the Empress Dowager He and said: "I am very thoughtful. I want to go out for a walk and meet my old friends in the capital. If I don't come again, I'm afraid I won't have another chance. Coming to see the Empress Dowager this time is also a way to say goodbye."
Queen Mother He's face changed slightly, and she said urgently: "Sir, you are a blessed person, and you will definitely live a long life. You must not despise yourself."
But Yuan Bao didn't care, and said openly: "Life and death depend on heaven, how can we force human power? Queen Mother, please listen to the old man's advice, do everything according to the trend, and never be tyrannical. The way of heaven and earth lies in nature."
Queen Mother He heard the meaning behind his words and asked doubtfully: "Sir, what is the purpose of coming to Beijing this time?"
Yuan Bao did not pretend to cover up, saying: "Since Emperor Huan, there has been a habit of killing, and the scholars are all in danger and living in fear. Now that your Majesty has succeeded to the throne, in just a few months, there has been a palace coup, an eunuch execution, and two More than 10,000 people were killed in vain, and I was horrified when I heard about it. The imperial court wants to kill the Yuan family, but it is feared that countless more people will be killed. I am here, hoping to stop one or two."
Empress Dowager He didn't like government affairs very much and rarely interfered, so she couldn't help but turn to the maid next to her.
The palace maid bowed down and said, "Your Majesty, I don't know. I heard that Your Majesty is ill, but I haven't heard of any decree to annihilate the Yuan family."
Empress Dowager He understood clearly. She looked at Yuan Bao and hesitated to speak.
Yuan Bao was Ye Tingcheng more than ten years ago. It was he who selected Queen Mother He and brought her into the palace. Queen Mother He also received Yuan Bao's care in the palace.
It can be said that everything about Queen Mother He and the He family owes its origin to Yuan Bao.
This Yuan Bao didn't care about money or officialdom, he just wanted to study. Queen Mother He had no idea how to repay him all these years.
After a long time, Queen Mother He stood up and said, "Mr. Yuan, I'm going to see Bian'er."
Yuan Bao immediately stood up and said: "My dear, I have no other intention. I only ask that your majesty be benevolent and do less killing."
Empress Dowager He nodded gently, escorted Yuan Bao out of the palace, and then went straight to Jingfu Hall.
The side hall of Jingfu Hall.
Liu Bian was coughing and resisting the drowsiness after taking medicine while talking to the cheap father-in-law Tang Mao opposite him.
Tang Mao, the prefect of Kuaiji, was Tang Ji’s father.
Tang Ji knelt down and sat aside, pouring tea for the two of them, keeping her head down and her face red.
Tang Mao has stereotyped facial features and a pair of peach blossom eyes. He looks like a romantic celebrity.
He sat opposite Liu Bian, feeling secretly happy that his daughter was the first to be admitted into the harem by the new Majesty. He bowed slightly and said: "Your Majesty, Kuaiji has simple folk customs, strong academic style, rich people, and stable life. The land of happy fish.”
Liu Bian kept coughing and his mind was frozen. He smiled and said: "I know the political achievements of the Qing family. If the Qing family stays in Beijing temporarily, I will make other arrangements."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Tang Mao said. He was calm as usual, but he was very excited in his heart. There were three words that kept echoing in his heart - General.
Liu Bian doesn't have much thinking ability now, but this is his first father-in-law, so he must be well entertained.
He took a sip of tea, suppressed the itch in his throat, and asked Tang Hao, "In addition to reporting on work, is there anything else the Qing family has to do when they come to Beijing this time?"
"Nothing else." Tang Mao said. He came to Beijing this time for two most important purposes. One was to send Princess Tang into the palace, and the other was to seek development in the new dynasty. Now that he had both, there was nothing else to do.
Liu Bian nodded slightly and reached for the tea cup again.
Tang Ji understood and whispered to her father: "Dad, Your Majesty is not feeling well today. It is better to wait for another day."
Tang Mao glanced at his daughter, who had turned her elbows outward, paused for a moment, and said, "Your Majesty, I am brave. Please be cautious and think twice about the Yuan family."
Liu Bian became more and more sleepy. He had already made plans for the Yuan family. His smile faded a bit and he said calmly: "Has anyone come to see the Qing family?"
Tang Mao bowed and said: "Yes. I dare not deceive Your Majesty. The Tang family and the Yuan family have some connections and have been married. When I was young, I was educated in the Yuan family."
Liu Bian already knew this.
He coughed, took a long breath, and said, "Let's talk about it another day."
Tang Mao saw this and said anxiously: "Your Majesty, I am interceding for the Yuan family not for the favor I once received. It is to kill the Yuan family. The consequences will be serious and unpredictable. I do not ask for your majesty's pardon, but for your majesty to stay." There is room, and this room is for the Yuan family, for the noble families of the world, and for Your Majesty."
Liu Bian's mind was a little groggy, but his thinking was not groggy. Hearing this, his eyes were cold and he said, "Okay, I understand. Please leave the Qing family."
Tang Ji helped Liu Bian get up and was about to turn back to the bedroom.
Seeing this, Tang Mao thought about it again and again, but in the end he could only sigh silently.
Tang Ji helped Liu Bian out of the side hall and said softly: "Your Majesty, I will prepare some medicine for you later. You must take the medicine on time so that you can get well soon."
Liu Bian was very sleepy, and he hummed, a little unsteady on his feet, and walked step by step while holding on to the wall.
"Bian'er, what's going on?"
Suddenly, Liu Bian heard an exclamation in his ears. He looked up and saw Queen Mother He coming over quickly and holding his other arm, with a worried look on her face.
"Mother, it's okay, I feel the cold." Liu Bian said with a smile.
Queen Mother He didn't think much about it. She supported him and said, "Bian'er, my mother heard that you sent troops to surround the Yuan Mansion?"
No matter how sleepy he was and how stiff his mind was, Liu Bian still tried his best to stay awake and said: "I have never given such a decree."
Queen Mother He looked at Liu Bian's side face, suddenly stretched out her hand on his forehead, retracted it suddenly, was startled, and shouted urgently: "Quick, quick, quick, doctor, Bian'er, hold on for a while, we'll be there soon" It’s time to sleep in the palace.”
Not long after, Liu Bian was placed on the bed, and Tang Ji went to make medicine. Queen Mother He sat by the bed, feeling very distressed when she saw Liu Bian feeling uncomfortable.
Liu Bian kept blinking, as if he would fall asleep in the next moment, but he did not dare to sleep and held on strongly.
Queen Mother He hesitated again and again, but still said: "Bian'er, why did you send troops to surround the Yuan family?"
Liu argued: "I have never made such a decree."
"Then, you let them go back?" Queen Mother He asked tentatively.
Liu Bian smiled and said: "Mother, the courtiers must have their reasons for acting the way they do."
Why didn't Queen Mother He understand? She said, "Well, if you don't issue an edict, I will issue an edict. Can you just pretend that you don't know?"
Liu Bian looked at Queen Mother He, his heart was agitated and he had a splitting headache.
The reason why he didn't dare to sleep was actually because he was on guard against this! Among all the big men, only Queen Mother He could suppress him.
Although Liu Bian decreed that the harem should not interfere with politics, this was aimed at his harem and could not include his cheap father's harem.
If Empress Dowager He really issued an edict, Wang Yun and others would have no choice but to give up their troops and would be unable to resist at all.
Liu Bian closed his eyes, took a deep breath, barely regained consciousness, and gasped: "Mother, the Yuan family forged uncle's letter in an attempt to send troops to Beijing. They are more terrifying than the eunuchs. I can let you go today." If we let them go, they may not let us mother and son go tomorrow..."
(End of chapter)
