After I got into the drama, I led the plot astray

Concubine Li couldn't help but tremble and ask, "Who is it?"

I swung the sword with force, and with a loud "bang", the sword split a round stool into two halves. The round stool fell to the ground, making a continuous "dong, bang, dong, bang" sound.

Concubine Li was frightened by the knife and screamed again, and even the nanny and palace maids around her were frightened.

I kicked the broken stool and said with a smile, "It's me."

This time, not only did Concubine Li show a look of surprise, but even Fuyao turned her head to look at me with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

I continued, "I won't go into detail about how many ambushes we encountered and how many people we killed along the way. I just want to say that you should not think that I am a weak woman in your eyes just because I am wearing this long dress. When I was on the battlefield killing the enemy, you were still coquettishly in your mother's arms. How dare you threaten me?"

Only then did Concubine Li reveal a hint of regret in her eyes.

I continued to speak calmly, "No matter how stupid you are, you shouldn't insult me, and even bring up the late emperor. I didn't know what crime to accuse you of, but now you've brought me such a serious crime."

After saying that, I smiled, and then said sternly: "Concubine Li was disrespectful to the late emperor and to me, and violated the palace rules. I will give her a piece of white silk and she will not be allowed to enter the imperial mausoleum after her death."

I paused, then continued, "Everyone in this palace cannot distinguish right from wrong and is aiding and abetting the tyrant. All of you should be executed immediately."

After saying that, I flicked my sleeves and walked out without looking back.

I heard screams behind me, but they didn't cause any ripples in my heart.

It turns out that even if a person does a lot of evil things, he won't feel guilty about it.

I saw Zheng Yan walking towards me and said, "It looks like you will have a sleepless night tonight."

Zheng Yan sighed and said, "Leave the rest to me."

After Zheng Yan finished speaking, he turned his head and said to Wei Yi: "Pass on my oral order and summon King Ming, Duke Zhao, Minister Du, General Du... to the palace to discuss important matters."

Zheng Yan said a long list of names, and Wei Yi, the chief secretary, actually remembered them all and turned around to find someone to convey his orders.

Soon, a large number of royal guards rushed in, and they were responsible for completing the remaining finishing work.

I returned to my palace and told Yingchun to prepare water. I took a comfortable bath and drank a bowl of tonic soup. Then I lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

I slept very deeply and didn't wake up until noon the next day.

As soon as she woke up, Fuyao came to report to me that early this morning, Zhao Zhenyuan and Du Changfeng led the Imperial Guards to raid the home of Minister Guo. Of the 108 people in the Minister's Mansion, the men were exiled thousands of miles away, and the women were sent to the official kiln or the musical school. In short, Minister Guo fell in an instant.

After Minister Guo fell, the Ministry of Revenue conducted a purge and removed several high-ranking officials who were closely connected with Minister Guo. Zheng Yan quickly arranged for his own people to take over.

I know that Gongsun Wen's thundering measures were indispensable here, but at least Zheng Yan has taken a big step forward. He has clearly realized that as a monarch, being indecisive and tolerant will not only bring no benefits to himself, but will only make himself more passive.

It seems that after this incident, Zheng Yan has established himself.

I had just finished lunch when He Wan'er came over with Zheng Xi.

I brought Ali back to the Duke's Mansion. After Zheng Xi looked for Ali for a while but couldn't find him, he was really bored, so he took Fu Yao to teach him how to throw darts.

He Wan'er and I sat in the pavilion in the garden, drinking tea slowly and watching Zheng Xi, under Fu Yao's guidance, hit the bull's eye with the dart several times. Zheng Xi laughed with joy.

I took a sip of tea and slowly said, "Ninth brother looks exactly like the late emperor."

Zheng Xi looks most similar to Zheng Xian. Every time I look at Zheng Xi, I overlap his face with Zheng Xian's handsome face. It seems that I see Zheng Xian smiling and saying to me, "Ah Man, I found some delicious cakes. Come and try them."

As soon as I finished speaking, He Wan'er's eyes became moist. She picked up a white handkerchief and gently pressed the corners of her eyes, and said in a slightly hoarse voice: "That's why I have never been able to bear to punish him, and I don't even dare to speak to him loudly. Because when I look at Xiaojiu, I always feel that the late emperor is still by my side and has never left."

I sighed and said, "You have to stand up so that you can protect Brother Nine. This time it was Concubine Li, next time it could be Concubine Ping, Concubine Yong, or Concubine Qing. There are so many concubines in the palace, and none of them are easy to deal with, especially my sister. If you can't stand up, she will come back to take charge of the harem in the future, and I'm afraid your life will be difficult."

He Wan'er looked at Zheng Xi not far away, nodded slowly, and said: "When I was a concubine before, I always thought that as long as I didn't compete for favor and didn't catch the late emperor's eye, I wouldn't become a thorn in the eyes of others, and I could live a peaceful life. I didn't expect that the late emperor would find me to raise Xiaojiu. Now I finally understand that since the moment I became Xiaojiu's mother, I can't wade through the muddy water in this palace."

After He Wan'er finished speaking, she turned her head and looked at me, saying to me with deep affection: "Thank you, Ah Man. Ever since I first saw you in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, I knew you were my benefactor. You have helped me a lot. If it weren't for you, I would have wanted to follow the late emperor after he passed away."

After He Wan'er finished speaking, she waved her hand, and the nanny beside her brought a large wooden box and placed it on the table.

He Wan'er smiled and said, "When the late emperor was alive, he gave me some small things from time to time. Apart from food and cloth, which I tried to eat and use up, I don't need these things now, so I'll give them to you. I think you will like them, little girl."

After He Wan'er finished speaking, she stood up and said, "It's getting late. I should go back now."

After He Wan'er finished speaking, she looked at me deeply and said, "Ah Man, remember to come to the palace often to visit me and Xiao Jiu. Now you are my only friend in this palace."

After He Wan'er finished speaking, she walked towards Zheng Xi and took Zheng Xi away.

After He Wan'er left, Yang opened the lid of the wooden box and exclaimed, "Madam, it's all jewelry."

I turned around and saw that this wooden box had three layers, and each layer was filled with pearl hairpins, jade bracelets, earrings and other accessories. The dazzling array of pearls and emeralds almost blinded my eyes.

I was stunned. Is He Wan'er planning to give me all her belongings?

Looking at this pile of jewelry, I thought for a moment and said, "Go to my storehouse and get some high-quality fabrics and medicinal herbs to send to the Empress Dowager."

Yang said "yes" and was about to leave, but I quickly stopped her and said, "Bring another 500,000 taels of silver notes with you."

Yang looked at me in surprise and asked, "My Lady, I can understand if you sent me cloth and herbs, but why did you send me silver bills?"