my demon

All the ministers of the court looked at An Guogong kneeling in the hall, dumbfounded, and they didn't say a word.

Ji Xiang frowned, his face was as hard as iron, but An Guogong's tone of loyalty and patriotism was too high, and it was hard to refute it for a while. After all, no matter how young the emperor was, he was also the son of heaven. Hold on to your words.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan was always taciturn when he was in court. According to his usual behavior, the emperor would say that he would ask his mother to discuss with the cabinet ministers again.

Ji Xiang's eyebrows relaxed slightly, and he cupped his hands to salute the emperor, as if he really asked the emperor to speak.

The bead curtain inside moved slightly, and it seemed that the Empress Dowager Sun couldn't hold back anymore: "Your Majesty has not changed anything..."

Xiao Yan suddenly said: "The ministers are loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and their opinions are all right. I ascended the throne at a young age, but the empress dowager raised me and worked hard for a long time. Now I choose a lady as the empress. She has a good heart to protect and support me. , I am very touched."

Empress Dowager Sun had to hold back her words. After all, since the emperor had spoken, she couldn't just dismiss the emperor's words in full view of the court.

The ministers all thought in their hearts, the little emperor is very good at talking, the cabinet ministers and the queen mother should not offend anyone, and everyone is doing the best for the emperor.

However, Xiao Yan said slowly: "It's just that I just listened to the emperor's uncle. Now that bandits are raging in the sea, people are dying, and the sky is sending down plague warnings. This is a sign of the emperor's moral failure. How can I not reflect on myself. If you follow everyone As the cabinet ministers said, sending good families from various places to the palace with great fanfare will harass the people along the way, alarm the localities, and the cost will be very high. It is only for my own harem to draft talent. This is a waste of people and money.

Everyone shut their mouths at once, seeing that the little emperor did not hesitate to pin the faint king on him, Ji Tongzhen had no choice but to stand out and knelt down and said: "This is because I can't think about it, I apologize."

Xiao Yan said warmly: "Ji Xiang must not say so. Ji Xiang is loyal to me, and I know it, but I am still young, and the day of taking office is not yet in sight. I still have the assistant ministers to help me. Therefore, the matter of drafting is not for the time being. It's better to put it aside."

Although his voice is gentle, his semantics are very firm, and what he cites is the truth of justice, and he even directly links pro-government with the draft.Ji Tongzhen has nothing to refute. It is impossible to say that the emperor's thinking is wrong. The emperor should be extravagant, extravagant, indulgent and stupid. If it is for the sake of the emperor's dignity, the emperor also said before that the ministers and queen mothers are all right, and the little emperor alone After finishing speaking, there was nothing to refute, so I had to say: "The emperor is wise, and the minister obeys the order."

Xiao Yan said again: "The noble daughter of the Sun family in the Marquis of Cheng'en's mansion is virtuous and respectful, she is beautiful and famous, and has all the six elements. She can be a queen. The empress dowager is kind and I should look up to her, but I am still young. The rest of the concubines can be selected. , let’s not discuss it for the time being.”

Empress Dowager Sun's eyebrows did not loosen, Xiao Yan said: "Nowadays the national treasury is empty, material resources are difficult, and the state uses a lot. I should practice frugality and be the first in the world. The wedding ceremony and the six rituals of the Ministry of Rites should not be extravagant."

The Minister of Rites came out to receive the order: "I obey the order!"

Cheng Enhou also came out to express his gratitude, and for a moment he only saw a few words from the emperor in the hall, and he had already made a decision on the empress, but Cheng Enhou's face was not happy, and there was silence behind the bead curtain.

Only the faces of the cabinet ministers were much more complicated, they exchanged glances, the empress dowager was on top, and the important ministers were on the bottom, the little emperor was still able to say such well-organized words. Even Marquis Jinghai has been persuaded by Marquis Cheng En?But, is it true that Empress Dowager Sun really wants the emperor to be in charge after his wedding?

Is the power in this hand really willing to let it go like this, or is it that the queen mother is satisfied as long as the Sun family can produce another queen to continue the glory?Are the ministers willing?And Prince Duan who is outside, what's your opinion?I deliberately avoided going out at this juncture, is there another arrangement?

I'm afraid the imperial court is not at peace again.

After discussing all matters, they left the court. The important cabinet ministers and nobles of the Nine Ministers respectfully sent the empress dowager and the emperor away, and then they all chatted in low voices and left the palace.

Back in the inner hall, Empress Dowager Sun sat on the couch with a sullen face, and asked Xiao Yan directly: "Who is the Pope who said the emperor's court today?"

Xiao Yan seemed to be taken aback, but he still said: "It's the son's own thought. The queen mother wants to make her cousin the queen, but the Prime Minister doesn't allow it. The son thinks about the mother's queen's daughter, how to argue with the subordinates, it's a loss of face. Come on." Make a note on the daily life note, and the credit for the mother's care and protection over the years has been reduced a bit, so this can only be said by the son, and the cabinet ministers have nothing to say. Now the sixth palace is only waiting for the cousin to take the position. Palace, and there are no other concubines, is the queen mother dissatisfied?"

The Empress Dowager Sun's eyes were extremely sharp, she looked at Xiao Yan's expression for a moment, then looked at He Chang'an who was standing behind Xiao Yan with hands down, squinted her eyes, and finally said in a gentle voice: "Of course I am happy, but I just want to come today." It's because of a diet disorder. I think it's because of the weather. The viscera are restless, the stomach is restless, so I feel unwell. The emperor knows today that he is in front of the minister and is facing Aijia. There are some health-preserving meatballs here, and someone picked them and took them back for the emperor to use on time, the usage is trivial, so you have to watch carefully."

He Changan's back was soaked in cold sweat, and the place on his buttocks where he had received the cane before began to ache again.

Xiao Yan didn't take it seriously: "Thank you mother for your kindness, then Supervisor He will keep it, I will go back first."

Xiao Yan got up, resigned and went back to the palace.

The Lich asked him, "Does the Queen Mother suspect that he taught you how to speak?"

Xiao Yan smiled slightly at the corner of her lips: "Yes, because she doesn't believe that I can say these words, she despises me from the bottom of her heart, although what I say is the truth, no one taught me a word, the more so, Sun The queen mother is more afraid. When someone can control me more than she can, it is equivalent to touching and damaging the power in her hands. What's more, there are ambiguous people like An Guogong and Jinghaihou. Make a statement."

"And I have been under her close surveillance. Naturally, there are her people around He Changan who are watching each other. The only time is that Gao Lingyuan came over that day and was alone with me in the study. Once the Queen Mother starts to interrogate, this is the only one. In addition to the matter of Master Shui’s medicine, they can’t wash it clean.”

Xiao Yan smiled and said, "I just need to add a little spark to the burning firewood."

He Changan didn't come back until after the time of You. When he came back, his face was pale, but his clothes were still in good condition. But Xiao Yan knew that there were many ways to ask questions in this palace to make people's faces unscarred. He Changan suffered a lot.

Seeing that he didn't know what to do, Xiao Yan just asked him with a smile: "He Dajian is back, why is it taking so long?"

He Changan's eyes flickered: "The empress dowager cared about the emperor, asked about his daily life, and rewarded him with some things."

Xiao Yan nodded and said: "Okay, the superintendent has worked hard, let's go down and rest."

He Changan tentatively asked: "The emperor said something really well today, but a few days ago, Eunuch Gao came to give the emperor some advice?"

Xiao Yan said indifferently: "Is it someone else's idea? Isn't this the way I have always learned to be a king? Isn't it what my mother meant by making my cousin the queen? I just followed my mother's queen and found an excuse to push down the court. It's just the arrangement of the ministers."

He Changan felt a slight chill in his heart, remembering that he was interrogated repeatedly in the punishment department today, but he couldn't tell how the emperor said those words.And the emperor left Shuige alone that day, and was interrogated repeatedly about how he met the daughter of the Wei family. Although he tried his best to cover it up, he insisted that he had just met the young lady and lost his way, but he also suffered a lot.Although he was finally released and returned to serve the emperor, but what he has experienced today, he really dare not go through it again.

Moreover, how did the emperor leave the water pavilion that day?If the Empress Dowager already knew about Eunuch Gao's arrangement, and now she is forbearing, could it be that she has a bigger conspiracy?

He Changan was terrified, saw Xiao Yan entered the dormitory and lay down to sleep, so he could only limped out again, after thinking about it, he found a little servant who only said that he wanted to take medicine, and went to the imperial dining room to ask for some hot water, but She carefully sent a message to Gao Yuanling: "The Queen Mother seems suspicious."

After receiving the news, Gao Yuanling took the note, looked it over and over in his hand, and sneered.

Today, the little emperor gave a long speech uncharacteristically. It is guessed that Cheng Enhou's mansion approached An Guogong and Jinghaihou, and they sang and reconciled with each other to perform this play. It must be very difficult for the Queen Mother to let the emperor memorize those things.

Gao Yuanling put the note directly on the candle and burned it. He frowned and thought about it. Now that the Queen Mother and the Marquis of Chengen can persuade the old fox of An Guogong to help him, he obviously doesn't know what to give. It is probably the future of An Guogong's grandson. That's all - a dandy young master.

Gao Yuanling blew the ashes on his hands in disdain, honors are not good, the little emperor always grows up and governs, the cabinet ministers are the real important weapon of the country, the queen mother only thinks that she controls the little emperor in the deep palace , can command the world forever, but they don't know that the civil servants of the previous dynasty are of great power, teachers, fellow countrymen, classmates, and classmates, in the same year, with the same voice, with deep roots and luxuriant leaves.The harem and foreign relatives interfering in politics will be scolded to death by scholars and written in history books for thousands of years!

Of course, the servants are not allowed to do politics, but the servants will always accompany the little emperor, and the ministers still have to rely on him.

Over the years, how many officials of the imperial court have been appointed from their own hands?The cabinet ministers also need someone in the palace, this is the foundation of their own life.

Gao Yuanling wanted to understand that the Empress Dowager Sun could not do anything to herself now. If something really happened, how could the two assistant ministers really make the Empress Dowager Sun too arrogant?Empress Dowager Sun asked the little emperor to speak, and made the daughter of Cheng Enhou's mansion the empress, and the two prime ministers were very dissatisfied.

I can still take the opportunity to seek some more benefits, the daughter of the Wei family, what a pity last time.

Gao Yuanling figured it out, and had a good talk with Wei Baoshan the next day, and talked to the two Prime Ministers, might as well give them some more things, he didn't care, and went to sleep peacefully.

====

On the second day, Empress Dowager Sun fell ill, and she only said it was a cold.

Xiao Yan hurriedly went to the study to ask for leave, served the medicine in person in the Compassionate Ning Palace, and asked the imperial doctor for pulse carefully, very filial.

The Empress Dowager Sun drove Xiao Yan back: "I'm just a little tired, just take a rest. The emperor is here, but I worry about delaying the emperor's homework. I'd better go back and do my homework - I can take He Changan Stay here at Ai's house to serve, and Ai's family happens to have some errands for him to handle."

Xiao Yan naturally ordered He Changan to come over to serve the queen mother immediately, and told him to handle the errands carefully.

He's face was pale, and he knew that this was a common trick in the palace. If he suspected that someone was suspected, he would arrest him for a trial first, then relax, lure the snake out of the hole, and then arrest and interrogate again. At this time, he would easily lose control. This set... The key point is that the Queen Mother is not feeling well, Cheng Enhou and his wife brought two daughters and immediately handed over the sign to visit the Queen Mother.

This is to pry things out of his own mouth, and I'm afraid it won't be good today.

He Chang'an looked at Xiao Yan in despair, but Xiao Yan didn't realize it, he got up and was about to leave when he saw a report from outside: "Your Majesty, Princess Duanrou has come to visit you."

Empress Dowager Sun was tired for a while, but her expression was still calm: "It's a coincidence that the Ai family forgot to approve her greeting card yesterday, that's all, let her come in, the emperor is here, maybe I haven't seen you for a long time The princess is gone, the emperor will stay for a while!"

Xiao Yan said: "Okay, I will go to the front to meet Huanggu."

After all, she is considered an elder, Empress Dowager Sun didn't say anything, she just watched Xiao Yan go out, and sure enough, she saw Princess Duanrou walking down the chariot while holding the hand of the palace man at the palace gate, she laughed when she saw Xiao Yan : "Hey, it's better to come early than to come early. It's rare to enter the palace to greet the emperor's wife. It so happens that I can see the emperor. Why don't you study today? Is it because the emperor's wife is cold? The emperor is really filial. The emperor is in good health these days." Is it better?"

Xiao Huilian, the eldest princess of Duanrou, was only in her 20s. She had just been married when the late Emperor left. She wears a white jade lotus crown on her head, a pair of suet jade lotus tassel long earrings of the same color, a turquoise dress, and the skirt hangs like running water from the skirt to the skirt. A graceful lotus flower on the waves.

Xiao Yan stood still and said: "Zhen'an, how is the aunt? How is the son-in-law? Why don't you bring the little princess into the palace?"

When it comes to the little Princess Duanrou, Princess Duanrou's eyes are bent: "Hey, she is shopping now, and she refuses to be hugged by the nanny, and insists on pestering me to hug her every day. Are you tired? The son-in-law is free at home now, so I just asked him to take the children to the village to play. Seeing that it is only May and the weather is starting to heat up, it would be best to spend the summer there. By the way, this time I will enter the palace I specially brought the new lotus root and cherries from Zhuangzi, as well as the excellent rice dumplings made at home, horseshoe cake, and sophora flower cake to honor the Queen Mother and the emperor, and the emperor will try it later."

A smile appeared on Xiao Yan's face: "Thank you, Aunt Huang." Princess Duanrou was at odds with the Empress Dowager Sun and rarely entered the palace, but every time she entered the palace, she would send a lot of food to Ziwei Palace with great fanfare. Most of them were stopped by the Cifu Palace, but there were always one or two fashionable fruits that he could eat, no matter what, he really accepted the favor.

The two entered the flower hall together. Princess Duanrou came forward to salute the Empress Dowager Sun with a smile: "Is the emperor's sister-in-law healthy? Just now I heard the palace people say that you are not feeling well due to the cold. I am really worried. Are you still the emperor's sister-in-law?" Worry less, be more generous and calm."

The corners of Empress Dowager Sun's eyes twitched, but her face remained calm and calm: "The imperial sister hasn't come for a while, Ai's family is just feeling a little cold, so I trouble you to come to the palace to come and see Ai's family."

Princess Duanrou smiled: "Oh, sister-in-law, you don't have to feel sorry. In fact, I also took this opportunity to visit the emperor. I haven't seen the emperor for a long time. I have been thinking about it. I was just talking about it. The emperor is here today. It looks like he is more energetic and taller! His body is strong, and he walks much more steadily than before, and he is indeed a person who should get married and take charge of the government."

The corner of Empress Dowager Sun's mouth twitched: "Your Majesty still needs to take good care of himself. A few days ago, he was still like a child. He was greedy for ice crisps, which made me very worried."

Princess Duanrou laughed resoundingly: "Sister-in-law, are you serious? My Caicai is only five years old, and it's okay to eat half a plate of ice crisps. Your Majesty is about to get married. How much do you eat?" What are the mouth ice crisps? I don’t think the complexion is good. Hey, if the former emperor knew that the emperor was so promising, he would be so happy and happy that the emperor will succeed..." She picked up the handkerchief and wiped the circles of her eyes.

The Empress Dowager Sun gritted her teeth secretly, the rouge on her eyelids was not missing at all, what are you pretending to be, the late emperor never saw Xiao Yan, and only appointed the heir emperor before his death, and appointed the assistant ministers, the heir emperor still drew up his own The cabinet and the clan sent it to the late emperor. He was almost in a coma at that time, so how can we be happy?

Sure enough, she still pretends as before, she used to always cry softly and weakly in front of the late emperor, the late emperor took pity on and doted on this young girl, and was always very partial to her.The Empress Dowager Sun was so annoyed by Princess Duanrou that she said flatly, "I heard that the son-in-law is at home now and refuses to take on errands? My sister is blessed, and the son-in-law can accompany her at home every day." But she was mocking the son-in-law who is idle , to no avail.

Princess Duanrou showed a very embarrassing smile: "Sister-in-law don't say that, that's right, although the first emperor left early, sister-in-law is young... living alone in the harem, it is indeed lonely and deserted... ..." She looked at Empress Dowager Sun sympathetically, and sighed a few times, as if she really lamented Empress Dowager Sun's youth and widowhood.

Empress Dowager Sun almost gritted her silver teeth: "The Ai family is devoted to raising the emperor, listening to the government behind the curtain, and is very busy every day, but I don't feel lonely."

Princess Duanrou nodded approvingly: "Sister-in-law Huang is very right. The blessing of sister-in-law Huang has come just now. Now that the emperor is getting older, she is about to take over the government and share the worries of sister-in-law Huang. She is already in her prime. After suffering for so many years, I have not let down the late emperor's heart, and you can spend the rest of your life in the palace in peace."

The Empress Dowager Sun could hear herself being described by Princess Duanrou as a widowed old woman, and she always poked her heart with pro-government, rubbed the Buddhist beads on her wrist, and finally said calmly: "Aijia recites scriptures every day, I don't ask for any blessings or bad luck, I just hope that the emperor can be safe and sound, and now I have a big wedding..."

Princess Duanrou naturally continued: "If you take care of the affairs of the government, you will feel at ease, sister-in-law. Fortunately, you believe in Buddhism, and you are quiet and peaceful, unlike us, who are full of red dust. Seven emotions and six desires, you are not as open-minded as the emperor's wife." Then he took a handkerchief and pressed the corners of his eyes, and continued to add: "Although the emperor's wife is also suffering, she has no choice... After all, she is a destined person for Buddha's salvation, we are reluctant to eat it. If you don't want to part with your family, you can only be a layman."

The Empress Dowager Sun smiled slightly: "Sister, I really worry too much. I think you should care more about the son-in-law. You have been married for many years, right? Now Caicai is a little princess, and it is really lonely. I think my sister also cares about it. Really busy, it happens that the Ai family has quite a few female officials who have been selected for a few years, the color is very good, and they can bear children by looking at them. Later, the Ai family will ask the Shang Palace Bureau to reward some of them to go to the son-in-law to share the worries of the younger sister. good."

Princess Duanrou covered her mouth and smiled: "Oh, I really have to thank the Queen's Wife, the Aunt Mengyu who was rewarded by the Queen's Wife a few years ago has served our princess's house for several years, and she is indeed a good housekeeper. Talent, I still remember that she took care of all the accounts in our house in just one month, and arrested several slaves for me. Both my son-in-law and I value her very much, and we originally wanted to let her take care of it all the time. Account, serve the son-in-law for a few more years."

"It's a pity that there is no future in our family. Mengyu asked to be released. For the sake of the emperor's wife, how could I ignore her? I found an excellent husband's family for her, but now she is married to a Hanlin to be a minister. The first lady always came back to the princess mansion, and only said to thank the empress dowager for finding a good way out for her, but it's a pity that she can't always go to the palace to thank her, so she can only tell me. I just wanted to tell the emperor's wife that she has both children and daughters Husband loves you so much, and holds a big shop in your hand to make money every day, which is not the same as before, I think it is the great blessing of the emperor's wife."

Empress Dowager Sun laughed: "Sister's mouth is really so sharp and crisp. No wonder the son-in-law dotes on you wholeheartedly. It's just that this man always has such a heart to make a career out of it. For example, my sister should persuade the son-in-law more. Be more motivated, Aijia asked the emperor to give favor to the son-in-law, and go to the sixth department as a job, and there will be a future in the future, right?"

Princess Duanrou smiled: "Sister-in-law is joking. I have always married and obeyed my husband. At home, I listen to our son-in-law. The son-in-law thinks it is very good to sing, write poems and books, and teach children to write every day." The previous dynasty was in chaos. I heard a joke. A few days ago, I heard that An Guogong was getting old. It seemed that he made a slip of the tongue and said something bad when he was in the court. The cabinet was very angry and detained him for being a gentleman. He also said that he would not be punished due to his age, but he was not allowed to go to court after that. You see, An Guogong, the veteran of the three dynasties, had fought against Wu Zong at the beginning. , The cabinet is really powerful and prestige, how can I be willing to let our son-in-law suffer that crime, go to the court early in the morning and go to work in the dark, and just come to any villain who succeeds, and he can wipe out the previous credits. It's so boring. Sister-in-law, don’t you think so?”

Empress Dowager Sun turned slightly cold: "Oh? The cabinet's arrangement, why didn't you send it in for review?"

Princess Duanrou smiled softly: "It's just that an old minister doesn't go to court, and the supervisor of ceremonies can already use the approval, so why do you need to present it to the imperial court? Sister-in-law, it's not me who said, you have been smart all your life, why are you not good at this?" Are you confused? You will depend on the emperor for the rest of your life, but instead you only focus on the petty profits, and in the end, neither ends of the dock, why bother?"

Empress Dowager Sun said with a cold face: "I have always been dull. Since my sister is willing to help me, it is naturally a member of my own family, so I don't talk about two different things."

Princess Duanrou stood up with a smile: "I, after all, my surname is Xiao. The emperor's sister-in-law should also remember the foundation of your life. It's getting late, so I'll go back first."

The author has something to say:

small theater:

Empress Dowager Sun: The cabinet ministers must have colluded with Gao Xun!

Gao Yuanling: It must be the queen mother who persuaded An Guogong.

He Changan: Master!The queen mother has become suspicious!

Gao Yuanling: You little boy still want to trick me?

Xiao Yan: What I have said is the truth and the way to be a king.

An Guogong is calm: the old minister doesn't know anything, he only knows that he is loyal to the emperor and let Liao...

Jinghaihou burst into tears: The old minister also doesn't know anything, please let me go...

Princess Duanrou is extremely weak: I will marry my husband and obey my husband...