Survival countdown

The big victory will return, and the team will return to the court. The itinerary is fixed and cannot be changed.

As the business was almost over, Huo Jingtang took Zhao Baiyu out of the team, and planned to travel all the way to the capital before returning to the capital.

The route was different. It was almost a circle around the Northwest. I went to the Qilian Mountains to see the grasslands. I waited for three days and three nights in ambush among the mountains and valleys, and watched the local horse herders lie in ambush for more than a month before taming the horse king.

Huo Jingtang also told Zhao Baiyu that his handsome black horse was the king of wild horses, and that the wild man who had been on the prairie for two months finally surrendered to it.

Along the vast grassland, following the herds of cattle and sheep aimlessly, before passing through Lanzhou, passing through the grassland, crossing the mountains, to Qinghai, seeing the thunder of the Yellow River, the turbulent waves falling like a dragon, Zhao Baiyu's heart is full of pride, Experience the vastness of the world and the human beings like a drop in the ocean in the ancient poems.

During this period, I came to Jiayuguan, the most powerful pass in the world. It has always been a place contested by military strategists. Naturally, it is also heavily guarded by soldiers and horses. Unfortunately, there is no city, so the city has not yet been built. Therefore, at this time, the pass to communicate with the envoys of the Western Regions is Yumenguan, Jiayuguan. There are few people coming and going, unlike the prosperity and grandeur seen in later generations.

But it is also a rare blessing in life to climb high and look far away, with the great wilderness to the west and the majestic mountains.

Zhao Baiyu got up early in the morning to watch the sunrise among the mountains, so excited that he became very excited about poetry on the spot. Although he expressed his feelings directly, but his literary talent was slightly inferior, he was not discouraged. This collection of poems.

Huo Jingtang put his hands behind his head, followed him and glanced.

That's the level that any bookstore would not accept even for Qingtian's parents' fame.

Fortunately, Zhao Baiyu has always been very self-aware. He only intends to collect poetry collections and bring them into the coffin to be buried with him in the future.

Feeling inspired by the majestic scenery of the mountains at sunrise, Zhao Baiyu immediately decided to ride a steed across the wilderness in the northwest to chase the sunset.

Huo Jingtang crossed his arms, and had no objection to this, anyway, chasing the sunset is fun, it's not like he hasn't done it before.

The two hit it off immediately, each drank a gourd of wine, and rode out of Jiayuguan one after the other, chasing the sun in the vast desert until the moon climbed up from the top of the mountain before returning home exhausted.

Probably the magnificent mountains and rivers can indeed heal people's hearts, and it is also the place where the people live and work in peace and contentment. This dynasty has flourished due to many factors such as the stability of the frontier, the opening of overseas, and the development of commerce. It has a tendency to surpass the prosperity of the previous dynasty. Zhao Baiyu also He became more open-minded and open-minded, and the knots in his heart that were brooding because of the strife in the officialdom, the haze of the times, and the darkness under the light were gradually and completely opened.

Such a fulfilling itinerary took more than a month, and when they returned to Kyoto, it was already after the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the three armies had already been rewarded, and Emperor Yuanshou didn't bother to pursue the two who were not present, and began to prepare for the sacrifice to the western suburbs.

Worshiping the sky is a big event, held every three years, this year is an exception.

The ceremonial guards of carriages and horses are solemn and solemn, and every step is carried out with caution. At the same time, most of the imperial guards will be mobilized to protect them.

On the day of the sacrificial ceremony, all civil and military officials were supposed to participate together, but because it was an exception, they only brought a few close ministers with them.

However, before the funeral day, Emperor Yuanshou had to go to the Taimiao to stay in advance, bathe and fast for three days.

***

Before fasting, Huo Jingtang and Zhao Baiyu returned to Beijing.

As soon as they stepped into the county prince's mansion, the two were called into the palace, where they had a family dinner with Emperor Yuanshou and the Queen Mother.

At the banquet, there were several high-ranking concubines in the harem, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and ninth princes, and two princesses.

To be honest, this banquet made Zhao Baiyu regret not finding an excuse to postpone it earlier.

Huo Jingtang saw his thoughts, and secretly whispered: "Husband and wife are one body, we share difficulties together."

Zhao Baiyu didn't change his face, and was a little distressed: "You said you have no name and no role, what do you mean by calling you to attend this banquet?"

Huo Jingtang: "Great Xia was destroyed, and all the masters returned to the court. Grandfather had no reason to refuse, and passively stuffed a 'daughter'. I guess the sacrifice to heaven is the time for me to recognize my ancestor and return to the clan."

Zhao Baiyu lowered his head and stroked his sleeves, "Can your younger brothers have any objections?"

Huo Jingtang: "Zheng Yuanling was imprisoned in Dali Temple, and there is no news about what to do with it. Zheng Guogong's mansion, imperial concubine and Lao Liu have not moved."

Zhao Baiyu: "Tranquility is the sign of turmoil...Will what happened in the East Palace happen again?"

Looking up at the audience, Emperor Yuanshou and the Empress Dowager were chatting and joking. Whether they were really relaxed was open to question. Several high-grade concubines were not from prominent family backgrounds and behaved quietly. The two princesses were one big and one small, and the eldest was fifteen Zhao Baiyu then cast quite haughty eyes, the youngest was only nine years old, his eyes were fixed on the melons and fruits on the desk, he was afraid to eat because of his mother beside him.

Concubine Zheng Gui lowered her eyes and said nothing, her expression was indifferent, she couldn't see her thoughts.The fifth prince focused on watching the performance in the palace. The original impetuousness and arrogance became casual and low-key after the downfall of the Eastern Palace, as if he was no longer interested in the struggle for power.As for the sixth prince who drank several glasses of wine in a row, when he noticed Zhao Baiyu's gaze, he raised his head quickly, raised the wine glass and touched it in the air, and drank it down in one gulp, with an indescribably weird smile and eyes.

The atmosphere was awkward, and Zhao Baiyu felt uncomfortable all over.

The sixth prince has been imprisoned in the capital for the past few years. Once the East Palace collapsed, he became the target of public criticism before being exposed. He is not only a popular candidate for the crown prince, but also the target of being questioned and targeted because of Emperor Yuanshou's gradually revealed intentions.

As the power in his hands gradually dwindled, the military power was taken away one after another, and others also came to their senses, King Jin was afraid that he would become an abandoned son.

As a result, more and more people jumped off the boat of King Jin, and in the end, there were very few. Although there were many generals in the sect party, the civil servant group was always the leader in governing the country.

King Jin, this is beautiful on the outside, but inside it is a wrecked ship that will sink in the lake sooner or later.

There are still three-inch nails on the broken ship, so there is no guarantee that it will not be forced to become the next East Palace.

But did Emperor Yuanshou feel nothing about it?

Don't others know anything about Emperor Yuanshou's defenses and plans?

Zhao Baiyu looked over, at this time Concubine Zheng told a joke that made the Queen Mother laugh, and couldn't stop praising Concubine Zheng for being smart and caring, and took the initiative to mention that Concubine Zheng did her best to preside over the harem, and she wanted to make her a queen, inside and out. Emperor Yuanshou responded with a sentence or two of affirmation.

Concubine Zheng replied with a surprise but restrained and declined attitude.

how to say?

There is a feeling of breaking the cans that each other knows well that they are just dealing with it.

Huo Jingtang squeezed Zhao Baiyu's hand: "After the family banquet is over, you should go home first."

Zhao Baiyu turned his head to look at Huo Jingtang's glazed eyes, and nodded after a while without asking why.

During the period, Emperor Yuanshou and the Queen Mother both asked Zhao Baiyu about some family matters. Halfway through the family banquet, the Queen Mother left first and called Zhao Baiyu to accompany her for a while.

On the quiet palace road, the queen mother talked about Mulian saving his mother in Buddhism: "Liu Qingti did evil and suffered thousands of sufferings after his death. Even so, Mulian is still willing to go to purgatory for his mother, see evil spirits, and save all living beings... This is a bond between mother and child, which cannot be broken."

Zhao Baiyu was silent, thinking that the Queen Mother was interceding for Mrs. Xie.

"Parents love their children, not for repayment."

She held Zhao Baiyu's hand and patted it. The Empress Dowager squinted her eyes to look at the road. Since the incident in the Eastern Palace, she had aged suddenly, her temples were gray and wrinkled, and she believed in Buddhism more. The kindness of the past, now the kindness from the inside out.

"The Ai family has been thinking for the past few years, if we can teach Changping well before she grows crooked, won't so many regrettable things happen later? The Ai family does not use white-haired people to send black-haired people, nor I will feel ashamed."

Zhao Baiyu hesitated to speak: "The Queen Mother..."

The Empress Dowager suddenly clenched Zhao Baiyu's hand, interrupted him, and kept looking at the road, but she couldn't see clearly, but there were eunuchs and maids watching the road ahead, so she was not afraid of tripping.

"The first emperor was not a good father, and the Ai family was not a good mother either."

Zhao Baiyu had an intuition that what he was going to hear next was not something he could hear, and when he looked up, the eunuch and maid looked at her nose, nose, nose, and heart like a deaf-mute.

He said: "The queen mother is joking. Since your Majesty ascended the throne, you have been wearing clothes and food, and you are wise and powerful. You only use talents in the court, and you follow advice like a stream. The merits of the world—probably because the first emperor and the queen mother set an example and worked hard, the Mingjun was born, and the world is peaceful and prosperous today."

The Empress Dowager smiled insignificantly, and said in a low voice, "Zhao Qing is getting smoother and smoother, like the three princes and nine ministers in the court."

Zhao Baiyu: "Everything I say comes from my heart."

"You," the queen mother sighed, "you don't like the imperial palace, and neither does Zixi."

The topic jumped too quickly, Zhao Baiyu's eyelids twitched, and he intuited that the next step was the key point.

"Changping is selfish and the emperor is selfish. No one knows what his sons and daughters are like better than Aijia. To be a queen, you have to do your duty as a queen, and as a queen mother, you have to do your duty as a queen dowager, so many things are clearly wrong. The Ai family is unwilling and unable to cross that line to correct it, so that it leads to one bitter fruit after another. The Zhao family is one, you are one, the former queen and the East Palace are also one...the bitter fruits one after another are in my heart My heart was tossing and tossing, it was so painful that I couldn't sleep, it was so painful. Now, the emperor intends to go his own way again, causing another bitter fruit of disharmony between monarchs and ministers, and father and son cannibalism, but Aijia doesn't plan to sit idly by this time .”

Zhao Baiyu suddenly stopped and looked at the gate of the Ciming Hall.

The Queen Mother also stopped still, and after a long time, she sighed heavily: "You are a good boy, the best and smartest child that Ai's family has ever seen in this life, it would be really heartbreaking to lose your halberd in the palace."

After saying that, she let go of Zhao Baiyu's hand and entered the Hall of Compassion.

Before going in, leave a sentence: "The emperor will not tolerate Empress Dajing being a man."

Zhao Baiyu was left alone to stand quietly under the moonlight. After a while, a eunuch came out and handed him a lamp.

Zhao Baiyu held the lamp and followed the bright moon out of the palace.

***

After the family banquet was over, Emperor Yuan Shou left Huo Jingtang behind. The concubines in the palace and the princes of the governor's age all looked at Concubine Zheng and King Jin at the same time, and the two retired calmly.

I can't see it, I'm quite calm.

When we arrived at the Wende Palace, Emperor Yuanshou said: "After two days, I will fast and go to the southern suburbs to worship the sky and hide for leisure. I won't come back for ten days and a half months, but the court cannot be without a king for a day. You come to supervise the country." .”

Huo Jingtang: "The crown prince has always supervised the country, and the ministers have no name, no distinction, no talent and no virtue, so they cannot afford to supervise the country's great affairs."

Emperor Yuanshou was displeased: "I said you can and you can."

Huo Jingtang: "I take orders."

Emperor Yuanshou: "I ordered you to do something, don't make excuses to push it all day long--" After a moment of stunned, he suddenly turned around, not hiding his surprise: "You agreed?"

Huo Jingtang: "If you want to repent, it's still too late."

Emperor Yuanshou was overjoyed, how could he go back on his word?

He took two quick steps, grabbed Huo Jingtang's arm and patted it twice: "It should have been like this long ago! Could it be that I will harm you? Everything I do is for your own good! The best things should belong to you, the world is all about you!" Yours, sooner or later you will understand my heart."

Huo Jingtang laughed.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

Emperor Yuanshou was very relieved, he knew that Zi'an's actions in the past were nothing but anger, and there was no wrong parent in the world, not to mention that everything he did was to pave the way for Zi'an, and no one in the world could refuse the nine-five-supreme seat!

"Don't worry, I will definitely give you and your mother the title you deserve!"

Emperor Yuanshou couldn't help but be pleased with the fulfillment of his long-cherished wishes. He once watched his beloved woman being married to the brother he hated the most. The son and the most hated King Jing father are kind and filial, he must give the crown prince to the children born to the woman he doesn't like at all, to those princes who are not as good as his son in every way!

How can I not feel relieved after enduring the anger for so long, laying out such a long-term chess game, and finally fulfilling my long-cherished wish?

"It's been a long time since I have talked with you at night by candlelight. I don't know if your chess skills have regressed?"

Huo Jingtang: "Strict teachers lead to high-level apprentices. You taught me how to play chess, so how dare you step back?"

Emperor Yuan Shou laughed out loud, and really played chess with Huo Jingtang until midnight, during which time he tortured some government affairs of the court, and was satisfied when he saw his smooth answers, so he broke down some more secret relationships in the court and explained them clearly.

Especially the Zhao family.

"One Zhao Baiyu will make them fall apart, people will not be united, Cheng Jie has lost his former ambition, and three parts of the prime minister's city are missing. The prime minister has countless disciples. If you want to reuse these young talents, you will inevitably become friends. In the future, what will you do for me?" Chu Jun, let’s find a reason to let him go.”

When it comes to how to deal with the courtiers who have been with him for more than 20 years, Emperor Yuanshou has no intention of showing mercy.

Huo Jingtang didn't respond, and played a black piece to block Emperor Yuanshou's white piece, causing him to withdraw his divergent attention and focus on the chessboard, but he didn't notice that Huo Jingtang was calm, self-possessed and uninterested from beginning to end. .

***

The day before going to the western suburbs, Emperor Yuanshou spent time in Zheng Guifei's palace.

Early in the morning, Concubine Zheng took over the ivory chopsticks to prepare vegetables for Emperor Yuanshou, and when Emperor Yuanshou mentioned his trip to the western suburbs, when he said "you go too", her hand trembled, and the ivory chopsticks fell directly to the ground, scaring her. Make her kneel immediately.

"Your Majesty forgive me."

There was a dead silence in the hall, the eunuchs and maids dared not show their spirits, no one understood why Concubine Zheng was always acting surprised these days, she also broke a bowl when she was laying out the dishes before, and she just passed it by begging for mercy and being coquettish , Why are you trembling with fear this time?

"Get up." Emperor Yuanshou put down his chopsticks, losing his appetite. "You can just accompany the Queen Mother to recite scriptures and Buddha."

Concubine Zheng was almost prostrate on the ground, trying her best to restrain her trembling voice and prayed: "Your Majesty, the concubine still has to preside over the concubine in the harem... It's better to let the other sisters in the palace go. Concubine Shu has been a Buddhist for many years, which can make the Queen Mother feel more at ease... Your Majesty , the courtiers and concubines are dull, and if they go to the place of Buddhism, they will only disturb people's purity."

Emperor Yuanshou got up, left Zheng Guifei aside and went out: "If you don't want to go, you can let someone carry you there."

"His Majesty!"

Concubine Zheng called out, but Emperor Yuanshou didn't turn his head.

"Take care of the imperial concubine, please get her into the car tomorrow morning. After today, you are not allowed to enter or leave the West Palace at will."

The noble concubine could only cover her face and weep, and then she laughed wryly, her voice full of resentment like weeping blood.

"Your Majesty!! I left the cabinet in the same year as the queen, married into the East Palace, and accompanied you for nearly 30 years. I have given birth to you and presided over the harem. Isn't it your wife? Don't you have any affection at all?"

Emperor Yuanshou went straight out of the palace gate, cold and heartless: "Who led Jing Wang to find out that I and Ru Niang were in love, who encouraged Jing Jing to propose to His Majesty, and who revealed the relationship between me and Ru Niang To the queen, hinting to the queen again and again that I want Li Zi'an to be the crown prince, and encouraging her to repeatedly target and assassinate Zi'an?"

After leaving the palace gate, Emperor Yuanshou shook his sleeves and said, "Take care of the imperial concubine, don't let her commit suicide."

Concubine Zheng fell to the ground slumped, muttering to herself: "So you know all about it."

Zheng Guogong's and Cui Guogong's mansions are both founding heroes, and they are both military generals. They live next to each other and were once family friends. Emperor Yuanshou.

She loves Emperor Yuanshou and wants to be a princess and queen!

So I begged my eldest brother to encourage King Jing to ask the first emperor to give me a marriage, break up your majesty and Cui Qingru, and marry into the East Palace as I wished. Although she is a side concubine, Emperor Yuanshou favors her. The first prince was immediately named the imperial concubine.

Even if later he accidentally learned that the first emperor intended to make her a crown princess, it was His Majesty who said, "A woman from a noble family with virtue and beauty is an example for a woman", he still swallowed that grievance, and was reluctant to complain.

She also wanted to try her best to accommodate Huo Jingtang, but His Majesty's extremely eccentric appearance always reminded her of the late Emperor.

In the early years, His Majesty still restrained himself because he hated the late Emperor, but later on, he became less and less concealed. The father and son were almost the same, how could she not be alarmed?How can you not make a move?

Everyone knows that the imperial concubine dotes on the Sixth Palace, Huo Jingtang is poisoned, and His Majesty chose her as Xiaoliu. How can she believe that it was all a show without any affection?

But it turned out that it was really all hypocrisy and hypocrisy!

Concubine Zheng cried and laughed: "Then what are my 30 years of painstaking efforts? What did my two emperors do wrong to be the stepping stones of your prince?"

What a trip to the western suburbs!What a sacrifice!Why accompany the queen mother to chant Buddhist scriptures!

It's just grabbing Zheng's family and detaining her, forcing Xiao Liu to rebel against her!

Sneering twice, Concubine Zheng wiped away her tears, got up and said calmly: "Everyone has withdrawn. I want to rest, so don't bother me if you have nothing to do."

Then the eunuch left behind by Emperor Yuanshou took the order to make people remove the food and follow behind her respectfully.

Concubine Zheng grabbed the vase and smashed it down, glaring and questioning: "Do you have to follow me when I bathe and get dressed? Is this palace something you, an eunuch, can watch?!"

The eunuch was neither humble nor overbearing: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty has ordered the servants to pay attention to your safety. The servants follow orders, and I hope you will not embarrass yourself."

Concubine Zheng: "What a dog slave. Don't worry, I will live a long life. If you want to follow, follow to the end. Let's see how beautiful I am and how I can live my life!"

The eunuch buried his head lower and did not dare to answer.

Concubine Zheng walked into the inner room with a cold snort, separated by a beaded emerald curtain, the eunuchs and maids did not dare to go any further, but they all watched closely to prevent her from committing suicide.

Fortunately, there was no movement from the time the imperial concubine went to bed to when she fell asleep, and she fell asleep peacefully, saving them bother.

Thinking of this, the eunuchs and maids also relaxed. It was not until four hours passed that the imperial concubine was still motionless and realized something was wrong. She hurriedly opened the beaded emerald curtain and saw the congealed black blood at the corner of the imperial concubine's mouth before screaming: "Scream!" Physician-"

***

Funing Palace.

"Is the imperial concubine dead?" Emperor Yuan Shou grabbed his coat and put it on, then hurriedly walked out, "What's going on?"

The eunuch responded: "After the examination, the imperial doctor said that...he committed suicide by taking poison. When he found out, he had died for a long time and could not be rescued."

Emperor Yuanshou went to the imperial concubine's bedroom with a dark face, and kicked the eunuch who was not doing well in the chest: "Didn't I tell you to watch carefully, why did you look down on me!"

The eunuch was kicked bleeding, and kowtowed repeatedly to beg for mercy.

Emperor Yuanshou was still angry, staring at the door of the inner room for a long time, before finally stepping in, turned around and left: "Remember, the imperial concubine is fine, and I will accompany the queen mother to the western suburbs to worship heaven tomorrow morning."

Behind him was the eunuch and court lady who knelt on the ground in an instant, and Emperor Yuanshou who walked a long distance away cruelly gave the order to silence her.

***

In the western suburbs, there is no king in the court, and Huo Jingtang acts as the supervisor of the state.

As soon as this order came out, all the officials were in an uproar. Although they knew it well, they were still deeply shocked when the real time came.

No one in the court tried to persuade Emperor Yuanshou ignorantly, but what happened in private is another matter.

***

After the court meeting was over, all the officials were walking on the palace road, looking back at King Jin from time to time, not knowing when they got mixed up with the fifth prince, but they were quite close.

Speaking of which, King Jin is also very good, he was once a young general with high ambitions and high spirits, he entered the court, and the few errands he took over were well done, but it's a pity that he was no match for His Majesty's partiality, and it's a pity that he was born at an untimely time, since he was born Why is there another Huo Jingtang?

Since Huo Jingtang is more outstanding, and can conform to His Majesty's will, the time is prosperous, and the imperial power is at its peak, why should the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty fight against Emperor Yuanshou?

Some of the courtiers who originally supported the King of Jin ran away when they found an opportunity, and Cai Zhongsheng, who was far away in the northwest, had only a half-knowledge of the situation in the court, and tried to gain the merits of the dragon, but in the end all his future was ruined.

Not only Cai Zhongsheng, but Zheng Yuanling, who has made great military exploits, is still in Dali Temple. The joint efforts of Jin Wang and Zheng Guogong's government failed to fish him out.

In this way, who would dare to jump on the boat of King Jin?

Immediately, he felt that the fifth prince couldn't figure it out, and he was still so close to King Jin at this moment.

All the officials shook their heads, with different thoughts.

At this moment, a small yellow gate appeared to stop the Fifth Prince and the King of Jin: "The Prince of Lin'an invites the two Highnesses to come to the Chui Gong Hall for a speech."

Fifth Prince: "What are you telling us to do?"

Xiaohuangmen: "The king of the county only asked the servants to invite the two highnesses to come over, and there was no other order."

The fifth prince snorted coldly: "I have just obtained the power to supervise the country, and now I am playing the role of the emperor." Although a lot of low-key, his temper is still the same: "There is nothing to be courteous, either adultery or robbery."

King Jin was expressionless: "How can we deserve Huo Jingtang's attention to us?"

The fifth prince was choked: "What are you doing with his ambition?" He shook his sleeves dissatisfied and said, "He used to be a county king with no real power and treated us coldly. Now that he has the power to supervise the country, his eyes and nose cannot be lifted to the sky. I want to go to you, I don't want to be angry."

King Jin: "Let's go."

The Fifth Prince thought he was yelling at him not to like Huo Jingtang, but just as he raised his foot, he found that the Jin Dynasty had gone into the Chui Gong Palace.

If you can't think about it, hurry up and follow the past.

***

In the vertical arch hall.

Handing both the jade seal and the imperial decree to Huo Jingtang, the eunuch congratulated repeatedly: "Congratulations to the county king, congratulations to the county king, you will see the sun after all the hardships."

Huo Jingtang: "You know, I want to ask you something, can you tell me the truth?"

"Look at what kind of words you are talking about? Feel free to ask Your Highness if you have anything to do, and this old slave will definitely know everything!"

"How is Concubine Zheng?"

"Your highness, your concubine..." the eunuch choked, his face was troubled, his eyes flickered, and his smile was awkward: "Naturally, I went to the western suburbs with Luanjia, and I went to eat fast and chant Buddha with the empress dowager and her elders, praying for your majesty and all the people .”

"Is it because my attitude is so good that you feel so fooled?"

The eunuch's heart was trembling, and he said with a sad face: "How dare this old slave? Your Highness, don't make things difficult for this old slave. This, this is really unreasonable!"

Huo Jingtang asked abruptly: "Your Majesty executed a group of people in the Imperial Concubine's Palace last night to silence them?"

"Yes, no!" The chief eunuch did not dare to look up at Huo Jingtang, and only replied with a guilty conscience: "Your Highness, please don't ask, what Your Majesty does is for your own good."

"Zheng Yuanling was imprisoned in Dali Temple, did the imperial concubine ask about it?"

"It's not like—"

"You just need to ask if you didn't ask, if you have, if you have. The extra nonsense has disturbed my ears, and I don't mind cutting it for you."

"!" The eunuch was frightened into silence, and nodded quickly: "Ask, I have a question."

"Is the noble concubine begging for mercy?"

"I beg."

"Has the noble concubine been grounded for a while after pleading for mercy? The old Zheng Guogong returned to court and wanted to exchange military power, but was rejected. Did the noble concubine ask His Majesty for permission? Did the noble concubine tell the queen mother that the king of Jin should be released from Beijing? , to his fief? Isn't it!"

"Yes, yes! I mentioned it!"

"Is the concubine gone?"

"Yes, I didn't just yesterday—" The chief eunuch was stunned for a moment, staring at Huo Jingtang and His Royal Highnesses Jin Wang and Fifth Prince who didn't know when to return from outside the palace, shook his head again and again, and slapped himself vigorously: " Look at this old slave talking nonsense! It's nothing, the imperial concubine is very good, she is in the western suburbs, your highnesses, please don't believe this old slave, this old slave only talks nonsense when he is confused."

No one believed his babbling, King Jin lost his mind, suddenly rushed up with red eyes and grabbed the eunuch by the neck and asked angrily, "Where is my concubine mother? Tell me!"

The eunuch was choked so hard that the fifth prince wanted to break his hand, but he couldn't match the strength of King Jin who had been in the army for many years, so he shouted: "You're about to choke him to death, what else can you ask!"

King Jin didn't listen to persuasion as if he was possessed, and it was Huo Jingtang who tapped the numb points on his shoulders and arms before he let go. As soon as the eunuch escaped from danger, he immediately crawled behind Huo Jingtang, coughing while waving his hands.

"Cough cough... no, this old slave really can't cough... can't say it! I said it, this old slave's life is in danger, so I can't explain to His Majesty."

King Jin said fiercely, "If you don't tell me, your head will fall to the ground alone!"

The chief eunuch was startled, and quickly begged Huo Jingtang to protect him.

But Huo Jingtang just lowered his eyes and played with the beads: "That's his mother, if I protect you, maybe he will dare to kill me. Anyway, this matter can't be hidden, sooner or later it will be known, His Majesty is not here, you said it so what?"

The eunuch's face was gloomy, he knew that if he didn't make it clear today, he would not be able to pass this level, but if he made it clear, it would be difficult to explain to His Majesty in the future.

It's better to live than to die, and it's a moment too late to suffer.

"The noble concubine committed suicide by taking poison yesterday...it has nothing to do with your majesty! His majesty also specially told others to watch the noble concubine carefully, and don't tell her to commit suicide. She was fine at first, but I don't know when she swallowed the poison. expected that."

The king of Jin was out of his wits, staring fiercely at the eunuch and gnashing his teeth: "You are lying! My mother and concubine look down on those who commit suicide the most, and regard them as weak and incompetent, and absolutely impossible to commit suicide! Did the emperor order you to kill her?"

"No, no, please calm down, Your Highness King Jin. After all, Your Majesty is a noble concubine of a country and the daughter of a general. She has been with His Majesty for nearly 30 years and bore children for him. That is an extraordinary relationship. When King Jing asked to marry a girl from the Cui family, it was the noble concubine who obstructed her, and His Majesty really wanted the life of the noble concubine, but it was the noble concubine who couldn't think about it—"

The chief eunuch suddenly covered his mouth, and couldn't help but slap himself hard again.

Today, I say the wrong thing every now and then, what's the matter?

Huo Jingtang moved his eyes and glanced over.

The fifth prince also observed his expression, feeling uneasy for a moment.

"What did Your Majesty say yesterday?" King Jin clenched his fists tightly, revealing all the veins on his body, as if his emotions were suppressed to the extreme. "explain!!"

The eunuch stammered: "Your Majesty asked, let the imperial concubine go to the western suburbs to worship the heavens, but the imperial concubine did not want to go, so your majesty said some things back then, which might irritate the imperial concubine, so I couldn't think about it for a while."

King Jin staggered a few steps, fell to the ground, and suddenly hugged his head and sobbed.

The iron-boned man had never shed a tear, and now he was crying like the sky was falling. The fifth prince looked sad, and didn't know how to comfort him, so he moved towards Huo Jingtang, motioning for him to help him. Can't go over to persuade a few words.

Huo Jingtang glanced at it coldly, as if saying 'idiot', turned his back and put his hands in his hands, pretending he didn't see it.

Seeing this, the fifth prince couldn't help staring, "Cold-blooded!"

Rubbing his face fiercely, King Jin asked the eunuch with red eyes: "My mother's concubine's, where is her body?"

The eunuch bowed his head: "Your Majesty took it away."

"Is he still a human being!" King Jin burst out suddenly, with a ferocious face: "My mother and concubine married since he was still in the East Palace, and brought the Duke Zheng's house to help him ascend the throne wholeheartedly, bear children for him, and preside over the harem for him. , do your best, never complain, just because Cui Qingru was snatched away by King Jing, just for you—" He pointed at Huo Jingtang angrily and resentfully, "You can take my mother, concubine and us who are also his sons away. Everyone is being used as pawns?"

Huo Jingtang turned his face sideways, watching Jin Wang go crazy coldly.

King Jin trembled with his hands, so excited that he couldn't say a word for a long time, "Why, why? In his eyes, only you are his son. What are we?" He raised his index finger and pointed at , trembling, "Do you know how I have lived in the past four years? How scared have I been? I am so afraid that if I accidentally make a mistake, I will be driven to a dead end like a prince!"

"Hello, Huo Jingtang, you are so kind, how lucky you are, you have a good father who has planned everything for you! In the past four years, who in the civil and military courts of the Manchu Dynasty didn't know that you were the heir apparent of the emperor? You didn't Sitting in the seat of the crown prince, but who in the court and the public does not regard you as the crown prince? I," patting his heart, King Jin said: "How many years have I been planning? Actually, I was not interested in the chair behind me at first. It was the emperor who chose me first, it was he who sent me into the army, paved the way for me, told me about the emperor's mind, the balance of officialdom, and the general trend of the world, and taught me hand in hand, it was he who fed my ambition with his own hands, it was him Tell me that I am his favorite prince!!"

"He gave me everything and he took it back and he took it back and he didn't take it and I didn't even make a big mistake and I didn't even have a way out you know? I don't want this chair for the rest of the four years , it was my father who forced me. He wanted me to be a stepping stone for you to sit on the throne! He forced me to rebel against the palace. -"

The King of Jin pointed at Huo Jingtang with both hands, backed away again and again, and roared out of grief and anger uncontrollably: "He cut me and all the party members of Zheng Guogong's mansion to seven or eight, but he still refused to let me go. I am also him!" Son, he was also his favorite prince, why? I have decided to follow his wish, force the palace, and hand over the power to you, and only ask him to let go of my grandfather, uncle's family, and my mother and concubine. They hate you, What I did to you was all for me, so I sacrificed my life to make amends... But why still refuse to let my concubine mother go?"

In grief and indignation, King Jin rushed forward and punched Huo Jingtang, punching to the flesh, with deadly moves, venting his strong resentment.

The fifth prince and the chief eunuch hurriedly ran to the corner to hide. Huo Jingtang received King Jin's attack, swung back the imperial guards, slapped away the punches that came, and unceremoniously hit the most painful acupuncture points on the body. beat.

King Jin vented his anger at losing his mother, so why isn't Huo Jingtang seeking justice for his biological mother?

"My concubine committed suicide so that I wouldn't be threatened, and that I wouldn't seek death! But the emperor didn't even spare her body. Is he a human? Is he a human? Except for you, Huo Jingtang, I, the prince, Brother three, brother four, brother five, are all of us his enemies?"

The eunuch wanted to cover his ears, and the fifth prince nodded deeply.

"He's just guarding against me! He's guarding against Duke Zheng's mansion! He's afraid that I will become the next King Jing, so he hastened to eradicate me and the Duke's mansion before you succeed!"

"Why? How are you better than us?"

Huo Zhaowen went crazy and attacked like he didn't know the pain. Huo Jingtang quickly lifted his foot and kicked his calf with his toes up, and kicked hard according to the position of the numbness. On the ground, the other leg was also kicked by Huo Jingtang, unable to move for a long time.

Huo Jingtang directly took off his two arms, grabbed his neck and approached him and said, "Why are you yelling at me? Since you have so much resentment, why haven't you dared to blow a fart at His Majesty for four years? The persimmon is so soft, it's strange." Come on my head?"

Holding Huo Zhaowen's hand tightly, Huo Jingtang's glass-colored eyes were calm and cold, making no one doubt that he might directly strangle Huo Zhaowen to death.

"I am no gentler than His Majesty!"

Huo Jingtang was poisoned by Gu, and kept a low profile for several years. Later, with Zhao Baiyu by his side, he was always gentle and easy to talk, almost making people forget that he was once so overbearing that no one dared to provoke him.

"Do you feel aggrieved now? When you were selected as the crown prince, you were secretly happy and full of vigor. When you didn't know my position in His Majesty's mind, you need to know that the East Palace is also your stepping stone. Why don't you feel that the East Palace is pitiful? Nope Are you ready to step on the east palace and climb up with peace of mind! Don’t you also have peace of mind to enjoy the benefits of the sacrifice of your third brother, who is the same father and mother? Play a fart with me!”

Throwing Huo Zhaowen away, Huo Jingtang got up and walked around Huo Zhaowen, suddenly kicked Huo Zhaowen in the chest, stepped on his shoulder and said condescendingly: "You cry out for your mother and concubine, at least you I have been the prince for 24 years! Your mother and concubine have also been the imperial concubine for nearly 30 years! What about my mother? Her bones were buried in yellow sand and she died at the most prosperous age, while I became the thorn in Prince Jing’s side For more than 20 years, you have been continuously persecuted by your mother, concubine and queen, if you calculate it this way, who owes whom? Who is more entitled to be wronged?"

Kicking Huo Zhaowen's shoulder blades without mercy, Huo Jingtang didn't care about his pain at all, nor did he care about the frightened eyes of the fifth prince and the eunuch when they looked at him.

He was originally a violent and perverse character, when he didn't provoke him, he lived in peace, and if he provoked him, he would kill the Heavenly King and Lao Tzu!

Huo Jingtang also showed a soft and gentle side in front of Zhao Baiyu, pretending to be compassionate and kind all day long, but he also chased after the throne, what dirty things have he never touched?

"Scream at my dog!"

Huo Jingtang grabbed Huo Zhaowen by the collar, dragged him to the Chuigong Hall, and threw him towards the dragon chair: "When Your Majesty is here, why don't you dare to question him?