Jia Chong was stunned for a moment, and then said carefully: "Mother, the three of them are all ministers of the court, and their status is not ordinary. We in the inner court should not go around too much with them, lest the officials become suspicious."
"snort."
Empress Dowager Yang snorted dissatisfied, "Why, are the Ai family prisoners of the official family? Is it that the Ai family can't even exchange New Year greetings with others? If the official family is so overbearing, then let him stop it and let them
If he becomes suspicious, the Ai family will let the world judge this theory."
Unable to persuade Empress Dowager Yang, Jia Chong had no choice but to agree and go ahead.
The next day, Jia Chong left the palace and went to present the portrait of the door god in person.
He first came to Qiao Xingjian's house and expressed his intention to come. Qiao Xingjian was surprised. He didn't know why Empress Dowager Yang gave him two portraits of the door god.
"Is there any hint in this?"
Thinking of this, Qiao Xingjian broke into a cold sweat, but he did not dare to refuse the reward from Empress Dowager Yang, so in the end he had to accept it against his will.
However, as soon as Jia Chong left, Qiao Xingjian hurriedly entered the palace and took the portrait to explain to Zhao Yun.
Then Jia Chong arrived at Yuan Shao's house and expressed his intention. Yuan Shao said directly: "Eunuch Jia, now that the government is implementing the new law, I won't be able to survive for several years. Why are you posting portraits of the door gods? Please ask your father-in-law to make it happen."
The reward is returned to the Queen Mother, and I also want to say thank you to the Queen Mother on my behalf."
Jia Chong was angry, how dare you refuse the reward given by the Queen Mother!
Jia Chong wanted to scold Yuan Shao angrily, but today is different from the past. Empress Dowager Yang has lost power, and Yuan Shao's identity is also here. He did not dare to get angry, so he had to agree with a smile: "In that case, then
Our family will just report back to the Queen truthfully."
After saying that, Jia Qiqi turned around and left with a huff.
Then Jia Chong came to Cheng Jue's house and presented two portraits of Yu Chigong's door gods.
Cheng Jue looked at the two portraits and was silent for a long time, wondering what the Queen Mother was going to do. Now that the court debate was coming, could it be that the Queen Mother wanted to use the court debate to intervene in the government affairs?
Thinking of this, Cheng Jue looked embarrassed and fixed his gaze on Yu Chigong's portrait for a long time.
After a while, Cheng Jue said: "Eunuch, this is the only one of my residences. Two portraits of the same door god are really a waste. Why don't I accept one of them and ask your father-in-law to return the remaining one?"
The Empress Dowager, I would like to thank you for your kindness, and when the court debate is over, I will definitely go to the Cining Hall to express my gratitude."
Jia Chong was even more furious. You dared to accept half of the reward given by the Empress Dowager and return half of it. You have to wait until the court debate to thank you. If the Empress Dowager were in power and I lent you Cheng Ju ten courages, how dare you
Say something like this?
There was fire in his heart, but he could only swallow it down. Jia Chong left a portrait of Yu Chigong to Cheng Jue and went back to the palace to make an appointment.
"Why."
Jia Chong was sitting in the sedan chair, thinking of how majestic and majestic he was when delivering the decree to Queen Mother Yang when she was in power, but now he felt so aggrieved and almost sick from the reward, he couldn't help but sigh.
Back at the Cining Hall, Queen Mother Yang was filled with anger after hearing Jia Chong's report, and yesterday's good mood suddenly disappeared.
She gritted her teeth and said: "Yuan Shao, Cheng Jue, you two stinky scholars, you will be good-looking in the future."
Just at this moment, a little Huangmen came and said that he saw Qiao Xingjian going to Funing Hall on the way, and he was holding two portraits in his hand that were rewarded by the Queen Mother.
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Yang was so angry that she threw the teacup beside her to the ground and said angrily: "Sour Confucianism, they are all sour Confucianism."
Funing Hall, study room.
Qiao Xingjian respectfully handed the portraits sent by Empress Dowager Yang to Zhao Yun for review. He said: "Your Majesty, for some reason I suddenly gained favor from the Empress Dowager and was rewarded with these two portraits of door gods. I was frightened and handed them over to your Majesty for disposal."
.”
Zhao Yun glanced over the portrait and said calmly: "It's okay, the Queen Mother is also my mother. She gives you a reward, you can just accept it, don't feel anxious."
Qiao Xingjian felt at ease now, nodded in agreement, and then left.
Soon, Zhang Chu came to ask for an audience. He sent Jia Chong to the houses of Qiao Xingjian, Yuan Shao, and Cheng Ju to report to Zhao Yun what happened at their houses.
Empress Dowager Yang's identity is sensitive. Today she took the initiative to contact officials from other dynasties. It was naturally not a trivial matter. Zhang Chu entered the palace immediately after learning about it.
"Have Yuan Shao and Cheng Ju accepted the rewards from the Queen Mother?" Zhao Yun asked calmly.
Zhang Chu said: "Your Majesty, Yuan Shijun did not accept it, but Cheng Shijun accepted one and returned one. As for why they did this, we still don't know."
Zhao Yun pondered for a moment and said: "Okay, I understand. You will continue to pay attention to the affairs of the outer court from now on. If there is any abnormality, report it immediately."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Zhang Chu respectfully agreed, then resigned and left the palace.
After Zhang Chu left, Zhao Yun's attention returned to the two portraits of Yu Chigong's door god.
"Yu Chigong, why are there two portraits of Yuchi Gong?"
Zhao Yun knew that Queen Mother Yang must have other intentions for doing what she did today. Only by understanding the meaning behind these two paintings can she understand Queen Mother Yang's behavior today.
"Gao Shi, find a portrait of Yu Chigong."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Soon, Gao Shi brought Yu Chigong's portrait and unfolded it on the table.
Zhao Yun looked around the portrait carefully, "Is this a riddle?"
An idea popped into Zhao Yun's mind, and this idea made Zhao Yun even more afraid to be careless.
"Wei Chi Gong, Yu Chi Gong, Wei, Chi, Gong,,, Gong, respectful, respectful greeting, respectful farewell, two Yuchi Gong, two Gong, is this a respectful welcome and farewell?"
Thinking of this meaning, Zhao Yun suddenly looked stern and his eyes were cold. Could it be that Empress Dowager Yang was hinting to the courtiers that she intended to listen to politics behind the curtain again?
The significance of this conclusion is too great, but it is the most likely meaning that Zhao Yun can think of. However, this is precisely what makes Zhao Yun confused.
If Empress Dowager Yang really wanted to listen to politics behind the curtain again and wanted to win over the courtiers, she should do it secretly. But Jia Chong leaving the palace in such a arrogant way and openly handing out rewards is too ostentatious. Isn't Empress Dowager Yang afraid of being
Do you know?
Zhao Yun has one head and two heads. "Are you overly concerned and misunderstood the Queen Mother, or is the Queen Mother just as stupid as a pig and thinks she can't tell?"
After thinking about it for a long time, Zhao Yun finally said to Gao Shi: "Gao Shi, send Jia Chong here."
Jia Chong was more knowledgeable about current affairs than Empress Dowager Yang. Zhao Yun knew this. Asking him could help him judge.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Gao Shi also saw all this just now, and knew that this matter could be big or small. If Empress Dowager Yang was really ambitious, the consequences would be difficult to predict. He respectfully agreed, and then Gao Shi went to pass the news.