Wei Qiyuan was trembling: "Your Majesty, your highness is here to pay tribute to you on one, three, six, nine... Today is the tenth day of the lunar month..."
Emperor Hongwen was stunned.
Once upon a time, Hong'er also came to pay tribute? Who stipulated it? Did she stipulate it herself?
He hesitated for a moment and looked at the venison on the grill, "Go and invite the little prince. He likes to eat roasted venison the most..."
"Okay, I'll send someone to invite you right away."
Not far away, the two little eunuchs came back in a short while, with a little uneasy expression: "Your Majesty, the little prince is not in Cining Palace."
“Where did you go?”
"The people from Cining Palace said that he and the Queen Mother went hunting."
"Hunting?" He frowned. What hunting should women and children go to fight?
“How long have you been there?”
"It's almost three days."
So, they left the next day after they left?
Emperor Hongwen was shocked and stood up, "What did you say? The Empress Dowager and the little prince have not returned after three days of hunting?"
"Your Majesty calms your anger...Your Majesty calms your anger..."
"Go and look for it...why are you standing there? Go and look for it immediately..."
"The Queen Mother brought the guards out, there should be no problem..."
Emperor Hongwen was furious: "Beiwudang is so big. Where can they go and never come back for three days? Go and find it immediately...If you encounter any danger..."
"Your Majesty, don't worry. I'll go to Cining Palace again immediately. The palace maids in Cining Palace are not panicked. If the Empress Dowager had anything unsafe, wouldn't they have come to report to Your Majesty long ago?"
Emperor Hongwen stood up and took a few steps. Although he had developed a strong grudge against Empress Dowager Feng in his heart, he was his own son, and a woman and a child. What kind of hunting should he go?
Especially, I haven't seen my son for several days, and I feel even more uneasy and immediately said, "I'll go to Cining Palace to have a look."
Wei Qiyuan ran in front.
Emperor Hongwen followed with great strides.
It was quiet in the Cining Palace, and the palace maids were doing some tricks, needlework, etc.
When he saw His Majesty arrive, he was very confused and quickly knelt down.
Emperor Hongwen said sternly: "Where is the Empress Dowager and Your Highness?"
Zhang Xun said hurriedly: "The Queen Mother and Your Highness went hunting..."
"Hunting, hunting! What kind of hunting takes three or four days? If the people are gone, don't you worry?"
Everyone knelt on the ground, not daring to speak.
It was still Zhang Zigong who was brave: "The Empress Dowager sent the guards back to report the letter, saying that it was nothing serious and she would come back in a few days..."
Emperor Hongwen couldn't believe his ears. What does "no big deal" mean? And it will take a few days to come back. How long has it been?
"Who came back to report the letter?"
"Go back to Your Majesty, it's Yi Xin."
"Where is Yi Xin?"
"He has gone out today and hasn't come back yet."
Emperor Hongwen felt bad intuition and said angrily: "What else did Yi Xin say?"
"Your Majesty...this is all..."
Yi Xin was ordered to come back that day. Of course, how to explain, naturally, the arrangements were made long ago in order not to panic because of the people in the palace. On this issue, Luo Jia certainly had his own selfishness and was unwilling to do so.
Fangfei went back so quickly, and she was unwilling to cause chaos in the world and rumors spread. She also knew that Emperor Hongwen happened to go out to hunt, so after three or four days, Empress Dowager Feng and the little prince disappeared for several days, but they did not arouse any warning.
Emperor Hongwen clearly felt that this was not the case. Empress Dowager Feng and the little prince were not ordinary people, so where did they go for seven or eight days?
He was angry: "When Yi Xin comes back, report it to me immediately."
"Sister obeys the order."
"No, send someone out to find him. Come out and go out to find the Empress Dowager and His Highness immediately..."
The guards said: "Beiwudang is so big, where can I find it?"
Emperor Hongwen sternly said, "So big? How big is it? I will divide the troops into three groups. There are only a few places to hunt in Beiwudang. Hurry up, go find it immediately. If something happens, I will ask you."
Everyone did not dare to ask again and immediately took action.
Emperor Hongwen returned to Xuanwu Palace in a depressed manner, and even the roasted venison was not in a bad mood. Usually, although he couldn't get along with Empress Dowager Feng, he suddenly disappeared when he thought of his son with her, and he had not seen each other for so many days.
Hunting is not a joke, especially because they have no experience. What if something happens to two women and children?
However, he waited around until the evening, and no one was seen in this guy Yi Xin.
He was even more angry. The eunuchs repeatedly persuaded him that since Empress Dowager Feng had sent someone to deliver the letter, nothing would happen. Besides, he had sent someone to search overnight, so how could something happen?
Where can Emperor Hongwen listen to it?
He lay on the bed for a while, but soon he was anxious and could not close his eyes.
Wei Qiyuan, who was serving him, heard him tossing and turning, and whispered: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is fine, don't worry..."
He sat up in a depressed manner: "A woman took care of a child. It rained again two days ago, and the mountain roads were slippery. I almost fell several times, let alone them..."
"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is not an ordinary woman..."
He suddenly became angry: "What isn't an ordinary woman? A woman is a woman. Can Empress Dowager Feng kill a tiger?"
Wei Qiyuan was furious when he saw him, so frightened that he didn't dare to let out.
Emperor Hongwen lay in a daze on the bed, and finally fell asleep in a daze. In his dream, he was always restless, like a child, shouting and dancing, in the peach blossom bushes, constantly calling himself "Father,
Father…”
He reached out to hug him, but hugged him for a moment.
When I opened my eyes, I almost felt a light smoke floating by in front of me, illusory. Suddenly, a very strange and terrible premonition arose: Could it be that Fangfei and Hong'er ran away?
He was startled by his terrible thought and jumped up.
No, if you really run away, you will run for three or four days. How can you find someone again?
Wei Qiyuan didn't know why he was like this, so he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"
He said casually: "You said, the Queen Mother and the Prince didn't go hunting at all?"
Wei Qiyuan was shocked: "If you are not hunting, where can they go? People from Cining Palace say they went hunting..."
Emperor Hongwen touched the cold sweat on his forehead and smiled bitterly. How could the empress dowager and the prince run away quietly? Even if Fangfei wants to run away, she will not run away for the sake of her son.
Over the years, she is not the ignorant girl in the temple back then; but the Queen Mother Feng, who has been considering it all, would not joke about her son's safety even if she acted voluntarily.
Emperor Hongwen put on his clothes and got out of bed, walked around, his heart suddenly moved, and he immediately said, "Go to Cining Palace, don't disturb anyone."
Wei Qiyuan was tactful and immediately brought only a few followers to quietly protect Emperor Hongwen to Cining Palace.
The palace maid on duty saw that Her Maid came down, who dared to stop him? Emperor Hongwen went straight into Empress Dowager Feng's room.
After a closer look, I saw that her things, daily clothes, and items she needed at any time were there. When I went to see her son's room, they were all there.
He breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that he had just gone hunting.
By this time, it was already dawn.
Guards came back to report one after another. However, there was no news about Empress Dowager Feng.
Emperor Hongwen was even more anxious. Looking at the hazy sky, he was furious: "Yi Xin hasn't come back yet?"
"Return to your Majesty, I said Yi Xin went down the mountain to buy things, and I guess he would not come back today at noon..."
Emperor Hongwen stomped his feet in anger and shouted: "Li Chong, pass it on to Li Chong..."
After a while, Li Chong came.
Emperor Hongwen saw his confused look on his face, and his heart sank, "Where is the Empress Dowager Li Chong?"
Li Chong was shocked: "The Empress Dowager hasn't come back yet?"
Emperor Hongwen almost wanted to slap him in the face: "You are the secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Shouldn't you follow the Empress Dowager every day? Now that the empress dowager is gone, I haven't settled the score with you yet, but you asked me instead?"
Li Chong knelt on the ground, and secretly cried in his heart. With Empress Dowager Feng's temperament, how could he not look back after going to hunt for so many days? No, something must have happened. But he just kowtowed: "The guilty minister deserves to die... The guilty minister dereliction of duty
… The Queen Mother was hunting that day and did not tell the guilty minister, but only brought a few guards and his highness out… In the past two days, the Queen Mother asked for the Queen Mother to see him, but she couldn’t find anyone…”
Emperor Hongwen's heart was already cold, and he didn't care about what Li Chong said, and roared: "Send more people out to find them immediately. Even if you turn the Beiwu Dang around, you will bring them back to me today...
…Go quickly, why are you still standing there? Get out... Before dark, I must see Hong'er!"
Everyone immediately took the order and left in a hurry.
Emperor Hongwen couldn't stand it anymore and ordered: "Prepare the horse, I will go find it myself, and if you don't believe it, you will disappear..."
Wei Qiyuan whispered: "Your Majesty, no, no..."
"Get out."
"Your Majesty...rest your anger...think about it, it's too inappropriate for you to come forward..."
This loyal old eunuch is a bystander. Since Empress Dowager Feng’s guards said it was okay, it would be fine. Now, Emperor Hongwen went to find someone with great fanfare. With his hot temper, if he met, he would meet Empress Dowager Feng on the spot.
What should I do if the trouble begins?
Now all the civil and military officials in the court are looking at His Majesty's face and thinking about how to stand. Wouldn't Emperor Hongwen add fuel to the fire? If some ministers are waiting for an opportunity to spread the word, wouldn't they add more things?
Emperor Hongwen didn't even look at his face, and ran away when he ran, running: "The guards of Cining Palace are all useless. I must kill them. They are useless things... Even one person
Can't see it well, it's a waste!"
Wei Qiyuan and others chased after him, panting and helpless.
This action is of course no secret.
At night, a mysterious guest came to the residence of Lu Tai, one of the five members of the Standing Committee. The guest was covered with a veil and dressed in casual clothes under the night. After the notice, Lu Tai was a little surprised and hurriedly came out, surprised and happy: "Please, Empress of the Imperial Concubine."
”
Concubine Mi was very polite and followed him into the secret room.
It is not surprising that Concubine Mi visited Lu Tai at night. According to her kinship, one of her relatives is also one of Lu Tai's concubines.
Although the two had this kind of kinship, they didn't have much contact before. Lu Tai, who had always taken them seriously, changed his attitude until Concubine Mi was favored and had never taken them seriously.
Especially in the past two years, Lu Tai has been very close to them.
The two sat down, and Lu Tai whispered: "Imperial Concubine, can you do anything good for the little prince?"
"TOEFL, it's okay. Oh, we're just going to set off tomorrow."
Lu Tai was a little surprised: "Didn't Your Majesty say that you will go back to Pingcheng in three days? Why don't you go together?"
Concubine Mi looked embarrassed: "Sometimes, I can't tell you what your Majesty means. I will take the emperor to pay homage to Your Majesty tonight, but Your Majesty is in a bad mood, and suddenly ordered us to set off tomorrow, saying that we will send 800 guards to escort him first.
…”
"What's there? Isn't it good to have a guard escort? This is an extraordinary grace for the little prince."
Concubine Mi paused slightly: "But, wouldn't it be better if the emperor could go back to Pingcheng with His Majesty?"
Lu Tai had not answered yet, and could hear the knock on the door. The report was not an ordinary person, but his close friend's personal guard, who hurried in and looked at Concubine Mi.
Concubine Mi immediately said, "I'll avoid it first."
"No, it's all my own people."
The guard then whispered: "The news came from Xuanwu Palace that Empress Dowager Feng and the young prince had not returned for several days of hunting. Your Majesty was furious..."
"ha!"
Both of them were very surprised.
Concubine Mi immediately said, "I have only been out of Xuanwu Palace for less than two hours. No wonder His Majesty looks very bad and angry."
Lu Tai asked quickly: "No wonder she hasn't seen Empress Dowager Feng these days. I thought this woman had been a little restrained by His Majesty. Could it be that she actually hunted without authorization?"
"Yes. Your Majesty has no knowledge of this matter at all, so he is extremely angry."
Lu Tai smiled: "Good thing, it's really a good thing."
Concubine Mi hurriedly asked, "What's the good thing?"
"You think, it would be fine if the Queen Mother went out without permission and did not return for several days; and she also brought the little prince, obviously she used the little prince as a bargaining chip. His Majesty hated the most in his life that people used their children as bargaining chips. Now, how can they not punish them?
The principle of the little prince? Moreover, after we have seen it over the past few years, the little prince has been completely sinicized by that woman and has been educated as her loyal heir. He is not close to us Xianbei ministers at all, and it is Li Chong who is learning completely
Wait for that. If he ascends the throne in the future, how can we have any good days?"
Concubine Mi held her breath and dared not answer.
"In the past, everyone was afraid that His Majesty had only one son, and no one dared to touch him, so this kid became more and more unscrupulous. Empress Dowager Feng was also completely holding a trump card. But now, His Majesty has so many princes, some of them are better.
They are all close to us Xianbei people. Aren’t they more suitable than the little prince who is indecisive and virtuous?"
It can be said that no woman in the palace who has a son has never imagined that one day, she will depose the crown prince and make her son the crown prince. Of course, the degree of this fantasy varies from person to person, a little light and a little thick.
No one has ambitions, why did those thousands of years of palace fighting come?
From the day when Concubine Mi's son was named Prince Rui, it was impossible not to breed other extravagant hopes. Now, when Lu Tai said so clearly, he couldn't suppress his ecstasy: If the little prince was punished, he would
Will not be deposed?
She carefully said: "Sir, you have to be careful. The little prince is not only the prince, but also the 'emperor'. This is rewarded by His Majesty..."
"Hahaha, the Empress Dowager didn't know anything. His Majesty asked Empress Dowager Feng for the sake of reform. When she put forward the conditions, she could not refuse to agree. Now this is the moment, and that is the moment. His Majesty did not dare to kill Li Yi that day. Now
Wouldn't you just kill Li Yi? Her lover can be killed. It seems that His Majesty has not given her any face! And Li Xin, she was sentenced to death, and His Majesty will not be released? The little prince was not a Japanese before
Please give me a blessing every day? Isn’t it a blessing every three days now?”
After a few words, Concubine Mi suddenly realized.
It seems that the disappearance of the little prince is really angering the emperor.
"I tell you, if Empress Dowager Feng wants to threaten Your Majesty like this, she is wrong, she is outrageously wrong! Your Majesty is a bloody man of our Xianbei people, and it is impossible to be threatened by her like this. If you don't believe me, look when Empress Dowager Feng comes back, Your Majesty will be wrong.
There must be more powerful tricks waiting for her."
Of course, Concubine Mi knew that Lu Tai and others were all confidant officials of Emperor Hongwen, and their understanding of Emperor Hongwen was above him. They were really surprised and happy. The two whispered a few more times before leaving.
As soon as Concubine Mi left, she reported to Li Xin for a visit.
Lu Tai was overjoyed and said that Cao Cao was here and he was about to find Li Xin, but Li Xin came.
The two entered the secret room, Li Xin couldn't wait to go straight to the point, and a flame of hope appeared in her little eyes: "Sir, the opportunity is here..."
"Haha, I know, this is a wonderful opportunity. Li Xin, this can be said to be your only chance. As long as you get it done this time, you will be at ease in the rest of your life."
Li Xin was surprised and frightened: "Sir, are you sure that everything is foolproof?"
Lu Tai asked replies without answering: "Who is reporting to you today?"
Li Xin lowered her head and said a name. Lu Tai smiled: "This is not a god-given opportunity? Li Xin, don't blame me for not reminding you in advance."
"But, what does your Majesty mean?"
"You don't know what Your Majesty is thinking? Otherwise, how could he let you go? That woman, the hen Sichen, has suppressed Your Majesty for so many years, and she should have died long ago."
A big stone in Li Xin's heart immediately fell to the ground, and a vicious light appeared in her eyes: "My son-in-law died tragically in her hands, and I will never let this vicious woman go."
"Okay, Li Xin, don't worry. We'll wait for your good news. Haha, after the matter is done, Your Majesty will definitely receive a lot of rewards."
"Thank you, Lord Lu, for your advice."
"You're welcome. That woman is the common enemy of our Xianbei people. Who doesn't want her to die soon?"
A perfect conspiracy has been completely formed. The two of them are drinking and talking, and the more they talk, the more excited they become.