Chapter 387: Li Yuanfang got a lot of help, but Empress Wu lost a lot of help
Ziwei Palace.
Changshengyuan.
After Empress Wu moved to Luoyang, she moved here to live.
Empress Wu had always been fond of Luoyang's luxurious architectural style. Perhaps she most recognized Yang Guang's architectural ideas. However, she regretted that no major construction projects were carried out after Li Hong succeeded to the throne.
The current state of the treasury is not the historical depletion in the late Emperor Gaozong. After all, since the disastrous defeat in the Battle of Dafeichuan, the Tang Dynasty has not been defeated by Tubo one after another, but has achieved considerable victory.
As a result, the trade routes in the Western Regions were smooth, and various countries responded to the situation and paid tribute very diligently. After Tuyuhun restored the country, a large number of livestock, cattle and sheep were imported into Longyou. In addition, Li Hong was close to the people, so he did not make any big moves, and the national treasury was full.
, Empress Wu proposed that a Vientiane Shrine should be built to demonstrate the imperial authority.
The Wanxiang Shrine is another name for Mingtang. The original idea of its construction was that it was an important ritual building used by saints for administration and sacrifice. It is not that it is meaningless, but after referring to the opinions of the ministers, Li Hong felt that now
It was not the right time and the proposal was rejected.
Empress Wu was very disappointed.
Of course, construction is a hobby after all, and her current concern is still the situation in the court.
Recently, bandits have been rampant in the Jiangnan area, which has been unable to be controlled by the state governments, and chaos has arisen among the people. Although it has not reached the point of direct rebellion, it cannot be said to be stable.
Naturally, the DPRK sent officials to quell this chaos, including the five prime ministers, who all recommended candidates.
Empress Wu was concerned about someone else. At this time, she put down the copied case records and nodded to Eunuch Cai: "You have done well. Di Huaiying's experience has been fully recorded. Even he was investigated by the Internal Guard."
None of the cases were missed.”
Eunuch Cai said happily: "It is a great honor for a slave to be able to share the Queen Mother's worries!"
Empress Wu asked again: "What is the attitude of the officials in the court towards Li Yuanfang's recommendation of Di Huaiying as governor of Jiangnan?"
Eunuch Cai said: "Most of them are not optimistic about it. That Di Si Cheng is capable of solving cases, but how can a mere Dali Si Cheng sort out the current chaos in Jiangnan? What's more, he has to cooperate with the Meihua Internal Guard.
Even the plum blossom inner guards don’t like it!”
Empress Wu was noncommittal and continued to ask: "Who are the fierce opponents?"
Eunuch Cai said: "There are not many people who oppose fiercely. After all, Li Yuanfang is fierce... Well, I heard that Lai Shilang directly laughed at Di Huaiying in Shangshu Province for not knowing what he was talking about. He dared to come forward with such things..."
He knew the Queen Mother's likes and dislikes, and felt that he had just boosted her opponent's morale, so he quickly added: "Li Yuanfang made a stupid move this time. I don't know how many people are waiting to see his joke. When the Jiangnan incident fails, I will report it as soon as possible."
Queen Mother."
When the words fell, there was no expected approval. Instead, Empress Wu looked down coldly: "Just because you hate Li Yuanfang, you expect him to fail in everything? I have taught you a lot these days, but you still have such a vision?"
Eunuch Cai was so shocked that he knelt down and said with cold sweat: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
Empress Wu picked up the case record again and looked through it again, her eyes flashing slightly: "Li Yuanfang is very arrogant at heart, and he dares to pave the way for the prime minister for his cronies. I hope that the Di Huaiying he recommended can really succeed."
Jiangnan Rebellion..."
Eunuch Cai was completely confused. Eunuch Gao, who was standing next to him with his head bowed, thought for a while and said, "The Queen Mother's intention is to come to serve as a minister?"
Empress Wu showed some approval: "Yes, if this Di Huaiying is really incompetent, then Li Yuanfang recommended talents inappropriately. At most, his prestige will be diminished, but what will it mean to him? But if Di Huaiying is really incompetent, then Li Yuanfang recommends talents improperly.
If you can quell the chaos in Jiangnan, then Lai Hengke will be disgraced!"
As soon as Eunuch Gao heard Empress Wu address her by name, he knew that she looked down upon Lai Heng and was even inferior to the sixth-rank Cheng of Dali Temple.
But then Empress Wu ordered: "From now on, you must contact the people around Lai Heng. You must get in private contact with him before the Jiangnan Rebellion comes to an end. Do you understand?"
Eunuch Cai kowtowed repeatedly: "Yes! I will definitely handle it!"
Empress Wu now trains far more servants than the two of them. If he can't handle his errands well, there will be no chance of him turning around.
Empress Wu admired Eunuch Cai's fierceness and loyalty, but knew that this man was just doing something trivial. She looked at Eunuch Gao and patiently told him: "The army of the Western Expedition is about to return to the court, and Qiu Ying is among them. You healed him before.
Make good contact with him, I need the support of him, the most senior leader of the Cabinet."
Eunuch Gao hesitated and said: "But Ge Ling Li has already seen through... Qiu Ge Ling's role in the Liangzhou Jia thief case, I'm afraid he has been prepared for it."
Empress Wu sneered: "Of course Li Yuanfang was on guard, but he was brought out by Qiu Ying. The two of them have different feelings. Do you think he won't show favoritism? If he was really upright, he would have arrested Qiu Ying and interrogated him long ago.
, why wait now?”
Eunuch Gao could only accept the order: "I understand!"
Empress Wu waved her hand: "Back off!"
Eunuch Gao and Eunuch Cai stepped back, then passed by the other two eunuchs who entered the palace.
Eunuch Cai's eyes collided with theirs, full of competition and vigilance. As soon as he left the palace, he left quickly.
With a full sense of crisis, she became more motivated and tried her best to complete the tasks entrusted by the Queen Mother.
Eunuch Gao, on the other hand, was not in a hurry. He stopped outside the palace and circulated the Guangming Energy in his body. He vaguely heard a few key words in the conversation in the palace, all of which involved the sage's newly established department, Cao Si.
His head was lowered, his eyes flickered for a moment, and then he turned and left.
Empress Wu in the palace summoned ten groups of chamberlains, and a pile of documents was piled high around her.
There were many literate chamberlains in the palace, but their handwriting had its own characteristics and looked very tired. However, Empress Wu read them carefully and carefully without any objection, and she immediately had a deep understanding of the situation in the court.
I had never realized before that these chamberlains were quite capable, and they could not hide the disturbances in the palace from them.
Li Hong's choice not to put her under house arrest was indeed a wise one, but even without her life wife, she still had ways to influence the court situation.
Empress Wu felt a pain in her heart when she thought of her fateful wife.
After what happened to Wu Shizi, the married women could still cope with it on the surface in Chang'an at first, but after arriving in Luoyang, they even stopped doing it on the surface. They have been quite diligent in entering the palace recently, but they always go to the Queen's Palace to visit the Queen and the Prince.
She is desolate here.
The prestige she had worked so hard to build over more than ten years was lost in just six months because of this opportunity.
After all, everyone knew the truth of the matter. Who would be willing to risk his reputation to get close to a queen mother who was obviously disliked by the saint?
I was so angry that when I was full of anger, the palace maid came to report: "The Duke of Zhou has come to the palace to pay his respects."
Empress Wu gritted her teeth: "Again? Saint, you are so cruel!"
She sincerely hoped that the children of the Wu family would stay in Chang'an, but Li Hong was afraid that these people would do evil if they stayed there, so he brought them to Luoyang and asked Wu Chengsi to come to the palace every day to pay respects.
At this time, when she saw Wu Chengsi's wretched figure walking in, Empress Wu closed her eyes slightly and silently chanted: "Be patient and motionless, like the earth, meditate deeply, like a secret..."
She must take good care of her health and must not be angry. She must not be angry.
Wu Chengsi came forward and knelt down to say hello, with a respectful gesture: "I would like to say hello to the Queen Mother. I wish the Queen Mother good health and long life."
Empress Wu hummed softly, as if facing a chamberlain: "Get up...if you have nothing to do, please leave..."
Wu Chengsi breathed a sigh of relief and felt that since arriving in Luoyang, his aunt had become much kinder to him.
In this case, he had been thinking about it for a long time, and finally he was able to say what he thought was a decent and progressive statement: "To the Queen Mother, the evildoer Wu Yizong wanted to do to his wife was committed by one of them. We also want to go to the literature museum to study again, for
The Queen Mother shares her worries...ah!!"
This sentence was so destructive that even the Buddhist scriptures could not prevent Empress Wu from breaking her defense. Veins popped up on her forehead. She picked up the bottle at hand and smashed it down:
"Get out!! Get out of here!!"
…
at the same time.
In the Li Mansion.
Li Yan looked at the letter and was a little moved, because it contained detailed information about Empress Wu's recent movements and plans.
He stood up and saluted: "Thank you so much, Mr. Xu, for taking the huge risk and coming to deliver the letter. I will bear your friendship in my heart."
This official Xu was one of the three servants under the command of Eunuch Gao. He quickly returned the courtesy and said: "I am willing to help you. I followed Li Ge Ling all the way back to Chang'an in the past. At that time, there was a great disaster in the pass. Only Li Ge Ling was willing to risk his life."
I speak for the little people, I will always keep it in my heart..."
Li Yan nodded slightly and said apologetically: "You are also risking beheading to help me now. If the Queen Mother finds out, I will not be able to intervene in the harem affairs in time. I can only ask the Queen, but it may be too late...
And I must tell the truth, it is difficult for me to change my status as chamberlain."
Most of those who were sent to the palace for castration were poor children from poor families. He sympathized with them, but he knew very well that eunuchs were not allowed to get up.
There may be a few good eunuchs from time to time, but this is an inevitably distorted group that is of no benefit to the country or the people. It is not even an inevitable extension of imperial power, it is just a reckless shortcut.
So Li Yan directly said the ugly things in front of him. After all, he had the confidence to deal with Empress Wu even without the help of his internal servants.
Eunuch Xu's eyes darkened when he heard this, but he was mentally prepared: "Leader Li tells the truth, he treats us as human beings from the beginning to the end. The slaves are physically disabled and can serve for Leader Li, and they are willing to take this risk."
risk!"
"Thank you! If Empress Wu notices it, you must inform me immediately and I will try my best to protect your safety!"
Li Yancheng thanked him sincerely and read Eunuch Gao's letter carefully again. His eyes fell on the last line and his heart felt warm.
It was written in very serious handwriting, stroke by stroke: