"My dear concubine, the medicine is ready." Ma Huanxi held the decoction and handed it to Huang Wan respectfully, bowing and standing in wait. Huang Wan took the medicine cup and patiently fed the old emperor little by little. p>
"Eunuch Ma, your family is waiting for you at the gate of the palace," someone reported to Ma Huanxi.
As soon as he heard "family", Ma Huanxi naturally understood and thought to himself: That woman knows that I am busy during this period and is still eager to see me. Could it be that something happened at home?
Hurrying to the palace gate, Mrs. Liu was waiting anxiously. After all, he was the first eunuch of the Guangwu Dynasty, so the guards still gave him face, keeping a distance apart so that the two could talk to each other.
"Why are you so anxious to find us?" Ma Gong said openly.
"Husband, someone gave our family one million taels of silver notes and a letter," Ms. Liu lowered her voice.
"Who?"
"The visitor refuses to leave his name."
Ma Huanxi was anxious, "You are confused, these are troubled times, how can you accept gifts from strangers?"
When I opened the letter, it turned out to be a small poem:
The ancient fragrance of Taiping enters the nose,
I love how strong this tea is.
Jingjun is a refined guest,
The best monkey leader is accompanied by ancient pine trees.
The first word at the beginning of each sentence is the following four words: Yours sincerely, Your Majesty.
The prince is giving us a gift? Ma Huanxi’s heart skipped a beat, I’m afraid this gift won’t be easy to accept!
Sure enough, he was soon called into Kunning Palace. As soon as he entered Kunning Palace, he felt that the atmosphere was not right, and met two old acquaintances: Liu Rong, the eunuch of Fengyang Guard, and Zhao Chengde, the eunuch of the Royal Horse Guard.
Liu Rong was originally Empress Shi's confidant. Because he was cruel and cruel, he was not liked by the old emperor, so he was demoted to Fengyang to guard the imperial mausoleum. He was recalled, and it seemed that the empress wanted to hire people. When the storm is at the peak, people are hired.
Naturally, something big happened. Zhao Chengde was also an old man in the palace, in charge of the military talisman, and he didn't know when he took refuge with the Queen.
Something big is going to happen!
Following the emperor, Ma Huanxi, who had experienced political ups and downs for a long time, keenly felt that something big was happening. He bit the bullet and observed carefully, and found that the number of guards in Kunning Palace had increased several times, and many of them still had unfamiliar faces. In the main hall, except for Queen Shi, sitting there
, and the crown prince. It seems that these guards were secretly transferred into the palace by the prince to protect his mother. At a time when the feud between the prince and the prince was fierce, this move was reasonable and reasonable.
"Old slave, please see the Queen, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
After all, he is a well-informed "inside minister". Although Ma Huanxi was confused in his heart, he showed no expression on his face.
"No courtesy! Eunuch Ma is an old man who has been with Your Majesty for many years. Someone, bring him a chair." Queen Shi's attitude was unusually kind.
Ma Huanxi's heart beat wildly. The Empress attaches great importance to etiquette. She is just a servant of the emperor. This kind of courtesy is usually reserved for important officials in the imperial court. In so many years, the Empress has never given a seat to our family. Today, this unexpected event
If you give me a seat, you must have something important to say.
Thinking of this, he hurriedly saluted and said: "I am just a slave. I dare not sit down in front of the Queen and Your Highness."
"Hey, Eunuch Ma, you don't have to be polite. My father has never regarded you as a slave, and I have always regarded you as one of my own. My mother asked you to sit down, and you just sit down." Zhu Ruoji also smiled and said,
I specially emphasized the word "our own people".
"I thank you, the Queen, for your grace." Ma Huanxi didn't seem to understand the meaning of "one of my own." He sat on the other side with his butt stuck out, upright and very reserved. A slave is a slave, and the master said that he treats you as one of his own.
, but you must not take it seriously! Eunuch Ma has been in the palace for so many years, so he still understands this truth.
Seeing him take his seat, Queen Shi started to talk: "Eunuch Ma, your Majesty is seriously ill in bed and unable to govern. What do you think?"
"Long live grandpa, great blessings will be in the sky, everything will be fine." Ma Huanxi didn't seem to understand, and was talking about him.
"What if my father never gets better?" Zhu Ruoji was a little displeased when he heard that Guan Shouzhen said that this man had received one million taels of silver in his own name, and it should belong to "one of his own". But why until now,
Still unwilling to take a stand and swear allegiance?
"Eunuch Ma, the country cannot live without a king for a day. I would like to draw up an imperial edict for the prince to supervise the country, and you will coordinate and use the seal. What do you think?"
In the Ming Dynasty, there were three departments related to the emperor's jade seal: Shangbaojian, Waishangbaosi, and Female Officer Shangbaosi. Ming system: Whenever the imperial seal was used, the Waishangbaosi went to the prison to request an order with a sticker, and then to the female official.
Collect it from Shangbao Division, supervise the use of it by the Foreign Division, save the number book, and turn it in.
The Waishang Baosi is an external agency, mainly supervising who uses the jade seal; the Shang Baojian is an eunuch agency, responsible for monitoring the use of treasures by the Wai Shang Baosi; the female officials Shang Baosi is the female official agency in the palace, and they are the custodians of the jade seal.
who.
When it is necessary to use a jade seal, the Minister of Foreign Shang Bao must go to the eunuch to request a decree. Whether the emperor agrees to use the seal needs to be conveyed by the eunuch of rites. That’s why Empress Shi asked the eunuch of rites to hold the seal of Ma Huanxi and coordinate the use of the seal.
"What! Draw up an imperial edict for the prince to supervise the country, with the old slave coordinating and using the seal?"
Ma Huanxi only felt a thunderbolt in the sky, which made his ears buzz. He said with a mournful face: "But Long Live Grandpa has never said that His Highness the Crown Prince will supervise the country. Forging an imperial edict is a serious crime! I dare not obey my order!" Don’t you dare to obey your order? This servant accepted Gu’s gift and actually said that he didn’t dare to obey your order?
Zhu Ruoji was very angry and shouted: "It's ridiculous. My father is seriously ill and I am the crown prince. It is natural for me to oversee the country. How can this be considered forging an imperial edict?"
Empress Shi raised her eyebrows and said, "Mr. Ma, please obey the authority in urgent matters. His Majesty is seriously ill. The country cannot be without a king for a day. The prince oversees the country without delay. Please hurry up and give it to the foreign minister, Shang Baosi, and the female officer Shang Baosi."
Say hello."
Seeing her frown, Ma Huanxi immediately knew something was wrong. He had stayed in the palace for many years and knew the temperament of each palace. The Queen had always been as calm as water, but occasionally she showed her dignity. When she frowned, it was a precursor to anger!
However, I am deeply favored by the Emperor. How can I dare to deceive the Emperor for this without the Emperor's consent? Although I have done a lot of bad things and made a lot of money in these years, it is absolutely impossible for me to betray His Majesty!
Thinking of this, Ma Huanxi made up his mind and said loudly: "The old slave was ordered by the emperor to be the director of rituals. It is his responsibility. He dare not betray the divine grace. This head can be cut off, but I will never dare to do this!"
As soon as these words came out, there was silence in Kunning Palace.
It seems that Guan Shouzhen was careless and underestimated this slave. Although this man was greedy, he was extremely loyal to the emperor. Without the emperor's consent, it would be difficult for him to help the prince oversee the country!
Queen Shi was secretly angry that Guan Shouzhen had messed up the matter, but the arrow was on the string and had to be fired. She shouted angrily: "Are you going to disobey me?"
"I don't dare, this old slave. If Long Live Grandpa has his destiny, he must obey it."
"Bold! Drag me down and give you twenty punishments." Queen Shi was really angry.
He was beaten to a bloody pulp. After all, he was old. After this beating, Ma Huanxi was dying.
"Are you willing to take orders now?" Queen Shi snorted coldly.
"I would rather die than obey," Ma Huanxi hummed.
Seeing him like this, Queen Shi hesitated. This slave was already old and if he was beaten again, he would be beaten to death.
Seeing this, the confidant eunuch Liu Rong reported in a low voice: "If you want to do something big, you must establish your authority." Since ancient times, there is no room for two tigers in one mountain. Since Liu Rong has been recalled by the queen, he naturally does not want to keep Ma Huanxi as an eyesore.
His words awakened Queen Shi. Yes, if you want to do such a big thing, how can you do it if you don’t establish your authority?
"Come here, drag him down and kill him with a stick." Feng let out a life-threatening sound.
The eunuch who pulled his horse off left and right rejoiced, and the eunuch who carried out the execution sighed, "Eunuch Ma, the queen wants you to die in old age. Don't blame the younger one when you reach the underworld."
"Be quick and give our family a good time," Ma Huanxi hummed.
The big stick was raised, and a generation of powerful officials embarked on the road of no return.
