Chen Ke gave an order, and the intelligence system he had spent huge sums of money on over the past few years began to operate at high speed. Pieces of intelligence from inside and outside the imperial city began to flow into his study at a rapid pace. The activities of several important figures were revealed.
It stands out from the noisy and chaotic Bianjing city!
Zhao Zongshi has been sick at home for a month. It is said that this time he is really sick. He can't even get off the ground. He is so thin that he has only a handful of bones. He is always in a daze and talking nonsense: "Father, father, I am sorry for you."
His princess Gao went into the palace and cried for a while, hoping to ask the emperor to see him so that he could rest in peace and recuperate.
In fact, this is an excuse for him to cause problems for the officials! Because the prince is also a minister, there are rules for the emperor to visit his ministers when they are sick. As long as they are not terminally ill, the emperor will not come to see the sick in person. Thinking about Zhao Zongshi, with Zhao Zhen's kind of hypocrisy
His temperament always maintains the outward appearance of fatherly kindness and filial piety, so he will definitely come again.
As soon as Zhao Zhen comes, the courtiers will immediately feel that His Royal Highness Prince Lu has regained the imperial favor, which can at least bring back some popularity... After the Qianyuan Festival, Zhao Zongshi was also promoted from a county king to a prince. Even if Zhao Zhen doesn't come, it doesn't matter.
, because the officials would feel that he, as a father, was ruthless and did not regard these adopted sons as his sons at all! This was also a foreshadowing for him to turn against others in the future.
Therefore, no matter who comes to visit, Zhao Zongshi on the sick bed will have to shout a few words about "Father" in a daze, and then say a few words of "Emperor's Thoughts". Everyone who listens will be moved to tears. After all the pretentiousness, Zhao Zongshi
His reputation is recovering.
"After all, this guy is too thoughtful." Looking at his information, Chen Ke sneered: "You just pretend to be sick and show so much scheming, do you think others are fools?"
"Not everyone can reach the level of Sun Bin and Sima Yi." Chen Wu picked up a piece of paper and said slowly: "Look, he said to the visiting master Liu Chang, 'Life is a prosperous world, competing for fame and fortune, think back.
It's really boring, it seems more interesting to wander around the mountains and rivers and be a wealthy and idle person.'"
"It's self-contradictory. If you really think so, why bother calling me "Father" all day long?" Chen Ke sneered and said repeatedly: "How much love does he have with the official family? I think he is full of hatred!"
"After all, the officials didn't go to see him." Chen Wu said with a smile: "That's good, at least let everyone see clearly that Zhao Zongshi has no hope." He guessed: "I think he already wants to retreat, but it's just that
He won't give up once he becomes a brother, and uses his name to make fools of himself. As for the temptation you mentioned, that's human nature. Isn't it true that no one will die until they see the Yellow River?"
"What you said makes sense." Chen Ke nodded and said, "But we still can't take it lightly. What changes have happened in the palace?"
"Everything is as usual..." Chen Wu smiled bitterly and said: "The Imperial City Division is under the rule of Marshal Di. It is extremely difficult for others to mix in the sand. This also makes it very difficult for us to obtain information. However, we still contacted Eunuch Li. He said
We have strengthened our precautions, and now everyone has personally tried the official diet, so there is no need to worry."
"Well." Chen Ke asked again: "What about Han Qi and the others?"
"Xiangong Han has been recovering from his illness for more than half a year, but he has recovered from his illness." Chen Yan said: "But he is still unwilling to take charge of the affairs, and seems to want to hand over power." He frowned slightly and said: "The only one who is a little abnormal is Wang Gong.
Chen, the officials issued a series of decrees to mobilize the generals of the Forbidden Army a few days ago, but he was delayed. In the past month, not many Forbidden Army officers have actually transferred their generals... Could it be that in order to support the generals, he even
Don’t you care about your own career?”
"Oh?" Chen Ke frowned. The official's purpose of mobilizing soldiers and generals was nothing more than to reshuffle the army and reduce the general's control. Wang Gongchen was acting in disguise, probably to maintain the general's control. If
Chen Ke refused to believe that he was going to mobilize troops to rebel...
But generally speaking, everything seemed calm, and it seemed that he was worrying unfounded. Chen Ke walked around the room for a long time and asked, "Where is the queen?"
"Queen." Chen Yan said in astonishment: "The queen is of course still the same as before. By the way, tomorrow is her birthday. Do you want to prepare a gift?"
"Just follow the examples of previous years." Chen Ke said nonchalantly. The Queen's birthday cannot be compared with the Emperor's birthday. Queen Cao is a very low-key person. She is never allowed to alert foreign ministers and only calls a few close friends and relatives.
, a small gathering in the palace is considered a birthday celebration.
Chen Ke's stepmother, Cao Shi, is the queen's biological sister, so she naturally has to attend. Chen Ke will be brought into the palace every year with a gift from her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although he had no clue, Chen Ke still put safety first and ordered all the forces he could mobilize to stay vigilant and respond at any time. He also sent a carrier pigeon to inform Zhao Shu, asking him to rush back to the capital as soon as he saw off the Lord of Liao.
The next night, he went back to his old house for dinner and asked Cao about the Queen's birthday. Chen Ke was driven crazy by himself now. He didn't miss any detail, hoping to find out any clues about the other party!
When Mrs. Cao saw his serious expression, she told him in detail what she saw and heard. Unfortunately, they were all three aunts and six wives, whose parents were short-lived and of little value. However, it was said that the consort Li Wei presented a thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum to the Queen to look at him with admiration.
In short, there was no valuable news, so Chen Ke had no choice but to turn back. Walking out of the door of the old house, looking at the dark night, like a huge mouth that chooses people to eat, he couldn't help but shudder...
At the same time, the lights were brightly lit in the Da Nei Kunning Hall, and Zhao Zhen, an official, was invited by the queen to share the thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum longevity soup. Zhao Zhen originally wasn't too interested in the thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, but today was the Queen's birthday, and he couldn't refuse
, and drove over before dark.
In the Kunning Hall, the Tian family couple sat opposite each other. Seeing that the queen who married him at the age of sixteen and is now a white-headed woman, Zhao Zhen said apologetically: "In recent years, I have been in poor health and have been really alienated from you.
Already."
"A high official should take good care of his dragon body, and there is no need to think about my body. At my age, my body is free from illness and disaster, and I have so many wives accompanying me every day. What else is there to be dissatisfied about?" Empress Cao's nose felt sour and she shook her head.
Said: "The only thing I'm worried about is the dragon body of the high official. I heard from Manager Hu that you have been sleepless all night recently. How can this go on?"
"Oh, I'm used to it." Zhao Zhen said with a wry smile: "I can't sleep at night. I'm quiet, but I can think about a lot of things. I really have nothing to think about, so I just show everything in my life from childhood to adulthood one by one in front of my eyes.
"I've passed." He said with tears appearing in the corners of his eyes: "I have been dreaming about the late emperor, the eldest empress, the young empress, and my mother whom I have never met...and Empress Guo and Wen Cheng. I know that I am going to leave soon."
See them."
Empress Cao also shed tears and advised: "No high officials should say such unlucky words. On the Qianyuan Festival, didn't the Taoist priests of Baiyun Temple say, you still have a long life?"
"Those are all auspicious words, who would take them seriously?" Zhao Zhen asked Xiaosuo: "Since ancient times, emperors, generals and ministers have never been able to escape that day. I have been seriously ill twice and have lived in the country for forty years. To this day
, Liao Kingdom, Xixia, Dali, Tubo, Jiaozhi, and all the surrounding countries coexist peacefully. There is no knowledge of weapons in the country, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. I ask myself, with the appearance of a middle-aged man, to achieve such a result, it can be regarded as a dedicated effort, worthy of the ancestors.
.”
As he spoke, he looked deeply at Empress Cao and saw that although her black hair had turned to white hair, her complexion was still rosy and her face still had the charm of the past. "I am deeply sorry to you, I, for following me for these decades.
But I didn’t leave you an heir…”
Empress Cao felt deeply sad and said with tears: "I am not up to par, so it would be a great kindness for the officials not to abolish me..."
"Don't say that," Zhao Zhen shook his head and said, "I know my own affairs, it has nothing to do with you." He said with a smile: "Besides, you don't have to worry about the future. No matter what, no one dares to make you angry.
of."
"Let's not talk about this anymore." Seeing the increasingly ominous voice in the official family, Empress Cao quickly stopped the topic and said: "The official has not been in good spirits these days, and it is inevitable that he will have random thoughts. In fact, you are still in your prime. As long as you take good care of you, you will be fine.
"As he spoke, he wiped his tears and said: "By the way, I have asked the high official for a miraculous food recipe, which is the 'Millennium Ganoderma Longevity Soup', but there is always a lack of the main ingredient. That kid Li Wei is also here.
Heart, I present it to you on my birthday today. I have made people stay up all afternoon, and now it’s just time for the officials to eat.”
The maid brought a blue-glazed gray porcelain soup cup and placed it firmly on the table. Another maid opened the lid of the cup, and a strong aroma came out.
Zhao Zhen was in poor health and had always had a poor appetite. But after smelling this smell, he moved his index finger and said, "It smells so good. What did you use to make it?"
"I won't mention the auxiliary ingredients. There are two main medicines, Millennium Ganoderma lucidum and Millennium old turtle." The queen scooped a bowl for Zhao Zhen with her own hands and said: "This is not even available in the imperial pharmacy. It is designated for high officials to drink it and it will be effective."
Holding it with both hands, he presented it in front of the official.
But Hu Yandui stepped forward and stopped him: "Sir, sir, would you like to give this soup to your servant first?"
A look of displeasure appeared on Queen Cao's face, and Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "Hey, you old guy is too cautious. This is the Kunning Palace, could someone come to harm me?" After saying that, he was about to take the soup.
bowl.
Empress Cao did not give it to him, but scooped it up and drank it herself. After drinking, she glanced at Hu Yandui and said, "Are you relieved?" Hu Yandui stepped aside in dismay.
Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "Don't blame him, I ordered you to be careful. Of course it's not to guard against the queen, alas...that's what I mean by being alone."
"No need to explain, high official." Empress Cao said calmly: "Sometimes the palace is more dangerous than the battlefield. Don't you know that? It's always better to be careful." She said without letting Zhao Zhen scoop up:
"If you don't want to drink this soup, just don't drink it."