"The person who killed Zhou Fu and Qin Yunniang must be someone with knowledge. Also, this person wanted to cover up the truth. From this point of view, this was definitely not done by Shen Liang and the others. Nowadays, except for us, the only people who meet these two conditions are It can only be the Zhou family. Could it be that the Zhou family took action?" Zhang Yanling said slowly.
Chen Shiyi drank the pastry down his throat with a sip of tea, nodded and said: "It's most likely the Zhou family. The Zhou family certainly doesn't want to leave witnesses behind, so they should also know which witnesses we have found, right?"
Zhang Yanling frowned and pondered. The Zhou family did know all this. The Queen had already disclosed the evidence when she went to Changchun Palace to investigate. It was impossible for the Queen Mother Zhou not to tell the Zhou brothers. After the matter subsided, the Zhou family secretly dealt with those who provided evidence. It's not impossible. But the problem is that the Zhou brothers have a confession in the hands of Queen Zhang, and these witnesses are actually not that important anymore. The confession is a confession, which is equivalent to the Zhou brothers admitting the incident. Do they still need to kill? For revenge? Absolutely impossible. The Zhou brothers wish they could just hide their tails between their legs and avoid any complications. How could they be so bold as to kill someone in revenge?
"It's not the Zhou family. Absolutely not." Zhang Yanling concluded.
Chen Shiyi hurriedly asked: "Who is that? Doing this kind of thing secretly?"
Zhang Yanling slowly shook his head and said: "I don't know. There is someone in the dark, and he is an insider."
Chen Shiyi frowned and said, "It seems like this person is a friend rather than an enemy. In any case, what he did actually helped us."
Zhang Yanling nodded and said: "It seems that he helped us. By the way, when did Zhou Fu and Qin Yunniang die."
Chen Shiyi recalled: "Around mid-March, I didn't ask for the specific date. However, I saw a soul-calling lamp on their grave. The lamp was given only in the past two days and is still very new. It is a salvation lamp. After death, The lamp was delivered only a month ago, isn’t it mid-March?”
Zhang Yanling nodded slowly. According to local custom, a deceased person is given a salvation lamp from the temple a month after his death. This is to tell the deceased soul not to linger in the human world for too long and to be reincarnated as soon as possible. In this way, the days should be counted as one Not long before the month.
"Yuan Bin confessed last night that he was called to drink by Liang Chun on the ninth day of March. In other words, after Yuan Bin reported the news, someone went to kill Zhou Fu and Qin Yunniang. It can be seen that this person is definitely People who are helping us secretly." Zhang Yanling said softly.
"It's true. When my lord said this, things became clear. This person is really helping us. Who could he be?" Chen Shiyi scratched his head and asked.
Zhang Yanling waved his hand and said: "Never mind, as you said, this person should be a friend rather than an enemy. Even if he is an enemy, at least he has not done anything to us so far, but has done us a favor. Zhou Fu and Qin Yunniang are dead. Although it is regrettable, Shen Liang can't find anything from them. This is a good thing."
Chen Shi nodded and said, "Yes, that's a good thing. The clue is broken."
Zhang Yanling said: "Chen Baihu, you still have to go to Baoding Prefecture to see the situation of other witnesses. I estimate that the witnesses in Baoding Prefecture... I'm afraid... Anyway, go and take a look, go quickly Come back soon."
Chen Shiyi stood up and said, "Okay, I'll leave now."
Zhang Yanling said: "I will order someone to set up a carriage and give you a ride. You can sleep in the carriage and then ride on horseback after you leave the capital. This way you can get some rest and avoid the eyes and ears."
Chen Shiyi secretly praised Zhenfu for his thoughtfulness. Indeed, under the current situation, it is very likely that someone will be watching secretly. And he really needs to sleep, otherwise it will be difficult to ride on horseback. Using a carriage to give him a ride is the best of both worlds.
.
…
After seeing off Chen Shiyi, Zhang Yanling changed her clothes and headed to the palace. Today is the day of mourning for the Empress Dowager Zhou, and civil and military officials and nobles are all going to send off the coffin of the Empress Dowager. Naturally, Zhang Yanling is among them.
The funeral of the Empress Dowager was grand and solemn. Although the Empress Dowager Zhou was only the concubine of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty and not a queen, she was enjoying the treatment of all queens at this moment. As early as the day after the death of the Empress Dowager, after the ministers came to the table, Emperor Hongzhi
The posthumous title was already issued. The posthumous title of Empress Dowager Zhou was: Empress Xiaosu Zhenshun Kangyi Guangliefu Tiancheng Shengrui. In fact, she had already been awarded the title of empress posthumously.
At Chen time, Hongzhi Emperor Zhu Youtang personally held the coffin in mourning. Hundreds of civil and military officials, princes and nobles, all dressed in plain clothes, knelt down in mourning. The coffin left the palace, got on the car, walked around the imperial city, and then slowly walked from the long street to the west of the city.
Went to Fucheng Gate. Along the streets, white flags were fluttering and plain cloth was wrapped around the streets. Countless people watched and watched each other off in the streets. The funeral procession stretched for miles, with tall and exquisite paper boats, carriages and buildings, and lifelike puppets, carriages and horses.
The mournful music played all the way, mixed with the sound of monks chanting wooden fish, and they were sent out of Xizhimen.
Three thousand soldiers and horses from the Beijing camp, all dressed in plain clothes, with their swords and guns wrapped in white cloth, have been waiting here for a long time. All the officials got on their horses and got on their cars, because the coffin of the Empress Dowager was to be buried in the Yuling Mausoleum at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, together with Emperor Yingzong.
In one place. But Yuling Tomb is forty miles away, so the burial must be completed before noon.
More than an hour later, the coffin arrived and the coffin began to be placed. Zhu Youtang, Queen Zhang, Prince Zhu Houzhao and all the ministers wailed in sorrow again. Among them, the Zhou brothers Zhou Shou, Zhou Yu and Zhou Ying were even more crying.
It's a matter of life and death. Others' crying may be fake, but theirs are real. With the death of Mrs. Zhou, they have no support whatsoever.
During the burial, amid the sound of Sanskrit chants and mantras, the colorful paper boats, pavilions, chariots, horses, figures, tables, chairs, gold and silver and other objects were burned in the fire. Amidst the ashes in the sky, Zhu Youtang led his ministers to kowtow and recite sacrificial inscriptions. Afterwards, the tomb
The door is closed and everything is settled.
The life of Queen Mother Zhou was long and exciting. She lived through the three dynasties of Yingzong, Xianzong and Xiaozong, experienced many ups and downs and drastic changes in palace curtains, and experienced many thrilling events in the Ming Dynasty.
Back then, she was the concubine of Emperor Yingzong. After Emperor Yingzong was captured by the Tatars after the Tumubao Incident, she suddenly became the concubine of the former dynasty, and her life was difficult. Later, Yingzong was rescued and imprisoned in Nangong, and she also served in Nangong.
During this period, her son's position as crown prince was deposed, and his life would be in danger anytime and anywhere. Later, the coup took place, her husband Yingzong was restored as emperor, and she was made the imperial concubine. Her son was made the prince again.
There were so many ups and downs, so many storms, so many dangers and fears, it’s really hard to describe in words.
After that, the empress war between Concubine Zhou and Empress Qian also caused turmoil in the city. But overall, the old empress had an admirable life. She was able to stick to her duties at critical times and raise Xiaozong as an adult, which ensured that Xianzong would have a successor.
This is a major contribution to her. Of course, as a woman who married into the palace, it is inevitable for her to pamper and take care of her relatives.
It's just that the old queen mother probably never expected something. She had weathered all the storms in the past, but in the end she became confused and made the worst decision in her life at the end of her life. And this also cost her her life.
.
But no matter what, now she can finally lie down peacefully in Yuling. From now on, everything in the world has nothing to do with her. She no longer has any fear, worry, or worry.