After enduring for a long time, Zhao Hongli couldn't bear it anymore and asked a little rudely.
Although he had somewhat anticipated this matter, when Queen Wang really persuaded him to give up the fight for the throne, he still felt that he couldn't accept it - his mother really didn't intend to help him?!
Looking at her son's horrified and unbelievable face, Queen Wang sighed and said: "Hongli, it's not that my mother won't help you, it's that you...even if my mother comes to help you, can you still fight against King Yong?"
What?"
"Why can't you fight?" Zhao Hongli said urgently: "Prince Yong is just a lonely man, but here, Xiaojiu helps me."
"Huan Wang Zhao Xuan..." Queen Wang shook her head and said lightly: "If you are talking about Huan Wang Zhao Xuan's brother, Su Wang Zhao Run, you can consider it for your mother. But Zhao Xuan... he has no foundation in the court.
He just took over the "Northern First Army" from you. After all, he is also a local prince... So what if he has some soldiers in his hands? Do you dare to force the palace to cause chaos? "
"I..." Zhao Hongli was suddenly speechless.
Indeed, although the 100,000-strong "Northern First Army" in the hands of King Huan Zhao Hongxuan is indeed a force that cannot be ignored, this force actually plays a very small role in the struggle for the prince's throne - to seize the throne.
The position mainly depends on the temple, as well as the support of domestic nobles and aristocratic families.
Just like what Queen Wang said, what if Zhao Hongli had an army of 100,000? Do you still dare to force the palace to cause rebellion? Do you really think that the 100,000-strong Northern Army is invincible?
It is no exaggeration to say that if Zhao Hongli dares to do this, and Zhao Hongxuan also helps him force the palace to rebel, then Daliang will immediately mobilize the dredging army to suppress the rebels and quell the chaos, and even the Yanling Army of Su Wang Zhao Run will be
, the Shang Shui Army and the Youma Army may all be mobilized to quell the chaos.
Therefore, this road is destined to be impassable. In other words, King Huan Zhao Hongxuan's 100,000 Northern Army actually played a very small role.
It has to be said that Queen Wang's sharp statement was like a basin of cold water poured on Zhao Hongli's heart, extinguishing the latter's heart that had become hot because of the strong support of King Huan Zhao Hongxuan.
After a long silence, Zhao Hongli said quietly: "Actually, the queen mother thinks that the child is not as good as King Yong, right?"
"..." Queen Wang's lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.
Seeing this, Zhao Hongli was disheartened and said, "I won't bother my mother anymore..."
After that, he stood up and left the Zen room.
At this time, in the Zen room, Queen Wang's sigh could be heard.
After a while, the great eunuch Feng Lu walked into the Zen room and whispered: "Queen, Your Highness has left."
After hearing this, Queen Wang sighed again and asked in a low voice: "Feng Lu, do you think I...have fulfilled my duties as a mother in these years?"
The great eunuch Feng Lu lowered his head and said, "Yes, empress."
"well……"
Youyou sighed again, and Queen Wang said softly: "Feng Lu, please go down."
"yes."
Feng Lu bowed and retreated.
At the same time, Zhao Hongli had walked out of Fengyi Hall in a daze.
As soon as they saw His Highness coming out of the palace, Luo Yao and Zongwei Chief Luo Yao immediately greeted him.
Seeing His Highness's dejected appearance, they both guessed that His Highness had not succeeded in persuading the Queen during this trip, and they couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
After leaving the palace and getting on the carriage, Zhao Hongli recounted the conversation between Queen Cai and him with a self-deprecating expression. Luo Yao and Zong Wei Chief Feng Shu looked at each other in confusion.
In fact, to be honest, they felt that what Queen Wang said was pertinent: Since they knew clearly that they could not defeat King Yong, why should they persist? Anyway, with her (Queen Wang) protecting him, King Yong would not dare to do anything to Zhao Hongli.
.
But having said that, it was indeed a bit hurtful to be judged by Queen Wang that they would not succeed before the confrontation. It is no wonder that Zhao Hongli looked lost.
Seeing that His Highness seemed a little discouraged, Luo Yao persuaded him: "Your Highness, please don't lose heart, we still have a chance... Now, we only have to look at His Highness King Huan. If His Highness King Huan can check,
Sima Song, the Marquis of Quliang, is King Yong's secret chess, even if the Queen doesn't come forward to help, we still have a chance to overthrow King Yong in one fell swoop."
After hearing this, Zhao Hongli took a deep breath, regained his composure, nodded vigorously and said, "Yeah! ... It depends on Xiaojiu."
At the same time, Zhao Hongli and Zhao Hongxuan, the King of Huan mentioned by Luo Yao, had left their own Prince Huan's Mansion and took a carriage to Prince Su's Mansion to visit his brother, Prince Su Zhao Hongrun.
Just like when he visited the eldest prince Zhao Hongli's residence, Zhao Hongxuan naturally did not need to report when he was in Prince Su's Mansion.
Going straight to his brother Zhao Hongrun's study, Zhao Hongxuan saw his brother and the family's aide Jie Zizi sitting opposite each other with serious expressions on their faces.
Seeing this, Zhao Hongxuan couldn't help but be a little confused, and quickly asked Wei Jiao, the chief of Zong Wei who was standing aside: "Wei Jiao, what are you doing?"
"Shh." Zhao Hongrun's Zongwei Chief Wei Jiao made a low-pitched gesture, and then he couldn't help but smile and said: "Your Highness is playing chess with Mr. Jiezi."
"Playing chess?" Zhao Hongxuan subconsciously turned his head to look in front of Zhao Hongrun and Jie Ziyu, but surprisingly found that there was indeed a chessboard on the table in front of them.
The problem is, there is no chess piece on the chessboard.
Just when Zhao Hongxuan was secretly wondering, he saw his brother Zhao Hongrun raise his finger, click on a grid on the chessboard, and then look up at Jie Zitu.
Seeing this, Jie Ziyu said with a smile: "Your Highness, please don't cheat. There are clearly chess pieces being played in this grid."
"Eh?" Zhao Hongrun opened his eyes in surprise when he heard this, and said: "I remembered it wrong. I remembered it wrong."
Seeing his appearance, Jie Ziyu suddenly showed a helpless expression, while Wei Jiao, who was watching the show, couldn't help laughing.
His Highness Prince Su, who is able to read monuments at a glance and has a photographic memory, can actually remember things wrongly? Please find a better excuse for lying.
Shaking his head helplessly, Jie Ziyu put his hand on the chessboard, and then said with a half-smile: "If you play here, within ten steps, your highness will be at least five eyes behind me..."
"Are you bluffing me?" Zhao Hongrun glanced at the meson owl, and then looked at the empty chessboard with a solemn expression.
Judging from his expression, what Jie Ziyu said should be true.
At this moment, Zhao Hongrun caught a glimpse of Zhao Hongxuan who was already standing in the study, and asked in pretending surprise: "Hongxuan, when did you come?"
As he said that, he was about to stand up, but unexpectedly, Zhao Hongxuan, who had taken the first step, held his shoulders and sat back abruptly: "Let's finish the game first."
With that said, Zhao Hongxuan turned to look at Jie Zizi, and explained with a smile: "When I was young, my brother tricked me into playing chess like this, bullied me into not remembering the game, and always tried to trick me. Sir, I want to take revenge for me."
Hearing this, Jie Ziu and Wei Jiao both couldn't help but laugh.
Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun said angrily: "Okay, okay, I admit defeat, I admit defeat."
After saying that, he still glanced at the chessboard with some reluctance.
This way of playing chess was once one of the tricks Zhao Hongrun used to deceive his younger brother Zhao Hongxuan. It has always been tried and tested. Today, when he was bored and idle, Zhao Hongrun thought of the past and suggested playing chess with Jie Ziyu.
Unexpectedly, Jie Zizi also has the talent of photographic memory. In this case, Zhao Hongrun has no advantage. Because in addition to his super memory, his chess skills are actually average. Playing chess, an entertainment activity for self-cultivation, is not good at all.
It suits this "irritable King Su".
Seeing his brother surrendering on his own initiative, Zhao Hongxuan laughed and felt quite happy. After all, he had been bullied by his brother so many times since he was a child, and it almost turned into a nightmare. Now that he saw his brother being frustrated, he felt really good.
While Jie Ziyu was cleaning up the chessboard, Zhao Hongrun invited Zhao Hongxuan into the inner room of the study and asked, "Did you come back yesterday?"
Zhao Hongxuan knew that there were people from the Green Crows in Daliang and did not hide it. He nodded and said, "After I came back yesterday, I went to the elder brother's house."
"Oh." Zhao Hongrun glanced at his younger brother and responded casually without asking any further questions.
After all, the two brothers have different attitudes on this matter. Zhao Hongrun is optimistic about King Yong, while Zhao Hongxuan is optimistic about Zhao Hongli. If they talk too much, the brothers will definitely have a dispute, so it is better to pretend that they have not heard anything.
Anyway, in Zhao Hongrun's view, King Yong has now become the dominant force. Even if the eldest prince Zhao Hongli comes back, it will be very difficult to defeat King Yong.
Thinking of this, Zhao Hongrun took the initiative to change the topic: "By the way, yesterday I told my concubine about your return to Daliang, and she asked you to sit in Ningxiang Palace."
As soon as he heard this, Zhao Hongxuan suddenly turned bitter. After all, the princess from South Korea, who was his fiancée, now lived in Ningxiang Palace.
"Do you know you have a headache now? It's too late!" Zhao Hongrun glanced at Zhao Hongxuan and said angrily.
Indeed, at the beginning, when the marriage between Zhao Hongxuan and the Korean princess had not been finalized, Zhao Hongrun could still deal with it, even if doing so would offend South Korea; but now, their mother-in-law, Shen Shufei, was already dating their future son.
The daughter-in-law has established a relationship, and if she wants to regret the marriage at this time, Concubine Shen Shu will not be able to pass the test.
Seeing the bitter expression on Zhao Hongxuan's face, Wei Jiao said from the side: "Actually, it doesn't matter. Even if you don't like the Korean princess, His Highness Xuan can still marry another beloved woman in the future."
Zhao Hongrun rolled his eyes when he heard this.
But having said that, what Wei Jiao said is indeed the truth. Almost all the princes and aristocratic men in the world who suffered from marriages did this.
After chatting for a few words, Zhao Hongrun left his younger brother to eat at his house.
Taking advantage of the free time before dinner, Zhao Hongxuan found Zongwei Gao Kuo and asked him to help send people to trace the details of Sima Song, the Marquis of Quliang.
Of course Gao Kuo would not refuse King Huan Zhao Hongxuan's request, and immediately agreed with his chest patted.
But just as Zhao Hongxuan expected, after he left Prince Su's Mansion that night, Zongwei Gao Kuo turned around and came to Zhao Hongrun's study and reported the matter to His Highness.
"Your Highness, just now His Highness Xuan asked me to ask the Blue Crows to investigate the details of Sima Song, Marquis of Quliang."
After hearing this, Zhao Hongrun, who was planning to play a few more games with Jie Ziyu to recover from the defeat, immediately frowned.
Needless to say, it must have been Luo Yao and Zhou Min who had doubts about Quliang Hou Sima Song, the key figure in the "Jinxiang Massacre" incident.