(Two in one. There is another chapter in the evening, an update for book friend 18672397. Celebrate and thank the birth of the first leader of this book.)
Concubine Rong lowered her head and wiped the corners of her eyes, then said from sadness to joy: "Let's not talk about this anymore, my niece got a good thing. I came here today to give it to my aunt. My aunt must like it."
Queen Mother Wei smiled and said: "What a good thing."
Concubine Rong waved, and the palace maid who followed her from outside hurriedly handed a brocade box in. Concubine Rong took it and helped Empress Dowager Wei sit up, and opened it in front of Empress Dowager Wei, revealing a string of smooth polished Buddhist beads.
The beads looked ordinary and dark brown in color, which did not make people happy, but the moment the box was opened, the fragrance filled the nostrils and made people feel extremely comfortable.
"This is... agarwood beads?" Queen Mother Wei asked in surprise.
"My aunt has a good eye. Local officials in Lingnan found a thousand-year-old agarwood in the mountains and used the best trunk part to make several strings of prayer beads. When my niece knew about it, she went to ask for a string. I didn't want it for myself.
Baba went to get it for my aunt. Although my aunt's ivory beads are also very good, my niece thinks that the agarwood beads are better because they can make people more calm and pious when worshiping the Buddha. Does your aunt like them?" Wei Yourong said with a smile.
"Thousand-year-old agarwood? That's a rare thing. Agarwood can only be found in the Lingnan area. It is said that those that are hundreds of years old are very rare, and most of them have been harvested within a few decades. As the world says, one tael of agarwood makes one tael of gold, and this thousand-year agarwood is probably worth
A hundred times the ordinary price. This string of Buddhist beads is worth tens of thousands of taels of silver at least. Are you here just like that? Have you given money to anyone?" Queen Mother Wei had already grabbed the beads and started playing with them admiringly.
"What did my aunt say? Of course she gave me money? Is my niece a robber? Besides, can money speak for the things that honor my aunt? Even if they are not valuable, my niece's heart is still in them.
That’s priceless.”
"Little monkey, you have said both good and bad things, what else can Aijia say? Because you are thinking of me, I have to reward you with something. If you take something in the palace that suits your eyes, just take it as a gift.
The Aijia rewards you." The old queen mother was in a good mood, so she put the Buddha beads under her nose and smelled it again and again, and kept fiddling with it in her hands.
Wei Yourong smiled and said: "How dare you ask for a reward from your aunt? It seems like your niece is here to get some benefits."
Empress Dowager Wei laughed and said: "You don't want it yourself, so don't say later that the Ai family won't reward you. You little monkey spirit can make up your mind at a moment's notice. It's best to think it over clearly, so as not to regret it in the end."
Seeing that Queen Mother Wei finally became completely cheerful, Wei Yourong took a breath and said softly: "If my aunt wants to reward me, then I will ask for something so that my aunt will not feel guilty."
Empress Dowager Wei spat: "Bah, I want it. What should the Ai family feel sorry for? What do you want?"
Wei Yourong said in a deep voice: "Aunt, Yourong would like to ask my aunt to help tell the emperor that Yourong should go back to our hometown in Shandong. Yourong is homesick. It is really boring to stay in this palace every day.
"
The Empress Dowager Wei was stunned and said with a smile: "What's wrong? The palace is delicious and comfortable. You can get everything you want. Why are you not happy? If you are really depressed and homesick, the Ai family will take you back when spring comes."
A trip to my hometown in Shandong is possible. It just so happens that the Ai family also wants to go back and have a look. It has been many years since I went back."
The Wei family is a prominent family in Shandong. Although many of the Wei family members live in the capital as officials, most of their relatives are still living in their hometown in Shandong. The Queen Mother Wei went back to visit her a few times, but those were decades ago. Recently.
She had not been back for more than ten years. When Wei Yourong mentioned her hometown in Shandong, she felt a little homesick.
Concubine Rong shook her head and said: "Aunt, my niece doesn't mean to go on a trip. My niece... she wants to live in her hometown and not return to the palace. My niece wants to return to her roots."
The Empress Dowager Wei was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said: "Silly girl, what did you say? How old are you, and you said that fallen leaves are returning to their roots? Even the Ai family didn't say this. Besides, aren't you just kidding? You are the imperial concubine, are you?
Can you still live outside the palace? We don’t have such rules in Zhou Dynasty. The emperor will not allow it, and it is not allowed due to etiquette."
Concubine Rong bit her lower lip and said: "Then please ask my aunt to tell the emperor to give me the title of imperial concubine. Anyway, these are of no use to me. I can leave the palace and go home. I will never come here again."
It’s the capital.”
Empress Dowager Wei was startled, frowned and said: "What's wrong with you? Who provoked you? Did you quarrel with the emperor? You girl, the emperor is not in good health now, and there are complicated affairs in the court, so it is inevitable that he will be in a bad mood.
You should serve him carefully and comfort him. If he scolds you, don't lose your temper. Just go home with the title of noble concubine. Isn't this nonsense?"
Concubine Rong shook her head and said: "Aunt, my niece is not messing around, and she has not quarreled with the emperor. My niece just... just doesn't want... doesn't want... to cause trouble. She doesn't want to suffer in this palace in the future. If aunt can help her,
Leaving the capital may have saved my niece's life."
"What's wrong with you kid? If you don't tell me clearly, I'll be very annoyed." The old queen frowned and yelled.
Concubine Rong sighed and said: "Aunt, my niece will tell you the truth. Recently, my niece has been having nightmares, dreaming that she stayed in the cold palace and died alone. After waking up, she thought about it and felt
This is not an illusion, it must be a sign. My niece thought about this matter carefully and figured it out in her heart. When the emperor is here, my niece may be able to live more comfortably in the palace, but if the emperor is not there one day,
Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, the situation in my niece's dream will become a reality. If the person who succeeds is Huai Wang Guo Xu, he will definitely not let me go after he becomes the emperor. His mother-in-law, Mei Fei, and
I am already at odds with each other, and they know that my aunt and I are helping King Jin. Do you think he will spare me in the future? Aunt, you are not afraid. No one dares to touch you, but my niece
My son is different. My niece doesn’t want to be tortured by them, so it’s better to find a way to leave the capital as soon as possible and go back to her hometown to live a quiet life, so as not to be unable to survive or die in the future.”
The old Queen Mother frowned and scolded in a deep voice: "Why did you start talking nonsense again? Who told you that Guo Xu would ascend the throne? Didn't the Emperor suspend the matter of establishing a crown prince? Where did you get this news? Your Majesty
Did I tell you this personally?"
Concubine Rong said hurriedly: "Aunt, you are very tolerant, but you don't know that things outside are changing very quickly. Does Aunt know what Yan Zhengshen and Fang Dunru, who initiated the reform, have recently committed? Those two adults
He has been imprisoned. I heard that the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and local officials were very excited and demanded that Fang Dunru and Yan Zhengsu be severely punished. What do you think of this, my aunt?"
Empress Dowager Wei frowned and said: "The Ai family has heard about this matter, and Fang Dunru and Yan Zhengsun have gone too far. What kind of Laoshizi reform has caused turmoil in the court, and the Ai family has long been dissatisfied.
The emperor said that this is what the country needs, so the Ai family didn't say much. But they actually said such treacherous and unethical words, how can they be lenient? If it were not inconvenient for the Ai family to interfere in the affairs of the government, the Ai family would
Everyone wants to take part in them and punish them severely. It’s better to take them away. The harm to the court will be eliminated, and it can live in peace in the future."
Wei Yourong sighed after hearing this: "My aunt thinks so, so it means that Master Yan Fang is dead this time. But does my aunt know that with Master Yan and Master Fang falling, Lu Zhongtian and Yang will be the only ones in the court?"
Jun made the decision. Lu Zhongtian and Yang Jun supported Prince Huai as the crown prince. Who could object to their opinions after that? Although the emperor was in his prime, the matter of establishing the crown prince would have to be done sooner or later. Guo Xu was the crown prince. This was not the case.
Isn't it a sure thing? Think about it, aunt, if Guo Xu takes the throne in the future, what will we do? My niece has to think about her own future, and she doesn't have a son or a daughter to protect her, so her future will be miserable.
, being tortured. Also, my aunt should also think about the relatives of our Wei family who are officials in the court. Our Wei family will definitely encounter disasters in the future. It is better to make plans in advance and have them all resign.
Go back to your hometown in Shandong to avoid disaster and avoid catastrophe in the future."
The Empress Dowager Wei was horrified. Only now did she finally understand what Wei Yourong meant. Originally, she didn't realize there was anything wrong with Yan Zhengsheng and Fang Dunru's downfall, but after Wei Yourong's analysis
, she immediately realized that the problem was somewhat serious.
"Master Yan and Master Fang have long said that there is no need to discuss the proposal of the prince, and there will be rules. It is obvious that they support the king of Jin. When the emperor proposed the proposal of establishing the prince, the two adults and dozens of reform officials also
They all jointly recommended the King of Jin. There were not many people supporting the King of Jin, and the King of Jin had no advantage. If the two adults fell this time, what suspense would there be about Guo Xu becoming the prince? Although the aunt and niece
I can say something in the ear of the emperor. But after all, we cannot interfere in government affairs. If the emperor listens, there is nothing we can do if he doesn't. The emperor relies on Lu Zhongtian and has a great affection for Guo Xu. The matter is obvious. When the emperor is here
, they naturally do not dare to retaliate against us. What if the emperor is gone? What can we do? Did Lu Zhongtian and Yang Jun really attack in groups because of the inappropriate remarks of Yan Fang? In fact, they had already launched the attack.
They have impeached Lord Yan Fang several times, but they have never been successful. This is completely an act of uniting the party against dissidents. They want to eliminate all those who oppose them in the court, so that they can do whatever they want." Concubine Rong.
continued.
The old Queen Mother frowned and sat on the couch in a daze. In fact, the Old Queen Wei was just an ordinary woman at best. When she entered the palace, she was just an ordinary concubine, and she did not have any outstanding wisdom or talents. However,
It's just that a mother is favored because her son is noble. She actually doesn't understand the intricacies of these national affairs. But she does understand some of the simplest truths, that is: she can't let some people she doesn't like take power.
, especially the people of the Lu family, otherwise there will be endless disasters in the future. Also, she must think about her Wei family, and all the glory she has brought to the Wei family cannot be deprived or trampled on, and she must maintain it all.
At first, she placed her hope on Concubine Rong to have a son, so that in the future she could make Concubine Rong's son the emperor, and the position of the Wei family would be as stable as Mount Tai. But God did not follow her wishes, Concubine Rong's son died in infancy, and it was probably Concubine Mei who did the evil.
Although there is no conclusive evidence, the Queen Mother has no good impression of Concubine Mei ever since. Any son can be the emperor, but the son of Concubine Mei will never be able to do so. This is also the simplest logic for her to support Prince Jin as the crown prince. But now, the niece
Although she didn't quite understand what her son was talking about, the result was that if Yan Zhengsheng and Fang Dunru fell, Guo Xu would become the prince. As for the causal relationship and logic,
Tongshun, she won't care about it.
"According to what you say, Lu Zhongtian and the others actually have ulterior motives? How do you know these things?" Queen Mother Wei asked twice.
"My niece doesn't know Lu Zhongtian's intentions, but their actions can be seen. Although my niece is not talented, the nightmare sign makes her have to think more. These things are actually not difficult to think about clearly. Aunt,
The niece must not watch Guo Xu become the crown prince and the emperor. Even if the niece dies, she cannot die in the hands of that bitch Concubine Mei. My Hao'er's death has a lot to do with her. Over the years, I have been searching for her all the time.
Evidence, they must be guilty of the crime and know it well. Therefore, my aunt will either give my niece a way out and let me leave the capital and go back to my hometown without caring about anything, or my niece may be unable to help but do something outrageous, and then I'm afraid she will still
It will bring trouble to the whole Wei family. Please ask my aunt to point out a clear path for my niece." Wei Yourong gritted his silver teeth and said in a deep voice.
"What extraordinary thing do you want to do?" Queen Mother Wei asked in shock.
"The niece died with them. That bitch harmed me, Hao'er, so the niece killed her son and let them have nothing. The niece has thought about it. It is very simple to do this. During the New Year banquet
I poured a glass of poisoned wine for King Huai and everything was over. As the imperial concubine, I toasted him. How dare he not drink? If he drank, he would be a dead man. Of course, I couldn't run away, and I didn't plan to run away. He was poisoned to death.
Guo Xu, I have avenged my Hao'er. It's better to die and get revenge together than to be tortured to death in the future." Wei Yourong said in a cold voice with a stern look on his face.
The old queen mother jumped up in fright and said repeatedly: "No way, no way, how can you have such an idea? Yourong, you can't do this. Are you trying to scare the Ai family to death? The Ai family can't stand it.
I can't help but be so threatening."
Wei Yourong hurriedly supported the pale old queen mother and said softly: "Aunt, my niece didn't even think of that step, but my niece can't sit back and wait for death, and the Wei family can't sit back and wait for death. If this situation continues, the Wei family will
Neither I nor my niece will survive. This is an immediate matter, it is by no means remote, and it is by no means a groundless worry."
Empress Dowager Wei grabbed Wei Yourong's hand and said: "Good girl, you must not do this. This is a dead end and is absolutely impossible. Doing this is also a treasonous act. What will your Majesty do? You want to leave the palace and return to your hometown in Shandong.
This is not possible. How can there be such a precedent? Sparing your imperial concubine to send you out of the palace? There is no reason. The emperor will definitely be suspicious and will not agree. The emperor treats you well. How can this be good?
?Is there no other way?"
Wei Yourong said: "There is still a way, but I'm afraid it still requires my aunt's intervention."
"Tell me, tell me, what else can I do?" the old queen asked hurriedly.
"Save Mr. Yan Fang and absolve them. This is just a mistake of words. Mr. Yan and Mr. Fang are definitely not rebellious ministers. My aunt made it clear to the emperor that he should distinguish right from wrong and not be blinded by anger. As long as
If the two adults Yan Fang are saved, things will turn around. It will not be so easy for Guo Xu to become the prince. In short, the life and death of the two adults Yan Fang are very important. My aunt has to do something for the Wei family." Wei Yourong
road.
Empress Dowager Wei frowned and smacked her lips: "They... what they said is indeed worthy of death. How can the Ai family tell the emperor this? Are the Ai families going to violate the harem's rule of not interfering in government affairs? How can this be done? Hey!"
Wei Yourong stood up, gathered her skirts and saluted, saying: "My niece won't embarrass my aunt. I won't mention this matter anymore. My niece has resigned. My aunt should have a good rest."
After Wei Yourong said that, she turned around and left. The old queen mother looked at her back, with wrinkles on her face. When Wei Yourong opened the curtain, she finally sighed and said: "That's it, let's give it a try."
I can’t teach you to do those stupid things.”
…
The interrogation of Yan Zhengsheng and Fang Dunru was very intensive. The information obtained by Lin Jue was that Wu Chunlai and others interrogated Fang Dunru and Yan Zhengsheng for more than ten hours in a row, forcing them to admit the so-called things that did not exist in their hearts.
Conspiracy, asking them to admit that their reform is to disrupt the imperial court and the great Zhou Dynasty. As long as these big hats are confirmed, it will be a dead end.
Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru said nothing in the hall, only sneered. Wu Chunlai asked the renegade officials in the Ordinance Department to read out the accusations against Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru in front of them one by one. These were
The accusations are actually not worth mentioning, but what Wu Chunlai wants is not whether these accusations can be established. He wants to use the betrayal of these officials who were once close to Yan Zhengsheng and Fang Dunru to humiliate them and wear them down bit by bit.
With such vigor, strike them and make them collapse.
Wu Chunlai didn't even let them drink water and sit down. The torture of standing there for more than ten hours caused unprecedented damage to the two adults' mental and physical strength. If it weren't for the Zhou Dynasty law that "student officials cannot be punished", Wu Chunlai would
Punishment will definitely be used. In short, Wu Chunlai, a guy who once relied on Fang Dunru's guidance to enter the official career, does not show the slightest respect for his former teacher in his behavior at this moment. On the contrary, his behavior is even more insidious and cruel than treating his enemies.
Wu Chunlai must put Fang Dunru to death this time, not only because of political opposition, but also because of the past betrayal that he could not erase in his heart and even he himself regarded it as a stain. Fang Dunru
As long as Ru lives, this stain will never be washed away. Only when Fang Dunru dies will people forget this person, and he will not be criticized and talked about behind his back by some people. Otherwise, no matter how high he climbs or how powerful he is,
It is difficult to wash away the original stains.
Lin Jue could not ignore such a thing. He had no choice but to go to the emperor again and ask the emperor to stop this barbaric and undignified interrogation. He should give Yan Zhengsheng and Fang Dunru a minimum of respect. But although Guo Chong had spoken, Wu
Chunlai had another strategy. He used the wheel interrogation method. Each time an official asked, he asked the same questions again and again. Another person continued to ask the same questions. Dozens of accusing officials took turns to accuse, delaying time.
. He also said that he would respect the two adults and allow them to sit down, but he made a special small round stool with a surface only as big as a small cup. Sitting on it is not resting at all, but makes people suffer more. The stool is also crooked.
The slanted one will fall apart at any time, and people who sit on it have to use their feet to support themselves, and there is no rest effect at all. The ugliness of human nature is really vividly reflected in Wu Chunlai, and this person's vicious and dirty mind can be seen from this.
When Lin Jue saw Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru again, it was already three days after the last meeting. This time when he saw Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru in prison, Lin Jue almost cried. The two of them were almost in tears.
The adults were described as haggard and suffered a great blow. This kind of physical and mental torture almost defeated them.
But their will was still strong, and they still rejected Lin Jue's suggestion and refused to admit their mistakes. Lin Jue said harshly, and Fang Dunru yelled and cursed. Lin Jue had no choice but to tell the two adults to hold on.
, endure it, she has already gone the way of the Queen Mother, and the Queen Mother has promised to have a good talk with the Emperor to excuse the two adults. I hope the two adults will take care of themselves. Lin Jue told Yan Zhengshen that he would go to the court again for interrogation, and sat on the floor.
, closed his eyes and slept. Wu Chunlai did not dare to use torture, so that he could maintain his strength and avoid being deliberately tortured by this thief. Yan Zhengshen also nodded in agreement.
