The imperial garden has layers of flowers and plants, rocks and artificial trees piled up to form a forest. There are countless paths running between the small gardens. A first-time visitor will get lost in the moment after entering.
Seeing the little palace maid leading the way walking smoothly and smoothly, Xia Shang was impressed. It was really not easy to recognize such a complicated road.
After walking for a quarter of an hour, the view ahead suddenly opened up. In front of him was a snake-shaped pond covered with green lotus leaves, with no trace of water visible. If Xia Shang hadn't been cautious, he would have stepped on it as if it were flat ground.
A bluestone path winds forward by the pool, connecting to a small pavilion not far away. There are green grass on both sides, and there are clusters of unopened wild flower buds.
The small pavilion has a unique shape, with only a triangle, and a finely carved pattern of wintersweet on it. On the top of the pavilion is a golden deer, with its head held high and its chest raised, and it is not sure whether it is gilded or pure gold.
The pavilion is divided into four sides. It is estimated that the inside is only ten square meters. It is covered by white cloth curtains on all sides. It is wrapped so tightly that nothing can be seen inside, not even a shadow.
The curtains are crude and do not match the small pavilion. They should have been pulled up temporarily.
While he was watching, the palace maid next to him made another invitation gesture, signaling Xia Shang to go inside.
With some curiosity, Xia Shang walked along the bluestone road to the steps of the small pavilion. A female voice came from inside: "Master Xia, please come inside."
Listening to the voice, Xia Shang had already guessed who it was, but when he opened the curtain and saw the dignified queen wearing a palace maid's dress, he seemed surprised.
Xia Shang was frightened and stayed where he was.
The empress smiled bitterly when she saw this, and pointed to the carpet opposite the wooden table under the pavilion, gesturing to take a seat.
Xia Shang sat down, and the queen said again: "Take off the hat, there is no one else in this room. There is no need to worry about the palace maid, she is a deaf-mute."
Xia Shang was stunned after hearing this. No wonder he felt weird all the way, she turned out to be a miserable girl.
Without thinking much, Xia Shang took off his bamboo hat and put it aside: "Is everything arranged by the Queen?"
The Empress nodded and lowered her head: "There is no one else, so there is no need to jokingly call her. Just call me by my nickname, Qin'er."
This woman has evil intentions, and she tries to get close to her as soon as she comes up, which makes Xia Shang very uncomfortable: "How to do it?"
"If it's inconvenient, you can also call me Qinzheng. The queen who speaks and keeps silent... I feel uncomfortable hearing this, and I'm even more certain that she won't be the queen the next moment."
Will she no longer be the queen the next moment?
These words made Xia Shang look serious: "What do you mean by your Majesty's words?"
"To be honest, the emperor's condition became more and more serious last night. I'm afraid that time is running out and there is no medicine or stone to save him. I estimate that it will only take three or two days."
"Ah? Why is that so!" Xia Shang was really frightened. He could detoxify, but the things he needed were not ready yet. If the emperor couldn't hold on for the past two days, there was really nothing he could do. "So... so serious
Take me to see you immediately. If the medicine is not ready yet, I can apply some gold and stone to relieve the symptoms."
"It's not a busy matter."
The queen was also surprised by what she said and just stared at Xia Shang: "My lord, do you know why I meet you here?"
"This is exactly what I don't understand."
"Yesterday, Your Majesty said that you would reorganize the Metropolitan Procuratorate. I showed contempt just to hide it from others. I believe that you have this ability, so I compiled some information about the Metropolitan Procuratorate for you overnight. I want to give it to you secretly.
"
The queen's expression was strange today, which puzzled Xia and Shang.
But the information she told about the Metropolitan Procuratorate was what Xia Shang wanted very much.
Nowadays, the old site of the Metropolitan Procuratorate has long been reduced to ruins, and some documents and materials are all hidden in the national treasury. However, those materials are not important content. The really important content has long been held separately by the former Metropolitan Procuratorate and turned into personal privacy.
Goods. For example, some martial arts secrets, some secret information of officials, secret mission documents issued by the former imperial court, etc.
The content that Xia Shang has come into contact with so far is almost all circulated stuff without any core value.
For example, the civil strife fifty years ago, or the origin of the "Book of Heaven" held by the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
If Xia Shang wanted to integrate the power of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the first priority was to obtain more useful information.
What the Queen provided should have some reference value.
However, the Queen's attitude changed suddenly and her behavior was very suspicious, but it was also possible to see her fear at the moment, like a drowning person grabbing a life-saving straw and trying every means to hold on.
My majesty, why is this happening? It’s very puzzling.
Also, I believe the Queen would not simply give the information to Xia Shang, she must have some requirements.
As expected, the queen continued: "Of course, these information are not given to you for free. I...I still have requirements."
Xia Shang was very calm: "Your Majesty, please speak."
"I...I am in danger now. You must...protect me. It's that simple. There are no other requirements."
After saying this, the queen's voice trembled and she seemed really scared.
Xia Shang didn't understand, what on earth was a queen afraid of?
The other party seemed to have noticed the doubts in Xia Shang's heart. He looked away and said tremblingly: "Li Xin...Li Xin...he will not let me go. He will definitely not let me go. As long as...
As long as the emperor dies, my life will be at stake. You can't get too close to Li Xin in the future, he is not a good person, he is a madman!"
Xia Shang frowned: "Your Majesty means that for these information, you want me to stand on the opposite side of the eldest prince. Your Majesty should know that the lower official has not taken sides yet, and the eldest prince will not be hostile to the lower official. On the contrary, if the lower official
If the official is willing to join the eldest prince's camp, the eldest prince will definitely be happy to help me integrate the Metropolitan Procuratorate. The price I paid for protecting my empress must have been too much."
The queen trembled slightly, lowered her head and thought: "Your Majesty is right, I can give you more than this... If you like it, I am willing..."
As soon as she finished speaking, the Queen's eyes became charming. She stood up and walked to Xia Shang. In this deserted pavilion, she untied her clothes and her shoulders fell a little bit.
…
Xia Shang frowned, stood up, grabbed the queen's shoulders, and lowered his voice: "Queen, you think too much!"
The queen lowered her eyes and looked at Xia Shang's hand firmly pressing on her shoulder, and asked, "What? Do you dislike me? I came to the palace ten years ago, and the emperor at that time had already lost his ability.
.Although I am a queen, my body is clean. This move of my palace is not completely aggrieved. On the one hand, I think that you are young and handsome, and I admire you deeply. On the other hand, I think that you are in a high position and you are a hero.
.If I can be content in the arms of an adult, I will not lose my dignity."
The words were so straightforward that Xia Shang's eyelids jumped immediately when he heard them. Looking at this queen again, she was truly a beauty that would captivate a country.
But……
"Your Majesty, what matters to me is the information." (To be continued)