The days of early summer are gradually lengthened by time, the green sycamore branches and leaves rustle in the evening wind, the fire-like sunset glow in the sky burns like blood, and the colorful glazed phoenix reflecting on the top of Ci'en Palace in the distance is indescribable.
Overflowing with light and splendor.
It was getting dark, so Ci'en Palace began to light up the lanterns. The palace people used exquisite and bright palace lanterns to disperse the afterglow of sunset that came in through the windows. In a flash, Ci'en Palace was as bright as day.
Zhou Shao did not dare to urge Mu Anzhi and said, "Don't eat, let's go to Ci'en Palace quickly. Your Majesty and the empress are waiting for you. Today Mu Anzhi is not feeling well. He has already attacked the deputy general manager of the water room and the two young chamberlains."
At present, Sun Liu, the manager of the water house, committed suicide. No one knows what Mu Anzhi is thinking. But at the moment, it is best not to disobey Mu Anzhi.
Zhou Shao did not dare to keep His Majesty and the Queen Mother waiting for a long time, so he had to come back first to report a message.
When Emperor Mu Xuan heard that Mu Anzhi was still having dinner, his face immediately darkened and his brows furrowed slightly, showing displeasure. Empress Dowager Lan ordered the palace servants to serve some porridge and side dishes, and said to Emperor Mu Xuan, "Don't be unhappy, Emperor.
What's the big deal? Why don't we let the children eat? You should also use some dinner."
"My son is not hungry, he is full of anger."
"If a son doesn't eat at night, a mother will feel worried."
Queen Mother Lan originally said she would not eat in the evening, so she accompanied the emperor's son to a bowl of rice porridge and two chopsticks for side dishes.
Mu Anzhi didn't come late. He didn't delay and refuse on purpose. He followed his normal eating habits, rinsed his mouth after dinner, sat down for a while to eat, and then took Xiao Yi with him, followed by the limping man.
The deputy manager of the water room who was beaten with a stick and the two servants went to Ci'en Palace.
At this time, the moonlight was beginning to rise and the sky was cool. Mu Anzhi was actually in a good mood, so his steps became more leisurely.
In front of Ci'en Palace, Mu Anzhi walked up the stairs in a leisurely manner. Zhou Shao wished he could rush forward and give him a lift. His Majesty inside had already had dinner and was waiting for a cup of tea! Zhou Shao respectfully offered Mu Anzhi a lift.
He opened the curtain and gave Mu Anzhi a look without leaving any trace.
Mu Anzhi's face was dull, and Zhou Shao didn't even notice whether His Highness the Third Highness saw his look. However, he was a chamberlain, and even the chief steward of Ci'en Palace did not dare to go overboard in front of Emperor Mu Xuan. There was only so much he could do.
.
Following the announcement from the chamberlain: His Highness the Third has arrived——
Emperor Mu Xuan's face became increasingly gloomy, and he glanced at Mu Anzhi with a faint storm in his sharp eyes. Mu Anzhi still looked like an old god, and greeted the two palaces respectively with the etiquette soaked in his bones for many years. Mu Anzhi's
Before he could straighten up, Emperor Mu Xuan asked coldly, "How are you doing for dinner?"
"Thanks to the emperor's grandmother, it was well used. Especially the crab meat fish lips, which are juicy and delicious, surpassing the shark's fin, and only the craftsmanship of Shou Shanfang." Mu Anzhi was still sitting next to Queen Mother Lan, praising him without hesitation.
Empress Dowager Lan smiled and rubbed Mu Anzhi's back, her eyes full of love, "If you like it, you can often ask them to cook it for you in the future."
Mu Anzhi arched his back as if he was content, "Then my grandson would be disrespectful."
Emperor Mu Xuan's face was already gloomy, and a storm was about to come. Queen Mother Lan hurriedly said, "An Zhi, there is something your father wants to ask you."
"I heard from Zhou Shao that Sun Liu of Shuifang hanged himself in the house. Is that why your Majesty wants to question the minister about this?" Mu Anzhi opened the lacquered tooth fracture fan in his hand and opened and closed it.
Playing, he said casually, "Your Majesty, just ask, I will tell you everything I know."
"Let me ask you how he died?" Emperor Mu Xuan became increasingly unhappy.
"How do I know how he died? Apart from being in my own palace today, I came to see the Imperial Grandmother. In the afternoon, I didn't leave the Yu'an Palace even half a step. If His Majesty hadn't told me to come over, I would have been preparing to go to bed right now.
"That's it." Mu Anzhi snorted coldly and closed the folding fan, "I heard Zhou Shao said that he hanged himself. If your Majesty has any doubts, go and check with the Criminal Division. If the Criminal Division can't find anything out, go to the Criminal Department."
Your Majesty asked me how I knew!"
"Did you have a spasm attack today?" Emperor Mu Xuan asked again, his hawk-like eyes locked directly at Mu Anzhi, as if he wanted to find some flaw in Mu Anzhi's face.
but none!
Mu Anzhi's cold eyes were full of ridicule, and he looked back at Emperor Mu Xuan angrily:
"Is the water room a place where outbreaks can't happen? I asked them to bring some hot water for bathing, and it took half an hour to bring it. I also want to see who the manager of the water room is, how dare he neglect the mission of Yu'an Palace like this! He
But he didn't come. The one who came was the deputy general manager. I had the deputy general manager beaten several times, but he was not beaten to death. I breathed a sigh of relief. I have brought him to your majesty and he is kneeling outside."
"If you weren't so cruel, could the water house manager be forced to commit suicide?" Emperor Mu Xuan increasingly believed that Mu Anzhi had no repentance and asked sternly.
Mu Anzhi slapped the folding fan on the armrest of the phoenix seat, "This is the first time I've heard that giving a few sticks is cruelty? The servants don't understand the rules, and I don't reward and punish them, so why should I reward them with merit? I beat them to death.
Have you? Of the seventy-two tortures of the Division of Punishment, which one is not more severe than a stick? Let me tell you, these slaves cannot be beaten or touched and must be worshiped as ancestors! Otherwise, if they want to be good or bad, it will be the cruelty of the master.
?”
"If you have dissatisfaction, it can be dealt with by the Division of Punishment. Why use lynching? If everyone handles it privately like you do, are there any rules in this palace?"
"The rules of Dongmu were set by Emperor □. Since I am a descendant of Emperor □ and bear the title of prince, I dealt with my servants when they displeased me. What's wrong?"
"Yes, Emperor, why are you so angry with a slave like Sun Liu?" Queen Mother Lan naturally helped Mu Anzhi to speak. In the past two days, Mu Anzhi had been silent as usual and seemed to be willing to go all out. Although Queen Mother Lan felt that
Mu Anzhi was a little reckless, but he also had an indescribable appreciation for it.
"Mother, slaves are also human beings. How can it be unbecoming to force them to death like this?"
"What does it mean to kill by force? I haven't even seen Sun Liu today. I called him twice, but he didn't even get to my Yu'an Palace. If he dies, I force him to kill him! The Ministry of Punishment must pay attention to evidence when deciding a case.
Confirmed, Your Majesty, what evidence do you have to prove that Sun Liu's death is related to me? How did I force him to kill him? I beat the deputy general manager half to death, and then forced the general manager to be killed? How could Your Majesty handle the case fairly? You have evidence, you
Besides, if I force you to kill me without any evidence, you are just slandering my reputation!"
Mu Anzhi was furious, "Since Your Majesty wants to investigate this matter, do you dare to seriously ask the Division of Punishment to investigate? Do you dare to investigate to the end?"
"Why don't I dare? I don't care about you, a scoundrel like you!" Emperor Mu Xuan was also so angry that Mu Anzhi made him dizzy. Once such a thing was revealed, there would be an imperial censor who would impeach him. Emperor Mu Xuan always had a heavy face.
, even if Mu Anzhi displeases him, he doesn't want Mu Anzhi to get a bad reputation. He just wants to reprimand him privately, and Mu Anzhi just admits his mistake. After all, he is just a slave. Unexpectedly, Mu Anzhi is so unruly and unruly.
, no matter what happens!
"Then check! The head of the Xuan Shen Punishment Department came over, and the Minister of the Xuan Punishment Department entered the palace! Who saw Sun Liu today? Where did Sun Liu go, who did he see, who did he say, and what did he say before he died? You can find out everything! Your Majesty will
See with your own eyes whether Sun Liu's death has anything to do with me!" Mu Anzhi looked directly at Emperor Mu An without giving an inch, his eyes narrowed slightly, even a hint of glare, and asked, "Your Majesty, do you dare?"
Manager Li of the Shen Xing Department arrived very quickly. The Minister of Punishment had already gone home, and it took him half an hour to announce his arrival from outside the palace. When the Shangshu of the Punishment Department heard that it was a palace matter, he was a little confused. Matters in the palace have always been
The Department of Punishment is in charge, and the Punishment Department is in charge of major and important cases in the world. However, since he was announced to the palace, the atmosphere in Ci'en Palace was condensed and depressing. The Queen Mother, the Emperor and the three His Highnesses who were sitting high on the throne all looked like the bottom of a pot. The Shangshu of the Punishment Department also
Without daring to say a word, His Majesty the Emperor explained the cause of the death of the current water house manager. The Minister of the Ministry of Punishment agreed and called for the most reliable divorce from the Ministry of Punishment.
The Shenxing Division Wuzuo and the Xingbu Wuzuo were both masters. After the examination, they confirmed that Sun Liu had hanged himself. The time of suicide was around the end of the Shen Dynasty. Then the Langguan of the Shenxing Division and the Xingbu Langguan interrogated the slaves in the water room.
, it was confirmed that Sun Liu knew that the deputy general manager who delivered water had not returned from His Majesty Jade Palace, and sent a servant out to inquire. The servant said, "I was ordered by the general manager to go to Yu'an Palace to inquire why the deputy general manager and Zhao Fu, the water deliverer, and Sungui did not come back.
, the servant did not dare to enter the Yu'an Hall, and looked for Xiao Zhengzi, who was cleaning the Yu'an Hall. Little Zhengzi said that the deputy general manager and Zhao Fusungui had been beaten and detained in the Yu'an Hall, so the servant hurried back to report the news to the general manager.
When the manager heard about it, he was a little frightened and went out soon."
"Where?"
"I don't know. The manager didn't bring anyone else with him."
This is also easy to check. There are guards at each palace gate in the palace. Who comes in and out every day can be known by checking. Sun, the manager of the water house, did not go anywhere else, but went to Fengyi Palace.
The time was also determined, and it was around Shen Zheng.
It is a matter of concern to the Central Palace, and without His Majesty's permission, neither the Chief of the Department of Punishment nor the Minister of Punishment would dare to disturb it easily.
This news was obviously not what Emperor Mu Xuan expected. Emperor Mu Xuan said calmly, "The queen told me that Shuifang Sun Liu made An Zhi unhappy. The queen asked him to go and apologize to An Zhi, and he left."
It turned out that Fengyi Palace had already taken the initiative, but Mu Anzhi refused to give up. He was not Emperor Mu Xuan, who had no doubts about Fengyi Palace. Mu Anzhi had qualifications that were not inferior to anyone, and had received the best education in the palace. He pointed out that
Flaw, "This Mr. Sun is very strange. He is a person who was arranged by Zhou Shao. The imperial grandmother decides on everything in the harem. I have always been at odds with Fengyi Palace. He offended me, but he went to Fengyi Palace, which I deeply hate."
Begging for mercy? As soon as Fengyi Palace told him to come and apologize to me, he would hang himself when he went back."
"What's even more strange is that he saw Fengyi Palace but not me before he died. According to Your Majesty, how come his death was related to me but not to Fengyi Palace? I don't know this Sun Liu at all.
I don’t know what he looked like. Why did Your Majesty come to ask me? Why didn’t you ask about the people he saw before his death? In any case, the people he saw before his death were the most suspicious, right?” Mu Anzhi asked Emperor Mu Xuan aggressively, “
Why does Your Majesty believe Fengyi Palace but not me? Does Your Majesty still have the courage to continue the investigation? Do you dare to ask Fengyi Palace in front of the Imperial Grandmother and the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment in front of the Minister of Punishment to ask the question openly? "
No matter how many lights are lit at night, the interior will be as bright as day, but it is not really daytime after all. Emperor Mu Xuan's eyes were as dark as the unpredictable dark night sea, and they seemed to be condensed with the wind and thunder of Kyushu. He looked at Mu Anzhi and spoke word by word.
When he opened his mouth, he felt like a huge stone crashing down on the palace. The majestic power of the emperor, as solemn as a mountain, made everyone involuntarily tremble:
"You don't have to provoke me. Just as the prince can ask questions, the queen can also ask questions. I will find out today why Sun Liu committed suicide!"