Yes, the document that Eunuch Zhao handed over was the confession between Duan Qin and Manager Chen, which involved the secret collusion between King Qi and Duan Yanxing.
Eunuch Zhao hurriedly said cautiously: "Please calm down, Your Majesty. This may be a slander. For such a big matter, you cannot listen to one side of the story."
"Moreover, both Duan Qin and Manager Chen said they were just drinking tea and were not involved in any political affairs."
"It's not involved in any political affairs? So how can I say that I'm under the orders of the King of Qi? What a scoundrel, capable and capable, he can even win over my confidant general?"
The emperor was panting and roaring, but after nearly twenty years of being emperor, he still managed to restrain himself. He took a deep breath and sat down on the chair. After a long time, he called a guard and said: "You...you
Go to the Imperial City Department immediately and ask the person who captured Duan Qin to come see me!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The guard immediately took the order and went out.
Soon, the eunuch who had been ordered by the Imperial City Secretary to bring Duan Qin and Manager Chen back from the teahouse hurried over. Once inside, he knelt down and saluted the emperor who had sat down again.
"Duan Qin, are you watching?" the emperor asked as he sat down.
The eunuch didn't dare to raise his head and lowered his head: "If you go back to the emperor, it's the servants who are watching!"
"Tell me your findings carefully, without hiding anything!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The eunuch who came in a hurry naturally knew that the news he got from watching Duan Qin would have a great impact. He was also afraid that he would be angered, so he did not dare to hide it at all, and reported everything in detail.
"... This servant didn't notice the steward of Prince Qi's Mansion at first. He was a person installed by the Imperial City Department in Prince Qi's Mansion. She vaguely heard that the steward reported to King Qi something related to Duan Yanxing. Although she didn't hear the specific content, she only heard
The word Duan was reached, but the man in charge of the imperial army in the capital was named Duan. I dared not ignore the news, so I sent extra manpower to keep an eye on Manager Chen day and night."
"It turned out that he actually had contacts with Duan Qin, the housekeeper of Duan Yanxing's house."
"So, the Imperial City Department also conducted surveillance on Duan Qin, and found that they did interact with each other, and they were very close. Before the surveillance, I didn't know how many times they had met. In the short half month after the surveillance, they had interacted with each other five times."
"As for that sentence, it was also heard by the slaves and five plainclothes with their own ears, and it is definitely not false!" After saying that, the eunuch knelt on the ground and reported the names one by one: "And there were people drinking tea at that time. That sentence was said
Even though it’s low, someone can still hear it.”
"What a scoundrel! What a thief!"
After hearing this, the emperor's face turned red and blue for a while, and his vest became sweaty and wet. He felt extremely uncomfortable. He gritted his teeth and smiled grimly: "What you say is unbelievable, I don't believe it, I don't believe it!
"
Everyone lowered their heads and said nothing.
Although the emperor shouted that he didn't believe it, he actually knew that this matter was probably not a misunderstanding. His "good" son, King Qi, was actually hooking up with his "good" minister Duan Yanxing!
Forget it about King Qi, his own son knows that no matter it is King Qi, King Shu or even King Lu, these three adult princes are not fuel-efficient lamps!
King Qi was the most vigilant, but the emperor never expected that Duan Yanxing would betray him.
"I'm not kind to you, Duan Yanxing, but you actually betrayed me! What a good thief, what a good thief!"
The emperor's anger was really uncontrollable this time. The double betrayal from his son and ministers made his breathing quicken.
Suddenly, he felt dizzy. He covered his forehead, stood up suddenly, and fell down again.
"Your Majesty!" Eunuch Zhao panicked and shouted. He rushed over to help him. After a pause, his tone became calmer: "Your Majesty, you are a millionaire. You have too many things to take care of. The world is on your shoulders. Please do it."
Save your work and take care of yourself - you are tired too, it's time to rest!"
After saying that, he helped the emperor to the palace and let him lie down on the dragon couch again. He also ordered the palace maid to serve ginseng soup, gave the emperor a small drink, and then helped the emperor to sleep.
I also lit some sleeping incense and recited one poem after another soothingly.
"I feel sorry for you, but I am like a spring in the wicker tree. I have spent all my gold as a guest, but returned home with gray hair. I live in a house with three acres of land and lakes, and a person returns from a thousand miles away."
Amidst the chanting, the emperor's breathing gradually became smoother and evener. He seemed to be asleep, but after a long time, he suddenly said: "Is the New Year's Eve coming?"
Eunuch Zhao was not surprised and replied hurriedly: "Yes, it will be in the next day or two."
In the past dynasties, there was a seven-day holiday during the New Year (Spring Festival), and the rest lasted from the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month to the fourth day of the first lunar month. However, on the first day of the lunar month, all officials and high-ranking officials had to go to court to pay New Year greetings and accompany the emperor to a banquet. In fact, there was no real holiday.
rest.
Wei Shizu promulgated the "False Ning Order" and moved the annual banquet to the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. After this banquet, officials can truly rest for seven days.
Therefore, annual banquets and New Year greetings are very important.
"Let me take a closer look at Daihou's Thousand Blessings Picture." The emperor's voice was a little weak, but firm, as if he had made up his mind.
Eunuch Zhao vaguely guessed something, his eyebrows jumped, he did not dare to hesitate at all, and quickly responded: "Yes, I have written it down."
"Okay, you can step aside as well. Everyone should step aside. I want to be quiet for a while." The person lying on the bed said again.
Eunuch Zhao responded again, and when he went out, he also asked everyone else in the palace to evacuate to the door.
When the emperor drew his sword to kill the palace maid, Eunuch Zhao didn't seem to have any reaction, but in fact he was shocked. He could tell that the emperor was haunted, but because of this, in the emperor's heart, he was definitely far more than a female official.
But he didn't want to test whether the emperor could stop his hand when he was half asleep.
Although it is said that even if you can't hold back, you won't be stabbed to death if you are prepared.
But the emperor's heart was different. Thunder, rain, and dew were all gifts from God. Even if a nightmare struck him with a sword, let alone a counterattack, even if he avoided it, it meant "disloyalty."
You are loyal, why don't you want to be stabbed to death by me?
It's like the government has this mentality. Even if you are unjustly accused, I want to lock you up. Why are you running away? If you run away, it means you don't believe in my government.
If you don't believe in our government, you are guilty.
Because of this, Eunuch Zhao does not want to face this "test of loyalty"!
"In the future, I'll let these people come to serve me while I'm asleep." Eunuch Zhao was thinking about it, but he said, "The female official who died just now should be buried well."
"Send one hundred taels of silver to her family."
"You must not be negligent. You must guard carefully. You must not be negligent in the slightest. Do you know?" He was worried that if something happened to him and he walked away, others would not be able to serve the emperor well. Eunuch Zhao also specially warned: "
Any slightest sign of neglect will be punished immediately."
This warning is not unnecessary. Since the palace maid died tragically just now, everyone on duty today is a little trembling. After hearing what Eunuch Zhao said, they could only comply with a pale face.