Zhao Zhen's face was full of tears, but he said nothing. He just looked at Empress Dowager Li who was sleeping soundly on the dirty bed.
Behind the two of them, the eunuch and the palace concubine were kneeling on the ground.
Zhao Zhen did not dare to disturb Empress Dowager Li, and the same was true for Kou Ji.
Kou Ji waved his hand to the eunuchs and maids behind him.
The eunuchs and concubines looked hesitant, and after much hesitation, they withdrew from the cold palace.
In the end, only Kou Ji, Zhao Zhen and Empress Dowager Li, who was already asleep, were left in the cold palace.
Zhao Zhen suddenly withdrew his gaze from Queen Mother Li and glanced at Kou Ji.
Kou Ji was stunned, sighed inwardly, cupped his hands, and left the cold palace.
After leaving the entrance of Leng Palace, they saw Empress Cao and Prince Zhao Run rushing to the entrance of Leng Palace.
Concubine Zhang Guifei, Concubine Zhang Xian, Concubine He De, and Concubine Zhou Shu also rushed here with the palace people.
Kou Ji stopped them.
"The official wants to be alone with the Queen Mother for a while."
When Queen Cao and others heard this, their faces were full of worry. They did not embarrass Kou Ji based on their status.
Empress Cao asked worriedly: "How is the Queen Mother's health?"
Kou Ji glanced back at the Leng Palace behind him and said bluntly: "I dare not say for sure. The official family is not letting anyone in at the moment. A few nobles can stay here.
It would be best to call the imperial doctor to wait here.
After daybreak, the officials may summon you."
Empress Cao nodded solemnly and said: "I will send someone immediately to summon the imperial doctor."
Kou Ji cupped his hands and said, "Lao Lao is here. I want to go to the Chui Gong Hall to see the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty. It is not appropriate for officials to go to court today, so I will go and talk to the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty."
Empress Cao nodded and said, "Then there is Lao Kouqing's family."
"Don't dare..."
Kou Ji handed over his hand again and left Leng Gong.
After walking all the way out of Leng Gong's place, Kou Ji let out a long sigh.
Although Kou Ji didn't understand medical skills, he could still feel that Queen Mother Li's life had come to an end.
Human life is like an oil lamp. When Empress Dowager Li was in the cold palace in her early years, she had already consumed seven or eighty-eight percent of the oil in the lamp.
After coming out of the cold palace, I have enjoyed happiness for almost twenty years, and I have already earned it.
He lived more than ten years longer than in the history books.
The only pity is that after she left.
There will no longer be anyone in the world who cares for Zhao Zhen selflessly.
Zhao Zhen has lived in a royal family that lacked family ties since he was a child. Every family relationship is extremely precious to him.
Every time less, he becomes more lonely.
"An ordinary woman, an ordinary woman from a humble background...and a selfless mother..."
When Kou Ji left Leng Gong's location, he gave Empress Dowager Li a very pertinent evaluation.
In terms of tactics, means, talent, appearance, etc., Empress Dowager Li is undoubtedly an ordinary person.
In the palace, a land of tigers and wolves, there are a lot of people like her.
She can survive to this day not because the people in the palace pity her.
But she made two right choices.
The first is that she followed a powerful enough nobleman, that is, Liu E.
The second is that she obediently handed over her son to Liu E at the most critical moment.
It is precisely because of this that she can survive.
If not, she might have become fertilizer in the Imperial Garden.
So Kou Ji commented that she is an ordinary person.
But her selfless and pure motherly love is unforgettable for a long time.
After Kou Ji left Leng Palace, he went straight to Chui Gong Palace.
When they arrived at the Chui Gong Hall, all civil and military officials from the entire dynasty had already gathered in the Chui Gong Hall.
Seeing Kou Ji appear, they all saluted.
Kou Ji stood in the middle of the Chui Gong Hall and said calmly: "The Queen Mother is ill, and the officials must fulfill their filial piety by her side. So I have to stay away from court for the day.
If you have any important political matters, just submit the memorial to the council hall.
I will deal with it later."
When the civil and military officials of the whole dynasty heard this, you looked at me and I looked at you.
After a while.
Fan Zhongyan raised his hands and asked, "Can the official and others know the details?"
Kou Ji shook his head, "No!"
Fan Zhongyan shut his mouth, and none of the other civil and military ministers spoke again.
Kou Ji shook his sleeves and said, "Let's go."
"Here..."
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty responded and left the Chui Gong Hall in twos and threes.
Only three officials, Yang Wenguang, Fan Zhongyan and Ouyang Xiu, remained.
After the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty had almost left, Fan Zhongyan stepped forward and said in a deep voice: "How is the Queen Mother's body and bones?"
Kou Ji sighed and said: "The imperial doctor said that medicine and stones are useless."
The expressions of Fan Zhongyan and the three of them suddenly changed.
Kou Ji continued: "No matter how healthy the Queen Mother is, I am afraid that the officials have no interest in government affairs. The government affairs will be left to the three of you for the time being.
Government affairs that cannot be handled will be sent to the Council Hall, and I will be sitting in the Council Hall in the next few days."
Fan Zhongyan and the other three nodded without saying another word.
The three of them bowed their hands to Koji and left the Chui Gong Hall.
Kou Ji just gave them a little hint, but he didn't mean to tell them the details, and it was hard for them to ask further questions.
After the three people left Chui Gong Hall, Kou Ji also left Chui Gong Hall.
Kou Ji returned to the Leng Palace again and saw that there were only five people left at the entrance of the Leng Palace: Queen Cao, Concubine Zhang Guifei, Concubine Zhang Xian, Concubine He De, and Concubine Zhou Shu.
After Kou Ji stepped forward to salute, before they could speak, he took the lead and said, "The civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty have made arrangements."
Queen Cao nodded and said, "Thank you, Kou Qing's family."
Kou Ji took a look into the cold palace and asked, "What's the situation inside?"
Empress Cao sighed and said: "The officials came out and let the imperial doctor in. They asked the others to go back, leaving only the five of us sisters."
When Kou Ji heard this, he nodded slightly.
He bowed his hands to Concubine Zhang Xian and said, "I have something to ask Concubine Xian. I wonder if Concubine Xian can move her."
Concubine Zhang Xian was stunned for a moment and nodded.
Concubine Zhang frowned slightly.
Kou Ji took Concubine Zhang Xian to not far from the entrance of Leng Palace. After passing her hands again, he asked, "Concubine Xian, do you remember a man named Zhang Bing?"
Concubine Zhang Xian said softly: "My dear brother, there is no need to be so polite..."
Kou Ji said seriously: "The etiquette cannot be discarded."
Concubine Zhang Xian smiled bitterly and said: "I remember Zhang Bing. An old acquaintance of Fang Meiren, through Fang Meiren's relationship, came to me and begged me to give him a heads up.
I originally didn't want to talk to him, but he prepared a generous gift and sent it to my natal family.
My uncle accepted the gift.
I couldn't force my uncle to return the gift, so I could only help him to support him."
Kou Ji said with emotion: "With this promotion, there will be an additional fourth-rank official in the court. The fourth-rank official in Bianjing City can already be regarded as an important minister."
The smile on Concubine Zhang Xian's face became even bitterer, "The fact that he can serve as the head of a department under the Military Division has nothing to do with me. He is the disciple of the father-in-law, and he can't stand the pedantic veterans in the court, as well as the promotion of Lu Yijian
The person who came up, so he was placed in the position of the main headquarters of the military department.
Although he is not talented, he is still your disciple.
It is inevitable that your disciples will take care of each other."
Kou Ji was stunned and said in astonishment: "Is it because of me that Zhang Bing was able to serve as the chief of the First Division under the Military Division?"
Concubine Zhang Xian nodded and said: "Otherwise, how do you think a civil servant with no background could get into the circle of military officials? Even if he had previously served as a military supervisor in the local area, would he be able to join the Privy Council after returning to Bianjing City?
It wasn't him who had the final say.
It's not the civil servants in the court who have the final say.
Even if I say so, it will not count.
That would have to be decided by Yang Wenguang, the chief minister of the Privy Council.
Yang Wenguang saw that he was your disciple, so he turned a blind eye and allowed him to enter the Privy Council."
Kou Ji said thoughtfully: "So, it's because of me that Zhang Bingneng is in the fourth rank of officialdom?"
Concubine Zhang Xian nodded and smiled softly: "Your disciples' old memories are all over the imperial court. Who dares not to give face to those who come from your disciples and become officials in the imperial court?"
Kou Ji said in a deep voice: "This is not a good thing."
Concubine Zhang Xian smiled calmly and said: "My father-in-law will leave Beijing soon. After you leave Beijing, naturally no one will be promoted in your name."
Kou Ji shook his head and said: "Put this matter aside for now. Does Concubine Xian know how Zhang Bing spread the news to the palace?"
Concubine Zhang Xian was stunned for a moment and looked at Kou Ji in astonishment.
Kou Ji said bluntly: "The fact that willow bark can treat fever was discovered in the Dashi books. Except for the officials involved in translating the Dashi books, no one else knew about it.
Zhang Bing happened to be one of the officials who worked with me to translate Dashi books.
Fang Mei used willow bark to treat fever, which must have been under Zhang Bing's guidance."
Concubine Zhang Xian took a deep look at Kou Ji and said in a low voice: "Is my brother-in-law suspicious of me?"
Kou Ji did not hide anything, and said very frankly: "There are many doubts behind Fang Meiren's death. Once what Fang Meiren did is completed, the people who will benefit the most are the Imperial Concubine, De Fei, and Shu Fei.
Until the matter is investigated clearly, I will remain suspicious."
Concubine Zhang Xian sighed and said: "Among the three people you mentioned, I am not included. Now that you are asking me in private, you are clearly suspicious of me."
Kou Ji smiled calmly and said: "Aren't the Xianfei and the noble concubines one and the same?"
Concubine Zhang Xian smiled bitterly.
"Well, I am not only one with my sister, but also with you Kou. After all, if I commit any heinous crime, you Kou will not be able to escape the punishment.
It is understandable that you stare at me and my sister."
Kou Jixiao asked: "So does the empress know how Zhang Bing and Fang Meiren convey the news?"
Concubine Zhang Xian glanced at Kou Ji, "Didn't you already find out Tie Wenxiong? Zhang Bing cannot walk in the palace, but Tie Wenxiong, as the prince's husband, can walk in the palace.
It's easy to help them pass on the news."
Kou Ji raised his eyebrows. He didn't expect that Tie Wenxiong, who committed suicide out of fear of crime, did so many things behind his back.
Kou Ji asked with a smile: "Do you know who Tie Wenxiong belongs to?"
Concubine Zhang Xian shook her head and said with a smile: "Anyway, they are not from me or my sister."
Kou Ji handed over his hand and said, "I've got you to work for."
Concubine Zhang Xian smiled calmly and said, "My dear, you are so polite."
Kou Ji sent Concubine Zhang Xian to the entrance of Leng Palace, and asked Concubine Zhou Shu to go aside to talk.
Concubine Zhou Shu came to the side with Kou Ji, and before Kou Ji could speak, she said bluntly: "I know that you have found Fang Zhong. Fang Zhong has nothing to do with me.
He is Fang Meiren's cousin.
Fang Mei asked me to beg her, but I saw that she was pitiful, so I didn’t refuse and asked someone to help Fang Zhong.”
Kou Ji was stunned for a moment, then said in deep thought: "The official found out that Fang Meiren helped Fang Zhong get promoted, mainly to help his younger brothers solve their problems.
Before Fang Zhong appeared, Fang Meiren had already asked the nobles to help her brother solve the problem.
The right way is not to worry about two things.
I’m afraid it was Concubine Shu who helped Fang Meiren’s brothers solve their troubles before.”
Concubine Zhou Shu said calmly: "The officials have said that the harem is not allowed to interfere in politics. So I don't have the ability. I entrust Lu Aiqing to handle all the affairs.
If Kou Qing has something to do, go directly to Lu Aiqing, he knows the whole story better than I do."
Kou Ji stared at Concubine Zhou Shu and said: "For some trivial matters, there is no need to go to Qingtang to find Lu Yijian. I don't care how Lu Yijian helped Fang Meiren's brothers solve their problems.
I just feel that Concubine Shu has done so much to help Fang Mei, which can be regarded as a great kindness to Fang Mei.
If Concubine Shu wants Fang Mei to do something, Fang Mei will not refuse, right?"
Concubine Zhou Shu stared and shouted: "Do you suspect that I instigated Fang Mei to frame the prince?"
Kou Ji stared at Concubine Zhou Shu without saying anything.
Concubine Zhou Shu snorted coldly and scolded: "How could I be so stupid as to use the good reputation of the women in the palace to frame the prince? If this matter is really confirmed, I will also be criticized by the people."
Kou Ji said calmly: "Your Majesty, you said this yourself, I didn't say it."
Concubine Zhou Shu glared at Kou Ji fiercely.
Kou Ji continued: "I wonder if your Majesty can recognize Tiewen Xiong?"
Concubine Zhou Shu glared at Kou Ji again and said angrily: "I know you, Sister De Concubine's guest. She often goes to Sister De Concubine's palace to explain some obscure things in the Taoist scriptures to Sister De Concubine.
I have also gone to listen to it once or twice.
I get confused every time.”
Kou Ji nodded, cupped his hands to Concubine Zhou Shu and said, "I've got you to work for, empress."
"snort!"
Concubine Zhou Shu snorted coldly, waved her sleeves and left.
Kou Ji returned to the entrance of Leng Palace and invited Concubine He De away again.
Concubine He De was quiet and elegant, and after walking aside with Kou Ji, she looked indifferent.
After Kou Ji bowed his hands and saluted, he asked: "Does the Imperial Concubine know Tiewen Xiong?"
Concubine He De did not answer Kou Ji's question, but said calmly: "Kou Qing's family is really hard-hearted."
Kou Ji was stunned for a moment, looking confused.
Seeing this, Concubine He De said quietly: "Does the Kou Qing family think that I am a beauty?"
Kou Ji said bluntly: "The empress is famous in the capital and is known as a fairy descending to earth. How can she not be considered a beauty?"
Concubine He De sighed and asked, "So the Kou Qing family doesn't like beauties?"
Kou Ji frowned and said, "What do you mean by this?"
Concubine He De shook her head and said, "That silly sister of mine is so beautiful and so infatuated with you. Why did you block her out?"
Kou Ji did not expect that Concubine He De would still care about this matter to this day.
Kou Ji said calmly: "There are three thousand pieces of weak water, but I only take one scoop."
Concubine He De sneered: "Kou Qing's family wants to say that he is an infatuated person?"
Kou Ji shook his head decisively, "I don't mean that."
Concubine He De said coldly: "If I meet a hard-hearted person like you, my poor sister will probably be alone for the rest of her life."
Speaking of this, Concubine He De stared at Kou Ji and asked: "Back then, Kou Qing's family yelled at Taoists to kill them. Directly and indirectly, tens of thousands of Taoists died at the hands of Kou Qing's family.
To this day, all Taoist temples in the world are empty.
The statues inside have also become a safe place for animals to live.
Nowadays, the ultimatum imposed by the imperial court is reduced three times a year.
Nowadays, only a few of the ancestral courtyards still have incense, and the rest of the place is empty.
Is the Kou Qing family planning to kill the Taoist sect?"
Kou Ji frowned, "I have no intention of exterminating the Taoist sect. I have also read many Taoist sect's classics. It can be said that I have benefited a lot."
Concubine He De stared and asked: "Even so, why did the Taoist sect fall apart in the hands of the Qing family?"
Kou Ji said unceremoniously: "What I'm punishing is not the Taoist sect. What I'm punishing is the selfishness of the Taoist sect's disciples. If people in the Taoist sect wholeheartedly pursue the Tao or do good deeds, not only will I not harm them, but I will also help them."
.
But apart from some hermit masters and real great sages, the rest of the Taoist sect are not only mediocre but greedy people.
Seeking official positions and titles with the intention of using divine power to influence the imperial power is a deed that can be punished.
They don't care about production, and they don't know how to treat people well.
He seeks wealth and harms his life, and does everything.
They occupied people's fields, used usury money privately, and used various so-called panaceas and magic charms to defraud people of their money.
It seems to have become a major cancer in the Song Dynasty, and it cannot be cured until it is eliminated."
Concubine He De gritted her teeth and said: "I am a member of the Taoist sect, and I don't know how many good deeds I have done..."
Kou Ji sneered and said: "The good deeds done by three or two people can offset the evil deeds done by a large group of people? That's what you say.
In my eyes, there are rewards for merit and punishment for demerits.
Never generalize.”
Concubine He De gritted her teeth and sneered: "The reason why you are targeting my Taoist sect is just because our Taoist sect won the favor of the late emperor and did not pay taxes to the court.
You target my Taoist sect just to make money for the officials.
Don't think of yourself as so noble."
Kou Jili was happy, "So you are not engaged in production, but you are just talking about it, or making some deceptive things to fool the people, taking away the fertile land from the people, and letting the people plant it themselves.
In the end, you took advantage of it and caused the people to sell their sons and daughters. But you are justified?
You occupy tens of millions of acres of fertile land in the world and do not pay taxes to the court, forcing the court to exploit the people.
Are you more reasonable?
Is it the god that you believe in that teaches you to accumulate virtue and do good deeds like this? Is it the one that makes you practice in this way?
There are similar words in those Taoist scriptures, you can tell me about them and I can go and read them?"
Concubine He De was speechless by Kou Ji.
She stared at Kou Ji for a long time and snorted coldly: "Our Taoist sect does not pay taxes. That is the grace of the late emperor. Taizu and Taizong also allowed our Taoist sect to occupy a piece of mountains and rivers.
Do you think Taizu, Taizong, and the late emperor did something wrong?"
Kou Ji shook his head and said: "You don't have to hold Taizu, Taizong, and the late emperor to pressure me. No one is a saint, and no one can do anything wrong. Taizu, Taizong, and the late emperor also did wrong things sometimes.
There is no way to make up for the wrongs done by Taizu, Taizong and the late Emperor.
So we, the descendants, have to find ways to make amends and correct mistakes.
We cannot allow mistakes to continue, causing the country of the Song Dynasty to be shattered.
These words were said by me, Kou Ji, and I acknowledge them.
If you publicize this and let others accuse me of despising Taizu, Taizong and the late emperor, I will not refute it.
As long as everything I do is beneficial to the Song Dynasty and to all people in the world, I will have a clear conscience and will never regret it.
Now, it’s time to tell me whether you know Tiewen Xiong?”
"Arrogant! You are so arrogant because you are relying on the favor of the officials. Once the officials lose their favor, I would like to see why you are so arrogant."
"I just want to know whether you know Tiewen Xiong or not!"
"We know each other very well. When the Imperial Palace settled outside Bianjing City in the past, Tie Wenxiong was my guest. I also introduced Tie Wenxiong to several other sisters.
Tie Wenxiong was chosen as the prince’s husband, and it was the queen’s sister who made the decision.”
Concubine He De said a lot in one breath, and in the end she even snorted at Kou Ji and said: "But I have never instructed Tie Wenxiong to do anything. Everything he did has no official affiliation with me."
After saying this, Concubine He De shook her sleeves and left.
Kou Ji stood there, frowning and thinking about it.
After a long time, he said quietly: "Can people's temperament change? Or are people good at hiding their true temperament? A quiet and elegant person suddenly becomes so vicious; a lady from a scholarly family suddenly becomes so
Vulgar; and someone who has always been taciturn, actually learned to have a relationship with me.
"Three empresses, are you acting too fake and too much?"
The attitudes of Concubine Zhang Xian, Concubine Zhou Shu, and Concubine He De when facing Kou Ji were completely different from how they usually behaved.
If one person is different, Kou Ji won't feel anything.
But if the three people have become different, then there is a problem.
What's more important is that none of the three people were vague about what they should admit and explain.
They shouldn't admit it, but they didn't say a word.
There was no flaw in the process, it was obviously discussed in advance.
"So, I'm afraid all three of you were involved in Fang Meiren's death. Maybe there was also Concubine Zhang..."
"One of you is blackmailing Fang Meiren with kindness... one is blackmailing Tie Wenxiong with official status or other means... and the remaining one is seeking conspiracy..."
"This will form a big picture. No matter how others investigate, they can't tie all the threads to one of you.
Three people, three lines, as long as the three of you don't admit it, no one can do anything to you.
It’s really a good plan.”
"..."
Concubine Zhang Xian, Concubine Zhou Shu, and Concubine He De didn't say a word that they shouldn't have said.
But through their words and a little speculation, Kou Ji roughly guessed the truth behind it.
Kou Ji had to admit that they had set up a good situation.
Three people and three lines of inquiry could not find out the whole story.
Unless the three of them admit it together.
But he is not stupid, how could he admit this?
And the two most critical parties were already dead.
There is no human witness or physical evidence, and it is impossible to find anyone to corroborate it.
With the status of the three of them, Kou Ji couldn't use force.