A few days passed quickly, and it was a few days closer to the emperor's birthday.
At this moment, the Queen Mother and He Hong were sitting together in Cining Palace.
In terms of seniority, the Queen Mother is He Hong's aunt, and she is the sister of He Hong's father.
The Empress Dowager is already over sixty years old and looks majestic and noble. Although there are silver threads on her head, she does not look old at all. If we compare Emperor Linghui with her, although Emperor Linghui is just over forty years old, if the two of them really stood together, Emperor Linghui would look older than her.
Behind the Empress Dowager stood a palace maid rubbing her shoulders. She was resting with her eyes closed, but when she saw He Hong coming inside, she raised her hand, and then opened her eyes again. An air of grace and luxury.
When the maid behind her saw her raising her hand, she stepped aside.
The Empress Dowager naturally heard a little bit about what was going on with He Hong, but she could not see any joy or anger on her face. She just asked quietly: "That one from the Song family, step in and take care of it." What happened to you? "
The one she mentioned about the Song family naturally meant that Song Yu was pregnant, and the one who intervened also meant that a corpse appeared on the other side of Zhuangzi.
He Hong didn't take this matter to heart. He said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter. Anyway, I have closed the secret village and the people inside have gone elsewhere. If something big can happen, let him investigate if he wants. I don't really believe that he can find out anything. He is just a young man, and he has been fooled. The Minister of Dali Temple is so arrogant and arrogant. He has no idea about what should be taken care of and what should not be taken care of. The empress does not need to worry about this matter anymore. "
He Hong is arrogant. Yu Ding is used to it. He has been walking sideways in Kyoto for so many years. Even if Song Yusheng has some real talent and knowledge, so what? Did he think that just a corpse could really move him?
"Although he is young, he is still very capable." The Empress Dowager did not agree with his words, and thought of what happened back then, and continued: "When Prince Li attacked the palace, I don't know how he rescued the emperor. Come, he He has the grace to save the emperor, and he has the ability to protect the country. This alone is enough to make people jealous."
She frowned slightly and raised her hand to rub the tight wrinkles. He frowned and said: "It's a pity that he didn't The people in his family are obedient. When the Duke of the Song family reached the position of chief minister, he was still walking on thin ice. As for him, he only started to cause trouble when he became the minister of Dali Temple. I don't expect him to be used by you and me. only You should give people some peace of mind. In this case, you go to Song Guogong and ask him to stop Song Yusheng from continuing the investigation."
The Queen Mother is still a little worried about Song Yusheng. She must be afraid.
He Hong didn't understand and asked: "Going to find the Duke of the Song family? What's the use? He is Song Yusheng's father, how can he help us?"
Emperor The Queen Mother said: "He was from the Song family first. My lord, and Song Yusheng's father, do you think he will bring bad luck to us? He is a man of integrity, and he will choose to live in peace if he can. Why would he make such an ugly scene with us if he has nothing to do with us?" br>
Although the competition between the eldest prince and the second prince is fierce now, at least the Song family and the He family are still calm on the surface. Even if there is any fight, it is just in the dark. If Song Yusheng still wants to continue to investigate If so, the two families would completely fall apart.
Is Song Lin willing?
He Hong understood and said: "Okay, I will take care of these things when I get back."
He Hong did not continue talking. The Queen Mother thought of the things he had done and couldn't help but complain. He slandered him and said: "You should be more restrained. If you want to have fun, there is no place to play. How can you do it?" If you go and make things so dirty, just for selling children, do you think you can still be let off? Besides, the people of Dali Temple are not yours now. You have made too much trouble, and no one will take advantage of you. . ”
He Hong was quite unwilling. Is he doing these things just for himself? It was as if he was the only one who did these things, and those people from the other party had some influence.
Nowadays, except the Empress Dowager, there is no one who can talk to He Hong like this. He Hong showed a little impatience. Seeing that she wanted to continue nagging her, he immediately changed the subject and asked: "I heard that the Empress is going through this period." Is your body and bones getting worse and worse? My aunt asked. Is there any chance for my sister?”
The sister He Hong mentioned was the imperial concubine, the biological mother of the second prince.
As soon as He Hong said this, the Empress Dowager looked stern and gave a look to the palace maids beside her. The people in the palace retreated outside knowingly, and there were still many people showing off.
Seeing this, He Hong knew that the Queen Mother had something important to say, but he heard her ask: "Opportunity, please explain clearly, what opportunity is it?"
He Hong didn't know why the Empress Dowager would ask such unnecessary questions. What other opportunity could there be? If the Empress died, then it would naturally be a chance for the Empress Dowager to become the empress.
He said bluntly: "If the queen dies, she will be replaced by the imperial concubine. If the emperor's two sons really want to fight in the future, it will be justifiable." After staying there for several years, generation after generation, they were the only ones who could afford to eat and live there, so they had no choice but to choose the queen from the Qi family. Besides, before the death of the Holy Emperor, he did not take into account the Queen Mother's feelings at all, and even left the words that the daughter of the He family could no longer be the queen.
The late emperor also saw the disloyalty of the He family, so he left such a sentence.
Although he has passed away for many years, few people may remember this matter over the years, but they only forgot it temporarily. As long as they dare to help the imperial concubine ascend to the throne, someone will immediately remember it. .
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager's face became even more ugly, and she said: "This Li family, big and small, all do not allow me to live in peace. I have worked hard to assist the young emperor over the years, but he could not succeed when he came to the throne. A little bigger, how about such a big country? He was left alone to make the decision, and I was just helping out, but it made him unhappy. Or maybe it was because of Prince Li's incident that I was so upset now? What could I do? Cining Palace was also besieged back then. There is nothing the Ai family can do.”
Although the Empress Dowager is extremely hypocritical, there is one sentence in her that is not false. How can a nine-year-old emperor govern this huge Zhao Dynasty? All forces will definitely take action. If you think about it carefully, you will know that the young emperor approved it at that time. The memorials he passed and any decisions he made were only due to Fang Xiu, his big companion, who gave him the document prepared by the cabinet long ago, and the most the little emperor had to do was to give him a red mark on the document. .
Over the years, Emperor Linghui listened to his teacher, the Queen Mother, and his eldest companion.
They seemed to have forgotten that he was an emperor, because in their eyes, the young emperor was almost a puppet.
It is ridiculous to say that the young emperor learned only a handful of royal ways. What he learned the most was benevolence, justice, etiquette, wisdom, trust, and the Tao of Confucius and Mencius.
They wanted to use these things to completely tame the little emperor into a puppet emperor. However, perhaps it was precisely because he had read so many of these books that he actually developed a sense of benevolence to the people and love for things.
Taifu is different from other teachers. What other teachers taught him cannot avoid the word "obedience" in popular terms. But the Taifu, such an elegant and easy-going Taifu, taught him the way of the emperor.
It is said to be the way of the emperor, but in fact it is also the way of "resistance".
Emperor Linghui had his own ideas. He had a heart of resistance and a heart of benevolence. He wanted to kill corrupt officials. He wanted to clean up the Chao Gang and promote new trends. He also wanted to let people Taifu's new policy became popular all over the world.
Their efforts were not in vain. They seemed to have really defeated the old party and took the first step of the New Deal, because the examination law was introduced.
They had no time to rejoice, no time to be happy, no time to kill the first corrupt official, because the Taifu was reported and committed corruption.
If you want people to die, there are many methods, including corruption among civilian officials and treason among military officers. Evidence of guilt, why worry about not having evidence of guilt.
In the Jinluan Palace, the ministers were confronting each other. They were persecuting the emperor again. They thought he was the little emperor from before and could not be controlled. They were arguing endlessly and piled up incriminating evidence against him and them. . On the surface, it is said that the Taifu is corrupt, but in fact, he is dissatisfied with the new policy he implemented.
If the Tutor does not die, the ministers will not let them go, nor will they let the emperor go.
So, the test method they worked so hard to develop actually killed themselves.
Emperor Linghui shouted at the top of his lungs that he could not return the Taifu's determination to die. Blood spattered the hall. Emperor Linghui was far away from him, but his eyes were still stained red with blood.
After all, the emperor was too cowardly, otherwise, their new policy would not be so difficult to push forward.
However, the Taifu never blamed him. He just wanted to use his own death to teach the little emperor one last lesson.
But Emperor Linghui was immersed in the sadness of the death of his Taifu and did not understand his last swan song.
The Taifu died, but he also killed the emperor who still had great ambitions. He did not want to make his ministers happy, nor did he want to make his mother happy anymore. He couldn't do it. What he wants to do is bound to make them uncomfortable. From then on, in the eleventh year of Linghui, the death of the Taifu marked the beginning of the confrontation between the emperor and his ministers. This awkward quarrel lasted for decades.
And Concubine De was exactly the woman the emperor met when he was most lost. Maybe it was because he was used to being controlled by others, and he only liked gentle and carefree women like her, but saying that was not enough. The most important thing is that Concubine De understands him. Although she is a palace maid, she is also literate. She is not vulgar and considerate. She can also understand the bitterness and suffering of Emperor Linghui who came to the throne at a young age.
Since then, the relationship between the two has become deeper and deeper, and later, Li Zhaoxi was born.
Although Emperor Linghui had many children, it was only when Li Zhaoxi was born that he felt like a father. This was a child born between him and the woman he liked. What kind of power was involved in it? Ah, it has nothing to do with it. This is the child he sincerely looks forward to day and night.
He named her the word "xi", hoping that she would be successful, safe and happy.
He made a painting of her every year, from when she was a baby, to a toddler, and then when she was older enough to climb trees and catch fish.
Every stroke he made was filled with infinite love. She is his and Yinrong's child, she is the princess he has been looking forward to day and night.
He protected her like his own heart. He knew that many people wanted her life, so once, when she and Qi Ziyuan sneaked out of the palace to play, he was so frightened that he quickly sent people to look for her. He was extremely afraid that his child would be killed like this.
That day was the first time he lost his temper with Li Zhaoxi and punished her for the first time.
He thought he could protect her for the rest of his life.
But things didn't go as planned, and Emperor Linghui finally felt that he had some hope and hope in life. After a rebellion, the country was not broken, but his family died.
He was at the Song family, watching Xiao Xi being bullied at the Meridian Gate day after day, but he was helpless.
In the end, Yinrong was gone, and so was Xiaoxi.
God seems to have a good life, but he has never had mercy on him.
The ministers did not need an emperor like him who was against them. They wanted him to die. On the surface, they seemed to be coerced by King Li to surrender, but in fact, they were happier than the other.
Such an emperor should die when he dies.
It's a pity that Emperor Linghui still didn't fulfill their wish. He didn't die and came back with the help of the Song family.
But since then, the emperor has been on the road of being a coward, never to return, even worse than before.
Nothing can be said about everything afterwards. Emperor Linghui grew older day by day, practicing Taoism and swallowing elixirs, hoping to see the man in his dream again.
In Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager seemed a little tired. She held her forehead and sighed: "That's all. Now we can only take one step at a time. The Qi family is not what it used to be. The top priority is Say goodbye to the Song family for now. After all, the current head of the Song family is Song Lin, and he is a man of integrity. Don't get angry with him first. "
It doesn't matter how capable Song Yusheng is, the Song family is not in his turn for the time being. It's not his turn to make the decision. He Hong saw that the Queen Mother didn't want to talk anymore, so she stood up and held her hands in her hands and said, "The nephew will leave first, and the aunt will have a rest first."
After saying that, He Hong retreated outside and left the place.
When he came out of Cining Palace, he happened to see Song Yusheng entering the palace from the Meridian Gate.
As the two of them passed each other, He Hong made a strange sound. He said: "Dali Temple is so busy. Master Song has been busy dealing with corpses on the polo field recently. Why is there still so much?" "Where is Kong entering the palace?"
Song Yusheng ignored his weirdness and smiled, but the smile was very weak and did not reach his eyes. He said: "I am busy but I am not the same as He Shangshu." What does it matter? , I’m not from the Ministry of Industry yamen, right? Master He really wants to take care of me?”
He Hong was ridiculed by this, but he was quite thick-skinned and used his official rank to crush people to death, he said. : "I'm just asking you a question You are so resentful, not to mention that I am one level older than you, but just in terms of age, your father and I are brothers. We all say that the Song family has a strict family tradition, but it seems that this is not the case now. "
Song Yusheng was not used to him either, and said directly: "If Shangshu wants to think this way, then I have nothing to do. As long as the emperor is waiting, I can't tell you in detail whether the family tradition of my Song family is strict."
People like He Hong really have nothing to say to him. Song Yusheng doesn't care what he thinks, so what if he is indeed rude today? He Hong just told the world and let's see whether the people in the world believe him or Song Yusheng.
He Hong couldn't do anything to Song Yusheng, so he could only watch his leaving figure, biting his silver teeth in anger.
Kicking him was like kicking a piece of soft cotton. Even if you were angry, you couldn't let it out.
He Hong didn't think about this matter anymore and went back home, planning to find a time to meet the Duke of Song.
Song Yusheng quickly arrived at the Qianqing Palace where Emperor Linghui was.
To enter the palace today, it was not Song Yusheng who came by himself, but Emperor Linghui who called him.
Emperor Linghui was sitting in the upper position, with no one standing next to him, and all the people serving him were driven out of the palace by him. He was only wearing a blue straight-collared Taoist robe. The last time Song Yusheng saw him was when he had just returned to Kyoto. However, it had only been a few months, and he actually looked older than the last time. Somewhat.
He seemed to be looking at a scroll at the moment. When he saw Song Yusheng coming, he put down what he was holding, raised his head from the scroll, and looked at him, Linghui The emperor said calmly: "Here he comes."
Song Yusheng wanted to salute, but Emperor Linghui waved his hand to stop him.
He said: "There is no need to salute, and there are no outsiders."
It was Song Yusheng who took him out of the palace with his secret guards. Emperor Linghui also knew who he was and never treated him like an outsider. look. Even though Song Yusheng might not like to be his confidant, Emperor Linghui regarded him as a trusted minister from the bottom of his heart.
Seeing Emperor Linghui stop him, Song Yusheng did not persist and gave up after hearing this.
It was almost midnight, and it was just past noon. The afternoon sun was a little warm, making the hall feel like a furnace, which was very burning, but there was no ice mirror in the room to keep out the cold.
Because Emperor Linghui's body had problems due to taking elixirs all year round, he was not afraid of cold in winter and not afraid of heat in summer. It looks good, but if it continues like this, to put it nicely, it seems that he will become an immortal in the near future, but to put it harshly, anyone with a discerning eye can see that Emperor Linghui will not live for a few more years. .
Others would not be able to endure the oppressive heat in the hall, but Song Yusheng might have adapted to it somewhat due to his gentle habits. Even though he was a quiet person, he could still withstand the heat. In this hot hall, he could not stand it. I've never seen him sweat.
The scroll in front of Emperor Linghui is none other than ten-year-old Li Zhaoxi.
On the scroll, his young princess smiled as brightly as the morning sun.
Emperor Linghui looked away from the scroll and raised his eyes to look at Song Yusheng. His eyes were blue and black, and there were wrinkles on his face. His every move was like a sixty-year-old man, unusually slow.
He said slowly: "Last time I heard from them that there is a little maid beside you who looks very much like Xiao Xisheng, right?"
There was nothing unusual about the expression on Emperor Linghui's face. He just looked at Song Yusheng with a bit of inquiry in his eyes.
Song Yusheng didn't know why he suddenly mentioned this matter. The fingers in his sleeves tightened unconsciously. From time to time, he could hear the sound of bells under the eaves outside the palace being blown by the wind.
Song Yusheng fell into hesitation at this moment. He was usually very decisive in doing things. If he ran through any problem in his mind, he would have a solution in his mind the next moment. But at this moment, he was because of Emperor Linghui's question hesitated for a moment, and he didn't know how to answer it.
Emperor Linghui was surprisingly patient. He just kept looking at him and waiting for him. He thought, if Song Yusheng said no, there seemed to be nothing he could do. He could force Song Yusheng and hand him over. Him?
He was an emperor who had a falling out with his ministers, and the eunuch closest to him also betrayed him. Apart from his dignity as an emperor, he could maintain some dignity and ask him to stir up some troubles. Fengyun, other powers are really pitiful and thin.
Song Yusheng was silent for a long time, but he still told the truth. He said: "Yes, that maid looks very much like Princess Huaihe."
When Emperor Linghui heard this, he trembled slightly , he asked: "Did she bring it back from Yunjing Town?"
Both of them knew that what Emperor Linghui wanted to ask was just whether she was Li Zhaoxi.
Song Yusheng knew that there was no turning back. He didn't know if he could say it, but he thought that Wen Chu would always come out, and she couldn't hide forever.
Song Yusheng was also thinking about himself and her future. He didn't want to imprison her like this anymore. If possible, he wanted to be an upright couple with her. Even if there are a lot of difficulties, she can't give in to her inner demons.
He couldn't give in.
Song Yusheng thought of this and finally nodded.
A gust of hot wind blew into the hall through the window. This heat wave made Emperor Linghui tremble greatly. When he heard Song Yusheng's answer, his old eyes were filled with tears. It was all scarlet, he. How dare he, how dare he hide his child!
Emperor Linghui suddenly collapsed and his breathing became rapid.
His body was already badly damaged and anything could defeat him. He endured the severe pain in his body and walked down from the high platform. His legs could not stop shaking and he staggered. He walked up to Song Yusheng and almost fell down once. He walked up to Song Yusheng and grabbed his collar uncontrollably.
Song Yusheng didn't move. He let him hold him like this. When he lowered his head, he could see that his hands were shaking terribly. Emperor Linghui was filled with anger. He finally felt the anger of the emperor. He asked, "You, you!"
"How dare you?! How dare you!"
Just by hiding Li Zhaoxi by his side, Emperor Ling Hui could collapse like this. If he really wanted to know what Song Yusheng had done, he would be able to kill Song Yusheng even if he got involved in his fate.
As the saying goes, the emperor's wrath will lay down millions of corpses and bleed for thousands of miles, but from Emperor Linghui's repeated questioning, Song Yusheng heard a sense of sorrow for the elderly. Emperor Linghui's scarlet eyes Tears finally fell from his eyes, as if he could no longer endure the pain. Tears filled his furrowed face, and Emperor Linghui burst into tears.
Emperor Ling Hui actually knew that it was not Song Yusheng who refused to let her come to see him, otherwise, he would not admit it at all today. It's Xiao Xi, but she doesn't want to come to see him.
After being a father to this extent, how could he have the dignity to ask to see her again?
But he hasn’t seen her in so many years, and he really misses her, misses her so much.
What can he do? He wants Song Yusheng to bring her to see him.
Emperor Linghui gradually loosened Song Yusheng's collar. Because he had exerted so much strength just now, Song Yusheng's white shirt was even pulled out a little. It's full of wrinkles.
Emperor Linghui stretched out his hand and smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes with a bit of flattery.
For an emperor to behave like this towards a minister is almost like an old dog wagging its tail for mercy.
He was a person like Song Yusheng, but he felt a bit of pity in his heart. When he thought that this was Wen Chu's father, his throat became a little tight. Before he could continue to move, he reached out and grabbed his hand. wrist.
"Your Majesty, don't do this."
It is treason for a minister to touch the king and stop him. However, Song Yusheng stopped his actions, just to maintain his final dignity as a monarch.
But Emperor Linghui refused to listen and insisted on smoothing those wrinkles for him. He said: "I did something wrong. I shouldn't have touched you like this."
At this moment, he doesn't even call me me.
In the past, Song Yusheng only thought that Emperor Linghui was useless and pathetic, but after knowing that he was Wen Chu's father, he actually felt a different kind of pity.
He knew this might be Aiwujiwu.
Emperor Linghui insisted, but Song Yusheng had no choice but to let him move.
It wasn't until his clothes were almost back to their original shape that Emperor Linghui asked: "It's my birthday in a few days. Can you bring her to meet me?"
Tears rolled down his furrowed face. His voice was full of pleading, and he lowered himself to the lowest posture. He just wanted to beg him to let him bring Li Zhaoxi into the palace.
He really wanted to see his little daughter.
Even if she doesn't want to, he still wants to see her.
(End of this chapter)
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