When Xu Xun was sent to Qingning Palace, the Queen Mother had not returned at all, and she was afraid that she was still discussing with Sanyang in the Qianqing Palace about the funeral of Emperor Daxing, the title of Emperor Daxing, and what to do with the enthronement ceremony of the heir emperor. Now that the battle for the throne has finally come to an end, the ministers' minds should have settled down, but in order to avoid long nights and dreams, I am afraid that it is better to give the ceremony quickly and set the name, so that the government can completely return to the right track.

There is a neighbor of Tatar in the north, the heir emperor is old and young, but he is afraid that on the border, some people will be ready to move, and have the intention of committing a crime, this emperor ascends the throne, and he has to show off his muscles on the border, and there are necessary procedures such as amnesty for the world and Kaienke, as well as the education of the emperor himself, and some personnel changes in the palace and the court. It is said that it is a big thing, what is a big thing, what is a small thing, it is more free-spirited, but what is said at the moment is indeed definitely a big thing.

However, these major events have nothing to do with Xu Xun anymore, even if the Queen Mother was busy forgetting her before-if she hadn't gone out of the house with the Queen Mother before and stayed in the urinal hall, I was afraid that the Queen Mother would really leave her behind. But now, when she eases her hand, it is absolutely impossible to forget to deal with Xu Xun, and she knows that this treatment will not end well. Xu Xun thought to himself that what he did to the Queen Mother may not be much better than the offense that the Queen Sun had done to her back then. In the past, those who were imminent and disregarded of face were at most accumulated a bad impression, but this time, they really formed a grudge.

How obvious is this? Since she was escorted into the palace by the queen's people, almost all the people in Qingning Palace showed surprise, and some of the people who had been in contact with the palace affairs had a rather gloomy expression, as if they were worried about her. ――The palace people who can talk to the imperial concubine are naturally not simple, where can they not remember the events in the wax moon? Combined with the changes in the palace in the past few days, if you guess casually, it will naturally be clear who made the move to reverse the situation for the queen and break the deadlock.

Xu Xun didn't react to other people's eyes, and to this day, unless she could grow her wings and fly out of the palace wall, how could she escape the wrath of the Queen Mother? Even the queen can't shelter her, these old acquaintances, even if they have some affection for her, but what can they do? Say a few more words to her, I'm afraid that I will be implicated in the future, so it's better to ignore no one and wait for the queen to send her down.

She didn't wait too long, but it was less than an hour, and before lunch, the queen mother returned to Qingning Palace, her side was empty, and she thought that she was sent to Kunning Palace to meet the queen mother.

Naturally, someone had already reported to her that Xu Xun was waiting in the side hall, and the queen mother went directly into the inner room, and when she saw her, there was no surprise on her face, but she was a little playful, "The queen's movements are really not slow." This trick of crossing the river and demolishing the bridge can be regarded as perfect. ”

Xu Xun's face was calm as usual, he just got up and saluted, and did not take the Queen Mother's words, the Queen Mother saw this, and laughed instead of being angry, "You Xu are also smart and clever, and you have some means." ”

"The old lady praised it falsely, and she didn't dare to be a concubine." Xu Xun also knew that the Queen Mother always had some questions to ask, because the Queen Mother didn't call up, so she maintained her kneeling posture and answered truthfully, "It's just that since the Queen Mother has nothing to do, the concubine will do her best to inform the Queen Mother of what has happened." ”

"When did the Sun family act in such a disciplined manner?" The Queen Mother was not convinced, "Contact Dongchang, write a letter to King Xiang, and then contact Sanyang in the center...... These strokes are clear-eyed, do you dare to say that it was not your idea? ”

Xu Xundao, "You underestimate the queen's mother." ”

She paused, but still admitted, "These three things were discussed by the concubine and the mother. ”

This matter, I can't help but say that it was done beautifully, Xu Xun said this, it seemed that he didn't want to take credit, and it seemed that he wanted to distract the queen mother's anger, the queen mother glanced at her, her eyes turned cold, "It's a pity, you have been wrong in your life, how did I treat you that day, you know it in your own heart, how do you repay me?" How many times has the queen harmed you over the years, but you have never reciprocated her for a few tricks, and now, it can be said that you have spilled blood for the queen, what is the result? The situation is settled, she can't wait to send you here, so that you can take yourself out, hey, the feeling of being used and lost, okay? ”

There was a hint of banter in her words, it seemed that Xu Xun's inhuman dilemma made her very happy to watch the play, and she was even more faintly probed, as if she wanted to know what Xu Xun was doing, what was behind it, after all, if she wanted to say that she was to help the queen, even the queen mother herself would not believe it.

Her reaction was almost all expected by Xu Xun, and naturally she couldn't escape the guess of the queen grandson, after all, she was brought up by the queen mother since she was a child, and she knew her deeply, and she might be much better than Xu Xun.

"Only if I take the initiative to send you there can you naturally show your disgust and disdain for me." Although Xu Xun showed a look of comprehension, she still did not hesitate to explain, but said solemnly, "It must be realistic!" ”

In the end, the queen mother still held the sovereignty of the palace and was not placed under house arrest - as the head of her harem, as long as she can move freely, she is still the master of the harem. Xu Xun and the queen were thinking about it that day, but they didn't think that things would change again, and King Xiang was so frightened that he ran out of Beijing directly. After sending the letter, King Xiang didn't reply in person, so the two of them directly regarded him as having a bad heart. In their jihua, spreading rumors, opening the file library to find evidence, and finding Liu Hulin as a witness are three steps that are closely linked, and there will not be much time for the Queen Mother to react during the period. Once the general trend can be achieved, then this well-founded conspiracy theory is enough to make the hundred officials have great doubts about the Queen Mother, if the Queen Mother is not convinced, the orthodox faction will take advantage of the reason, the name is righteous, and no one will criticize what to do, and then persuade Feng En with righteousness, break into the Qingning Palace to control the Queen Mother, snatch out the bolt, and immediately hold the enthronement ceremony.

If this is the case, then it is logical, and then the minister will invoke the edict and ask the queen to hang the curtain, and he will not even mention the word queen mother. Naturally, the queen didn't dare to kill the queen mother and maintain the situation of house arrest in Qingning Palace, so everyone should just go as they pleased. But the development of things is always unsatisfactory, who would have thought that King Xiang, who was hiding in the Ten Princes' Mansion, was so well-informed, and why did his courage suddenly become so small? As soon as he heard this rumor, he was directly scared away, and he was also on the song, and the cabinet was extremely cooperative, and directly sent the song to Qingning Palace. really gave the Queen Mother time to think about turning the tables, and smoothed this matter down more satisfactorily, and even took the power of governing the country into her hands.

There must be some variables here, which the two of them have not calculated, but I am afraid that half of it is a number of days, half of it is artificial, Xu Xun is intuitive, and she is vaguely suspicious of one of the three Yang adults, but she doesn't know anything about these three people at all, and if she wants to analyze it in depth, she can't continue. In any case, the biggest winner in this turmoil is the cabinet, the Queen Mother and the Empress, all of whom have lost to varying degrees, and each of them has some damage. Among them, the queen is safe, but it is impossible to protect Xu Xun, and the queen mother, it is no problem to eat her Xu Xun, but it is impossible to move the queen again.

The situation is like this, it can't be changed, and it doesn't make much sense to fight to the death. It is impossible for the queen to seal the Kunning Palace for her Xu Xun alone, not to let the queen mother's envoy enter the palace to summon her, or to prevent Xu Xun from answering the call, this is not a matter of one day and one day, it is a matter of a lifetime, such a trouble, it will only add fuel to the fire of the queen mother's temper, and increase her determination to vent her anger with Xu Xun.

So not only should it be delivered, but it should also be delivered as soon as possible, and the grander and more impatient it is, the better. In this way, the more embarrassed Xu Xun's face will be, and the more happy the Queen Mother will be when she sees it. With her temperament, since the queen has used it, she will lose it, and she hopes that Xu Xun will die, but most of her will not want to be this gun...... It is very possible to show loyalty in such a step-by-step manner, and the queen mother will also be tempted, leaving a concubine who hates her deeply for the queen as a restraint, and let Xu Xun pick the head to fight with the queen, disgusting the queen, but also entertaining her boring life in her old age.

Whether Xu Xun's life can be saved depends on whether her acting skills are superb or not, and whether it will make the Queen Mother suspicious.

And the Queen Mother was indeed as the Empress Sun expected, and threw out a step from the beginning, Xu Xunruo intended to roll and cry, complaining bitterly about how he was sincerely deceived by the Empress Sun, now is the time.

She didn't move.

In Kunning Palace, she responded to the queen's statement, just because she was indeed benevolent and righteous, and even did not hesitate to damage her reputation to pave the way for her life, except for this method, the queen had no other way to fulfill her promise, and Xu Xun had no intention of picking and choosing again, and increasing her tongue in vain. - Time is precious, and she just wants to talk a few words to her two children in one place.

She has done many things in her life that have wronged her, even over the years, she can't say that she does everything as she wants, but one thing will not change: when she was in front of the emperor, she didn't put down her dignity for her life and death, didn't cry and smile in order to make a living, and played a self that was never her own...... Today, in front of the Queen Mother, how could she suddenly change?

In order to live, rolling and crying beside the Queen Mother like a dog, a tortuous change in her heart, if she is dead, this is pretentious, but it is a joke, if she is alive, she will really live like a dog from now on, figuring out the Queen Mother's mind, being beaten and driven by her, barking at the people she hates, and wagging her tail at the people she likes......

If she was willing to do this in order to survive, then she did it ten years ago, so how could she wait until today? The queen came up with this idea only because she didn't know her after all.

The death she has been waiting for is like a transparent glass lamp, emitting a crystal pure light in front of it, dazzling as the sun in a trance, under this illumination, Xu Xun's heart is condensed, as if all feelings have left her, she raised her head and said naturally, "The old lady is a little wrong, the queen mother sent me here, but not to get rid of me, but to save my life." ”

In a word, a lot of information was revealed, many joints, there is no need to say it explicitly, the Queen Mother can also know, she was slightly startled, pondered for a while, and then understood. After all, the queen's strategy is not too complicated, but it is just the old man's temperament.

"Okay," she put away her surprise, her eyes roamed back and forth on Xu Xun's body, as if she was looking for something, the more she wanted to explore, but there was also anger all over her: the queen's calculation again naturally aroused her anger. "Sun is a clever person—why don't you cooperate with her to act?"

One sentence leads but doesn't start: You don't know, I waited to see how long you bowed your head.

Xu Xun did know that from the first day of the Queen Mother's overtures to her, she was waiting for her return, goodwill and obedience, at first, this expectation was very natural and calm, but with her many faint refusals and evasions, this expectation became more and more negative and irritable, and now it has turned into a bell for her life, which is ringing in the ears of the Queen Mother, and every more sound will make the Queen Mother's mind more inclined to execute her.

"I'm afraid that if I act, the old lady may not spare me." She didn't feel that she had to show her intentions, so she just said casually, "I'm even more afraid that I won't act well and be seen through by the old lady, but she won't spare me." ”

In response to her reply, the Queen Mother smiled and said nothing, Xu Xun realized in her heart: she really didn't intend to spare herself.

Well, isn't it fate to come to this day? She simply didn't want to do this, but asked curiously, "The old lady summoned Imperial Doctor Liu yesterday, I don't know what he said?" ”

In fact, from the beautification of him in the rumors, he should also follow this statement and conceal the idea that he had admitted to Xu Xun: The Queen Mother was wrong, and she saved the emperor for a few months. After all, that sentence was said by him and Xu Xun in the quiet room in Layue, and Imperial Physician Liu would not be stupid to leave words in any file, as long as he pushed the boat along the river, this fact would never see the light of day, and he would also be the righteous imperial physician who turned the tide and had righteous thoughts.

If it weren't for this, the queen's confidence in this Jihua would not be so great, after all, they couldn't exactly promise to give Imperial Doctor Liu any high-ranking officials, and only when several parties had the same interests could they form a strong alliance. It's just that Xu Xun is still a little apprehensive in his heart: there are always some people in this world who will not be driven by profits, and Imperial Doctor Liu has proved that he is one of these people.

The Queen Mother was slightly stunned, as if she didn't expect Xu Xun to ask this question, she actually answered honestly, "Feng En didn't bring Liu Hulin, he said, this person is very important, and the elder of the pavilion is present, so he doesn't dare to interrogate him-hey, you guys are so good, I don't know when, you actually pulled Feng En over!" ”

When Xu Xun heard this, his heart moved, he already knew the queen mother's mistake, her understanding of the whole thing seemed to be different from Xu Xun's side, what he just said about winning over Dongchang, it turned out that it was not that Feng En helped to visit Shoufu at night and deliver the news, but yesterday he rejected the queen mother's action.

The true intention of the queen was exposed, because between her and the queen mother, it had reached the point where it was difficult to return, besides, the queen mother and she restrained each other, and no one could move anyone, but Feng En was different, a servant, no matter how powerful he was, was just a dog of the heavenly family, and the master wanted to kill him, and he didn't even need a reason. Xu Xun immediately lied, "Feng En's heart is tied to the bolt and he just maintains orthodoxy." The concubine didn't know that he rejected the old lady, otherwise, there would not have been such a question. ”

The Queen Mother was suspicious, glanced at Xu Xun a few times, and didn't seem to see any flaws, she snorted, "Maintain orthodoxy...... I just hope that nothing will happen in the future that will make you regret maintaining this orthodoxy! ”

"Even if King Xiang ascends the throne, how can the old lady know that she will not regret one day?" If it was yesterday, Xu Xun might have been asked a little weak-hearted, but at this time he had figured it out, and he was calm, "It's the same bet, it's better to let the bolt ascend the throne, so that the name is justified, and the country can be stable for a few years." ”

As if she didn't expect Xu Xun to have this insight, the Queen Mother was stunned again and didn't speak for a while. Xu Xun is well aware of her psychological activities: I'm afraid that in her heart, she helps the queen just because the queen can let her live. didn't expect that she would also decide which side to help after consideration and choice.

However, she did not want to debate with the Queen Mother on this matter, at this time she already knew that Imperial Physician Liu did not take pictures with the Queen Mother, and found out that the Queen Mother did not lie - there was no need to lie, so Xu Xun could speak.

She said, "Since Liu Hulin has not been able to meet her, then this matter is the same for me, old lady, you haven't asked until now, but you haven't sent me for a long time, is it because of ...... Do you want to ask, is the rumor true or false? ”

The Queen Mother was suddenly shocked, she had been calm and indifferent, and it seemed that a crack had been revealed, Xu Xun suddenly realized her age - she was already a little old after all.

"Before the file library was opened, the matter was not confirmed, and the dynasty was also exempted from a scandal that required Spring and Autumn penmanship, and the rumors were no matter how arrogant they were, they would eventually fade away." She speculated on the psychology of the Queen Mother, "You won't take the initiative to access the archives...... And Liu Hulin, you are not familiar with it, and you can't be sure whether the words that come out of his mouth are true or false, and there may always be some doubts in your heart. ”

The Queen Mother was silent.

"The concubine will simply speak clearly today," Xu Xun raised her face so that the Queen Mother could check her expression and identify whether she was a fake. "What the rumors said is basically true, and the reason why the eldest brother suddenly dismissed the group of imperial doctors at that time and dedicated Ran Wanfang and Liu Hulin, who had not entered the palace for many years, was indeed for a reason. On the day of my eldest brother's illness, the doctors had a dispute over the prescription, and I was uneasy, so I sent Liu Hulin to ask about it, and Liu Hulin told me that everything had to start in the summer. ”

This is basically the most simple version of the rumor, and Xu Xun didn't know which processed version the Queen Mother heard, so he didn't bother to tell the details one by one, "...... At that time, there were a lot of things in the palace, and it was going to make a fuss, and it was even more chaotic, so I didn't speak, just waited for the eldest brother to wake up and ask him to adjudicate ......"

There is no need to say much about the aftermath, the queen mother's face was suddenly clouded, she looked at Xu Xun deadly, and her hands were clenched tightly on the chair handle...... It was clear that she was enduring Xu Xun's narration, as if she was using it as torture for herself.

"However, the reason why the eldest brother only left me and Ma Shi to serve is not because he is suspicious of anyone, but because he can't hear anything." Xu Xun said quietly, "This is certain for the concubine." ”

The Queen Mother frowned, but she didn't speak, and a wry smile escaped from her lips: the more the emperor forgives her as a mother, the more he is afraid of herself, the more she can't forgive herself, no matter what, after all, it is her words-

"In addition, there is another point that is not told in the story." Xu Xun continued, "Liu Hulin also said to me that day, I was afraid of my eldest brother's condition, and I was not optimistic, because after years of taking medicine, it had already weakened his vitality invisibly, but everyone did not notice it. Your words were wrong, but they saved the life of the eldest brother for a few years - but the life of these years was due to hereditary heart disease......

She was only halfway through speaking, the Queen Mother's body was already shocked, and she almost didn't sit firmly, she held the handle tightly, her eyes seemed to be nailed into Xu Xun's face, and when she was finished, she said word by word, "You-you say it again?" ”

Xu Xun sighed in his heart, and repeated it clearly, "Your words were wrong, but they saved the life of the eldest brother for a few years." At this point, the concubine can guarantee that it is all Liu Hulin's original words, and there is not a word of falsehood. ”

The Queen Mother was silent for a long time, and suddenly she didn't say a word, got up and entered the back room, leaving only those palace maids, you look at me, I look at you, and look at Xu Xun with curiosity and worry.

After about a cup of tea, the Queen Mother came out of the house, although she tried her best to hide it, her red eyes still hinted at her mood swings in the back room, but at this time, she was also on the shelf again, sat down silently again, and muttered for a while before saying, "Does the queen know about this?" ”

"She'd heard it once, but she didn't care, and she didn't ask about it." Xu Xun admitted with a bit of a fuss, "However, I have the same opinion as her on the point of concealing this section." ”

As a political rumor, of course, it has a clear purpose, and with this paragraph, it is not to engage in the queen mother, but to make up a new play. Concealing this point is, of course, the proper meaning of the question, the Queen Mother nodded silently, and after a while, she said sternly, "Xu, do you know what crime you have committed!" ”

"Extraordinary means are used in extraordinary times," Xu Xun did not give an inch, "The concubine has a clear conscience." ”

"What a clear conscience!" The Queen Mother snorted, "Don't you really dare to kill you when I do!" ”

Her attitude changed, and she was no longer weak and wavering a moment ago, but murderous, "Emperor Daxing treats you with kindness, you don't know how to serve with your heart, but neglect to take care of it, causing Emperor Daxing to have an accident, and afterwards he also made clever remarks and colluded with eunuchs and imperial doctors to frame the Queen Mother!" Such a great sin, and you do not repent and refuse to ask for mercy? ”

Just one sentence, immediately outlined a clear route - rumors, not Xu Xun alone will put it!

Kill Xu Xun here, and then dispose of Liu Hulin and Feng En in the East Factory, but they are just slaves of the Son of Heaven, and now they are not allowed to be rubbed and flattened by the Queen Mother? If the Queen Mother wants to clear her stigma, this is the fastest and most effective way, and at that time, there is no proof of death, who can tell the truth?

"If I beg for mercy, will the old lady let me go?" Xu Xunyi asked rhetorically.

"If you don't beg for mercy, how do you want me to let you go?" The Queen Mother didn't get angry, but smiled wryly, "If you don't beg for mercy, how can I feel at ease?" ”

I see...... Xu Xun understood: the Queen Mother didn't want her to die so much, and she didn't even want to humiliate her so much, but she still wanted to use this way of life in exchange for her allegiance and use her to suppress the queen.

This road, although it seems to lead to the same end, is much easier to walk than just now, and she can still preserve some residual dignity, and even be said to be lucky.