Ningshou Palace.

The youngest building complex in the palace has been in operation for less than ten years, but its owner is the most powerful elder in the palace.

Nearly three watches.

In the main hall of Ningshou Palace, it is still brightly lit, and more than a dozen attendants are distributed inside and outside the palace gate.

The only exception is Xia Shouzhong, the eunuch of the Six Palaces.

He stood in the hall closest to the imperial case, sometimes looking at the emperor sitting on the dragon chair, and sometimes looking out of the hall, although his feet were as immobile as the roots of an old tree, his heart was as restless as an ant on a hot pot.

More than ten years!

Xia Shouzhong has been for more than ten years, and he has never seen the Emperor Taishang moaning with his eyes closed on the dragon chair.

However, before the abdication, whenever the emperor encountered a major event that was difficult to decide, he would think quietly like this, as short as a moment and a half, and as long as only an hour or two.

But today, the Emperor Taishang has been sitting for half a day!

This looks like a person who is almost eighty, even if he is well maintained on weekdays, how can he withstand such a toss?!

Xia Shouzhong had the heart to persuade a few words, but after all, he didn't dare to exceed his duty, and when he was anxious, he saw a light dragon outside the palace gate from far and near.

Xia Shouzhong was overjoyed suddenly, in the dead of night, even if Emperor Guangde came, he would make people go first, and now there is only the Queen Mother Niu who drives straight into it without a pass.

Sure enough.

After a few moments, an old woman on crutches entered the temple step by step.

"Oops~!"

Xia Shouzhong exclaimed in exclamation, and while walking forward quickly, he scolded hatefully: "How come this group of blindless dogs don't know how to serve the Queen Mother?!" ”

This old woman was naturally the Empress Dowager Niu, but seeing that she shook her head at Xia Shouzhong, signaled that he didn't have to step forward to help, and then stepped up the imperial steps by herself.

Although this imperial staircase was only three floors, it still made her breathing a little heavy, and after a short rest, she finally came to the side of the imperial case.

However, she did not disturb the Emperor Taishang who closed her eyes and groaned, but gently leaned the crutch on the imperial case, splashed the residual tea that had already been cold on the ground, picked up the purple clay pot, and poured a full cup tremblingly.

Click~

When the purple clay pot was put back into the tray, he accidentally knocked it, and after all, it still alarmed the emperor, and he slowly lifted his eyelids, and looked at the steaming tea cup fixedly, and after a long time, he finally stretched out his dry palm.

Just be willing to drink tea!

Seeing this, Xia Shouzhong breathed a sigh of relief, and secretly praised that she was still the queen mother's face.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor's movements suddenly accelerated, and with a flick of his sleeves, he swept the teacup to the ground along with the tray underneath!

When Chang~

As the teacup smashed on the ground, all the attendants inside and outside the Ningshou Palace seemed to be hit by an arrow on their knees at the same time, and then they were half shortened!

Only Xia Shouzhong rushed up the royal stairs with a roar, and said with concern in his mouth: "Your Majesty, are you okay......"

"Get out!"

However, before he could fully burst out of his throat, he was blocked by a hoarse roar.

Xia Shouzhong paused and looked at the Empress Dowager Niu hesitantly.

The Empress Dowager Niu was calm and tight, only used her chin to turn outward, and indifferently ordered: "You all go down." ”

Xia Shouzhong led the attendants and exited the main hall of Ningshou Palace like a tide.

When only the husband and wife were left in the palace, the Empress Dowager Niu supported the imperial case, went around to the emperor, sat on the dragon chair with him, and still persuaded in a calm tone: "If Your Majesty has anything unpleasant, even if it is vented, why bother to vent your body?" ”

"Hehe......"

A mocking smile appeared on the wrinkled old face of the Emperor Taishang, and he whispered: "'The white head is as new, and the cover is as old as ever', I can't imagine that the widow is close to old age, so I can understand the true meaning of these words." ”

As he spoke, he gently patted the armrest of the dragon chair with his dry palm, and sneered: "You are seventy-six this year, right?" Although it is nine years later than that Wu Cao, there is still time to fight! ”

Wu Zetian ascended the throne as emperor at the age of sixty-seven, and the Emperor Taishang's words were clearly accusing the Empress Dowager Niu of wanting to learn from Wu Zetian to usurp the throne and establish himself as the emperor.

In the face of such accusations, Empress Dowager Niu only frowned slightly, sighed and said: "It turns out that Your Majesty is suspecting that the assassination of the crown prince is related to the concubine. ”

"Although the widow is old, he is not dazzled and deaf yet!"

The Emperor's tone suddenly rose a few degrees, and he bit a few teeth a few times, and said indignantly: "If you really change the prince this time, your precious nephew will no longer have to test the third child's mind all day long!" ”

"Your Niu family can keep your wealth and prosperity for a long time!"

"It's so calculating, it's really calculating!"

"But hasn't your precious nephew thought about it? The crown prince is also my grandson, and he is my flesh and blood relative! You have cut off his heirs, and you have also cut off one of my bloodlines - why should I protect your Niu family?! ”

As he spoke, he clenched his fists and his beard and hair open, and glared at the Empress Dowager Niu beside him fiercely!

Empress Dowager Niu still looked at him calmly, without the slightest fear or retreat: "If Your Majesty can prove that the prince's case is indeed the work of my Niu family, you might as well behead my Niu family, and the concubines will never complain." ”

"If there is no evidence, it is still determined that it was my Niu family's doing, please Your Majesty will kill the Niu family and the concubines, and the concubines will never complain."

"You!"

Hearing these words, the Emperor became more and more annoyed, staring at the wrinkled old face of the Empress Dowager Niu, and raised his hand several times to fight, but he couldn't do it after all.

Sixty-one years of planting, more than one Jiazi's guard!

From twenty-eight girls to seventy ancient rares; from guarding the frontier to Jiuxia Jiangnan; From the unpowerful princess of the vassal to the queen mother of the world......

During this period, how many honors and disgraces were shared, life and death dependent?

I'm afraid it's the same as the wrinkles on this old face, and I can't count them clearly!

And how can these fetters be easily let go?

What's more, after eleven years of abdication, the Emperor Taishang has long since lost the decisiveness of the year.

"Alas~!"

With a long sigh, the Emperor Taishang fell down on the cushion behind him, and said faintly: "The third child has always been a means, otherwise I would not have passed on the throne to him, and now that someone has cut off his heir, how can he be willing to give up?" ”

Empress Dowager Niu smiled slightly, leaned on the shoulder of the Emperor Taishang, and said indifferently: "Didn't the concubine say it, if it can really be proved that my Niu family did it, he will kill the Niu family all over the house, and the concubine will never stop it." ”

The Emperor sighed faintly again, and then he and the Empress Dowager Niu were silent, snuggling up to each other on this dragon chair, and gradually felt a little tired.

He was wandering between sleeping and not sleeping, but suddenly heard a sound of footsteps outside.

At such a time, who would dare to come in and disturb indiscriminately?

The Emperor Taishang sat up straight with some annoyance, but saw Xia Shouzhong come forward with a strange expression and reported: "Emperor Qi, the Qianqing Palace has sent a message, saying that the Lord is coming to report good news to you." ”

Annunciation?

The Emperor Taishang frowned unconsciously, what other happy events could he have to repay at this juncture?

subconsciously looked back at the Empress Dowager Niu, but saw that she was also full of surprise.

The Emperor Taishang hesitated for a moment, and then said: "The left and right widows haven't slept yet, so let the emperor come over." ”

Xia Shouzhong received the order and bowed down.

The Emperor Taishang was suspicious in his heart, and he had the heart to discuss a few words with the Empress Dowager Niu, but when he thought of the suspicion of the Niu family, he still had a mustard after all, so he muttered silently alone.

"Father, father!"

About a quarter of an hour later, a few passionate shouts suddenly sounded outside the hall, and then I saw Emperor Guangde staggering in, taking a few steps forward, falling to the ground with a pop, and shouting with tears: "God bless me Da Zhou, God bless me royal!" That unfilial son ...... He planted an heir! ”

"What?!"

When the Emperor Taishang heard this, he was stunned for a long time, and then showed a helpless wry smile, but immediately turned into a look of surprise and said hurriedly: "There is such a thing?!" Tell the widow what the hell is going on! ”

As he spoke, he raised his voice and commanded, "What are you doing in a daze?" Don't bring a chair for the emperor yet! ”

The two little eunuchs hurriedly carried a chair and placed it on the left side of the imperial case.

Emperor Guangde thanked him, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief, and this time sat on the chair with joy, and accidentally found that the prisoner Li was suspected of being pregnant, so the five imperial doctors and Wang Kun consulted together, and told the story as it was.

The Emperor Taishang only sighed when he heard it, shook his head and said: "I don't think that woman has ruined the prince's heir, but she is pregnant with the prince, it is really a success and a failure." ”

"It seems that although God is not angry with the prince for losing his morality, he still leaves room for my Da Zhou after all, so it seems that this child must be an imperial grandson!"

As he spoke, his face sank again, and he said solemnly: "In fact, it's not just the prince's immorality, the widow heard that there are many unscrupulous people among the children and children in this sect now, some who bully men and women, some who spoil concubines and kill wives, those who raise prostitutes, and those who set up other houses!" ”

"I heard that there are still some people who have fornicated with women outside, and they don't dare to be included in the clan register after giving birth to a son, it's really annoying and hateful!"

"This kind of unscrupulous behavior, the emperor should also take care of it!"

When Emperor Guangde heard this, his eyes flickered slightly, but on the surface, he stood up solemnly and said that he would let people secretly investigate the words and deeds of the children of the clan, and choose those who were not worthy of heavy punishment.

"When the widow heard about the assassination of the crown prince, he was not stable for a day and a night, and the emperor must have been the same." The Emperor Taishang said: "Now that this good news has come out, you should also rest early, so as not to overwork and hurt your body." ”

But when he said this, he suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly asked: "By the way, in the case of the assassination of the prince, has you ever found out who is behind the scenes?" ”

Emperor Guangde said with some hesitation: "Now a lot of evidence faintly points to the second brother......"

"It won't be him!"

The Emperor Taishang said without hesitation: "This is not beneficial to him at all—if his friends really have such ability, they should have rescued him a long time ago!" ”

When Emperor Guangde saw this scene, he knew that he wanted to kill Prince Yizhong by the way, but he was afraid that it was impossible.

So he nodded and said: "Erchen also thinks so, and has ordered Xu Furen to continue to track down the culprit behind the scenes." ”

"Well, this matter must be investigated, and the traitor will be beheaded!"

The father and son said a few more words, and Emperor Guangde got up and retired.

After seeing Emperor Guangde leave, Empress Dowager Niu, who had been silent beside her, suddenly said faintly: "Even if it is from the son of the clan, it is not your blood descendant after all." ”

"Then what do you want me to do?!"

The Emperor Taishang stood up suddenly, condescendingly looked at the Empress Dowager Niu, and asked viciously: "Expose this lame lie, completely force him into a corner, and then meet his own son!" Perform a drama that is more exciting than the changes of Xuanwumen, so as to leave an infamy in the annals of history and become a joke of those sour and rotten literati? ! ”

After saying this in one breath, the emperor's chest rose and fell rapidly, and he reached out to support the imperial case, so that he did not fall on the dragon chair in despair.

Empress Dowager Niu was silent for a long time, and suddenly slowly put her palms together, and recited the Buddha's name with low eyebrows: "Amitabha, God bless the emperor to find out the real culprit as soon as possible, don't let my Niu family suffer injustice." ”

The words are divided into two ends.

However, it was said that Emperor Guangde had just arrived outside the palace wall of the Qianqing Palace, and he collided with King Zhongshun head-on.

"Go, go, go, all down!"

King Zhongshun chased away flies, dispersed all the attendants accompanying him, carried a lantern and walked side by side with Emperor Guangde, and said in a low voice: "Has the old man seen any flaws? ”

"Flaws?"

Emperor Guangde sneered with a calm face: "My father has never seen anything in his life, how can such a trick be hidden from him?" ”

"Then ...... him"

"Listen to him, you should acquiesce."

Emperor Guangde sneered: "But I secretly drew a line, this Li Dai Taozhuang's seed must be found from the royal family." ”

Seeing the two eunuchs standing in front of him, King Zhongshun temporarily stopped talking, and only after entering the palace did he nod and said, "I should have looked for it from the clan, but the old man is quite reasonable this time." ”

"Reasonable?"

Emperor Guangde sneered: "It's just that I consciously took the blame, and I didn't want to punish the old pious woman, and I didn't want to fall into the infamy of father and son, so I just compromised for a while!" ”

As he spoke, he gritted his teeth and punched the beam, and said hatefully: "One day, I will destroy the Niu family of the Nine Clans!" ”

King Zhongshun followed his meaning, and also scolded the Niu family a few words, but the words changed again, and he praised: "I didn't expect that Erlang of the Sun family had such courage and insight at a young age, if he hadn't made this one in time, and after a few days this matter spread, we would have been much more passive." ”

Saying that, he hesitated again: "But this kid is so bold and bold, and he is famous in the capital at a young age, if he really has a firm foothold in the court in the future, I am afraid it will not be the blessing of the court." ”

Emperor Guangde shook his head and said: "Since ancient times, I have only heard that newborn calves are not afraid of tigers, and when the children and grandchildren of the settled family grow up, the edges and corners will be almost grinded, and the children and grandchildren will have their own children and grandchildren......

He originally wanted to say, 'Children and grandchildren have their own children and grandchildren', but when he thought of the prince's current situation, he couldn't help but feel sad.

At this time, King Zhongshun suddenly took out a pamphlet from his sleeve and presented it with respectful hands: "Please also take a look at this thing, Your Majesty!" ”

Emperor Guangde took the pamphlet with some confusion and flipped through it casually, only to see that the entire record on it was all examples of people over fifty years old, and there were even two special cases of seventy ancient rarity.

"Your Majesty has also been working hard since childhood, how can you not compare to these ordinary people?" King Zhongshun said in a timely manner: "It's just that Your Majesty has a deep relationship with the imperial sister-in-law, and rarely spoils other concubines on weekdays. ”

Although Emperor Guangde did not respond, he repeatedly rubbed the pamphlet, but he was obviously moved.