In the hot afternoon, it was very cool in the small courtyard of Lin Jue's study. Several large trees surround the study, and at the moment the thick shade shades the sun, blocking the scorching sun, as if adding a layer of insulation to the study.

In the large study, Lin Jue sat on the rattan chair behind the bookcase. In front of him, Shen Tan was sitting in a precarious position, and he was softly reporting the details of the chaos that had occurred in the capital and the subsequent disposition.

In fact, the incident in the capital was sent by Shen Tan to the army the day after it happened. When Lin Jue finished disposing of the Jurchen affairs and the army was about to march to victory, the news was also sent to Lin Jue. After receiving the letter, Lin Jue sighed and only said one sentence: If you don't see the coffin, you won't shed tears! He never said anything about it.

Everything that happened was actually under Lin Jue's control. As early as when Lin Jue was preparing to set out for the army, Xuan Yiwei found out the secret news that the Empress Dowager sent Huang Jiang to contact Shen Fang and Liu Sheng. The Queen Mother Shen Akui said that she was shrewd, but she was actually very confused. In the capital at this moment, what kind of action can escape Lin Jue's eyes. Xuanyiwei has already been a department that Lin Jue and Ma Bin have discussed to vigorously develop, and it is necessary to build Xuanyiwei into an independent and developed powerful department for intelligence exploration and investigation of officials' misconduct, how can Liu Sheng and Shen Fang, the two figures on the blacklist, not be strictly monitored. When he knew this, Lin Jue immediately realized that Guo Kun's mother and son were going to make small moves behind their backs after they led the army away. Lin Jue naturally sighed in his heart, he very much hoped that Guo Kun could stop the precipice, and hoped that all this would not happen. However, when Shen Tan delivered the news to himself, Lin Jue was very helpless. Guo Kun and the Queen Mother still did it behind their backs, and as soon as they came, they strengthened their determination to carry out a major change in the government.

Although there was a letter to report, of course, Shen Tan had to make a face-to-face report. There are many things that cannot be explained clearly in the letter. After a detailed description, Shen Tan finally said: "This is how things happened, exactly as you predicted before. All the actions I laid out according to your predictions worked. Things can be calmed down because your predictions were accurate. Hey, how I wish it hadn't happened, but it did. My state of mind is actually very complicated right now, and I feel very sad in my heart. ”

Lin Jue stood up and bowed, "Second Brother Shen, junior brother is here to express my heartfelt respect for you. This matter is not easy for you, you have a close relationship with the royal palace, and it is a torment for you to do this. But Second Brother Shen, why am I not like this? Isn't my relationship with Prince Liang and the emperor close? and Cai Wei, how sad and embarrassed she should be in the middle. It's not you and me who are at fault in today's situation, we're just reacting to it. At this point, I'm sad too. People's hearts are fickle, who would have thought that such a thing would happen just after it had just stabilized. I thought that this would not happen within us, but it seems that I was too naïve. Some things are not subject to our will, and since things happen, we have to face them positively. You tell me. ”

Shen Tan nodded and sighed: "Yes, I understand the truth, but I feel really uncomfortable." Brother Lin, I want to ask more, does what you promised me before still count? You said that you would not retaliate against the emperor for such a thing, are you still willing to do this now? ”

Lin Jue looked out the window, his fingers lightly tapped on the tabletop, and he said after a while: "Second Brother Shen, what I promised you will naturally count." I'm not going to kill him. I'm not going to let anyone else do anything to him. However, I might as well make it clear to you that if such an emperor is allowed to toss, the Great Zhou will be over. I believe you agree with me, this kind of person who only cares about himself, ignores the overall situation, and is extremely suspicious and suspicious, it is difficult to achieve great things. For Da Zhou, it must be a source of chaos. ”

Shen Tan frowned and nodded slowly: "However, as you said at the conference today, do you want to abolish him and set up a new king?" ”

Lin Jue shook his head and said, "Second Brother Shen didn't understand what I meant, the crux of the problem is not who to appoint as the emperor, but the imperial power itself. If someone else becomes the emperor, how can you guarantee that he will be a holy monarch? It would be unwise to pin your hopes on a monarch who is unsure whether he is holy or not. I won't abolish him, he can still be the emperor, and no one will rob him of that position. As long as he is honest and doesn't make trouble behind his back, he can be a lifelong person. ”

Shen Tan was surprised: "What does Brother Lin mean?" I don't quite understand. ”

Lin Jue smiled and said, "I'll tell you." I'll have a few days to think about it, and then I'll explain my thoughts to you in detail. At that time, I hope to get the support of Second Brother Shen. ”

Shen Tan nodded and said, "Brother, don't worry, I have already sworn to the heavens that I will stand by your side at any time." Besides, do I have a choice? I am now also an ungrateful betrayer of the emperor in the eyes of many people. ”

Lin Jue laughed and said, "It seems that you and I are going to be scolded by thousands of people, but so what? How can you be as good as you want, but please be worthy of my heart. We are for the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the well-being of all the people, we are taking the right path and doing the right thing, so why not be afraid of rumors and misunderstandings? You, me, and many people around us all have to take responsibility. ”

Shen Tan said in a deep voice: "It's very true, a manly man, he does something and doesn't do something." We are not for personal gain, but for the public heart, and we have a clear conscience. ”

……

Soon after sending Shen Tan away, Lin Jue ordered someone to invite Guo Caiwei to the study. Guo Caiwei had been waiting anxiously in the room, and Lin Jue ordered someone to invite her, so she hurriedly came. When she entered the study and gave Lin Jue a salute, Lin Jue saw a layer of fine sweat on her smooth forehead.

"The concubine has seen her husband!" Guo Caiwei saluted.

Lin Jue smiled and handed over the scarf, poured another cup of herbal tea and handed it over, and said with a smile: "Wipe your sweat and drink some herbal tea to quench your thirst." Can you take a nap after the banquet is over? Pay attention to your body and sleep more for your health. Otherwise, she will soon become an old woman. ”

Guo Caiwei looked at Lin Jue in a daze, her eyes were red, and she said softly: "The husband shouldn't be so good to Wei'er, the husband should scold Wei'er." The concubine is not worthy of her husband to be so good to me. ”

Lin Jue was stunned for a moment, frowned, and said, "Where do you start with this?" ”

Guo Caiwei sighed softly and said, "Why should the husband ask knowingly. The concubine was ashamed and frightened in her body and mind, and it was really unforgivable for her brother to do such a thing. The better my husband treats me, the more bad I feel. ”

Lin Jue sighed and sat down, stretched out his hand to Guo Caiwei and said, "Wei'er, come here, sit here." ”

Lin Jue patted his thigh, when he was usually intimate, Lin Jue liked to hold Guo Caiwei and sit on his lap to play, and that position also represented the most intimate position. But this time, Guo Caiwei did not sit up like countless times before, she only blushed, but her body did not move.

Lin Jue was a little embarrassed, coughed and said, "Wei'er, you and I have been husband and wife for many years, we have shared hardships and hardships, and we have experienced many ups and downs, don't you know me?" I trust you no matter what. This matter has nothing to do with you, you are you, your brother is your brother, you are not him, and he is not you. ”

Guo Caiwei nodded and said: "I understand the truth, but he is my brother after all, although I want to stay out of it, I can't." It's hard for me to get caught in the middle. Husband, I won't hide it from you, I went into the palace to see them a few days ago and persuaded my brother and mother to admit their mistakes to you. But then I realized that this matter was not over by admitting a mistake. I know there are some things that we women shouldn't be in charge of, but I

But I can't stay out of it. I've been thinking a lot about it these days, and I know that you, husband, are dedicated to the country and the people, and you have worked hard and made great achievements. My brother shouldn't have done that. So, I don't blame you for making any decisions. I only ask my husband to look at my husband and wife, for the sake of my father's face, and open up to my mother. She's just a woman, for the sake of her son. Just like my fighter, I may do something stupid and hope that my husband will forgive him. In addition, I would like to ask my husband one thing, in the current situation, the concubine can't be in the position of dominating the eldest lady of the Lin family, which will make it difficult for the husband. Therefore, I would like to give up the position of the eldest woman and let another virtuous person of the right position take over. In this way, the husband does not have to worry about the face of the concubine. ”

Lin Jue frowned and looked at Guo Caiwei and said, "Wei'er, why are you so troubled. I said, you are you, he is him. What your brother did had nothing to do with you, so why did you have to take it from yourself. I understand your feelings, after all, it's your mother and brother, how can you be indifferent? It's normal for you to go into the palace to see them, or even to intercede for them. Am I going to blame you for that? If you are involved because of your brother's business, then wouldn't it be even me and Zhan'er who are at fault? Because we are also your loved ones. One person does things and one person does it, and if your brother is not successful, he probably doesn't want to implicate others. What you say to give up the position of the eldest lady is even more ridiculous, you have been in charge of the family for all these years, and you are not biased. The people in the family have no complaints about you. Is there any truth in being punished for not being wrong? Unless you yourself don't want to take charge of the house, and you don't want to serve me, it's very simple, I give you a letter of resignation, one goodbye and two good, each rejoices, isn't it okay? Why bother to resign as a lady. Do you want me to do that? ”

Guo Caiwei's face turned pale, and she hurriedly shouted: "Husband, the concubine body doesn't mean that, the concubine body is self-blame." ”

Lin Jue shook his head and sighed: "Of course I know your feelings, all this has nothing to do with you, I will say it again in the end." As for your mother and your brother, I have promised you that I will not do anything to them. I can forgive your brother, let alone your mother. Am I the kind of person who doesn't recognize my relatives? My biggest weakness in my life is that I can't be ruthless in attacking the people around me. Even if they do things that I hate. What I promised you is still valid, and you don't have to worry that I will kill your brother and your mother. You know, I'm not going to do that. Don't threaten me with my soft-heartedness, and deliberately say something to provoke me. Then I'll be angry. ”

Guo Caiwei said happily: "Husband, you are still willing to ...... at this time Spare my brother? ”

Lin Jue nodded slightly: "Of course." How can I be a murderer? ”

Guo Caiwei said softly: "Thank you, husband, spare my brother's life." Even if he deposed his throne, he should be content. ”

Lin Jue shook his head and said, "I won't abolish him." He'll be his emperor. ”

Guo Caiwei was stunned: "Isn't the husband joking? ”

Lin Jue said in a deep voice: "Of course not. Don't thank me, I'm not doing it for you. Your brother must be punished for these things, but the punishment is not necessarily to kill him or depose him. Wei'er, you can rest assured now, I'll say it again, this matter has nothing to do with you, and I won't kill your brother and mother. But other things, you can't meddle anymore, that's the bottom line. I don't want you to say anything more about what I have done after that, and I will not tolerate anyone who wants to obstruct it. I will not touch your brother and your mother, but if they refuse to bow their heads, then it is a different matter. When I say bow your head, I don't mean giving a drunken crab, but being prepared to give up all struggles. If you have time, you'd better go to the palace and tell them what I mean. That's what you're supposed to do as your daughter and sister and as my wife Lin Jue. ”