Concubine Zhen accompanied the emperor to Weiyang Palace after breakfast, and the emperor was always smiling, but after Concubine Zhen left the house, the emperor often exhaled a breath, with some worry in his eyes, some puzzlement and some fear.

No one has ever seen fear in the eyes of the emperor, when he was young, he led the troops to fight with the enemy, even if he was outnumbered, he was not afraid, and later he was dismissed from the military power and was criticized, and he was never afraid of living in Yunxiao City, Xishu Road, and then he was ordered to turn the tide, and he still stabilized Daning when there were few people available, and he was not afraid at that time.

Later, he used the emperor's respect as a bait, and forced the Northern Expedition to fight for at least three years for a year and returned with a great victory, and when he was besieged by the heavy troops of the black warriors, he was still not afraid.

But at the moment when Concubine Zhen left the house, there was a faint fear in the emperor's eyes.

The most terrifying thing is that the emperor doesn't know if he is afraid of it or not.

"Xuanhan Zhaozhi comes in."

The emperor commanded, looked down, and saw that his palms were a little sweaty.

Whenever I mentioned to Concubine Zhen that she wanted to be the queen, Concubine Zhen always avoided talking about it, and always found some irrelevant topics to cover up the past, the emperor didn't know what she was afraid of, for her emperor could be the enemy of the world, even if those people from the big family and even the Li family felt that Concubine Zhen couldn't be born in the world, and the emperor didn't care, if there was a noble and humble background in this world, the emperor also felt that Concubine Zhen was extremely noble.

For her sake, he was willing to announce that she would become the Empress of Daning when Mount Tai sealed the Zen, that is, to tell all those who objected that it was useless for anyone to object.

The emperor let out a long breath, he wasn't angry, he just didn't understand, why didn't Concubine Zhen want to?

Half an hour later, Han Zhaozhi hurried to the house.

When he entered the door, Han Zhaozhi immediately leaned over: "Minister......"

"Excuse me."

The emperor waved his hand: "Come and speak." ”

Han Zhaozhi hurriedly took a few steps forward: "Please give instructions from Your Majesty." ”

The emperor looked at the thick stack of folds on the table in front of him and seemed to be a little distracted, Han Zhaozhi waited quietly for the emperor to speak, from the emperor's face he could probably see what it was, the emperor has never been embarrassed by state affairs, he is always so resolute and so far-sighted, the emperor will not be troubled by the enemy, he is decisive and no enemy can make the emperor so sad.

What can make the emperor react like this can only be a family matter.

What else is there in the family? First, His Royal Highness the Prince, Cao Anqing's escape has made His Royal Highness the Crown Prince now a frightened bird, he trembled all day long and didn't even dare to see anyone, that day after Cao Anqing fled, the prince knelt in Dongnuan Pavilion for a day and a night, and the emperor didn't treat him well.

Second, Concubine Zhen?

Originally, Han Zhaozhi thought of Shen Leng, but Shen Leng should not have anything to bother His Majesty now, so he immediately thought of Concubine Zhen, if there is still one person in this world who can easily clarify His Majesty's emotions, it can only be Concubine Zhen.

Thinking of Concubine Zhen, Han Zhaozhi immediately thought of the person he had recently found, so his heart immediately tightened.

"What about people?"

The emperor glanced up at Han Zhaozhi.

"I'm already halfway back to Beijing."

Han Zhaozhi leaned over and said: "The one who caught the person in Xishu Dao is called Qiu Nianzhi, and he is Cao Anqing's lackey, Cao Anqing asked him to investigate the incident in the palace back then, and he seems to be ...... Something seems to have been found. ”

The emperor was silent.

For so many years, the emperor has been sending people to investigate, and Han Zhaozhi is the one who knows the most among these people, but even Han Zhaozhi has not found out about it, how can Cao Anqing's Jianghu guest find out? It's not that Han Zhaozhi is incompetent, it's not that Qiu Nianzhi is much stronger than Han Zhaozhi, but because the emperor always changes his mind.

In this matter, Han Zhaozhi met an indecisive Majesty, and met a Majesty who was so entangled and so difficult to decide.

"What did you find?"

After a long time, the emperor finally asked.

Han Zhaozhi lowered his head and said: "There is no news back, the person sent to arrest Qiu Nianzhi will not interrogate without the permission of the minister, the minister has confessed, he must bring the person back to Chang'an and the minister will interrogate him personally, and the others will not ask a lot of questions." ”

The emperor nodded: "Are you also wondering?" ”

Han Zhaozhi hurriedly replied: "No, the minister." ”

"You have."

The emperor said in a deep tone: "You know me, you know that I have never been a person who can't afford to let go, and you also know that no matter how difficult things are, I will always think of a way, but only in this matter, you see my weakness and indecision...... Han Zhaozhi, the case asked you to investigate and then stopped you from investigating, so many times do you know why? It's because ...... I'm actually scared. ”

This is the first time that Han Zhaozhi heard His Majesty say that he was afraid.

"Concubine Zhen has never deceived me, and it has been many years since I met her, and she has not deceived me even a word."

The emperor looked at Han Zhaozhi: "So I asked her if the child stolen by the queen was a boy or a girl, and she replied that I said it was a boy, and I never doubted it, and I don't doubt it now, I know that she will never deceive me, but what I am afraid of is ...... Someone deceived her. ”

Han Zhaozhi's shoulders trembled, he shouldn't have heard these words as a courtier, but His Majesty said it in front of him, this is a great trust in him, looking at the whole world, who can say these things to the emperor?

"Minister, I'll find out."

"This time, let's find out."

The emperor let out a long breath: "You also know that I always want Concubine Zhen to be my queen, and I want to give her the most solemn ceremony so that the whole world will know about it...... But Concubine Zhen always avoided answering, I wasn't sure what she was afraid of, but I knew that she was afraid, maybe it wasn't because she lied to me but because she wasn't sure, I always knew, I knew it from the beginning to now, because I knew her. ”

The Emperor's tone grew deeper and lower, and his fingers trembled slightly.

"Actually, why don't I know the answer? For so many years, the loss of the child is a lesion in her heart, there is no medicine and stone, she feels sorry for me, and she feels sorry for the child, she refuses to agree to be my queen, because she is afraid that there will be a change in that matter, once there is a change, those people from the family and even the royal family that I have been pressing will immediately stand up......"

The emperor shook his head: "But she didn't understand, no matter what happened at the beginning, it was not her fault, no matter how many people stood in front of me to stop me, I didn't care, I just wanted her to be my queen." ”

Han Zhaozhi lowered his head and listened, he knew that he only had to listen.

After a long time, the emperor raised his head and glanced at Han Zhaozhi: "Last time you said that Qiu Nianzhi found a stable woman's daughter, if she was indeed present at the time, this matter would have come to light, right?" ”

Han Zhaozhi hung his head: "Yes......"

The emperor smiled bitterly: "Actually, this matter can be revealed a long time ago, I have always been afraid, it is Concubine Zhen who has always been afraid, I am even more resistant to check after knowing Shen Leng, since there is already Shen Leng, why should I check again?" ”

The emperor let out a long breath again, which was a depression that could not be evacuated in his heart.

"But I have to give that kid an explanation."

The emperor looked at Han Zhaozhi: "After bringing people back to Chang'an, I will ask in person." ”

Han Zhaozhi leaned over: "The minister sent people over, and he must bring them back to Chang'an safely." ”

"No one is going to kill them anymore, even if the queen is alive, she won't send anyone to kill them."

The emperor looked at Han Zhaozhi: "I want to ask you one more thing, I found out that those stable women went to live in seclusion on the mountain road, and then they all died, was it killed by Concubine Zhen's people?" ”

Han Zhaozhi's heart was shocked.

But he can't lie.

"Yes, judging from what has been found so far, it is ......"

Han Zhaozhi immediately said: "But Concubine Zhen doesn't know, although Concubine Zhen is afraid, she hasn't dared to face it for so many years, and she can't bear to suppress the queen in every way, just because she is afraid, as Your Majesty said, what Concubine Zhen is afraid of is not that she has done something wrong, but that she is afraid of being deceived and is not confident." ”

The Emperor exhaled for the third time, but did not speak.

"The person was sent out by Concubine Zhen to the palace, and at that time she should have been ready to meet all this, but the people she sent killed all those stable women, so she ......"

The emperor raised his hand and rubbed his temples vigorously: "Han Zhaozhi, what if Shen Leng is not my son?" ”

"He is still the general of Daning, and he is still the Duke of An Guo of Daning, the most important thing is that he is a person trusted by His Majesty, and the minister feels that Shen Leng is the prince who is lost, with a great probability, seven or eight times out of ten."

The emperor snorted: "It's too similar, it looks like me everywhere." ”

Han Zhaozhi knew that he shouldn't say too much about this matter, no matter how much His Majesty trusted him, he was also a minister, and he couldn't say much about His Majesty's family affairs.

But he still couldn't hold back.

"Your Majesty, if you finally find out what happened back then, there may be other hidden secrets, once it is publicized, will Your Majesty still make Concubine Zhen Niangniang the queen?"

"Yes."

The emperor did not hesitate when answering this word.

"No matter what, no matter who you are, you can't stop me."

The emperor looked at Han Zhaozhi's eyes: "I just want to find out, I just want Concubine Zhen to erase the demons in her heart." ”

Han Zhaozhi also breathed a sigh of relief, because he understood His Majesty's mind.

"I understand."

Han Zhaozhi leaned over: "The minister went back to arrange manpower." ”

"Okay."

The emperor waved his hand: "Let's go out...... In addition, arrange people to go to the western Xinjiang, send a few more capable people in the Tingwei Mansion, the situation in the western Xinjiang side will be very complicated, the war in the north has greatly injured the vitality of the black warriors, the black warriors are tigers, the people of the Western Regions are fleas, the tiger is the opponent, but the fleas make people irritable, there are too many fleas and it will make people uncomfortable, as many as cow hair can bite people to death, now since the fleas themselves come out of the hiding place, then they are afraid of death with a slap. ”

"Yes!"

Han Zhaozhi leaned over again and bowed: "The minister understands." ”

The emperor got up and walked to the window to look at the layer of spring in the thatched house.

"Han Zhaozhi, I'm not afraid, don't be afraid."

Han Zhaozhi bowed down and withdrew from the Maozhai.

Tingwei's Mansion.

Han Zhaozhi, who returned to his study, sat down and took a deep breath again and again, the words that His Majesty said just now exploded in his heart like thunder, one after another, he didn't dare and couldn't mention these words to another person, even someone like the old dean.

That is the only trust that His Majesty has ever had.

"Someone, call Nie Ye in."

He gave an order, and his subordinate lieutenant hurriedly went out, and after a while, Qianban Nie Ye walked in quickly from the outside and bowed: "My lord, what are your orders?" ”

"Choose some people with cronies to do something, and you will personally lead the team."

Han Zhaozhi's brows furrowed very tightly.

"Your Excellency."

Nie Ye glanced at Han Zhaozhi, and said something in his heart to make Lord Han so entangled.

"Kill ......"

Han Zhaozhi's words came to an abrupt end halfway through.

"Forget it...... Go busy with yours. ”

Han Zhaozhi waved his hand weakly, closed his eyes, and frowned even deeper.