Empress Dowager Bao was a little unhappy when she saw Cui Hao's opposition to this, "Why not?" ”

Cui Hao had no choice but to analyze with Dou: "Queen Mother, Hua Mulan is a general of the imperial court, who has repeatedly made military exploits, and is famous in the court and the opposition, Su Gu Dagan is just a small Yu Linlang, no emperor's will, no queen mother's will, if you can easily take Mulan, then the court ministers and generals are inevitably too weightless, if the queen mother casually decides the life and death of a court general without any reason, who will dare to die for the queen mother in the future?" ”

"Also, Wandu Gui is too rough in this matter, he is also a general of the Fu Army, Shanggu Gong, and he is also an important minister and general of the imperial court, Tuoba Shoule has no witnesses and no physical evidence, and he deceived him into falsely accusing people of rebellion and killing him with a knife, what is this for? This practice made the people of the Manchu Dynasty panic and chill! Those who know think that Tuoba Shoule is arrogant and arrogant; I don't know, I think it's the Queen Mother behind the scenes, this is smearing the Queen Mother's face! ”

"Queen Mother, now the emperor is still young, you are in the dynasty again, the enemy countries around my Great Wei are eyeing each other, it is simply internal and external troubles, at this time, the first thing is to win the hearts of the people, to reuse loyal ministers and good generals, and must no longer do the things that are happy for the relatives and enemies!"

Dou Shi frowned, "Then in Cui Gong's opinion, what should I do now?" ”

Kou Qianzhi stood up and arched his hand: "Queen Mother, if you want to win back people's hearts, the only way is to punish Tuoba Shoule, so as to show the Manchu Dynasty civil and military and the subjects of the world that Wandu Gui was not from your instructions!" ”

Dou was displeased: "Tuoba Shoule is the niece and son-in-law of the mourning family, and he is also planning for the mourning family, how can the mourning family cut off his arm?" Whether this approach can make the Manchu civil and military change their views on the mourning family I don't know, but it will definitely chill the hearts of the people! ”

Cui Hao had no choice but to say to the Dou family again: "Empress Dowager, just make a show to the ministers, and the hundred officials will definitely know that you won't really kill him, if you don't even do it, this will rise from a matter of attitude to a matter of principle!" ”

Cui Hao has some words that have not yet been said, there is not only one queen mother in this palace, although the emperor's biological mother is dead, but there are many people who can be his nursing mother, if someone controls the emperor, you will be the queen mother.

Dou thought about it for a long time, and thought that Cui Hao and Kou Qianzhi still had some truth in what they said, at this time, they really couldn't offend all the ministers, this country still needs them to govern, and her authority also needs these people to maintain, so he sent someone to call Tuoba Shoule over and reprimand him fiercely, and ordered to seize his official position and title, and imprisoned him in the cell of the Zongren Mansion.

Imperial Palace, Central Cao Administration.

The official office of the inner courtyard of the palace is the yamen that serves the emperor's daily life, and the eunuch of Zhongcao is the chief official of this institution, and the official positions of the Zhongcao Office are all held by eunuchs.

In the lobby, Zong Ai faced the door with a gloomy face and hands behind his back, and Jia Zhou, Bu Liuguli and other henchmen stood on the left and right sides.

Jia Zhou waved his hand and asked the other eunuchs to go down, and there were only a few people left in the hall, all of whom were the henchmen of Zong Ai's heart.

"The eunuch, in addition to Wandu Gui, our strength has suffered a heavy loss these days, that Tuoba Shoule has the support of the queen mother, and the people who have taken refuge in the eunuch have been arrested, killed, and exiled, so that those courtiers and generals who want to take refuge in the eunuch dare not get close to the eunuch anymore, if it goes on like this for a long time, it won't be long before the people around the eunuch will be eradicated one by one, but I'm afraid that even the subordinates will not be spared, and when the subordinates are eliminated one by one, then the empress dowager will be poor to you!"

Jia Zhou's words made Zong Ai only feel chills, he knew too well the cruelty of the power struggle in this palace, if he didn't win, he would die, and there was no other result.

At this time, a little eunuch walked in quickly and saluted and reported to Zong Ai: "Eunuch Qi, there is news from Yong'an Palace that Cui Hao and Kou Qian went to see the Empress Dowager, and then the Empress Dowager issued an order to remove all official positions and titles of Tuoba Shoule, and went to prison to ask for guilt, Tuoba Shoule has been imprisoned in the prison of Zongren Mansion!" ”

"Oh?" Zong Ai was stunned for a moment, and then he reacted, Dou is acting for the court ministers to see, and wants to redeem the impact, after all, Tuoba Shoule has done too much these days, it is simply lawless, the court ministers are panicked, and they will execute the court ministers casually, who dares to stay in this court?

"Hmph, Cui Hao and Kou Qianzhi, these two old things, think that they fled back from Liaodong and were arrested in Youzhou, if it wasn't for our family to speak for them, they would have been punished and executed, and now these two old things don't miss our family's kindness, but help the stinky old ladies of the Dou family to fight against our family, our family is really blind!"

Buliu Guli sneered: "Eunuch, both of them are shameless people who have milk and mothers, from Emperor Taiwu to Emperor Xian, these two died first, they should change their doors immediately, how can such people be loyal at all?" ”

Zong Aiyin had a cold face, and after thinking for a while, he finally made up his mind, he beckoned to Buliu Guli and whispered in his ear: "You go to the prison of Zongzheng Temple, there is someone in our house ······ there"

After listening to this, Bu Liuguli hugged her fists and agreed: "Understand, the last general will go!" Since Tuoba Shoule has been imprisoned in Zongzheng Temple, don't think about it! ”

Zong Ai then whispered to Jia Zhou: "You send someone to find Guo E, the palace man of Yong'an Palace." Remember, the person sent must see her secretly, and never be seen by anyone else! ”

"Yes, Eunuch!"

Late at night, a palace maid was introduced by Jia Zhou into an inconspicuous room in the inner palace.

"Slave and maid meet the eunuch!" Guo E Yingying bowed down to Zong Ai.

"No need to be polite, get up!" Zong Ai waved his hand at Jia Zhou as he spoke, and Jia Zhou bowed and retreated.

After Guo E got up, Zong Ai said, "Girl, how is our family treating you?" ”

Guo E said: "If it weren't for the eunuch, the slave sister and brother would either starve to death on the street, or be bullied to death, and the eunuch would treat my sister and brother like a new parent!" ”

Zong Ai said: "Our family has encountered a difficult matter that you need to do, and you may lose your life because of it, do you dare?" Scared? ”

Guo E said: "The slave and maid will definitely be afraid, but as long as it is the matter of the eunuch, it is the matter of the slave and maid, even if it is to go to the soup and the fire!" ”

"Very good! In fact, you don't have to be afraid, as long as you act as usual, quietly, you won't show your feet! After Zong Ai finished speaking, he beckoned to her: "Come here with your ears!" ”

Zong Ai whispered something in Guo E's ear, Guo E's face did not change after hearing it, and she nodded calmly, "The slave and maid understand, the eunuch will wait for the good news of the slave and maid!" ”

"Okay, after this matter is completed, our family will arrange for you to go out of the palace, and you can go wherever you want in the future, but you must be incognito and find a good family to marry!" Zong Ai made a promise.

"Thank you, Eunuch!"

Inner Palace.

The Empress Dowager Dou has always been more sleepy, and today is no exception, sleeping until three o'clock in the morning before waking up.

She sat at the dressing table and groomed herself under the service of the palace maids.

After getting familiar with the dress, he put on a phoenix robe and put on jewelry on his head under the service of the palace maid.

At this time, a eunuch ran in in a panic and cried: "The Empress Dowager, something is wrong, the hussar general died in the prison of the Zongren Mansion last night!" ”

"What?" Dou Shi was shocked, and then he was furious: "Why did this happen? What is Zongrenfu for? Go and call Eqing, no, put the prison of Zongzheng Temple! ”

The left and right immediately persuaded each other: "The Empress Dowager can't, the place in the prison of Zongzheng Temple is too unlucky, it's better not to go, if the Empress Dowager has something, she will directly order her subordinates and others to do it!" ”

Dou thought about it, her niece and son-in-law are not too close after all, and they are not their own sons, and she will not go to the Zongzheng Temple prison for a person who has no blood relationship to find bad luck in a place where I don't know how many people have been killed.

"It's okay, go find Zong Zheng'e Qing!"

"Yes, Empress Dowager!"

Six years ago, Eqing and Xi Jin and other Northern Wei generals were captured by Helianding, two years ago Helianding was attacked by Tuyuhun when attacking Beiliang and was captured, Hu Xia was destroyed, Helianding was then sent to Pingcheng of Northern Wei by Tuyuhun to be executed, Eqing and Xi Jin and other veterans of the Northern Wei Dynasty were also rescued and returned to Pingcheng, Eqing lost his military power, but was appointed as Zongzheng, Xi Jin was demoted to a small official, and then was appointed as General Anton, demoted to the title of duke.

An older palace maid walked in with a few young palace maids with a meal, "The Empress Dowager, it's time for breakfast!" ”

The Dou clan is now full of anger, and even feels fear, Tuoba Shoule lost his life just after being imprisoned in the prison of the Zongren Mansion, there are no ghosts and ghosts in this!

Where can she eat at this time? The frost on his face waved his hand: "Don't eat!" ”

"The Queen Mother, even if something big happens, the meal still has to be eaten, the phoenix body is important, you have to be the master of this court matter, if you don't have a phoenix body, won't the world be chaotic? Let's eat some, right? The waitress advised.

Dou is a person who pays attention to maintenance, and after listening to the persuasion of the lady's attendant, he had to beckon: "Come here!" ”

The palace ladies put the meals on the table in turn, and the lady-in-waiting took a pot of hot tea, poured a cup of warm water and said, "When you get up in the morning, you must drink a cup of warm water to warm up your body!" ”

After speaking, she pointed to Guo E who was standing aside: "You come and try the tea!" ”

"Yes!" Guo E agreed, stepped forward to take the teacup and drank it all, put down the teacup after drinking, picked up the teapot and quietly twisted the lid of the teapot to pour the tea, but was scolded by the female attendant: "Who let you move the teapot without permission, why don't you put it down quickly?" ”

"Yes, yes, the slave knows that she is wrong, please forgive the Queen Mother!" Guo E immediately put down the teapot and knelt on the ground.

Dou Shi saw that it was not a big deal, and saw that there was nothing wrong with her after drinking tea, so he waved his hand: "Forget it, she is also a good intention!" Pour the tea, the mourning family is thirsty! ”

"Empress Dowager Xie's grace of innocence!" Guo E immediately thanked her. That's right, she is a palace maid who tests Dou's poison, but everything Dou's drinks and eats needs to be non-toxic after she has tried it before giving it to Dou's food.

Dou took the tea handed over by the waitress, first took a sip and rinsed his mouth, and then drank the rest.

Next, Guo E eats vegetables with chopsticks, one chopstick for each one, to see if all the food is poisonous.

"No problem, please invite the Queen Mother to dinner!" The maid handed the ivory chopsticks to Dou, and the palace maids put some of Dou's favorite dishes in a small plate and sent them to her.

Suddenly, the ivory chopsticks in Dou's hand fell to the ground, covering his stomach with a painful face, his face turned blue in the blink of an eye, and he opened his mouth to spit out a mouthful of blood: "Puff-"

"The Empress Dowager!" The palace people and eunuchs suddenly lost their voices and shouted.

"Bold!" The female attendant pointed at Guo E and was furious, "Why did the Empress Dowager have an accident after eating, but you are fine?" ”

Guo E immediately knelt on the ground and said in horror: "It's not about the slave and maid, the slave and maid have tried every food ······."

"Stop arguing, call the imperial doctor!"

In the chaos, Guo E sneaked out and was never seen again.

When waiting for the imperial doctor to arrive, Dou had already vomited a lot of blood, and his anger was like a gossamer, and the imperial doctor was also lacking in skills.

At this time, Zong Ai rushed over with Jia Zhou and other henchmen, kneeling in front of Dou's corpse and crying with fake compassion: "Empress Dowager, what's wrong with you?" Why did you go suddenly, how do you ask the slave to take care of this huge court alone? ”

Jia Zhou led people to take Emperor Tuoba Ren out of the Dou family's bedroom: "Eunuch, Your Majesty is safe and sound!" ”