At the turn of spring and summer, it is the season of green, fat, red and thin, and the scene of the Ming Jingshi is lush and full of vitality.

Next to the inclined corridor outside the Qianqing Palace, there are only a few trees, which also attract the lingering of birds, which "chirp" among the branches and leaves. Zhu Gaoxu, who was sitting in the Dongnuan Pavilion, heard the sound of birdsong and had the illusion that he "did not feel like living in a densely populated imperial city".

He was soon a little irritated by the noise of birds, because the eunuch Cao Fu came in to report the matter, mentioning that Chen Xianzhen followed Hou Hai, Pei Youzhen, Liu Ming and others into Beijing.

Cao Fu recounted for a while, and then said: "The slave asked Zhang Sheng, and the accompanying Jinyi Wei had a report, saying that this matter was the meaning of Zhang Fu, the Marquis of Xincheng. ”

"I see." Zhu Gaoxu said.

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhang Fu have known each other for many years and still know him; Regarding Zhang Fu's report, there should be no problem. Zhang Fu is still capable of leading troops to fight, but he is obsessed with power and art, and he also has his own opinions on the relationship between government and people, which is different from people like Ping'an.

Cao Fu seemed to hesitate a little, and then said softly: "Emperor Mingjian." Previously, the emperor was gracious and did not pursue Chen Xianzhen's service for the traitor Chen Jikuo, and let Chen Xianzhen return to his hometown. But Chen Xianzhen was not grateful, and complained when he left. ”

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at Cao Fu and felt that Chen Xian might have offended this eunuch.

Cao Fu asked again: "Emperor, where will she settle down after she enters Beijing?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "The old mansion of the Han King in the west of the imperial city, let her live there temporarily." ”

Cao Fu bowed and said, "The slave obeys the order." ”

When the eunuch went out, Zhu Gaoxu got up from his chair and found a letter in a mahogany shelf by the wall. This is a letter from the Empress Dowager Chen of Annan Guo, which I received not long ago.

He found one of them. Chen specifically mentioned it in the letter and asked Zhu Gaoxu to believe that Chen did not persecute Chen Xianzhen, and asked the ministers around him, but no one had ever dealt with Chen Xianzhen; Chen Xianzhen complained in the Governor's Mansion and the royal family chased and killed her, which was a false and false matter. Chen also explained in the letter that since the Ming Emperor was not guilty of Chen Xianzhen's past, she would not care about it anymore.

These grievances and entanglements were originally private matters, but they also made Zhu Gaoxu troubled. However, he still trusts Empress Dowager Chen more, there is no intuitive reason, just intuition......

The old mansion of the Han Dynasty is near the Xuanjin Bridge in the west of the imperial city, very close to the Xi'an Gate.

Thinking about it, Zhu Di still felt guilty about Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Di ruthlessly made the right decision on the matter of imperial stability; But in other aspects, Zhu Di is not ungenerous, and may have a desire to compensate. When the crown prince couldn't even support the palace maids, Zhu Gaoxu not only got a prince's mansion in Yunnan, but also a luxurious and beautiful palace in the capital city, which has been preserved to the present.

A few days later, Zhu Gaoxu sat in Luan, took the queen's concubines and princes, and came to this palace surrounded by the Han generals of Jinyiwei and the guards of the imperial city. He hadn't been here in a long time.

The Qingming Festival has passed, but the garden scenery in early April is still very beautiful.

There are lakes, ponds, pavilions, and various flowers and trees in the old mansion, which are even more beautiful than the imperial palace. Because of the symbolic halls and safety issues that the Imperial Palace pays the most attention to, there are not many places with gardens such as the Imperial Garden.

The eunuchs also brought some nets and glass bottles for Zhan to catch butterflies and play in the garden. Zhan Qi walks unsteadily,

Someone had to lead him before he could follow his brother and toss.

Zhu Gaoxu sat on a chair by the lake, watching the concubines, palace maids, and children play. He had been with them for more than an hour, and then he left the garden and came to the south of the palace.

Walking through the winding corridors behind a palace, he and the eunuch Cao Fu came to a suite. This is a place where you can sleep and rest, and it will seem a little ambiguous to meet guests here; For there was a beaded curtain at the door, and a bed in it, and on both sides there were transepts for the maids of the room.

After a while, Chen Xianzhen was brought over. She was no longer dressed as a Taoist priest, but wore a narrow robe. When she approached, she fell to her knees and immediately choked up and began to cry.

The content of her crying is probably known to Zhu Gaoxu. Chen Xianzhen's house, property and fields were plundered, and she was persecuted by Empress Dowager Chen and had nowhere to live.

Looking at Chen Xianzhen's appearance of pear blossoms with rain, Zhu Gaoxu actually had a subtle feeling of unreality or lack of empathy, as if he was listening to a story that had nothing to do with him.

Perhaps because Zhu Gaoxu is willing to listen to the court women, it is all true, and after listening to it more, he can understand the thoughts of many women; So now when he hears Chen Xian really crying, he always feels that something doesn't seem right.

Zhu Gaoxu had no choice but to say: "You settle down here first, and I will send someone to find out the ins and outs." ”

Chen Xianzhen said pitifully: "My brother's family has become a commoner, and the concubine has nowhere to live in Annan, so she can only go to the Daming Jingshi to be desolate but have the rest of her life." ”

"It's not that bad, it's not a big deal, and there's no need to rush. The scenery of the old mansion of King Han is beautiful, and there is nothing missing, so you can be quiet here. Zhu Gaoxu said.

At this moment, Chen Xianzhen suddenly asked, "The concubine heard that Ruan Jingyi was not punished, and he surrendered?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded and said, "There is such a thing." ”

Chen Xianzhen wanted to speak again and again, and finally raised his head and said: "Although Chen Jikuo was defeated, Li Li still rebelled in Annan. That Ruan Jingyi has a great friendship with Li Li, so don't be deceived by him. ”

"Is there such a thing?" Zhu Gaoxu said differently.

Chen Xianzhen asked rhetorically: "Didn't Ruan Jingyi explain this matter?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu was noncommittal, pondered for a moment, and then said, "You go back to the room to rest first." There are still people waiting for me in the back garden, and I'll see you when I'm free. ”

Chen Xianzhen squatted down and saluted: "Thanks, concubine." ”

But Zhu Gaoxu didn't go to the queen's side, he sat in this room for a while, then called Cao Fu in and said, "You go and spread my meaning, and ask the people of Jinyi Wei to send Ruan Jingyi over." ”

Cao Fu said: "The slave and maid will do it immediately." ”

Outside, the sun was shining, but the house, located behind the cloister house, was secluded and secluded. Zhu Gaoxu gradually smelled some kind of conspiracy, and he was very familiar with this feeling. After all, the Ming Dynasty is a place of centralized power, all kinds of personal grievances and struggles emerge in endlessly, and conspiracy is the most common thing.

Zhu Gaoxu didn't leave here, picked out a book from the desk, and drank tea and read the book while waiting for the person he wanted to meet.

He was a little absent-minded, and carefully sorted out the experience of people and others in his heart, and found a key point: Ruan Jingyi, as the general of the Annan rebels, was originally a capital crime, and it was purely Zhu Gaoxu's personal will to be able to live, and no one could have expected it in advance. So if Ruan Jingyi has any conspiracy, then the plan is a bit unreasonable.

After a long time, Cao Fu and Du Erlang walked into the door with the black and thin Ruan Jingyi. Ruan Jingyi was no longer wearing a prison uniform, he was wearing a scarf robe that was often worn by scholars in the Ming Dynasty, and he stepped forward and bowed: "The criminal minister knocks to see the saint." ”

"Get up." Zhu Gaoxu said.

Ruan Jingyi thanked him, got up from the ground, and stood silently in the middle of the house.

Zhu Gaoxu didn't rush to speak. He suddenly changed his mind, and without asking anything, he commanded, "There is an ear room next to it." Ruan Jingyi, you go inside and sit down, don't say anything. As long as I didn't call you, you just stayed there, you see? ”

Ruan Jingyi hugged his fists and said: "Understand, the criminal minister is in charge." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said to Cao Fu again: "You go and bring Chen Xianzhen over to meet again." ”

Ruan Jingyi suddenly stopped and turned his head to look. Zhu Gaoxu also looked over, Ruan Jingyi did not speak, and walked into the ear room again.

This method was used by Zhu Gaoxu to deal with Duan Yang and others, and it was very effective twice. He hoped that this time, he would also get some useful information.

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at Du Erlang, Du Erlang was a person from Jinyiwei, because he sent Ruan Jingyi to the old mansion of King Han, and he was not here at first. Zhu Gaoxu said: "Du Erlang, you go back to the yamen to be on duty." ”

Du Erlang clasped his fists and bowed, and saluted: "Weichen obeys the order." ”

Chen Xianzhen lived in the old mansion of King Han, and the time waiting for her was very short, and she came in after less than a stick of incense.

"Didn't the Holy One go into the garden?" Chen Xianzhen asked.

Zhu Gaoxu smiled in a casual tone: "Go, the concubines are on the rise, and I am in the way there." I remembered that after Ruan Jingyi surrendered, he was loyal and should not have two hearts. You say that he colluded with Li Li, but do you have any credentials? ”

Chen Xianzhen shook his head and said: "The concubine entered Beijing alone, and she didn't know these things in advance, where could she prepare evidence?" But if the Holy One had asked someone to interrogate him, perhaps he would have confessed. What the concubine said was absolutely true. ”

"Makes sense." Zhu Gaoxu is serious.

Chen Xianzhen said softly again: "The concubine has something to ask for, please don't tell Ruan Jingyi and the source, how about it?" In the past, the concubine and Ruan Jingyi were sent for Chen Jikuo together, and they shouldn't have talked about these things. ”

Zhu Gaoxu was noncommittal, and still behaved very calmly: "Then why did you say it again?" ”

Chen Xianzhen said: "Ruan Jingyi has always been gloomy and cunning, and he is very dangerous. The concubine is worried about the saint. ”

Zhu Gaoxu smiled: "If you had such a heart earlier, I would not have sent you back." ”

Chen Xianzhen said softly: "In the past, Chen Jikuo was kind to the concubine, and the concubine was unwilling to betray him. Now that Chen Jikuo is gone, only the saint can protect the concubine. ”

Zhu Gaoxu carefully observed her eyes, and felt very strange, as if there was something suppressed in her slightly godless eyes. Zhu Gaoxu has seen other women, whether they want to benefit from him or admire him, they can more or less feel a very natural good feeling and a sense of acceptance; After all, if an ordinary woman wants to voluntarily go on a blind date with a man, she must at least accept it physically and mentally.

However, Zhu Gaoxu has never felt this way in Chen Xianzhen, even if he has been close to her.

"Ahem......" Zhu Gaoxu looked sideways and looked at the ear room with a curtain hanging next to him.

。 Writing Chinese Network M.