"Mother, you're back." Zhou Duan welcomed Empress Xuanren into the palace and asked with an anxious face, "The minister has been worried about whether His Majesty will do anything to you." You're back safe. What's next? Are you still going to leave tonight? It's still some hour before dawn. It should still be in time. ”

Empress Xuanren stroked Zhou Duan's head and said with concern: "It's hard for you, Duan." However, I don't think it can be done today. ”

Zhou Duan hurriedly said: "What about tomorrow?" ”

Empress Xuanren smiled bitterly: "Tomorrow will not be possible." After a while, we still can't go. The plan to leave the palace could only be postponed. ”

"Huh?! Why, sissy? Have you changed your mind? ”

"No, end. I can't wait to fly out of this filthy and sad place right now and go to the Kingdom of Beiling County to meet the King of Beiling County. But now the situation has changed. Tuyu was one step ahead of us, and had already sent someone to Tairodo to control the harvest and melting. This is the reason why Empress Xuanren came up with an idea.

"How is that possible?" Zhou Duan exclaimed, "The Mid-Autumn Festival fire has just happened, even if after the fire is over, His Majesty will immediately send people to Tairodo, and it will never be possible to reach Tairodo now." Niang Niang Mo was deceived by them. They must have used this reason to blackmail the mother. ”

Empress Xuanren took Zhou Duan's hand, with a helpless look on her face, and said, "Have you forgotten?" This fire was originally planned by them. Therefore, they had already arranged everything before the fire, so what could they wait until after the fire to send someone to Tairodo to control the crops and melt the casting? We're still behind, Duan. Ay. It's a pity that the King of Beiling County and your loyalty. ”

Zhou Duan said: "Is this what His Majesty Fang Cai told Niangniang?" ”

Empress Xuanren said, "Yes." Just now, Tu Yu summoned me and the king of Xiangting County late at night, and talked about it for a long time, but in fact, this is what he said. Of course, he is implicitly pointing it out to us, not explicitly saying that he controls the crops and melting of the Taylor Dori. Moreover, the king of Xiangting County was coaxed to the holy capital by them, and in fact, he was completely controlled by them. How can we get out of this situation? Do you say yes, end? ”

Zhou Duan was speechless for a while, the expression of disappointment on his face was very obvious, and after a while, he said, "Yes." What the mother said is very true. We're not in a hurry either. Mother, we need to be more cautious in the future. ”

Empress Xuanren looked at Zhou Duan, nodded lightly, and said, "Yes." Let's take a look at the situation and move on when the opportunity comes. I guess Tuyu doesn't dare to do anything to me for the time being. ”

Zhou Duan frowned and nodded.

Empress Xuanren said: "Duan, there is nothing to do tonight." Go back and rest. I'm here to serve with a beard. I'm tired, too. ”

Zhou Duan stood up and saluted: "The queen mother is endless. The minister retired. Zhou Duan left with great regret.

Empress Xuanren didn't feel the slightest sleep. After Zhou Duan left, Empress Xuanren repeated what Tuyou and King Xiangting said today.

Su Poyan, who had always been extremely calm, was stunned and said, "The slave maid and the embroidered messenger have been following the king of Beiling County for many years, but they have not learned the slightest bit of this information. The slave's information was wrong, which almost misled the mother and caused a big disaster. The slave is guilty. ”

Empress Xuanren said: "Hey, where can I blame you? This time, if it weren't for the suspicion of the king of Xiangting County and sending someone to Beiling County to secretly spy on the king of Beiling County, and Mrs. Hua'an went to Beiling County to spend the summer, the two had a tryst, we would never know these secrets. You and the embroidered messenger are mainly active in the Holy Capital, and they only acted after the establishment of the Great Zhao, how do you know about the events of the Dagao time? I really didn't expect that Tuxiu's ambition would be so big and his means would be so high. ”

Su Poyan thought for a while, and then said, "Niangniang, the slave maid has a question. ”

"What's the doubt?"

"Do you think what Your Majesty and His Royal Highness the King of Xiangting County said is true? What they say is too bizarre. Is it possible to ......"

Su Poyan didn't finish, but Empress Xuanren understood exactly what he meant. Su Poyan was suspicious that it was possible that Tuyu and the King of Xiangting County might have teamed up to make up such a big lie.

Empress Xuanren took the hot ginseng soup and dim sum handed over by Su Poyan, handed Su Poyan a piece of pastry, and motioned for him to eat with her. Empress Xuanren took a small bite of osmanthus crisp, chewed it slowly, and did not speak.

After eating a piece of osmanthus cake, Empress Xuanren took a sip of ginseng soup and said, "What you said is very reasonable." This possibility cannot be completely ruled out. This information is all based on what the king of Tingjun said, and no other person can prove it. Even if he questioned the king of Beiling County, he would never admit it. And what Tuyu said was very suspicious in the first place. He said that he had no intention of competing for the throne, and that it was okay to deceive others, but he could not hide it from my eyes. I have long warned the first emperor to be vigilant, but the first emperor did not listen to me. However, Tu You said that when he asked for the title of prince for several of his sons, he had discussed it with Emperor Longwu, and this is also possible. Otherwise, with the temperament of Emperor Longwu, he would never allow his most valued brother, Prince Yongcheng, who was the most respected, to openly do things that violated his major policies. ”

Su Poyan said, "Indeed. Your Majesty and the King of Xiangting County said that it is impossible to verify. And all these words are very beneficial to His Majesty. not only cleared him of all suspicions, but also completely pulled Niangniang and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince into his camp. ”

Empress Xuanren said, "Yes." This is the source of suspicion of what Tuyu and King Xiangting said. These words are too beneficial for Tu Youdu. If things are too abnormal, it will seem fake. ”

Empress Xuanren picked up another piece of pine nut cake, ate it slowly with ginseng soup, and said: "However, if you combine what they said, one thing is certain: the king of Beiling County must have led and participated in the poisoning of Emperor Longwu. As for whether Tu Yu intended to poison Emperor Longwu, it is not so important. Or let's put it this way, Emperor Longwu was poisoned, there may be two lines, one is dominated by the king of Beiling County, and the other is dominated by Tuyou. Both lines may have been advancing at the same time, and they were working at the same time. Tuyu and the King of Beiling may have used each other to jointly contribute to the poisoning of Emperor Longwu. ”

Empress Xuanren drank up a cup of ginseng soup, got up and paced, and said, "However, the situation has developed so far, and it no longer matters who killed Emperor Longwu. What matters is who we unite with in order to save the lives of the crops. ”

Su Poyan suddenly realized and said, "Niangniang Shengming." ”

Empress Xuanren said: "Regardless of whether what the king of Xiangting said is true or not, there is one thing that is certain. Now the king of Xiangting County has stood with Tuyu. If what he said is true, if we raise an army, the king of Xiangting will never agree. If what he says is false, it shows that he has completely conspired with Tuyu, and he will not support our army. Therefore, from the perspective of the king of Xiangting County, it is not advisable for us to conspire with the king of Beiling County to raise troops. ”

Su Poyan nodded in agreement.

Empress Xuanren added: "In addition, even if we don't take into account the fact that the king of Xiangting County does not unite with us, it seems that it is not feasible in the name of our army. With the rhetoric of the king of Xiangting County, Tu Yu has no fault at all, but has become a savior who does the right thing for heaven and eliminates evil and promotes good, while the king of Beiling County is extremely evil. If we join forces with the king of Beiling County, no one will respond to us from all over the county and the people of the world. ”

Su Poyan said: "In this way, we must not join forces with the King of Beiling County?" So, if you join forces with Your Majesty, will it be safe? ”

Empress Xuanren frowned and said, "Joining forces with Tuyu may not be safe. But it is definitely more feasible than joining forces with the king of Beiling County. Now, we have no other way but to join forces with Tuyu. ”

Su Poyan said: "If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince re-enters the Holy Capital, then Niangniang and His Royal Highness will be completely under His Majesty's control. Now the king of Xiangting County is united with His Majesty again. When the time comes, won't Niangniang and His Royal Highness be in a situation where they can be slaughtered by others? ”

Empress Xuanren nodded and said, "Yes." That's how it is now. Now, with these evidences provided by King Xiangtingjun, Tuyu no longer has a moral authority. Even if he gets rid of Xiao Jia and me now, it won't have much impact on him. Especially in the case that the king of Beiling County has taken over all the evils, Tuyu can completely put the crime of slaughtering Xiao Jia and me on the king of Beiling County. ”

"How's that for good? Will Niangniang and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince be arrested? ”

"Of course not. The reason why Xiao Jia and I are in danger is because of his position as the crown prince. As long as he cancels his position as the crown prince and gives up the position of the crown prince to the prince of Tuyu, then the crops will be safe. But the difficulty is that after the Mid-Autumn Festival fire, in order to quickly reverse the decline, Tuyu has regained his position as a crop. This has only just happened, and it is unlikely to change anytime soon. ”

Su Poyan was very anxious: "After His Royal Highness the Crown Prince receives the holy decree, he will enter Beijing immediately. When the time comes, everything will be a foregone conclusion. ”

Su Poyan's words reminded Empress Xuanren, and Empress Xuanren said: "It seems that there is only one way, I and Tu You, let's have a clear showdown." ”

……

As soon as he finished breakfast, Hua Yun arrived at Fengde Palace: "Niangniang, Your Majesty invites you to go over to discuss the matter." ”

"Where to go?"

"Qianyuan Palace."

"Good. When will you and Chuntuo depart? ”

"I'll leave this afternoon."

"I'm sorry for you."

"Mother's words are serious."

He met with Empress Xuanren in the east of Qianyuan Palace. Ling Ji was the only one in Dongque to serve, and there was no one else.

After Empress Xuanren saluted, she said: "The imperial sister-in-law is exempt." Sit down. Chun Tuo left this afternoon. I've sent him away. Only Ling Ji, Hua Yun, and Su Poyan serve here. ”