The harem of the Forbidden City of Nanjing

Kunning Palace

Since Yongwang Zhu Cizhi took charge of Nanjing, he set his residence for handling government affairs in the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies outside Chengtianmen. The dormitory chose Kunning Palace, which was not abandoned in the harem, and Qiu'er, who was also a mother and concubine, also moved into Kunning Palace together.

Yongwang Zhu Cizhi has been in charge of Nanjing City for three or four months, these days he is full of ambition, every day to see Gao Hongtu, Jiang Yueguang these Shangshu, Hanlin Yuan Zhan Shi respectfully reported to him the government affairs of Nanjing City, is indescribably happy.

Before, he was just an unambitious prince, in the capital, in the eyes of his father, he was not as good as the crown prince Zhu Cihong. When he arrived in Jiangnan, in the mind of teacher Fang Yuan, he was not as good as Zhu Cihuan.

Now he, an unambitious prince, can decide the military and political affairs of the capital Nanjing City and the clothing, food, housing and transportation of millions of people with just a few words. Zhu Cizhi is like an addict addicted to the drug of power, addicted to it for months, reviewing official documents until late at night.

What could be more obsessive in this world than power and women?

"Knock knock!"

The sound of the Miyagi eunuch's watch sounded, and it was a watch.

Zhu Cizhi rubbed his temples and closed the last official letter.

Qiu'er, who was serving on the side, said, "It's a watchday, Your Highness should rest early!" ”

Zhu Cizhi stretched his waist and was about to get up, but he saw a person dressed as a small eunuch rushing straight into the dormitory.

The little eunuch who was so bold and entered the harem without being summoned was the first time he saw it, and Qiu'er immediately ordered several eunuchs who were guarding him to arrest him.

The little eunuch didn't see the slightest panic, raised his head and looked at Zhu Cijiong, "Your Highness, I'm from the palace in the capital, please clear your back." ”

Zhu Cizhi was slightly stunned, although he didn't know whether this person was from the capital, but he couldn't be too offended, so he ordered the guard eunuch to let him go and asked, "Why does King Gu believe you?" Do you have a certificate? ”

The little eunuch took out a piece of paper from his arms and put it in front of Zhu Cizhi.

Zhu Cizhi opened it and saw that the eunuch Xiao Lizi written on it was the envoy sent by the crown prince Zhu Cihong to Jiangnan to talk with Zhu Cizhi secretly, and the payment was also stamped with the emperor's dragon seal.

Zhu Cizhi had also received a lot of edicts in the capital before, and he recognized this dragon seal at a glance, it was indeed the jade seal of Emperor Chongzhen, and there was no doubt about it this time, so he hurriedly ordered all the guards and eunuchs in the dormitory to go out, leaving only the real henchman Qiu'er, "I don't know if the emperor's brother sent his father-in-law here, what's the important matter?" ”

Xiao Lizi took out a piece of paper again and handed it to Zhu Cizhi, Zhu Cizhi opened it and looked at it, but it was Fang Yuan who wrote to the imperial court, asking for the canonization of Zhu Cihuan, the king of Wuyue, as the prince of Nanjing, and Wang Chengen as the eunuch of Nanjing.

This governor's seal, Zhu Cizhi has also seen it several times, and there is absolutely no falsehood.

Zhu Cizhi was shocked when he saw Fang Yuan's recital, and hurriedly asked, "Father-in-law, what is this?" ”

Xiao Li Zi said coldly, "His Royal Highness King Yong, the prince in charge of Nanjing City, who was asked by the governor of Fang to canonize Nanjing City, is King Wu Yue, not King Yong!" It was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who saw the brotherhood and overrode the public opinion in the court, which canonized His Royal Highness King Yongwang to govern Nanjing City. ”

Xiao Lizi can take out the secret fold covered with the dragon seal, as well as the fold covered with the governor's seal, plus Fang Yuan usually prefers Zhu Cihuan, which is a piece of Zhu Cizhi's heart.

Zhu Cizhi believed Xiao Lizi's words very much, and hated Fang Yuan's partiality so much that he hated Xiao Lizi, and said to Xiao Lizi, "Gonggong Li will return to Beijing and thank the royal brother for his promotion for King Lone, and King Gu will also prepare a generous gift for Brother Li and Gonggong Li." ”

Xiao Li Zi said in a dark voice, "His Royal Highness King Yong should not be happy too early, now that the imperial court is preparing to negotiate peace with Governor Fang, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is also difficult to protect himself, and King Yong's good days are coming to an end." ”

Zhu Cizhi was shocked and asked, "Gonggong Li, what's wrong, talk to King Gu." ”

Xiao Li Zi said coldly, "If the imperial court talks peace with Governor Fang, Your Majesty will inevitably return to the throne, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will be completely finished, and it is estimated that he will not even be able to save his life." ”

Zhu Cizhi nodded again and again when he heard this, his father Chongzhen had the grace of knowing the other party, if his father reascended the throne, the crown prince Zhu Cihong, who dared to usurp the throne before, would inevitably lose power, and if he could save his life, he would ask God to worship Buddha.

But what does the prince's loss of power have to do with Zhu Cizhi? It's none of his business, Zhu Cizhi's attitude is still to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight.

Xiao Lizi saw through his thoughts at a glance, and said in a low voice, "Your Royal Highness King Yong, you tried to poison the other party's governor before, and Governor Fang held a grudge and didn't deal with His Highness, but it was because His Highness still had use value." Now that His Royal Highness has colluded with the crown prince and stolen the position of the prince of Nanjing, which Governor Fang originally wanted to give to King Wu Yue, what will Governor Fang think of His Royal Highness? ”

Zhu Cizhi was startled when he heard this, and he and Qiu'er glanced at each other, and they both saw the worried eyes from the other party. Although Xiao Lizi's words are a bit alarmist, it is by no means impossible, even if Fang Yuan lets him go, he will not let him serve as the governor of Nanjing again, and he will inevitably be brought back to the capital to be detained.

Xiao Lizi continued to add fuel to the fire and said, "The slave maid said something that lost his head, only if the court confronted Governor Fang, His Royal Highness King Yongwang would have use value." If the court and Governor Fang reconcile, the future of His Royal Highness King Yong is worrying! His Royal Highness, as a party of the prince, can still keep the position of the presiding prince? Not only can't he keep it, will he be imprisoned in the Zongren Mansion with the prince? ”

Zhu Cizhi had to admit that no matter what purpose the crown prince Zhu Cihong had in sending people to Nanjing, at least the two of them were indeed on the same boat, one was prosperous and the other was lost.

Zhu Cizhi asked, "Then what does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince need help from the Lone King?" ”

Xiao Li Zi said coldly, "Now Your Majesty, the Empress, and even the cabinet believe that Governor Fang will not rebel, and the crown prince will not be independent." King Yong and Governor Fang were close, King Yong asked for a secret fold, and the crown prince handed it over to His Majesty and the queen's mother, stating that the real purpose of Governor Fang was to make the truth of the monarch and force the court to hand over the military and political power, and only be a puppet emperor. There can be no more peace talks between the court and the governor of Fang, and the thrones of the crown prince and the king of Yong have all been retained. ”

Zhu Cizhi listened to his suggestion, and was indeed extremely moved, but he still had an extra heart and asked, "If I go on a fold and am sold by the imperial brother, can the governor of Fang let me go?" ”

Xiao Lizi said, "King Yong is the prince's eyeliner in Jiangnan, how could the prince betray His Royal Highness King Yong?" ”

Zhu Cizhi had an instinctive fear of Fang Yuan, how could he dare to be easily involved in this kind of conspiracy of calculating Fang Yuan, but he still shook his head and did not dare to agree.

Qiu'er suddenly said, "Your Highness, I will write this secret fold, and I only need to stamp His Highness's big seal." If it happens, His Highness will be famous. If something happens, the blame lies entirely with me and the prince in private, and has nothing to do with His Royal Highness. ”

Her method is already the safest way, and she protects Zhu Cizhi without leakage.

Zhu Cizhi's tears of emotion were almost bursting out of his eyes, but he couldn't lose his temper in front of Xiao Lizi, so he could only nod and say, "Gonggong Li, in the name of Qiu'er, it's okay!" ”

Xiao Lizi thought about it and agreed.

Zhu Cizhi still had an extra brain, and said, "In order to prevent the imperial brother from repenting, the imperial brother's paper fold is also placed here in the lonely king, and if there is an accident in the future, the lonely king will also have a credential." ”

Xiao Lizi thought about it and agreed.

Only then did Qiu'er write a secret fold according to Xiao Lizi's words, and then stamped the big seal of Yongwangfu and handed it to Xiao Lizi.

Xiao Lizi cautiously wrapped a few layers of dense folds into his arms, and then took his leave.

In the teahouse at Fengqiao Wharf in Suzhou City, Xiao Lizi respectfully handed over the secret fold written by Qiu'er to Qin Zhan, and Qin Zhan immediately handed it over to Xiao Yuan.

This little plum is the nephew of a eunuch who died in battle when Fang Yuan attacked Nanjing City, and he was originally purified and prepared to enter the palace as a eunuch.

Qin Zhan was in charge of settling the families of these eunuchs, and according to Xiao Yuan's requirements, he found this bold, greedy for money, and flexible little eunuch, promised a heavy reward of five thousand taels of gold, and gave one thousand taels of gold first.

There must be a brave man under the heavy reward, and the little eunuch followed Qin Zhan's order and went to pretend to be Xiao Lizi, the eunuch in the capital.

The so-called prince's secret fold is fake. The dragon seal on it is also a replica. Xiao Yuan was in charge of the edict sent by the imperial court for Fang Yuan, and according to the seal on the edict, it was a matter of effort to find a skilled craftsman and engrave a dragon seal.

And the twists and turns of Fang Yuan's Shangshu Imperial Court that Zhu Cizhi saw were not real, but fake by Xiaoyuan. This recital was written by Xiaoyuan before, and it was left in the Governor's Palace. Xiao Yuan only needs to find out the bottom of the note, copy a copy, and stamp the governor's seal, and successfully impersonate.

As for Xiao Lizi's ability to answer questions like a stream, he has also gone through Qin Zhan's special training for a month, and he has memorized it like a stream.

Xiao Yuan sat at the table, reviewing the paper fold word by word, the content was indeed not different from what she taught, and the big seal of the Yongwang Mansion was also paid, so he handed the secret fold back to Xiao Lizi and said, "Xiao Lizi, I bother you to run to the capital again, pretend to be the little eunuch of the Yongwang Mansion, and hand over this paper to the prince, and I will prepare the boat for you." ”

Xiao Lizi hurriedly collected the secret fold, got off the teahouse, and went north by boat.