The front hall of Ciqing Palace looks solemn and majestic in the morning sun, the golden glazed tiles shine dazzlingly in the sun, and the surrounding vermilion high walls, the royal sanctity and power make people respect at a glance. There is only a low flower bed on both sides of the white marble railing in front of the hall, and the peonies, peonies, spring greetings, and begonias in them have begun to bloom one after another. There was not a single tree around, and I don't know if it was to prevent hidden assassins or if it was afraid that the vigor of the tree would affect the majesty of the royal family.

For the nineteenth time, the crown prince Zhu Changluo put down his "Dogma to Show the Life of Longchang", which was the work of Mr. Wang Shouren, a thinker, military strategist, and psychologist in the current dynasty, when he was demoted to Guizhou Longchang Yicheng, and was solemnly handed over to him by his teacher Sun Chengzong. This book mainly talks about four points: determination, diligence, reform, and responsibility.

Although he likes this book very much, he probably didn't read it, these four points really have nothing to do with his words and deeds, although he respects Sun Chengzong very much, and now Sun Chengzong is the teacher of his eldest son Zhu Youxiao, but he always avoids him, for fear that he will nag.

Last night he slept in the front hall, almost couldn't sleep all night, early in the morning his mood was still messy like silk, the fatigue of staying up late made his eyes slightly black, puffy bags under his eyes, full of haggardness, his mind was faintly painful, he wanted to read the book to calm his mood, but he felt that his eyes were dazzled, and the words on it were crawling like ants, which made him even more confused.

Putting down the book in his hand, Zhu Changluo stood up and paced slowly in the hall, nearly thirty years of rubbing had exhausted him, almost to the brink of collapse. Since he was born, he has not been loved by his father, because his mother is just a humble palace maid, although he is the eldest son, but he has experienced the struggle for the country for fifteen years, and his father Shenzong Zhu Yijun, that is, the Wanli Emperor, made him the crown prince in desperation, he is already twenty years old, which is thanks to the Manchu Dynasty Wenwu and his grandmother Xiaoding Empress Dowager for many years.

But after becoming the crown prince, life was even more difficult, and Zheng Guifei, who was his father's favorite, didn't want his son Fuwang Zhu Changxun to replace him all the time.

As soon as he became His Royal Highness the Prince, he ushered in the world's sensational demon book case, dozens of ministers were implicated, or demoted or exiled, Dongchang, Jinyiwei, Wucheng patrol Yamen, and the three law divisions (Criminal Department, Metropolitan Procuratorate, Dali Temple) were all for this matter, although in the end it was not done, but it almost knocked him into the abyss of no return.

Although the next harem curse case was quickly suppressed, it also made him tremble and walk on thin ice. Even when his mother was about to die, he still asked his father for instructions first, and only saw him after getting approval, he watched in front of the bed, but he didn't dare to say a word of goodbye, and the mother and son were afraid that they would be poor if they were not careful.

Now there is another case of attack, and in just one day, it is known to the capital that is afraid that the world will not be chaotic, every street and alley, every restaurant and teahouse is secretly discussing, in fact, the discussion is discussing, the culprit is only afraid that everyone knows it, except for the stupid woman, I am afraid that no one can do such a stupid thing.

Whether this matter is a blessing or a curse is uncertain in Zhu Changluo's heart, whether it is a blessing will not be too great, but if it is a disaster, it is absolutely monstrous. Zhu Changluo was so distraught that he didn't even have the heart to eat breakfast.

Outside the palace gate, there was a sudden inquiry from a guard with a knife: "Gonggong Li, why did you come to disturb His Royal Highness the Crown Prince so early?" ”

Li Jinzhong smiled flatteringly: "Guard Liu, Servant Li Xuanzhi has an urgent matter for me to ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come over, and I also bothered Guard Liu to report it." ”

Zhu Changluo frowned slightly, and said in a loud voice: "Liu Wei, let him in." ”

Guard Liu Wei pushed open a door and said, "Please." ”

After Li Jinzhong crossed the threshold, Liu Wei immediately closed the door, and Li Jinzhong took a few steps forward and knelt down and said, "The servant asks His Royal Highness the Prince." ”

Zhu Changluo said: "Get up, what's so urgent?" ”

Li Jinzhong stood up and said in a low voice: "His Royal Highness the Prince, it is a great disaster, please ask His Highness to hurry over and discuss." ”

Zhu Changluo was shocked in his heart, and he was nervous at the time, he was worried every day these days, for fear of another accident, he killed Lady Liu on the spot yesterday, could it be that the two eunuchs sued him in front of his father? He did not feel the sadness and regret of killing his concubine, but only felt the worry and fear of being implicated.

Zhu Changluo no longer asked, walked out of the front hall quickly, and walked towards Li Xuanzhi's residence, Liu Wei and another guard guarding the door held the saber at his waist with one hand, and quickly followed, Li Jinzhong followed behind the three with a gloomy face.

At this time, the sun had crossed the high palace wall, and the oblique sunlight was a little dazzling and dazzling, Zhu Changluo bowed his head slightly to dodge, but his footsteps did not dare to slow down at all, and he came to Li Xuan's door in just a cup of tea, and pushed the door in.

As soon as he stepped into the hall, Zhu Changluo asked anxiously, "Yuechan, why are you in such a hurry?" ”

At this time, the two personal guards had already separated from the door, Li Jinzhong walked in, and Li Xuan said: "Jinzhong and Dongmei stay, and everyone else goes out." ”

The eunuch and the two palace maids in the house responded, and after the three walked out, Li Jinzhong quickly closed the door, and Li Xuanzhi immediately knelt in front of Zhu Changluo and said: "Your Highness forgives the sin, and the concubine deserves death." ”

Zhu Changluo hurriedly helped her up and complained: "Yuechan, why do you and I need to be like this, if you have something, you hurry up and say it, I'm in a hurry." ”

Li Xuanzhi said: "This morning, Wang Cairen came to talk to me, talking about the assassination of His Royal Highness, she insisted that this was the mastermind of Zheng Guifei, and the more she talked, the more angry she became, so she had to pull me to reason with Zheng Guifei." ”

Zhu Changluo was shocked and shouted, "What about her, have you gone?" ”

Li Xuanzhi said: "I advised her to calm down, don't talk nonsense about this matter until the truth is revealed, but she didn't listen, and when she saw that I didn't want to, she wanted to go by herself." I naturally stopped her, but she wanted to tear with me, so I had no choice but to ask someone to hold her down, and who knew that she was shouting loudly, and I was afraid that I would be heard and sue His Highness in front of the Holy One, so I asked someone to beat her a few times..."

Zhu Changluo said anxiously: "Oh, don't talk so much, hurry up and say where is she now?" ”

Li Xuanzhi knelt down again and said: "Who knows that the next person missed, Wang Cairen was beaten with a few rods, and he was killed, please don't embarrass them, it's all the fault of the concubines, if you want to punish the concubines, the concubines are willing to pay for their lives." ”

Hearing this, Zhu Changluo breathed a sigh of relief, his anxious mood gradually calmed down, Li Jinzhong quietly kicked Dongmei who was standing next to him with his foot, Dongmei wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her hand, stepped forward and knelt down and said: "His Royal Highness Prince Qiqi, things are indeed as Li Xuanzhi said, since beating Wang Cairen yesterday, I wanted to scold Concubine Zheng Guifei angrily, and the slave maid has been persuading me until this morning." ”

Zhu Changluo glanced at Dongmei, and stretched out his hand to pick up Li Xuanshi: "You have done a good job in this matter, how can you punish you if you have a reward, alas, the harem is full of people who cause trouble for me, and only you can share my worries." ”

As soon as these words came out, the boulder in Li Xuanzhi and Li Jinzhong's hearts fell to the ground, but the corners of Dongmei's eyes once again silently shed tears of remorse.