The suburbs of the capital.

There is a lonely grave in the beautiful mountains.

A stele was erected at the head of the tomb, and the name engraved on the stele was "Wang's Yichan".

Resting in the tomb is King Xin's fiancée, the daughter of Prime Minister Wang Qitang.

King Shin stood in front of the tomb, staring at the name, and couldn't help but brush the soft dust on the tombstone.

He brushed the tombstone over and over again with his sleeve, his movements so gentle that he seemed to caress his lover's face.

"Miss Wang, this king has come to see you."

King Xin muttered to himself, and slowly sat down in front of the tombstone without caring about the luxurious clothes.

He hugged the tombstone and smiled softly, as if he was whispering to his old friend.

Not far away, a blue-curtained carriage stopped in the woods.

The old servant who was driving jumped out of the car, lifted the curtain, and helped out of the carriage an old man who was over the age of six.

The old man stepped forward with the help of the servant and looked at the man in front of the tombstone from afar.

The old servant stared at King Xin, and said with emotion: "Every year on the death anniversary of the young lady, the prince has to come over in person. ”

The old man was Prime Minister Wang Qitang, and he sighed and said, "It's a pity that the little girl is blessed with a thin ......."

As he spoke, King Xin had already stood up and bowed his head towards where Wang Qitang was, "Prime Minister." ”

Wang Qitang walked aside, waited for King Xin to come over, and saluted him, "His Royal Highness King Xin, can you take a step to speak?" ”

King Xin nodded, and followed Wang Qitang to the side of the carriage.

Wang Qitang said with a serious expression, "His Royal Highness is the first person in the hearts of the ministers, and even if the old ministers are full of liver and brains, they will assist His Highness to ascend the throne." ”

King Xin smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for the prime minister's high opinion." This king is used to being at ease, and he never loves power, so he is afraid that he will not be able to sit on the dragon chair. ”

"Lord Wang!" Wang Qitang strongly persuaded, "The old minister knows very well that His Highness is not a person who covets power. ”

"But now that the first emperor has passed away, the government and the opposition are in turmoil, the people's hearts are unstable, and there are enemy countries eyeing each other, it is the time to urgently need the new emperor to revive the dynasty."

King Xin blinked and asked puzzledly, "Does Lord Wang think that this king will be that person?" ”

"What about King Xin?" Wang Qitang immediately asked, "Does Your Highness think that the third princess and a female stream are also worthy of sitting on that dragon chair?" ”

King Xin shook his head and said, "The times create heroes. Hundreds of years ago, when the Jokhang Kingdom was broken, who would have thought that it would be Princess Mingsi who would turn the tide and restore the old country? ”

Wang Qitang sighed: "In the hundreds of years since the founding of the Later Zhao Dynasty, there have been countless princes and generals, but there is only one Holy Grandfather. ”

"The old minister is brave and begs His Highness to inherit the throne." Wang Qitang trembled and wanted to kneel, but was hugged by King Xin.

King Xin still smiled warmly, "This king is only a shallow learner, and he is not worthy of a big responsibility." These words do not need to be mentioned by Lord Wang in the future. ”

Wang Qitang shook his head again and again, his gray beard swaying, "Your Highness, can't you see what Taifu Shi and the Yao family have in mind?" ”

As he spoke, there was an imperceptible choking in his voice.

"The old minister has assisted the kings of the two dynasties, how can he watch Hou Zhao's narration ruined for no reason?"

Seeing that the old man was speaking earnestly, King Xin also said seriously: "Hou Zhao has been poor and weak for many years, and under internal and external troubles, the anti-thief rebellion has greatly damaged his vitality. ”

"At this time, if there is no new monarch who can still compare with the Holy Ancestor to succeed to the throne, it will be the same for whoever sits in the country of Houzhao."

King Xin said the truth, Wang Qitang sighed deeply, and looked at King Xin almost begging.

Seeing the old man bent his back, lowered his posture, and pleaded with him full of hope, King Xin's heart was a little sour.

But he still smiled helplessly, shook his head and said, "This king can't afford such a heavy burden. ”

Wang Qitang's face turned purple, and he asked sharply, "Lord Wang! How can you tell that the third princess can afford this burden again? ”

Asked by him, King Xin remembered that Chu Ning confidently told him that this palace can save tens of millions of people.

King Shin bowed his head and smiled, and replied, "I don't know how good she can be, but she is at least much better than this king." ”

After he told Wang Qitang about the incident, he laughed at himself: "If you are this king, you will only think about escaping." ”

With that, King Shin turned and left.

Wang Qitang stood in place, watching him ride his horse away, his ravine-crisscrossed face revealing infinite exhaustion.

"Sir?" The old servant came to help him, and he took the servant's arm feebly, and looked back at the lonely grave in the mountains.

The corners of his eyes were slightly wet, he turned around and coughed a few times, and said quietly: "It's windy in the mountains, go back." ”

Yesterday, Chu Ning's near-murder was found to be committed by Chen Guo's secret agent bribing Zhao's manager.

Although Shi Yihuai has repeatedly claimed that he cannot make judgments based on the words of Mr. Zhao alone.

However, Empress Yao ordered someone to search for a batch of gold and silver in the residence of Chief Manager Zhao, and confirmed his testimony.

This account is counted on Chen Guo's head, and it is indirectly counted on Chu Ze's head.

"Niangniang, the first emperor will be funeral the day after tomorrow, and if you don't make up your mind, when the new emperor ascends the throne, the Yao family will completely lose the opportunity."

Yao Xingyuan was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot.

Empress Yao glanced at him indifferently and sneered, "What can this palace do?" ”

"Chu Ze, this kid is ruthless, but he was escaped by Chu Ning, and now he is gone, and no one in the court is convinced."

Yao Xingyuan beat his chest and said dejectedly: "Right now, the only one who can inherit the throne is King Xin." ”

Before, he repeatedly used the late eldest lady of the Wang family to stimulate Wang Qitang.

And the short-lived young lady is the fiancée of King Shin.

Thinking of this, Yao Xingyuan was a little scared, and looked at Queen Yao for help, "Chen and sister are from the belly of a mother." ”

Empress Yao was angry and funny, gave him a blank look, and comforted: "You are the uncle of the country, with the support of the Yao family behind you, what can King Xin do to you?" ”

Yao Xingyuan said worriedly: "He used to be an idle prince, but if he ...... in the future"

"I'll still be a prince in the future." Empress Yao's smile turned cold, "Who said that there is only King Xin who is surnamed Chu now?" ”

Yao Xingyuan was stunned for a moment, scratched his scalp, and asked, "What does Niangniang mean, there is already a suitable candidate?" ”

"Hehe, the cheap concubine is a cheap seed."

As she spoke, she turned around and instructed Qiu Mo to say, "You go in person and invite the third princess to the Taimiao." ”

"Just say," Zhu lips tugged, like a snake letter, "this palace wants to see her." ”

The temple enshrines the tablets of the emperors of the Later Zhao dynasties.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China more than 200 years ago, there have been more and more tablets here, and now there are three or four rows.

But the top row always only has the tablet of the founding empress Chu Mingsi.

Now, Empress Yao has offered incense in front of the tablet, pointed to the futon on the ground, and shouted: "Kneel." ”

Chu Ning couldn't cry or laugh in his heart, so he had to kneel down for his descendants.

Empress Yao said in a low voice: "This palace intends to help you ascend the throne, but you need to agree to a few conditions of this palace first. ”

The Yao family really couldn't sit still.

Chu Ning lowered his eyebrows and replied, "Erchen respectfully follows the teachings of the queen's mother. ”

Empress Yao pointed to Chu Mingsi's tablet and said, "Holy Ancestor is above, you must not deceive this palace, can you dare to swear in front of the Holy Ancestor Spirit?" ”

Isn't the Holy Grandfather herself?

Chu Ning's heart blossomed, and she swore to herself, did she still let her use thunder to split herself?

Knife mountain and sea of fire, thunder and thunder in the sky?

So what else did she dare not swear?

Chu Ning suppressed his excited thoughts and asked, "Niangniang, you might as well talk about it first, what are the conditions." ”

The lights flickered, and the light and shadow on Chu Ning's face were also unchanging.

Empress Yao stared at the face that looked like a concubine, and vaguely felt that her eyebrows and eyes were not as weak and tactful as her biological mother.

This face...... There are three or four points like the first emperor.

She was shocked in her heart, pressed down on this thought, and said sharply: "This palace has a word first, and the three conditions must be followed, and there is absolutely no room for turnaround." ”

Chu Ning's eyebrows jumped, but his face was as calm as water, "Niangniang, please speak." ”

In the temple, hundreds of white candles that never go out are burning silently.

Occasionally, a white candle or two crackled and burst into a candle flower, and the room soon fell silent again.

Under the light of the extinguished candles, dozens of tablets watched them silently.

Empress Yao thought to herself, she had put this throne back into the hands of the Chu family, and the heavenly spirits of the ancestors and ancestors couldn't blame her for anything.

She turned her back, didn't look at the tablets, and said sternly: "There are three conditions, one is that the Yao family's status in the court remains unchanged. ”

Chu Ning knew in his heart that Yao Xing's original color was fierce and incompetent, but he was still the head of the imperial court.

After she ascended the throne, Hou Zhao's money bag was still tightly held in the hands of the Yao family.

But at this moment, Chu Ning could only agree: "Erchen swears in front of the Holy Ancestor's spirit that the Yao family's grace is the same as before, and it will never shake the foundation. ”

Empress Yao took a deep breath and continued: "Second, you need to serve this palace as the queen mother, move to Cining Palace, and respect me as the queen mother. ”

Chu Ning thought about it and nodded in agreement, "The harem is still Niangniang's harem." ”

Empress Yao and Concubine Shu have always had a holiday, and they hate that woman to the core.

Now, she not only wants to climb to the position of the queen mother, but also wants the daughter of the concubine to call her "queen mother".

There was a trace of hatred in her eyes, and she asked Chu Ning, "What should you call me?" ”

The corners of Chu Ning's lips hooked, and he smiled and spit out the two words, "Queen Mother." ”

Empress Yao did not come out of her knees, and for the first time in decades, she was called "Queen Mother", and she was stunned on the spot.

Soon, a sinister smile appeared on her lips.

If Concubine Shu knew about the spring, she would definitely want to crush her bones and scatter ashes, right?

But she just wants to let Concubine Shu die blindly, and watch her daughter play a mother-daughter love scene with her in hell.

Thinking of Concubine Shu's mournful face, Empress Yao suddenly felt very happy in her heart.

"The Queen Mother?"

Chu Ning was originally reborn and didn't care about the grievances between Empress Yao and Concubine Shu.

Empress Yao responded with a gentle smile, but her eyes seemed to be quenched with poison, "You screamed smoothly." ”

Chu Ning raised his head, smiled slightly, and asked, "What is the third condition?" ”

"Third, take Yao Yu, the fifth son of the Yao family, into the palace."

"What is the reward for him?"

Empress Yao's beautiful eyes narrowed, and her gaze was sharp, "The same as the queen." ”

Chu Ning didn't know what Yao Yu was, and he didn't know what he looked like or what kind of personality he was.

But Chu Ning knows very well that Queen Yao is paving the way for the Yao family, and she is still taking the old road of selling women for glory.

Empress Yao's gaze seemed to burn her back.

She pondered for a moment, and finally nodded, "It's all up to the queen mother's orders." ”

"That's good," Empress Yao breathed a sigh of relief, "The palace came forward to ensure that you ascended the throne, and you will be buried in the sunset, and you will support the coffin of the first emperor." ”

Unexpectedly, Chu Ning suddenly spoke: "Wait." ”

Empress Yao's face was cold, and there was a hint of chill in her voice, "What, do you want to regret it?" ”

"The queen mother has misunderstood," Chu Ning said with a smile, "The son wants to ask the queen mother for a favor." ”

Empress Yao's heart was vigilant, and she sneered: "Wu'er is about to ascend the throne, the Ninety-Five Supreme, what other grace needs to be asked for from this palace?" ”

"There was a fire in the Chengqian Palace a few days ago, but it was not a big deal," Chu Ning said, "The father and the emperor could not see blood at the funeral, and the sons wanted to beg the queen mother to release the palace people." ”

Empress Yao thought about it, and it didn't matter if she let go of the mustard-like palace people and have a good reputation for generosity and kindness.

But after thinking about it, she felt deceitful, why did Chu Ning care about the lives and deaths of a few palace people?

She bowed her head and said, "I did what you wanted." Is that all you want in grace? ”

Chu Ning really smiled and said, "I want Han Tang." ”

The youngest son of the Han family of the four great families in the capital.

Empress Yao's heart was alarmed, her smile turned gentle, and she asked softly, "Wu'er wants to win over the Han family?" ”

"After returning to his mother, there is a lack of guards by his son's side."

Chu Ning saw that Empress Yao didn't believe her, and before Empress Yao could ask, he took the initiative to say, "Han Tang is beautiful. ”

Beautiful?

Empress Yao felt as if she had choked on cold water.

Chu Ning looked at her with a blank eye, and she finally nodded and said, "Since Wu'er likes it, it doesn't hurt to keep a guard by your side." ”

Then, she choked Chu Ning with a word.

"It's just that in the eyes of this palace," Empress Yao smiled gently, "not as good as Yao Wujunxiu." ”

The first emperor will be buried tomorrow.

According to the etiquette of Hou Zhao, today it is necessary for civil and military officials to kneel to bid farewell to the first emperor.

The concubines of the Sixth Palace knelt in the room, and Queen Yao came over, took Chu Ning's hand, and led her to the forefront of the team.

Chu Sleeve raised his eyes and saw this scene, he was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth, and almost raised his head to look at it clearly.

Chu Yue, who was kneeling next to her, also glanced at it quietly, feeling strange in her heart, and remembered the scene when Empress Yao interrogated the two separately a few days ago.

But she quickly put her mind at ease and said secretly, as long as the third sister is safe and sound.

Chu Yue's biological mother, Concubine Rong, discovered today's abnormality, she put her forehead against the floor, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

The concubines who entered the palace in the early years, knowing that Concubine Shu and Queen Yao were celebrating the festival, cast strange glances at Chu Ning.

She actually took refuge in Queen Yao, what is the difference between that and recognizing a thief as her father?

But Chu Ning ignored those gazes, knelt in front of him dignifiedly, lowered his head and spilled a handful of paper money on the brazier.

Empress Yao motioned to the eunuchs beside her to sing a salute, and Xuanwen and Wu officials knelt to say goodbye.

Wang Qitang, Shi Yihuai and others walked to the spirit in turn, and bowed three times and bowed to the coffin of the first emperor.

Chu Ning knelt in front of the brazier, burning the paper money one after another.

When someone finished saluting, she bowed slightly in return.

When the emperor dies and the ministers kneel to say goodbye, they need to get the prince and the ministers to return the salute.

Chu Ning knelt there in a dignified manner, and in the eyes of everyone, she was already the new monarch of Hou Zhao.

But no one spoke, just knelt and kowtowed in silence according to the etiquette.

He Chunyi, a university scholar who had been sick at home for many days, also came, and he couldn't figure out the situation, so he had to follow everyone to salute.

Before leaving, he glanced back very quickly.

King Xin is here, the Yao family is here, and the political enemies of Wang Qitang and Shi Yihuai, who have been fighting for most of their lives, are also there.

Why is the position of the prince a princess with eyes?

He Chunyi couldn't figure it out for a while.

He wanted to ask Wang Qitang, but when he left the mourning hall, the old prime minister's footsteps were vain, and he almost stepped on the air.

He Chunyi hurriedly hugged the old man, helped him slowly walk down the steps, and asked, "Is Lord Wang okay?" ”

"Ho-sama?" Wang Qitang slowly turned his head, "Are all your illnesses well?" ”

After the previous palace change, He Chunyi, the head of the He family, one of the four major families in Beijing, has been sick at home.

Before He Chunyi could answer, Yao Xingyuan had already stepped aside and sneered: "Lord He's illness is the same as his tongue. ”

No one paid attention to him, and he himself added: "It's really flexible, and it can be retracted and released freely." ”

He Chunyi didn't annoy him either, touched the goatee on his chin and smiled: "I haven't seen you for many days, but Lord Yao is still so straightforward." ”

"No matter how fast," Shi Yihuai also saluted, and when he heard their conversation, he mocked, "not as fast as the executioner's knife outside the noon gate." ”

Yao Xingyuan replied unceremoniously: "Lord Shi might as well try, anyway, disrespecting the saint is a knife, and treason and collaborating with the enemy is also a knife." ”

"Holy?" He Chunyi listened to something.

Shi Yihuai sneered: "Lord He has been ill for a long time, so he must not know it, right?" Then, the saint, I'm afraid it will be the third princess. ”

"What do you mean by 'I'm afraid'?" Yao Xingyuan pressed forward step by step, "Lord Shi is really a thief." ”

Wang Qitang's face turned pale, ignoring the verbal war between the two, and left tremblingly.

He Chunyi didn't want to be seen mixing with these two.

When he pretended to go to Wang Qitang, he only heard Shi Yihuai say: "The thief shouted to catch the thief? Lord Yao is afraid that he has forgotten that there is a thief who steals the treasury. ”

Soon, Yao Xingyuan's slightly shrill voice rang out again.

He Chunyi was suddenly a little worried about the little girl who was about to ascend the throne.

This court is already chaotic enough.

After the ceremony, Empress Yao ordered someone to go to the prison to inform the jailer to release him.

Chu Ning didn't even return to the dormitory, and went to pick up Han Tang in person.

She brought him a white silk three fingers wide, "Here, tie this to your eyes." ”

Han Tang didn't ask, took Bai Aya and covered his eyes, and tied a dead knot at the back of his head.

Chu Ning chuckled, "Stupid." ”

By this time, he had become accustomed to the darkness.

He touched the night pearl in his arms, put his mind at ease, and slowly walked out with Chu Ning holding on to the wall.

Forward, twenty steps, then left......

He was already familiar with the structure of the cell, but he deliberately stumbled so that Chu Ning could walk slower with him.

Chu Ning carried the lantern and stood at the door of the cell, looking back at him.

The tall boy had white eyes covered with white silk and held on to the wall, step by step, like a little milk dog who had just learned to walk.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry."

I don't know where he got his apology, Chu Ning's lips hooked, and he wanted to say, "It's okay."

The red candle in the lantern burned fiercely, staining his thin face with a blush of red.

Chu Ning remembered the night of the palace change, the moment when he first saw Han Tang.

In the inner court where tens of thousands of people knelt down, he was the only one wearing silver armor and carrying a spear towards her.

Silver-armored spear, heroic.

He is the most dazzling boy in the capital.

Chu Ning had a strange thought in his heart, if he had left children and grandchildren in his previous life, he would probably be such a brilliant young man.

Han Tang walked extremely slowly, and Chu Ning patiently waited with a lantern.

He mentally estimated that he would be three steps further to the door, and if he had taken a smaller step, he would probably be able to delay to three and a half steps.

Han Tang was faintly happy, thinking, then he could spend half a step more time with her.

Although he also felt that he had become strange, he quickly relieved himself, probably because he was scared of being cold during this time, right?

"Han Tang."

"Huh?"

When he was still a step and a half, Chu Ning suddenly stopped him.

"I'm going out soon, and you barely walked the road outside," she said. ”

After tying the white silk tightly, Han Tang's eyelashes trembled slightly.

He didn't say anything, Chu Ning continued: "Come, take the palace." ”

Yes?

Han Tang suddenly felt countless layers of sweat in his palms, and hurriedly put his hands behind his back and quietly wiped the sweat with his sleeves.

Who knew that Chu Ning interrupted him directly, "Stretch out your hand." ”

"Oh." Han Tang stretched out his hands that were shrunk like puppy paws.

Chu Ning snorted, "Spread out, palm up." ”

"Oh." Han Tang did as she said.

The next moment, he felt the soft fabric fall on the palm of his hand.

Chu Ning's voice sounded in his ears, "Okay, take the sleeve of this palace and go." ”

Why, it's not the same as he thought?

Han Tang honestly took Chu Ning's sleeve and slowly walked out of the cell with her.

Chu Ning was worried that he had been in the dark for a long time, and rashly went out to see the daylight, which would stimulate his eyes.

Only then did he deliberately take white silk to cover his eyes.

Han Tang was deprived of all his vision, but he was more at ease than before.

The only thing he was worried about was the sweat stains on her palms staining her sleeves.

Chu Ning walked in front with a lantern, only two or three steps away from Han Tang.

But as soon as the cuffs loosened slightly, she immediately looked back.

It wasn't until she saw the little milk dog still hanging on her sleeve that she was relieved and turned around.

Small milk dog, poisonous.

Chu Ning thought to himself, it is these little things that look harmless to humans and animals, babbling, which are the easiest to make people relax their vigilance.

As soon as you let your guard down, your heart will soften, and as soon as your heart softens, you can't help but indulge these little things with your teeth and claws.

Fortunately, Han Tang's claws are not sharp, they are tame and clingy, and they don't scratch her.

The two of them walked very slowly, and they didn't say a few words along the way, but they didn't feel embarrassed either.

Han Tang vaguely felt a glimmer of light in the white silk.

Soon, a bright light shone through the white silk and into his eyes.

"It's almost there, raise your feet, yes," Chu Ning commanded him to walk through the last step, "That's good." ”

Han Tang's heart tightened, his fingers tightened, and he grabbed the fabric in his hand hard.

As soon as his hand loosened, Chu Ning pulled out his sleeve from between his fingers.

"Okay, slowly untie the white silk, and then open your eyes."

Han Tang smiled bitterly and muttered embarrassedly, "Your Highness, Dead Knot." ”

Chu Ning glared at him angrily, "Don't move." ”

He was nearly a head taller than Chu Ning, and Chu Ning stood on tiptoe and struggled to reach the knot at the back of his head.

Han Tang only felt that the girl's fragrant fragrance rushed into his nose, and there was a faint warmth on his back, and he suddenly lit a fire in his body.

Chu Ning couldn't reach the knot, and Han Tang stiffened his back again, almost knocking her to the ground.

"Stupid! Stoop! Chu Ning couldn't cry or laugh, slandering this little milk dog's brain is as big as an orange, right?

Han Tang hurriedly leaned forward, and Chu Ning walked around to him and reached out to untie the knot at the back of his head.

Just like that, he stretched out his hand and just wrapped his head in his arms.

It's the ...... that catches the eye

Han Tang's face suddenly burned.

I only heard Chu Yue exclaim: "Third sister? What are you doing? ”