- In any case, there is nothing wrong with being careful.

Chen Ke gave an order, and the intelligence system that had been laid out at a high speed after spending a lot of money for several years. The pieces of information inside and outside the imperial city began to gather rapidly into his study. The activities of several important people are highlighted from the noisy and chaotic Bianjing City!

For a month, Zhao Zongshi has been sick at home, it is said that this time he is really sick, he can't even get off the ground, he is thin and has only a handful of bones left, and he is always fainting and talking nonsense: 'Father, father, son, I'm sorry for you. His princess Gao came into the palace and cried, wanting to ask the emperor to see him so that he could recuperate in peace.

In fact, this is an excuse for him to make problems for the official family! Because the prince is also a minister, there are rules for the emperor to visit when the courtier is sick, as long as he is not terminally ill, the emperor will not come to see the disease in person. In Zhao Zongshi's mind, with Zhao Zhen's hypocritical temperament, he always has to maintain the apparent father's kindness and filial piety, so he will definitely come again.

As soon as Zhao Zhen comes, the courtiers will immediately feel that His Royal Highness King Lu has regained the emperor's favor, and at least he can bring back some popularity...... After the Qianyuan Festival, Zhao Zongshi also became a prince from the king of the county. Even if Zhao Zhen doesn't come, it doesn't matter, because the hundred officials will feel that he is unrighteous as a father, and he doesn't treat these step-sons as sons at all! This can be regarded as a foreshadowing for turning his face and not recognizing others in the future.

Therefore, no matter who comes to visit, Zhao Zongshi on the sickbed will shout a few words about his father in a daze, and then say a few words of the emperor's lofty thoughts, and whoever listens to it will be sad and cry. After some pretentiousness, Zhao Zongshi's reputation has a tendency to recover.

After all, this guy is too thoughtful. Looking at his intelligence, Chen Ke sneered: "Pretending to be sick is pretending to be like a point, and playing so many tricks, do you think others are fools?" ”

"Not everyone can reach the level of Sun Bin and Sima Yi." Chen Yu picked up a piece of paper and said slowly: "Look." He said to Liu Chang, the master who came to visit. 'Life is prosperous in the world, competing for Vanity Fair, looking back is really boring, it is better to wander between the mountains and rivers, and be a rich idler, it seems to be more delicious. ’”

"Paradoxical. If you really want to think so, why bother calling your father all day long? Chen Ke sneered and said, "How much love does he have with the official family?" I think it's full of hate! ”

"The official family didn't go to see him after all." Chen said with a smile: "That's fine, at least let everyone see clearly." Zhao Zongshi had no hope. said and guessed: "I think he already wants to retire, but he still doesn't give up as a brother, and uses his name to toss around." As for the temptation you mentioned. That's also human nature, isn't everyone who doesn't see the Yellow River and doesn't die? ”

"There's some truth to that." Chen Ke nodded and said, "But you still can't take it lightly, what has changed in the palace?" ”

"It......'s business as usual," Chen said with a wry smile, "The Imperial City Division is under Marshal Di." If others want to mix sand, it is a thousand difficulties. This also makes it very difficult for us to get information. However, he still contacted Gonggong Li, who said that he had strengthened his precautions, and now the official family's diet has been tried by himself, so there is no need to worry. ”

"Hmm." Chen Ke asked again, "What about Han Qi and them?" ”

"Han Xianggong has been raised for more than half a year, but he is cured." Chen Yu said: "But I still don't want to be a director, but it looks like I want to hand over power." Saying that, he frowned slightly and said: "The only thing that is a little abnormal is Wang Gongchen, the official family issued a series of orders to mobilize the generals of the forbidden army a few days ago. but he dragged on with him. In the past month, there have not been many forbidden troops who have actually changed their generals...... Could it be that he is in order to support the gate? Don't even care about your own career? ”

"Oh?" Chen Ke's brows tightened, the purpose of the official family's mobilization of generals was nothing more than to reshuffle the army and reduce the control of the generals. Wang Gongchen Yang disobeyed the yin, I am afraid that it is to maintain the control of the gate. If he wants to transfer troops to rebel, Chen Ke will never believe it......

But on the whole, everything seems to be calm, and it seems that he is worrying about the sky. Chen Ke paced around the room for a long time and asked, "What about the queen?" ”

"Queen." Chen Yu was a little stunned and said: "Of course the queen is still the same, by the way, tomorrow is her birthday, do you want to prepare a congratulatory gift?" ”

"Just follow the example of previous years." Chen Ke didn't care much about it, the queen's birthday naturally can't be compared with the emperor's birthday, and Empress Cao is a very low-key person, and she has never been allowed to alarm the ministers, but only called a few good relatives to the palace for a small gathering, which can be regarded as a birthday.

Chen Ke's stepmother, Cao, is the queen's own sister, so she naturally wants to attend. Chen Ke will bring a gift to the palace every year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Although he had no clue, Chen Ke still adhered to the principle of safety first, and ordered all the forces he could mobilize to remain vigilant and respond at any time. And released the carrier pigeon to inform Zhao Shu, asking him to rush back to the capital once he sent the Liao lord away.

The next night, he went back to the old house for dinner, and by the way, he asked the Cao family about the situation on the queen's birthday. Chen Ke is going to be driven crazy by himself now, he doesn't let go of any detail, hoping to find out the clues of the other party!

Seeing his serious expression, Cao Shi detailed what he saw and heard, but unfortunately they were all three aunts and six wives, and the parents were short, and they were worthless. However, it is said that the concubine Li Wei presented a thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, which made the queen look at him with admiration.

In short, there was no valuable news, so Chen Ke had to turn back. Walking out of the door of the old mansion and looking at the dark night, as if the huge mouth that chose people to devour, he couldn't help but shiver......

Meanwhile. In the Kunning Hall of the Great Inner Palace, the lights were bright, and the official Zhao Zhen was invited by the queen to share the thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum longevity soup. Zhao Zhen was originally not very interested in what thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, but today was the queen's birthday, so he couldn't refuse, so he drove over before dark.

In the Kunning Palace, the heavenly husband and wife sit opposite each other. Seeing that she married herself at the age of sixteen and is now the queen of a white-headed woman, Zhao Zhen said a little apologetically: "Over the years, the widow has not been in good health, and he is really alienated from you. ”

"The big officials have to take care of the dragon body, and they don't need to think about the concubine. At the age of the concubine, there is no disease or disaster in the body, and there are so many women who accompany you every day, what is there that is not satisfied? Empress Cao's nose was sour, and she shook her head and said: "The only thing I am worried about is the dragon body of the big official, I heard Mr. Hu say, you have been sleepless all night lately, how can you go on like this?" ”

"Alas, the widow is used to it." Zhao Zhen smiled bitterly: "I can't sleep at night, it's quiet, I can think about a lot of things." I really have nothing to think about, so I will live the things in my life from childhood to adulthood one by one in front of me. As he spoke, tears appeared in the corners of his eyes and said, "Recently, I have always dreamed of the first emperor, the eldest lady, the little lady, and my mother who I have never met...... And Empress Guo and Wen Cheng, I know I'm about to go to see them. ”

Empress Cao also shed tears and persuaded: "Don't make such an inauspicious remark, on the Qianyuan Festival, didn't the head of the Baiyun Temple say, don't you still have a Jiazi's holy life?" ”

"Those are all auspicious words, who will take them seriously?" Zhao Zhenxiao said: "Since ancient times, emperors and generals have not been able to escape that day, and the widow has been seriously ill twice, and he has enjoyed the country for forty years. Today, Liao, Xixia, Dali, Tubo, Jiaozhi, and all the surrounding countries have coexisted peacefully. The widow asked himself as a middle-aged person, and if he could have such a result, he could be regarded as doing his best and worthy of his ancestors. ”

Saying that, he looked deeply at Queen Cao, and saw that although her green silk had turned into white hair, her face was still very ruddy, and her face still had the charm of the year, "But to you, the widow is full of apologies, and I have followed me for decades, but I have not left you an heir......"

Empress Cao was deeply affectionate, and wept and said: "It's because the concubine is not angry, and the official family doesn't abolish me, which is great benevolence......"

"Don't say that," Zhao Zhen shook his head and said, "The widow knows his own affairs, and it has nothing to do with you." He said with a smile: "Moreover, you don't have to worry about the future, no matter what, no one will dare to make you angry." ”

"Don't talk about that." Seeing that the official family was becoming more and more ominous, Queen Cao hurriedly stopped the topic and said: "The big official is not in good spirits these days, and it is inevitable that he will be cranky, in fact, you are still in the prime of spring and autumn, as long as you take care of it, you will be able to do well." Saying that, he wiped his tears and said: "By the way, I have already asked the senior official about a miraculous food recipe, which is the 'Millennium Ganoderma Longevity Soup', but I have been lacking a main medicine." Li Wei's child is also concerned, and today he took advantage of the concubine's birthday to offer it. The concubine made people stay up all afternoon, and now it is just right for the official family to eat. ”

The palace maid brought a blue glazed gray porcelain soup cup and rested it firmly on the table, and another palace maid lifted the lid on the cup, and a strong fragrance came to her nose.

Zhao Zhen is not in good health and has always had a poor appetite, but after smelling this smell, he actually moved his index finger and said: "It's so fragrant, what do you use to boil it?" ”

"Don't mention the excipients, there are two main drugs, thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum and thousand-year-old turtle." The queen personally scooped a bowl for Zhao Zhen and said: "This is not available in the imperial pharmacy, and the official can take effect after drinking it." As he spoke, he held his hands and presented it in front of the official.

Hu Yandui stepped forward and stopped: "Official, can you give this soup to the slave maid first?" ”

A look of displeasure appeared on Empress Cao's face, and Zhao Zhen smiled: "Hey, you old man is too cautious." This is the Kunning Palace, will anyone come to harm me? As he spoke, he was about to take the soup bowl.

Queen Cao didn't give it to him, but scooped it up and drank it herself. After drinking, she glanced at Hu Yandui and said, "Don't worry, right?" Nonsense stepped aside.

Zhao Zhen smiled: "Don't blame him, he was ordered to be careful." Of course not to guard against the queen, alas...... That's what it means to be alone. ”

"The senior official doesn't need to explain." Empress Cao said lightly: "Sometimes the palace is more dangerous than the battlefield, don't you know the concubine?" It's always okay to be careful. Saying that, he didn't give Zhao Zhen another scoop: "This soup, if you don't drink it, don't drink it." ”――

(To be continued.) )