Wen Tiren looked at the sky with his hands in his hands, full of pride, and squinted at Xu Liang and Huang Daozhou, "Seeing that my own brother was sent to Liaodong and my old subordinates were driven to Nanjing to drink tea, this feeling is uncomfortable, right?" ”

"Well, the old man heard that before leaving, the eldest lady of your family said some ugly things to the gate of Lord Xu's mansion? Haha......"

When Xu Liang heard this, his face turned blue with anger, and he glared at Wen Tiren.

Well? It's really bearable! Elder Wen Ge was very dissatisfied with Xu Liang's performance. The old man sneered for so long, how could this Xu Liang still be so angry? Why don't you start beating people?

Wen Tiren's eyes swept over the guards on both sides of the city gate who had not yet withdrawn, and he was very happy to see Xu Liang couldn't help but move towards him. The crime of beating a scholar is not light.

Wen Tiren smiled, stared at Xu Liang and said meaningfully: "Young man, now that Xu Guangqi, who can cover you, has gone to the border, you have to be careful in the next few months!" Alas, the old man, although he is highly respected, is more fond of holding grudges. ”

Xu Liang's eyes froze, staring at Wen Ge Lao fiercely, and suddenly said: "It turns out that Xu Ge Lao left Beijing, and you also made a ghost!" ”

"Where!" Wen Tiren humbly excused himself, "Lord Jifu inspects the border passes, that's what the emperor meant." The old man just found an appropriate time and reminded him a little in front of the emperor. ”

After saying that, Wen Tiren laughed triumphantly three times and walked away.

Xu Liang and Huang Daozhou both stopped in place, watching Wen Tiren swagger away with hatred.

The officers and soldiers on guard at the city gate began to collect their troops and return to the camp, Xu Liang and Huang Daozhou walked to the side of the road and watched the two teams of officers and soldiers pass by with neat steps.

"My lord, it seems that this Wen Tiren is unwilling to give up." Zodiac Zhou said hatefully.

Xu Liang waved his hand and motioned for Huang Daozhou to talk to him as he walked back.

"Now that Xu Ge has left Beijing, Sun Ge is far away in Liaodong. Wang Shangshu of the Ministry of Officials didn't seem to have much hope. Xu Liang sighed, "Dao Zhou, what can be done to deal with this situation now?" ”

Huang Daozhou was silent for a moment, and then sighed: "My lord, our strength is comparable to Wen Tiren. It's not a little bit worse. Moreover, Wen Tiren is in the center, and the relationship with the first assistant Zhou Yanru is very good. If he cleans us up in the name of the cabinet, then we really don't have any temper at all. Wang Qinian's case is an obvious example. ”

Xu Liang hung his head for a while, and discussed with Huang Daozhou while walking, but when the two arrived at the gate of Guanglu Temple, neither of them discussed a suitable way to come out.

In the end, Xu Liang stomped his feet and said angrily: "It's really not good." There is only some means. ”

Huang Dao was stunned and moved his mouth, wanting to say that this was too despicable, but thinking of the current situation, he finally didn't say it.

Xu Liang did what he wanted, sent Huang Daozhou back to the Imperial Procuratorate, and ordered someone to call Tietou and Yan Qi to the yamen, and the three of them discussed it for half an hour behind closed doors. Tie Tou and Yan Qi took the order.

Three days later, Empress Zhou of the Middle Palace held a banquet to entertain the ladies and princes and ladies of the court and above the third rank. This is a big matter in Guanglu Temple, Xu Liang and Shen Congliang, the Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple, and a number of subordinate officials are concentrated around Kunning Palace.

The affairs of the big banquet were carefully prepared by Shen Congliang, the young secretary of Guanglu Temple, as long as Xu Liang was present and stared, and the banquet did not make a big mistake, it was considered to be passed.

After the banquet begins. Xu Liang and Shen Congliang both breathed a sigh of relief, and the two stood in the corridor in front of Kunning Palace, gossiping.

Shen Congliang saw the sweat on Xu Liang's forehead, and looked at the sun outside to be poisonous, so he said to Xu Liang flatteringly: "My lord." There must be a lot to talk about at the banquet between the queen and the ladies, and this banquet will not end for a while. After the main seat, there will be a flower tea, and then there will be no matter of our Guanglu Temple. You see that the sun is so poisonous, just keep an eye on it here, my lord, can you go back to your house and rest? ”

When Xu Liang heard this, he was very useful in his heart, and fanned the wind on his face with his hand, feeling that the wind blowing on his face was hot. Listening to the laughter of the ladies in the Kunning Palace from time to time, Xu Liang was sure that this banquet would indeed not end in a short time.

Xu Liang originally remembered the things he had to do for Tietou and Yan Qi, but he didn't have the patience to stay at the gate of the palace, so he sighed and said, "Then it's hard for Lord Shen here." ”

Shen Congliang hurriedly said: "Where is it, it is the duty of the lower officials to share the worries of the adults." ”

When Xu Liang heard this, he nodded at Shen Congliang, and was about to go down the steps when he suddenly heard a call.

"Lord Xu stays."

Xu Liang looked back, only to see a blue-clothed palace maid walking over with small steps, standing in front of Xu Liang and bowing, and said, "Lord Xu, the emperor summoned Lord Xu to question." ”

"Your Majesty?" Xu Liang was slightly stunned.

The palace maid bowed her head slightly, leaned over and urged: "Lord Xu, please come with me." ”

The emperor called, Xu Liang didn't dare to slack off, so he followed behind the blue-clothed palace maid and walked to the inner courtyard of the palace.

After passing through the two courtyard gates, Xu Liang suddenly felt that something was wrong, so he asked, "This girl, isn't the emperor in the Heart Cultivation Palace?" ”

Thanks to the functions of Guanglu Temple, Xu Liang still has some understanding of the layout of the palace, and the direction he and the palace maid are taking at the moment is obviously not leading to the Yangxin Hall where Emperor Chongzhi often works.

The palace maid paused for a moment and said: "Lord Xu doesn't know, today is the queen's mother holding a palace banquet, and the emperor is worried that the sound of the banquet in Kunning Palace will reach the Yangxin Palace, and he has gone to Ciqing Palace at this moment." ”

Xu Liang sighed and stopped asking. The two of them started again.

A eunuch came over, but it was the little Du Zi of the celebrant eunuch. Xiao Duzi saw Xu Liang and stopped to say hello: "I've seen Lord Xu." ”

Xu Liang was also very happy when he saw his old acquaintance, and stopped and smiled: "It turned out to be Du's father-in-law." Where is Du's father-in-law? ”

"The prince wants the little one to go to the Internal Affairs Office to get some rice paper." Dugong replied, glanced at the palace maid curiously, and asked with a smile, "Lord Xu, is this?" ”

Xu Liang said: "The emperor is waiting to summon me in Ciqing Palace. Saying that, he waved his hand and said, "Du, you are busy with you, let's talk later." ”

"Hey. Mr. Xu, please take care of it. Du's father-in-law responded, but his eyes were a little strange when he looked at Xu Liang, he thought about it, shook his head, and looked puzzled.

Then pass through two courtyard gates. Xu Liang and the blue-clothed palace maid stopped outside a palace gate. The palace here should be of high standard, but it is only the furnishings and objects in the courtyard, but it seems that it is rarely taken care of on weekdays. The fallen leaves in the corners of the palace wall have not been cleaned, and the entire Ciqing Palace is unusually quiet, and there is not even a eunuch and palace maid at the door.

Xu Liang was puzzled and asked, "The emperor is here?" ”

The blue-clothed palace maid gently pushed the palace door that was opening and closing. Stretched out his hand to the inside, and explained: "Lord Xu doesn't know, there are only two palace maids who sprinkle and sweep in Ciqing Palace on weekdays, and it is originally quiet. Otherwise, the emperor would not have chosen here. Lord Xu, please come in, the emperor is waiting for you inside. ”

Xu Liang listened, looked at the palace, and under the repeated instructions of the palace maid, he stepped into the palace lightly.

Compared to the interiors of other palaces. Ciqing Palace looks old, even a little shabby. Xu Liang walked in lightly, only to find that there was no one inside.

How come there is no one? There are always eunuchs around the emperor, and the most common one is Wang Chengen, but not to mention Wang Chengen in the palace, even the other eunuchs of the ceremonial eunuch are nowhere to be seen, and the whole palace is unusually quiet.

Where is Emperor Chongzhen?

The doubts in Xu Liang's heart became heavier and heavier, and he stopped suddenly. Look around vigilantly. The blue-clothed palace maid was gone.

Xu Liang stepped back gently, step by step.

Suddenly. There was a slight sound of footsteps coming from one of the side halls inside.

Xu Liang paused, listened intently for a moment, and confirmed that the footsteps came from the inner hall, but the inner hall was covered by a lake-green curtain, and he couldn't see who the people inside were.

The footsteps seemed very calm and unhurried. A complacent look.

vaguely, there is the appearance of Emperor Chongzhen. Chongzhen's young son of heaven, every time in front of the courtiers, it is this kind of hesitant ambition, and the world is in my hands.

The emperor turned out to be really in it!

Xu Liang no longer hesitated. He walked over gently, reached out and lifted the drape, and was about to enter.

"Who?"

A nice woman's voice exclaimed.

Well? How is it a woman?

Xu Liang raised his head violently, and his eyes widened.

Behind the drape, there was a huge bathtub in the middle of the room, which was sprinkled with flower petals, and the water rippled, and by the bathtub, a woman of about two years, with black hair and a shawl, was only wrapped in a thin robe, and inside the translucent thin robe, the delicate figure loomed.

The woman's eyes were first surprised, then ashamed, and then the phoenix's eyes widened, and she shouted in anger: "Bold! ”

Although it was a glimpse, Xu Liang was still shocked, hurriedly withdrew from the drapery, and explained in shock: "Misunderstanding......

"Someone! Catch the assassins! ”

Inside the drapery, the woman scrambled to put on her clothes, screaming as she scrambled to put on her clothes.

Xu Liang's heart jumped, although he didn't know which lady lived in this Ciqing Palace, but he was able to dominate such a big palace in the palace, even if it was a concubine who was not favored, it was not something that Xu Liang could offend a little Guanglu Siqing. In the scene just now, the woman was obviously about to take a bath, but one of her ministers bumped into it......

Framed!

Xu Liang turned around and left.

After a few steps to the palace gate, I suddenly heard heavy footsteps outside the palace, and a team of palace guards rushed in under the leadership of a school captain.

"Catch the assassins! Fence it off! ”

"The assassin is on his way to his mother's bedchamber! Catch him! This was a woman's voice, Xu Liang heard it clearly, it turned out to be the blue-clothed palace maid who brought him over.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of palace guards have turned Ciqing Palace to the ground.

The blue-clothed palace maid led the captain and other guards to rush into the Ciqing Palace, and before the curtain, the palace maid waved her hand to stop the guards.

"Laneige, what's wrong?"

Within the curtain, a calm female voice came out.

The blue-clothed palace maid, that is, the palace maid named Lanzhi, was stunned for a moment, bit her lip, knelt down and said: "Yu Niangniang, the maid just saw a young red-robed official sneaking into Ciqing Palace outside the palace, worried that he would be unfavorable to Niangniang, and frightened Niangniang, so he specially invited the guards to come and escort him. ”

The captain of the team also knelt down and arched his hand: "Empress Yi'an, the subordinate former captain Sha Pinggui is late to escort him, please forgive my mother." ”

It turned out that the person living in Ciqing Palace was actually the queen of the previous dynasty, Empress Zhang Yan of Yi'an.

The curtain was lightly opened, and Empress Zhang slowly walked out of it, her face was shy and annoyed, and she stared at the kneeling palace maid Lanzhi for a long time before nodding at Captain Sha and said, "Captain Sha has worked hard." It's just that everything is fine here in the main palace, and there are no assassins in sight. Captain Sha inspects the palace forbidden, and his duties are in his body, so it is really not appropriate to stay here in the palace for a long time, so please go to other places to inspect. ”

"This ......" Captain Sha hesitated and glanced at Laneige.

Lanzhi kowtowed and said eagerly: "Niangniang, there are assassins in the palace, and this matter is not trivial. It's better to search carefully. ”

Zhang Yan raised her voice angrily and said, "This palace said that there are no assassins here, there are no assassins!" ”

Lanzhi's eyes flickered, and he shouted on the ground: "Niangniang, the slave maid can really see it outside, the assassin entered the Ciqing Palace and never left." I heard that the palace and the palace are not very peaceful recently, and the Ciqing Palace is located in a remote area, the identity of the mother is noble, and the beauty is like a fairy. ”

Zhang Yan looked at Laneige in surprise, when did Laneige, the palace maid who has always been dutyful, be able to say such a big truth? Zhang Yan thought of a certain possibility, and couldn't help but tremble with anger.

When Captain Sha heard this, he was ruthless, stomped his feet, and arched his hand towards Queen Zhang: "Niangniang, where is the duty of the lowly duty, I am offended!" With that, he waved at the guards behind him and shouted, "Search for me!" Even if you dig three feet into the ground, you have to find out the assassins! ”

All the guards responded in unison, bypassed Zhang Yan, and searched the Ciqing Palace.

Zhang Yan's face turned blue with anger, pointing at the palace maid Lanzhi and Captain Sha, and she was angry: "Okay, good, you dare to be so bold!" ”

Lanzhi stood up from the ground, owed to Queen Zhang, and said coldly: "Niangniang forgives her sins, and the maid is also thinking about Niangniang's safety." ”

Facing the angry gaze of Empress Yi'an, Lanzhi was shocked for a while, but then thought that as long as Xu Liang was found out of Ciqing Palace, then he would be a great achievement, and he would no longer have to wait for this former queen who had lost power in the future. Thinking of this, Laneige raised his head again.

The guards searched for the assassins in the Ciqing Palace, turning the already shabby Ciqing Palace into a miasma, and Empress Zhang was angry and even more annoyed. But at the same time, she was also puzzled in her heart, since she was frightened by Xu Liang, she went from putting on her clothes to the palace maid Lanzhi leading the guards to rush in, in total, it was only a while, Xu Liang, a good and dignified person, why did he suddenly disappear?

"Mother, what's wrong?" After a while, another palace maid ran in in a panic.

"Ruyun, you came just in time, go to Kunning Palace and invite the queen mother to come over." When Empress Zhang saw her personal palace maid like a cloud, she felt a little at ease, and commanded like a cloud with a calm face.

"Huh? …… Oh. Ruyun saw that Empress Zhang's expression was solemn, and she knew that something big had happened, so she didn't stay anymore and ran out again in a hurry. (To be continued.) )