The time was already the second watch, and under the beating of the candles, in the small hall next to the empress's bedroom, the empress sat leisurely, and in front of her, Han Jian and Lin Ke stood two.

Because of Han Jian's many "wrongdoing" actions, it has also made it difficult for him to see the empress recently, and only when something big happens, he has the opportunity to face the empress so head-on.

“…… His Majesty, the position of Xiangguo, it is still necessary to determine the candidate early. Lin Ke said a lot, and finally said the key sentence.

Regarding Gu Weipan's injury, how the assassin was, Lin Ke was not concerned at all. Han Jian also knew that what the situation in Jiangdu was now was irrelevant to Lin Ke, who was born with a pen. People in the power arena have always fought for power and profit.

"King Dong, is Mrs. Gu okay now?" The empress's gaze fell on Han Jian and asked.

Lin Ke was a little stupid, the empress didn't ask him, and it was precisely because in his previous nonsense, he didn't mention Gu Weipan's injury at all. The empress also seemed to see that Lin Ke was more concerned about who would replace Gu Weipan, so she simply didn't ask him this kind of question.

"Bad luck is less." Han Jian said coldly.

The empress sighed and said, "Mrs. Gu has done her best, and she has really done too much for me. I didn't go to see him personally, which was a dereliction of duty. ”

Lin Ke on the side hurriedly said: "Your Majesty's compassion for your subordinates is the blessing of those who are ministers. ”

The empress glared at Lin Ke and continued to ask Han Jian: "King Dong, what do you think of the candidate for Taifu Gu'......s replacement?"

"Back to Your Majesty, Mrs. Gu has just been injured, and now the injury is still unknown. At this time, it is not appropriate to rush to determine the replacement candidate. Han Jian said.

The Empress nodded slightly, as if in agreement. Lin Ke on the side was stunned, this gentleman and minister are so harmonious?

"Your Majesty ......" Lin Ke wanted to say something, but the empress raised her hand to stop him from continuing.

"King Dong, is the court urgent now? Mrs. Gu, is there anything else that hasn't been properly handled? ”

"Back to Your Majesty, before Mrs. Gu was assassinated, he was busy preparing for the construction of the pagoda, and other things ...... have all been properly disposed of. ”

The Empress nodded, "That's fine." The position of the prime minister. For the time being, there is no definite candidate. I still hope that Mrs. Gu can turn evil into good fortune, get healthy as soon as possible, and come out to preside over the affairs of the court. ”

Lin Ke complained bitterly in his heart, this was not giving him a chance to speak at all.

Han Jian said that there was nothing big about the imperial court. He can't just interject. Otherwise, he would openly sing against Dongwangfu. In this case. The entire imperial court is attached to the Eastern Palace, and singing against the stage is not good for him to the imperial court, it will only make the empress feel that he "does not understand the general situation".

This time, Han Jian did not get the opportunity to be alone with the empress. However, for him, it was time to go to Gu Mansion earlier to take Gu Xin'er back to Dongwang Mansion, after all, it was already dark at night.

After picking up Gu Xin'er and returning to Dongwangfu in a carriage with Gu Xin'er, Han Songshi personally came out to greet him, and also asked Gu Weipan about his injury by the way.

"Roughly fine. It shouldn't be a big deal. In front of Gu Xin'er and Han Song's family, Han Jian's description of Gu Weipan's injury changed his words, mainly because he didn't want them to worry too much.

"These officials in Jiangdu only know how to show off their might to the people on weekdays, and it's time to take some measures. Lest there be any more assassins, I still don't know anything. Han Song said a little angrily.

Han Jian didn't say much, and took Gu Xin'er to the main hall, only to find that Yang Li'er had not returned to the courtyard, and was also waiting for news with the family.

Han Jian saw Yang Xin'er sitting alone on one side, and couldn't help but feel pity in his heart, he should have accompanied Yang Xin'er that night, but when such a thing happened, how could he be willing to let Gu Xin'er cry alone at night without anyone to comfort him?

"Jian'er, can you find out about the assassins?" When Han Cuishi saw Han Jian, he hurriedly stepped forward and asked.

"Sanniang, aren't you embarrassing me? The last assassin who assassinated me didn't know what to do. Han Jian said, looking at Gu Xin'er, who was sad and sad, although he comforted him all the way, Gu Xin'er still couldn't hide her sadness, "It's always someone else who comes to assassinate, we ...... Should we pay a salute in return? ”

Han Jian's words made a room full of women look at him, including Gu Xin'er.

"Jian'er, what are you talking about?" Han Song came up and glanced at Han Jian complainingly.

"One family, no two words. This is the kind of thing I have to say, but I have to do. Han Jian said viciously, "No matter who comes to assassinate now, it will always put the Dongwang Mansion to death." Instead of sitting back and waiting to die, it is better to pay tribute to them. ”

Han Song said: "But do you know who sent someone to assassinate you?" ”

"Don't you know? After all, there are only a few, the North Palace, the West Palace, or the rebels in Luoyang. Who else but them? ”

When Han Jian said this, Yang Li'er couldn't help but lower her head. She knew that Han Jian deliberately didn't say anything about the Nanwang Mansion, but in fact, the Nanwang Mansion was also very likely to send someone to assassinate Gu Weipan. The Southern Wangfu repeatedly asked for help but did not arrive, but the Eastern Wangfu secretly sent troops, obviously preparing to reap the benefits. It is not impossible for the Southern Prince's Mansion to retaliate because of this.

Han Songshi complained: "Jian'er, what do you want to do, just make your own ideas, don't say this kind of thing in front of us." ”

Han Jian nodded, when he said this, he actually wanted Gu Xin'er to explain something. It's also to show that he has indeed "done things".

Han Jian gossiped a few words with a few aunts, and then explained to Yang Xin'er, asking Yang Xin'er to go back to the room first, and then he accompanied Gu Xin'er back.

He was about to leave, but he saw someone coming in at the door. Han Jian thought to himself, at such a late hour, there was still someone who could enter the mansion without a report?

When he saw the person who came clearly, Han Jian was also slightly shocked in his heart, it was actually the empress in civilian clothes.

"Your Majesty ......" Han Jian had no choice but to salute when he saw the empress. Looking at the empress's posture again, she didn't even bring an entourage, isn't the empress afraid of being assassinated at night?

"The concubine body is to your majesty xià please be safe." Han Jian's eleven aunts have already gone back seven or eight, but a few have not left yet, so they can only come over to salute first.

"I'm here today, so I don't have to be polite." The Empress raised her hand and motioned for everyone to flatten.

Han Jian fixed his expression and said, "I don't know what happened when His Majesty visited late at night?" ”

"I asked you a few things about the assassination of Taifu Gu, and it was inconvenient to be in the palace, so I came to the East Palace." The empress said indifferently.

Han Jian speculated in his heart, the empress didn't ask just now, and now she came over to investigate, could it be that the empress suspected that Gu Weipan's assassination was related to Lin Ke?

"Since His Majesty and Jian'er ...... The king of the east had something to discuss, and the concubine retired first. Han Song said.

"Hmm." The Empress nodded slightly.

Han Song and several others, including Gu Xin'er, all went to wait outside the main hall first. Han Jian stayed behind and faced the empress alone.

"King Dong, you don't know anything about the assassination of Taifu Gu?" The empress came up and asked directly.

"What does this mean? Could it be that His Majesty felt that the assassination of Gu Taifu was done by the ministers? With no one around, Han Jian's attitude was no longer as respectful as before.

The empress frowned slightly when she saw Han Jian's resistant tone.

"King Dong, speak well. I'm asking you, and if I doubt you, and come to you late at night? The Empress asked with a dark face.

Han Jian sighed helplessly, in the final analysis, although he now treats the empress as a monarch in front of people, but when the two of them coexisted, Han Jian had already straightened his waist to prove that he could control the relationship between the two that might happen in the future. Face the Empress as a man.

"Then Your Majesty, but who did it?"

The empress paced and sighed, "It is precisely because I don't know that I will come to ask you." In front of Lin Shangshu, there are some words that I don't want to ask. Leaving you alone to speak will also make Lin Shangshu more hearty. ”

"Then His Majesty came to the East Wangfu late at night, not afraid that outsiders would know?" Han Jian squinted at the empress's back and asked.

"You think I'm going to come out, and those guards can stop me?" The empress turned her back to Han Jian and said coldly.

Han Jian smiled, it seemed that the empress did not come out of the main gate of the dormitory, but came out over the wall. As an empress, if she doesn't follow the usual path, it is up to her. But this also shows that it is a matter of minutes for the empress to leave, and the empress has never said goodbye without saying goodbye, but she has no intention of leaving.

After thinking about it, Han Jian said: "Since His Majesty asked, the minister bluntly said that the assassin of Gu Taifu was nothing more than a rebellious party, and the previous minister was also suspicious of Lin Shangshu, but he didn't expect him to be so bold." ”

"That's because you don't know Lin Shangshu's past." The empress said suddenly.

As soon as Han Jian heard this, he must have guessed in his heart that the empress was really suspicious of Lin Ke.

"Lin Shangshu's past? The minister is really not very good, please ask Your Majesty Xià to solve the doubts for the minister. Han Jian said.

The empress sighed: "Lin Shangshu once had a dispute with me about the establishment of the crown prince, and that was when the two princes were still minors. At that time, Lin Shangshu strongly recommended that I make the third brother the crown prince, and until I blocked the road, he still did not persevere. ”

Han Jian thought to himself, I really can't know about this kind of thing.

Lin Ke wrote to the empress, and only Lin Ke and the empress knew. A foreign minister, when Lin Ke was in the book, he was still living happily in Jiangdu City as a wind-like teenager, where to check this kind of thing?

But the meaning of the empress's words is clearly to say that the relationship between Lin Ke and Yang Yu is "not simple", and it is likely to be in the same group as Yang Yu.

"So His Majesty didn't decide on a replacement for Mrs. Gu before?" Han Jian asked.

"Hmm." The empress turned her head and looked at Han Jian and said, "I'm just afraid, this matter was done by Lin Shangshu, and being Xiangguo is also the purpose of his actions." ”

Han Jian nodded, although he felt that what the Empress said made some sense, but it seemed that he couldn't say it.

Lin Ke did do something for the stability of Jiangdu before, but even so, the empress still didn't believe Lin Ke. Either Lin Ke's previous letter to the crown prince was indeed not appreciated by the empress, or the empress deliberately dragged the spearhead to Lin Ke, making him think that Lin Ke did it.

Han Jian thought again, if the empress really wanted him to suspect Lin Ke, what was the purpose? (To be continued......)