What happened in the early dynasty spread throughout the capital with lightning speed, instantly covering up the gossip of Xiao Rui and Zhuge Liuying, and then began to discuss the Qiguo Mansion.

It is said that after the elderly Qi Guogong learned of this, he almost fainted from heart disease, and finally endured his physical discomfort to enter the palace to face the saint, Emperor Xia received him, he was in tears, kneeling and begging His Majesty to be loyal to the country for the sake of his own loyalty, and to Han Mobei lightly.

As for those problematic generals, they have nothing to do with the Han family, they are just familiar and acquainted, and they don't have any interests! He vouches for his personality!

Qi Guogong knew that he couldn't keep his son, so he just wanted to keep the Han family.

As for how Emperor Xia answered him, there are many theories, but when the Duke of Qi Guo walked out of the noon gate, he passed out and was hurried to be treated in a carriage, and Emperor Xia did not let go, so this Duke of Qi was like ashes.

On the other side, the three divisions cooperated with the East Factory, plus the Ministry of War and the Governor's Mansion of the Chinese Army, and the six yamen worked at the same time to begin to strictly review the matter. Yuan Xiao has already confessed, just going through the motions, and the next thing is to interrogate Han Mobei, but he is not the point, everyone knows that it is a big deal to investigate the generals who have a relationship with the Han family.

His Majesty gave a death order, who would dare to tolerate it?

In the next few days, the capital was extremely depressed, and the military generals suffered an unprecedented blow, and sixty percent of the military generals in the Left Army Governor's Mansion were investigated, plus more than a dozen generals reported by the champion Hou, and almost all the generals related to the Han family could not escape the doom of the investigation.

Naturally, the results of the investigation are also chilling.

Corruption and bribery, deduction of military salaries, disregard for human life, forming parties for personal gain... Countless charges converged, focusing on the Qiguo Mansion. These people rose with the help of the power of Qi Guogong, and now they have caused Qi Guogong to be destroyed, drinking and pecking, and the cycle of cause and effect.

When the preliminary results of the investigation of the crimes of the Qi Kingdom Mansion came out, they were immediately presented to Emperor Xia. After Emperor Xia saw it, Lei Ting was furious and ordered to continue the strict investigation and never tolerate it.

Soon, the charges of the Qiguo Mansion were completely exposed, and the reputation that the Qiguo Gong had accumulated all his life fell into the abyss in an instant, and it was difficult to escape his crimes.

How long will it take to bring down a prestigious state-owned mansion?

It only takes seven days.

Seven days later, the review of the case was completed, and the summary of all the cases was submitted to the cabinet, and Li Mingchong knew that the matter was too big, so he immediately submitted the official document to Emperor Xia.

After Emperor Xia saw it, he was shocked by the audacity of the Qiguo Mansion, and then personally ordered:

"The Duke of Qi Guo cut off the lord, understood his advanced age, and allowed him to return to his hometown. The female dependents of the family will not be held jointly and severally liable and will leave Beijing together. ”

"All the other officials involved in the case will be stripped of their lords and official positions, and the punishment will be increased according to the laws of Great Xia, and they will not be spared!"

According to Han Mobei's crime, although it is not a capital crime, exile is inevitable, and the big tree of the Qiguo Mansion collapsed, and some people are happy and some are worried.

In addition, Hai Dafu also personally strictly inspected the East Factory, the father-in-law of the third division and his righteous son were killed by the cane, and Wei Zhongxian became the head of the third division as expected.

When the case was concluded, the cabinet also decreed that Zhuge Yuanba's position as the commander of the Iron Dragoon and his position as earl were restored.

In the eyes of the civil and military officials, in this war without gunpowder, Xiao Yuan lost miserably, his biggest reliance on the Qiguo Mansion fell, and the forces supporting him were almost gone. On the contrary, Xiao Rui, the weak Xianwang who was weak, caught up, and unexpectedly harvested the mountain of champion Hou, becoming a force not inferior to any prince.

It should be mentioned that the fall of the Qiguo Mansion seems to have deliberately avoided Xiao Yuan, and did not involve him in any crimes, and the news that Xiao Rui heard from it was opened by Emperor Xia, otherwise he would not want to be safe and sound. Thinking about it, the trauma of his soul had taught him a lesson.

……

At the end of the case of the Qiguo Mansion, it happened to enter the beginning of the winter solar term.

The beginning of winter is the season of autumn harvest and winter storage, and it also represents the season of enjoying a good harvest and recuperation. Every year at this solar term, the battlefields of frontier confrontation form a tacit understanding, which will reduce combat and allow soldiers to recuperate.

Lidong is one of the "four seasons and eight festivals" of the Great Xia Kingdom, which is quite important, and on this day, the Xia Emperor will personally hold sacrifices, drinking feasts and other activities to celebrate as an important festival.

Today, the wind and rain of the Great Xia country are smooth, and there are bumper harvests year after year, so the Xia Emperor wants to hold a ceremony to worship the heavens, on behalf of all the people, to pray to the heavens for peace in the world and a bumper harvest for all things.

According to the tradition of the Great Xia Kingdom, the whole process of the heavenly sacrifice includes: welcoming the gods, bowing, entering the ceremony, the first offering, the sub-offering, the final offering, etc.

The first step to welcome the gods is to raise fireworks in the burnt wood stove, expressing the meaning of respecting the heavens in the world. Then bow down to the main seat of the Emperor of Heaven, and then bow to the ancestral tablet with incense, and then offer jade and silk to the gods.

In the second walking ceremony, Tai Changqing guided the emperor to wash and go to the shrine before the three incense ceremony, and the deacon presented the jade silk to the emperor. Then the Xia Emperor made a ceremony to pay homage to the Emperor and the ancestral tablets.

The third step into the palace, after the internal praise is played to ascend to the altar, the emperor is accompanied by the guide to the main position, the matching position is advanced, and the emperor is reinstated.

Then there is the initial offering, the second offering, the final offering, etc., and the process is complicated.

Xiao Rui, as the seventh son of the emperor, naturally participated in the whole process.

It is very boring to worship the heavens, but fortunately the rituals have been streamlined, otherwise there is enough to drink a pot.

At the end of the ceremony, Emperor Xia will set up a banquet to entertain civil and military officials and express the joy of the harvest. Naturally, this banquet is also very boring. However, this year's banquet is slightly different for Xiao Rui, he was unpopular before, but now there are many military attachés toasting, no way, it is all for the sake of the face of the champion Hou and Zhuge Yuanba, so Xiao Rui must drink, fortunately, the amount of wine is large, otherwise he must drink down.

The banquet did not end until nightfall.

Xiao Rui was about to leave the palace, but was stopped by a female official.

"His Royal Highness King Xian, on the orders of the queen, please go to Changchun Palace tomorrow!" The female officer said respectfully.

Xiao Rui was stunned, the queen was looking for herself?

The queen is the wife of Emperor Xia, and her mother is the world, so it is understandable to let Xiao Rui go to ask for peace. But there must be demons when things go out of the normal state, she is still Xiao Yiheng's mother, and she let herself go for no reason, it is definitely not as simple as asking for peace.

I think it's because of the recent sudden rise in power that has shocked other princes, so they will start to test one after another.

A few days ago, Xiao Rui received invitations from the eldest prince Xiao Lie, Xiao Yiheng, Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jing, inviting him to come over the house, but Xiao Rui made excuses to refuse, but he didn't expect that even the harem concubines couldn't bear it now.

"Okay, I'm tired of returning to the queen, this king will end tomorrow morning, and he will definitely say goodbye." Xiao Rui said with a smile.

"The slave understands." The female officer withdrew.

Xiao Rui glanced back at the people who left the palace, and indeed did not find Xiao Yiheng's figure.

At this time, Xiao Yiheng was indeed in Changchun Palace.

After the female official replied to Xiao Rui's reply, Xiao Yiheng smiled and said: "The queen mother is out of the horse, and he doesn't dare to refuse!" ”

Queen Zhou Xiangyun said with a smile: "After I became a country, I called him here, and he naturally didn't dare to disobey." But is it necessary? Even if he marries the daughter of the champion Hou, he will only increase some chips and will not be able to threaten you. The only one who can compete with you is Xiao Lie! ”

Xiao Yiheng said: "Queen Mother, this chip is not simple, the champion Hou Xu is also a person, the ability behind him cannot be underestimated." ”

Who knows, Zhou Xiangyun shook his head and said, "Champion Hou is not to be underestimated, but I mean Xiao Rui, the possibility of him becoming the prince is too small." You don't have to worry about him. ”

"Huh? What does the queen mean? Xiao Yiheng immediately sat up straight and hurriedly asked.

Zhou Xiangyun said: "I also know very little, but it seems to have something to do with Xiao Rui's mother, her mother's identity and origin are problematic, and it is impossible for her son to inherit the throne." This secret was overheard by me from the deceased Queen Mother. But I knocked on the side to inquire, the queen mother's mouth was very tight, and she didn't reveal anything, and I also asked your grandfather, and he didn't know. ”

"Concubine Rong?" Xiao Yiheng shook his head, he was not familiar with Xiao Rui's mother at all, he only remembered that she was an extremely beautiful woman, but unfortunately she died of illness.

"Since the Queen Mother has such remarks, there must be a reason, I have to check it, maybe it can become the best means to restrain Xiao Rui." Xiao Yiheng was eager to try.

Zhou Xiangyun smiled: "You can go and check it." This time Xiao Yuan's loss of power is a foregone conclusion, and it is estimated that if he wants to rise again, it will be more difficult than Xiao Rui's rise. His princess's vein has also been involved too much, and it is really a misstep that has become a thousand years of hatred. ”

Speaking of Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yiheng's face changed slightly, and he scolded: "This old fifth, what a cunning guy, these days he seems to have woken up from the defeat of the Han family, and began to frequently contact the eldest prince Xiao Lie, I suspect that he knows that his crown prince is hopeless, and turned around and joined the camp of the eldest prince!" ”

"Is there such a thing? No wonder Lin Yuer's slut has been yin and yang weird these days, with a cheap smile on the corner of her mouth, it turns out that this is the case! Zhou Xiangyun immediately frowned and scolded, Xiao Yiheng regarded Xiao Lie as an opponent, and Queen Zhou Xiangyun also regarded the imperial concubine Lin Yuer as an enemy, and even the war in the harem was even more dangerous.

Xiao Yiheng said with a smile: "Lin Yu'er is naturally not the opponent of the queen mother, this harem is respected by the queen mother!" ”

"No, people are getting old, and Your Majesty is tired of it. Some time ago, some official women were sent in from outside the palace, with beautiful and dignified appearances, and these women, as talented people and selected servants, once they were favored by His Majesty, they immediately rose to the top. Zhou Xiangyun looked surprised.

The ancient text said: "The daughter of the famous eunuch is the name of the department, in order to prepare for the princess and the county lord to accompany the school, as a talented person to praise the good job", the talent is a kind of court female official, and the concubine, it seems that the status is not high, but it is far luckier than the palace maid, once you get the favor of Your Majesty, you will directly become the master.

After all, Zhou Xiangyun is in his forties, even if he is well maintained, but he is old and decrepit, how can he capture Emperor Xia's heart?

Emperor Xia often came to Changchun Palace to sit, but he didn't stay overnight for a long time. It is not unreasonable for the harem concubines to complain about women.

Xiao Yiheng remained silent, he couldn't tease His Majesty.

I simply said a few more words, looked at the time, and the noon gate of the palace was about to close, so I said goodbye and left.

When I left Changchun Palace and passed through the garden, I suddenly heard a pleasant singing. The voice was beautiful and ethereal, which made Xiao Yiheng intoxicated and tugged at his heartstrings, he didn't hold back, so he stepped away and took a look.

Bypassing the rockery, I saw a young girl singing by the pond and putting a lit lotus lantern in the water.

Although the girl is not very old, her appearance is beautiful and fragrant, just looking at it makes Xiao Yiheng unable to take his eyes off.

Looking at the woman's dress, it should be the new waiter, she finished putting the lotus lantern, and the song also fell, and then folded her hands and prayed for something.

This scene made Xiao Yiheng's heart pound, and he was so eager to get something for the second time!

And for the first time, it was the position of the crown prince!

PS: Guess who the girl is.

One more thing: the editor informed me that it will be on the shelves tomorrow at 12 noon, haha...