Shen Zetang suddenly woke up.

A lamp is like a bean, the fire is still warm, and the cold wind outside the window knocks on my window, and there is a sound.

Jun always saw that he was strategizing and playing with power in the palm of his hand, but he didn't know that it was also a double-edged sword.

So when he had his spare time, he practiced Buddhism, so that he could be calm, benevolent, and abstain from falling. Imprisoned in the prison of lust for profit.

But at this time, for some reason, it was very lonely.

Inexplicably thought of Shun Yu, the delicate warmth that had hugged her with her fingertips, her thoughts loosened, and the corners of her lips were softly curved with a smile.

There was a sound of footsteps approaching on the corridor, and the dark night was still in a hurry, he smiled and frowned, and then stood up, and saw the guards leading a messenger eunuch to report that the emperor was critically ill, and asked the cabinet ministers to enter the Qianqing Palace together.

While tidying up his appearance, he asked about the situation in the palace in a deep voice, and the eunuch was tender, but I couldn't tell why.

Shen Zetang didn't think it was allowed, went out and walked out along the corridor, passing by the side hall and unintentionally glanced at it, paused, the clothes box of Li Ji's silk shop was wrapped in flowers and flowing suede, which was very exquisite.

He asked the eunuch to wait, stepped in and lifted the lid of the box, and the red mandarin duck belly pocket was included in his eyes.

After just a few words, Shen Zetang walked out of the side hall with a calm face, continued to walk, was silent, and glanced at Shen Huan: "You went to buy the clothes?" ”

Shen Huan hurriedly replied yes, and waited for the next thing anxiously, but after a while, he saw the second master's jaw, and added: "This matter is very good!" ”

................

In front of the Qianqing door, but see the wall eaves around a slipped hanging twelve pairs of palace lights, red through the dark night of the dark curtain, after the snow was swept clean bluestone slab road.

Xu Ling, Li Guangqi and Gao Gao had arrived, and Cao Gongcheng was talking to them in a low voice, and when he saw him coming, he hurriedly led him into the Qianqing Palace, through the Wu Corridor, and into the emperor's bedroom.

Shen Zetang and the others knelt down and kowtowed in front of the imperial couch, raised his eyes to see that the emperor's body was covered with an embroidered dragon golden mattress, his face was blue and gray after being tortured by the sick body for a long time, his eyes were closed, and his breath could not enter or exit.

Qin Zhong also knelt in front of him, he looked at Qin Zhong, and saw that he was silent and only shook his head silently, knowing that the emperor was hesitant in the spring and autumn, and he knew the light jaw.

There was intermittent sobbing, Shen Zetang looked behind the curtain without noticing, listened carefully, and knew that it was Empress Xue and Zhang Guifei inside, and glanced at Gonggong Wei standing by the couch, his expression changed slightly, Gonggong Wei was the eunuch of the ceremonial supervisor Bingbi, but the palm print eunuch and Gonggong Sha who should be present at this time were nowhere to be seen.

A desolation spread in the Qianqing Palace, and suddenly there was a eunuch who passed on the prince Zhu Yulin, but he heard that his steps were broken, Zhu Yu stumbled to the front of the imperial couch, stretched out his hand and held the emperor's cold palm, and said sadly: "The father and the emperor summoned his sons and ministers to feast and drink together in the evening, and discuss the great policies of governing the country, and the spirit is still good. “

Shen Zetang inspected the figures behind the curtains, and Zhang Guifei was whispering, panicked and angry: "My son Zhu Xi is also in the palace, why don't you call him to face the saint, where did the master of ceremonies and the other fathers-in-law go?" Empress, you want to disobey the emperor's will........ “

"Concubine Zhang Guifei is talking nonsense." Empress Xue said coldly: "If you are overly grieved, you will not be held accountable, so you should go back to the palace and rest." “

After the chaotic shadows and muffled sounds of struggle, the palace instantly returned to calm, only the prince was still crying bitterly.

After a long time, Empress Xue sighed sadly, and finally said: "Father-in-law Wei can read out the edict, please know about it." “

Wei Ji approached, unveiled the scroll of Huang Aya in his hand, and said in a sharp voice: "Please ask Prince Zhu Yu to accept the order." “

Zhu Yu stopped crying, knelt down and waited for the order, Wei Ji read: "I am ordered by the emperor, inherit the ancestral Hongye, reign in the world for more than a year, worry about danger, work hard every day, but my energy is weak, I am dying, I am born and die, humanity must be constant, and I have no regrets." The eldest son, the crown prince Zhu Yu, is benevolent and upright, and he is virtuous and natural, and he should ascend to the throne of the emperor, Chinese and foreign civil and military ministers, and he assists with one heart, and the vassal kings of the clan cannot leave the country, and they need to strictly seal the ...... territory. “

After reading it, he was about to unveil the post and rolled it up, and respectfully handed it to Zhu Yu, Zhu Yu took it with a sigh of relief, and his expression was both happy and sad and indescribable.

At this time, Ding Yan, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, asked with tears in his eyes: "Empress, there is an ancestral system for issuing the prince's edict, except for the cabinet assistants, the celebrant and the eunuch should all be there, so where is the palm seal eunuch Sha Jue now?" “

Empress Xue was silent and said slowly: "Wei Ji is the master of ceremonies, he has been in the position for several years, he is loyal and sincere, and he can have him." “

"How can Bingbi be compared with the palm print, or bother the queen to make an edict and summon Gonggong Sha to come and listen to the edict." Ding Yansheng was surrounded by a huge beam, Shen Zetang's face was calm, his lips were pursed, and Xu Ling and the others were silent.

Zhu Yu got up slowly, knelt for a long time, his knees were faintly numb, he clenched his hand and looked at Ding Yan, a touch of ruthlessness passed in his eyes, and his voice was slightly stiff and said: "The soul of the father and the emperor is not far away, I don't want to say that the eunuchs are stirring up the palace and the country, but Ding Shangshu insists on refusing, you might as well talk to you, in addition to Wei Ji, a group of ceremonial eunuchs led by Sha Jue, relying on their high power, deceiving the superiors and subordinates, flying and domineering, and actually intending to disobey the edict of the saint and set up another prince to usurp the throne." ”

He paused and continued: "Is it tolerable or unbearable, with the permission of the Queen Mother, the Empress and the Emperor's uncles, they will be arrested and imprisoned pending trial, Ding Shangshu, do you still want to advise them." “

"Wechen doesn't dare." Ding Yan's face was already as pale: "When the prince ascends the throne, the ministers will work together with all his colleagues to assist, swear allegiance to the death, and dare not have different intentions." “

Zhu Yu sneered, turned his body to face the imperial couch, his face was high, and he looked at the dying emperor, maybe his eyes were too vicious, the emperor suddenly straightened up, his throat rattled, his eyes were wide open, and he finally fell into an old tear in the face of Zhu Yu's frightened expression.

On December 10 of the 11th year of Hongtai, the emperor collapsed in the Qianqing Palace, and the crown prince Zhu Yu inherited the unification, and the opening name was Jianwu.

....................

Shen Zetang waited for a few out of the Qianqing Palace and returned to the cabinet.

Although the companion is like a tiger, in the end he has served for several years, and there are more or less feelings, and the pain of sadness on his face is not expressed.

After the mood calmed down and after eating a cup of tea, it was proposed by Li Guangqi, and Shen Zetang said gently: "When the emperor died, he wrote an obituary and sent it to all yamen, and announced it to the world in the morning." “

"The funeral is in accordance with the legacy of the first emperor, the 27th is released, there is no ban on music and marriage, the prince of the clan is very important, and he must not leave his country when he returns to the feudal domain, and the officials such as the chief soldier of the town guard do not leave their posts without permission, and on the day of the funeral, they do not have to come to Beijing, and they will stop crying for three days in this place, and they will send officials to act on their behalf."

"The four gates of the imperial city of the nine gates of the capital must be strictly defended, and all officials in Beijing are on duty in the yamen and are not allowed to return to their homes."

He also asked the cabinet ministers next to him to add to see what important matters were still to be handled, and this discussion went for another two hours.

Shen Zetang stood up and walked to the window, the heavy snow had stopped, the sky was blue with fish belly, and before he knew it, the whole night had passed.

The red cage under the eaves has long been replaced, but replaced with a white gauze round lamp, and the black word "Lay" is the meaning of cold and solemn.

A eunuch trotted in, and Zhu Yu invited Lord Shen to go to Fengtian Hall to discuss matters.