It took nearly two years, and the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty" annotated by the prince Li Xian was finally completed at the beginning of the new year, and the reason why it took so long was that the project was huge, and Li Xian was a person who kept improving and pursued perfection. Another reason, although Li Xian did not want to admit it, he also knew very well in his heart that convening the Confucian scholars to annotate the classics was a good excuse to escape from the world and avoid his mother Empress Wu.

After the book was written, it was sent to the Zichen Hall for the emperor to review as usual, Li Zhi was dizzy, only a few cursory glances, and still full of praise, the Empress Wu neither praised nor criticized, and the attitude was extremely calm, and after Li Zhi returned to the palace to rest, he took a closer look under the lamp.

Perhaps it is because of years of hard work, the female officer Lin Xiuwu's body is gradually exhausted, and the martial queen is considerate of the old people around her, and intends to bring the newcomer, so Wan'er has more and more opportunities to serve closely by the side of the martial queen, and at this time she is in front of the case to study the ink.

She remembered Li Xian for no reason, and she was even more concerned about the scroll that Empress Wu was reading in her hand, but unfortunately she couldn't show too much emotion on her face, so she had to be more cautious, for fear of being seen out.

Empress Wu is a shrewd person after all, the corner of her eyes swept to the extremely subtle changes on Wan'er's face, the corners of her mouth moved, as if she felt a little funny, and casually unfolded the scroll, her eyes touched, the light smile gradually solidified, and she snorted heavily in her nose, sneering again and again.

This made Wan'er pinch a cold sweat.

"Wan'er, come and see, have a long insight." Empress Wu said in an extremely disdainful tone.

Wan'er didn't think much about it, she immediately stepped forward and bowed down to take the scroll with both hands, and stepped back to the side. Yang is lost and Yin, Chuan Yuan will be ......" Wan'er said indignantly while silently reciting in her heart, I don't know which rotten Confucian wrote this bastard?

After thinking about it, the prince is the principal in commenting on the Book of the Later Han, even if such views and wording are not from Li Xian's hand, he must be the first to approve and be responsible for the final draft, and no matter what mistakes occur, he cannot escape the blame. Thinking of this, her heart was suddenly shocked, and Wan'er had to suspect that this was clearly Li Xian's idea, using ancient irony to express her dissatisfaction with women playing power tricks and stealing imperial power, and even more deeply hostile to her mother, such obvious intentions are no one else except for the prince.

Wu Hou was gloomy, but she didn't make a big move, Wan'er had seen through the clues, she was self-seeing, but she wanted to hear what Wan'er said.

"Wan'er, how is this note? Is it pertinent? Empress Wu asked a little deliberately.

Wan'er is not completely ignorant of the interrogator's thoughts, but with other considerations, it is inevitable that the reply will not be thorough, "Hui Niangniang, the slave maid thinks that this annotation is biased, but it is just the words of a family, and it is written into the book to make people argue, there are arguments and arguments, and the interest of this book is strong." His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's brains are really a bit of a thief. ”

Empress Wu smiled: "You have found a good excuse for them." After a pause, he said, "What if there weren't so many twists and turns, just simple insinuations?" Those people follow the rules very well, not as wonderful as Wan'er said. ”

The meaning is already obvious, Wan'er is worried that this matter will make Empress Wu and Li Xian's mother and son more suspicious, thinking of Li Xian's situation in this palace, Wan'er is determined to defend him, "Niangniang, you are afraid that you have misunderstood His Royal Highness the Prince." His Royal Highness's negligence is inappropriate, but if the prince is judged to have ulterior motives, it will be too wronged. Presumably Niangniang also knows that the scale of the Hanshu after this revision is very large, and every chapter and section has a bachelor to participate in it, how can the prince complete it alone? The slave maid looked at this annotation very strangely, very different from the prince's style of writing, I don't think it was written by the prince, not to mention that the literati have been light since ancient times, maybe which Chongwenguan bachelor is dissatisfied with the original book, from the temperament and the original author Fan Ye on the length of the high, how can there be an insinuation? It's just a quick tongue. ”

Empress Wu guessed that Wan'er would speak for Li Xian, but unexpectedly, Wan'er was so sharp-toothed, and she was unabashedly protective of Li Xian, a little surprised, a little happy, and a little angry, "I didn't mention the prince, Wan'er, you're a little impatient." ”

The so-called concern is chaos.

Wan'er realized that she had made a big mistake, and couldn't help but regret it, and said: "It's all slaves and maids who speculate and talk nonsense, please punish the mother." ”

Empress Wu got up, stretched a few steps in the hall, turned around and said: "What kind of punishment is not a disadvantage, it is not a disadvantage to be straightforward and fast, but you can't be like this in front of others in the future, no matter how anxious you are, you must hold it and hold it steadily, so that people can't see clearly and don't think it through, but it's a good thing." ”

Wan'er nodded yes.

At this time, a eunuch came from outside the door, hurriedly reported, saying that the emperor was suddenly ill, and the symptoms were more critical than before.

"It's a bunch of shit." Empress Wu gritted her teeth and said to Wan'er, "You sort things out for a while, go with me, and I'll let you know a little more today." ”

Wan'er received the order, but her heart was full of doubts, the companion is like a tiger, but she is not a person who is easily afraid, Wu Hou's teaching has been remembered by her, and put forward higher requirements, she must learn to see through others as much as possible without being seen through by others - Wu Hou is the most difficult person in the world, if one day she can understand her, Wan'er is convinced that her skills in this area are perfect. But this is not easy to say, and the light words of the Empress Wu at this time made Wan'er confused.

Empress Wu didn't pay attention to Wan'er's careful thoughts, but just instructed the palace again: "Quickly go to Xuanzheng and advise Doctor Ming Chongyan to enter the palace." He glanced at the maid Chun Ying, who was waiting outside the hall, and said softly, "Let Chun Ying go to the Hall of Eternal Life to serve first." ”

After the Empress Wu changed her clothes, she took Wan'er straight to Li Zhi's sickbed, Chun Ying was kneeling on the ground and looking at the broken bowl of slag on the ground, but Empress Wu laughed out loud, and said to Li Zhi who was reclining on the couch like a child: "What's wrong?" Your Majesty, is it hard to think that the medicine is bitter? Could it be that the candied fruit in this palace has lost its effectiveness? ”

A sentence hit Li Zhi's somewhat melancholy but nostalgic heart, he couldn't help but recall that when he fell in love with Empress Wu, Empress Wu was infected with the cold and refused to take medicine, so he coaxed her with sweet dates, she drank a sip of medicine, and he fed her a date...... The past is vivid, but it is a pity that the gentle and delicate lady is long gone, and the lady with a high bun and cold eyebrows and eyes in front of her is looking at everything with teasing and lazy eyes.

Li Zhi sighed, "Queen, I can't remember how many pairs of these medicines I've taken, and the familiar smell is stained on my pillow and clothes, which is disgusting...... After a long illness, even I feel that something is wrong, what are you still insisting on? ”

Empress Wu slowly sat down in front of his couch, held one of Li Zhi's hands, and said softly: "If you don't like this taste, then let's change it, there is always one that can not only cure your illness, but also make you like it." ”

Li Zhi shook his head stubbornly, "No matter how good the taste is, it's medicine, how can I like it?" ”

Empress Wu smiled slightly, and said to the maid with a side face: "Don't be stunned, clean up here." He swept Wang Fusheng, who was standing like a stone statue next to Li Zhi's couch, "Princess, you have derelict in your duties." ”

Wang Fusheng immediately knelt down and said yes in his mouth.

Empress Wu smiled again, "That's it, when it comes to dereliction of duty, the group of noisy and low-eyed imperial doctors outside are even more derelict in their duties." You get up, go out to see if they have a result, if they still insist on their own words, invite them to Dali Temple to quarrel; If you feel that the atmosphere of Dali Temple is not good enough, go back to Shang Pharmacy. ”

When Li Zhi heard this, he felt a lot relieved in his heart, and his attitude was a little more relaxed, "Let them go, I really don't want to see them." ”

"The concubine knows that there is such a capable person, and she will be able to share your majesty's worries." Empress Wu said at the right time.

"I don't believe in famous doctors." Li Zhi showed displeasure.

Empress Wu replied with a smile: "The concubine is talking about a capable person, not a doctor." Ensure that Your Majesty does not take a mouthful of medicine, and the symptoms will be relieved. ”

Li Zhi questioned, "Is there such a thing?" ”

Empress Wu nodded, "The world is so big, there are no surprises." ”

"I'm curious who it is?" Li Zhi asked.

Empress Wu sold a pass, looking forward to it, her beautiful eyes were shining, "This person, Your Majesty knows." ”

Li Zhi stared at Empress Wu with suspicious eyes, and frowned unconsciously.

Empress Wu stretched out her hand to stroke his brow, and said outside the hall: "Let Ming Chongyan come in." ”

Li Zhi was stunned, this person was actually Ming Chongyan? Isn't he only a witchcrafter?

Wan'er's reaction was exactly the same as Li Zhi's, but she suddenly realized that Empress Wu Xuanming Chongyan had great intentions in entering the palace.

Wan'er doesn't know much about Ming Chongyan, the doctor who is admonishing, only that he is the son of Ming Ke, the assassin of Yuzhou, and likes to talk about the gains and losses of political affairs under the pretense of ghosts and gods.

Just when he was slightly distracted, Ming Chongyan had already arrived.

It turned out to be a young man with a strange demeanor, Wan'er was startled, and secretly looked at him carefully, his body was very large, and his appearance was also very delicate, and he had the bearing of a child of the scholar clan, which did not correspond to the imaginary warlocks who were chattering with gods and gods.

"The minister has seen His Majesty and the Empress." Ming Chongyan saluted.

Empress Wu raised her hand instead of Li Zhi, which meant to be exempt from courtesy.

"Mr. Ming, Your Majesty's head disease, do you have a way?" Empress Wu went straight to the point, and she respected Ming Chongyan very much in her words.

Ming Chongyan is not modest, "The golden needle technique of the minister can drive away evil spirits for His Majesty." ”

Li Zhi interjected at this time, slightly worried, "Mingqing, I only know that you are good at spells, but this medical skill-" After looking at Wu, he stopped and didn't continue.

Ming Chongyan was completely careless, "The ancestors of Weichen were officials in the Southern Dynasty for generations, and under the fate, the ministers and the spell are connected, the spell is broad and profound, and the nature has something in common with the medical skill, although the law is not omnipotent, but it can also solve some intractable diseases that make the doctor tricky, and please relax your Majesty." ”

Empress Wu nodded frequently, and persuaded Li Zhi again: "What Mr. Ming said is very reasonable, you might as well ask him to give it a try." ”

Li Zhi had no choice but to say, "That's it." With the support of the Empress Wu, he slowly lay flat on the couch.