Forbidden City, Renshou Palace. Empress Dowager Zhang passed on her stepson Zhu Si to meet with a condescending posture.

"The son is the queen mother." Although Zhu Si was very reluctant, he still saluted respectfully in front of Empress Dowager Zhang, as Zhu Hao said to him before, a good man does not suffer immediate losses.

In the case that his strength is obviously inferior to that of Empress Dowager Zhang, and he may be deposed by Empress Dowager Zhang and his courtiers at any time, he can only give in first and deal with it slowly later.

Empress Dowager Zhang said, "Emperor, why did you want to attack the two uncles? No matter what they say, they are your closest relatives, and their blood is thicker than water, and they have supported you to ascend the throne and made great achievements...... How can you hold them accountable?

Zhu Si said, "The queen mother, the son did not condemn them, all because of their employment..... It's just for them to think about it behind closed doors at home.

The laws of the Ming Dynasty should not be biased because they are uncles of the country." Empress Dowager Zhang was a little angry: "But this palace heard that not only did you issue a grounding order to them, but also sealed up the coal mine under their name, is this a preparation for you to open a mine?"

If you do this, will there be a suspicion of abolishing the public for personal reasons?" Zhu Si leaned over and said, "My son does want to open a mine, but he will not encroach on the mines of the two uncles, but because the arsonist who was captured was instructed by the people in the green forest who helped the uncle take care of the coal kiln, after careful investigation, it was found that a large number of missing persons were imprisoned in the coal kilns of the two uncles, involving crimes such as abduction and trafficking of women and children, and a large number of unknown corpses were also found in some mines.

"As a female offender like this, can't you let Jinyiwei check it? As for the unsealing of the coal mine, it will naturally take place when the matter is clarified.

"Really?" Although Empress Dowager Zhang doesn't think that human trafficking is a big crime, it is really unreasonable to say that the dead are not investigated, so Zhu Si has a reason, and there seems to be no problem with the seizure of the coal mine.

Zhu Si continued: "I don't plan to delve into this matter, I have already transferred silver taels from the Inner Government to make some repairs to the Qingning Palace that caught fire..... In order to show respect for the queen mother, Inshou Palace will also be renovated at that time.

"Repairs? No need, it's good to live here! You..... But you have to remember the support of the two uncles.

Alas! Even if your brother is messing around, he hasn't done anything to his own family, so you can't be ungrateful.

In the end, Empress Dowager Zhang almost gave Zhu Sidao a advice. Zhu Si thought to himself, you all know that my cheap brother is messing around, why don't you take care of him?

Your own son and your two younger brothers are naturally thicker than water, and I have only a nominal relationship between uncle and nephew, so why treat them well?

Punished like a female offender! Zhu Si arched his hand: "I remember!" Then Zhu Si retired. Empress Dowager Zhang watched Zhu Si leave, sighed, and said to the little eunuch standing aside, "Go, call Xiao Jing, the celebrant of ceremonies."

The little eunuch said, "The Queen Mother, the celebrant Xiao Gonggong, was out of the palace yesterday and is not in the palace at present.

"What?" Empress Dowager Zhang frowned, Xiao Jing was actually sent out of the palace to live idle? Does that mean that the emperor is aware of the hidden secrets behind the arson?

Empress Dowager Zhang then asked, "Then who is the eunuch of the Admiral Dongchang now?" The little eunuch replied, "The slave doesn't know.

Because Xiao Jinggang was kicked out of the palace, the personnel aspect did not keep up for a while, and even if Zhu Si had a candidate, he would not make it public as soon as possible.

Empress Dowager Zhang raised her hand and slapped it on the armrest of the phoenix chair: "This emperor is becoming more and more arrogant, Xiao Jing is also an old man in the palace, how can he be sent away so easily?

I really didn't take the mourning family seriously!" The little eunuch did not dare to speak. But in fact, Xiao Jing was reactivated by Zhu Si, used to appease the old people in the palace, and played the role of a tool man.

And now Xiao Jing is obviously separated from the emperor, and the position of the eunuch of the Admiral Dongchang is high and powerful, the emperor must not always keep Xiao Jing by his side, take this opportunity, regardless of whether the arson is related to Xiao Jing or not, he will always be driven away and replaced with a confidant.

After Zhu Si saw the Empress Dowager Zhang, he was in a very bad mood, but when he went out of the palace to see Zhu Hao, his spirits were uplifted.

"I finally deflated the old pious woman! Hmph, she wanted to intercede for her two younger brothers, but I scolded her back, to see how her two younger brothers will bully people in the future!

Zhu Si looked relieved. Zhu Hao could see that Zhu Si raised his eyebrows on the surface, but in fact, his heart was full of grief and indignation, and there was even a trace of fear, just holding on in front of people.

is in the palace, saying that he will be set on fire when he is set on fire, and the twenty-four prison yamen such as Shangshan Jian are also under the control of the Empress Dowager Zhang, what if the Empress Dowager is dissatisfied and poisons him?

What if a palace guard would murder him? As the emperor Zhu Si is alone in the palace, there are still Yang Tinghe and such bigwigs in the court who continue to put pressure on him, saying that it is light to walk on thin ice, and the most afraid is to be poisoned.

This state of mind...... For Zhu Hao, it is a good thing. The more Zhu Si is worried about being murdered, the more he will trust the people around him, especially a person like Zhu Hao who has saved Zhu Si many times and is regarded as a lucky star and can entrust him with big things.

Zhu Hao said: "For the time being, we still have to have a good relationship with the Empress Dowager Zhang, and as for the previous canonization of the Empress Dowager, it may also have to be suspended.

Zhu Si was a little angry: "Now that I have caught the arson and learned of their plot, do you want to give up the canonization of the queen mother?"

That I ..... Won't they let their wishes get their way?" Obviously, Zhu Si was unwilling. But because of fear, or because you can't save face, you want to give up, but you feel that you have already seen things like God and have exposed the enemy's conspiracy, why do you still act according to the enemy's wishes?

Zhu Hao said: "This is an expedient measure, it is not advisable to die at this time, if you don't take this step, then the enemy's next move may be more difficult to predict."

And the best time for His Majesty to carry out the act of canonization is after the departure of the strongest opponents of His Majesty in the court..... Zhu Si asked, "You mean..... Old man Yang..... Zhishi?

"Hmm." Zhu Hao nodded. What Zhu Hao wants Zhu Si to guard against is not simply Empress Dowager Zhang. Empress Dowager Zhang lives in the deep palace and has few disputes with Zhu Hao.

And it is Yang Tinghe and the civil official group he represents that will form a head-on conflict with Zhu Hao, and even the entanglement of interests, so Zhu Hao wants to involve this matter on the civilian officials.

Zhu Hao said: "It is precisely because of Wenchen's insistence on the succession of the Great Rites Discussion that some people have ill intentions and dare to set fire to the inner courtyard of the palace, and their purpose is just to use this fire to make Your Majesty feel that everything is providential, and force Your Majesty to take a step back.

"Since they dare to use this trick, it shows that they have a heart of disobedience, at such times, we should first be invincible, let Your Majesty win the support of the neutral forces in the DPRK and China, and let the people of the world know that Your Majesty is not a narrow-minded emperor, but a Ming monarch and holy lord who has the world in mind and has a basis for advancing and retreating!

Zhu Hao put a bunch of high hats on Zhu Si. Zhang Zuo on the side was stunned when he heard this, originally he thought that Zhu Hao would not succeed in persuading the new emperor to stop.

But at this moment, after listening to Zhu Hao's tirade, he immediately made a judgment, and Zhu Si should listen to it. After all, Zhu Hao gave the new emperor a step down, and it is really not appropriate to face Mai Mang at this time, causing his side to lose the initiative.

Zhu Si was a little depressed: "Originally, I wasn't going to agree, but since Zhu Hao said that you can buy people's hearts, then listen to you."

Sooner or later, I will make the queen mother the real queen mother of the Ming Dynasty, and no one can stop me!" Zhu Hao smiled, "That's for sure.

Before the first lunar month reached the Shangyuan Festival, Tang Yin was about to embark on a journey to Xishan to open a mine. Tang Yin didn't want to go at all.

Before leaving, Zhu Hao also advised him to look at the point: "Mr. will go over, at most it will only be half a month, and he will be able to come back." After all, Mr. is the host, there is no need to go into battle in person, I have put Jiang Rong in charge of the mining business, I believe he can help Mr.

Zhu Hao used Jiang Rong this time. Although Jiang Rong is the son of Jiang Lun and will inherit the title in the future, it does not affect him to do things for the imperial court.

Tang Yin didn't say anything, took a carriage, and left under the escort of the brocade guards. Zhu Hao was about to go back, but found that Lou Suzhen's carriage was parked aside, and it was obvious that Lou Suzhen also came to see him off, but he was embarrassed to come forward.

"Why is Madame here?" Zhu Hao walked over and asked with a smile. Lou Suzhen was dressed in men's clothes, deliberately thickened her eyebrows, and put some beard under her chin, obviously she was afraid of revealing her true face and being recognized, so she dressed up as much as possible.

Lou Suzhen smiled reluctantly. Some things are indescribable, probably she also thinks that if the relationship with Tang Yin is about to leave, if Tang Yin goes to Xishan and does not return after many years, the relationship between the two is difficult to define.

Zhu Hao took Lou Suzhen to the nearest restaurant, but it was not yet noon, and there were no customers. The two sat down in the middle of the second floor, the weather was very cold in the first month, Lou Suzhen was a little thinly dressed, seeing that her face was pale, and she didn't seem to be very suitable for the extremely cold weather in the north.

"Madame is sick?" Zhu Hao asked. Lou Suzhen barely squeezed out a smile, but couldn't help coughing twice: "It's too cold in the north, and I contracted wind chill as soon as I entered winter, and it hasn't changed for several years.

When Lou Suzhen was in Nanchang, she was not a delicate canary, her body was not weak, but she could experience the life and death of her family, and the wind and dust went north to bump, coupled with the water and soil, her physique plummeted.

Now it is her third winter in the capital, but she still doesn't adapt to the cold, and she will catch a cold if she doesn't pay attention to it in winter.

Zhu Hao sighed: "I don't adapt to the north, but life has to go on. In fact, I have been wondering what is the relationship between Mr. and Mrs..... But it's really hard to figure out, I don't know when my wife will really become my teacher?

When Lou Suzhen heard this, no matter how good her attitude was, she couldn't help but have a fluttering cheek, and her expression became cramped.

"Childe, don't laugh." Lou Suzhen lowered her head and said. Zhu Hao said: "It may be that Mr. Tang has been lonely for half his life, and his courage has become smaller when he is old, and he does not dare to confide in his heart, in fact, I hope you can rely on each other and grow old together.

In addition Mrs. ....... Uchiko ...... It's Miss Sun, I haven't had anything to do at home recently, I'm going to send it to you, and you will teach her something and help you do things.

"Mrs. Zun....." Lou Suzhen wanted to say, you, the wife of a court official, would actually come out and show up?

But when the words came to her mouth, Lou Suzhen suddenly realized that Zhu Hao is the kind of easy-going character, who sees everything very openly, without the slightest pedantic spirit of a literati, and it is not unusual to have this idea.

At that moment, Lou Suzhen smiled and nodded, as if she agreed.