Sima Bao's pupils changed dramatically, reflecting a colorful image.

When he was a child, Cui Shen had already shown a more mature mind than children of the same age, he keenly discovered her hatred for the royal family and the family, and told her without hesitation that he was willing to follow her, because she was his aunt and the person he relied on the most in this world.

Over the years, he has helped her manage and integrate the power of the court and deal with the relations between all parties, he is her right-hand man, and she is her most trusted confidant, but at the same time, he knows all her hole cards well, and even has the authority to use all her forces.

Seeking skin with the tiger......

In Sima Bao's mind, this word suddenly appeared.

She stared at the young man in white who was smiling like a spring breeze, and now that she thought about it, he had been lying a lot since very early on.

Follow her, not because of admiration, but because you can get greater profits by following her.

All the mother's love and filial piety, all the life and death depend on each other, honor and disgrace, are just the illusion of this young man's disguise.

He deceived her.

The images faded and mottled.

Sima Bao's figure was crumbling, and the teenager in his eyes turned into a poisonous poppy, and gradually disappeared.

She fell backwards.

The wide and luxurious long sleeves are like lifeless butterflies, flying in the air to create gorgeous curves.

She rolled down the white marble steps until her forehead hit the corner of the stairs.

Large expanses of blood seeped out, staining her pale face and palace skirt red.

Cui Shen was condescending, quietly admiring the fall of this woman.

After a while, he saluted sadly and respectfully, like the most filial child in the world: "A-Niang is good." ”

……

"Hiss......"

Wuyi Lane.

In the backyard of the Shen Mansion, Gu Xian, who was sitting under the window embroidering, sucked her fingertips painfully.

After the pain of being pricked by the embroidery needle, she looked at the silk satin embroidery in confusion.

A drop of red blood is slowly infiltrating the embroidered surface.

Aunt Kang came over with refreshments and couldn't help but be a little surprised when she saw her bleeding: "Madame's embroidery work has always been delicate, how could she accidentally hurt her hand?" But for the sake of distraction? ”

She hurriedly put down the refreshments and wanted to bandage Gu Xian's wounds.

Gu Xian didn't care: "It's just a small injury, no need to bandage." Somehow, since lunch, my eyelids have been beating hard, and my heart is sullen, like something bad is about to happen. ”

Aunt Kang smiled: "Madame is too worried. I heard that the county prince has rushed to Xihai City with an army, and with his protection, Miss Daozhu will never be fine. ”

Gu Xian pursed her lips: "I'm not worried about Ananda'......"

As he spoke, a tall figure stepped over the threshold.

Shen Ji was wearing court clothes, and his face was unusually solemn: "Madam, I have to go to the palace." ”

"To the palace?" Gu Xian frowned, got up and sorted out his clothes for him, "It's only afternoon, why do you suddenly want to enter the palace?" But because of the war in the north? ”

"I don't know, other officials have also been summoned." Shen Ji held her hand, "The mouth in the palace is extremely strict, and I can't find any news, I wonder if the emperor is not in good health, is it possible to suddenly ......?"

He paused and continued: "If this is the case, I'm afraid that the whole Jiankang will change. ”

Gu Xian personally sent him outside the mansion.

She watched Shen Ji ride away, and somehow, her heart beat even harder.

……

At this time, the harem.

The treasure hall is resplendent with gold.

Cui Shen sat on the high seat, casually playing with a handful of white jade Ruyi.

The henchman waited on the side, and said respectfully: "The will of the prince has been sent to the mansion of all the adults, and they are all on the way, presumably they will enter the palace one after another in half an hour." ”

Cui Shen smiled "hmm".

There was a sudden movement outside the hall, and several eunuchs led more than a dozen princes and princesses into the treasure hall slowly.

They stood in the middle of the hall in a daze, looking at the young man in white clothes on the high seat.

A eunuch said: "The other older princes have already gone to other places, and the servants obeyed the will of the prince and never revealed the death of the Son of Heaven, so they will not appear in Jiankang for the next two months." These princes and princesses, the eldest is seventeen or eighteen years old, and the youngest is fourteen or fifteen years old, all of them are here. ”

Cui Shen sighed.

He walked to the hall and walked slowly past the group of golden branches and jade leaves, and looked at them as if they were looking at a piece of goods.

Some of them have vaguely guessed that something happened in the palace, their father is gone, and now the palace is controlled by this seemingly harmless teenager in front of him.

They desperately held back their tears and suppressed their trembling bodies, lest they annoy the people in power in front of them.

Cui Shen admired their fears and showed a gentle smile: "Now, I want to give you a debut question." ”

He paced a few steps in the hall, turned his head and smiled: "What is 'Qi Wu', what is 'Leisure'?" ”

This is a fairly simple question in Taoism.

A group of princes and princesses glanced at each other.

The father died, and the court did not set up a crown prince.

This means that there will be a person today who will become the new Son of Heaven.

This question may be Cui Shen's test for them.

A fourteen-year-old prince immediately rushed to answer.

Not to be outdone, the other two princes began to quote scriptures and strive to improve on the basis of his answers.

Cui Shen listened carefully, and bowed slightly in approval from time to time.

When the three princes finally finished speaking, he said, "You go and stand over there." ”

The three princes each confidently stepped aside.

Cui Shen glanced at the rest of the people again: "I don't know everyone present, who has better kung fu?" ”

A prince who was young but had a strong physique immediately stood up excitedly: "My kung fu is the best, riding archery, gladiatorial fighting, I am very good at it!" ”

"You talk nonsense! My kung fu is good! ”

Another prince retorted to him.

Cui Shen said softly: "If you have confidence in yourself, it is better to stand up and show some kung fu." ”

So there were several princes who dared to show their fists and feet to Cui Shen.

Cui Shen smiled more and more satisfied, and nodded again and again: "It's so good, you guys played so well." Now, you guys go over there and stand. ”

These princes who refused to admit defeat were selected respectively, and Cui Shen looked at the remaining princes and princesses: "It doesn't matter if you don't know how to write and ink, it doesn't matter if you don't know kung fu, strategy, it should always be something you should learn as a royal family, so next, I will come up with other questions to test you." ”

He casually asked a few strategy-related questions.

In addition to the prince, several princesses also answered cautiously.

In the end, except for a fourteen-year-old little princess, everyone else seemed to have successfully passed Cui Shen's test.

The little princess was cowardly by nature, she was very nervous and frightened when she faced Cui Shen, and it was quite difficult to even speak, and her knees trembled when she stood in place, as if she was about to kneel down to Cui Shen.

She stood alone in the middle of the temple, surrounded on all sides by triumphant brothers and sisters.

She clutched her arm tightly, too frightened to look up.

The smile on Cui Shen's face was so bright that it was almost exaggerated.

He sat down with his sleeves brushed up and pointed to the lonely little princess: "Except for her, everyone else has been killed." Let's just say that they died in the palace change initiated by the eldest princess. ”

The princess, who was originally proud, instantly opened her eyes.

Cui Shen lazily supported his forehead with one hand, as if he wanted them to understand, and explained gently: "In that position, you don't need people who have read books to sit, and you don't need people with good kung fu and strategy to sit." Supporting a dull, cowardly puppet is my real purpose. ”

，

Good night duck