The goose-feathered snow was flying, and the sky and the earth were vast, and the verdant wheat seedlings in the field were also bent over by the snow, and they bowed down, and the surface of the ground was already covered with an inch of thick snow, covering the only remaining bit of greenery.

There was also a layer of snow piled up on the bare trees that covered the mountains.

Fortunately, Kaifeng Mansion belongs to the north, and most of the leaves on the trees fall cleanly.

"Official!" Minglan looked at Wang Zhong with a worried expression.

Wang re-patted Minglan's hand and said, "Don't worry, even if something really happens in the court, there will be no worries about your life for a while." ”

Minglan knew what Wang Zhong meant, even if there was a real mutiny in the city and the royal flag changed at the head of the city, the people in power always needed people to maintain the normal operation of various departments of the imperial court.

Fortunately, Minglan didn't know Lao Zhu's glorious history, otherwise, she would have to worry about death.

In just one Hu Huaiyong case, Lao Zhu killed more than 20,000 people, as well as those like Lan Yu, who followed him all the way to life and death, expelled the Tartars, and laid down the Huaixi nobles of the great tomorrow, Lao Zhu was not merciless in killing, although it was all because of this group of Huaixi nobles, but Lao Zhu's ruthlessness was also famous in the history of thousands of years.

However, the Queen Mother is not Lao Zhu, Zhao Zongquan does not have Lao Zhu's domineering and courage, and they do not have Lao Zhu's prestige in the government and the opposition and the army.

Wang Chong left, rode on a fast horse, took only one Yu Chuer, and hurried to the city.

The gates of the city were still under martial law, and all the people entering and leaving had to be carefully checked, and the chariots and horses had to be carefully examined over and over again.

However, the people outside the city may not know about such a big movement last night, but the people living in the city have more or less heard the movement, and they dare to run around at this time, and they can't lock the doors and windows of their homes and completely cut off contact with the outside.

Especially early this morning, there was news that there were anti-thieves in the city last night, and many court officials were assassinated, and even the palace was troubled with assassins.

Ordinary people are afraid of being implicated, so where do they dare to go out.

Even the people outside the city, who had planned to go into the city to visit relatives or do something else, also turned around and went home one after another when they heard the news of the assassins, without the slightest hesitation.

In the past few years, the people have also learned well, no matter what kind of anti-thief assassin he is, Lao Tzu will go home and hide without going out, can't he hide if he can't be provoked!

At present, it is the end of the year, and every household has prepared enough firewood, rice, oil and salt for the New Year, that is, it is really ten days and half a month without going out and not tight, if you tighten your belt again, it will not be unbearable for one or two months.

Wang Chong walked the Chenzhou Gate, all the way to the north to the Baokang Gate, bypassed the Great Xiangguo Temple, went straight into the Royal Street, to the South Smoke Gate, and went straight into the palace.

In the Daqing Palace, the officials above the five grades in Beijing have gathered here, the Empress Dowager Cao is sitting on the top, and the civil and military officials are on both sides.

"Lady Niang, the king of the Longtu Pavilion has arrived, and he is waiting outside the hall!"

When Empress Dowager Cao heard this, she immediately waved her hand and said, "Xuan!" ”

"Xuan, the king of the Longtu Pavilion will re-enter the palace to meet you!"

In the unique voice of the eunuch, Wang Zhong stepped into the palace.

Walking quickly to the front of the hall, Wang Chong found that among the civil and military officials, there were more than a dozen familiar faces missing.

Walking to the hall, Wang Zhong bowed his hand and asked, "Weichen see the eldest lady!" Wechen is late, please forgive the eldest lady! ”

Gu Tingye and Xiao Duan, as well as Empress Dowager Cao's brother and younger brother, stood on the west side of the hall with a group of military attachés, and the east side was full of civil officials, Sheng Hong and Changbai were all listed.

Empress Dowager Cao raised her hand and said: "Okay, now is not the time to stick to these false etiquette, last night there were anti-thieves in the city, assassins entered the palace to assassinate, and the officials and queens were all killed, but the court cannot be left without an owner for a day, the most important thing now is to support the new emperor to ascend the throne, stabilize the dynasty, and arrest the anti-thief assassins, you should quickly get an idea." ”

Wang Chong immediately raised his head and looked at Empress Dowager Cao with a shocked expression.

Before Wang Zhong could react, among the civil officials on the east side, Lu Wenhuan, the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, stood up: "The six princes are the sons of His Majesty, and now that His Majesty has been assassinated, if the law of etiquette is followed, the six princes should inherit the treasure!" ”

As soon as Lu Wenhuan's voice fell, someone jumped out to object: "Although the six princes are descendants, they are only one year old now, and they are still in infancy, and they can't even speak. ”

"Although the three princes are older, they are concubines, and now the six princes are still alive, how can concubines overpower concubines." But there are also some old-fashioned people who don't know how to be flexible, so they have to hold on to the word "concubine", or they refuse to let go.

After a while, the two sides quarreled, you and I said one sentence, and no one would let anyone.

Zhao Zongquan has a total of six sons in Western Xia, two of whom are early, the eldest son Zhao Ceying died in Yangzhou, and now the eldest is the third prince Zhao Ceyong born by Liu Guifei, and the sixth prince was born to Queen Shen last year, but they have not been weaned yet.

Those who insist on the succession of the six princes are mostly the officials of the Ministry of Rites and Taichang Temple and the Imperial Court, most of these people are clinging to the etiquette law, most of them are rotten Confucians, and the number of people who insist on the succession of the three princes is obviously more, and their reasons are also very charged, now the six princes are only one year old, who knows if he can grow up safely, after all, the five sons of Emperor Jiayou all died when they grew up, and none of them lived past the age of ten.

Now these officials in the court are basically left by the Jiayou Dynasty, and there are very few new entrants, so they are naturally clear about these past events, and most of the people in the court today have basically experienced the rebellion of King Yan.

"Enough!"

Seeing that the two sides were arguing more and more intensely, no one was convinced, and the noise was like a vegetable market, the Empress Dowager Cao, who was sitting on the jade steps, finally couldn't hold it back and interrupted sharply.

"The six princes are too young, so let's just the third prince!" Empress Dowager Cao directly made the final decision.

"Big lady, no! ······ Concubine" Lu Wenhuan still wanted to fight again, but Empress Dowager Cao was obviously impatient, and immediately scolded: "Lu Wenhuan, is it time to fight for these now?" Are you also a member of the three grades, and you can't even tell the priorities? ”

Lu Wenhuan immediately knelt on the ground: "Weichen is guilty!" ”

Those officials who originally wanted to argue with Lu Wenhuan also died down.

"Lu Shilang, now in the Ministry of Rites, I respect you and come out with a charter!" Empress Dowager Cao ordered directly.

Lu Wenhuan said: "Qi Yu eldest lady, must be eldest lady to make an order, set up the three princes as the prince, let the three princes be the prince, send the official family for the last time, and wait for 27 days later, and then ascend the throne and claim the emperor, inherit the treasure!" ”

Seeing that Empress Dowager Cao and Lu Wenhuan were singing and harmonizing, Xiao Duan wanted to say something, but was grabbed by Gu Eryi and shook his head at him.

Xiao Duan was full of anger and had nowhere to release, and stared at the Empress Dowager Cao sitting on the dragon chair with hatred, as if the anger in his eyes was about to burn the Empress Dowager Cao.

finally watched Empress Dowager Cao and Lu Wenhuan finish performing double reeds.

After the prince's people were chosen, the old eunuch beside Empress Dowager Cao shook off the dust in his hand and shouted to retreat.

Out of the main hall, Gu Er pulled Xiao Duan over.

"What the hell is going on? What about Han Daxiang? Wang Zhong asked impatiently.

Gu Er looked left and right: "This is not the place to talk, go out and talk about it!" ”

The three of them hurriedly left the palace, and in the carriage, Gu Er and Xiao Duan said one after another: "Your Majesty and the queen mother were killed, Huang Wenwu and Yang Qun died in the palace, only Liu Xian survived, and none of the guards and palace people around him survived. ”

"Han Daxianggong was also killed, as well as Xu Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites and Liu Shangshu of the Ministry of War····· A total of eighteen people were gathered, and their families were also slaughtered, leaving no chickens and dogs. ”

"Hiss·····" Rao is Wang Chong, he couldn't help but gasp, turned his head and looked in the direction of the palace, if this woman is ruthless, there is really nothing wrong with a man.

"When you didn't come before, the eldest lady had already made a decree, and the positions of the Shangshu of each ministry were filled by the left and right waiters in turn, and the phase was also temporarily led by Yang Laogong, and Cao Wenxuan led the privy envoy, and Liu Xian took over as the commander of the front division of the palace······"

Wang Chongdao: "So Liu Xian has fallen to the Queen Mother?" ”

Xiao Duan gritted his teeth and said: "If it weren't for that, how could the Queen Mother push the third prince to the throne!" This villain trusts him so much in vain. ”

Gu Erdao: "And the families of all the leading generals in the DPRK and China have been detained in the palace. ”

"Where did she get so daring?" Wang Chong said with a shocked face: "Isn't she afraid that the world's clans will raise troops to serve the king?" ”

"The Korean and Chinese armies are the most elite in the Tokyo Forbidden Army, the Hebei Forbidden Army and the Western Army, but now there has been such a big change in the DPRK, if the Liao and Western Xia people know, I am afraid that there will be another move, and the Hebei Forbidden Army and the Western Army cannot move without permission, and now the Tokyo Forbidden Army, half of them are in the hands of the Cao family, Liu Xian has obviously defected, and it is not so easy to raise troops to serve the king!"

As she spoke, Gu Er's solemn voice changed: "Now she has reversed black and white and pushed everything on the head of the thief!" We don't have any evidence that she did all this. ”

"What about Shen Congxing?" Wang Zhong suddenly asked.

Xiao Duan shook his head and said, "Missing!" ”

Wang Zhong asked again: "Are you sure it's missing?" ”

"According to the report of my brothers, Brother Shen was killed from the Weibei Hou Mansion last night, and then he fled to where he went, and his whereabouts are still unknown."

Wang Chong looked at Xiao Duan and said, "With such a big move last night, your subordinates didn't receive any news in advance?" ”

Xiao Duan shook his head and said, "They acted too covertly and too suddenly, and it was too late for me to know!" ”

Xiao Duan said with a look of self-reproach: "If we had known about their tricks earlier, Your Majesty and Niangniang would not have ·······"

"Xiao Duan, I can't blame you for this!" Gu Er'an said in a small way: "It's the enemy who is too cunning!" ”

Xiao Duan, a tough guy who didn't shed a single tear when he broke his arm, was in tears at the moment, and asked with a crying voice: "Second Brother Gu, what should we do now, do you just let that old witch be powerful and at ease?" ”

"Naturally not!" Gu Er's eyes flickered, and his expression changed uncertainly.

Wang Chong hurriedly persuaded: "Zhong Huai, don't be impulsive! ”

"Don't worry, I know!" Gu Erdao.

"Xiao Duan, you go and contact your old department first, how much can you contact, and collect as much information as possible in the city and the palace!"

"I'll go!" Xiao Duan stopped the carriage, got out of the carriage directly, and left with his cronies.

Wang Zhong looked at Gu Er: "What are you going to do!" ”

Gu Er sighed and said helplessly: "What else!" Even the official family is dead, and now they can only take one step at a time. ”

Wang Chongdao: "Do you think it will be the next Wu Cao again?" ”

Gu Er was stunned, raised his eyes to look at Wang Chong, and looked at each other, Gu Er didn't know how to answer Wang Chong's question.

Gu Er wanted to say that it shouldn't be, but now the facts in front of him, one by one, were bloody, but they were telling him that what Wang Chong said was not unprovoked.

"In the past, the official family retreated step by step, and even handed over all the power of the court to the queen mother, just to emulate Zheng Zhuanggong, but the official family underestimated the ruthlessness and decisiveness of the queen mother, underestimated the prestige of the first emperor and the queen mother in the court, and also underestimated the ability and ambition of the queen mother."

"The first emperor has been in power for 40 years, the queen mother has been sitting in the position of the queen for more than 30 years, the first two years of the salt and iron division was restructured, the price of salt was controlled, and the sea salt was popularized. "

"But these are not the reasons why she killed the official family and the queen!" Gu Er said with some excitement: "And Prime Minister Han and them!" How innocent! ”

Wang Chong also sighed and said with emotion: "Yes, how innocent! But what can we do, it is the Queen Mother who holds the power now! You also said just now, half of the forbidden army in Beijing is in the hands of the queen mother, and half of the officials in the court are on the side of the queen mother. ”

"That's not how it shouldn't be!" Gu Er shook his head and said, "Things shouldn't be like this!" ”

"The supremacy of imperial power, with one sentence from her, she can decide the life and death of you and me, and she can decide the life and death of tens of thousands of people!" Wang Zhong spread out his palms and laughed helplessly at himself: "What if you and I have this martial art?" What about being able to take the head of a general in the army of ten thousand? It's not just a matter of watching! ”

"What can you do with glory and wealth, in the end it is not the fish on someone else's chopping board, you can pinch it if you want to pinch it, and you can rub it if you want to round it!"

"Zhong Huai!" Wang Chong closed his eyes, sighed again, then opened his eyes and looked at Gu Er, and said from the bottom of his heart: "I'm tired!" I'm really tired of days like this! ”

"What do you mean?" Gu Er was taken aback, looked at Wang Chong's eyes in some surprise and asked.

"First the two kings competed, then King Yan mutiny forced the palace, and then the official family and the queen mother fought for power! Nowadays·······"

"Intrigues, deceit, you live and die······ I'm really a little tired of days like this. ”

Wang Chong's face showed a little loneliness: "Now that I think about it carefully, in the past 20 years, the happiest thing I have lived is the days when I was a child and studied martial arts with my master and helped my eldest brother farm and fish. ”

(End of chapter)