After the New Year, the busiest person in the inner court became Wang Cheng, and the busiest person in the outer court became Zhou Chen.

The two of them, one in charge of the internal officials and the other in charge of the Ministry of Engineering, ran day and night in order to implement Zhu Qiyu's plan to build the outer city of Beijing.

Wang Gongchang and the Gunpowder Bureau became the first targets of relocation, followed by the War Bureau, the Chariot Factory, the Armor Factory and the craftsmen under the jurisdiction of the Jinyi Guard.

The various supervisory bureaus in the Imperial City were also drastically abolished.

When King Xiang entered the imperial city again, all he saw was depression and dilapidation, and people's hearts were panicked.

There are palaces burned to the ground everywhere, and there are eunuchs and palace maids with gray faces everywhere.

Especially on the way from Longzong Gate to Yinghua Palace, the Yangxin Palace, Cining Palace, and Xian'an Palace passed through it, which is called a miserable one.

The more King Xiang looked, the more frightened he became, if it hadn't been reported in advance, King Xiang really wanted to turn around and leave the palace quickly.

But in view of the irreconcilable contradiction between King Xiang and the emperor, King Xiang had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow the emperor's faction to the dark.

After entering the Yinghua Hall and saluting, King Xiang didn't be too polite, and directly asked the doubts in his heart: "Imperial sister-in-law, do you know that there is already a lot of rumors in the capital now, why are you so anxious to condemn yourself?" ”

Empress Dowager Sun replied: "The emperor issued an edict in front of him, and the ministers forced the palace to the back, and a fire burned my six gods without a master, and I compromised in a daze."

But at least the emperor and ministers have agreed, and this year they will transfer the Marquis of Ningyang back to Beijing, and then lead a large army to welcome back the emperor. ”

When King Xiang heard this, his brows tightened, and the queen mother in front of him seemed to be in chaos. Even if the emperor really kept his promise, let the Marquis of Ningyang return to Beijing smoothly, and ordered him to go to meet the emperor.

But whether the Emperor can return to Beijing smoothly is still a matter of uncertainty, after all, there are too many variables in between.

King Xiang wanted to tell the Queen Mother that without the emperor's sincere welcome, it would be impossible for the Emperor Taishang to return to the capital. But after thinking about it, King Xiang swallowed the words back into his stomach, after all, Empress Dowager Sun is already sick and rushed to the hospital now, if she is stimulated again, her mentality will be completely collapsed.

The Emperor Faction and the Emperor Faction had just fought for two or three rounds, and most of the Forbidden City was burned down. If it really stimulates the Empress Dowager Sun, and the woman goes crazy, she may not be able to make some shocking catastrophe.

So King Xiang continued to probe and said: "Imperial sister-in-law, you are the queen mother, the emperor's nominal mother, as long as you die and don't let go, what can the emperor do with you, why do you agree to the edict so easily?" ”

Empress Dowager Sun replied angrily: "Return the emperor's nominal mother? The nominal mother is now Empress Zhen, legally speaking, the emperor is now the son-in-law, and the emperor is the concubine.

All the eunuchs and palace maids in Cining Palace were ordered to be killed by the emperor. All the cronies around me are gone.

Before, it had cost a lot to loot gold and silver treasures to ransom the emperor, but now there is a fire in Cining Palace, and all the belongings I have accumulated over the years have been burned down.

Now if the emperor wants me to go to see the first emperor, it is just a matter of words. How do you confront me with the emperor?

This sin will be edicted, at least the emperor will accompany him to issue the edict, which is not particularly decent.

Next, I can only sting and wait, it is impossible to shake the emperor head-on, I can only wait patiently for the emperor to make a mistake. ”

When King Xiang heard this, his heart was cold. The Emperor Taishang could not return to Beijing, the Queen Mother lost her position greatly, the people's hearts were scattered, and her spirit was lost. As long as the emperor can give birth to a son-in-law, and then completely quell the war in all directions, he will be considered to have a firm foothold.

And then it will be slowly grinded, as long as one day the people of the world can fully accept the statement that the emperor is the son of Empress Zhen, then the position of the concubine will be completely reversed.

Thinking of this, King Xiang asked again: "Is it possible that the imperial sister-in-law has been living in this small Yinghua Palace since then?" What about Queen Qian, was she really placed in the side palace? ”

Empress Dowager Sun nodded: "Isn't it already written in the edict of sin, I want to live in seclusion and introspect, and if I don't build a prosperous world for a day, I won't leave the Yinghua Palace for a day."

As for the Qian family, they can only live in the Changchun Palace in the West Sixth Palace in the future. The Zhou family lives in Kunning Palace, as if they have become the mother of the main palace, and the Qian family lives in the West Sixth Palace, which makes them look like concubines, and they are really full of money. ”

"Since the emperor has always talked about respecting the elders, why not use this as an excuse to advocate for Empress Qian?"

Empress Dowager Sun shook her head: "It's useless, Queen Qian is really immoral." The change of Tumubao, the Emperor Taishang, me, the Qian family, and even the first emperor are all responsible, and they can't be pushed away.

Besides, Qian's ability is so poor, he has been a queen for so many years, and he can be inexplicably lame and blind.

Wang's ability is so strong, he died silently. You provoked the emperor, and the Qian family disappeared quietly after a while. ”

At this point, King Xiang understood that the emperor faction had completely collapsed, and although there were many people who wanted to be the emperor, they were all useless. Except for poisoning the emperor's family, there is no other way to turn the tables.

Therefore, King Xiang changed his tone, patiently comforted the Empress Dowager Sun, and officially resigned to the Empress Dowager Sun, leaving for Changsha tomorrow.

Leaving the Yinghua Palace, King Xiang did not return the same way, but left the Forbidden City from the Xuanwu Gate, turned to the west, passed the Chengguang Palace, the Yuhe Bridge, and entered the West Garden.

According to what Zhu Qiyu said before, King Xiang picked some rare birds and beasts in Xiyuan, ordered someone to send them to the Ten Princes' Mansion, and brought them back to Changsha tomorrow.

King Xiang didn't do anything, and today was the last day in the capital, so he simply walked around, so he went out of Xi'an Gate.

As soon as he left Xi'an Gate and entered Xi'an Gate Street, King Xiang was completely speechless. I saw that both sides of the street were full of all kinds of rare birds and beasts, and the streets were full of people, and there were well-dressed dignitaries and nobles everywhere, picking and choosing there.

Co-author Zhu Qiyu really wants to keep none of them, and give away these rare birds and beasts raised in the palace if they can be given away, and simply move out all the ones that can't be sent out and sell them to the dignitaries and nobles in Beijing.

The dignified emperor has become a stall, so where is the royal majesty, what kind of system is this.

King Xiang left Xi'anmen Street quickly, turned north at the entrance of the street, and walked less than half a mile before coming to Mingyufang in Xicheng.

The confidant attendant beside him hurriedly said: "Your Highness, not far in front of you is the luxurious restaurant in the capital, Jietianlou, do you want to go in and have a look?" ”

King Xiang nodded: "Yes, I have long heard that this restaurant is the sea of news in the capital, and there are some things that the cabinet may not know yet, so the news can be spread here first."

Today happens to be here, and I want to see it well. ”

So the group entered the Jietian Tower, and King Xiang did not go to the private room, but only sat in the most lively place on the first floor, listening to the discussion of the diners.

(End of chapter)