Start with detective Li Yuanfang

Chapter 448 Li Hong: Yuan Fang, I'm afraid time is running out...

Inside the Longevity Court.

Empress Wu strolled in the fragrant garden, with her jet-black hair towering high, she was clearly admiring the flowers, but she had an awe-inspiring attitude.

At least the new Zhou Guogong Wu Sansi, who entered the room to pay his respects, saw this scene and made this impression. After he calmed down, he went forward and prostrated himself on the ground: "Meet the Queen Mother! All blessings, Queen Mother!"

Empress Wu hummed noncommittally, and asked, "How is your family doing?"

Wu Sansi's face froze slightly, and his voice lowered: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I want the other Wu's children to leave and settle their careers, but they are not willing, and they are still discussing."

Empress Wu's voice became severe: "When you get together, you will only influence each other and make things worse. Let them go to various places. If they are favored by the heavens, they may have something to do. Didn't this palace make it clear at that time?"

"You are Zhou Guogong now, inheriting the incense of my Wu family, and you preside over the division of the family. What reason do they have to contend with you?"

"Didn't the palace reward you with property, and give them everything!"

Wu Sansi's eyeballs rolled around, and his voice became deeper and deeper: "But they are greedy and not satisfied with this little property. I was also concerned about my fellowship, so it was delayed. Please don't worry, the queen mother, I will break up quickly when I go back. Home! Break up quickly!"

However, with the effort of these few words, Empress Wu has already gone far, and she is too lazy to listen to his sophistry.

After being tempered by Wu's children, Empress Wu felt that her last shortcoming, her control over emotions, had also been significantly improved.

At least when he found out that Zhou Guogong was not as good as the other, not only was he not disappointed, but he wanted to laugh a little.

Wu Chengsi is not as good as Wu Minzhi, and Wu Sansi is not as good as Wu Chengsi.

Even though Wu Chengsi was stupid and uncultivable, at least he knew how to make progress. If Empress Wu came to power, he could run around to build momentum for her. Wu Sansi was timid and cowardly, blindly greedy for wealth and honor.

However, he is as bad-hearted as Wu Chengsi. Most of the property that Empress Wu bestowed on him to divide the family has been corrupted, and he is unwilling to distribute it to other Wu's children. Discussing life, all in Zhou Guogong's mansion.

Empress Wu tried a little bit, since the other party couldn't grasp it, let them die, Wu Sansi soon disappeared in her heart, and instead focused on the prosperity and beauty of the garden.

As we walked, we reached the edge of the Changshengyuan, and suddenly heard the sound of children playing not far away.

Empress Wu's gaze moved slightly, not only did she not avoid it, but she made a deliberate circle and walked out of the Longevity Court.

Sure enough, not far away, Empress Pei was playing with Prince Li Rui.

After all, Ziwei Palace is not as big as Daming Palace, and Li Hong has not expanded it since he came to power, so it is still possible to bump into it. First, the wives around the empress saw it and hurriedly said in unison: "Meet the empress dowager!"

Only then did Empress Pei realize that Empress Wu was standing not far away, watching with a half-smile, and was startled: "Mother, all blessings!"

Prince Li Rui also saluted similarly: "Grandmother is good!"

Empress Wu opened her arms: "You are so good, grandma is here to hug you!"

The prince Li Rui first looked at the queen, then at Shangguan Wan'er who was in the group of wives, and then walked towards the strange grandmother.

Empress Wu hugged the eldest grandson, her eyebrows were full of kindness, and she pointed to the flying butterflies, instead of talking and laughing.

The atmosphere on the other side was very solemn, and even Empress Pei couldn't hide the inner tension on her face, for fear that Empress Wu would make a mistake and drop the child.

Wan'er is not worried about this. After practicing Qianqiu Jue, her figure has become lighter and lighter. Even if she is several feet away, she is sure to catch this little junior brother. He looked like a saint, but his heart sank.

Nothing happened during the process. Empress Wu hugged the prince for a while, then put the little guy down: "What a good boy!"

Li Rui was not afraid at all, his dark eyes followed the flying butterflies, and then trotted all the way back to his mother's arms.

Seeing her son returned to her arms, the queen was relieved, but she saw Empress Wu swaying and came to her face: "This child is lively and active, and he is much stronger than your Majesty when he was a child. You have worked hard to take care of him, and it is very important." The mother is in the state of the world!"

The queen said in a low voice: "This is what I should do, I dare not be praised by my mother!"

Empress Wu waved her hand: "Don't call it so unfamiliar, this is not an imperial edict, it's still called empress mother, it's called empress... From now on, I will bring my children more and walk around in my palace to satisfy my old man's wish to have grandchildren. Can the queen obey me?"

The queen actually didn't want to go, but filial piety comes first, after all, she couldn't say no, so she had to answer: "Yes!"

Empress Wu nodded in satisfaction, turned her eyes, and looked at Shangguan Wan'er in the group of married women: "Shangguan's young lady has become more and more charming. Has your mother acted as a matchmaker for you?"

Wan'er said indifferently: "Besides my mother, I also have a master, so I don't need the Queen Mother to worry about that!"

Empress Wu's phoenix eyes sharpened: "You are really eloquent!"

Wan'er pursed her lips, looking fierce.

She is not a kind person. With the foundation of Consciousness-Only Strength and Qianqiu Jue, she has become more and more proficient in practicing the Wuying Needle taught by Shang Gong. See what she's doing!
Of course, that's the next step. After all, Empress Wu's health is too good, and the sudden death of the Empress Dowager is a big event. No matter how you look at it, there are problems and it is difficult to end. If you are already lingering in the sick bed, it will be logical.

Thinking that the one who is really going to be lingering in the sick bed is actually the saint today, the prince is so young, if that kind of thing really happens, the already stable court situation will suddenly change suddenly, Wan'er secretly sighed: "Master, come back soon, why don't you come back soon?" Your Majesty should share more government affairs, don't be so idle..."

Also thinking of Li Yuanfang, who was about to return to court as a teacher, Empress Wu restrained her stern expression, returned to calmness, and encouraged all the wives.

Wan'er rolled her eyes, she was still planning to go out of the palace, and had a good discussion with Uncle Di on how to stabilize the next court situation, and the other wives also left with their own minds.

Empress Pei returned to her palace, looked at the lively Li Rui, couldn't help worrying in her heart, and took her son to the Zhenguan Hall.

When the servant informed her, she took her son's hand and walked into the hall. The first thing she smelled was a strong smell of medicine, mixed with the fragrance of tranquilizing the gods from the Western Regions, forming a strange and familiar smell, which made her seem to have returned to the time when the late emperor was alive. , Zichen Palace also looks like this.

Fortunately, yesterday did not fully reproduce.

Li Zhi likes to sit upright in the imperial tent and cover it with a layer of curtains, which not only hides the sickness, but also can observe the foreign ministers, but the ministers can only see the faint figure of the saint, to create a kind of aloofness Imperial power is sacred.

Li Hong didn't choose to do that, but leaned on the dragon chair, listening to the ministers' report with a pale face.

Seeing the appearance of his wife and children, Li Hong was overjoyed and wanted to stand up, but his body wobbled and he couldn't get up for a while.

Seeing Fulang's weak appearance, the queen's eyes were slightly red, she hurriedly let go of her son's hand, and touched him lightly: "Go to your side, Aye!"

Li Rui ran over quickly and stepped up the steps: "Aye! Aye!"

Li Hong had a heartfelt joyful smile on his face. He opened his arms and embraced his son: "Run slowly! Good boy!"

Li Rui talked about today's interesting stories in a crisp voice, and finally added: "... I saw my grandmother just now, she is going to take me to catch butterflies!"

Li Hong was very happy when he heard it, but his face suddenly sank until here.

All the ministers who saluted the queen and the prince heard this, and their eyes fluctuated.

Li Hong was silent for a while, and said: "The matter of presenting captives does not need to be a waste of time and money. You should step back and go to the political affairs hall to discuss and show me the regulations!"

The ministers took orders: "Yes! The ministers are waiting to leave!"

After leaving Zhenguan Hall, the four prime ministers, Hao Chujun, Pei Sijian, Li Yiyan, and Zheng Rentong, looked at each other with different expressions, and quickly moved away.

Among them, Pei Sijian walked in a hurry and was faintly isolated, Hao Chujun looked in the direction of the Changshengyuan, full of worry, Zheng Rentong thought about the Jiangnan forces after coming and going, and Li Yiyan sighed secretly.

In fact, they are not against the Queen's participation in political affairs, not to mention that Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, and Dugu Jialuo are called two saints. Even Taizong often consults Queen Wende for her opinion, as long as the queen is not as ruthless as Empress Wu. If it is severe, and there is a possibility of overwhelming the host, the officials will not object.

It's a pity that not every empress is Dugu Jialuo, Changsun and Empress Wu. Just as Li Zhi's first empress was a lazy person, she didn't even bother to do silkworm ceremonies. The husband and wife are deeply in love, but their brains are not very good, and they have been fooled by their wives.

It was also fortunate that Li Hong was unable to accept a concubine at all, otherwise she might not even be able to settle the intrigue in the harem, let alone deal with state affairs.

In this way, it is completely predictable that if the current Holy Majesty really dies young and the prince Li Rui is young, even if he ascends the throne as emperor, under normal circumstances, the queen mother should be in charge of the government. This is a fool, so he has to consider his status Will the Hedong Pei family, who is a relative, grow to the point where it is unstoppable to handle artifacts...

A new political storm has already begun to brew. The most important thing is that there is still a harem who has never been restless, but is extremely capable Empress Wu, who is always waiting for the opportunity to regain power.

In Zhenguan Hall, Mrs. Pei looked at Li Hong, reached out and gently stroked his thin cheek: "Your Majesty! You can't go on like this!"

The former prince, although sick and weak, had a peaceful expression.

At this time, the saint, with a sickly and weak face, but with excitement between his brows, is actually more dangerous.

Li Hong stroked his son's head with one hand, gently stroked his wife's hand with the other, and said softly: "I have reached the limit of handling government affairs before, and you have repeatedly persuaded me not to work hard, but I have to deal with many government affairs. Falling ill... It is not easy to be a saint, not to mention that I still want to be a Mingjun and create a prosperous Tang Dynasty!"

Mrs. Pei could hear the helplessness and unwillingness in his tone, and she was greatly distressed, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty will get better! It will be!"

Li Hong shook his head slightly: "I've been sick since I was a child, and I know my body the most. Fortunately, Sun Zhenren took care of me, otherwise I would have collapsed a long time ago, and this disease has returned to the worst time..."

As he talked, sadness came from it: "I'm just not reconciled. I'm just a Silla, and my body can't hold it. I thought I could last at least until Tubo was wiped out. My Tang Dynasty has no foreign troubles, but After all, it’s a year without holidays! It’s a year without holidays!”

Pei's tears finally couldn't be restrained, welling out of his eyes.

Li Rui was ignorant, looking at his tearful parents: "Aye! Ma'am! Don't cry, okay?"

"Don't cry! Aye don't cry!"

Li Hong hugged his wife and children tightly, looked at the empty palace with blurred eyes, vaguely seemed to see that sitting upright, still heroic figure.

Thinking of the most capable courtier and best friend who was fighting abroad, he murmured:

"Yuan Fang, I'm afraid time is running out, you should come back quickly..."

(End of this chapter)