Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Chapter 287 Manna Palace

"Your servant obeys!" The female officer responded, and was about to leave the door to pass orders, but she heard the Queen's voice: "You can also tell him the whole story of what I just said, and I think it will get a lot of benefits!"

The female officer only felt a thunderbolt in her head, and before she could react, she knelt down instinctively, her head froze, and she repeatedly shouted death penalty.Wu sneered until the female officer's head was covered with blood, and then said with a smile: "Get up! Go and wipe your face, it's so pitiful for such a pretty person!"

The female officer didn't dare to say more, she just bowed her head in response, then backed out of the door, turned around and left.Wu went back to the dressing table and waited for the maid to change his clothes.

Daxing Palace, Ganlu Palace.

The Daxing Palace, which was built in the Sui Dynasty, was built in strict accordance with the ancient court system recorded in the "Kao Gong Ji" in the "Zhou Li" discovered in the Han Dynasty. Generally speaking, the Daxing Palace was built around a central axis facing north and south. From the south to the north, the Daxing Palace is roughly divided into three parts: court area, dormitory area, and garden; as the name suggests, these three areas are the areas where the emperor handles government affairs, lives with concubines, and shoots and tours. .The Ganlu Hall is located in the sleeping area. In theory, ministers cannot enter this area.

But the situation in Ganlu Hall is quite special. Although it is located in the dormitory, the emperor often reviews memorials here and summons his trusted ministers. However, because Li Zhi is in poor health, Empress Wu is inseparable from dealing with the affairs of state, so he summons minister Shi Wu Shi was also present.After a long time, Wu Shi also summoned his trusted ministers here, but there was a bead curtain between her and the ministers during the summons.

As an inner court, this is not the first time Liu Yuanzhen has been summoned by the queen, but what is different from the past is that this time his heart beats surprisingly fast, because he is about to step into the most dangerous area in the power struggle of the Tang Dynasty. It is the inheritance of imperial power.

From an outsider's point of view, after the emperor announced the Shangyuan Festival polo match, the prince's situation is very good. This is why the dignitaries in Chang'an City are scrambling to bet on the prince.Their optimism is not without reason. Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi had a total of eight sons in his life, and the first to fourth sons have been eliminated from the game of power because of their mother.The eldest of the remaining four sons is the prince Li Hong, and the other three are the future prince Zhanghuai Li Xian, Tang Zhongzong Li Xian, and Tang Ruizong Li Dan. These three are the same as the prince. son.

If it were any other emperor, the struggle for the crown prince would have ended much earlier. After all, Emperor Gaozong and Li Zhi were only in their 30s. Even in ancient times, they could still be said to be young. Years, during which the queen is changed, the prince is abolished, anything can happen.Not to mention anything else, just the three younger brothers behind Li Hong are potential threats. Don't think that being born from one mother can be brotherly and brotherly respectful. Emperor Sui Yang, Tang Taizong, and Li Zhi all stepped on their own brothers. Enthroned.

However, Li Zhi's health was not good, and it was well known that he suffered from wind disease. No one knew that he could live with such a poor body until 683 AD, a full 55 years old, and he was better than his lively father. Lived five years longer.After all, there is no precedent for letting one's daughter-in-law be one's chief secretary, sharing government affairs and maintaining one's own health.From the perspective of the people in Chang'an at that time, with the current physical condition of the emperor, it might be difficult for the younger brothers behind the prince to reach adulthood. In other words, the prince Li Hong has no rivals in the matter of inheriting the throne. , Betting on him is definitely a sure win.

But Liu Yuanzhen knew very well that things were not that simple. The prince actually had another competitor, and that was his mother, Empress Wu.This was originally a very strange thing, because according to the political tradition since the Qin and Han Dynasties, it can be said that the empress became the empress dowager in one step.After all, it is common for the emperor to abolish the empress, but it is unheard of for the emperor to abolish the empress dowager.From the perspective of filial piety, the empress dowager can even issue an edict to abolish the unvirtuous emperor (Gaogui Xianggong and Haihunhou tearfully praised).From the point of view of benefits, the death of Li Zhi and the enthronement of Li Hong to the Wu family may be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

But Empress Wu may be the only one in the past 5000 years who would rather serve as chief secretary to the emperor's husband (During Li Zhi's long life, Wu Zetian actually worked as the eunuch in charge of seals in the Ming Dynasty. Of course, due to the special relationship between husband and wife and The lofty status of the queen, and there are no other competitors to share power, Wu Zetian's actual power is far better than that of his counterparts in the Ming Dynasty), and he is not willing to give his son the woman of the empress dowager.So ever since Li Zhi revealed that he wanted Li Hong to train his team and let him supervise the country to accumulate experience as soon as possible, Wu began to secretly try to sabotage the polo match and prevent his son from seizing power from him.

And as one of Wu Clan's confidantes, Liu Yuanzhen got this task, which made him terrified.In his opinion, the Wu family is completely insane, and it is bad enough to do black work for a lunatic. What is even worse is that in the long run, the world will belong to the prince sooner or later. No matter how big the conflict between the queen and the prince is, it is still mother and son. Dear relatives can always resolve it, so what should I do at that time?Thinking of this, Liu Yuanzhen shuddered.

"His Majesty the Empress is here!" The voice from outside interrupted Liu Yuanzhen's thoughts, he hurriedly raised the front of his robe, and knelt down to the bead curtain: "My minister has an audience with Her Majesty the Empress!"

There was a sound of clothes rubbing and footsteps coming from behind the bead curtain, but there was no voice. Liu Yuanzhen didn't dare to raise her head, so she could only hold her breath and wait carefully.About a quarter of an hour later, Liu Yuanzhen heard a cold voice from behind the bead curtain: "You said you have something important, it's best if it's really important, otherwise—"

Liu Yuanzhen could feel the boredom hidden in the voice, which made him shudder, which showed that the queen's patience with him was running out, if he couldn't do something before that, then he was not far from death.

"A guest came to Weichen's house, this person has a close relationship with Jin Renshou!"

"Jin Renshou? Well, let's go on!"

Sensing the interest in the queen's voice, Liu Yuanzhen secretly rejoiced that she had come to the right place: "I remembered that Jin Renshou was the leader of the East Palace side of the Shangyuan Festival polo match, so I wanted to find out some information. But I heard what the man said If so, I feel that you should let His Majesty know immediately!"

"Say!"

"The strength of the Forbidden Army at the North Gate and the Six Rates of the East Palace are very different. The emperor knows it, and everyone in the world knows it. Then this polo match is not about the final outcome, but about the talent of the East Palace and the way the prince employs people. In other words, As long as Donggong Liushu can play with style and level in the game, so that the emperor and the people of the world can see it, that is enough, the final outcome of the game is not important at all!" Liu Yuanzhen carefully recited the memorized passage The words were repeated: "That's what the man said!"

(End of this chapter)