The Song Dynasty has been deliberate for 16 years, only to know that it is the Water Margin

Chapter 429: Inner Palace Debate
The next morning, Zhao Tong was drinking tea in the back house, and Zhu Xiuniang held little Zhao Xi in her arms and taught him to read poems. However, little Zhao Xi was only a few months old, so how could he learn it? He was babbling and had no idea what he was saying.

At this moment, the maid He Xiang trotted in from outside and said: "Your Majesty, someone from the palace is looking for the Prince. They say that the official family has a decree to convey. It seems to be very urgent."

Zhao Tong raised his eyelids with a smile on his lips. He stood up and teased little Zhao Xi for a while before walking forward.

The person who came to convey the order was the eunuch Zheng Fu. He had served him in the palace and was not seen outside. As soon as he saw him, he hurriedly said: "My lord, you are here, I am so anxious..."

Zhao Tong wondered: "Why are you so panicked?"

Zheng Fu said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, what's wrong is that Emperor Maode has disappeared. The officials asked you to come to the palace to discuss the matter!"

"Huh?" Zhao Tong was stunned when he heard this: "What did you say? Fu Jin is missing!"

Zheng Fu said hurriedly: "My lord, that's exactly what happened. He disappeared last night. I searched the palace for most of the night and almost turned the entire imperial city upside down, but still couldn't find him!"

Zhao Tong's face was as gloomy as a haze, and he said thoughtfully: "The imperial city is still quite big. Are you sure you have searched everything?"

Zheng Fu said bitterly: "My lord, we have basically searched everywhere. After all, there are many servants and soldiers in the imperial city. After the official gave the order, even the concubines and palace maids went out to search everywhere, but there was no news." .”

Zhao Tong frowned: "Where can Fu Jin go? Isn't he going out of the palace to play..."

Zheng Mansion shook his head and said: "But no one saw the Emperor Ji leaving the palace. The officials also suspected this after they couldn't find the Emperor Ji. When the slaves left, the officials arrested all the soldiers guarding the outer gate and were questioning them. !”

The corners of Zhao Tong's mouth twitched and he said: "In that case, then go with me quickly."

Got on the carriage outside the mansion, and soon entered the imperial city, and then came to Yanfu Palace in front of Yanfu Hall.

At this time, the palace doors were open. Zhao Tong walked up to the steps and looked inside. He saw that Zhao Kai was there, as well as Cai Jing and Gao Qiu. The rest were the eunuch guards in the palace and the imperial guards guarding the outer city of the imperial city. leader.

Emperor Daojun was pounding the table and roaring, Cai Jing lowered his head and said nothing, Gao Qiu was half-bowed and at a loss, and the guards and the head guards were all trembling.

"What use are you, what use are you!" Emperor Daojun jumped to his feet and scolded: "If you can't find a living person like Di Ji, what else can you do?"

Gao Qiu whispered: "Your Majesty, could it be that the Emperor Ji sneaked out of the palace and those who guarded the outer gate of the imperial city didn't notice it?"

Emperor Daojun looked at him: "Are you asking me? Are you asking me! Aren't those soldiers all from your palace? How did you discipline them? If the emperor really sneaked out of the palace, why did they Don’t know?”

Gao Qiu immediately dared not speak. Zhao Kai said from the side: "The official family and the ministers think that Gao Taiwei may not understand what he said. At this moment, the palace is almost turned over and over, and there is no trace of the Emperor Ji. Even if the Emperor Ji is I want to hide, but I always have to drink water and eat, which will leave traces, but now it seems that there is no trace left, I am afraid that I really ran away from the palace."

Emperor Daojun said with a gloomy face: "Didn't we already interrogate the guards of each gate? Not to mention the emperor, no one from the palace went out in the entire imperial city yesterday!"

Cai Jing said at this time: "Officials, no one went out from the palace, so what about the people from outside? Could it be that someone entered the palace and secretly took the Emperor Ji out?"

Zhao Kai heard this and said: "This is really possible. I just asked the palace maid at Di Ji's residence. It seems that Di Ji doesn't want to get married. She has said it before. In the past few days, she often sits in a daze. Is it possible? Ask someone from outside to enter the palace and take her outside the palace?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Daojun slapped the imperial case with a bang and said angrily: "Who dares to be so bold and take the emperor out of the palace without fear of annihilating the nine tribes!"

Zhao Kai immediately shrank his neck and said: "The officials can check again who entered and left the palace yesterday..."

Zhao Tong slowly entered the palace at this time. Emperor Daojun saw him and snorted angrily: "Empress Maode is missing!"

Zhao Tong had just heard the conversation in the palace and said hurriedly: "Guan family, how is this possible? Could it be that I haven't found it in some hidden place in the imperial city?"

Emperor Daojun exhaled loudly: "Where will it be in the imperial city?"

Zhao Tong said: "I wonder if anyone in the small lake has seen those pools. Could it be that he slipped and fell and no one noticed it?"

Zhao Kai said from the side: "What the King of Qin can think of, could it be that the officials can't think of it?"

Zhao Tong spread his hands: "Does that mean we've checked? I remember there are several small ponds with quite shallow water, and you can't see the bottom from the top."

Zhao Kai shook his head and said: "It's not too deep. No one can be found there. It's just that the water is a bit muddy. We sent people down there to touch it inch by inch, but nothing was found."

Zhao Tong sighed: "That's strange. Where can Fu Jin hide?"

"Where are you hiding?" Zhao Kai sneered: "There is no one in the palace, so of course he was taken out!"

Zhao Tong frowned: "Who is so bold as to take the emperor out of the palace privately? This will kill the nine tribes!"

Zhao Kai glanced at him and turned to Emperor Daojun: "Guan family, when I interrogated the soldiers from the outer sect before, I learned that King Qin had entered the palace yesterday!"

Zhao Tong narrowed his eyes and looked at him: "What does King Yun mean by this? Do you suspect that I took Fu Jin away?"

Zhao Kai said: "I only said that you entered the palace yesterday, but nothing else!"

"It's really ridiculous!" Zhao Tong said with a cold tone: "If I take away Fu Jin, how can the soldiers guarding the gate not see it? Then a living person walks out of the palace gate, and no one sees it? Is it possible that the front secretary of the palace can't see it? The Imperial Guards are all blind!"

"Who knows, King Qin has always been so powerful, maybe the soldiers guarding the gate don't even dare to take a look!" Zhao Kai said in a low voice.

"King Yun, can you say that again?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Tong immediately rolled up his arms and rolled up his sleeves, and ran towards Zhao Kai. Zhao Kai was so frightened that he hurriedly hid next to the imperial book case.

"That's enough, what's the fuss about!" Emperor Daojun grabbed a pen holder on the case and threw it to the ground, and the hall suddenly became quiet.

"King Qin, did you really enter the palace yesterday?" Emperor Daojun asked.

"Back to the official's house, I went to the palace to visit my empress yesterday morning and left right after noon." Zhao Tong replied angrily.

"Oh..." Emperor Daojun frowned, always feeling that there was something wrong with this second brother. He thought for a moment and suddenly realized that this second brother had always been deep, but now he was a little too excited.

This is not the character of the second child!
Emperor Daojun looked Zhao Tong up and down: "Since King Qin entered the palace yesterday, it cannot be said that there is no suspicion at all..."

"In the official family, my son entered the palace alone, without a chariot, and then left alone. The soldiers and eunuchs on duty at the palace gate could see clearly. What suspicion does the child have?" Zhao Tong asked angrily.

"This..." Emperor Daojun was a little unable to continue.

"What's more, I was not the only one who entered the palace yesterday. From morning to night, there were countless others. If we continue to argue like this, everyone will be suspicious!" Zhao Tong said.

"King Qin, don't worry about anything else!" Zhao Kai said beside the imperial case: "Yesterday, I went to the palace to take a bath. Except for the farmers who brought vegetables, meat, and rice in the morning, there was no one else in front of the palace gate. During the whole day, Except for King Qin, no one entered the palace!"

No two people entered the palace?Zhao Tao was stunned, was it a holiday yesterday?If he does not go to court, he naturally does not pay attention to the date. If it is a holiday, there will be no morning court and no courtiers will enter the palace. Moreover, Emperor Daojun will not invite people to come over for drinking and feasting when he is on holiday.

He frowned, this is really a wise man who always makes mistakes. Why didn't he think of this? Otherwise, if he took away Fujin one day earlier or one day later, there would be no such right and wrong.

Normally, the ministers of the early dynasty have to enter the imperial city. Although they are going to the Zichen Palace in front, as long as they enter the imperial city, they are suspected. No matter what the evidence is, they will be there as long as they come in.

Moreover, Emperor Daojun would invite people to drink and have fun again, and those who came then would not be able to escape their involvement. Although he also entered the palace, he was single when he went out, so it was impossible to be too suspicious of him.

But now...he was the only one who entered the palace yesterday?This is a bit hard to explain, but fortunately, I was alone when I went out, so I just had to bite him to death and disown him.

Zhao Tan looked at Zhao Kai coldly and said, "I was alone when I went out. Dozens or hundreds of people outside the palace gate were watching. King Yun couldn't even think of slandering me!"

Zhao Kai said: "King Qin, don't be sophistical. I told you how those eunuchs and soldiers dared to take a closer look. I'm afraid you used some kind of deception to take the emperor out!"

Zhao Tan was furious when he heard this: "Prince Yun, how dare you slander me, let me teach you how to behave!" He said and rushed over. Zhao Kai was so frightened that he immediately hid behind Emperor Daojun, trembling all over.

Emperor Daojun was so angry that even though Emperor Ji was missing, the two princes actually started fighting. This simply meant that he, an official, was not taken seriously.

At this time, Cai Jing and Gao Qiu saw that the situation was not good, so they all retreated to the side. The eunuchs and guards were frightened and at a loss.

Emperor Daojun was so angry that he stood up. He wanted to lift the table but couldn't. He waved his hand and knocked everything on the table to the ground: "If you don't shut up, do you want to rebel?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tong stopped angrily and said, "How dare you, my minister? It was King Yun who slandered my minister. As my elder brother, I naturally have to teach him a lesson."

Emperor Daojun was so angry that his beard stood straight up: "In the past, I could still argue three points of truth, but now I will learn from that rude behavior. How decent will it be?"

Zhao Tong put down his sleeves and retreated, silent.

Zhao Kai hid behind the dragon chair and said hurriedly: "Father, father, there must be something evil in King Qin's heart. He was the only one who entered the palace yesterday, so he definitely has something to do with it!"

Zhao Tong glared: "You still say that?!"

Zhao Kai was so frightened that he immediately dared not speak. Emperor Daojun took a deep breath and said, "Prince Qin, the emperor's concubine is not in the palace. Yesterday, you entered the palace alone. How do you explain it?"

Zhao Tong said: "Guan family, how do you explain it to me? I went out alone yesterday!"

"I went out alone..." Emperor Daojun couldn't help but have a headache. Since he went out alone, there must be no problem.

"Father, maybe because of King Qin's majesty, the people in front of the palace gate didn't dare to look carefully and didn't pay attention. Moreover, King Qin brought the horse into the palace and then led the horse away when he left the palace!" Zhao Kai muttered from behind.

"Huh?" Emperor Daojun frowned and looked at Zhao Tong: "Why did King Qin ride into the palace on horseback?"

Zhao Tong said: "The officials know that my son was ill before and has not recovered yet. He is weak and too lazy to walk."

Emperor Daojun was silent, with a doubtful look in his eyes.

Zhao Kai hurriedly said: "Father, in short, King Qin is highly suspicious!"

Zhao Tao glanced sideways at him and sneered silently.

Emperor Daojun coughed. He also felt that something was not right with Zhao Tong. After all, only Zhao Tong entered the palace yesterday, and he was acting a bit too aggressive now. However, Zhao Tong went out alone, which was very difficult to ask. !

At this moment, I heard Cai Jing say: "The official..."

Emperor Daojun looked at him and said, "What does the Grand Master have to say?"

Cai Jing said: "I feel that this matter is strange. If the emperor does not want to marry into the Weichen family, she can propose it to the official family. Why hide it..."

Emperor Daojun's face twitched. It was he who had given the marriage, but now something like this happened. He was the emperor and always kept his word. At this moment, he felt a little lost.

Zhao Tong narrowed his eyes and said: "The Grand Master's words are wrong. The Emperor Ji is just missing and her safety is uncertain. How can she hide it!"

Cai Jing didn't say anything after hearing this, but Zhao Kai said: "The palace maid next to Di Ji said that Fu Jin didn't want to marry, and he couldn't find her anywhere in the palace. Didn't he escape and go outside? I think it was King Qin who brought Di Ji with you. Get out!"

Zhao Tong sneered: "If you want to incriminate yourself, why bother? I'm leaving alone, how can I carry the blessings with me?"

Zhao Kai said: "You were the only one who entered the palace yesterday, and you are the most suspicious!"

Seeing that the two of them were about to quarrel again, Emperor Daojun couldn't help but put his hand on his forehead and said angrily: "Prince Qin, did you really go out without Fu Jin?"

Zhao Tong said: "What are you doing with Fu Jin? Who does Fu Jin marry? What does it have to do with Er Chen!"

Zhao Kai said: "King Qin, you are lying!"

Zhao Tong said: "King Yun, if you don't agree to speak to me outside the palace!"

Zhao Kai said: "A gentleman speaks with words but never with hands..."

Emperor Daojun, whose head was as big as a bucket at this time, looked at Zhao Tong and said: "King Qin, you were the only one who entered the imperial city yesterday, no one else. You, maybe you can prove that you did not leave with Fujin?"

Zhao Tong shrugged upon hearing this: "Guan family, I went out one person and one horse, and all the eunuchs and soldiers guarding the outer gate saw me. How can I prove myself?"

Emperor Daojun was so angry that he slapped the table: "What should we do? Do you want me to order the whole city to search? I can't afford to lose this person, and the royal family can't afford to lose this person!"

There was an immediate silence below. Not to mention the royal family, it was also an embarrassing event for ordinary people. If it was an official family, it would be criticized and even become a reason for criticism, let alone the emperor's family.

After a long while, I heard Cai Jing say: "Officials, I think it is better to clear the suspicion of King Qin first, and then talk about whether to search the city or not."

Emperor Daojun said: "How to clear it up?"

Cai Jing looked at Zhao Tong, with a dim-sighted look on his face, and said slowly: "As long as the officials send people to search Prince Qin's house to see if the emperor is there, they can naturally prove whether this matter is related to Prince Qin!"

When Zhao Tong heard this, his face suddenly sank. He looked at Cai Jing and said, "Master Cai dare to say this?"

Cai Jing lowered his head and said: "Forgive me, King Qin. I am also thinking about the official family and King Qin. Otherwise, how can I clear King Qin's suspicion!"

Zhao Tong said with a cold tone: "For my sake? Master Cai, don't regret what you said!"

Cai Jing said in a hoarse voice: "I have served the Song Dynasty and served as an official. I have dedicated my life to the end of my life and have never regretted it!"

"Okay, okay!" Zhao Tong sneered: "As long as you don't regret it!"

Emperor Daojun was in a dilemma at this time. There was no direct evidence to prove that Zhao Tong was related to this matter. It was a bit unreasonable to search the residence of a prince like this.

But what if it was indeed Zhao Tong who did it?There's something wrong with this second brother today, and he was the only one who entered the palace yesterday, so I really can't rest assured if I don't search.

"King Qin..." Emperor Daojun looked at Zhao Tong and said, "Don't be angry. I'll let someone go and take a look. If it is indeed not you who did it, it will prove your innocence."

Zhao Tong remained silent, and Emperor Daojun said again: "I will ask King Yun to go, and then send the female officials in the palace to take Gong E there. It will be very convenient when the time comes."

Zhao Tong remained silent, and Emperor Daojun took a breath: "That's it, King Yun will take people there now. Remember not to touch any plant or tree in Prince Qin's palace. The back house will be searched by the female official Gong'e, and no one else is allowed to step in. , whoever dares to go there will be killed without mercy!"

Zhao Kai immediately said: "My son, I accept the decree!"

After speaking, he walked towards the entrance of the palace with his head held high. When he passed by Zhao Tong, he smiled and said: "Second brother, my brother is offended!"

Zhao Tong bared his teeth and sneered: "Third brother, be careful. There are some reckless men in my house who are not afraid of life and death. Third brother, don't get too close to them. They don't recognize Third Brother. If you get hurt, you will regret it..."

"You!" Zhao Kai hurriedly turned back to look at Emperor Daojun: "Father, King Qin is threatening his son!"

Emperor Daojun said with a black face: "Go quickly!"

Zhao Kai had no choice but to turn around and go out, while Zhao Tao squinted his eyes, crossed his arms over his chest, and looked at Cai Jing with a sinister look on his face...

(End of this chapter)