serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 285
The sun in the imperial garden was very good. Emperor Jianwu was dressed in casual clothes, and Song Chengliang was not wearing official robes. The two were sitting under the wisteria trellis to bask in the sun.

Emperor Jianwu's mood obviously improved a lot, and he smiled at Song Chengliang: "I heard that Xu Yuanzheng asked about it, saying that as long as you take good care of your illness and take a good rest, it will improve. You should be at ease."

Song Chengliang smiled and shook his head: "I'm not in good health. I always feel dizzy and sweat for no reason, and I can't sleep well at night. I can't sleep for two hours. If you can Seeing the imperial court regaining Liaodong, you will die without regret."

Emperor Jianwu was silent for a while, looked at Song Chengliang and said, "It will definitely."

Song Chengliang smiled happily: "I believe it."

Emperor Jianwu also smiled: "At that time, the chief assistant will accompany me to review the returning army."

Hearing this, Song Chengliang quickly stood up: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

Emperor Jianwu waved his hand: "Sit down, sit down. There are no outsiders here, so the courtesy will be avoided."

Song Chengliang: "Yes" answered and sat down.

Emperor Jianwu pondered for a while, and said: "I am an incompetent person. I cannot rule the world by myself. I need to let the cabinet and the six ministries take more burdens. This requires loyal and virtuous ministers to be the chief assistant. Old Yang Ge is not bad. The prestige is enough, but he hesitates when encountering major events, and cannot be the chief assistant. I already have two candidates in my heart." Saying that, he looked at Song Chengliang.

Song Chengliang seemed to understand, and smiled: "Although Zhao Zixun's ability is much inferior to Wang Hetang's, his superiority lies in his loyalty to His Majesty and his obedience. Ability can be cultivated, but this loyalty to His Majesty comes from the heart."

Emperor Jianwu's eyes lit up: "Shoufu means Zhao Zixun?"

Song Chengliang shook his head: "Loyalty is not static. Of course, what I mean is not betrayal, but that the selfish desires in their hearts have overshadowed their loyalty to His Majesty. At this time, they can no longer be used."

Emperor Jianwu nodded.

Song Chengliang went on to say: "In addition, the chief assistant cannot get too close to the military."

Emperor Jianwu thought for a while: "I understand."

At this moment, Dai Quan hurried over and whispered something in Emperor Jianwu's ear.

Emperor Jianwu's face changed, he stood up suddenly, and turned to Song Chengliang: "Go, go to the study." He said and walked straight.

Dai Quan quickly helped Song Chengliang and followed him.

outside study

Jia Hu stood up suddenly: "What? They all died at the hands of Wu Qingbo?"

Jiao Da excitedly said: "It has been spread outside, the old boy insisted on killing a bloody path from the crowd in order to escape. Not only ordinary people died, but also many sons of officials and wealthy businessmen. The periphery of Shuntian Mansion is full of complaints the sufferer!"

Jia Hu: "Where is he now?"

Jiao Da: "This old boy probably knows that the situation is too big. He asked the Queen Mother for help, and hid in the palace first." Speaking of this, he lowered his voice, "Second Master, this is a good opportunity! Let our If someone takes the lead in impeachment, drown him!"

Jia Hu walked back and forth a few steps, then shook his head and said, "No way!"

Jiao Da was taken aback: "Why?"

Jia Hu said lightly: "Because this matter will completely break up the emperor and the queen mother!"

As soon as these words came out, Jiao Da opened his eyes wide in surprise.

Jia Hu walked to the window, pondered for a while, and then said: "Because of the old concubine's affairs and the schemes of the emperor, the relationship between the emperor and the queen mother has reached the verge of rupture. And the matter of Rouge Hutong is too big. Only by killing Uncle Wu Qing can the anger be appeased. The queen mother is such a real younger brother, and you guys have that dishonorable thing again. Cough, it’s about to die. In this way, the queen mother’s natal family will be extinct. Think about it, can the queen mother hand over Uncle Wu Qing? "

After a pause, "Only the emperor can take Wu Qingbo away from the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and the result is that their mother and son completely broke up! But, they are mother and son after all, who can guarantee that they will not be reconciled as before? The risk is too great!"

Jiao Da: "What if the emperor takes the risk to suppress this matter?"

After a moment of silence, Jia Hu nodded slowly: "It's not impossible." He raised his head and thought for a moment, then turned around and walked to Jiao Da's side to whisper a few words.

Jiao's eyes lit up: "Okay. As long as those suffering masters carry the coffin to the imperial city, the old boy must die." Suddenly remembered, "What about the Queen Mother?"

Jia Hu smiled: "After this incident, is she still the Queen Mother?!"

Jiao laughed: "I'll arrange it myself." After speaking, he strode out.

Jia Hu thought for a while, then walked out, and said to Lin San, "Go and fetch my armor and imperial sword!"

At this time, the open space outside the Yamen of Shuntian Mansion was full of common people dressed in linen and mourning, all kneeling quietly, and the servants of Shuntian Mansion lined up in two rows, standing in front of the door with knives, creating a tense atmosphere.

In the distance, a group of guards from the Ministry of Justice escorted Li Jin, Shangshu of the Ministry of Justice.

Li Jin lifted the sedan chair curtain, looked at the people kneeling there, sighed deeply, and said to the leading officer, "Go in through the back door."

"Yes."

The officer leading the team waved his hand, and a group of people walked towards Shuntian Mansion Yamen Back Street.

There was silence in the hall of Shuntian Mansion.

Li Mingbo sat silently in front of the big case, lost in thought.

Fu Cheng walked in: "My lord, Li Shangshu from the Ministry of Punishment is here."

Li Mingbo recovered from his contemplation, stood up quickly, and greeted him.

Li Jin hurried in and asked directly, "Is there any mistake?"

Li Mingbo immediately replied: "It's absolutely true. The Empress Dowager's younger brother led his servant Ding Haonu to kill all the way to the outside of the alley, and also killed two Shuntian government servants who were rushing to fight the fire."

"Did he do it?"

"The evidence is complete!"

Li Mingbo said in a low voice: "Before a stick of incense, Director Dai personally came to take away the pleading paper, confession and testimony."

Li Jin looked directly at him with questioning eyes.

Li Mingbo smiled bitterly.

At this time, an officer rushed in like a gust of wind, panting: "Everyone, everyone has withdrawn."

Li Mingbo was surprised: "What?"

Officer: "All the people outside have left." He swallowed a sigh of relief, "They said they were going to the imperial city to ask His Majesty to make decisions."

Li Mingbo felt cold, and tremblingly said: "It's over, it's over!" As he said, he took off his gauze cap and put it on the big case, and walked out with a gray face.

Li Jin came back to his senses, picked up the gauze hat on the big case, chased up and said, "Let's talk about it after entering the palace!"

Just as Li Jin and Li Mingbo were rushing to the imperial city, on Chaoyangmen Street, a mighty procession was walking towards the imperial city. The front coffins wrapped in white cloth were lifted high, and the deceased All the family members wore sackcloth and filial piety, and there was a lot of crying, which attracted countless people to wait and see.

Along the way, from time to time, a team carrying coffins joined in. The number of coffins in front changed from a dozen to dozens, and finally hundreds of coffins. The group of people came to the imperial city.

At this time, the imperial city was heavily guarded, and the city gate was closed tightly. Thousands of forbidden soldiers stood in front of the city gate with guns and knives, blocking their way.

The coffin wrapped in white cloth was placed outside the imperial city, and the family members of the deceased knelt behind the coffin, crying and crying.

study room

Song Chengliang was sitting on a chair next to the case and coughing.

Wang Hetang, Yang Gelao, Shi Guangzhu and the long-lost official Qian Shangshu all came, and they all stood in the hall at this time, but they didn't say a word.

Emperor Jianwu sat silently in front of the imperial case, his eyes slowly fell to the front of the imperial case.

The brick floor in front of the imperial case was strewn with messy papers. Looking carefully, they were all complaints, confessions and testimonies.

It can be seen how furious Emperor Jianwu was after seeing these things.

"How should we deal with this matter?" Emperor Jianwu said, his voice was hard and cold.

Before Song Chengliang, the first assistant, could speak, Qian Shangshu of the Ministry of Officials played loudly: "Your Majesty, at the foot of the Son of Heaven, in the land of the first good, such a horrific tragedy has occurred! It must be dealt with quickly and severely, and an explanation must be given to the victim's family and the people of the world. The people have an explanation!"

After hearing his words, Emperor Jianwu was somewhat surprised, a trace of doubt quickly flashed in his eyes, he nodded approvingly, and then turned his gaze to Song Chengliang: "What does the chief assistant think?"

Song Chengliang sighed: "This matter is beyond the hands of the cabinet and the Ministry of Punishment."

Emperor Jianwu understood and nodded.

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate rushed in like a gust of wind, holding a pleading paper in his hand, panting: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the victim's family is carrying the coffin and crying outside the imperial city, please Your Majesty to decide for them."

Emperor Jianwu stood up abruptly, strode over, snatched the complaint, and hurriedly read it, then took a deep breath, and said loudly: "Go, go to the Palace of Compassion!"

"Duke Ning is here, and he is guarding under the imperial city with armor and sword." The eunuch said hastily.

Emperor Jianwu's eyes lit up, he nodded deeply, and then strode out.

Wang Hetang followed Song Chengliang and Shi Guangzhu out quickly.

The gate of the Compassionate Palace was open, and from a distance, Emperor Jianwu saw the Empress Dowager sitting at the gate of the main hall.

Emperor Jianwu hesitated for a moment, but went in anyway.

The people followed in.

Seeing Emperor Jianwu approaching, the Queen Mother smiled, with tears streaming from the corners of her eyes, and said, "I knew you would come."

Emperor Jianwu opened his mouth, but didn't say a word.

The queen mother wiped her tears: "Does he have to die?"

Song Chengliang immediately went on to say: "Uncle Guo, relying on being the queen mother's younger brother, slaughtered the people and disregarded human life. He is so angry with people and people and gods. If you don't kill, it will be difficult to rectify the law of the country. If you don't kill, the empress dowager's virtuous name will be damaged. If you don't kill, the people's hearts will be ruined." Lost. Please Empress Dowager put the country and the country as the most important thing!" Said and knelt down.

Wang Hetang, Shi Guangzhu, Yang Gelao, Qian Shangshu, and Dai Quan all knelt down together: "The Empress Dowager please put the country and society first!"

The queen mother immediately cast her fierce eyes on Song Chengliang.

At this time, Emperor Jianwu took a step forward, and then knelt down in front of the Queen Mother.

The queen mother trembled all over, moved her lips, and it took a long time to speak: "Emperor, I beg you. He is your real uncle!"

Emperor Jianwu didn't answer.

The Empress Dowager's eyes were full of sadness and begging.

At this moment, the deputy head of the Qianqing Palace hurried over, knelt down behind Emperor Jianwu, and said: "Your Majesty, three hundred coffins have been placed outside the imperial city."

Hearing this, panic appeared in the Queen Mother's eyes, she did not expect so many people to die.

At this time, Wu Qingbo's figure appeared beside the gate of the palace.

The Queen Mother looked at him, then at Emperor Jianwu, gritted her teeth, "Who told you to come out? Get out!"

Uncle Wu Qing laughed, knelt down and kowtowed to the Queen Mother, and said to Emperor Jianwu: "You are much better than your elder brother. You have scheming and means. It's a pity that you will never show mercy. Compared with your father, you are even worse." The difference is too much, so I won’t talk about it. I won’t make things difficult for you.” He took out a bottle of poison from his sleeve, unscrewed the cork, drank it dry in one gulp, and was about to say something when suddenly his whole body collapsed and he lay on the ground, The eyes were closed tightly, and then a stream of blood flowed from the corner of the mouth!
There was a dead silence outside the hall.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, stood up, turned around and walked into the hall, saying, "You go. When Zhongshun comes out of the clan mansion, I will move out of the palace. You don't have to worry about being scared."

(End of this chapter)