Don't help me, I can sit up by myself

Nijou wrapped the hundred sons and grandsons' colorful purse and a red gold carved lotus bracelet into his arms, and braved the wind and snow to head to the palace gate. If he could exchange it before the pawn shop closed, he could bring the money in early tomorrow morning without delaying the master. they use.

The guards at the palace gate seem to have been replaced.

Nijo often goes in and out of the palace and is familiar with many guards. Today, the two of them are a bit unfamiliar.

I reported my name as usual and said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs was out to buy some things. I was about to go out. I didn't want to guard and said: "It's the end of the year. I have been told by the superiors to conduct inspections and make sure there are no mistakes."

As he spoke, the guards began to search him.

The things in Nijo's arms were quickly found.

In the past, when I said hello, the guard would symbolically touch Nijou's sleeves and pass by. The inspection was particularly strict that day, and even Nijou's hair was touched.

Soon, Erjo was taken to the Sentence Division.

Changle Palace.

Meng Yuzhu sat in front of the bronze mirror, taking care of the cashew nut to loosen the bun of her hair, and then took off the red gold hairpins from her hair one by one.

Tian Lingyue was supported by Shanzhu, and she came up behind Meng Yuzhu obediently. She cleaned her hands and helped Meng Yuzhu comb her hair.

Seeing that Tian Lingyue looked good, Meng Yuzhu understood: "Is it done?"

"The eunuch has been sent to the Criminal Punishment Department. His purse and bracelet were found by the guards. Fortunately, the empress sent someone to greet the guards."

In a place like the Shenxing Department, living people have to peel off their skin when entering, and dead people have to sit up and talk when entering.

I heard that the number of torture instruments inside varies from day to day.

What about water prison, post-office punishment, and cat torture? Few people can withstand the torture.

Nijo was imprisoned in the Criminal Punishment Department, and it was probably more bad than good.

"If he doesn't survive tonight, the eunuch will recruit everyone he should and shouldn't. When the time comes, Shi Jing and Du Jiyan will secretly sell palace items, and the emperor will have to make a good decision."

Yongfu Hall.

Aunt Zhao entered the room carrying freshly cooked jasmine rice soup and four side dishes.

Pickled cabbage, pickled radish, shredded kelp and shredded jellyfish are best served with thin rice soup.

Before Du Jiyan finished his bowl of fine rice soup, he saw Shi Jing coming back from outside.

Shi Jing had already heard the news about Er Tiao's arrest. She didn't recognize anyone at the Shenxing Department, so she could only come back to discuss it with Du Jiyan.

"Wouldn't Er Tiao be killed if he was taken to that place?" Shi Jing was worried: "I just handed over a letter, will he be taken to the Sentence Department and tortured? Are the laws of Chen State so strict? Du Jiyan, you can read More, tell me."

Du Jianyan didn't know much about Chen Guo's laws.

If it were just to deliver a letter, the Division of Sentences and Sentences would not be too embarrassed.

Shi Jing grabbed his handkerchief: "I heard that the guards found a purse and a gold bracelet from Er Tiao's arms, so they suspected him of stealing palace items and selling them. But I never asked him to hand over these things. Could it be that Er Tiao still helped Doing business for the other palace’s empress? But I’ve already kept him under wraps for a month, just to run errands for me. Is he still doing private work?”

"What if it's not a private job?" Du Jiyan put down the thin porcelain bowl.

"Not a private job? How could he have those things?"

What Du Jiyan was most worried about was that someone would give Er Tiao something and then frame Shi Jing.

To prevent Shi Jing from worrying, Du Jiyan did not express her worries.

Because of Nijo's incident, the greetings at Jingren Palace were held in a particularly solemn atmosphere.

Meng Yuzhu wore a flying bun, a phoenix flying hairpin, a pair of dark yellow pearl earrings, a new embroidered Baizi Ruyi open coat made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and a pair of green bracelets that made her wrists white and tender. There are a lot of them, and the sheath of the hand stove is also made of brocade and silver, which is exquisite and rich.

Meng Yuzhu must have slept very well last night. Her face was like a peach blossom, and she was painted with pink rouge. She looked several years younger.

Tian Lingyue sat down next to Meng Yuzhu. Although the clothes she wore were not as expensive as Meng Yuzhu's, they were still made of fine Su embroidery. In the past, Tian Lingyue always put flowers in her hair. It was the same today, but this time The flowers on the sun are more colorful than usual, and there is a red gold hollow hairpin inserted under the petals.

The queen already knows about Nijo.

Everyone was waiting for the Queen's instructions.

The queen calmly prepared some chrysanthemum tea for everyone to drink.

The Queen is an expert at growing chrysanthemums, and there are always chrysanthemums in Jingren Palace, so chrysanthemum tea can be drunk from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. If anyone in the palace gets angry, the Queen's chrysanthemum tea can cure it.

It's the same today.

The queen drank the tea calmly and asked, "How does it taste?"

The concubines were trapped in the palace and were bored for a long time. Especially after it snowed, they became more and more lazy to go out, and there were few entertainment projects. Even the Nanfu troupe had not performed singing and dancing performances for more than a month, and only opened sporadically. I almost vomited after walking around the Imperial Garden of Flowers. Everyone was feeling depressed. They finally caught Nijou. They thought that a lot of people would be implicated this time. Let’s sit in the front row and have a meal. Ripe.

Who would have known that the queen didn't pick melons at all, but talked about tea. As expected, she was the empress who didn't pick any pot.

Meng Yuzhu was not so good-natured. She didn't even look at the chrysanthemum tea and asked the queen directly: "Of course the queen knows about the eunuch. How does the queen plan to deal with it?"

"The affairs of eunuchs are not under my control." The queen touched a piece of fruit.

Meng Yuzhu.
Sitting under the queen, Mr. Wei helped explain: "The eunuch violated the palace rules and has been handed over to the Department of Punishment according to law. After the trial, the Department of Punishment will give an answer to the masters. When the truth comes out, the investigation will be carried out. If the whole story comes out and the harem is involved, the Queen will deal with it together with the Emperor."

Meng Yuzhu smiled coldly, clearly not paying attention to Wei Zhaoning: "Mr. Wei has been living in Jingren Palace for a while, and he has really made progress. His words are smart, but when will the Shenxing Division give you an answer?"

"It depends on whether the eunuch is willing to confess honestly."

Tian Lingyue put down the chrysanthemum tea and knelt down: "Queen."

The queen took a look and saw that this was Tian Lingyue whose father had just died. She remembered that she was crying a few days ago. Today she looks really good, with red lips and white teeth.

"Tian promised, are you okay?"

"Empress, regarding the eunuch who secretly delivered something out of the palace, I don't know whether to say something or not."

"Then don't talk about it, it's just a mystery." Shi Jing muttered.

The concubine laughed softly.

Tian Lingyue bit her mouth silently.

"If you have anything to say, just say it."

"Queen, there are at least hundreds of eunuchs and maids in the palace. It's not good if we don't protect them all. Although the palace rules are strict, we can't prevent someone from taking risks just for a profit. That eunuch dared to steal the palace's eunuchs. Something, I thought, there were only two possibilities.”

"Which two possibilities?"

"First, he stole it and sold it himself. However, there are many things in each palace, and there is not only one person to serve the master of each palace. There are many people, and it is not easy to steal things privately. Just like the empress, there are many people in your palace. What items are usually recorded in the account book, there is usually no less, and you can tell if there is less, so it is not easy for the eunuch to steal it by himself. Second, those things were given to him by others. "

The queen blinked: "Someone gave it to him? Why? Is it a reward?"

The queen is used to rewarding people. During festivals and festivals, she will give some rewards to the people below her. If she makes tea well, the queen will reward her with a sling of money when she is happy.The queen is familiar with the word reward.

"If it is a reward from the palace, it will usually be recorded in a file, who rewarded what in a certain year and month. If it is a reward from the master, the eunuch does not need to panic, he only needs to tell when he got it, let alone They will be detained by the Department of Punishment, so these things are not rewards, but someone entrusted the eunuch to take them out."

Tian Lingyue's inference makes some sense.

"Why did you ask him to take it out?"

"If you want to sell it, pawn it or give it away, you have to ask the person who entrusted it to him." Tian Lingyue knelt there with an imperceptible smile on her lips: "I just don't know who entrusted him to it." Shi Jing couldn't sit still.

Tian Lingyue went around in a big circle and almost named Shi Jing.

Shi Jing looked a little aggrieved.

She was always upright and would not hide anything. She immediately knelt down and told how she met Er Tiao, how she asked Er Tiao to be her errand boy, and what she usually conveyed. But Shi Jing swears to God. , I really didn’t ask Nijo to pass on any purses or bracelets.

Tian Lingyue smiled: "If swearing works, what's the point of using the law? Will all the gods and Buddhas in the temple come out to identify you?"

"Tian promises, don't make irresponsible remarks about gods and Buddhas. I have just opened several scriptures in Jingren Palace. Please don't violate my taboo." The queen was unwilling.

Tian Lingyue blushed.

The concubines couldn't help but started talking.

Some people say that the Shenxing Division only hits the painful areas when beating people. After the beating, the skin and flesh are not injured, but the bones may be broken, and they will only be disabled in the future.

Some said that even after being tortured all night, they could not pry the eunuch's mouth open. The Department of Punishment and Punishment had many methods, and they wondered whether the eunuch could withstand it.

Du Jiyan decided to go to the Shenxing Department.

The maid Papaya took a bag of silver and took care of the guards. It was not difficult to meet Ertiao.

Nijo was tortured and lay alone in a dark and damp prison in the east.

The people from the Shenxing Division were brutal. Erjo was beaten until his body was covered in blood and his face was swollen.

Seeing Du Jiyan coming, Erjo climbed up, holding the wooden door with both hands but still unable to stand.

"What's going on? Where did those things come from?" Du Jiyan asked in a low voice.

Erjo held the wooden door and told Du Jiyan what happened that day.

"Master, don't worry. Even if they kill the slaves, the slaves will not betray the masters." Erjo was very loyal. Shi Jing gave him twenty taels of silver a month, which was considered an employment relationship. I didn't expect him to be so loyal and would rather bear everything by himself. Don't bother the masters.

Du Jiyan had already guessed who was responsible.

Besides Tian Lingyue and Meng Yuzhu, who else could it be?

Returning to Yongfu Palace, Papaya untied her pink palace maid uniform and sat on the Kang: "As expected, someone framed us. When I first entered the palace, my father told me that people's hearts are sinister. You can't harm others with bad intentions, but you can't be unprepared either. Now that I think about it, my dad was right, I understood it too late."

The person who accompanied Du Jiyan to the Shenxing Department was of course not Papaya, but Shi Jing who was worried about Erjo.

Du Jiyan was afraid that her secret would be revealed, so he asked her to follow him silently.

When Shi Jing returned to Yongfu Hall, he couldn't hold it in any longer: "Although Nijo has not confessed, the Shenxing Division will beat him to death. What will happen if Nijo is beaten to death?"

"Who died?" Gao Rang came with whisk whisk in his arms: "Master Shi, who is angry with you again?"

Shi Jing felt like a cat scratching his head, so he had no time to deal with Gao Rang.

Gao Rang called Shi Jing: "Come with me, Master Shi."

Shi Jing looked up at the sky.

Snow stopped.

The sky cleared.

The sun, which had not been seen for many days, also emerged from the clouds, hanging like a red egg yolk on the top of the palace. The warm sun in winter is not as warm as in summer, but wherever the light reaches, it is bright and clear, which makes people more inexplicable. hope.

"In the past, if Eunuch Gao announced that I would go to bed, I might have been very happy, but now I have no interest at all." Shi Jing said with a stern look on his face.

"Young master Shi just wants to do good things. Who said you should go to bed with me, little master Shi?"

"Where are we going with you?"

"The Palace of Supreme Harmony."

"What are you going to do in Taihe Palace?"

"The Emperor has summoned you for something. Let's go. Don't keep the Emperor waiting."

Shi Jing's steps were heavy, as if he were hanging two stones. His mood at this time was not like going to see the emperor, but like being sent to the deserted Ninggu Pagoda to keep vigil. Every step weighed a thousand pounds.

Before entering the palace, I heard the sound of the emperor reading from the Palace of Supreme Harmony.

I don’t know what the emperor read, but it was catchy.

After a while, Shi Yu's voice came from the palace: "The emperor's knowledge has improved again. Now with my talent, I cannot teach the emperor."

"Teacher, don't be humble. I still have a lot to learn."

"The emperor is taking the scientific examination now. Even if he does not win the top prize, he is still among the top three. The emperor is still young and motivated, but I am already old."

"The teacher is old, and he is also my teacher."

In the Palace of Taihe, there were reports of business quarrels between the emperor and Shi Yu.

Shi Jing entered the palace and stood in the corner, looking at her father's back from a distance. She felt more at ease. At least with her father as the emperor's master, the emperor would not get angry about Er Tiao.

"Today I summon Lord Shi to the Palace of Supreme Harmony. The Palace of Supreme Harmony is close to the Yongfu Palace, so I summoned Shi Jing to bring you father and daughter together." The emperor called Shi Jing forward.

Shi Jing had something on his mind, so he was a little absent-minded and a little scared. Besides, this was the Palace of Supreme Harmony, who would dare to make trouble here.

So this time when father and daughter got together, Shi Jing only looked at his father and exchanged a few greetings.

Shi Yu knew about Er Tiao's arrest, and judging from the situation, the emperor should also know about it.

Shi Yu bowed and said: "If my daughter does something wrong, the emperor will just punish her. Don't be merciful just because I am the emperor's teacher. Once the law is opened, it will be difficult to close it."

"Then I will listen to the teacher."

"You can be a wise king only if you don't show personal favoritism. I am very pleased that Your Majesty is like this."

Shi Jing felt that something was wrong. His father's words were a bit ruthless.

After leaving the Palace of Supreme Harmony, Shi Jing and Shi Yu walked in the snow one after another.

When Shi Jing was a child, every time he went out with his father when it snowed, he always liked to walk in his father's footprints. The two of them walked in tandem, with big footprints within small footprints, which was very warm.

Not this time.

She just walked behind worriedly.

Shi Yu turned around and said gently: "Can't you bear this little thing?"

"Father……"

"I know that before you came, the Emperor summoned the people from the Criminal Punishment Department. I heard from them that Ertiao confessed nothing."

"But……"

"Jing'er, dad told you that the way of heaven will be revealed, just wait and see."