Snowy Chang'an Road

Ban Miao was waiting outside Weiyang Palace with a food box, wanting to ask to see Wei Yuan.

Wu Xun persuaded the queen a few words, saying that the emperor had official business to deal with and it was inconvenient to see her now, but Ban Miao still refused to give up. Cai Yu was the youngest son of her biological uncle. Even though he was a dandy who was not on the stage and only cared about living and drinking all day long, She also had to show her face to beg for mercy.

If it weren't for the support of a prominent family, Cai Yu's ability would not be able to find a job at all.

Ban Miao disliked this cousin very much, but she had to come here because her uncle was an official in the court and she had someone to rely on.

Cai Xiang knew that his son had committed stupid things, but in his eyes, it was not a big deal. He was just a servant, not a woman of noble status.

He originally wanted to come to Wei Yuan privately to plead for mercy, but was turned away by Wu Xun. After much deliberation, he could only find himself, his eldest niece.

Ban Miao was also very patient. He waited outside the door for four hours, and then left because he couldn't stay with His Majesty.

After seeing Ban Miao leave, Deng Zhaocai entered Weiyang Palace and reported to His Majesty the situation of his investigation in the past two days.

In the study room, listening to Deng Zhao's words, Wei Yuan's eyes became darker and his brows frowned slightly.

Deng Zhao naturally observed Wei Yuan's changes, but he still kept things business-like and kept talking.

"People say that Cai Yu has a nickname, King Shanglin."

Hearing this, Wei Yuan just put down the memorial in his hand, raised his eyes slightly and looked at Deng Zhao. The moment the two looked at each other, Deng Zhao was a little panicked. Under the emperor's gaze, he lowered his head.

Deng Zhao said this and stopped talking.

Wei Yuan asked: "What does Lang Zhongling mean, is Cai Yu treating my palace as his own harem?"

Deng Zhao quickly went through the meaning of this sentence in his mind.

"Your Majesty, this is not my intention. It is the testimony of the people. If your Majesty has any doubts, I can bring the people to bear witness."

"Wu Xun, Cai Yu, an internal official in Shanglinyuan, committed deception, committed lewdness, and was immoral. He will be killed immediately."

"promise."

After Wu Xun agreed to this, he did not do it immediately. Watching Deng Zhao exit the study, he walked to Wei Yuan and placed the memorial at the corner of the table in front of Wei Yuan.

"Your Majesty, these are all pleadings for Cai Yu."

"Burned."

"promise."

This is Wu Xun's last test. Of course he knows that the emperor's orders cannot be violated. Although Cai Yu's identity is not very prominent, the family power behind him really cannot be underestimated.

When the news of Cai Yu's execution reached Caihou Mansion, Cai Xiang couldn't believe it for a moment. He didn't expect that Wei Yuan would attack so quickly and cruelly.

When the news reached Yongle Palace, Ban Miao was talking to Wei Huan. When the palace officials came to report, the topic of their conversation naturally turned to this.

"Mother, Cai Yu is your nephew, and you went to beg for mercy. Why did your father kill him directly without giving him any face?"

Ban Miao said calmly: "Your father has always been decisive in killing and has never changed."

"But your nephew died, aren't you sad, Queen Mother?"

When Ban Miao heard her son asking such ridiculous questions, she took a sip of tea and said, "Your cousin died, are you sad?"

She did not answer her son's question directly, but used her spear to attack her shield and threw the question to her son.

Wei Huan was speechless. In fact, both mother and son knew that Ban Miao put power first in her heart, and the affection between these relatives was not worth mentioning in her eyes. As for Wei Huan, he was not close to his mother's clan, and he would not care about the death of a cousin.

"It's just Queen Mother. My uncle originally entrusted you with this matter. Will he have any quarrel with us because of his son's death?"

Faced with Wei Huan's anxiety, Ban Miao didn't seem to care.

"will not."

"But those are his biological flesh and blood after all."

"It's not like he only had this son, not to mention the one who died was the least promising and least motivated. After a period of sadness, your uncle will get better. All four of Deng Guogong's sons died in the battlefield, and he didn't see him seeking death or survival. , it’s better to live well in this world. I have tried my best regarding Cai Yu, but His Majesty doesn’t see me, so what can I do?”

"Will uncle not support me?"

"If he doesn't support you, who can he support? Our relationship will only get closer and closer, after all, we all have a common enemy."

Wei Huan naturally understood who the enemy his mother was talking about, but he only dared to think about it and did not dare to say it out loud.

"I'm just worried that your Majesty will be angry with Ban Shi about Cai Yu and have an impact on you. You should be smarter these days and don't always hang around in front of His Majesty's eyes. After this storm is over, you can go to fulfill your filial piety in front of His Majesty. "

"My son understands."

The removal of the internal officials in the harem this time was a means for Wei Yuan to break the relationship between the previous dynasty and the harem.

Many ministers complained about this matter in private, but when it came to the court, no one dared to mention it. Wei Yuan made everyone suffer this dumb loss.

Although the intervening forces and informants were eliminated, Wei Yuan offended many ministers with a wave of his hand.

These internal officials who can enter the palace are mostly uneducated and unskilled dandies among the nobles. However, as long as they can stand out, they have already tried every means to let them enter the court as officials. After all, serving people in the palace, even if it is just an errand, it is said that It's not decent after all.

This retreat made the originally lively and prosperous Chang'an City become even more lively and prosperous.

These people have nothing to do all day long, hanging out in restaurants, brothels and casinos, drunk and dreaming every day.

But all this is temporary, and the clansmen will still find ways to continue their relationship and arrange these dudes in the same position.

Wei Yuan's actions made many ministers complain. Ban Miao was happy, which meant that she could take the opportunity to win over him, and it also meant that she was getting closer to her plan.

The fire of revenge is burning in her heart. Kuai Tong's incident is just the index that ignites this fire. The control of power is the reason why she is suffering and impatient now.

This thought that lingered in Changle Palace for a long time also appeared in Weiyang Palace.

Wei Yuan didn't have much affection for this queen. Of course, he also knew that Ban Miao didn't have much affection for him either. The two were just a purely political marriage.

One wants power, the other wants power.

He didn't want to endure the queen anymore. Not to mention the other things Ban Miao had done, just one Kuai Tong was enough to make the emperor murderous.

The thought of deposing the queen appeared in Wei Yuan's mind.

Not only that, he also began to re-examine the prince Wei Huan. This child is easy to handle, but not outstanding. He can be asked to do some trivial things, but once it involves government affairs, he will obviously have a hard time.

Making Wei Huan the crown prince was a compromise he made under the influence of power.

Now, he doesn't want to and doesn't have to compromise anymore.