Chaos in the Chu Palace

Chapter 104 The Grand Finale (5)
Zhao Qingling seemed to know what she was thinking, and comforted her: "Don't worry, empress, the empress' purpose is to persecute the emperor, and she doesn't have any extra troops to surround the palaces. In my humble opinion, the people living outside the 'Manna Hall' probably That's all the Zhao family's troops she can mobilize. So the prince Diji's place is still very safe."

Ouyang Ruo glanced at him gratefully, but still panicked.Seeing her complexion as snowy, Chu Huotian shook her hand and said in a deep voice: "Mubai is right, the queen's purpose is to force me to issue an edict, so she will not do anything before I issue an edict. "Ouyang Ruo saw that his handsome face was cold and serious, but the corners of his eyes twitched slightly. Presumably he was also very worried about the little prince's safety.

Only then did Li Jing come up quickly, presenting the brocade that the empress threw to him.

Chu Huotian took it over and looked at it, only to sneer again and again with anger: "Sure enough, Mu Bai, look at it, you are asking me to be the Supreme Emperor. The eldest prince who is only nine years old is going to be the emperor!"

Zhao Qingling took a look, and a trace of murderous intent flashed across his clear face. With a shake of his hand, the brocade was shattered into flying butterflies: "Absurd! Their Zhao family is really blinded by interests. How dare they do such a thing!"

Ouyang Ruo was on the sidelines and forced himself to calm down. Now that the three of them are besieged, and the queen is staring at them outside, what should they do?what to do? ...

The gates of the palace have been closed. I am afraid that apart from Chu Palace, no one outside knows what happened in this palace.

right!Be sure to notify people outside!

She looked at Chu Huotian, and a trace of firmness flashed in her clear and beautiful eyes: "Your Majesty, we can't just sit and wait for death. At most, the Empress will make a move before sunrise. We must find a way to inform the Emperor in the northwest camp outside Beijing. The men and horses broke into the palace to capture the thieves and escort them."

Chu Huotian nodded, and said solemnly: "I have thought of this too, but it will take half a day to come and go. Even if you hurry up and leave now, it will take [-] troops to reach the gate of the palace tomorrow morning. It is too late."

Zhao Qingling pondered and said: "Then only Jing Zhaoyi's guards can come. As long as Jing Zhaoyi can control the entire Chujing in the name of public security in Beijing, then the queen will be afraid of the situation and dare not do anything, so much can be done." It dragged on for a while."

Chu Huotian's sharp eyes flashed, and he said coldly: "The Queen's plan to force the palace this time is just to make a quick decision. If it can be delayed for a while, the situation will be more beneficial to us. At that time, we will send someone to hold my will to send Zhao, the deputy commander of the Yulin Army. Loyalty wins, and the entire Imperial Forest Army with 1 horses can also enter the palace. The children of the Imperial Forest Army are all selected by me personally, trained by Old General Li himself, and there is absolutely no difference in loyalty."

The total of the three people is still undecided. At this time, the queen sent someone to urge him outside the hall: "The emperor will make a decision as soon as possible, and give the emperor two more hours. If the emperor insists on refusing, then we can't blame the queen for being ruthless."

After the visitor finished speaking, quickly back away.

Li Jingcai ordered some servants to close the door of the hall tightly, and then blocked the door with heavy cabinets.The servants in the palace were all trembling with fright, and many palace servants burst into tears.

Li Jing shouted angrily: "The empress rebelled, you and the emperor swore to advance and retreat together today, as long as the emperor is fine, even if you die, your relatives in the family will be honored." Then the palace people gradually quieted down.

After a while, someone suddenly exclaimed: "Mr. Li, they have poured oil on the fire!" The timid palace people screamed and cried again.

Li Jingcai cursed, leaned on the window sill and looked out, and sure enough, he saw the soldiers surrounding the hall pouring kerosene outside the hall, the pungent smell made people want to vomit.

Li Jingcai turned his head and said angrily to the palace servants: "Stop crying! Will crying again save your lives? Hurry up and get water, wet your clothes, twist some handkerchiefs, then block your nose and mouth."

After he finished speaking, he hurried into the hall to report.Chu Huotian also heard the commotion outside, with a gloomy face and said nothing, Li Jing just finished speaking, wiped off his sweat and said anxiously to Chu Huotian: "Your Majesty, the situation is critical now. If it is really impossible, the Emperor should escape first." .”

Chu Huotian pondered for a while, then suddenly said: "I won't go!"

Li Jing was shocked: "Your Majesty! The outside world is already pouring fire oil, if you don't leave, the servants will worry about the Emperor..."

Chu Huo Tianjun's face sank slightly, he turned his head to look at Ouyang Ruo, but saw that although she was pale, she did not show any signs of panic or panic, he calmed down a little, and suddenly said to her: "Ruo'er, are you afraid?"

Ouyang Ruo was thinking about a way to get out of the siege, but she was stunned when she heard the words, and then she looked at Chu Huotian and said firmly: "I don't have to be afraid, there is no unparalleled road, and I believe that everything depends on human effort. We’re not at the worst yet.”

Her words were sonorous and forceful, Li Jing was stunned, and thought, this lady usually looks weak, how come this time there is no timid gesture?

Chu Huotian laughed, and his cold and serious face softened a little. He shook Ouyang Ruo's hand and said with a smile, "I just found out today that Ruo'er is more determined than a man."

Zhao Qingling said with a smile on the side: "The emperor has been in a coma for the past few days, and it is the empress who has been doing her best to deal with it. Her courage and strategy make me admire."

The three of them looked at each other and smiled, Li Jing suddenly felt that he was just the one who was in a hurry, so he could only sigh and back down.

Ouyang Ruo thought for a while and suddenly said to Chu Huotian: "If the emperor trusts the concubine, let the concubine go outside to inform Jing Zhaoyi and Zhang Qiu that his sister Zhang Fang is on good terms with the concubine, and Jing Zhaoyi is loyal to the emperor. Man, this can be done.”

Zhao Qingling also said: "My minister is also going to find a way to inform the generals of the Northwest Camp, but I am afraid that this will alarm the queen and make the queen intensify the persecution of the emperor. This will be very bad..."

These things have to be done in secret, if the queen notices the slightest bit, she might kill the emperor ruthlessly.And if something unexpected happened to the emperor, then everything would be almost in vain.

Chu Huotian also frowned.

Ouyang Ruo suddenly said: "The concubine has a way to make the queen willingly let the concubine go out, but if Mr. Zhao also leaves, the concubine is worried about the emperor..." She said, her beautiful eyes were deeply worried, and she was also full of emotion. shed tears.

She wanted to accompany him, but if she didn't leave, she would not be able to contact people outside, and the emperor's situation was even more dangerous.She was full of conflicts in her heart, and she thought of Xiao Yingzhou and Xiao Linxiang in "Yunxiang Palace".On one side is her husband, on the other side is her own child, and the strategy that has a very small chance of success but has to succeed.She just felt that her internal organs were about to burn.

Chu Huotian sighed softly, put his arms around her and said, "You don't have to worry about my safety, there is still Longying, but no matter what, I don't want you to be involved, it's too dangerous..." He was as profound as Mo Yu's eyes are full of affection and guilt like a sea.

He shouldn't have put her in such a dangerous situation.

Ouyang Ruo smiled sweetly, showing deep love for him and confidence in herself on the beautiful face: "The emperor doesn't need to say such words at this time. The concubine is leaving, the emperor must take care!"

She suddenly pounced on him and hugged him tightly, she could only speak a thousand words in this hug.

She wants him to be well, and everyone else must be well... She also wants to laugh and look at the world side by side with him. This is an agreement, and it is a promise.

Chu Huotian felt the warmth of her body, and the imperceptible trembling, he finally nodded.He believed her.He knew that his Ruo'er would be safe and sound, and he would take their child through this crisis with him.

Ouyang Ruo calmed down, adjusted her clothes and makeup, silently blessed Chu Huotian, turned around and left.Zhao Qingling followed behind.He was really worried about her going to face the queen alone.

Chu Huotian watched her slender back straightly walk out of his sight, his eyes were so hot that no liquid flowed out.

Ouyang Ruo reached the gate of the palace and said in a deep voice, "Open it!"

Li Jingcai panicked and said: "Madam, there are many soldiers with swords outside, just in case..."

Ouyang Ruo stood up straight, and said coldly, "Open——"

Li Jing had no choice but to order the palace servants to open it.Ouyang Ruo went out first.

Ten zhang outside the "Dan of Manna" was full of swords and swords, at a glance, there were thousands of soldiers surrounding the hall, not to mention people, even mosquitoes couldn't fly in.

The night was silent, and the stars in the sky gradually disappeared in the clouds, as if they were afraid of the coming killing.

Ouyang Ruo took a deep breath of the cool night breeze, and walked out step by step.

From a distance, it seems that the slight sound of arrows being wound and fully drawn can still be heard. Maybe if one of them accidentally shoots a long arrow, then she will be like a hedgehog immediately, with arrows nailed all over her body.

The figure behind her moved slightly, and Zhao Qingling just wanted to block her.

Ouyang Ruo waved her long sleeves, spread her wings like a beautiful butterfly in the night, and said loudly: "My concubine, Rou Jieyu, Mrs. Ouyang, please see the empress."

After a while, an opening was finally opened in the iron wall surrounding it like an iron bucket, and the empress sat on the phoenix chariot and was carried over by someone.Seeing Ouyang Ruo coming out alone, she suddenly sneered and said, "What? Does Rou Jieyu want to surrender to the empress? It seems a bit late now." After she finished speaking, she laughed a few more times, the pale and empty laughter was dead silent It was especially harsh in the night.

Ouyang Ruo quietly watched her finish laughing, and then said: "The concubine is here to ask the empress to let the concubine go back to the palace. The concubine wants to take care of the little prince, little emperor concubine. If the queen refuses, the concubine will return to the emperor's side." , live and die with the emperor. The concubine and the emperor love deeply, if they can die in the same year, the same month, and the same day, it will be a beautiful thing, and then they can be husband and wife again in the next life."

She spoke smoothly and quietly.The queen's face was livid when she heard this, she looked at her fiercely, and said angrily: "What kind of thing are you, you dare to call yourself husband and wife with the emperor!? Don't think about it! Even if you die, this empress will not let you go as you wish!" You all died together!"

After she finished speaking, she said angrily to the left and right: "Go! Drag this bitch back to the palace and guard those two little bastards. When the emperor issues the imperial edict, it's your time of death! Get out!"

The left and right palace people looked at each other, hesitating to come forward to delay.

Ouyang Ruo shouted: "How can I be dragged by your dirty hands? I have feet and can walk by myself!" She said, striding out.

Without hesitation, he walked towards the murderous thousand-man army.

Standing in front of the hall, Zhao Qingling watched her slightly messy strands of long hair fluttering in the air, and her long sleeves were bulged by the night wind, like a fairy in the sky, wanting to ride away in the wind.

She took one step at a time, with all manner of demeanor, and the rebels in front of her, who were like an iron wall, unknowingly gave way to a narrow path.A slight smile floated on Ouyang Ruo's beautiful face, and her slender and beautiful back finally disappeared into the deep night.

Zhao Qingling stood in the night wind for a long time...

Ouyang Ruo hurried all the way back to Yunxiang Palace.Sure enough, the palace gate was closed, but no one was guarding it.She hurried forward to knock on the door, and after a while, a cautious voice came from behind the door: "Who?!"

Ouyang Ruo heard Xiang Ye's voice, her throat tightened and she hurriedly said, "It's Ben Gong who is back."

Xiang Ye let out an "ah", and then she was overjoyed: "It's the empress who is back, it's the empress who is back!"

After a while, the palace gate opened wide, and Wan Hui greeted her with great joy: "Your Majesty is back, that's great, this time I don't have to be afraid of anything."

Seeing that they were all there, Ouyang Ruo was relieved, only to realize that the clothes had already been soaked in cold sweat.

She didn't care too much, and hurriedly helped Wan Hui's hand and said anxiously: "Where are Lin Xiang and Ying Zhou? Hurry up and hug them!"

Wan Hui hurriedly helped her in, and said repeatedly: "Everything is fine, ma'am, what's going on? The servants saw that something was wrong in the 'Manna Palace', and wanted to go to Madam, but they were thrown back. Those people are vicious Yes, it is said that it is according to the queen's will, and it is not allowed to leave the palace, and those who violate it will be beheaded."

Ouyang Ruo only went in to look for Xiao Linxiang and Xiao Yingzhou. Seeing that they were sleeping soundly with their heads leaning against each other, the worries in her heart were suddenly relieved, her whole body softened like a cramp, and she fell into a sitting position. on the chair.Seeing that her face was pale, Wan Hui didn't dare to ask any more questions, so she kept asking the maids outside to fetch water and bring them soothing soup.

Ouyang Ruo waved his hands, and said to Wan Hui seriously: "Auntie, there has been a big change now. Auntie is the person I trust the most. I ask Auntie to take the little Diji and the little prince away for a while."

Wan Hui was shocked and wanted to ask again.Ouyang Ruo hurriedly said: "Now that the incident happened suddenly, I don't have time to explain it to Auntie. Auntie just needs to remember that no matter what, I must protect my sons and daughters!"

Wan Hui finally felt an inexplicable danger rushing towards her face, she opened her mouth, and said seriously after a long while: "Your Majesty, don't worry. Even if the servants do their best to protect the little prince, the little Empress is safe and sound."

Ouyang Ruo looked at her slightly aged face, couldn't help but choked up and said, "Auntie, following me has made you suffer a lot."

From the day Huadi City broke down, Aunt Wan Hui has been by her side, taking care of her, encouraging her, and whenever she was downhearted, she tried her best to cheer her up.This affection has long surpassed the master and servant, but more like a mother and daughter.

Wan Hui was also moved.Ouyang Ruo looked at the sky, wiped away tears, and said to Wan Hui, "Call Xiangye Xiangling, and take the little prince, Xiaodiji, out with me."

She cheered up, and urged the palace staff to carefully pick up the prince Di Ji, and quietly left Yunxiang Palace. Wan Hui only had time to pack a few small clothes, and hurriedly followed.

The night was still deep, and there was no sound in the surroundings, only the palace servants followed behind him silently.Ouyang Ruo clenched his sleeves tightly and looked around nervously, but fortunately no one was there.The queen must have guarded the gates of the palaces on all sides, but there is nothing blocking the palaces.

Ouyang Ruo led the palace people all the way to Yanxi Palace.

When they arrived at the "Yanxi Palace", Mrs. Xu was woken up in her sleep. Presumably she did not sleep deeply, and her hair on the temples was not messy.Seeing Ouyang Ruo rushing over with the two children in her arms, her heart sank, and she hurriedly asked, "What's the matter with the emperor?"

Ouyang Ruo ordered the people in the palace to hug the prince Diji to rest, and then whispered anxiously in Xu's ear: "The empress wants to force the palace! Now the emperor is besieged at the Ganlu Palace, and the concubines must find a way to contact the people outside. But in advance, the prince, Di Ji, must be put under the care of Sister Xu. After much deliberation, only Sister Xu has the guts in the whole palace."

As she spoke, she was about to kneel down, her beautiful face was full of exhaustion and hope.Xu's heart was shaken, and she quickly helped her up: "Sister Ouyang's child is the child of this palace, you can rest assured to put it here. But how do you contact me? The queen must have closed all the palace gates if she dared to force the palace. .”

Ouyang Ruo nodded, gritted her silver teeth and said, "Yes, now that the outside of the Ganlu Palace has been poured with fire oil, the empress forced the emperor to issue an edict to make the eldest prince the new emperor within two hours, claiming that he was ill and abdicated automatically to become the titular overlord. The emperor is dealing with it over there. It's too late now. The concubine should give it a try no matter what."

After she finished speaking, she turned around and was about to leave.

Seeing that her face was pale and her steps were messy, Mrs. Xu knew that she must be extremely tired, so she quickly grabbed her and said, "Just sit here, and call someone to come over to this Palace."

Ouyang Ruo glanced at her gratefully, and hurriedly said: "The concubine is going to find Zhang Fang. Her elder brother is Jing Zhaoyi, who has half of the command of the capital guards. As long as he can control the entire Chujing, the queen will also Be afraid of three points."

Mrs. Xu nodded, and ordered the servants in the palace: "Go, call Madam Zhang Xiaopin to come over, tell her not to wash up, and tell her to come over because I have something important to do with Rou Jieyu. By the way, bring the two teams to lift their shoulders." The palace servants of the chariot passed by and carried them in turn. Hurry up!"

After she finished speaking, she carefully ordered the servants in the palace to come over and guard the gate and side gate of "Yanxi Palace". When Ouyang Ruo saw it, those servants seemed to have martial arts skills, and they were all as strong as iron towers. The general servants are weak.

Xu said to her: "These were sent into the palace by my father to protect me. According to my opinion, sister Ouyang should not go back. It is safer here."

Only then did Ouyang Ruo feel relieved.After a while, Zhang Fang was carried over. She was still terrified, seeing Ouyang Ruo and Xu Shi both in the hall, she was surprised and said, "Mother, what happened?"

Ouyang Ruo didn't have time to elaborate with her, so she quickly asked, "Is there a way for you to contact your elder brother Zhang Qiu now?" Zhang Fang lowered her head and thought for a while, before saying, "Last time, Mrs. Liu Guo came to beat the concubine to death. Fortunately, Empress Rou arrived, and the concubine was safe. My brother felt uneasy when he found out, fearing that something would happen to the concubine, so he taught the concubine a secret method to deliver the news to him quickly."

Ouyang Ruo's eyes lit up, and Xu asked repeatedly, "What's going on?"

Zhang Fang hesitated for a long time before whispering: "This method is more troublesome. Go out from the side door of the concubine's 'Jinhua Palace' and bypass a rockery. Put a sealed letter box in the hole, and it can float along the water to a pool of a family outside the palace. My brother sent a confidant to live there, and as long as there is news, I will definitely know."

When Ouyang Ruo heard this, she turned face to face with Xu in surprise.This method is too mysterious, if the water flow is unstable, wouldn't it be a loss?

Seeing that the two of them didn't believe it, Zhang Fang was a little anxious: "The concubine and my brother really tried it, and there is no mistake. The place was discovered by my brother by accident while surveying the terrain outside the palace. It's just that it is night, and I am afraid that at the latest Brother will know tomorrow morning."

Ouyang Ruo thought for a while, then gritted his teeth and said, "Then let's write the letter for now. You and I will release the letter together."

She touched the imperial decree in her bosom, which carried the warmth of her body, and a dragon-shaped jade ring. If it really didn't work, she would release the imperial decree first.Then send someone to take Yujie to find a way out of the palace to find Jing Zhaoyi and Zhang Qiu.

Seeing the solemn expressions of the two, Zhang Fang was also terrified, so she had to lead Ouyang Ruo over...

Zhao Qingling got Chu Huotian's signal and when Ouyang Ruo came out of the palace, she found the secret path in the palace and quietly left the "Manna Palace".Every generation of emperors has secret passages in their own palaces. Once there is a mutiny or someone assassinates, this is the best way to escape.

That's why Chu Huo was not afraid of the queen's threat, but it's a pity that this secret way cannot be used as a last resort.In order to allow the queen's thousands of people to accompany him in the "Manna Palace", Chu Huotian sat in the "Manna Palace" patiently and watched the leak dripping bit by bit.

He believed that his most trusted counselor would bring reinforcements for him, and his most beloved woman would deliver news for him.

And he, sitting quietly in this dangerous place, restrained the queen's thousands of soldiers.

The fire outside the hall was burning fiercely, almost illuminating the entire "Nanlu Hall".

Chu Huotian remained motionless, while Li Jingcai bowed and stood beside him.Chu Huotian glanced at him with deep-set sharp eyes, and suddenly smiled lightly: "You boy, now there are only two of us, master and servant, left. When everything is settled, what do you want to do most?"

(End of this chapter)