spend time

Chapter 461 Counterattack (Part )

Eunuch Ge and Eunuch Zhao received orders from their masters and immediately took action to thoroughly investigate Eunuch Wei.

Eunuch Wei was beaten to death, but there was still a young eunuch who served him personally to interrogate him. During the interrogation, it was discovered that Eunuch Wei had a concubine who was a palace maid.

It was not uncommon for eunuchs and maids in the palace to be in a relationship. Eunuchs with real power like Eunuch Wei had very high standards and would not look down on ordinary maids. For example, Eunuch Wei's partner was called Zhuxiang, who was 23 years old this year, tall and beautiful, and was a close maid beside Empress Dowager Li...

Eunuch Ge didn't dare to investigate further, so he went back immediately to report to Emperor Taihe and ask the emperor what to do next.

Emperor Taihe sat on the throne with an unpleasant look on his face, holding the handles of the throne tightly with both hands, and the veins on the back of his hands were exposed. After a long while, he said, "No need to check, I will go ask my mother myself."

Eunuch Zhao also reported the matter to Empress Dowager Zheng.

Empress Dowager Zheng sneered several times: "So it was my good daughter-in-law who did this. She didn't take the position of empress dowager for long, but she already thinks that an old woman like me is getting in the way."

No matter how eloquent Eunuch Zhao was, he didn't dare to say anything at this moment. He lowered his head and didn't dare to say a word.

Empress Dowager Zheng said coldly: "Let's put this matter aside for now. What to do next depends on what the emperor says."

……

Emperor Taihe sat in front of Empress Dowager Li with a sullen face.

There was such a big commotion in the harem, it was impossible for Empress Dowager Li to not know about it. She looked aggrieved and cried to her son: "...Son, you must believe me. I really didn't know anything about this. Zhuxiang secretly had an affair with Eunuch Wei, and I didn't know about it before. That Eunuch Wei suddenly attacked Jingyang Palace, and I didn't know what was going on at all."

"I have privately resented your grandmother for being too controlling of me, her daughter-in-law. But we are a family, and the dignity and face of the royal family are so important. No matter how ignorant I am, I would not do such a thing."

Emperor Taihe looked at his mother, who was crying and frightened, with a tired face and said, "I believe everything that mother said. I'm just afraid that grandma doesn't believe it."

Queen Mother Li paused in tears and said, "I will go to Jingyang Palace now and apologize to your grandmother. Let her beat and scold me to vent her anger."

Emperor Taihe was almost amused: "Is the Queen Mother telling her son what to do? It seems that the Queen Mother still doesn't understand what the situation is."

"The court has been in trouble one after another, and the Wang family has been dragged into the mess. Prime Minister Wang used the excuse of recuperating to force me to give in. The only people I can rely on now are the Empress Dowager and the father and son of Duke Anguo. But at this critical moment, Eunuch Wei and Zhuxiang appeared. No matter how this matter is handled, the Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother will never be able to get along as before. There will also be a rift between the Zheng family and the Li family."

"For me, this is like adding insult to injury."

"If a beating and scolding can make up for everything, I will go to Jingyang Palace now and let the Empress Dowager vent her anger."

This is not something that can be solved by beating or scolding!
No matter who set up the trap, the move was sharp and venomous, plunging the harem into a vortex of scandal and strife, and causing the Zheng and Li families to become estranged.

After hearing what Emperor Taihe said, Empress Dowager Li also became frightened and uneasy: "What should I do?"

Emperor Taihe calmed down and said, "Have someone bring Zhuxiang here immediately. I want to ask her in person. Then I will go to Jingyang Palace to apologize."

Empress Dowager Li couldn't help crying, "I really didn't do these things, my son, you have to believe me!"

Emperor Taihe rubbed his forehead tiredly, patiently coaxed his mother a few words, and waited for Zhuxiang to be brought in. Unexpectedly, the news that Zhuxiang had committed suicide by taking poison soon came.

Queen Mother Li was completely shocked: "I have asked someone to watch Zhuxiang! Why did she suddenly commit suicide by taking poison? Where did she get the poison? Where are the people guarding Zhuxiang? What's going on?!"

Empress Dowager Li's panic was not a move. But now, even her own son didn't know whether she was pretending or was really being plotted against.

Once Zhuxiang died, there was no evidence. This meant that the matter could not be clarified at all.

Emperor Taihe felt his temples throbbing, and stood up suddenly: "I will go to Jingyang Palace now."

……

In the palace, Prime Minister Wang, who looked sick, was lying on the bed, with someone serving him medicine.

Jiao's staff whispered a few words.

Prime Minister Wang coughed and pulled the corner of his mouth: "It seems that the harem has been very lively recently."

Jiao Muliao chuckled and said, "It was really lively. Eunuch Wei was beaten to death by the orders of Empress Dowager Zheng, Zhuxiang committed suicide by taking poison, and one of the two young eunuchs around Eunuch Wei hanged himself in the middle of the night, and the other was frightened to death."

"Eunuch Lan, who was castrated again, has lost too much blood and has a high fever. He won't live for many days."

"With so many people dead, this matter couldn't be covered up at all. It spread all over the palace and outside."

Prime Minister Wang said, "What are the rumors? Tell me about them."

Jiao Muliao perked up and told the rumors inside and outside the palace: "Some people say that Eunuch Lan and Eunuch Yuan were sent to the palace by the Zheng family to serve the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager secretly kept male favorites and corrupted the harem. The Zheng family did such a thing, which is despicable."

"There are rumors that Empress Dowager Zheng and Empress Dowager Li have always been at odds with each other. This time, Empress Dowager Li secretly took action to embarrass Empress Dowager Zheng."

"Also, Minister Li went to the Zheng family in person to explain and apologize. Duke Anguo made some sarcastic remarks and kicked Minister Li out."

"The palace was in chaos. The emperor went to Jingyang Palace to plead guilty on behalf of Empress Dowager Li, but Empress Dowager Zheng angrily scolded Empress Dowager Li in front of the emperor. The emperor was humiliated and caught in the middle."

"Even Zheng Sheren, who is so famous, has been keeping a low profile these days."

Prime Minister Wang said leisurely: "I have been ill for a while and have not attended court. I didn't know the palace is so lively now."

As Prime Minister Wang's confidant, Jiao Muliao was the one who secretly manipulated and pushed forward the series of changes in the palace.

Seeing that Prime Minister Wang was very happy, Jiao Muliao smiled softly and said, "Without the Prime Minister, the court affairs are not going smoothly, and the palace is also in chaos. The court and the palace cannot do without the Prime Minister. I hope you can get better soon."

Prime Minister Wang said calmly, "No hurry. I've been working so hard, but everyone thinks I'm monopolizing power. Now, I need to take good care of myself and let everyone see how chaotic the Liang Dynasty is without me."

"By the way, is there anyone out there talking about Wang Yi's corruption case?"

"Basically no one mentioned it. Everyone was busy discussing the feud between the Zheng and Li families."

Prime Minister Wang stroked his beard and said, "The Li family's foundation is still shallow, far inferior to the Zheng family. The stupid Queen Mother Li is definitely not a match for the Grand Empress Dowager."

"If a fight breaks out like this, the Empress Dowager and the Zheng family will definitely have the upper hand. This Prime Minister has to help the Li family. Send someone to send a letter to Censor Jiang, asking him to submit a memorial in a few days."