Return to the Tang Dynasty to be a villain

Chapter 17 Wu Zhao is lonely and cold again

Qin Yi watched Ruoyun and Xiaoyu leave, and supported Zhang Yizhi as they left.

Then he walked to the counter alone to settle the bill, got on the Hua'e Tower's carriage, and prepared to return to his current home in Dunhuafang.

(During the Tang Dynasty, a curfew system was implemented. At night, the gates of the neighborhoods were closed and people were not allowed to go out on the streets.

As the most famous brothel in Chang'an, Hua'e Tower had naturally bribed the judicial officer of Jingzhao Prefecture long ago.

Therefore, their carriages could still travel through the streets of Chang'an at night.)
This was Qin Yi's first time to experience the nightlife of the Tang Dynasty, and the experience in Hua'e Tower was very novel to him.

His investment in Zhang Yizhi finally paid off, which made Qin Yi feel a little proud.

As for those flower girls in Hua'e Tower?

As a young man from the future, Qin Yi still finds it difficult to accept this purely money-for-sex transaction.

However, he did not know that when he was riding in the carriage on his way home, his mentor Lai Junchen was standing respectfully in front of Wu Zhao in the Xianju Hall of Daming Palace.

At this moment, Wu Zhao was only wearing a bright yellow gauze phoenix tail skirt and was sitting lazily on a soft couch.

Although he is over seventy years old, His Majesty the Holy Emperor is in excellent condition.

She looked no older than 30 or 40 years old, with fair and firm skin, except for some barely visible crow's feet at the corners of her eyes.

Her pair of jade feet were exposed from under her skirt, casually resting on the edge of the soft couch.

Two palace maids were kneeling behind Wu Zhao, helping her to loosen her hair and combing her long black hair bit by bit with a comb.

Lai Junchen, standing in front of Wu Zhao, secretly glanced at her pair of feet as white as jade.

The ten toes are painted with red nail polish, which makes the feet look flawless and beautiful.

Lai Junchen couldn't help swallowing his saliva. Even though he knew that the woman in front of him was older than his mother, he still couldn't help feeling a little distracted.

At this moment, Lai Junchen was standing in the hall of Xianju Palace. Wu Zhao, who was looking down at him, could naturally see everything he did.

Even though he was the almighty Holy Emperor, Lai Junchen's lustful look did not offend her.

Old dog!

Wu Zetian cursed Lai Junchen in her heart.

But as a woman, when Wu Zhao felt Lai Junchen's gaze, she not only did not feel offended, but instead felt a little secretly happy in her heart.

This is probably the general mentality of women.

I can wear revealing clothes to make you stinky men feel fluttered.

But if you really want to sleep with me?
Then you are a hooligan, a scoundrel, and a pervert.

After reading the note in her hand while trying to do two things at the same time, Wu Zhao slowly raised her head and looked at Lai Junchen with her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Are you saying that Di Huaiying didn't collude with the Turkic Khan Mochuo?"

Upon hearing this, Lai Junchen immediately bowed and saluted Wu Zhao.

"I have thoroughly investigated and found that Lord Di is loyal to His Majesty the Holy Emperor and our Great Zhou. He would never do such a thing."

When Wu Zetian heard Lai Junchen's words, she placed the note in her hand on the couch.

The palace maid behind her hurriedly supported her raised arm and straightened her body.

A pair of phoenix eyes suddenly opened and looked at Lai Junchen's face carefully. Wu Zhao immediately felt confused.

Di Renjie and Lai Junchen had always been hostile to each other, and they had been attacking and impeaching each other in the court for more than ten years.

Although it was Wu Sansi who impeached Di Renjie in front of her this time, Wu Zhao handed him over to the Imperial Court for interrogation, perhaps with the intention of using Lai Junchen to teach Di Renjie a lesson.

After all, in recent times, Wu Zetian heard through Shangguan Wan'er's spies among the people that Di Renjie, Zhang Jianzhi, and Wei Yuanzhong were getting close.

Zhang Jianzhi, Wei Yuanzhong and others were all die-hard supporters of the Li Tang Dynasty. They suggested to Wu Zetian more than once that she abdicate the throne to the crown prince.

Wu Zetian knew that she had been ruthless in her pursuit of the throne against the Li Tang royal family, and those remnants of the Li Tang clan were eager to tear her into pieces.

If she really gave up the throne, she would probably end up dying without a burial place.

Why did Lai Junchen speak for Di Renjie, and when were these two connected?

In a flash, countless thoughts flashed through Wu Zhao's mind.

You have to know that she was able to become the emperor who controlled the world as a woman in this era where men were respected. If she had been a little slower in thinking, Wu Zhao would have been torn to pieces and left without a burial place.

"Lai Qing," Wu Zhao looked at Lai Junchen with a smile, and there was no trace of displeasure in her tone.

"Are you saying that Huaiying is still loyal to the Great Zhou, and that I have wronged him this time?"

When Lai Junchen heard Wu Zhao's words, his heart suddenly turned cold.

He has been following His Majesty the Holy Emperor for more than twenty years.

He knew Wu Zhao very well.

If His Majesty the Holy Emperor gets angry, it will only be a momentary outburst.

But if she was like this now, Lai Junchen knew that beneath her seemingly calm appearance, there was probably an unknown storm.

Lai Junchen knelt on the ground with a thud and said tremblingly.

"Your Majesty, I just exaggerated."

"Whether Di Renjie is loyal or not, I don't know. However, the fact that Mochu led his army to invade Hebei Province seems to have nothing to do with him."

After Lai Junchen finished speaking, he immediately kowtowed to the ground with his forehead pressed against the ground, not daring to make a sound.

Will Di Renjie collude with Lai Junchen?

Wu Zhao repeatedly weighed the possibility of this matter in her mind.

In the end, she denied her own guess.

This was not because Wu Zetian trusted Lai Junchen, but because she understood Di Renjie's character and knew that he would not associate with this cruel official.

"Forget it," Wu Zhao, having figured this out, raised her hand expressionlessly, "I know what you said. Since Huaiying didn't collude with Mochu, and the court is in need of people right now, I'll have Gao Yanfu go to you tomorrow to announce the decree. Or let Huaiying come back to help me."

This is why Lai Junchen entered the palace overnight.

After Qin Yi's persuasion, he also understood that the only person in the court who could stop Wu Zhao from changing the crown prince was Di Renjie.

But when he sent Wei Chengqing to release Di Renjie, he encountered an embarrassing situation.

Di Renjie originally admitted to all the false accusations because he knew that he was deeply trusted by Wu Zetian and that the Holy Emperor would definitely meet with him before sentencing him.

By then he could confront Wu Sansi, Lai Junchen and others face to face and clear himself of the grievances.

Unexpectedly, when Qin Yi got involved, Lai Junchen wanted to let him go home on the spot, which disrupted Di Renjie's plan.

You must know that although Lai Junchen released him from the prison of the Jishiyuan, Di Renjie was still a criminal after all, and he could only stay at home idle until Wu Zetian remembered him again.

But Wu Sansi is now making intensive plans to fight for the position of crown prince.

If Di Renjie had stayed at home for a while, the matter would probably have been settled and no one would have been able to reverse it.

Therefore, Di Renjie told Wei Chengqing that he would never be released from prison without the order of His Majesty the Holy Emperor.

Lai Junchen also thought of this and was worried that Wu Sansi would get there first, so he went to the palace at night and told Di Renjie about his grievances in front of Wu Zhao.

When Lai Junchen heard Wu Zhao say this, he knew that his goal had finally been achieved, and the heavy stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.

After saying goodbye to Wu Zhao, he hurriedly left the palace and prepared to go back to the Imperial Court to report what had just happened to Di Renjie, so as to put on a good impression with him.

Lai Junchen's back disappeared outside the Xianju Palace, and a beautiful figure walked out from behind the screen.

The woman was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a slightly plump figure and a dignified and beautiful appearance.

It was Wu Zetian's favorite youngest daughter, Princess Taiping Li Lingyue.

Li Lingyue frowned as she looked at Lai Junchen's back, and felt a little disgusted when she saw this cruel official.

"Empress Mother," Li Lingyue turned and looked at Wu Zhao. "Something is strange today. Lai Junchen actually pleaded for Di Renjie?"

Wu Zhao was also stunned when she heard this, then shook her head and smiled.

"You all say that Lai Junchen is sinister and vicious, and anyone he sets his sights on cannot escape his clutches."

"Why, he spoke up for Huaiying today, and you're not used to it?"

After hearing Wu Zhao's words, Li Lingyue immediately knew that her little thoughts had been seen through.

What she meant by what she said just now was indeed to provoke Wu Zhao's trust in Lai Junchen.

After all, this cruel official had just made false accusations to Wu Zetian some time ago, saying that he and Wu Youji were practicing the art of nightmare in Princess Taiping's mansion with the intention of harming Wu Zetian.

Wu Zhao immediately ordered Li Duozuo to lead troops to search her princess residence. Although no evidence was found in the end, she escaped safely.

But this incident made Li Lingyue lose face, and she naturally hated Lai Junchen to the core.

So, behind the screen, I heard Lai Junchen suddenly change his usual behavior and speak up for Di Renjie.

Li Lingyue naturally wanted to instigate something and try to dissuade this cruel official from appearing in Wu Zetian's mind.

Although Wu Zhao saw through Li Lingyue's thoughts, she did not bother with her.

Waving at Li Lingyue, Wu Zhao sighed softly.

"It's getting late. Brother Min is still young and can't leave his mother. I won't let you live in the palace."

(Min Ge was the eldest son of Princess Taiping and Wu Youji, and his name was Wu Chongmin.)
"Yes!" When Li Lingyue heard that Wu Zhao wanted to see her off, she bowed to her and took her leave.

"Your Highness, please wait."

As soon as Li Lingyue walked out of the Xianju Palace, Gao Yanfu, who came hurriedly from behind, stopped her.

Gao Yanfu was an old eunuch who had been with Wu Zhao since Emperor Gaozong's reign, and had been serving her wholeheartedly for many years.

Although Gao Yanfu was a eunuch, he had served Wu Zhao for half his life.

Even Li Lingyue was the one he watched grow up since she was a child.

Li Lingyue did not act like a princess in front of Gao Yanfu.

She smiled slightly and extended her hand to support Gao Yanfu who was about to bow.

"Senior High Officer, what's going on?"

Gao Yanfu knew that Li Lingyue was flattering him, but how could he dare to be rude in front of her?

He bowed and then looked at Li Lingyue with a smile on his face.

"Your Highness, there are some things that I shouldn't interfere with."

"But I have been with His Majesty the Holy Emperor for so many years. Seeing His Majesty worried, I must also think about sharing His Majesty's worries, right?"

Upon hearing this, Li Lingyue knew that Gao Yanfu was giving her a reminder, so she quickly smiled and nodded at him.

"The High-ranking Official has devotedly served His Majesty over the years, and I have seen it all. If you have any questions, please feel free to tell me. If I am able to do so, I will definitely not shirk my responsibility."

"Your Highness," Gao Yanfu showed a hint of embarrassment on his face at this moment.

"As you know, Xue Huaiyi, the abbot of Ci'en Temple, was a master of Buddhism, and Shen Nanqiao, the director of the Imperial Hospital, was a skilled doctor. Both of them helped Your Majesty with many of his worries."

"But now"

Gao Yanfu seemed to be hesitant to speak here, but Li Lingyue knew what he meant.
Xue Huaiyi and Shen Nanqiao were both Wu Zetian's lovers.

Both of them are no longer alive, and their mother is lonely and cold again.

"Senior High Officer," Li Lingyue thought for a moment and nodded at Gao Yanfu, "I've taken note of what you said. Thank you for the reminder."

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(End of this chapter)