Still waiting for Zhaoyang

Chapter 22
The Queen Mother originally blamed Shang Rui for letting Xu Jingye go to the Southern Region to suppress the rebels so easily, but now she was completely out of anger, and only blamed: "You got frostbite on your hands so well, Queen, you too, why are you in charge. "

Shang Rui sat down opposite the Queen Mother, and said calmly: "It's not the Queen's fault, it's my own carelessness. These are all trivial matters. It's just that King Huai conspired against him. It's really a headache for my son to talk about it. Every day in the court Someone recommended my uncle to be the commander-in-chief to lead the troops to fight, I thought that my uncle had finally been free and wanted him to rest in the fief for a while, but they refused, and it was very annoying every day, so I had no choice but to agree." He took out his hand from his sleeve pocket. Published a memorial, "Look, mother, my uncle is about to go to war. This Ye Jun and several Taijians have jointly recommended Xu Zizhang, the only son of my uncle, as the deputy general. My little cousin has just reached the weak crown. It's not that there are no soldiers in my dynasty, but Most of the officials in the court came to recommend it, and my son had no idea."

The queen mother took the memorial and glanced at it, and pinched the memorial in her hand angrily: "These courtiers really don't know whose family belongs to this world!"

Shang Rui remained calm, and persuaded the queen mother: "Mother, don't be angry. Xu Yang's life and death are unknown now. It is reasonable for my uncle to be anxious. My son just thinks that if something happens to Zizhang's cousin, I will really lose face." To uncle."

The queen mother sighed: "Then do as Rui Er said." The queen mother sighed, one is because Xu Jingye had put down his military power, but now he has become the commander of the suppression of rebellion. If there are soldiers, Xu Jingye will be the next one to rebel.The second reason is that Empress Dowager Xu felt that Shang Rui's thoughts were getting more and more difficult to see through, and her worries gradually turned into uneasiness. She always felt that Rui'er like this was no longer the trembling child she wanted to hold tightly in her arms.

Shang Rui pretended not to notice the Queen Mother's emotions, picked up the memorial, and said: "The son will go back first, and there are still many things to do in the past few days." He said and glanced at Wang Xiaoxiang, "Let the Queen be here Accompany mother."

The queen mother waved her hand: "Forget it, let the queen accompany you. Why are you getting more and more famous recently, and you didn't give birth to a grandson for the Ai family earlier."

After Wang Xiaoxiang listened, there was no emotion on his face, and he politely said, "The concubine will step down now." After speaking, he followed Shang Rui and walked out of Chengfu Palace.

As soon as he walked to the gate of Chengfu Palace, he met Xu Jingye who was coming towards him. Shang Rui stood with his hands behind his back and said solemnly: "Uncle will go out in three days, and I don't know when this battle will last." , talk to uncle and queen mother." When he was speaking, Shang Rui's face was calm, but there seemed to be a thin layer of frost in his eyes.

After saying that, Shang Rui ignored Xu Jingye and walked out of Chengfu Palace.

He and Wang Xiaoxiang arrived at the Imperial Garden, the air seemed to be stagnant, Wang Xiaoxiang finally spoke, and said, "The concubine is going back to Jinde Palace first."

"En." Shang Rui answered lightly, without stopping.

When he returned to Kangning Hall, Tian Yuan was already waiting.

"It's just asking you to take care of someone else, I see you are in a hurry." Shang Rui teased, "What's wrong?"

"Miss Min is sick."

"What disease?" Shang Rui asked.

"It seems to be suffering from a cold."

"How is it now?"

"It shouldn't be a serious problem. The doctor said that it will be fine to stay in bed for a few days."

Shang Rui squinted at him: "I told you to keep her, and you thought of such a bad move?"

Tian Yuan said aggrievedly: "Your Majesty, I am wronged, it is indeed beyond my expectation."

"How about your inspection with He Lan?" Shang Rui raised his eyebrows and asked again.

"There is no news yet."

"Xu Jingye is about to go to war, and I can only give you two days." Shang Rui said.

Ming Lian handed over tea, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, it's cold, drink some tea while it's hot."

Shang Rui nodded, took a sip and put it on the table.

After Tian Yuan left, he saw Wang Ji again.

It was already night at this time, Ming Lian closed the window on the side, picked up the fire in the outer room, and when he returned to the inner room, he found Shang Rui fell asleep on the table.

Minglian took a big cloak and put it on for Shang Rui.

At this time, someone outside informed that Jinde Palace sent someone to deliver the ointment.Minglian hastily silenced them, and then went out to welcome them.

Unexpectedly, Shang Rui had already woken up, so he asked Minglian to let someone in.

The palace maid said: "The Empress ordered the slaves to deliver some ointment to the emperor for frostbite."

Shang Rui raised his eyes inadvertently, and found that the maid was the one who delivered the soup last time.Tonight, her earrings and rouge have obviously been well-dressed.

"Did the queen call you?" he asked.

"The empress said that the servants were careless last time, which shocked the holy car, and specially ordered the servants to come and make up for their mistakes."

"She's really thoughtful." Shang Rui couldn't help feeling funny, last time he just grabbed the maid's hand and took a second look, but his first wife immediately fell in love with her.

Not only did the maid not know how to read words, she was also a dull gourd, she didn't dare to look up at him, so she just stood there.

Shang Rui rubbed his brows, continued to critique papers, and said without raising his head after a while: "Thank you queen for me, as for you...don't come to Kangning Palace again."

The palace lady's face turned white in an instant, but she didn't dare to say much, she thanked her and left slowly.

五

At night, Xia Yue had a fever again.Because of yesterday's lessons learned, it is not good for her to disturb the master's house again, so as not to disturb others all night.So, she didn't even call the lotus fragrance, got up alone, and poured herself a pot of herbal tea.

She didn't close her eyes all night, and didn't fall asleep until the next morning.

Unexpectedly, she slept until noon, and she was in good spirits again. After lunch, she wanted to say goodbye to Mrs. Tian and go home.

Mrs. Wu got her husband's entrustment, so she didn't dare to let Xia Yue leave at will, and it happened that it was windy and snowing outside the house, so she took the opportunity to keep her.

"Mr. Hong is a good friend of my master. He said that he hurt the girl's hand, so Qian Yanyu entrusted my master to take care of the girl. Besides, if I hadn't forced the girl to talk with me outside the house that day, how You will suffer from the cold. If the girl insists on leaving, it is because I am not taking good care of you. When the master comes back, you will definitely punish me. If you feel that this place is still passable, wait until the injury is better before leaving. But if the girl has something else at home If you need something, then tell me, and I'll entrust someone to handle it." The Wu family was soft-hearted, and Xia Yue didn't know how to answer her words.

Wu said again: "You see, the wind is so strong outside, and the road is not easy to walk. If you catch a cold again, it's good. Miss Hexiang, don't you think so?"

He Xiang was obviously moved, so she called out: "Miss..."

Xia Yue nodded, "Then bother Madam, the injury on my hand is nothing, just go home and take care of it, we will leave when the weather is better, but Master Tian doesn't know when he can come back, I want to thank you in person .”

Wu said with a smile: "It's all right, he doesn't know what he's busy these days, there's no one around, he'll probably be back at night."

But at night, Tian Yuan didn't go back to see Mrs. Wu, but hurried into the palace with He Lanxun.

In Kangning Hall, Shang Rui asked, "Any news?"

"Yes." Tian Yuan said while presenting the Gao Xinyu to Shang Rui.

Shang Rui took Yuchan and looked it over again, only to find that there was a small hollow hole on the side of Yuchan, which was the size of a needle point. Intentional, extremely difficult to find.Now the thing that sealed the mouth has been removed, so a secret is revealed without any concealment.

He spread out his palm and tipped it down lightly. Inside was a jade needle made of the same material as a jade pendant.Shang Rui twisted it carefully with his fingertips, and squinted his eyes at the lamp to see that the surface of the jade needle was densely engraved with words, and it would be a skill for someone who is proficient in this to recognize them one by one.

He Lanxun handed a page of paper in his sleeve to Shang Rui: "I have asked someone to write it down."

Shang Rui took the page again and read it back and forth quietly twice.

"How many people are there?" Shang Rui asked.

"Ten years ago, there should have been no less than a hundred people, all of whom were dead men. We also found 14 people in the Imperial Capital according to the contact method above. They don't know each other and never contact each other."

Shang Rui took a few steps with his hands behind his back, looked out the window at the already dark sky, and murmured: "This is Gao Xin Baoyu's secret."

"If the emperor hadn't told me, I would never have guessed it anyway."

"The first emperor told me this before his death. He was a little confused at the time and mistook me for someone else." After finishing speaking, he couldn't help sighing.

Neither He Lanxun nor Tian Yuan spoke.

"I always thought it was made up by my father. Before he died, he had been talking nonsense about God of Love. One day he said to me: 'Son, if someone bullies you, shout three times at Gao Xinyu. Shengfu Huang saved me, and there will be heavenly soldiers and generals who will come to subdue demons for you." However, he didn't give me this jade, so he didn't protect me. How much he loves the first reserve, now under Jiuquan Just hate me so much."

Shang Rui stood with his hands behind his back for a while, then turned around and said, "Do you think I killed them, or kept them for my own use?"

He Lanxun wanted to say something, but he opened his mouth and finally closed it again.

"Boluan, tell me." Shang Rui said.

He Lanxun bent down and bowed his hands to salute, and replied solemnly: "Your Majesty, although these people all obey those who hold Gao Xin Baoyu, Gao Xin Baoyu is a gift from the late emperor to King Yanping. In the hands of Miss Min, if the emperor wants to take it for his own use, he must be very careful."

Shang Rui asked again: "Then do they recognize King Yanping?"

Tian Yuandao: "Everyone only knows that King Yanping was buried in the fire of the prince's mansion. Gao Xin Baoyu should also disappear with King Yanping. But now King Huai is using the guise of King Yanping to rebel. What are they going to do now?" Whether to recognize the Lord or recognize the Jade, it is not yet certain. But one thing, King Yanping was just a child when he disappeared, and now after so many years, no one can be sure."

Shang Rui didn't feel relieved that the trump card left by the late emperor to the first reserve was now under his own control, but instead felt complicated and difficult to distinguish.

After Tian Yuan and his group left, Shang Rui walked to the desk, removed the lampshade, and lit the page.With the orange flames shining on his face, he seemed to have warmed up, but his brows were still furrowed.

Shang Rui glanced at Yuchan on the desk.This is the most important token that King Yanping can prove his identity, but he gave it to Min Xiayue.It can be seen that whether he knows Gu Yuli's secret or not, Min Xiayue holds an extremely important weight in his heart.

He stared at the candle light, thoughtful.

Tomorrow is the day when Xu Jingye's army set off.

This night, however, made him feel so long.

(End of this chapter)