The Child Emperor

The imperial concubine often came to visit the emperor, as comfortable as in her own bedroom, sitting cross-legged on one side of the couch, while the maids placed their own tea, incense burner, fans, beads and other small items on the tables next to them, and left one after another. , During this period, the emperor instead stood like a guest.

The imperial concubine is like the empress dowager, and very few people doubt this at present.

Zhang Youcai and Tong Qing'e also left the room. The imperial concubine would have a private conversation with the emperor every few days, and everyone was used to it.

The imperial concubine sat in a daze for a while, letting the tea on the tables cool down gradually, and said softly, "Could she have noticed something?"

"Could it be that someone informs? The ministers are not all reliable." Han Ruzi sat on a round stool a few steps away. This was the first time he saw the empress dowager showing lack of confidence.

The imperial concubine didn't seem to hear it, and she looked at the emperor after a while, "Minister? It's possible, but the person the empress dowager suspects is Your Majesty."

"Me?" Han Ruzi was surprised.

"Well, she asked me to come here to test and see if His Majesty knows something."

The imperial concubine did not continue, but Han Ruzi already guessed what she said, "I know, the queen mother sent someone to take my mother away. No one took the initiative to tell me, so I had to find out by myself."

The Empress Dowager nodded, "That's because I don't want His Majesty to worry too much. So His Majesty really has another channel to communicate with the outside of the palace."

"You don't need to tell the queen mother about this?"

"Have to tell her."

"Why?" Han Ruzi stood up, the queen mother was just suspicious, there was no need to take the initiative to confess the truth.

The imperial concubine stared at the emperor, "The empress dowager has become suspicious, and the best way to dispel her suspicion is to give her a result."

Han Ruzi was stunned.

"If the Empress Dowager thinks that she has killed a conspiracy, she may put away her suspicions and recall Tai Fu Cui Hong to the capital."

"Is it necessary to wait for Taifu Cui to come back? You can remove Shangguanxu's military power first, and then slowly deal with the Cui family. That's what the queen mother did."

The imperial concubine smiled, "I had the same thoughts as you before, but Master Luo said no, he teaches in Cui's residence and knows how powerful the Cui family is, and Cui Hong leads troops outside. Once there is a change in the capital, the Cui family will No one can predict what will happen under the panic. Cui Hong and Shangguanxu must be taken down at the same time, so as to ensure a smooth afterwards, Your Majesty can have no worries."

Han Ruzi didn't know much about the situation in the court, so he couldn't refute it, so he could only ask: "Hasn't the Empress Dowager been installing officials recommended by the officials? Hasn't the power of the Cui family been weakened?"

The imperial concubine laughed and said: "Cui Hong led troops to fight, and if he didn't give him a little sweetness, how could he do his best? Every time the Shangguan family appoints an official, the Cui family must appoint at least one official. Compared with the past, the Cui family's power Not only has it not been weakened, but it has become stronger. If not for this, Cui Hong would not have agreed to lead the army northward. The current situation is that the two foreign relatives are both strong and encroaching on the minister's territory together. Only one family will be moved, and the other will never sit idly by."

The imperial concubine fell into deep thought again, "The empress dowager didn't even tell me before she made the decision, could it be... no, it's impossible, she won't doubt me. But her move is really clever, first, it disrupted Master Luo's plan, Second, to postpone rewards for meritorious deeds, to prevent the Cui family from expanding its power, and third, the war with the Xiongnu cannot be completed in a day or two, even if Cui Hong wins, he must temporarily stay at the border and return to Beijing alone."

Han Ruzi didn't think so much, but felt that the Queen Mother is a powerful opponent, "So, the Queen Mother's dismissal of Cui Hong probably has nothing to do with our plan, it's just a coincidence, and there is no need to tell the Queen Mother about me. "

"Don't be careless. It's a good thing that the Queen Mother hasn't paid special attention to Your Majesty, but even if she just glanced at it, she still has to give her an answer. If I can't find out the truth, she will send someone else. I'm afraid she will find out by then. secret."

"Do you think I can't keep your plan?"

The empress dowager smiled and shook her head, "I believe in your majesty, but I believe in the queen mother's methods even more. Her majesty's mother is still in her hands. Moreover, your majesty is not the only one who made sacrifices."

"Who else?"

"Your Majesty wrote four imperial edicts the day before yesterday."

"Ah."

"There are two ways that are the same, both want to remove Shangguanxu from his post."

"Ah."

The imperial concubine paused for a moment, "Master Luo wants to hand over one of them."

Han Ruzi was taken aback, "What?"

"And the name will be written on it, so that someone can catch the Queen Mother."

Han Ruzi was even more surprised, "Is this really necessary? The Queen Mother...should not know about our plan."

"Your Majesty lives deep in the palace and doesn't know much about the outside world. With the momentum of eradicating the remaining party of the King of Qi, the Empress Dowager spread her eyes and ears in the court to inquire about the news. Your Majesty may not know it yet. Now the Palace of Qinzheng is only a drafting order. Therefore, the Empress Dowager summons another group of ministers in Guanghua Pavilion every afternoon to discuss the matter of catching thieves. Those ministers are all well-known cruel officials, known as the 'Guanghua Group of Tigers', and there is no secret that they cannot pry into."

Of course Han Ruzi didn't know these things, and finally understood why the ministers in the Qinzheng Palace were uneasy, "Who will hand over the imperial decree? Whose name will be written on it?"

"Master Luo personally handed over the imperial decree in exchange for the trust of the Empress Dowager. At the same time, he also has to bear the infamy of the world. As for the name above, Master Luo did not tell me. He said that this person voluntarily devoted himself to His Majesty, and he would die without regret."

Han Ruzi had nothing to refute. The minister was ready to sacrifice. He really had no reason to hide his secrets, but it was too difficult to sell someone who had helped him like this. He hesitated for a long time but still couldn't make up his mind, and finally asked: "Didn't Luo Huanzhang betray me by handing over the imperial decree? The Queen Mother knew it was written by me."

"That's right, but His Majesty can afford it for the time being. The Empress Dowager needs His Majesty to stabilize the officials. Apart from keeping His Majesty closer together, she will not take severe measures for the time being."

"What about the seal on it? How do you explain it?"

"The imperial decree was originally a backup, and I didn't take it to seal the seal. What the Queen Mother will know is this: Your Majesty wrote the imperial decree and handed it to Master Luo. After Master Luo hesitated, he did not hand it over to the minister, but to the Central Committee Supervisor Jing Yao."

"Whoever's name is written in the imperial decree is the one who forwarded the news of my mother's arrest to me. This should be reasonable."

The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, then nodded slightly, and said with a smile: "It's reasonable, His Majesty's words are so strict, we have nothing to worry about."

Han Ruzi heaved a sigh of relief, at least he didn't have to betray the King of East China Sea and King Huahu. Since the minister voluntarily committed his loyalty, let the responsibility rest on him alone.After the matter is completed, if this person is still alive, Han Ruzi hopes to be rewarded heavily.

"I will contact Master Luo as soon as possible and tell him His Majesty's plan, I think he will agree."

"How did you get in touch with Luo Huanzhang? He only entered the palace once a few days, and he only went to the Lingyun Pavilion in the Imperial Garden." Han Ruzi asked curiously. Luo Huanzhang outside the palace can be contacted at any time.

"My tone is also very strict." The Empress Dowager smiled and got up to say goodbye, "It won't be long before His Majesty will have the power to control life and death, and a few words can decide the lives of tens of thousands of people. Please get used to some people's last resort. sacrifice."

The imperial concubine left, and the maids went into the house to pack their things without even looking at the emperor.

Han Ruzi sat on the round stool and didn't look at them. The more he thought about it, the more he felt panicked. An innocent minister was about to make a sacrifice for him. The only purpose was to attract the Queen Mother's attention and relieve her suspicion. Ruzi didn't know what it was like to decide the life and death of thousands of people, but he believed that it was completely different from the current situation.

Everyone else withdrew, only Zhang Youcai and Tong Qing'e came to serve the emperor to bed. Han Ruzi stared at the two and asked, "Can I trust you?"

The eunuch and the maid looked at each other, there was both surprise and calm in their eyes, as if they knew this moment would come, they both knelt down at the same time, Tong Qing'e said: "My servant is willing to go through fire and water for His Majesty." Zhang Youcai said hastily: "Xiao Nu, Just wait for His Majesty's words, Your Majesty will say it, I dare to do anything."

Han Ruzi was surprised and said with a smile, "What's wrong with you?"

Tong Qing'e lowered her head with tears in her eyes, Zhang Youcai raised her head and said angrily: "Zuo Ji hated us, and sent people to warn us these two days, saying that he will settle the score after he recovers from his injuries. Liang An has already been forced by Zuo Ji to hang himself, anyway, he is dead , we are willing to die for His Majesty."

Strictly speaking, the emperor was responsible for Liang An's suicide. He went to "catch the rape", which caused Zuo Ji to panic and forced Liang An to death in order to erase the evidence of the crime. In a downtown giant, every foot that falls may crush someone to death, or cause the crowd to trample on each other in a panic, but even so, the crowd will actively flock to the giant.

Sacrifice is inevitable, the key is to make the sacrifice worthwhile.

"I want you to do one thing."

Zhang Youcai and Tong Qing'e prostrated themselves on the ground. Han Ruzi thought for a while, and felt that they should not be given too important and dangerous tasks. Their loyalty had not yet been tested, and they had finally been drawn together, so they should not be wasted casually. It's very simple, don't worry, just ask slowly, don't draw others' attention."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, we all entered the palace from a young age and know the rules here." Zhang Youcai blushed a little with excitement, Tong Qing'e became more calm, stopped her tears, and looked at the emperor seriously.

"Someone near the imperial concubine, or someone whom the empress dowager often contacts, can contact outside the palace at any time. I want to know who it is."

"Being able to contact people outside the palace at any time is not a small skill." Zhang Youcai seemed very confused, and immediately kowtowed: "Within three days, Xiao Nu and Sister Qing'e will definitely find this person."

Tong Qing'e is older and more cautious, "I'm afraid this person is not an ordinary palace slave, he may be a general of the old guard, we should go there to inquire more."

"Don't take risks, there is no time limit, just think about it."

Zhang Youcai said with a smile: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry, the servants in the palace have their own channels, and the Emperor Dowager or the Empress Dowager will never find out."

Han Ruzi was very interested in this "channel", but he didn't pursue it. To win mutual trust, you have to take it step by step, and you can't act too hastily.

This night, he slept soundly. When he woke up the next morning, the first thing he thought of was the minister who voluntarily sacrificed, and a thought suddenly popped up in his mind: Was that person really voluntary?

(seeking collection and recommendation)