Chapter 46 Sacrifice
The imperial concubine often came to visit the emperor, and she was as comfortable as in her own bedroom. She sat cross-legged on the side of the chair, and the maid placed the tea, incense burner, fan, bead string and other small items on the table next to her, and then exited one after another. , during this period, the emperor instead stood like a guest.
There are very few people who doubt that the empress dowager is like the empress dowager.
Zhang Youcai and Tong Qing'e also left the room. The imperial concubine would talk to the emperor alone every few days, and everyone was used to it.
The imperial concubine sat dazedly for a while, letting the tea on the table gradually cool, and said softly, "Did she notice something?"
"Could it be that someone was a whistleblower? The ministers aren't reliable either." Han Ruzi sat on a round stool a few steps away. This was the first time he had seen the imperial concubine showing disbelief.
The concubine didn't seem to hear it, and after a while, she looked at the emperor, "Minister? It's possible, but the person the queen mother suspects is your majesty."
"Me?" Han Ruzi was surprised.
"Well, she asked me to come here to test to see if His Majesty knows something."
The imperial concubine didn't say more, but Han Ruzi had already guessed her words, "I know, the queen mother sent someone to take my mother away. No one took the initiative to tell me, so I had to ask myself."
The Crown Princess nodded, "That's because I don't want Your Majesty to worry too much. So, Your Majesty really has another channel to communicate with outside the palace."
"You don't need to tell the Queen Mother about this, do you?"
"Have to tell her."
"Why?" Han Ruzi stood up, the queen mother was just suspicious, there was no need to take the initiative to tell the truth.
The imperial concubine stared at the emperor, "The queen mother has become suspicious, and the best way to eliminate the suspicion is to give her a result."
Han Ruzi was stunned.
"If the queen mother thinks she has killed a conspiracy, she may put away her suspicions and recall Taifu Cui Hong to the capital."
"Is it necessary to wait for Mrs. Cui to come back? You can first remove Shangguan Xu's military power, and then slowly solve the Cui family. That's what the Queen Mother did."
The imperial concubine smiled, "I thought the same as you before, but Master Luo said no. He teaches in the Cui House and understands how powerful the Cui family is. Cui Hong is leading troops outside. Once the capital changes, the Cui family will No one can predict what will happen under the panic. We must take down Cui Hong and Shangguan Xu at the same time, in order to ensure the stability after the incident, and Your Majesty can be worry-free."
Han Ruzi didn't know much about the situation of the court, so he couldn't refute it, so he could only ask: "Isn't the queen mother always installing officials recommended by the Shangguan family? Haven't weakened the power of the Cui family?"
The imperial concubine smiled and said: "Cui Hong leads the army to fight, and if he doesn't give him a little sweetness, how can he do his best? Every time the Shangguan family appoints an official, the Cui family must arrange at least one. Compared with the past, the Cui family's power Not only has it not weakened, but it has become stronger. If not, Cui Hong would not agree to lead the army north. The current situation is that two foreign relatives are strong, and they are jointly encroaching on the territory of the minister. Only one will be moved, and the other will never sit by and watch.
The imperial concubine fell into deep thought again, "The queen mother didn't even tell me before she made her decision, could it be... no, it's impossible, she won't doubt me. But her trick is really clever. First, it disrupted Master Luo's plan, Second, to postpone the meritorious deeds and to prevent the Cui family from continuing to expand, and thirdly, the war with the Xiongnu cannot be finished in a day or two, and even if Cui Hong wins, he will leave his troops on the border temporarily and return to Beijing alone."
Han Ruzi couldn't have imagined so much, but felt that the Queen Mother was a powerful opponent, "So, the Queen Mother's departure of Cui Hong probably has nothing to do with our plan, it's just a coincidence, and there's no need to tell the Queen Mother about my affairs. "
"Don't be careless, the queen mother hasn't paid special attention to your majesty, which is a good thing, but she will give her an answer even if she just glanced at it. If I can't ask the truth, she will send someone else, I'm afraid she will ask goodbye at that time. secret."
"Do you think I can't keep your plan?"
The Crown Princess 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. Besides, Majesty is not the only one who made sacrifices."
"Who else?"
"Your Majesty wrote four imperial edicts the day before yesterday."
"Um."
"There are two things that are the same, both are to remove Shangguan Xu from office."
"Um."
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 the Queen Mother can be caught."
Han Ruzi was even more surprised, "Is this really necessary? The Queen Mother... Shouldn't she be aware of our plan?"
"Your Majesty lives in the palace, and doesn't know much about the outside world. With the momentum of eradicating King Qi's remaining party, the Queen Mother spread her ears and eyes in the court and inquired about news everywhere. Your Majesty may not know it yet, but now the Qinzheng Palace is just a decree. Therefore, the Queen Mother summons another group of ministers at Guanghua Pavilion every afternoon to discuss catching thieves. Those ministers are all famous cruel officials, known as 'Guanghua Tigers', and there is no secret that they can't find out."
Of course Han Ruzi didn't know these things, and finally understood why the ministers in the Qinzheng Hall were uneasy, "Who will hand over the imperial edict? Whose name should be written on it?"
"Master Luo personally handed over the imperial decree in exchange for the Queen Mother's trust, and at the same time he has to bear the world's infamy. As for the name above, Master Luo did not tell me. He said that this person volunteered to be loyal to His Majesty and died without regret."
Han Ruzi couldn't refute, the minister was ready to sacrifice, he really had no reason to hide, but it was too difficult to betray the people who had helped him, he hesitated for a while but still could not make up his mind, and finally asked: "Luo Huanzhang handed over the imperial decree, didn't he betray me too? The queen mother knew at a glance that it was written by me."
"Yes, but His Majesty can afford it for the time being. The Queen Mother needs His Majesty to stabilize the ministers. In addition to taking His Majesty closer together, he will not take severe measures for the time being."
"What about the seal on it? How to explain it?"
"That imperial decree was originally intended for use, and I didn't take it to stamp it with the seal. What the Queen Mother will know is this: Her Majesty wrote the imperial decree and handed it over to Master Luo. After Master Luo hesitated, he did not hand it over to the minister, but to Zhong Supervisor Jing Yao."
"Whoever's name is written on the imperial decree is the one who forwarded the news of my mother's arrest to me. This should be quite reasonable."
The imperial concubine thought for a moment, nodded her head slightly, and said with a smile: "Reasonable, His Majesty's tone is so strict, we have nothing to worry about."
Han Ruzi breathed a sigh of relief, at least he did not have to betray the King of the East Sea and the King of Flower Tigers. Since that minister voluntarily committed loyalty, he should put all the responsibility on him. After this is done, 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 goes to the palace once a few days, and only to 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 imperial concubine smiled and got up to leave, "It won't be long before Your Majesty will take control of life and death, and a few words will determine the life and death of thousands of people. Please get used to some people's last resort. sacrifice."
After the imperial concubine left, the maids entered 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 she thought about it, the more panicked her heart felt. An innocent minister was about to make sacrifices for him. The only purpose was to attract the attention of the queen mother and relieve her suspicions. Ruzi didn't know what it felt 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 stepped back, and only Zhang Youcai and Tong Qing'e were left to serve the emperor and go to bed. Han Ruzi stared at them and asked, "Can I trust you?"
The eunuch and the palace maid looked at each other with surprise and calm in their eyes, as if they had known for a long time that there would be such a moment, they both knelt down at the same time, Tong Qing'e said: "This servant is willing to go through fire and water for His Majesty." Zhang Youcai said hurriedly: "Little slave early Just wait for His Majesty's words, His Majesty say it, the little slave dares to do anything."
Han Ruzi was surprised and said with a smile, "What's wrong with you guys?"
Tong Qing'e bowed her head with tears in her eyes. Zhang Youcai raised her head and said angrily, "Zuo Ji hates us. He sent someone to warn us these two days, saying that we will settle the account when he is injured. Liang An has been forced by Zuo Ji to hang himself. Anyway, it is a death. , we are willing to die for Your Majesty."
Strictly speaking, Liang An committed suicide, and the emperor was responsible. He went to "catch the traitor", which caused Zuo Ji to panic, and forced Liang An to death in order to erase the evidence of the crime. Thinking of this level, Han Ruzi's heart became calm, and the emperor seemed to be walking. For a giant in a downtown area, every foot that falls may trample someone to death, or cause the crowd to panic and trample on each other. Even so, the crowd will take the initiative to embrace the giant.
Sacrifice is inevitable, the key is to make sacrifice worthwhile.
"I want you to do something."
Zhang Youcai and Tong Qing'e were lying on the ground, Han Ruzi thought about it for a while, and felt that they couldn't give them too important and dangerous tasks, their loyalty had not been tested, and they finally managed to win over the two, so they should not be wasted. It's very simple, don't be in a hurry, you can inquire slowly, don't attract the attention of others."
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, we have all been in the palace since we were young and know the rules here." Zhang Youcai blushed a little with excitement, Tong Qing'e calmed down, stopped her tears, and looked at the emperor seriously.
"Someone next to the imperial concubine, or someone the imperial concubine often contacts, can contact outside the palace at any time. I want to know who it is."
"It's not a small skill to be able to contact people outside the palace at any time." Zhang Youcai looked very confused, and immediately kowtowed: "Within three days, Xiaonu and Sister Qing'e will definitely find this person."
Tong Qing'e is old and more cautious, "I'm afraid this person is not an ordinary palace servant, but may be a general of the Su Wei. 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, don't worry, the servants in the palace have their own channels, and they will never let the empress or the empress dowager find out."
Han Ruzi was very interested in this "channel", but he didn't ask any further questions. To gain mutual trust should be done step by step, and he shouldn't be in a hurry.
That night, he slept soundly. When he woke up the next morning, the first thing that came to his mind was the minister who voluntarily sacrificed. A thought suddenly popped into his mind: Was that person really voluntary?
(seeking for collection and recommendation)