Chapter 416: Returning to the Palace
(Congratulations to the reader "Lord_of_lies" for becoming the leader of this book.)
The emperor made another snoring sound, and the imperial doctor stepped forward to check the pulse. In fact, he had already made a judgment in his heart, but in front of the Empress Dowager Cining, he had to do something.
"Your Majesty seems to be getting better, but the pulse is still disordered, and you rarely fall asleep when you are weak. This is not a good thing."
"Is it poisoning?" Empress Dowager Cining asked immediately.
The imperial doctor shook his head cautiously, "Wei Chen doesn't think so. If you can call your colleagues from the Tai Hospital for advice, you may be able to find out the reason."
Empress Dowager Cining thought for a while, "Which imperial doctor is needed to enter the palace, you make a list, they are like you, they can't go out when they come in, until Your Majesty gets better."
The imperial physician trembled, and he responded, stepping back and considering which imperial physician should be called into the palace to suffer with him.
"I still think your Majesty wants to say something." Empress Dowager Ci Ning stared at the emperor before turning to Jing Yao, who was standing aside, and said, "Is Cishun Palace worried about your revenge?"
"The Empress Dowager Mingcha." Jing Yao smiled bitterly.
"How did you answer?"
"The old slave said, 'The Empress Dowager Ci Ning takes the Cishun Palace as the head, this is the biggest guarantee, let alone a half-abandoned eunuch like this old slave, looking at the entire palace, who would dare to touch the Cishun Palace? The old slave is in the palace. I have been an eunuch for many years, and I have not been ups and downs once or twice. Every time I am demoted, I can only retreat and think about how to make up for mistakes and omissions and better serve the Majesty and the Queen Mother, and there is absolutely no hatred in my heart.'"
The Empress Dowager Cining called the Empress Dowager Shangguan "Cishhun Palace", and Jing Yao also used this name.
Empress Dowager Cining smiled slightly, "You can talk." After a pause, "Are you busy today?"
Jing Yao had expected such a question, and immediately explained who had approached him all day and why, and did not dare to omit any omissions. By the way, he also said that someone invited him out of the palace to discuss.
The Empress Dowager Cining really cared, "Hey, someone has attracted Duke Jing so soon, who is the minister?"
"The middleman wouldn't reveal it."
"You are so experienced, you can definitely guess."
"Well... the old slave thinks it is Lord Zong Zhengqing."
Empress Dowager Ci Ning raised her eyebrows slightly, "Looking back on it, when Duke Jing talked about the pregnancy of his concubine, Mr. Han didn't seem very happy. You were brought into the palace by him, why did he help you? Why did he say something to you? Surprised?"
Jing Yao had been waiting for this sentence for a long time, and immediately knelt down, "Old slave dare not hide, this old slave wanted to enter the palace to meet the queen mother, but couldn't find the way, so he had to go to Han Zongzheng for help. Han Zongzheng had taken in an assassin and was worried He will be doubted, and I hope the old slave can say a few words for him."
"Is what you said about the East Sea King false?"
"It's all true, how dare the old slave lie in front of the queen mother? His Majesty did summon the East Sea King and the old slave to let us investigate Han Zongzheng secretly. The East Sea King also expressed that it is more convenient to frame a crime than to investigate."
Empress Dowager Ci Ning thought for a moment, "About Han Chou, what did you investigate?"
"The day after His Majesty summoned the two of us, he was assassinated in the Cui Mansion. The old slave has not yet started an investigation. As for the situation on the East Sea King's side, the old slave has no contact with him, so I don't know the details."
Jing Yao carefully guided him. He had no direct evidence of Han Chou's collusion with the assassins. As for Han Chou's various behaviors of corruption and perversion, it did not attract the Empress Dowager Ci Ning's interest, so he simply didn't mention it, and only used a casual sentence to arouse Ci Ning. Empress Dowager Ning's suspicions, the rest of the matter will be fine.
Empress Dowager Ci Ning showed no sign of taking the bait, and hummed flatly, "Very good, Duke Jing, let's go and do something. No matter what, you must keep the child in Concubine Tong's belly."
"Yes, Empress Dowager." Jing Yao didn't step back immediately, there was one thing he had to solve as soon as possible.
"What's the matter with Duke Jing?"
"The queen mother always felt that His Majesty seemed to have something to say. The old slave thought about it and thought it was very reasonable, but the old servant is not always by His Majesty's side, and he cannot figure out what he means. It is better to call Zhang Youcai back to the palace. Maybe there is a way. ."
"Recalling Zhang Youcai makes people suspicious of the emperor's condition. These are your exact words."
Jing Yao kowtowed, "The old slave came up with an idea, please consider it: Don't just call Zhang Youcai back to the mansion. In the name of interrogation, call a few more people back, so that there will be no doubts."
The Empress Dowager Cining remained silent, Jing Yao did not dare to appear too impatient, waited for a while, and said, "This old slave is stupid and shallow, repeating back and forth, please forgive the Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Cining glanced at the emperor on the bed again, and finally made up her mind, "You have a good idea. You have to figure out what your majesty wants to say. But I don't know much about the people around your majesty, so please suggest a few."
"Zhang Youcai is definitely one of them."
"Um."
"Cai Xinghai and Wang He are both close officials, responsible for internal and external defense, and should return to the palace for trial."
"Um."
"There is also a palace maid named Meng E who was also on the scene of the assassination and killed an accomplice of the assassin, who should also be tried. These four people are enough."
Empress Dowager Cining frowned, "Meng E? I've heard of this name, and her background seems to be complicated."
"She is from the East China Sea, and her real surname is Chen. She is said to be a descendant of the old Qi king. She entered the palace with her elder brother Meng Che as a guard of the East China Sea. She first served the Cishun Palace. Later, Meng Che participated in the Qi rebellion. E has always stayed by His Majesty's side, but changed from a guard to a palace maid."
Empress Dowager Cining frowned even more, "I remember Meng Che. How could His Majesty keep such a person by his side? It is said that she also had problems killing her fellow assassins in Cui Mansion. Let her figure it out."
Jing Yao did not dare to defend Meng E, and replied, "If you only call three people, it seems less. Then add one Cui Teng. He was always by His Majesty's side, and he was at the scene at the time, so he was the most suspicious."
Empress Dowager Ci Ning shook her head, "The Cui family wants to be interrogated together, and cannot be called alone. Your Majesty trusts Meng E so much, or there may be a reason, call her back first, interrogate her in person, and submit the results to me immediately."
"Yes, Queen Mother."
Jing Yao exited the room, his heart felt tense for a while, and at the same time he felt proud that he had really returned to the palace, not only ***** but also involved in the most secret conspiracy.
He went to the palaces of the four concubines for a tour, and after confirming that everything was fine, he returned to his residence.
It was already dark, Jing Yao did not dare to delay, now he must be more energetic than a 20-year-old young man, he could not tolerate any slack, and immediately ordered ten eunuchs and fifty guards, holding a decree and leaving the palace, went straight to Choi House.
The Cui Mansion was surrounded by the Guards Corps. Visitors who came a street away would have to be inspected, and they could not enter the mansion. Wait, go to the manor yourself to pick up people.
The cold wind was bleak, and although there were many soldiers around, they kept quiet.
The Cui Mansion has now been divided into separate temporary "prisons", and the people inside are not allowed to move around at will.
It was at this time that Han Chou came here. He was well informed. Not long after Jing Yao left the palace, he also set off from home, just in time.
He didn't wear official uniforms, he was dressed in casual clothes, like a big-bellied businessman. Many soldiers clearly saw him running out of breath, but they didn't stop drinking, and they didn't stop him. As long as they didn't enter the Cui Mansion, they could accommodate.
Jing Yao took a few steps forward and entered into the shadows. The eunuchs and guards who followed him all stayed where they were.
"'Shi don't look at it for three days.' It's only been a day since I had to dig out my eyeballs." Han Chou laughed.
"Han Zongzheng is serious. I finally lived up to Han Zongzheng's heavy trust. I hope Han Zongzheng remembers my benefits."
Han Chou laughed dryly and exhaled a stream of white steam, "Remember, I will always remember. Is everything okay after Duke Jing returns to the palace?"
"A wandering child is thinking of returning, let alone me, an old eunuch who has lived in the palace for decades?"
"Hehe, Duke Jing is now a big celebrity in front of the Empress Dowager Cining, and he has come up with a lot of ideas, right?"
"I'm just doing what I was ordered to do, I don't dare to say a word."
"You didn't say a word?"
Jing Yao said with a smile: "Han Zongzheng still doesn't know who I am? I will never say or do anything that I am not sure about, but I will never hide things that are certain, such as Han Zongzheng's visit this time. I can't hide it, I must report it to the Empress Dowager Cining after returning to the palace."
"Of course, so many people are watching, as long as you don't talk about other things. I can rest assured, and Duke Jing, please rest assured, I have chosen a house for you, in Xicheng, not far from the palace, where It's big, the location is hidden, you'll be able to move in soon, and it's good to go out of the palace to rest occasionally."
Jing Yao did not refuse, but smiled and said, "Let Han Zongzheng spend money."
"When it comes to making friends, Han has always been willing to spend all his money."
Han Chou said goodbye with a smile, and Jing Yao watched with a smile.
The camp will bring out four people and send them into different carriages. Jing Yao checks one by one and confirms that they are Zhang Youcai, Cai Xinghai, Wang He, and Meng E. The four have different expressions. Meng E is the calmest, and Zhang Youcai is the most nervous. , as soon as he saw Jing Yao, he asked the emperor about the situation.
Jing Yao didn't say anything and took people back to the palace.
Meng E and others were locked in different rooms, and Jing Yao only brought Zhang Youcai to the Empress Dowager Cining to return.
Zhang Youcai, one of the very few people trusted by the Empress Dowager Cining, was allowed to come to the emperor's bed.
Zhang Youcai first knelt down and kowtowed, then got up and looked at the emperor. His heart was full of fear, and he couldn't help crying. He trembled: "Your Majesty, it's me, Zhang Youcai."
The emperor seemed to recognize him, snorted a few times, and Zhang Youcai was at a loss.
Empress Dowager Cining didn't have much hope for Zhang Youcai at first, and then sighed softly, "Zhang Youcai, since you are back, stay and serve Your Majesty."
"Yes, the Queen Mother, thank the Queen Mother for being so kind." Zhang Youcai couldn't hold back, but tears still flowed out.
Empress Dowager Cining didn't rush to call Zhang Youcai back to the palace, but she felt that the little eunuch couldn't handle the big task, and she was not worried that he would harm the emperor, nodded, turned and left, Jing Yao followed closely.
After leaving the emperor's room and entering the main hall, the Empress Dowager Cining took her seat and stared at Jing Yao for a while.
Jing Yao was stared at and his heart was trembling, he bowed his head and said nothing.
"There is a person called the Holy Army Division, has Jing Gong heard of it?"
Jing Yao was stunned for a moment, "I heard that this person is one of the assassins. He has a high status in Yunmengze. He used the alias Yunxiong and lived in Han Zongzheng's house."
"Well, that's good. The Holy Army division confessed in prison, saying that he also knew Duke Jing and had sent someone to contact Duke Jing in the East China Sea. Would you like to confront him?"
Jing Yao was shocked and knew in his heart that something happened during the short period of time he was away from the palace, and it must have something to do with Han Chou.