Imperial study.
This afternoon.
Emperor Dongling, Nangong Honglie and his son, Liu Hao, and Zhang Jianye, the commander of the imperial guards, gathered quietly in the imperial study.
Several people gathered around the jade table and looked at the palace defense map.
After a few days of gradual replacement, the guards in the palace underwent a major reshuffle quietly.
If one was not familiar with the palace guards, no one would have noticed anything unusual.
Zhang Jianye pointed to the defense map and said, "Your Majesty, all the guards have been replaced."
Emperor Dongling hummed softly.
"If it were you, where would you attack from?"
Nangong Honglie pinched his chin, took a look at the overall situation, and pointed at two places on the defense map with his index finger: "I think they will attack from these two points.
When the Imperial Guards took action, the Emperor and the Empress must have been caught already, so they were fearless.
These two places are closest to their base, and since they have bribed some of the guards, they won't go far away."
"General Nangong is right." Zhang Jianye agreed.
Emperor Dongling took out a tiger talisman and handed it to Liu Hao: "Hao'er, if anything happens to your father and your mother, you will shoulder the heavy responsibility.
Wang Peng from the Jingjiying Camp outside Beijing is my father's confidant.
The Imperial Guards only have 20,000 men. If you dispatch trustworthy individuals to the Imperial Guards, you will be able to preserve the legacy built by the Liu family's ancestors."
After saying that, he took out the imperial edict of succession from the drawer of the jade table.
"Father, you can't..."
Emperor Dongling raised his hand to interrupt Liu Hao: "Father is doing this just in case.
You have been entrusted with this task in a time of crisis. I hope you will not disappoint your father's trust!"
Liu Hao refused to accept the imperial edict of succession.
"Don't worry, Father. I will never let them succeed!"
The leader of the secret guards, Ajie, stepped forward and said, "Master, the people monitoring Xue Huaian and Liu Heng have sent us news that they have met again.
Judging from all the signs, they should take action in the next day or two, and our people are ready to arrest people at any time."
The atmosphere in the imperial study became more solemn.
Disperse the next day.
Nangong Honglie and his son swaggered out of the palace as usual, while Emperor Dongling returned to the imperial study to deal with memorials.
Then news came out that Emperor Dongling had a slight cough and was suspected of catching a cold, and that Empress Chen had entered the imperial study to take care of him.
The end of Chen hour.
Upon hearing the news, Concubine Xue gloated: "What a loving couple! Let's go down and become a pair of ghost mandarin ducks!
We can solve it all at once so we don't have to make another trip to Kunning Palace.
Aunt An, is the porridge ready?"
"Alright, it's guaranteed to be soft, sticky, and sweet! Isn't the Emperor coughing? This gives Her Majesty and His Highness another excuse."
"Well, Heng'er should be here soon."
In less than an incense stick of time, Liu Heng hurried in.
"Mother, are you ready?"
"Okay, let's go, let's go directly to the imperial study.
It's said that the Emperor has a slight cough, and that bitch Chen Muyan is tending to him in the Imperial Study. Even Heaven is helping us."
The mother and son walked side by side, and Nanny An followed closely behind with a food box.
In front of the imperial study.
Eunuch Wei and the young eunuchs waiting for orders stood at the door as usual.
Seeing several people approaching from afar, Eunuch Wei took half a step forward and coughed lightly towards the door.
Soon, several people approached.
Concubine Xue smiled and said, "Laifu, I heard that the emperor is ill. How is he?"
"Your Majesty, the imperial physician has examined him and he's fine. Your Majesty, Your Highness, what are you doing?"
"We heard that the emperor was ill, so we came to see him."
Eunuch Wei made way.
Several people stepped into the imperial study.
The first thing he saw was Empress Chen, serving tea and water to Emperor Dongling.
The mother and son took a few quick steps and saluted: "Your Highness and Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"
"Your son pays his respects to the Emperor, Father, and the Empress, Mother!"
Emperor Dong Ling glanced at the mother and son and said, "Get up! What brings you here together, mother and son?
"Your Majesty, I heard you were ill and was just about to come and see you. It happened that Heng'er came into the palace and said she had taken a fancy to the daughter of Minister Lin of the Ministry of Works and wanted to ask for your permission to marry her, so we came together.
This morning, I personally cooked red date, lotus seed, and bird's nest porridge. It tastes delicious, so I'm bringing it here for Your Majesty and Your Majesty to try."
As he spoke, he gestured to Nanny An, who walked forward obediently, filled two bowls of porridge, and brought them to Emperor Dongling and Empress Chen respectively.
Liu Heng took the opportunity to kneel down and said, "My son and Miss Lin are in love. I beg Your Majesty to grant us your blessing!"
Emperor Dongling remained calm and looked at the mother and son again.
"So, you're using porridge to bribe me and the Queen, hoping I'll grant you a marriage?"
Concubine Xue's heart tightened, her chest pounding. She said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, please grant Heng'er's wish. His position as a principal wife has been vacant for a long time, and it's time for him to have one."
A layer of sweat formed on Liu Heng's forehead. He could only continue to kowtow to hide his abnormality: "I beg your Majesty to grant me your blessing!"
"Okay, I agree!"
Then he smiled at Empress Chen and said, "Drink, there's a wedding in the palace, and I'm going to trouble you again."
As he spoke, he reached out to pick up the bowl of porridge, stirred it gently with a spoon, scooped up a spoonful and prepared to put it into his mouth.
Empress Chen also smiled and picked up the bowl, stirred it and brought it to her mouth.
The hearts of Concubine Xue and the others were in their throats.
drink!
Drink it quickly!
Even just a small sip will do!
But things went against his wishes. The next moment, Eunuch Wei hurriedly called out, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please wait a moment. Let this old servant take a look before you drink."
They both nodded and put down their bowls.
Eunuch Wei took out a box from his bosom, took out a silver needle from the box, and inserted it into the porridge.
Several people were secretly proud of themselves.
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