Xie Zhaozhao remained silent.
She lived in the palace on and off for several years when she was a child, and often saw her aunt staring blankly at one place.
She didn't know what her aunt was thinking, but she looked very sad.
Later, after she left the palace and returned to the Xie family, she gradually heard that every time her grandmother visited her aunt, she would feel guilty and fall ill for several days.
Later, my grandmother stopped going to the palace as often.
Seeing that she remained silent, Empress Xie said sharply, "Grand Secretary Gu, do you know that breaking into the inner palace at night and causing chaos within the palace is a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family?"
Gu Shaoyu calmly raised a token and said, "Your Majesty has bestowed upon me a token, granting me permission to bring my wife back to the mansion."
Gao Quan came over and looked at the token, saying sarcastically, "This token is from who-knows-when, it can't be used."
Gu Shaoyu said, "Eunuch Gao, look carefully, this token was personally bestowed by His Majesty."
Gao Quan said bluntly, "His Majesty will not allow his subjects to enter the inner palace; that is the rule! No matter how Grand Secretary Gu tries to justify himself, the fact remains that he broke into the inner palace at night."
Empress Xie: "Take him down!"
The eunuchs who were skilled in martial arts rushed over to her.
Xie Zhaozhao said to Empress Xie, "Your Majesty, I beg you to let me go home. My filial piety towards Your Majesty will never change."
Empress Xie said coldly, "If you were truly filial, you wouldn't have left."
"But there's nothing I can do if I stay!"
"You can keep me company through these long, lonely nights," Empress Xie said again. "Take Gu Shaoyu down with you."
Lu Feiyan was furious. She opened her handbag and threw out handfuls of powder without restraint. Those who were close by immediately collapsed.
The Empress was also captivated, swaying unsteadily, and mumbled, "How dare you..."
Nanxing, Beichen, Dongyue, and other secret guards fought with the other side, and several eunuchs were knocked unconscious by hand chops.
Xiu Ning didn't say anything, but carried the lantern and walked along a side path to an inconspicuous side hall filled with miscellaneous items, where he let them in.
Leave through the secret passage.
Soon, they were all out of the city.
The group disappeared into the darkness.
At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), all officials went to court.
Empress Xie's face was gloomy, but she and the Emperor still attended to state affairs together.
"Last night, a eunuch reported that Grand Secretary Gu broke into the palace and injured a eunuch. According to the law, he should be executed! Order the Imperial Guards to arrest Gu Shaoyu immediately!"
Empress Xie's words shocked the entire court.
Xie Anfeng denied it, saying, "Grand Secretary Gu is far away on the frontier, how could he possibly break into the palace at night? Could you have seen wrong?"
"I am not blind!"
Empress Xie summoned Gao Quan and others, and accused Gu Shaoyu of breaking into the palace at night and taking away the Grand Secretary's wife.
However, most of the court officials did not agree, feeling it was unlikely.
Empress Xie then summoned Xiu Ning and ordered him to confess to personally releasing Gu Shaoyu and Xie Zhaozhao from the palace.
Xiu Ning had already been tortured in the Imperial Prison. He gritted his teeth and insisted that he had not seen anything and had not released anyone.
Hua Zisheng cried with tears streaming down his face, saying, "Your Majesty, this child is someone I watched grow up with my own eyes. He has always been honest. He wouldn't lie. Perhaps Eunuch Gao has made a mistake."
Empress Xie sneered, "Are you saying I'm blind?"
"This servant dares not."
"Imperial Guards, listen to my command! Go and capture Gu Shaoyu immediately!"
Xie Anfeng strongly objected and pleaded with His Majesty to say something so as not to hurt the feelings of the ministers.
Ling Xun also knelt down and begged for a detailed investigation. Grand Secretary Gu was well-versed in the law and could not have returned to the capital without authorization, much less stormed the palace.
"Isn't it normal for the Grand Secretary's wife to return to her residence? Why would the Grand Secretary need to sneak into the palace in the middle of the night?"
When Ling Xun asked this question, everyone was puzzled. Yes, why couldn't the Grand Secretary's wife leave the mansion openly and naturally?
His Majesty said blankly, "Whether Jingchen has returned or not, we can find out by searching."
The Imperial Guards went to Qingpu Garden like wolves and tigers.
The entire courtyard was ransacked, and it was a huge place. The Imperial Guards searched until noon but still couldn't find anyone.
The main courtyard looked like it hadn't been inhabited for a long time.
The common people were very surprised: "Why are they searching Qingpu Garden? Didn't Grand Secretary Gu go to lead the army in battle?"
The common people felt that Emperor Hui was becoming increasingly incompetent and tyrannical.
The princes have all been killed, Lord Liu and Lord Zhang are in prison, and now Grand Secretary Gu has been arrested.
I heard that he even ruled from behind the curtain with the Empress...
The Imperial Guards failed to find Gu Shaoyu at Qingpu Garden and returned to report. Empress Xie was furious and ordered the Imperial City Guard to search for Gu Shaoyu throughout the city.
Leng Luo remained unmoved.
Xie Anfeng angrily said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial City Guard only obeys His Majesty's orders. Your Majesty has no authority to command the Imperial City Guard."
Empress Xie handed an imperial edict to Gao Quan: "Read it to everyone."
Gao Quan held the imperial edict and read it aloud—"Emperor's Decree to Reign in Court."
I am unwell and weary. Empress Xie, exceptionally intelligent and increasingly virtuous, has been entrusted with many affairs of state. Therefore, it is fitting that she be allowed to rule from behind the curtain. From this day forward, I hereby bestow upon the Empress the title "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I" or "the Emperor"). The Empress may temporarily participate in military and state affairs. All ministers should strive to assist the Empress and treat her with the same respect as I would the Emperor.
In other words, from this day forward, all important matters of the court will be entrusted to Empress Xie.
The Empress calls herself "I"!
Two emperors in one dynasty.
After the imperial edict was read, Xie Anfeng's face turned completely black.
The Vice Minister of Rites, Minister of Works, Lord Ma, Grand Tutor Yu... hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise! Long live the Emperor!"
Your Majesty is Emperor Hui, and I'm afraid "My Emperor" refers to the Empress.
Xie Anfeng angrily retorted, "I object! This is against the rules!"
Lord Ma and the others said, "Lord Xie, there is no need to be modest. Although His Majesty comes from the Xie family, His Majesty can lead the Great Qian to prosperity. What is wrong with that? Besides, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. This is His Majesty's decree."
Xie Anfeng knelt down and pleaded repeatedly, "Your Majesty, I object. Your Majesty still has princes, and there is no need for the Empress to obey your will."
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