Chapter 185
Emperor Yongzheng didn't intend to tell Jiaojiao that Yin Zheng was coming back, but Jiaojiao couldn't bear it and her mental power ran out while she was asleep and she "saw" her father and the others setting off for the return trip.
The next day, he woke up early and ran excitedly to Emperor Yongzheng, his fair little face tilted upwards, his dark, bright eyes filled with anticipation: "Uncle, is Dad coming back?"
Emperor Yongzheng: “?”
He put down his bowl and chopsticks, turned around and poked Jiaojiao's face, his eyes serious: "Who told you that?"
In his mind, he had already placed his suspicions on Xie Shuyu and Liu Xingzhi. Apart from these two people, he couldn't guess who else would specifically tell Jiaojiao about this.
Jiaojiao said cheerfully, "I dreamed about it."
Well, they have a close bond between father and son, which he can’t envy!
Emperor Yongzheng squinted his eyes, glanced at Jiaojiao, and then stood up and left. Jiaojiao, who didn't get an answer, chased after him and asked a series of questions: "Uncle, is uncle dad coming back?"
Emperor Yongzheng was deliberately teasing him without giving him a definite answer. He watched Jiaojiao's anxious look with great interest and even wanted to draw him. It was a pity that he was not good at painting, otherwise he would have drawn at least a hundred or eighty of his pictures.
He reached out and pressed Jiaojiao's shoulder, turned him around, and said with a smile, "If you don't leave now, you might not even reach the gate of the Imperial Academy by the time the teacher arrives."
Upon hearing this, Jiaojiao's eyes widened, and she quickly turned around and ran away, shaking her hands.
Seeing that his young master was anxious, Mo Bao turned around to pick up the book box.
The carriage arrived at the Imperial College, and the servant Mobao jumped off the carriage, then turned around and carried Jiaojiao down from the carriage.
As soon as they landed, Jiaojiao ran forward anxiously, and Mobao followed behind with his bookcase. The master and the servant walked hurriedly, and finally arrived at the school before the teacher entered.
"Did you sleep late?" Qin Mianmian looked at Jiaojiao who had just sat down, her eyes falling on his red face from running.
Jiaojiao took a deep breath and shook her head: "I didn't sleep late, but kept pestering my uncle to ask something. If I wasn't careful, it would be too late."
"Uncle did it on purpose, right?" Qin Mianmian had serious doubts.
After living with Jiaojiao in the palace for a year, the majestic image of his uncle in his mind was completely destroyed, but his strong bad taste left him with an even deeper shadow.
Jiaojiao pursed her lips and nodded indignantly. Her uncle did it on purpose. He deliberately kept her from telling him and wanted to see him anxious.
Zhou Xuchen, who was sitting next to Jiaojiao, couldn't get a word in about the Yongzheng Emperor, so he handed a square handkerchief to Jiaojiao and asked him to wipe the sweat off his forehead.
Not everyone was qualified to study at the Imperial Academy. Those who could attend were mostly high-ranking officials, nobles, or the nephews of prominent families. Logically, Zhou Xuchen, a bastard son of the Zhou family, couldn't enter the Imperial Academy. Not to mention a bastard son, even his legitimate son wasn't eligible. But he was sent here by the Qin family. After all, he was a child they had watched over for a year and showed considerable talent for studying. Lord Qin, who valued talent, couldn't bear to see him waste his time in the Zhou family's backyard. After discussing it with his wife and Mianmian, he ultimately sent Zhou Xuchen to the Imperial Academy.
When the Zhou family first learned the news, they lied that Zhou Xuchen was ill and could not go, and was timid by nature, so they asked his brother Zhou Yichen to go to the Imperial College for him first. After he came back, they told him about his classmates at the Imperial College so that he could get familiar with his classmates' personalities in advance.
Actually, it's called a replacement, but after a long time, who would remember that the spot originally belonged to Zhou Xuchen and not him, Zhou Yicheng? Then, if rumors spread that Zhou Xuchen was too playful and disliked studying, the spot would probably fall to him, Zhou Yicheng, rightfully.
Fortunately, Zhou Xuchen somehow ran away from the Zhou family alone, otherwise this position might have been taken by Zhou Yichen.
Before the two of them had exchanged a few words, the teacher came in. The students in the school stood up and greeted the teacher, and started the day's morning classes.
The sound of reading aloud came from the courtyard. Amidst the sounds of reading, the secret guards sent by Emperor Yongzheng quietly spread throughout the Tianqi Courtyard.
Emperor Yongzheng began his purge of the Gu family and other families, not at night, nor in the early morning, but in broad daylight, a unique choice.
The early autumn wind in the capital city added a hint of bloody smell that was not particularly pleasant. The wind carried the smell of blood through the streets and alleys, and was isolated outside the Imperial College.
The once bustling streets now looked deserted and desolate, with doors and windows of every household locked. Those who heard the news had already shut their doors and restrained their servants. They listened anxiously to the sound of horse hooves and the orderly clash of armor coming from outside, feeling solemn.
The solemn atmosphere made people in the entire capital feel nervous. They wondered who had done something wrong to provoke the emperor, who was known for chasing away tigers and wolves, to make such a big fuss.
Emperor Yongzheng was a household name in Dayong as a killing god before he ascended the throne. After ascending the throne, he often killed people in droves. The court officials feared him even more than the previous emperor. Although he was tyrannical, he was indeed a wise ruler in terms of people's livelihood and government affairs. Therefore, all officials feared and respected him.
Before Emperor Yongzheng's death, no court official dared to take the position of the prince in advance.
So if it's not a factional dispute over the throne, what on earth has caused Your Majesty to make such a big fuss?
While they were puzzled, Xie Shuyu, who was deliberately forced into this operation by Emperor Yongzheng, came out of the Duke of Liang's Mansion with a knife in his hand.
His jade-like face was splattered with blood, and his eyes were filled with coldness that made people shiver. Thinking of the mountain of children's skulls in the secret room of Duke Liang's Mansion, the coldness between his brows grew heavier. He jumped on his horse, looked in the direction of the Imperial College, pulled the reins, gave a light reprimand, and led his men and horses towards the next destination.
These old but immortal people should have already reached the age to report to the underworld, but they are dragging their old and rotten bodies in this human world to do the evil deeds of ghosts. Then he will peel off their skin and cut open their hearts to see whether they are human or ghosts inside!
The bloody storm outside did not affect the Imperial College, and it was still peaceful and quiet. Of course, this was except for some people who were slapped on the hands and scolded by the teacher.
Gu Changyuan in Qideyuan thought it over again and again, then gritted his teeth and stood up and ran towards Tianqiyuan.
In the past two years, he had noticed that the atmosphere at home was becoming increasingly strange. His parents often complained to his grandfather, and as time went by, the complaints were mixed with fear and hatred. He was very confused, but no one in the mansion was keeping it from him, and no matter how he tried to inquire, he could not find out any information.
Until recently, he discovered that many strangers appeared in the mansion, often staying in his grandfather's yard for most of the day. His grandfather also often asked him in a roundabout way about the news of Yin Jiao in the Imperial Academy.
That child was brought into the palace by His Majesty a few years ago. His Majesty's pampering and indulgence towards him was known to everyone in Dayong. Many people even privately suspected that this child was a child left behind by His Majesty outside.
The child was only seven years old at the time, and at first he didn't understand why his grandfather was asking about such a child. Seeing his confusion, his grandfather said that he had a liking for the child and was thinking that his aunt's daughter was also five years old this year, so he wanted to become an in-law and wanted to inquire about the boy's character in advance.
Gu Changyuan, who was only sixteen years old now, was skeptical, but he also liked Jiaojiao, not to mention that his father had saved him from the Black Panther a few years ago. So he tried to be as objective as possible to tell his grandfather about Jiaojiao's behavior, style and personality. His grandfather listened carefully. He also heard his grandfather mention Jiaojiao when he talked to his aunt.
However, he later discovered that his grandfather was more concerned about Jiaojiao's whereabouts and where she went in the Imperial College.
This made him suspicious.
Although Gu Changyuan is a playboy who loves horse riding and cockfighting, it doesn't mean that he is stupid. On the contrary, he thinks he is quite smart.
This lack of doubt reached its peak when his grandfather asked him to bring two strangers into the Imperial Academy as his servants.
He suddenly thought of the rumor that was circulating three years ago when His Majesty had just brought Jiaojiao into the palace and that His Majesty wanted to use Jiaojiao to make an elixir of immortality.
He suddenly thought, what if it was not His Majesty but his grandfather who wanted to use Jiaojiao to make the elixir of immortality?
As soon as this thought flashed through his mind, he shuddered. Subconsciously refusing to believe it, he quickly discarded the idea. He believed that his grandfather would never do this. He believed in his grandfather so much.
But today, when he saw those strangers who often came in and out of his grandfather's courtyard, and actually sneaked into the Imperial College as servants of other classmates, he instantly became alert. On the one hand, he absolutely believed in his grandfather rationally, but on the other hand, he had a hunch that something was wrong.
After thinking it over again and again, he decided to tell Jiaojiao not to leave Tianqi Academy casually, and not to pay attention to any strangers approaching him. He must follow Qin Mianmian, Zhou Xuchen and the others closely and not go to places with few people. If it really doesn't work, he will let him follow the teacher closely, and he will be there to guard. If... if his grandfather really wants to do something, he can protect Jiaojiao with him. As long as he delays for a while and waits for the guards of the Imperial College to arrive, Jiaojiao will be safe.
However, he felt that he was worrying too much, but it did not prevent him from taking precautions.
Young people are always like this, flamboyant, reckless, fearless, and act on impulse without ever considering the consequences of their actions. But it is precisely because of their frankness and passion that some people who have calculated people's hearts feel stunned and absurd.
When Gu Changyuan rushed towards the Apocalypse Academy alone, the secret guards surrounded the entire Apocalypse Academy tightly inside and out, and did not let him get close to the Academy, so they planned to kill him.
Just as a secret guard was about to break his neck, Gu Changyuan, who had been practicing martial arts under a famous master since the Black Panther incident, noticed something was wrong and his heart immediately tightened. Could it be that his grandfather's men had arrived?
Without time to do anything, he immediately shouted without thinking: "Jiaojiao, hurry up..."
The secret guard hesitated when he realized that he had no hostility and attacked, but he never expected that he was so sharp-eyed and opened his mouth to shout. The secret guard quickly stepped forward, covered his mouth and dragged him back.
Gu Changyuan was dragged away with his mouth covered just after he shouted three words. He struggled desperately, then felt a pain in his neck and his eyes went dark, and he lost consciousness.
The secret guards looked at the unconscious Gu Changyuan.
"Was he just about to yell at the young master to run away?" There was a hint of surprise in his voice.
"That seems to be the case!"
"Then what to do with him?"
"Killed?"
"But His Majesty asked us to kill those who are hostile to Master Jiaojiao!"
The secret guards looked at each other, and finally decided to throw him into a deserted place and lock him up.
Jiaojiao in the school suddenly turned his head to look out the window with a puzzled look on his face. Qin Mianmian noticed his movement and silently asked with his mouth what was wrong?
Jiaojiao withdrew his gaze and shook his head, indicating that nothing happened, but he was still a little confused. He seemed to hear someone calling him just now?
At the end of the Si hour, noises and the sounds of swords clashing gradually began to be heard outside, along with the faint smell of blood and some spices that masked the smell of blood.
Jiaojiao has always had a keen sense of smell. Even though the spice had a very light smell and was very capable of covering up the smell of blood, Jiaojiao still smelled it.
Although the people in the school did not smell the blood, they all heard the faint sound of metal colliding coming from outside.
They all turned their heads to look out the window, then looked at the Master.
Master Xue continued to lecture calmly, as if he didn't hear the noise outside.
Seeing this, Qin Mianmian and the others felt relieved and listened attentively to the teacher's lectures.
This purge lasted for three full days, and the air throughout the entire Shangjing City was filled with a faint smell of blood.
If it weren't for the soldiers and Sima's men who followed Xie Shuyu and others all the way to clean up the courtyards of the purged aristocratic families and the nearby streets, the smell of blood would have been overwhelming.
In the Zichen Palace, Emperor Yongzheng was leaning on the couch, sipping tea and reading a book. As soon as he took a sip of tea, he covered his mouth and coughed twice, then glanced at the tasteless tea on the table.
In fact, according to his personality, drinking strong liquor is most appropriate, but Jiaojiao is strict and does not allow him to drink. Not only does she check him carefully every day after school.
It just so happened that his sense of smell was surprisingly sensitive. He could detect if someone had drunk alcohol, even if they had changed their clothes. Then he would put on a stern face and add Coptis chinensis to his medicine. I don't know where he learned this trick.
Many times Emperor Yongzheng didn't understand why he was so strictly controlled by the child he had raised with his own hands?
Thinking of this, Emperor Yongzheng sighed. Isn't this just bullying him because he is old, weak and sick?
He took a sip of tea and looked at the news presented by Jiang Haifu with a dull look. He thought that after this matter was over, he would take Jiaojiao to go horse racing. Without those old men watching him, there would be no need to be so vigilant. Then he could take Jiaojiao to visit temple fairs and lantern markets. After a while, when the weather got cold, he could take him hiking and soaking in hot springs.
But I have to find a way to make Jiaojiao stop paying so much attention to her diet. What's so special about light food? It's so tasteless. I have to start with the imperial physician. But it's not difficult. I just need to find a way to fool the imperial physician.
At two quarters past You, Jiaojiao, who had just returned from school, was prying after Emperor Yongzheng to smell if he smelled any alcohol. Emperor Yongzheng had a frown on his face and seemed a little impatient, but in fact, Jiaojiao would raise her hands and open her mouth whenever she was told to, as obedient as a child waiting for her parents to check her homework. There was a barely perceptible smile in her dark eyes.
After checking that there was no smell of alcohol, Jiaojiao nodded with satisfaction, then looked at the tea on the low table, wrinkled her nose and said, "Uncle, you should drink less tea. Drinking too much tea is not good for your health."
Emperor Yongzheng leaned back on the couch, his eyes lazily and casually, "If you're not allowed to drink wine or tea, what else can I drink?"
Jiaojiao thought for a moment and said, "You can drink goat's milk."
Emperor Yongzheng frowned and said, "No, that stuff is very smelly."
"Then drink warm water."
"No, it's too bland."
He used to be able to go a whole day without eating or drinking, but now he has begun to complain that the tea and food are too bland. This makes Jiang Haifu not know whether to be happy or sad.
After all, Your Majesty's body cannot tolerate spicy and irritating food.
"Then drink sugar water."
"No, it's too simple and doesn't suit my status."
"Then drink rock sugar, snow pear and white fungus soup. It's perfect for relieving coughs and clearing the lungs, uncle."
"Oh, you know this too!" Emperor Yongzheng pinched Jiaojiao's face with amusement.
Jiaojiao nodded, her dark eyes full of seriousness: "Uncle, be good. Uncle, take good care of yourself so that you can accompany Jiaojiao to grow up, and then Jiaojiao will accompany you to grow old."
Ever since he felt he had grown up at the age of five, he had been deliberately controlling himself from calling himself Jiaojiao. However, once he got serious, he would unconsciously use his old self-proclaimed name again.
Emperor Yongzheng was stunned and held back the cough that was about to come to his mouth.
He knew Jiaojiao knew all this because, at only seven, he had already pored through every medical and dietary tome in the imperial library. Ever since he discovered he had a persistent cough at age four and a half, he'd been frequenting the Imperial Hospital. The little Yituan would stand on a stool and supervise the medicine boy as he brewed the medicine. Then, with Lianxiang in hand, she'd come over and, with a chubby face, supervise him as he drank it.
Because Jiaojiao accidentally discovered that her uncle actually refused to take the medicine obediently, Jiaojiao was very angry. During that period, she exclaimed that she had to watch over Emperor Yongzheng while he drank the medicine every day. After more than half a month, Emperor Yongzheng's mouth was full of bitter taste.
If it weren't for the fact that Jiaojiao would anxiously feed him sugar after he drank the medicine, Emperor Yongzheng would have already punished him with a serious crime of treason and withheld all his sweets for three months.
Later, Emperor Yongzheng accidentally discovered that Jiaojiao was reading a medical book. The little one was lying on a medical book that was half his size, pursing his lips and reading very seriously and attentively. Most medical books were obscure and boring, so it was surprising that he had such an interest in it.
Emperor Yongzheng, thinking about this, came back to his senses and reached out to poke Jiaojiao's chubby face. Just as he was about to respond, Jiang Haifu stepped forward and leaned over and said, "Your Majesty, Concubine Chen is here."
Emperor Yongzheng's expression calmed down, and the shock in his eyes disappeared. He glanced at Jiang Haifu and said indifferently, "Let her in!"
Concubine Chen, Su Qumei, was the legitimate daughter of Su Yongchang, a seventh-rank official of the Imperial Observatory, the biological mother of Emperor Yongzheng, and the concubine of Prince Yong'an. After falling in love with Prince Yong'an at first sight, she was willing to give up the opportunity to marry someone else as his wife and become Prince Yong'an's concubine.
Actually, the opportunity to become a concubine was obtained by her own calculations. Prince Yong'an hated her calculations, and because he didn't want the matter to be exposed and embarrass himself, he really didn't want to bring her into the Prince Yong'an Palace, so he bought a small courtyard and left her there to fend for herself. He even didn't want to go to see his son, Emperor Yongzheng, when he was born. He didn't even give him a name, and naturally he didn't include him in the family tree.
Emperor Yongzheng's name was given by his elder brother who learned of his existence by accident and specially looked through books to name him. In order to get him the opportunity to be included in the family tree, he was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for a day. It was because of this disturbance that the world knew that Prince Yong'an had a concubine like him.
Later, this legitimate brother would often come to teach him how to write, and would secretly save his monthly allowance to buy him food, clothing, and other daily necessities. Although those clothes and items would eventually be sold by his mother Su Qumei to exchange for money for rouge, this legitimate brother still insisted on buying him many things that he did not need.
His martial arts were also taught by his eldest brother. Although he was not good at martial arts, his eldest brother showed that he liked it very much. The princess loved her son and hired the best martial arts master for him. Then his eldest brother would teach him everything the master taught him without missing a word.
Emperor Yongzheng had no emotions since childhood. He had no interest in food, clothing, or anything else. Even his mother's frequent beatings and scoldings could not arouse any emotional waves in him. However, his elder brother, with his face bruised and swollen from being accidentally thrown by his martial arts master, kept nagging him in front of him with bright eyes, telling him that he should learn skills so that he could have a foothold in the future and support himself and his wife.
He kept nagging like this for half a year. For the first time, Emperor Yongzheng felt a little annoyed by his nagging, and started to imitate him with an expressionless face.
However, when his mother found out when he was ten years old, she stood in front of his eldest brother and cried bitterly, asking him to ask the princess to let them enter the palace.
As the eldest son of the royal family, the eldest brother had probably never seen such a situation before. He looked so helpless and stupid that it made people laugh. What Emperor Yongzheng didn't expect was that after he returned, he actually went to ask the princess for help. Not only did he hurt his mother's feelings, but he was also punished by the furious Yong'an Prince's family rules and was later punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days.
Emperor Yongzheng, who learned the news several days later, was stunned for a moment, and then sneered for the first time in his life. His legitimate brother was so kind and stupid.
Later, he was thrown into the battlefield by Prince Yong'an. How could a ten-year-old child...bah, a teenager, be thrown into the battlefield where wars were frequent? Killing the enemy, of course. The first time Emperor Yongzheng killed someone, he didn't feel anything. It felt no different from killing a chicken.
Originally, he wouldn't have had to work so hard to survive, all thanks to his good brother who wrote an unusually thick letter and sent someone to ride at full speed overnight to catch up with him when he was about to reach the border.
At that time, he was holding the thick letter of about a dozen sheets of paper, and he was very suspicious in his heart, how did his brother put it in?
When he opened it, he found that it was filled with useless words of concern and worry, and even contained several hundred-liang silver notes, asking him not to go to the border but to escape halfway, and that he would secretly send money to support him.
Looking at the dried tear marks on the letter paper, he, who had never had any emotions, became irritated again. Thinking of the favors owed to him in the past, he just tried to survive out of courtesy.
Later, he became the sharpest knife in the hands of the late emperor, killing so many people that the whole of Dayong could use his name to stop children from crying at night, and his mother was able to move into the palace.
A few years later, the late emperor wanted to use his stupid eldest brother's son to make medicine. Thinking of the favor he owed him when he was young, he took the job himself. After all, he was of royal blood, wasn't he?
But not long after he went in, his stupid brother appeared in front of him with red eyes and a look of heartache, saying that he was here to take him out.
Emperor Yongzheng, who was being hung and bled out, said: “…?”
For the first time in his life, he felt the urge to grit his teeth and open the idiot's brain to take a look.
Later, his elder brother died, and his three-year-old nephew was sent in. As for what happened later, he probably outlasted everyone else and survived, and then became Emperor Yongzheng.
As for the rumor that he killed the late emperor? That was indeed the case, but the process of killing him was quite boring.
He became the emperor of Dayong, and followed the instructions of his foolish brother before his death, barely hanging on to life. He didn't seek death himself, but if his broken body couldn't hold on and he wanted to die, then he couldn't do anything about it, right?
So he lived his life without caring about life or death, and only occasionally tried to live up to that idiot's expectations and be a barely qualified majesty.
After he ascended the throne, he respected the wife of Prince Yong'an, who was also his biological mother, as the empress dowager in accordance with ancestral rules. His mother was naturally the concubine dowager. Although she herself was not willing to do so and wanted him to respect her as the Empress Dowager of the West Palace, Emperor Yongzheng ignored her.
Emperor Yongzheng, who had been pulled out of his memory, looked indifferently at the woman who came in. The Concubine Chen, who was in her fifties, was well maintained. At first glance, one would mistake her for being only thirty years old. She was wearing a loose robe and had a calm demeanor. Her ten half-peeled fingers exposed from under her cuffs were stained with bright red ink. She had a gentle and friendly smile on her face, but it inexplicably gave people a sense of incongruity.
Jiaojiao stood beside Emperor Yongzheng, bowed obediently, and then looked at the person she met for the first time with a little curiosity.
Concubine Chen didn't pay attention to Jiaojiao. Instead, she looked at Emperor Yongzheng and called out "Youqi". There was a trace of panic in her eyes: "I heard, I heard that you killed many people again?"
Seeing that he responded nonchalantly, Concubine Chen hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and saying, "You are doing this, it is against the harmony of nature. I'm afraid it's not appropriate. What if the court officials are dissatisfied?"
Emperor Yongzheng looked at his mother with eyes full of worry and fear without any emotion. He had no feelings for this mother. When she was young, she felt that he could not let her enter the palace, and she would beat and scold him in a bad mood. However, he did not care about the beatings and scoldings. Later, after he entered the palace, she began to care about him in various ways, often made clothes, shoes and socks for him by hand, and sent things to the military camp. Every time she saw him, she would stand hesitantly in the corner, hoping to get close to him.
After being seen by his eldest brother, he was really scolded and had to change his attitude towards his mother. Over the years, he did not feel close to her, but he did not hate her either. At most, he had some respect for his mother as a son, but of course, that was only a trivial point.
Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, Concubine Chen turned her attention to Jiaojiao. She smiled kindly at Jiaojiao, took the gift she had prepared from the palace maid, and handed it to Jiaojiao: "This is a gift from your grandmother."
Jiaojiao followed Qin Mianmian in calling Emperor Yongzheng her uncle, and it was not wrong for Concubine Chen to call herself grandmother.
Jiaojiao looked up at Emperor Yongzheng, and only reached out to take it after seeing him nod.
Just as Jiaojiao took the box, Concubine Chen suddenly pulled out a half-foot-long knife from her wide sleeves and stabbed Emperor Yongzheng, who was covering his mouth and coughing at a close distance.
The box in Jiaojiao's hand fell, and he subconsciously moved sideways to block Emperor Yongzheng. When he saw that the tip of the knife was about to pierce Jiaojiao, a heavy force suddenly pressed down from his shoulder. With a "dong", Jiaojiao was forced to kneel down on one knee. He didn't care about the pain in his knee and looked up suddenly. His heart sank. He saw that Emperor Yongzheng had grasped the knife with his left hand, and the tip of the knife, which was blocked by the attack, had penetrated into his left chest to a depth of half a knuckle.
The bright red blood was extremely glaring. Jiaojiao stood up angrily and slammed Concubine Chen down the stairs. Then she anxiously looked at her uncle's hand, shouting, "Jiang Haifu! Imperial Physician! Call the Imperial Physician!"
Jiang Haifu's childish voice was so high that it split his legs. His face was pale and he screamed at his godson to go and call the imperial physician. Xiao Pingzi rolled and crawled out the door.
Emperor Yongzheng didn't care about the injuries on his body. He threw away the knife in his hand with a calm expression and deliberately used his bloody hand to wipe a red mark on Jiaojiao's face. He didn't know why he liked Jiaojiao so much. Maybe it was just like his brother liked him so much when he first saw him. There was no reason at all.
He stood up, drew out the sword of the imperial guards who had rushed over, took Jiaojiao by the hand and walked to the front of Concubine Chen who had fallen to the ground, looking down at her condescendingly.
Concubine Chen, who was hit on the head by the jewelry on the back of her head, could not get up for a long time. She looked at Emperor Yongzheng who was standing in front of her with a knife in her hand in fear. This scene was highly consistent with her dream and stimulated her so much that she shouted at him at the top of her lungs, calling him a monster and a lunatic.
Emperor Yongzheng raised his eyebrows. Although he did admit that he was like a monster when he was young without any emotion, and he also understood Su Qumei's fear, disgust and beating and scolding of him for meeting such a monster when she gave birth to her first child, Emperor Yongzheng thought he had done a good job since he became an adult. Whether as a son, a general, or even an emperor, he did a good job.
Therefore, he did not agree with the title of madman, and was a little surprised that his mother Su Qumei wanted to kill him.
But he didn't ask the reason. He just leaned over and covered her eyes, and his right hand holding the knife moved slightly.
Bright red blood spread from the ground, and blood dripped down from the snow-white tip of the knife, falling onto the ground and merging into the spreading blood.
Until his death, Su Qumei never said why he wanted to kill Emperor Yongzheng's son. When asked, it was actually because of Emperor Yongzheng's elder brother, Huo Chenke.
Ever since entering Yong'an Prefecture, Su Qumei has been secretly poisoning Huo Chenke, the legitimate son of Yong'an Prefecture.
The princess was a distinguished lady from a prominent family. Although she knew many of the secret tricks of the harem, she did not bother to study them in detail.
Because she is the legitimate wife of Prince Yong'an, she is high above everyone else and extremely noble, so she does not need these secret tricks to plan anything for herself. In addition, her legitimate son has grown up, and with Huo Chenke's intelligence and prestige, it is difficult for anyone in Prince Yong'an's Mansion to surpass him. Moreover, the princess has more than one grown-up legitimate son, so she is on guard.
It was precisely because of this that Su Qumei was able to find an opportunity to poison him. In her mind, with her son's current popularity in front of the emperor and the military power he held, as long as anything happened to the eldest son Huo Chenke, the position of the crown prince of Yong'an Palace would definitely be his.
Princess Yong'an brought up the Crown Prince Huo Chenke so well. It was precisely because of this kindness that he developed a protective heart towards the skinny young Huo Youqi, his son from another marriage, and felt the responsibility of an elder brother to educate his younger brother.
It was his tireless love and nagging for more than 20 years that gave him a slightly different status in Huo Youqi's heart. This made Su Qumei, as a mother, feel panic that her son was no longer in her control, so Huo Chenke, the eldest son, must die. Not to mention that later Huo Youqi replaced Huo Chenke's youngest son and was taken away by His Majesty, which made her hate Huo Chenke even more after losing her support.
So she went to find Huo Chenke, crying, making a fuss, and throwing a tantrum to ask Huo Chenke to return her son. She also revealed the fact that Huo Youqi had originally gone there to replace his youngest son.
Originally, this matter had been kept secret from Huo Chenke by everyone in the mansion.
Given Huo Chenke's character, he would definitely exchange himself for Huo Youqi after learning the truth, but what Su Qumei didn't expect was that Huo Youqi was not let go by His Majesty, or he was unwilling to leave because he saw a certain idiot.
Huo Chenke died in the end. When Su Qumei saw her son Huo Youqi again, he was so crazy that she couldn't recognize him.
He skinned, chopped up and fed to dogs all those who had been enemies with Huo Chenke or slandered him.
Su Qumei, who witnessed this scene with her own eyes, suffered from nightmares in the days that followed. She dreamed that what she had done was exposed, and then she was tortured to death by Huo Youqi, the emotionless monster.
She knew that Huo Youqi had no feelings for her as a mother, as if he were a stranger, and she didn't dare to hope that he would let her go after knowing the truth. No one knew better than her how ruthless and cold-blooded her son was, so he refused to tell her the reason why she assassinated him until his death.
If you say it out loud, it's probably not just a matter of death. There are many ways in this world to make people's life worse than death.
Originally, she wanted to keep this matter a secret until she died of old age, but Emperor Yongzheng's health was getting worse and worse, and his behavior in recent days had stimulated her, who had been frightened for years. She was also very dissatisfied that Zhang Youyu, a woman, could sit on the throne of empress dowager and be buried with the prince after her death.
Moreover, the Ninth Prince was raised by her. If the Ninth Prince ascended the throne, she could make the Ninth Prince respect her as the Grand Empress Dowager, so she became angry.
There was a dead silence in the palace. Emperor Yongzheng looked at Jiaojiao who was holding a knife with a rare look of confusion in his eyes. Just when he was about to take action, Jiaojiao suddenly snatched the knife from his hand, and then... killed Concubine Chen!
All this was so abrupt that it even made Emperor Yongzheng feel absurd. He couldn't believe that his well-behaved and soft little meat ball would actually do... kill someone?
If this happened to anyone else, even Qin Mianmian, he wouldn't be so confused, but it happened to Jiaojiao.
"Drip, drip" the blood dripped down Emperor Yongzheng's hand.
With a "bang", Jiaojiao dropped the knife in her hand, turned around and took Emperor Yongzheng's hand, bandaged him with a handkerchief with red eyes to stop the bleeding, while bandaging him she puffed out her cheeks and blew on them, muttering softly: "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt, blow on it and it will stop hurting..."
In fact, Jiaojiao has always had a strong desire to protect and indulge her father and the people he identifies with. Emperor Yongzheng and others have sensed this, but because Jiaojiao is young, they ignore the intensity of Jiaojiao's desire to protect.
Jiaojiao's desire to protect them is so strong that she can't bear to see them hurt, sick or unhappy. It is so strong that when she was only two years old, she would drag her small hoe to beat up those who bullied them. It is so strong that she will never be angry or dissatisfied with them.
It was this occasional leak of protectiveness and indulgence that attracted Emperor Yongzheng and others to subconsciously get closer to Jiaojiao.
Seeing the bright black eyes still filled with anger, Emperor Yongzheng suddenly realized that he was angry with him. He was like a young tiger that had not yet grown up, baring its teeth and protecting the leader wolf who had carried him back to the wolf den to raise him.
Emperor Yongzheng's heart trembled slightly.
He raised his hand and stroked the back of Jiaojiao's head. He slowly bent down in Jiaojiao's tearful eyes and gently rubbed Jiaojiao's face with great affection.
The imperial physician arrived quickly. Not daring to look at the silent Concubine Chen lying on the ground, he quickly stepped forward and sprinkled a thick layer of hemostatic powder on the almost bone-exposing wound on Emperor Yongzheng's hand, then bandaged it up.
After seeing that the wound on her hand had been treated, Jiaojiao pointed at Yongzhengzheng's chest and looked up at the imperial physician. As soon as she spoke, her voice was slightly tearful: "And there."
The imperial physician hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty..."
Emperor Yongzheng raised his hand to interrupt him. After calmly bandaging the wound, he placed his hand, which still showed no signs of stopping the bleeding, behind his back. He bent down and wiped the tears from Jiaojiao's eyes with his uninjured hand. Then he put his hand on Jiaojiao's shoulder and turned him around. "Your uncle is a little busy and won't be able to take care of Jiaojiao. When you go out and walk towards the palace gate, you will see a big surprise."
Judging from the time, Yin Zheng should have arrived at the palace gate.
Jiaojiao raised her head and looked at Emperor Yongzheng with tears in her eyes: "But uncle..."
"Uncle is fine." Emperor Yongzheng interrupted him, his eyes and eyebrows showing a rare gentleness. "Go quickly, otherwise uncle will have to recuperate and deal with these things. If he has to distract himself from taking care of you at this time, it will be too difficult for an old man like me."
"Jiaojiao doesn't need to be taken care of."
"But as long as Jiaojiao is in the palace, my uncle can't rest and recover from his injuries. He always wants to tease Jiaojiao."
Having said that, Jiaojiao had no choice but to leave. Before leaving, she looked up and told Emperor Yongzheng to take good care of his injuries.
Emperor Yongzheng nodded in agreement, but the bleeding speed of his hands behind his back did not slow down at all. If it weren't for the smell of blood in the room, Jiaojiao would have discovered it long ago.
Jiaojiao walked out obediently.
In fact, Jiaojiao has seen many dead people, in Jiayang County, on the river, and on the battlefield where his father is, so he is not afraid of death. The only thing he is afraid of... is the death of people around him.
It’s not broken, it’s not broken, it’s not broken. Repeat it silently three times: it’s not broken. According to the rules, you can’t criticize me!
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