Zhengyang Palace.
Empress Xiao, dressed in white, stood quietly in the empty courtyard, looking quite lonely.
She drove out all the maids and eunuchs in front and behind her, and she wanted to be alone.
Quietly look at the fog-covered Kyoto, and quietly wait for the clouds to fall and view the cloud city.
Of course, she was also quietly waiting for news.
All the arrangements were carried out perfectly according to her wishes, and then it was time for swords and sabers to flash and fight.
Since His Majesty has told her the identity of Fu Xiaoguan, then His Majesty will certainly make some arrangements, but what can be done about it?
After the incident, His Majesty will certainly be angry and may even punish her, but she can endure all of this, not because she has a strong psychological endurance, but because she has the capital to bear it.
The right prime minister Zhuo Yixing was her man, Zhuo Yixing's son Zhuo Bieli was the Grand Marshal of the Wu Dynasty, and Zhuo Bieli's wife was her sister Xiao Wei.
The commander of the imperial guards, Xiao Zhan, is her brother and the prince's uncle.
These are the cards she holds!
If His Majesty were to come clean... I would probably make the same choice as the old empress dowager did back then - twelve years ago, the old empress dowager dyed the Ten Miles of Pinghu Lake red with blood in order for the crown prince to ascend the throne, and even the late emperor died suddenly that night!
It is a good bargain for the fish in Shili Pinghu Lake.
All those corpses were sunk into the lake, and now I'm afraid not even the bones are left.
Therefore, in Empress Xiao's view, Fu Xiaoguan was dead, and that was it. He was just an illegitimate child. It was impossible for the civil and military officials in the court to redress the grievances of an illegitimate child, and it was even more impossible for them to become enemies with the orthodox crown prince for an illegitimate child.
As for the fact that the crown prince is not up to the task, it doesn't matter. At worst, I can just work harder and help him by ruling the country from behind the scenes.
Just as Empress Xiao was daydreaming, Eunuch Gao came running in with small steps.
"Your Majesty, all five disciples of the Taoist Academy have left Jinghu Villa and are about to arrive at Canghai Arrow House. I have arranged for twelve experts to lie in ambush at Jinghu Villa and in Guanyun City...Left Prime Minister Nangong Yiyu has gone to the Yangxin Palace."
Empress Xiao stood with her hands behind her back, looking very graceful. "Where is Zhou Tongtong from Tianji Pavilion?"
Empress Xiao did not take Nangong Yiyu seriously. Nangong Yiyu was once Emperor Wen's teacher. His family background was not prominent in Guanyun City and he posed no threat to her. But Zhou Tongtong, who looked sleepy all day long, was a threat to her. Tianji Pavilion was directly responsible to His Majesty. Although she had already extended her hands into Tianji Pavilion, she was unable to see clearly the old man Zhou Tongtong.
"Your Majesty, Zhou Tongtong has been staying in the Tianji Pavilion and has not come out yet."
Empress Xiao frowned. She would feel at ease if Zhou Tongtong made any movement. This old guy stayed in the Tianji Pavilion and didn't come out... Could it be that he was really old?
The bloody incident of Shili Pinghu twelve years ago was done by this old guy in collaboration with the Queen Mother!
"Keep a close eye on me... No, you have to go to the Tianji Pavilion in person and see that old man with your own eyes!"
"I obey your command!"
Eunuch Gao turned around and was about to leave when Empress Xiao stopped him, "Wait a minute, personally hand this letter from me to my brother."
Eunuch Gao was startled and glanced at Empress Xiao in fear. This was an action targeting Fu Xiaoguan, but it involved the Imperial Guards...
"It's nothing. Just do as I say. After you succeed, I will ensure you a lifetime of wealth and prosperity. In addition, your son will also bring glory to your Gao family!"
Eunuch Gao quickly knelt down and kowtowed, then stood up and turned to leave. He made up his mind and thought, since he had boarded Empress Xiao's boat, he might as well gamble on her rich and prosperous future!
…
…
The game of chess in the Yangxin Palace is almost coming to an end.
However, the chess pieces on the chess scale were very messy, especially Nangong Yiyu's white chess pieces, which looked disorganized.
How could he have the mind to play chess!
"What if she's afraid to act rashly...?"
"I've been playing chess with you for ten years, and you've always said I was a terrible chess player. But if you don't pay more attention to this game, you'll be defeated miserably."
"His Majesty!"
Emperor Wen looked at him with a smile on his face. "I know what you're worried about. It's just the Imperial Guards. Could it be that Xiao Zhan really dares to rebel?"
Nangong Yiyu also looked at Emperor Wen and said very cautiously: "I am going to say something extremely treasonous. The night of Shili Pinghu twelve years ago must not be repeated!"
Emperor Wen nodded slightly. "This is different. Twelve years ago, it was my brother who tried to plot against my position as Crown Prince, and the Empress Dowager had no choice but to intervene to rectify the political order. Now, this is her plotting to kill Fu Xiaoguan, and perhaps... she's trying to kill me too. She's plotting to usurp the throne! This crime... can she die, right? You won't write a letter to plead for her, will you?"
Nangong Yiyu's face turned pale instantly. He understood that all this was a trap set by His Majesty!
Your Majesty used Fu Xiaoguan as bait to force Empress Xiao to make a choice on her own initiative.
This was an open conspiracy. If Empress Xiao did not take any action, Your Majesty would carry out subsequent operations - such as writing Fu Xiaoguan's name on the manifesto during the sacrifice to heaven, or arranging sacrifices to the Taimiao immediately afterwards to have Fu Xiaoguan's name recorded in the Golden Book, or finding a reason that the crown prince was unworthy to depose the crown prince and make Fu Xiaoguan the master of the Eastern Palace.
Will Empress Xiao accept it or not?
She had no choice but to answer!
And the sooner she accepts it, the better it will be for her!
This situation had already begun when His Majesty inexplicably decided to hold this Cold Food Festival literary gathering.
Therefore, in the documents sent to various countries, only Fu Xiaoguan's name was mentioned.
Firstly, I'm afraid His Majesty really wants to see this illegitimate child, and secondly, he is just trying to lure the enemy into a trap.
"Your Majesty, I fear that internal strife will arise!"
"Last year, Emperor Xuan of the Yu Dynasty launched a resolute campaign to thoroughly investigate corruption in the Thirteen Provinces, even at the cost of shaking the very foundations of the nation. Many high-ranking officials of the Yu Dynasty feared for the instability of the state, but the facts proved his victory. Thousands of corrupt officials in the Thirteen Provinces were brought down, and along with them, the Shi and Fei clans, two of the six great clans in the capital, were taken down."
"Don't just sit there and watch the Yu Dynasty suffer a setback in the east. I'm telling you, within three months, the Yi Kingdom will be severely defeated!"
Nangong Yiyu didn't understand why His Majesty changed the subject to the Yu Dynasty. He subconsciously asked, "The Yu Dynasty is weak and its treasury is empty. How can it possibly win?"
"Because in three months, the Eastern Frontier Army will have at least one hundred red-coated cannons—that thing was invented by Fu Xiaoguan. Let me tell you this, that thing will definitely change the pattern of future wars and is a powerful weapon that will determine the fate of the world!"
"No, the problem now is if our dynasty falls into chaos..."
Emperor Wen laughed and dropped one of the dragons, completely devouring Nangong Yiyu's.
"If our dynasty gets into chaos, leave it to Fu Xiaoguan to clean up!"
Nangong Yiyu was shocked. This emperor was indeed as unreliable as before!
"I was just joking with you. Don't worry, there won't be any chaos..." Emperor Wen looked up at the starry sky and said leisurely, "If there really is chaos, remember, my decree of succession is hidden behind the plaque in the Yangxin Palace."
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