Soldiers 9
Last night the Queen Mother suddenly said that she was not feeling well and was afraid that she would not be able to come today. How come she came here without informing us?
"Mother is here, please sit down." said the emperor with a smile.
A seat was reserved for the Queen Mother.
Chen Wanyue didn't know what method Xiao Zhaoming used to get people to come voluntarily, but judging from the fact that the empress dowager didn't say anything for a long time, it was not a good thing.
After they sat down, the Queen Mother spoke: "I heard you two talking just now, what were you talking about?"
With the emperor around, how could officials like them have any right to answer?
"Mother, you are talking about General Yan's family affairs."
"Housework..."
The emperor did not say it explicitly. They all knew that the epidemic was not an accident, and it was better not to mention that General Yan's sister died of the epidemic.
"Speaking of which, I have a good relationship with Concubine Yan." The Queen Mother suddenly spoke up, "She is good at embroidery and has even embroidered clothes for the emperor. The swaddling clothes she was born in were given by Concubine Yan."
The emperor didn't know whether the empress dowager mentioned it casually or deliberately, and he laughed and said, "Really?"
Of course the Queen Mother did it on purpose. She was extremely nervous when she heard that Xiao Zhaoming had visited General Yan.
She would not let Xiao Zhaoming succeed. The secret she had kept for so many years could only be buried in the ground. If anyone wanted to tell the world about this secret, then they could go to the underworld and tell the King of Hell!
There was a flash of viciousness in the Queen Mother's eyes, but she managed a smile: "Everyone, continue."
"yes."
Slowly, the atmosphere was recovering.
The palace servant beside Chen Wanyue suddenly trembled and spilled tea on the corner of her clothes: "Sorry, sorry! I'll take you out to change."
"Um."
Time is up.
After explaining the matter to General Yan, she went out with the palace maid.
During the whole process, Xiao Zhaoming kept focusing on the dishes in front of him, and from time to time he would tell the emperor which dish was good.
But in his mind he was planning today's big show, how should it be performed?
Shen Wanyue came to a room.
After the palace servant confirmed that there was no one around, he whispered to her, "Take action after receiving the signal from my subordinates."
"Um."
The palace servants didn't know what she was doing, Xiao Zhaoming told him all this.
At the party in the back garden.
General Yan suddenly stood up and toasted the Queen Mother: "Your Majesty, after I returned to Beijing, I heard that the epidemic in the palace that year was caused by someone with ulterior motives."
The emperor looked unhappy. He mentioned it on this occasion, but he didn't show it too obviously: "This matter is still under investigation."
It means it's still uncertain.
But who among the people present didn't get the news?
General Yan sighed and said, "The death of Concubine Yan has always been a knot in my mother's heart."
"I will find out the truth about the epidemic. I will leave this matter to Zhaoming. You may as well ask him." This is to let him stop. This kind of scandal is not good to talk about in public.
Xiao Zhaoming stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I have confirmed who did it."
The emperor's expression became even worse: "We will discuss this matter later."
The officials present did not dare to speak, nor did they dare to leave early. After all, the banquet had just started.
General Yan seemed to have only heard what Xiao Zhaoming said. He widened his eyes and asked in surprise, "What! There is already a result."
"Yes, General Yan."
Xiao Zhaoming already had enough evidence in his hands, and the Queen Mother secretly sent someone to destroy the evidence, but fortunately they were dealt with.
The emperor had no choice but to slam the table and said: "Okay, since there is a result, let's discuss it tomorrow." Did they really take him, the emperor, seriously?
General Yan had just made a contribution, so it was not convenient for him to punish him severely. If it were in the past, he would have dragged him down and given him a beating with a stick.
Taking advantage of the emperor's thoughts, Xiao Zhaoming revealed the secret of the empress dowager in front of everyone.
Among the officials present, one had trembling legs and could not even hold a wine glass.
As the wine glass in his hand fell to the ground: "Ah!"
Everyone's eyes fell on him.
The official was sitting in a corner, and if he hadn't deliberately looked for someone, he wouldn't have noticed that there was someone sitting there.
The Queen Mother was surprised: Why is this person here? !
The man hurried over and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, I am disrespectful."
"Nothing, get up." The emperor held up his temples and closed his eyes irritably.
Xiao Zhaoming spoke at this time: "Your Majesty, this is a strong witness."
"!"
Everyone was shocked.
The emperor glanced at everyone below and closed his eyes again: "You need to deal with it quickly."
The Queen Mother panicked: "Emperor, Xiao Zhaoming is so ignorant of the seriousness of this occasion that he ruined the fun, and you are going to follow him and make trouble?"
A single mischief is particularly serious.
"Mother, it's me..."
"Your Majesty!" Who would have thought that General Yan would speak, "Just now you asked me what grace I was seeking. I have thought it through now and want the truth to be known to the world. If it is not resolved today, I will not be able to sleep. My mother is on her deathbed, and I hope to let her know the truth as soon as possible so that she can feel at ease when she meets Concubine Yan."
Even when people said this, the emperor couldn't stop it. Wasn't he governing the country with filial piety?
"Zhao Ming, let's start over there."
"yes."
Xiao Zhaoming turned to the kneeling official and said, "Tell me everything you did."
"...Yes." The official said with a trembling voice, "The night before the outbreak of the epidemic in the palace, I was delivering a document to the late emperor on behalf of the then prime minister. I didn't want to see...see..."
"Go on." The emperor was already in a bad mood, and became even more impatient when he saw people pause.
The official kowtowed to the ground and said, "I saw the common doctor beside the Queen Mother bringing a man dressed as a palace maid into the palace. They found me and wanted to kill me to silence me. Fortunately, the Prime Minister suddenly decided to hand me over to Your Majesty in person, so I escaped death, Your Majesty."
"As you said, you are still alive after being discovered? Even if they didn't do it immediately, they should have killed you later."
"That's true... But I was called before the Queen Mother. She wanted to kill me, but the Queen Mother had something for me to do, so I escaped."
The Queen Mother slammed the table and retorted, "You are talking nonsense! How dare you slander me? Drag him down and beat him to death! Xiao Zhaoming, you dare to give false testimony. I think you are not capable! Go back to the palace and reflect on your mistakes!"
"Why is the Queen Mother so anxious?" Xiao Zhaoming said calmly, "Are you afraid that he will reveal more?"
The emperor looked at the empress dowager beside him, with unspeakable emotions in his eyes.
He knew his mother too well, and his expression showed that the official was right.
But that's a human life? Why did the Queen Mother do that? Isn't she afraid of being haunted by the wronged spirits after death?
Suddenly I remembered that my brothers and sisters are almost dead...
"Mother..."
The Queen Mother had no choice but to look at the Emperor, her eyes almost popping out: "Tell him to shut up!"
The official continued, "The Queen Mother asked me to bring poison to the Prime Minister, so the Prime Minister was not infected with the disease, but the poison! I am restless day and night, and I am also afraid of revenge from the Queen Mother, so I asked for permission for the Prime Minister to return home to take care of his parents. I took the initiative to tell you today so that the Prime Minister will blame me less after I die."
Xiao Zhaoming said: "Do you have any evidence?"
"Yes, yes. This is the cloth that the doctor used to wrap the medicine for me." The official presented the cloth.
Xiao Zhaoming held it up high and said, "Your Majesty, this is the cloth that Zhou Shi used to wrap the poison."
"Bring it up."
The Queen Mother looked at the cloth and tried to grab it, but the Emperor dodged her. Her drooping eyelids showed an expression of disbelief: "Emperor..."
But the emperor's eyes were cold: "Mother, you know that the Prime Minister is my mentor."
This drama was seen by all officials, but no one dared to stand up.
The official added: "Your Majesty, everything I said is true. I didn't expect the Queen Mother to be so vicious!"
"You are talking nonsense!" The Queen Mother raised a trembling finger and pointed at him.
"I'm afraid this evidence is not enough." A minister from the Queen Mother's party spoke up.
"I know. Of course there is other evidence." Xiao Zhaoming turned to face the emperor. "Your Majesty, do you know that the doctor Zhou who died earlier, his master was a folk doctor brought into the palace by the empress dowager. He knew how to make poisons, and he had other disciples besides Zhou Shi."
After saying that, a man walked in from outside. It was Uncle Zhang.
When Jileta went to find Xiaoya, he brought this important witness with him.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Uncle Zhang slowly stood up and recounted everything Zhou Shi had done, followed by the story about his master.
"My master left home for many years. All the neighbors know this. Your Majesty can ask around if you don't trust him. After my master returned home, he became depressed and died soon after. But he wrote down what he did."
Isn't this a confession?
The minister who spoke for the Queen Mother spoke again: "Humph, who knows whether it is true or not?"
"In addition to the confession, there are also items that the Queen Mother once rewarded me."
“Who knows if it was stolen?”
The emperor asked, "Where is the confession?"
"I have always carried it with me, Your Majesty." Uncle Zhang took out an envelope from his arms, and Xiao Zhaoming presented it to him personally.
The Queen Mother stared intently.
Xiao Zhaoming had to be on guard against her: "If the Queen Mother tries to snatch it again, she will be directly guilty."
She had to give up the idea.
In full view of everyone, the emperor opened the envelope and became more shocked the more he read.
Is this the mother I respect?
She murdered the heir to the throne, concubines, and even ministers in the court! The name of each victim was enough to make people shudder.
Even General Yan's sister had specifically instructed that he be killed.
At this time, General Yan and the others knelt down and said, "No matter how filial your majesty is, you must still care about national etiquette and national laws. If you give a lighter punishment just because she is your mother, it would be a cover-up! Royal relatives who break the law are guilty of the same crime as common people. Your majesty must punish them according to the law!"
"Shut up!" The Queen Mother roared in her throat, "All of you..."
"Mother..." The emperor was under fire. Even if he wanted to cover up the matter, he had to think about the consequences. After today, the matter would spread out of the palace. If it was not properly handled, his reputation would be damaged.
The Queen Mother raised four fingers and swore to the sky: "I have never done these things. It must be that Xiao Zhaoming who wronged me..."
Before she could finish her words, the Queen Mother suddenly rolled her eyes and fainted.
"Mother!" the emperor shouted, "Go find the imperial physician!"
Some officials below were whispering, "Is this a punishment from heaven?"
"Alas, think about the ending of Zhou Shi..."
Everyone present was in a panic.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
