"Xu Chengjin...is dead?" Zhong Mingwei was shocked. "When did this happen?"
"It's the tenth day of September. I just received the news as well." Ding Yunwen said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty has ordered a search of the Xu family. From now on, there will no longer be a Xu family in the Great Zhou Dynasty."
"What about the Queen Mother?" Zhong Mingwei suddenly asked.
"I'm not sure about that. But according to His Majesty's temperament, no matter how dissatisfied he is with the Queen Mother, he will definitely not take action against her. Doesn't he always value benevolence and filial piety the most?" Ding Yunwen curled his lips sarcastically, frowning and saying, "But Xu Chengjin is really courting death this time. He has been in charge of Southern Xinjiang for more than ten years, and he has always been able to keep his composure. Why is he so reckless this time? It's really sad."
"Maybe. He has another hand behind his back." Zhong Mingwei said slowly.
…
The tenth day of the tenth month in the thirty-third year of Jiasheng.
Changchun Palace.
"How is the person?" Zhong Zhiheng's face was extremely ugly as soon as he came in. He looked at the crowd of people kneeling on the ground, and the anger in his heart was rising. He raised his foot and kicked a little palace girl who was kneeling in front of him. "You bunch of dog slaves. You can't even serve the master well. You don't even know the purpose of keeping you? Come on, take you away..."
"Your Majesty!" Zhao Ruhai hurried in from outside and stopped in front of Zhong Zhiheng. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the master has just entered the palace."
"Announce." Zhong Zhiheng frowned and walked into the hall while shaking his sleeves.
"Get out of here quickly!" Zhao Ruhai whispered to the little palace maiden who was so frightened that her whole body was limp.
"Thank you, eunuch! Thank you, eunuch!" The little palace maid escaped death and thanked Zhao Ruhai profusely. She bowed and retreated in a hurry.
Huipin has been plagued by nightmares since the Chinese Valentine's Day. Even though Qin Lu has been treating her for three months, there has been no improvement. This morning, Huipin fainted and for a moment she had no pulse. Zhong Zhiheng had just left the court and had rushed over without even having time to change his clothes.
"Your Majesty, the magicians are here," Zhao Ruhai led a group of magicians into the hall, bowed and whispered to Zhong Zhiheng, "These are all great magicians from Yongle Temple, they are the best at catching ghosts and exorcising evil spirits."
Huipin's belly was getting bigger and bigger, but her health was getting worse. Even Qin Lu was helpless. He hinted to Zhong Zhiheng several times that it might be the work of evil spirits. Zhong Zhiheng was most annoyed by ghosts and gods, so he didn't take it seriously. However, it had been three months, and Huipin had not improved at all. The situation had become more serious in the past few days. If this continued, it was possible that one corpse and two lives would be lost. Zhong Zhiheng couldn't help but feel anxious in his heart. Could it be that there really was an evil spirit? So he ordered a few days ago to invite the great magician of Yongleguan to come to the palace to exorcise the evil spirit for Huipin. He had to give it a try.
At this time, Zhong Zhiheng looked at the wizards in strange costumes and couldn't help feeling disgusted. He didn't stay in Changchun Palace for long. He went into the bedroom, took a look at Huipin who was still sleeping, and then returned to the imperial study.
…
Zhong Zhiheng had just entered the imperial study when Zhong Zhiling arrived.
"How come you have time to come to the palace today?" Zhong Zhiheng glanced at Zhong Zhiling, somewhat surprised. Ever since Xu Chengjin was executed, Zhong Zhiling had become idle, wandering around the capital all day long, and had not entered the palace for quite some time.
"I am free not only today, but every day now," Zhong Zhiling said with a smile. He personally brewed some tea and brought it to Zhong Zhiheng, saying with a smile, "I am now living the life of a rich and noble prince. I don't have to work hard on paperwork and play with crickets every day, but I still receive my salary. This is the life I have always dreamed of living."
"Yes, you said that when you were little." Zhong Zhiheng heard him say that and recalled the past. He closed the tea lid and looked at Zhong Zhiling with a smile, "At that time, I scolded you for being useless."
"I have never been a good-for-nothing, and I hope to be a good-for-nothing for the rest of my life. My father and brother are responsible for me, and I just want to live the life of a rich and noble prince." At this point, Zhong Zhiling paused, then pursed his lips bitterly, "But in the end, it didn't go as I wished."
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