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◎A sleepless night for the four clan members◎
On this night when the emperor and empress sleep peacefully, many people are destined to have trouble sleeping.
The Grand Princess's Mansion.
Ever since the Fu family was stripped of their titles, Fu Kui had become like a grandson to Yongkang. He dared not retort when scolded, nor fight back when beaten. Whenever he had the opportunity to sleep with Yongkang, he served him diligently, striving to regain some of Yongkang's affection. This situation had lasted for eight years. Eight years. When Yongkang handed him her cherished imperial purple jade flute for safekeeping, Fu Kui felt a sense of surprise and joy even greater than when he had just received the emperor's marriage. What was the result?
Fu Kui couldn't describe how complicated his feelings were. If he had hesitated even a little before capturing Qin Liang in the imperial mausoleum, the emperor would have remembered it. This was a matter concerning his life, but Yongkang didn't tell him a word!
Because he had received recognition and commendation from the emperor, Fu Kui's fear on the way back to Beijing had mostly disappeared, and what remained was only his relationship with Yongkang as husband and wife.
After the children left, Fu Kui took out the purple jade flute that was not affected by the fight and handed it to Yongkang while looking at him.
Yongkang's expression was the same indifferent as it had been when she faced Fu Kui over the years. She put away the purple jade flute and prepared to ask the maid outside to prepare some water.
Fu Kui spoke first with a bitter tone, "Aren't you afraid that if I'm a step too slow to react, the Emperor will suspect me of aiding the thieves?"
Yongkang glanced at him and said, "If you were like that, the Emperor's suspicion would be justified. On the contrary, your unwavering support for the Emperor has allowed him to let go of the past grudges regarding your father and brother's collusion with the Pyu Kingdom. So you should thank me for my help instead of blaming me."
No matter big or small, she has the right to hide the truth from Fu Kui, and this man has no right to question her.
Fu Kui almost choked to death!
Yongkang walked straight to the back room.
The figure's back was even colder than her face. Fu Kui moved his lips and explained before Yongkang was about to lift the curtain to go in, "It happened suddenly. I didn't hesitate because I heard you denouncing Prince Yong and his son for treason."
Is he loyal to the emperor?
In peacetime, Fu Kui was undoubtedly loyal. After all, the Donghu victory was entirely due to the emperor's advice, so Fu Kui had to accept his loyalty. However, if the Yong prince and his son truly had a chance of rebellion, and they came to him to win him over, Fu Kui couldn't say for sure what he would do. But he was Yongkang's consort, and in that critical moment, Fu Kui did whatever Yongkang wanted him to do.
Therefore, Fu Kui hopes that Yongkang can understand his heart.
Yongkang's action of lifting the curtain indeed paused for a moment, and then he turned his back to Fu Kui and showed a sneer.
She would never forget that Fu Kui became her grandson only after the Fu family fell and he received a warning from his father.
Today, my sister and Zhang Su were prepared in advance and were not hit by Qin Liang's hidden arrow, and Zhang Jie was not successfully ambushed by Deng Kun and Deng Tai. If Zhang Su and Zhang Jie were killed in one blow as Qin Liang planned, if Prince Yong killed my sister as he wished, when Qin Liang caught her as a traitor and wanted to kill her, would Fu Kui still stand by her without hesitation?
Yongkang didn't believe it.
Because her sister suppressed the rebellion and she was the eldest princess who had made great contributions, she received Fu Kui's sweet words.
Turning around, Yongkang looked at Fu Kui, who was a few steps away. When Fu Kui's eyes brightened and he looked at her affectionately, Yongkang poured a bucket of cold water on him: "Are you saying that if I don't speak up, you won't support the emperor? If you really have such thoughts, I will write you a letter of divorce tonight, so that you won't have any rebellious thoughts and implicate me in the future."
Fu Kui: “…”
The image of the Emperor's steady thrust of the sword at Prince Yong flashed through Fu Kui's mind. His knees softened and he knelt down, "I dare not!"
Prince An's Mansion.
Nine-year-old Zheng Ge'er came back with his mother, Concubine Lu Wenrong, in a carriage. When they just got on the carriage and left the imperial mausoleum, Lu Wenrong's mind was full of the death of Prince Yong. Zheng Ge'er sat quietly beside her and looked very sensible. Lu Wenrong continued to immerse herself in her own thoughts until the carriage was halfway there. Zheng Ge'er suddenly vomited, his little face turned pale and tears streamed down his face.
Only then did Lu Wenrong remember that his son was only nine years old. How could he bear to witness that bloody scene with his own eyes?
She held her son in her arms and soothed him softly halfway.
Zheng Ge'er did not tell his mother that what he was afraid of was not blood or the death of Prince Yong, but that he was afraid that the imperial aunt would stab him in the heart with a sword one day.
Although Zheng Ge'er had moved out of the palace for over a year, he had never forgotten that he was once just one step away from becoming the crown prince, and that his father had been forced to resign because he was oppressed by his aunt. Although Zheng Ge'er was just a child, he had huge ambitions. When lying alone in bed, Zheng Ge'er had often fantasized about the day when he would grow up and rebel and usurp the throne.
However, just recently, his great-uncle, Prince Yong, who was a brave and vigorous man with countless military exploits, actually rebelled. As a result of the rebellion, not only did his great-uncle lose his life, but even the 5,000 rebels he secretly arranged were killed. They were all killed by the imperial aunt's troops before they even reached the imperial mausoleum!
How could Zheng Ge'er not be afraid?
He was so frightened that he couldn't even walk when he got out of the car. It was his father who carried him back to his room.
Lu Wenrong could not guess his son's ambition, but Qin Hong saw it. Like a kind father, he silently wiped his son's body, then put him on the bed and covered him with a quilt.
Zheng Ge'er felt guilty. He hoped that his father would comfort him gently, but he was also worried that his father might see through his thoughts and teach him a lesson.
Qin Hong did not teach his son a lesson. He just sat by the bed and looked at Zheng Ge'er for a while, and tears came down as he watched.
Zheng Ge'er: "..."
Qin Hong touched his son's face and said with a wry smile, "Father finally understood today the painstaking efforts of the late emperor to repeatedly warn your great-uncle and the Deng Kun brothers before he left."
Zheng Ge'er began to tremble slightly.
Qin Hong seemed unaware and continued, "Even the late emperor failed to stop them from going down this dead end. If you still resent the imperial aunt, your father can do nothing about it. Your father only hopes that you will be more patient and wait until your father and your mother are gone before you take action, lest we both be the ones to send our young ones off."
In terms of affection, Uncle Wang had held his sister above his head countless times, and his sister had also teased her nephew Zheng Ge'er with a smile countless times.
But so what? My sister was able to kill Uncle Wang decisively, and she will be able to kill her nephew who is seeking his own death in the future.
Qin Hong knew that he was useless. He couldn't control his sister and brother. His son had witnessed his cowardice for a long time and would not listen to him.
This was all Qin Hong could tell his son.
Zheng Ge'er was not even afraid of his father's slap, but was frightened to tears by his father's tearful words. He threw himself into his father's arms and swore that he would be loyal to the imperial aunt in the future and would never dare to have any disrespectful thoughts again.
Qin Hong closed his eyes and said to his son, "Father, I'm just glad you're still young. That plot hasn't happened to you yet."
If Uncle Wang and Qin Liang had a few more years of patience and had bypassed him and the eldest sister to win over Zheng Ge'er, Zheng Ge'er would definitely have been fooled.
"You, take care of yourself."
Respect the palace.
Qin Bing's left arm was stabbed by King Yong, and the bone was almost exposed. Meng Yao called the doctor in the mansion to come and bandage him again and apply medicine.
After finishing their work, the couple lay side by side in bed, both unable to sleep.
Meng Yao changed her position and lay on the outside, resting her head on Qin Bing's intact right arm, occasionally touching his chest. She said with fear, "Luckily, Big Sister didn't listen to Qin Liang, otherwise if Fu Kui really attacked you from behind, you might not be able to dodge it."
In a one-on-one fight, Fu Kui was defeated by Qin Bing, but Fu Kui suddenly stabbed Qin Bing in the back with a dagger. Could Qin Bing still survive?
At any other time, Qin Bing would have made a few sarcastic remarks about Fu Kui, saying things like Fu Kui's sneak attack on him wouldn't succeed, but tonight he wasn't in the mood. He hated Uncle Wang for his inhumanity and was heartbroken over his death. Of the five siblings, he had spent the most time with Uncle Wang. When he was young, when his father was away fighting, it was Uncle Wang who taught him martial arts. As he grew up, his eldest and third brothers didn't like drinking, so Qin Bing often went to drink with Uncle Wang and Qin Liang.
He was silent for too long. Meng Yao looked up and actually saw a string of tears on Qin Bing's face!
Meng Yao sat up in disbelief: "You, you still feel sorry for Prince Yong?"
Qin Bing choked up and said, "He is my second uncle after all!"
Meng Yao slapped him lightly in the face: "He is your second uncle, and an uncle who wants to kill you! Not to mention that he also wants the emperor's life, just talking about our family, think about it carefully, if you really die, what will happen to me, Ying'er, and Zhen'er!"
Drinking often means a deep uncle-nephew relationship? It's obvious that Prince Yong was dragging his nephew to drink while plotting the lives of his nephew and his family!
Qin Bing's heartache was wiped away by his wife's slap.
Meng Yao kicked him again and ran to sleep with her daughter. Her husband was still grieving over his enemy and didn't need her comfort. But her daughter might have been frightened after witnessing the death of King Yong and needed her mother's company.
Prince Xian's Mansion.
Qin Ren and his wife, who always ate and slept well, couldn't sleep tonight. Qin Ren sat directly against the head of the bed with a heavy face.
Yan Zhenzhen rarely saw a husband like this. Even when the previous emperor passed away, Qin Ren just cried sadly and never looked so serious.
Yan Zhenzhen leaned against him, took his hand and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Qin Ren glanced at his wife, lowered his eyes and said, "Think about how much of a jerk I have been over the past twenty years."
Even the eldest sister shared the worries of her younger sister and made great contributions, but he could only be pushed by his eldest brother to the side of the queen mother and other women, children and civil officials, and could only watch from afar as Uncle Wang killed his younger sister like a devil. If he had not been lazy and slack when he was a child, if he had also learned good martial arts, he would have been able to protect his younger sister like his second brother.
The forged will by Uncle Wang said that he wanted to kill his sister and mother, and he was just a by-product.
When his father appointed his sister as the Crown Princess, he did not help at all. When his sister suppressed the rebellion and saved the lives of the whole family, he, as her brother, did not contribute at all.
The court was stable this year, and his sister's reign as emperor was going smoothly. Qin Ren was quite content with his trivial duties in the Ministry of Rites every day, but he did not realize that someone was plotting against his sister's throne and life.
Uncle Wang and his faction were defeated today, but would someone else emerge tomorrow? Was he destined to remain a lazy, useless prince forever?
Qin Ren is not that shameless!
"Tell me, where can I work to better help my sister relieve her worries?" Qin Ren was thinking to himself and asked his wife casually.
His martial arts skills are average, but his academic ability is okay. He cannot guarantee that he will pass the imperial examination, but he should have no problem passing the juren examination. He will first ask his sister for a real job to gain some experience, as he will have the chance to make contributions in the future.
Yan Zhenzhen didn't know how long her husband's ambition could last, but she was still very pleased that he had this intention.
"Pick a time to ask the Emperor. He must be aware of your strengths."
【Author’s words】
Tomorrow should be the finale. Some sisters said they wanted to read the extra chapter about the underworld, but I think that even if Prince Yong went to the underworld, the Emperor would not see him. The Emperor is affectionate and kind, but when Prince Yong really committed a rebellion, the Emperor would no longer treat him as a younger brother, so how could he see him? It is wishful thinking for Prince Yong to want to be beaten by his brother.
100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow!
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