Chapter 44 Doll
It began to rain at dawn, the drizzle hitting the eaves, hanging down like a thousand silver beads. Ruyi hurried back from the courtyard, collected her umbrella at the door, and said, "The old lady just sent a message that it is raining today, so the ladies don't need to go to pay their respects."
Zhaocai returned to the room and saw Xiaoshanqiu sleeping motionless behind the screen. He felt so disappointed that he said, "My wife, it's already noon, how can you still sleep?"
Behind the screen, Ming Huashang heard that she didn't need to pay her respects, so she turned over with peace of mind and continued to sleep.
How could she still sleep? Because she just went to bed.
Zhaocai saw that Ming Huachang was like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water... Oh no, she looked like she would not move even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of her. It was useless no matter how anxious he was. He could only close the tent to block out the cool breeze blowing in from the window.
The maids' voices were muffled by the screen and curtains. Jixiang and the others probably thought Ming Huashang was asleep, and whispered, "Did you hear that there was a fire in Chongyefang last night? It was quite big, but fortunately it didn't spread and only burned down one house."
"Really?" the maid next to her asked hurriedly, "Whose family did you burn?"
"The Wei family," Jixiang said, "the one that makes puppets."
The maids heard the puppet's body tremble, and asked in unison: "How did the fire start?"
"I don't know." Jixiang lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "This is the strangest thing. Normally, a fire in the middle of the night would trap a few people or even burn them to death. However, the servants in Wei's house inexplicably appeared in an abandoned house. There were more than a dozen housekeepers and servants. Except for the housekeeper who had a bump on his forehead, no one else was injured or killed. When they woke up, they thought they were dreaming."
"They were sleeping soundly at the Wei family's house, why would they go to the deserted house?"
"Who knows? I heard that they found locust tree leaves in their clothes after they woke up. Now the rumor is that the locust tree of the Wei family has become a spirit, and when it saw the fire, it moved them out."
Ruyi exclaimed softly: "It's so magical?"
"Yes. Now many people go to the Wei family to pick locust leaves and bring them back to bless their homes."
The maids were also very excited, and they were discussing whether they should go out and pick some flowers, as it would be too late when the rain stopped. Ming Huashang lay in the bed curtains, indifferently pulling up the quilt to cover her head.
There is no such thing as a spirit in a locust tree. It was just that idiot Jiang Ling who didn't look at the road when moving people and bumped into the tree. The leaf must have been caught in his clothes by accident.
But it was also a good thing. With everyone paying attention to the locust tree becoming a spirit, not many people paid attention to the manager and apprentice of the Wei family, who all disappeared overnight.
The world lost a puppeteer named Wei Baixuan, but the capital of gods gained a late-night ghost story.
At this time, the city gate was also very lively, and everyone was talking about the fire last night. People living in Chongyefang were talking about the puppets of the Wei family that were haunted some time ago, and coupled with the ending that the locust tree had become a spirit, all kinds of speculations were flying around. Some people talked about other strange stories, and the people in the queue were fascinated by them. Those who wanted to leave the city did not leave and stayed at the city gate to listen to the stories.
The team slowly moved to a middle-aged man and a young woman. The guard scanned them cautiously and asked, "Are you father and daughter?"
Wei Baixuan replied respectfully, "Yes."
"What's the matter with the wound on his face?"
"My father was walking at night and fell accidentally."
"What are you doing in Taiyuan Prefecture?"
Wei Baixuan paused, lowered his eyes and said, "Go back home."
The city gate guard instinctively thought that this father and daughter were strange, but he looked at the pass carefully and saw that there seemed to be no problem, so he waved his hand and said, "Let's go."
Wei Baixuan heaved a relief of relief and smiled at the guard: "Thank you, General sigh. I wish you good health and a bright future."
The woman had a plain appearance, but her smile was inexplicably dazzling, as if she was leaving not the most prosperous capital in the world, but a prison. After all, she was a young girl, so the guard couldn't keep a straight face, so he relaxed his expression and said, "The road to the northern capital is long, be careful along the way."
Wei Baixuan smiled and thanked him: "Thank you for the reminder, Master Jun. I understand."
There is still a long way to go in this life, so she needs to walk carefully and slowly.
Wei Baixuan finally walked out of the tall and majestic Dingding Gate. She lowered her head and looked at the name on the pass.
Wu Suisui, female, eighteen years old, was from Taiyuan Prefecture, Hedong Province.
Wei Baixuan no longer exists in the world. Like the ashes of the Wei family, she disappeared in the raging fire.
The road ahead belongs to Wu Suisui.
Wu Kong did not urge her. He put away the Hu cakes he bought and tied them tightly on his back. These cakes were introduced by the young lady last night. He went to queue up early this morning and they really tasted delicious.
Wu Suisui finally came back to her senses from her memories. She put away the pass and said to Wu Kong, "Father, let's go."
Wu Kong finally heard that his daughter was willing to be his father, and a smile appeared on his face. Even his scarred face showed kindness and generosity. He said, "Okay, let's go."
There is never a lack of new things in the capital of gods. The story of the Wei family's ghosts and monsters only circulated for two days before being suppressed by more exciting things.
The locust tree spirit's defeat was not unfair, because it was the ceremony of conferring the title of Crown Prince that stole its limelight.
The Ziwei Palace had been prepared long ago, and the East Palace was even busier with people coming and going. The Prince of Luling had changed into the crown and robes of the Crown Prince, and the Princess of Luling, Wei, was instructing her children: "Be careful with your words and actions, be respectful when you meet the Wu family, and never cause trouble for the Crown Prince, understand?"
Concubine Wei had been repeating these words over and over since Prince Luling was recalled to the capital. She was so scared that this was all just a dream, and that when she opened her eyes again, they would still be in Luling, living in fear and uncertainty.
Li Chongrun is the eldest son. He witnessed his father's rise from a wealthy and idle man to the crown prince of Emperor Gaozong and then the emperor. However, he was quickly knocked down from the peak and was imprisoned in Luling for thirteen years. This year, he was suddenly reinstated and restored to the status of crown prince. Li Chongrun understood his parents' panic and patiently agreed. However, Concubine Wei's youngest daughter, Li Guoer, did not have the composure of her elder brother.
She looked around impatiently, and when Concubine Wei finally finished her nagging, she said, "Mother, the book has been written. Father is already the crown prince, so why should he be afraid of what others do? We are the monarch and they are the subjects. It is the Wu family that should be respectful to us..."
"Shut up!" Concubine Wei was startled and shouted at Li Gui'er in a harsh voice. She was so frightened that her face turned pale and she was sweating profusely.
This daughter was born on the way to their exile. At that time, there was chaos and war, and there was not even a piece of cloth to wrap the child after she was born. King Luling could only take off his clothes to wrap her. He held his newborn daughter in his arms, looked at the miserable situation around him, and was overwhelmed with grief. He named her Li Guoer.
Li Chongrun at least enjoyed a life of luxury, but Li Guoer was born in Luling and lived a life of fear with her parents. The Prince of Luling and Concubine Wei knew they owed their little daughter, so they doted on her and allowed her to do whatever she wanted since she was young.
Although Li Guoer was born in a poor family, she was very arrogant and domineering. Now she dared to speak ill of the Wu family in the palace! Concubine Wei was trembling with fear and wanted to educate Li Guoer to prevent her from causing trouble in the future. However, Concubine Wei looked at the stubborn and unconvinced look of her little girl and could not bear to reprimand her.
What was wrong with Gu'er? She was so beautiful and should have been a pampered princess, but she had to suffer so much because of them. It was their parents who were incompetent!
The King of Luling could not bear it. He had always been afraid of his wife, but now he said, "Guer is young and speaks without restraint. You frightened her like this."
As soon as Li Chongrun saw his parents' expressions, he knew that it was a dream to expect them to discipline Li Gu'er. He secretly sighed. He had long felt that his parents were too arrogant towards Li Gu'er. In the past, he was nothing in Luling, but now that he was in the capital, Li Gu'er was still so self-centered and arbitrary. How could this be a long-term solution?
But a younger sister is different from a younger brother, so even if he is the eldest brother, he cannot interfere. Li Chongrun could only change the subject and said, "Mother, father is right. Today is the day of the canonization, don't get angry, or you will delay the important matter."
Concubine Wei said a few words to Li Guoer, and the matter was over. The palace servants greeted them from outside the palace, and the Prince of Luling and his wife hurried out to greet them. They saw that it was Shangguan Wan'er.
Shangguan Wan'er arrived surrounded by people. She greeted them with a smile and said, "I pay my respects to the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, Prince, and Princess."
Concubine Wei dared not accept it, and quickly avoided it: "Shangguan Cairen, please stand up quickly. I will still rely on you to guide me later. How dare I accept your gift?"
According to the rules, there is a distinction between the high and the low, and no matter how favored the servants in the inner palace are, it is not their turn to be personally greeted by the prince and his wife. However, the prince is the Prince of Luling, who has just been released from confinement and whose head is still on his waistband, while the servant is Shangguan Cairen, who accompanies the empress, drafts imperial edicts for her, and advises her on government affairs. It is really hard to say who is high and who is low.
Although Shangguan Wan'er was a low-ranking female official, no one dared to look down on her, and people outside the palace even gave her the elegant name of "the female prime minister". Shangguan Wan'er was graceful and graceful. She was half-heartedly helped up by Concubine Wei and smiled, "It is my blessing to serve the crown prince. The people from the Ministry of Rites are outside. Please follow me, Crown Prince and Crown Princess."
The crown prince's appointment was a national event, and the crown princess and the crown prince's children had to attend. The imperial edict for the crown prince's appointment was written by Shangguan Wan'er, who was also a female official in charge of palace ceremonies, so the responsibility of guiding the relatives of the Eastern Palace fell on her.
Prince Luling and Concubine Wei thanked him and were about to leave when they heard a commotion behind them. They all turned around and saw a column of black smoke rising up. The fire seemed to be in the southeast corner of the East Palace.
At this moment, the sky was not yet completely bright, and the smoke stretched across the indigo morning light like a scratch. Shangguan Wan'er's eyelids twitched heavily, and she inexplicably had an ominous premonition.
Shangguan Wan'er looked at Concubine Wei uncertainly: "Crown Princess, this is..."
Concubine Wei also looked surprised and said, "I don't know. Perhaps I didn't serve you properly and ignited the candle."
It's not a firecracker, how could it produce such a big smoke in such a short time? But the people from the Ministry of Rites were outside, and now was not the time to investigate why the fire started. Shangguan Wan'er said, "Hurry up and send someone to put out the fire, don't delay the auspicious time of the Ministry of Rites."
Before she finished her words, a group of eunuchs walked quickly outside the palace gate. Shangguan Wan'er was startled when she saw the leader, and inexplicably felt a sense of foreboding.
The eunuchs walked up to the Crown Prince and Shangguan Wan'er to greet them. The leader was wearing a green robe. Although he smiled, he had a strong sense of gloom. "Your servant greets the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Shangguan Cairen, I am honored to be in your room. Today is a big day for the East Palace. The people below did not do their job well and caused such a big smoke. Damn it. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, please wait in a safe place. I will take people to put out the fire and will not let the fire disturb you."
After hearing this, Prince Luling really wanted to leave. Shangguan Wan'er instinctively felt that something was wrong. Her many years of experience in the palace told her that something must be wrong when things were abnormal, and she couldn't let these eunuchs go behind. She called Eunuch Zhao and said, "Don't bother Eunuch, I'll call someone."
Eunuch Zhao smiled and said, "You are a noble person. How dare you trouble me with such rough work? If I get angry, it will threaten Your Majesty. Please go slowly, I will go ahead."
Shangguan Wan'er wanted to stop them, but she was a female official, and she was surrounded by palace maids. Even if she was favored by the empress, she could not change her strength disadvantage. As soon as she was distracted, Zhao Gonggong and his men were beaten away. Now Shangguan Wan'er was sure that something was wrong. She cursed secretly and quickly said to her confidant: "Go and invite Prince Xiang and Princess Taiping."
Then, she looked up at the still confused Prince Luling, and hated the prince for not living up to his expectations. He was being plotted against, but he still couldn't react. After being imprisoned for thirteen years, he hadn't improved at all?
Shangguan Wan'er could only say: "Your Highness, the fire in the East Palace is not a good omen. Please give me your instructions, Prince."
Prince Luling finally realized something was wrong and said quickly, "Let's go over and take a look."
After Eunuch Zhao led his men to the fire site, he immediately arranged for people to fetch water and put out the fire, and all the actions were completed in one go. When Prince Luling and Shangguan Wan'er arrived, they could only see the wet ground and had no idea how the fire started.
When Eunuch Zhao saw them coming, he was not surprised at all and said with a smile: "Prince, Lady Shangguan, the fire has been put out. I am an incompetent servant and I am sorry to have frightened you."
Shangguan Wan'er frowned, unsure of what Eunuch Zhao was up to. At this moment, a young eunuch behind Eunuch Zhao suddenly shouted, "Eunuch, there's water seeping in here."
Eunuch Zhao looked back and saw that some bricks were not accumulating water, and the water was flowing down along the gaps between the bricks. Eunuch Zhao was shocked and asked, "What is this?"
Shangguan Wan'er's face changed drastically, and she finally realized what they were going to do, but it was too late. The little eunuch quickly pried open the floor tiles, revealing a dark hole. A flooded staircase was looming, leading to the unknown darkness.
Eunuch Zhao turned around and looked at Prince Luling: "Your Highness, what is this?"
Prince Luling also wanted to know. The Queen secretly summoned Prince Luling back to the capital, and later brought Concubine Wei and the children with her. They had only lived in the East Palace for a few days and were not familiar with the place, so how could they know that there was a secret cellar here?
Shangguan Wan'er knew something bad was going to happen when she saw Prince Luling's expression. She tried to stop Eunuch Zhao: "Eunuch, today is the auspicious day for the crown prince to be enthroned. The auspicious time is coming soon. It is better to do the business first and report to His Majesty after the enthronement is completed and investigate the matter in detail."
Eunuch Zhao smiled with a fake smile and chuckled twice, saying, "What the talented lady said is right. You should quickly accompany the prince to pay your respects. I will leave this to you to check."
As he spoke, Eunuch Zhao asked someone to bring candles and walked down first.
Shangguan Wan'er cursed secretly, and then she quietly asked Prince Luling: "Prince, what's going on down there? Who has been here recently?"
Prince Luling shook his head, bewildered. Shangguan Wan'er was really disappointed. This was the Eastern Palace, the prince's territory, and he couldn't even take care of his own backyard! If Eunuch Zhao really found something in the cellar, how could others believe that the prince knew nothing about it?
Shangguan Wan'er could already foresee what would happen next. Eunuch Zhao and the two Zhang brothers were close, and behind the two Zhang brothers stood the King of Wei and the King of Liang. Once Eunuch Zhao succeeded, the two Zhang brothers would definitely take the opportunity to attack. It was really uncertain whether this enthronement ceremony could continue.
Shangguan Wan'er has already placed her throne on the Li family's side. If Prince Luling fails to live up to his expectations and is dethroned again, she will be in big trouble.
Shangguan Wan'er didn't care about the damp and dark place below and hurried to follow. It was too late to say anything now. The only thing she could do now was to wait and see if there was any chance of rescue.
Even if King Luling was slow to react, he realized that he was in great danger. He stumbled back a step, his face turned pale, and his body couldn't help shaking.
He didn't dare to know what was going on. Rather than waiting for his mother to get angry and imprison him again, it would be better for him to end his life on his own.
Concubine Wei called out several times, "Your Highness, cheer up!", but Prince Luling still looked as if the sky had fallen. Concubine Wei cursed him secretly, and said to the attendant behind her, "Keep an eye on His Highness the Crown Prince, don't let him do anything stupid. Bring the candles, I will go down and take a look myself."
"Crown Princess!" Everyone shouted in surprise. Li Chongrun also said hurriedly, "Mother, it's dangerous down there. You can't take the risk."
If she lost her position as crown prince, she would not even be able to save her life, so what danger was there to fear? Concubine Wei was unmoved, she took the candle herself, bent down and walked towards the secret cellar.
The cloud-shaped shoes embellished with oriental pearls stepped on the slippery steps, and the hem of her luxurious dress became dirty in an instant, but Concubine Wei didn't care. She held on to the wall and walked down step by step.
Concubine Wei had prepared for the worst, but when she walked down the stairs, she saw only an empty and shabby cellar. It was empty, the floor was covered with dust, and there were even spider webs in the corners. Concubine Wei didn't care about the dust on her sleeves. She looked around, feeling very confused.
After all the trouble, with the fire and the watering, in the end they were only shown an empty cellar? What kind of trick was this?
Eunuch Zhao also felt confused. He held a tall candle in his hand and searched back and forth along the wall three or four times, but still found nothing.
This shouldn't happen. We had already arranged it before...
After a brief moment of surprise, Shangguan Wan'er quickly saw the clue from Eunuch Zhao's face. She felt relieved and immediately said, "It turns out to be a storage cellar. It looks like it has been abandoned for a long time. There are even so many cobwebs. Your Highness the Crown Prince has just arrived in Luoyang and is not familiar with the Ziwei Palace. No wonder he didn't know there is a secret cellar here. After the canonization ceremony is over, you might as well ask the Queen to repair it. If the cellar is left idle and accidentally hurts the prince or princess, it will be a serious crime."
Shangguan Wan'er quickly identified this place as a long-disrepaired cellar, and the King of Luling knew nothing about it, let alone what he was using it for. The only thing left today was the fire in the East Palace, and the King of Luling could only have made a mistake of negligence, which had nothing to do with itching.
Shangguan Wan'er finished speaking and looked at Eunuch Zhao with a smile: "Eunuch, the Ministry of Rites is already waiting outside. Shall we go out and take care of the seal first?"
Eunuch Zhao looked extremely unhappy. He realized that the prince had the help of an expert and had resolved the deadlock quietly.
Hateful! Clearly, after Prince Luling returned to the capital, his every move was watched by someone. When did such a powerful person appear by his side?
He curled his lips with a fake smile and said, "You are right. Hey, Crown Princess, why are you here? Your Highness is a noble lady, how can you come to such a damp place? Your Highness, please go back..."
The canonization ceremony was delayed for a moment, and soon began solemnly, with a whole set of lengthy and solemn ceremonies being carried out under the watchful eyes of all officials. No one knew that a small incident had occurred not long ago, which almost changed the fate of half of the people on the scene.
No one knew that when the grand ceremonial music echoed throughout the front court, two inconspicuous young men left through the corner gate and quietly disappeared into the East City.
Xie Jichuan said, "I told you it was alright, but you insisted on coming to see it in person. Now that Prince Luling has been conferred the title in Hanyuan Palace, you should be relieved, right?"
Ming Huazhang captured Wei Yanqing and Wei Baixuan on the second day of March, and then rushed to the East Palace to rescue the situation. He had hardly rested in the past few days. This was thanks to the butterfly leading the way. Otherwise, there were so many rooms in the Ziwei Palace, and the puppets could be disassembled into small pieces for transportation. It would be impossible to destroy the conspiracy within three days with human power alone.
They followed the invisible and inaudible powder all the way to a side hall. Even though Ming Huazhang had expected this, he still gasped when he saw the underground scene.
The cellar was arranged in the form of an altar, with a group of imperial guard puppets surrounding it, their weapons pointed at the center. In the middle was an old woman in plain clothes, and judging by her face, she was the queen.
Ming Huazhang was shocked when he first saw the empress with her beard uncovered and silent, and then he realized that it was a fake.
The Wei family recognized the clothes of the imperial guards, but they did not recognize the face of the empress. Especially since the empress always wore simple clothes. The patron gave them a drawing and they did it according to it, not realizing that they were courting death.
If they knew that this ordinary old woman was the empress, even Wei Yanqing, who was the most greedy for money, would not dare to court her.
Wu Suisui's craftsmanship was truly extraordinary, and the puppets looked lifelike, just like real people. Ming Huazhang was shocked to see the fake empress, not to mention how to make a big fuss if the King of Wei's men saw it.
The Queen is getting old, and the two things she fears most are death and the seizure of power. This altar is really good, it has trampled on the Queen's back. What is the purpose of King Luling setting up such an altar in the basement of the East Palace? The blades of the imperial guards are pointed at the Queen. If the Queen knew about this, what would she think?
Ming Huazhang removed these traces of treason and evil intentions, and arranged the place to look like it had been in disrepair for a long time and no one had ever set foot in it. There was a secret room under the East Palace, and no matter how it was explained, it was too sensitive. It would be better to completely remove the King of Luling, so that those who were unaware would be innocent.
Ming Huazhang did not answer Xie Jichuan's question. He asked, "Have you packed up everything?"
"Don't worry, we have someone watching over the place. We have gone to so much trouble to find the evidence, and we will never let anyone destroy it."
Ming Huazhang nodded calmly and asked, "Where are the people?"
"He has tried to commit suicide several times, but he still refuses to confess." Xie Jichuan said slowly, "Do you want to..."
He didn't finish his words, but the meaning behind them was self-evident. Ming Huazhang paused and said, "Don't torture him yet, save his life. He is the King of Wei's man, and based on this identity, the Queen will understand."
Xie Jichuan raised his eyebrows, disagreeing: "Are you really not going to torture him to get a confession? The King of Wei is the Queen's nephew. Without clear evidence, how could the Queen suspect the Wu family? Jingzhan, that scholar is the King of Wei's man, there is nothing soft about him. Don't ruin the big plan because of your momentary kindness."
Ming Huazhang was silent for a moment, and then he said, "Those who use force to pretend to be kind become tyrants, and those who practice virtue and benevolence become kings. I joined the Xuanxiao Guard out of helplessness, but I will never do what the cruel officials did back then."
Xie Jichuan knew that his persuasion was useless, so he gave up the topic and talked about something easier: "Your sister is really an amazing person. Not only can she draw a picture of the murderer out of thin air, but she can even think of catching a spider."
They needed to pretend that the underground secret room had been deserted for a long time, and the spider webs really helped. Speaking of Ming Huashang, Ming Huazhang's demeanor also relaxed a little, with a hint of smile in his eyes.
He recalled what Ming Huashang had said to him two days ago. She puffed up her cheeks and complained, "Those spiders seem to be against me. Every year on the Qixi Festival, I can't pray for wisdom. I should lock them up in a secret room and teach them a lesson. I want to see whether the webs they make are round or square."
Catching spiders is a custom on the Qixi Festival. Calling spiders auspicious means luck. On the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month, girls put the spiders they caught in jewelry boxes. The next day, they open the boxes to check the webs. If the webs are of appropriate size and density, the girls will be lucky.
Unfortunately, Ming Huachang was one of those unlucky people who had been catching spiders for more than ten years but never got lucky. She hated spiders, but she solved Ming Huazhang's problem with a casual remark.
"Jingzhan?" Ming Huazhang came back to his senses and found Xie Jichuan looking at him with an ambiguous gaze. "What are you thinking about that makes you smile so happily?"
Did he smile? Ming Huazhang had a cold face, his posture was like the wind and snow, he was not surprised, and said calmly: "No, you are wrong."
Xie Jichuan didn't believe it: "I called you several times but you didn't respond. And you said you weren't distracted? Who are you thinking about?"
"No." Ming Huazhang was a little angry and said in a cold voice, "The crown prince's canonization will be held today. There are many people in the palace and it's hard to see what's going on. Get out of here quickly."
Xie Jichuan looked at Ming Huazhang and smiled without saying anything. He had already gotten the answer he wanted, because just now, he did not call Ming Huazhang several times.
Normally Ming Huazhang would not pay attention to jokes, but now he was angry and embarrassed.
The ceremony of enthroning the crown prince lasted a whole day. When it was over, some people felt relieved, some were terrified, and some were angry. The gods were quiet for a while, and the court was calm and waited for the next change. No one noticed that a small fifth-rank chancellor in the Taichang Temple had disappeared.
The Taichang Temple was responsible for the worship of the mausoleums and temples, rituals and music, and was the most idle of the idle positions. Among those who just wanted to get by, they were the least ambitious. A temple secretary was often absent from work and would occasionally run away, and no one would pay attention.
If they saw the person in front of the empress at this moment, they would be shocked. Han Jie stood in the Xuanzheng Hall, with a straight posture and a firm gaze, completely different from the lazy and careless Taichang Temple Secretary in the eyes of outsiders. The empress finished reading the memorial, put it down, and asked solemnly: "Who wrote this memorial?"
Han Jie half-closed his eyes and said, "Ming Huazhang has been in the army for two years and has accomplished many things independently. I have mentioned this person to Your Majesty before, and he is the one who should be promoted this time."
"Ming..." The Queen chewed on the surname slowly, "What is his relationship with Ming Huaiyuan?"
"He is Ming Huaiyuan's second son."
"So he is Ming Huaiyuan's son." The Queen said with an unclear expression, "I remember that Ming Huaiyuan has not remarried in these years. He is a nostalgic person."
Ming Huaiyuan was once a minister of the Eastern Palace. The crown prince of the Eastern Palace at that time was Crown Prince Zhang Huai Li Xian. Crown Prince Zhang Huai was the second son of the empress and the only prince who dared to challenge the empress and was charged with treason. When Crown Prince Zhang Huai was still alive, he valued Ming Huaiyuan very much.
The Queen explained that being nostalgic is not a good compliment.
Han Jie lowered his head, not daring to peek at the Queen's expression. Fortunately, the Queen only mentioned it once and didn't say much. The Queen looked at the memorial without saying anything, and Han Jie waited quietly, not wanting to speak at all.
Xuanxiao Guards serve the Queen, and who they promote and who they punish is entirely up to the Queen. If the Queen feels that the Ming family was once loyal to Crown Prince Zhang Huai and cannot trust them, then she can only blame Ming Huazhang for not having the blessing of a companion.
The Queen was silent for a moment and said, "This is well written. How old is he this year?"
Han Jie said briefly: "Your Majesty, Ming Huazhang is sixteen this year."
"Only sixteen." The Queen took another look at the memorial and said, "The handwriting is like the person. He must be a gentleman to be able to write with such elegance and grace. It is rare for a sixteen-year-old to be able to write such a character. This is exactly the talent that the Great Zhou needs."
Han Jie hesitated: "Your Majesty, do you mean..."
"Promote him to the top rank. Call him to let me have a look someday." The Queen said, "It's rare to see a memorial written so comfortably. He has good literary talent and is efficient in his work. It's rare to see someone who is both civil and military, and he's only sixteen years old. He has a promising future. It would be a pity to bury such a young man."
Han Jie understood that Ming Huazhang had completed the most important test and successfully made a leap, and would be able to meet the empress directly in the future.
Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. Han Jie didn't know whether to congratulate him, but the decision made by the empress must be wise. Han Jie bowed and said, "Your Majesty has a keen eye for the pearls and is very perceptive. It is a blessing for our dynasty."
The empress was used to hearing flattery, so she didn't take it seriously. She also heard about the fire in the East Palace on the day of the crown prince's enthronement ceremony. She didn't say anything at the ceremony, but sent someone to inquire about it afterwards, and soon received this memorial.
Since she had decided to make Prince Luling the crown prince, she did not want any other twists and turns to disrupt her plan. A hidden informant sent intelligence that someone wanted to disrupt the crown prince's enthronement ceremony. The Queen ordered an investigation into the matter. She was not surprised to find out that the mastermind was Prince Wei.
But she didn't expect that the King of Wei was so bold as to carve a puppet in her image. Although the Queen didn't see the scene with her own eyes, she was still hurt by the meaning behind it.
Everyone thought she was old, her ministers urged her to appoint a crown prince, her children were eager to make a move, and even her nephew dared to mock her directly.
Han Jie felt that the Queen seemed to be in a bad mood, and the Queen waved her hand, signaling him to leave. Han Jie didn't say much, and left respectfully after bowing.
After the successful conclusion of the crown prince's appointment, Di Ge Lao's illness rapidly worsened, perhaps because he had fulfilled his wish. The empress always respected state officials and went to Di's mansion to visit him in person.
Di Gong has been dealing with cases all his life. He sensed that undercurrents were surging beneath the peaceful surface of Luoyang. In front of the sickbed, he forced himself to speak to the empress, "Your Majesty, a thief can only be a thief for a thousand days, but you can never guard against a thief for a thousand miles. If people's hearts are unstable, such things will only happen again and again. Internal chaos is the source of national disasters. I hope Your Majesty will cut the Gordian knot quickly and not let small harm lead to big chaos."
The Queen was also worried about this. She had been thinking about the succession for more than ten years, and she had her own considerations in making Li the successor instead of Wu. She could understand her family's dissatisfaction and disappointment, but she would not allow anyone to go beyond her and try to go against her.
The Queen asked: "What should I do depending on the elders?"
It was very difficult for Elder Di to speak. He panted and said with difficulty: "Move the capital to Chang'an."
The Queen remained silent.
Moving the capital to Luoyang was a very important step for the empress to seize power. The power of the old aristocracy in Chang'an was too great. When the empress was still the empress, she had already established her own power in Luoyang by changing the eastern capital and starting a new dynasty. Returning to Chang'an was tantamount to announcing to the world that the era of Zhou Wu was over and she was about to return power to the Tang Dynasty.
Di Lao did not urge the Queen to make a decision immediately, and turned to talk about other things. The Queen's incognito tour was very low-key this time, and not many people knew about it except for her attendants. Not long after the Queen returned to the palace, Ming Huazhang went out to accompany Ming Huashang to watch a puppet show.
This was Ming Huashang's request. After what happened at the Wei family, she suddenly became interested in puppets. However, she was distracted by street food soon after she left the house. When she finally arrived at the Bodhi Temple, it was already evening.
The Bodhi Temple was still very lively, with scholars reciting poems on the walls, young girls hanging red ropes under the trees, and children rushing out after dinner and sitting on the steps waiting for the puppet show to begin.
Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang stood out among the children. Ming Huashang ate the candy man while saying, "Should I wear a curtain when I go out? It would be so embarrassing. If I meet someone I know, wouldn't they think I'm childish?"
Ming Huazhang noticed that there was a piece of candy on Ming Huashang's mouth, and her cheeks were puffed up like a hamster, which made her look very cute.
Ming Huazhang raised his finger, wiped the sugar residue off her cheek, and said, "Just eat yours. If you meet someone, just tell them that I wanted to see it."
Ming Huazhang's fingertips were slightly cold, and suddenly touched her face. Ming Huachang subconsciously dodged for a moment. Then she saw the sugar residue on his fingertips, and she was instantly ashamed and angry: "Did I rub it on my face?"
Ming Huazhang carefully wiped her cheek and smiled faintly, "It's okay, it's gone."
The spring night wind is as gentle as a lover's hand, and the tip of the nose is full of the taste of sugar. Ming Huachang took a bite of the tip of the sugar man, and suddenly felt that the night was clear and the spring breeze was just right.
Just as Ming Huashang was hesitating whether to say something, gongs and drums sounded in front of him, and the puppet show began. Ming Huashang breathed a sigh of relief and turned his head naturally.
The stage was another clichéd story of a talented scholar and a beautiful woman. Ming Huazhang was listening casually when he suddenly saw someone in the shadows making gestures to him. Ming Huazhang left without making a sound, turning several corners and stopping only after he was out of everyone's sight: "What's the matter?"
The man who had been following him silently came forward and whispered in his ear, "Just now there was news from the palace that the empress missed the Daming Palace and wanted to return to Chang'an."
Ming Huazhang's pupils slightly dilated. This was more clear news than appointing a crown prince. Appointing a crown prince might be a temporary solution, but moving the capital was tantamount to proving to all the court officials, the governors of various places, and the Wu family that the empress was determined to return power to the crown prince.
This was indeed good news that was exciting, but Ming Huazhang only nodded after hearing it. He looked like a cold jade statue without any unnecessary expression.
Ming Huashang was halfway through the opera when she suddenly realized that her brother was gone. She waited for a while, and someone else sat down next to her, and a pair of slender and beautiful hands handed her a bag of snacks.
Ming Huashang looked down and saw that it was a bag of pine nuts. She happily took it and asked, "Second brother, did you buy pine nuts just now?"
Ming Huazhang was silent for a moment, then replied softly, "Yes."
"Why didn't you call me?"
Ming Huazhang looked at the puppet in front of him who was experiencing the joys and sorrows, and said softly: "It's not as important as the play of pulling the silk thread."
·
The first year of the Shengli calendar, March, late spring.
Yesterday I met the emperor. The woman looked older than I thought. Just looking at her appearance, I couldn't imagine that she was the emperor of a country.
I was also surprised by her quick thinking and profound knowledge. Han Jie said that she was very satisfied with me and intended to cultivate me. So she ordered me to review poetry and prose. This autumn, the empress issued an imperial decree to set up an imperial examination. The empress hoped that I would participate in the imperial examination and enter the government as a Jinshi, which would help conceal my identity facilitate and future transfers.
The relocation of the capital has been decided, and the specific time is still being arranged. Every day, Er Niang asks me if I still remember Chang'an and what delicious food there is.
She is still so heartless. I often feel that I don't understand her at all. The case of the Wei family was not solved until the last minute. It was my fault, but she deserves the credit. I deliberately didn't let her see the murder scene, which led to her making a wrong decision. If she hadn't reminded me, if I hadn't found the puppet hidden in the secret room in time, the consequences would be disastrous.
But I still can't understand why she joined Xuanxiaowei.
The court was delighted to hear about the move, but the King of Wei claimed to be ill. Madam Ming said that this was because the ancestors of the Li family had protected the prince, and that the clouds would eventually clear and the moon would shine. If the previous emperors were still alive, it would be too blind to protect them now.
Wei Baixuan could make a lifelike puppet, but Wei Yanqing could manipulate her into obedience just by mentioning marriage. Wei Yanqing did so much just for a word from the King of Wei, and why didn't the King of Wei be manipulated by the Queen?
After all, we are all just puppets.
Jingzhan, at the Duke's Mansion in Luoyang.
——The second case, “The String Puppet” is finished.
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