In Fengzao Palace, the Empress Dowager was drinking the herbal medicine brought in by the imperial physician, and Ziyan was waiting on her side.
"Queen Mother, what's the matter?" Li Hai asked after bowing to the Queen Mother.
The queen mother frowned and drank a bowl of herbal medicine. Zi Yan filled a bowl of water with an amber cup and rinsed her mouth.
The queen mother slightly raised her eyes to look at Li Hai: "Can't you see the emperor at night if you have nothing to do?"
Li Hai could hear the empress dowager's bad tone, and trembled a little: "I didn't mean that. The empress dowager is fine, what kind of medicine is she taking?"
The queen mother coughed twice: "It's just a medicine for calming the nerves. Recently I have been suffering from insomnia, and when I close my eyes, I think of the past. So I asked the imperial physician to write a prescription for me, and I drink it every night, but I don't see any effect."
Li Hai said: "Have you used all the imperial physicians in the palace?"
The Empress Dowager said: "I have asked all over the place, and they all said to use this prescription. If this continues, I will not be alive soon." As she spoke, she gave Li Hai a sharp look, "Without me, an old woman, nagging by your side, You will be at ease from now on!"
Li Hai quickly knelt down and said in panic: "The emperor absolutely dare not have such an idea! Tomorrow, I will issue a notice to the world, and invite famous doctors from all over the country to treat the queen mother!"
The corner of the queen mother's mouth curled up into a smug grin: "Fortunately, you know how to be filial and mourn your family! By the way, I dare to ask His Majesty the Emperor, have you chosen the prime minister now?"
Li Hai said: "I never thought about it."
The queen mother asked: "Is there no suitable candidate in the emperor's mind?"
Li Hai didn't want to reveal to the Queen Mother that he had made up his mind: "I've been struggling a lot these past few days, and I really don't know who to choose!"
The queen mother snorted coldly: "There is a very good minister here, but you can't see it. The Ai family really doesn't know what to say about you!"
Ziyan interjected: "Your Majesty, Mr. Zhao Hongru, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, is such an upright person. He has prestige and fame for a time. In fact, he is the best candidate for the prime minister."
Li Hai already has a candidate in his heart, and he has made up his mind who to choose and not to choose, and there is no need for Ziyan to be troublesome. Li Hai was very annoyed, and rolled his eyes at Zi Yan.
Just because of this sentence, Li Hai can neglect Ziyan for more than a month, and even stop pampering her from then on.
"The selection of the prime minister is a matter of the foreign court. As a noble concubine, how can you intervene? Believe it or not, I will put you in the cold palace!" The words were very harsh, and there was already a pool of autumn water under the spring mountain with a faint purple smoke.
"Your majesty, this concubine just wants to share your worries!"
The queen mother looked at Li Hai with dissatisfaction: "Your Majesty, the Ai family is also very concerned about the candidate for the prime minister. Don't tell me you want to put the Ai family in limbo?"
How dare Li Hai! Putting the Empress Dowager in the cold palace is to fight against the Empress Dowager's relatives, who are powerful and breath like frost and snow, and can force Li Hai to abdicate at any time. Li Hai had to be careful with every word he said to the Queen Mother, it could be said that he was walking on thin ice.
"Don't dare!" Li Hai lowered his waist even lower, fearing that he would not be able to obtain the Queen Mother's forgiveness.
The queen mother stood up from the chair, looked at the drizzle outside, and said gloomyly: "This rain is no fun!" Then she said again, "Zi Yan also said my heartfelt thoughts. I want Mr. Zhao to be the prime minister. It's what people want."
Li Hai is in trouble now. If Zhao Hongru is to be the prime minister, then there will be one more person beside the queen mother, and one less person beside him. The prime minister holds a lot of power, which is even more detrimental to him. But if you don't listen to the Queen Mother, then it will be difficult to meet her in the future.
"Your Majesty, didn't you hear what I said?" the Queen Mother said coldly.
Li Hai said: "Does the Queen Mother know that Mr. Dong was assassinated just now?"
"Oh?" The Queen Mother's pupils dilated, "Master Dong is dead? What's going on here?"
Li Hai said: "I guess it has something to do with the competition for the position of prime minister. Mr. Zhao has serious doubts, so he is not suitable to be prime minister now, otherwise it will be even more dissatisfied."
The Empress Dowager really did not expect such an accident to happen, she half lowered her eyelids, walked back and forth, and took a look behind Zi Yan.
"Zi Yan, do you know that Mr. Dong was assassinated?"
Ziyan was also surprised: "Ziyan didn't know that Mr. Dong was killed!"
"Zhao Hongru is currently competing with Dong Wanshan and Bai Xiangwan for the position of prime minister. How could he kill someone and attract others' suspicion? This is logically unreasonable." The queen mother explained for Zhao Hongru, "I think the murderer is someone else. .”
Li Hai didn't want to immediately deny Zhao Hongru, causing the queen mother's dissatisfaction: "I also feel that something is wrong, so I want to wait until the truth is found out before deciding who can be the prime minister."
The queen mother thought about it: "It seems that this is the only way to go!" Then she said to Li Hai, "I'm fine here, the emperor can go back to the palace! Do you want Ziyan to accompany you tonight?"
Li Hai was also annoyed that Ziyan actually helped the queen mother to recommend Zhao Hongru just now, and said: "No need, there have been many major incidents in the court recently, and I have to review many memorials when I go back, so let the noble concubine Ziyan stay here with the queen mother."
Zi Yan anxiously said: "Your Majesty, when you are reviewing memorials, my concubine can grind ink for you and make supper for you. When you are upset, I can talk to you a few words."
Li Hai was very irritable: "No need, I want to be alone tonight." He bowed to the Queen Mother and left Fengzao Palace.
In the early morning of the second day, Li Hai had just stepped into the Golden Luan Hall, and asked the eunuch to read out the edict of appointment that he had just written last night. The eunuch took the imperial edict, came to the jade steps, spread out the imperial edict, and read out:
"Following the fate of the heavens, the emperor said. Today, the prime minister was killed innocently, and the imperial court was in chaos. The emperor couldn't sleep or eat, and couldn't sleep at night. He tossed and turned, and meditated for many days. He thought that to be a prime minister must have both character, talent, learning, and ability. , otherwise I cannot command all the officials, and I bow to the assistant prime minister."
"I've looked at all the officials, and among them only Yan Li Yushi, who is a man of regular script and has outstanding ability, has made great contributions in disaster relief in the Northwest. Only by rewarding meritorious service and virtue can we inspire all talents to serve me. Therefore, I personally decree: Take Yan Li as the successor prime minister, commanding the post of all officials! This is my honor!"
After the eunuch finished reading the edict, all the courtiers below your majesty's rank were surprised. They thought that the prime minister would be chosen from among Zhao Hongru or Bai Xiangwan, but they never expected that that person was Yan Li, who had always been unknown and very low-key!
At this moment, pairs of eyes looked at Yan Li. Many people only noticed at this time that Yan Li had a slender figure, well-defined outline, fair skin, and eyebrows that seemed to have just been painted with colored pencils. He is an outstanding talent!
Zhao Hongru was very upset when he heard this appointment. How could it be Yan Li? What is Yan Li! Is Li Hai blind? Didn't the queen mother put pressure on the emperor? Didn't Zi Yan blow soft wind with Li Hai beside the pillow
Bai Xiangwan was even more startled, and looked at Yan Li with hatred. He didn't dare to fight Zhao Hongru and Dong Wanshan before, if he had known that the emperor intended Yan Li, he would have humiliated Yan Li.
Yan Li stood on the spot, motionless. He knew that the faces of all the ministers must have the same expression at this time. What he thought about the most was Rong Changan. Why is her judgment correct every time? Could she really have turned into a witch
Li Hai had already expected that the ministers would behave like this. After returning from Fengzao Palace last night, he thought about it all night.
He felt that the establishment of the prime minister must be fast, and the queen mother should not be restrained anymore, and people trusted by the queen mother could not be appointed, otherwise there would be endless troubles. Even if he knew that the appointment of Yan Li would definitely make the Queen Mother Fengyan furious, he didn't care. Cut first and play later, and plan for the long run, this is the best way!
Yan Li, Yan Li, you must not let me down, you must help regain power from the Queen Mother! Li Hai cast a hopeful look at Yan Li.