The next day, the sky was gloomy and windy.
In the Ganlu Hall, the atmosphere was extremely depressing.
Empress Zhou leaned back on a red sandalwood openwork chair with curly grass patterns, her face was ashen, and the brows and eyes were so haggard that no amount of makeup could cover them.
Pei Changzhou paced back and forth like ants on a hot pot, his brows furrowed tightly.
"Okay, stop, don't turn around, I'm already very upset, and my head hurts even more when you turn around!" Queen Zhou said coldly, pressing her slender fingers on the faintly aching forehead .
"Queen, what do you think we should do now? How did this happen?"
Pei Changzhou stopped in his tracks, with doubts on his face, and said in a low voice, "Uncle has a secret room in his mansion. This son knows about it, but... what happened to the dragon robe? Could it be that uncle really..."
Before he finished speaking, Queen Zhou raised a teacup and threw it at his feet viciously.
With a crisp sound of "哗啦", the teacup was smashed to pieces, making Pei Changzhou tremble with fright.
Empress Zhou stared straight at him, and said sharply, "What do you want to say? It's such a critical moment, and you actually doubt your uncle?! These years, who is your uncle busy in and out of, don't you have any idea? .”
Pei Changzhou's eyes flickered, and he said resentfully, "My son is just talking casually, how can he doubt uncle. It's just that the dragon robe is really strange, and those assassins yesterday..."
Queen Zhou closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.
When she opened her eyes again, she said in a deep voice, "Did the prince personally escort your uncle to the Ministry of Punishment last night?"
Mentioning this, Pei Changzhou became a little annoyed, and squeezed his lowered hand tightly, "He's really proud now."
Empress Zhou sneered, "What a prince, what a Gu Qu, I just came back not long ago, so I can't wait to make a move."
Pei Changzhou was astonished, and said anxiously, "Queen, you mean, what happened last night was arranged by the crown prince and the Gu family?"
Empress Zhou raised her eyelids lightly, and glanced at this stupid son, "Aside from them, who else has such courage!"
Picking to strike when the emperor married his daughter or the prime minister's mansion was not only against the Zhou family, but in a sense, it was also a challenge to the majesty of the royal family.
There are many people who want to deal with the Zhou family, but who dares to oppose the emperor, except the Gu family, who else in the court would dare
The prince is even more confident, he is very clear about Emperor Zhaokang's preference for him—
When Gu Qu stabbed Emperor Zhaokang with a sword, Emperor Zhaokang could accommodate the Gu family, let alone Pei Yan, the only blood and blood between him and Gu Yuan.
Gu Yan, a dead person, let him study for so many years, remember for so many years, and love deeply for so many years!
Empress Zhou's red lips evoked a cold sarcasm. Even if Pei Yan wanted to sit on the dragon chair now, Emperor Zhaokang would probably take the initiative to give up his seat, right
Pei Changzhou was furious, "I'll just say, how could it be such a coincidence! The secret room is hidden very well, how could the officers and soldiers find it. And those assassins, all of them are very skilled, they are all first-class masters... Damn it , the prince and the Gu family's move is too insidious!"
Empress Zhou sat silently.
Pei Changzhou scolded a lot, and when he calmed down, he sat in front of Queen Zhou and asked, "Queen Mother, what do you think Father will do to Uncle? Will this matter involve us?"
"It's not as bad as a married woman, let alone I'm the queen and you are the prince." Queen Zhou gave him a cold look, her voice suppressed, "And this matter is full of doubts. Didn't your father send the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and the Minister of Dali Temple to investigate?" , don’t be impatient and lose your temper.”
Pei Changzhou said solemnly, "When my son was on duty in the Ministry of Punishment, he still had some friendship with the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. It's just that Zhao Pingyue, Minister of Dali Temple, is just a smelly and hard stone... Oh yes, speaking of it, this Zhao Pingyue and Dingbei The Hou Mansion is still in-laws, and Zhao Pingyue's youngest daughter is married to Liulang of the Xu family..."
Dingbeihou has remained neutral for the past two years, but now he is gradually moving closer to the East Palace.
Pei Changzhou felt that a large part of the reason was the personal relationship between the woman Tao Ti and the Xu family's daughter. Now, Princess Jingyang's family also moved to the East Palace, and Qing He was also married to the Xu family.
In this way, the Dingbeihou faction has become the power in the East Palace.
Thinking of this, Pei Changzhou was so depressed that he wanted to vomit blood.
If he had known that this woman Tao Ti had such an ability to win people's hearts, he should have found a way to turn her into his own woman and break her body, so he would not be afraid that she would not marry.
No matter how important Father Gu's marriage contract was, he would not let a woman who lost her virginity marry into the East Palace... As for himself, at most he would be taught a lesson or beaten.
Pei Changzhou gritted his teeth, now that Pei Yan took advantage of it for nothing, it's really hateful!
Empress Zhou saw Pei Changzhou's flamboyance at a glance, and her tone was a little tired, "Okay, you have been delayed with me for a long time, it's time to leave the palace."
Pei Changzhou was taken aback, "Queen mother, where is uncle?"
Empress Zhou said, "Wait and see for two days to see what's going on with the court and the Ministry of Punishment, and then make plans."
After a pause, she stared straight at Pei Changzhou, "Stay honestly in your house these two days and don't make any moves. First, wait and see what happens, and then play by ear."
Pei Changzhou was very anxious, but he couldn't think of a way, so he could only suppress his emotions, lowered his head and said, "My son knows."
Empress Zhou waved her hand, signaling him to back down.
The palace maid came in, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, you didn't close your eyes all night, why don't you lie down on the bed for a while."
Empress Zhou responded with a low voice, got up slowly, and walked towards the bedroom.
While sitting in front of the vanity mirror and taking off the hairpin, she stared at the no longer young face in the bronze mirror, and couldn't help touching her temples, "In the past two years, I seem to have aged a lot."
The grand maid hurriedly said good words to comfort her.
Empress Zhou bent the corners of her lips, and stroked her eyes again.
She narrowed her eyes and murmured softly, "In the past, His Majesty liked my eyes the most."
He said her eyes were beautiful.
When she heard this for the first time, her heart was pounding and her face was red.
Later, when she saw Gu Yan, she realized that her eyes were very similar to hers.
It's just that Gu Yan looked at the emperor with distant and cold eyes, but his own eyes looking at the emperor were full of obsession, admiration and love.
During that time, for the sake of Gu Yan, he stopped touching other women in the harem, and guarded Gu Yan with all his eyes.
Later, for some reason, he and Gu Yan quarreled again, and she took advantage of this opportunity to climb into his bed.
That night, he was very drunk, kissing her eyes, pressing her down, shouting "Yuan Yuan" over and over again.
She hated and was jealous in her heart, but she was also grateful for that time, which made her pregnant.
While she hated the similarity of her eyes to Gu Yuan, she used this similarity to get close to the emperor and please him.
The memory came to an abrupt end, Empress Zhou's eyes glowed with a gloomy cold light, her fingers were clenched tightly.
Gu Yan, until the last moment, I will never admit defeat.
Never.
—
The prison of the Ministry of punishment.
It was dark and damp, full of snakes, insects, rats and ants, and there was a lingering musty smell in the air. The wailing, crying, and begging for mercy of the prisoners entered my ears, and I was terrified to hear them.
In the interrogation room, left minister Zhou Pinglin was tied to a frame, his hair was disheveled, he looked haggard, and there was no scar on his body.
Although it was a rebellion, he had not been convicted yet, and the jailers did not dare to torture him lightly. After all, there was a queen and the third prince in the palace. Who knows if there will be a reversal in the future.
However, the jailers dare not do it, but some people dare to do it.
Pei Yan held the sword and made two elegant gestures, Zhou Pinglin's white upper body was exposed in November's prison.
The cold and fear gave him goosebumps all over his body. Zhou Pinglin suppressed his panic and stared at Pei Yan, "Your Highness, what are you going to do?"
Pei Yan was dressed in an ivory white brocade robe, and his elegant posture was incompatible with this dirty environment.
Hearing Zhou Pinglin's question, he didn't answer immediately, but put the sword aside leisurely, walked slowly to the burning charcoal stove, and picked up a long iron.
Zhou Pinglin saw him walking towards him with a red-hot iron, and the muscles on his face twitched uncontrollably.
Pei Yan stood still in front of him, with a smile on his handsome face, gentle and harmless, "What is Gu going to do, Prime Minister Zhou can't guess?"
Zhou Pinglin's tone changed, "You are abusing lynching, if His Majesty knows... ah!!!!"
He only spoke halfway through, and the rest of the words turned into a tragic cry.
The fiery red iron was imprinted on his chest, and the severe pain made people mad, and there was a smell of burnt flesh in the air.
Zhou Pinglin's face was ferocious, and beads of sweat rolled down his face. In the boundless pain, he saw Pei Yan smiling more and more gently.
Bodhisattva face, Asura heart.
He frowned, and said in a low voice, "So what if I abuse lynching? Does Zhou Xiang still want to get out from here?"
Zhou Pinglin's lips trembled, "It was you, you did it, you and the Gu family framed me together!"
The arc of Pei Yan's thin lips became even wider, and there was a gloomy coldness in his black eyes.
He put more force on his arm, and Zhou Pinglin let out another heart-piercing scream.
"Back then, Gu's uncle also endured such a thing, and now he will teach you how to experience it."
Pei Yan got a little tired from raising his hand, so he threw the iron aside in a dispirited manner, took out a clean handkerchief and wiped his fingers carefully, and said in a cold voice, "If you say that I have framed you, you have to show evidence .”
Zhou Pinglin looked down at his chest, only to see a big piece of flesh that was red, rotten, and bloody, and he almost vomited it.
He raised his head and stared at Pei Yan with hatred, "Even if His Majesty prefers you, he won't listen to all you say!"
Pei Yan snorted and laughed, "One-sided words? Walls fall and people push them, trees fall and monkeys scatter. Has your Zhou family done less evil in these years? You can't come up with a reason to frame you alone, but you have a bunch of you in your hands. handle."
Zhou Pinglin also understood at this time that Pei Yan and the Gu family probably started to plan secretly a long time ago.
Yesterday's accident, fast, accurate and ruthless.
Those extraordinary assassins, those government soldiers who rushed in to search quickly, and that set of dragon robes that appeared out of nowhere... The piles are interlocking, and they cannot be arranged in a short time.
He suddenly realized something, and stared at Pei Yan with wide eyes, "Are you not sick at all?"
Pei Yan smiled at him.
Zhou Pinglin was shocked at first, then angry and frightened, and finally fell into deep self-doubt, his whole body seemed to be drained of energy, and he was listless.
Pei Yan watched his expression change like watching a play, with a half smile but not a smile.
After a while, Zhou Pinglin raised his head and laughed loudly. This presumptuous smile was particularly frightening in the dark and damp cell.
He stared at Pei Yan's young face with appreciation and regret in his eyes.
Such a city and scheming, such forbearance and tenacity are really extraordinary.
What a pity, why isn't he his nephew
After a short period of silence, Zhou Pinglin suddenly thought of something, squeezed out a ferocious smile, and said with a malicious smile, "If the prince wants to accuse me of rebellion, then the Yongwei Hou Mansion will not be able to escape. I heard that the prince and the prince The concubine is deeply affectionate, and I don't know if the crown prince will be so stern and selfless when facing his father-in-law? Tsk, if the crown prince knows that you have attacked her father, she will probably hate you, right?"
"Don't worry about Zhou's family affairs in the East Palace. You still remember that there are five hundred and sixty-one people in your Zhou family... Oh no, including Pei Lingbi who married into the Zhou family yesterday, there should be five hundred and sixty-two people..."
Pei Yan narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashed in his dark pupils, and he showed a cruel and cold smile.
Zhou Pinglin's face immediately turned ashen, and he felt that the blood in his heart became cold.
...
East Palace, Yaoguang Palace.
The night is dark, and the wind is stronger and cooler at night.
Tao Ti rubbed her hands and stood at the door, stretching her neck, eager to see through.
Linglong walked up to her with a silver and white cloak with emerald patterns, and put it on her body, and said softly, "Prince Princess, it's cold at night, you'd better go back to your room and wait, you don't have to freeze your body."
Tao Ti wrapped the cloak around her body a little tighter, and muttered wonderingly, "It's so late, why hasn't His Highness come back yet? Is he not coming back tonight?"
With such a big change in the court, she hadn't seen him for almost two days and one night, and her heart was hanging in the air all the time, feeling uneasy.
Linglong reassured, "It's probably delayed on the way, so don't worry, the Crown Princess."
Tao Ti nodded, and reminded Linglong, "Go and see how the pot of astragalus chicken soup on the stove is doing... Forget it, I'll go and see by myself."
Just as she was about to go to the small kitchen, she saw the little eunuch who was guarding the door rushing in, "Here we come, we come! Crown Princess, Your Highness is back."
When Tao Ti heard it, her eyes lit up instantly, and she didn't care about the chicken soup, so she lifted her skirt and ran to the door.
Everyone in Yaoguang Palace looked at it and didn't think it was wrong at all. Instead, they felt that the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince had a deep relationship, which was really touching.
Pei Yan sat on the sedan chair, propped his forehead with one hand, closed his eyes and meditated.
He was busy outside the palace all day today, and he didn't rush back until the key was released at the palace gate. He originally wanted to go back to Yaoguang Palace directly, so as not to worry about his little girl. But thinking about going to the Ministry of Punishment today, it is inevitable that he will be contaminated with some unclean smell, so he went back to Zixiao Hall to freshen up, changed into a clean set of robes, and then rushed to Yaoguang Hall.
"Your Highness, the Crown Princess has come out to welcome you." Fu Xirui, who was accompanying the sedan chair, reminded softly.
Pei Yan slowly opened his eyes and looked forward.
Not far away, under two bright yellow palace lanterns, a petite figure was standing at the door, looking at him eagerly.
Pei Yan's heart felt hot.
When the sedan chair stopped, he got off the sedan chair.
Tao Ti rushed forward, her small face was a little red from the cold wind, her dark eyes were extraordinarily bright under the light, "Your Highness, you are finally back."
Pei Yan lowered her head and smiled softly at her, "Well, I'm back."
Tao Ti stepped forward to size him up, and after confirming that he was fine, her heart finally fell back into her stomach.
Seeing her relieved appearance, Pei Yan's eyes became softer, and he raised his hand to stroke her hair, "It's windy outside, so don't wait at the door next time."
Tao Ti hummed lightly.
Pei Yan took her hand and walked in together.
Tao Ti's small mouth never stopped, asking all kinds of babbles: What happened yesterday, did you get scared, did you sleep well at Gu's house last night, are you hungry, thirsty, Your Highness? .
She asked a series of questions like a cannonball, and Pei Yan didn't know where to start answering.
As soon as the two entered the inner hall, Pei Yan turned around suddenly, stretched out his long arms, and directly pressed Tao Ti against the door.
Tao Ti was stunned, "...?"
Wall, wall dong
This time, Bidong, isn't it appropriate.
She blinked, but before she could speak, Pei Yan suddenly bent down and hugged her tightly.
The clear and nice-smelling cold rosin enveloped Tao Ti, his head was buried in her shoulder, and his breath was hot.
Tao Ti was suddenly hugged tightly by him, and said in a daze, "Your Highness, Your Highness."
"do not move."
Pei Yan closed her eyes, her pleasant voice was full of exhaustion, and she begged a bit, "Let me hug you for a while, it will be fine in a while."