Liang Zhen never left Ganlin Palace again, and stayed here to guard Zhu Yunxuan for the next few days. Zhu Yunxuan turned a blind eye to him, and did not chase him away, just pretending that he didn't exist. There was a weird delicate balance between the two of them. Rarely live in peace.
In the middle of the night, Zhu Yunxuan woke up from the dream, sat up in a daze, and unconsciously clutched his chest, only to feel his heart beating fast. Gao An, who was guarding him at night, also woke up when he heard the movement, quickly lit up the palace lamp in the bedroom, came to his side and asked him in a low voice: "Your Majesty is having a nightmare? Do you want me to ask someone to fetch you some hot water?" ?”
Zhu Yunxuan suddenly recalled the scene in his dream. He dreamed that there was a big opening in his stomach, and the blood-covered child crawled out of it and watched him cry and cry, feeling wronged and hurt. It was resentment, and even the tears that fell were red. The trembling hand moved down slowly, gently stroking the swollen abdomen, feeling a slight sound inside, Zhu Yunxuan closed his eyes, and withdrew his hand and dared not touch it again.
"What time is it?"
"It's just a quarter of Yin, it's still early, Your Majesty, please sleep a little longer."
Gao An persuaded in a low voice, Zhu Yunxuan had a severe headache, and the nightmare just now still haunted him. He couldn't sleep now, and noticed that the lights in the outer hall seemed to be on, so he asked Gao An: "Why didn't the lights go out outside?" ?”
"... King Zhao is outside and has not slept."
Zhu Yunxuan's eyes darkened, and he didn't ask any more questions.
In the dimly lit hall, Liang Zhen sat cross-legged on the couch, with all kinds of trinkets woven from bamboo leaves piled up in front of him. He was still holding a few bamboo leaves in his hand, and he was concentrating on the work in hand.
The only palace lantern that was still on only enveloped the small space where he was sitting, making his figure even more lonely against the background.
Zhu Yunxuan stood in the dark for a while, Liang Zhen seemed to be aware of it, looked up at the place where he was standing, and hooked the corners of his lips: "Why is your majesty awake at this hour, can't you sleep?"
Zhu Yunxuan, who was spotted, was embarrassed for a moment, Ye Guang helped him cover up the past well, after a short hesitation, he walked forward, sat on the couch, and picked up the things in front of him.
It was a monkey made of bamboo. In addition, there were cats, dogs, chickens, rabbits, horses, sheep... All kinds of dolls made of bamboo leaves were lifelike and very funny.
"King Zhao doesn't sleep at night, that's what he's doing? Why don't you light up a few more lamps?"
"Your Majesty, I told you that I am used to a room without light," Liang Zhen explained with a smile, "These bamboo leaves are soaked in a special potion first, and they are very resilient. It is most suitable to weave these small things. When I was young, I didn’t have any other toys, so I used to weave these things by myself. At that time, I could only use freshly folded bamboo leaves, and the things we made were always soft, so it’s not as good as this.”
"Where do the bamboo leaves come from at this time of year?"
"Your Majesty forgot that Tangquan Zhuangzi is warmer than other places all year round. There is a bamboo forest there. The last time your Majesty went to see it, I sent someone to send it here."
Zhu Yunxuan pursed the corners of her lips lightly: "...what are you making up for?"
Liang Zhen lowered his eyes and smiled: "Your Majesty hasn't talked to a minister like this for a long time."
Zhu Yunxuan's expression was slightly condensed, a little wary appeared in his eyes, and he didn't answer the words. The flickering lights of the palace lanterns were reflected in Liang Zhen's dark eyes, which became more and more profound: "These are for your majesty's children to play with, maybe if you don't do it now There is no chance."
Zhu Yunxuan's heart sank: "What do you mean?"
"Your Majesty," Liang Zhen sighed softly, "the abortion pill will only kill you, even if you don't want this child anymore, you still have to give birth to him..."
"I can also kill him when he is born." Zhu Yunxuan reminded coldly.
Liang Zhen smiled and shook his head: "You won't, you are so soft-hearted and kind, the only person who hates you is the minister, this child was given to you by the minister, so you don't want it, but when he is really born, he will be a living life No matter how displeased you are, it is impossible to kill him."
Zhu Yunxuan's face became even colder: "You are taking it for granted, how much do you think you know about me?"
Liang Zhen looked at him quietly: "Your Majesty... are you going to deal with the minister? How many days does the minister have to sit here and talk to your majesty like this? Is there still a chance for the minister... to take a look at this child?"
Zhu Yunxuan looked back at him calmly: "If I knew today, why bother?"
"I don't regret it... I'm just curious, how your majesty plans to deal with me, your majesty really has a lot of skills..."
Zhu Yunxuan's pupils shrank slightly: "Since you know, why don't you resist?"
Liang Zhen chuckled, and murmured in a low voice: "Is it useful to resist? Since His Majesty has made the decision, at least he is 80% sure of it, right? I'm afraid it will be futile to resist."
"So you're going to get caught without a fight?"
The smile in Liang Zhen's eyes deepened: "As long as Your Majesty has this ability, I will naturally fulfill you."
Zhu Yunxuan looked at him vigilantly, as if assessing the credibility of his words, Liang Zhen pondered: "Ding Guogong and the others will enter Beijing tomorrow? The rumors that are spreading outside are your majesty, you deliberately released them, right? I guess, in this Ganlin Palace, you claim that you are sick and cannot go to court, and people think that you are under house arrest. Duke Ding and the others can use this as an excuse to come to Qin Wang to save you, right? I am just curious, where is he going to come from? Mobilizing troops and horses...is this what your Majesty left behind without telling the minister?"
Zhu Yunxuan neither admitted nor denied, looking at him with an even more wary expression, Liang Zhen didn't ask any more questions, smiled meaninglessly, lowered his head, and continued to do the work in hand.
After a long silence, Zhu Yunxuan spoke again, with a slight hesitation in his voice: "If you are willing to hand over the military power now, I will spare your life..."
"Why does Your Majesty feel compassion at the last moment?" Liang Zhen interrupted him in a low voice, "You wish to keep the minister alive, and then what? Send the minister away? But the minister is not willing to go."
"you-"
Liang Zhen didn't raise his head, and the movements of his subordinates sped up a bit, but the tone of their speech was still unhurried, and there was even a hint of earnestness mixed with helplessness: "Your Majesty, since you have made up your mind to get rid of the minister, do it to the end. Well, if you don't completely eradicate the ministers, how will you establish your prestige in front of the ministers..."
"Do you want to die that much?!"
"Of course I don't want to die, but Your Majesty, you must kill me."
Zhu Yunxuan was depressed for a while: "What do you mean?!"
"I have no other intentions, Your Majesty, don't get angry anymore." After tying the last knot, Liang Zhen handed the piggy that he had just made up to Zhu Yunxuan's hands, "The child will be born in the first lunar month of next year. This is his zodiac sign. I only These little gadgets can be left to him, and I ask His Majesty to give them to him no matter what."
Zhu Yunxuan stared at him with red eyes. After a long time, he gritted his teeth and said word by word: "For the sake of your meritorious service, I will leave your whole body."
Jingnan Camp.
He Huailing finished reading the imperial decree in a deep voice, and there was a moment of silence in the camp. Before everyone could react, Jiang Sheng, the commander in chief, had already accepted the decree loudly: "Your Majesty is trapped in the palace, and I will swear to the death to rescue you in return." Jun En, I am going to order soldiers right now, and set off immediately, and follow the Duke of the country to enter King Qin of Jing!"
He Huailing nodded in satisfaction, and without waiting for him to say anything, the deputy commander kneeling behind Jiang Sheng suddenly shouted: "Wait a minute!"
He Huailing looked over coldly: "Does General Deng have any objections?"
"If Your Majesty has been trapped, where did this imperial decree come from? Besides, even if His Majesty personally mobilized the soldiers and horses of the two capital camps, he would also need a soldier talisman in his hand. Where is the soldier talisman now? This will solve the confusion!"
Although the people beside him didn't make a sound, it was obvious from their expressions that they all had the same idea as the deputy chief soldier. Although the imperial decree didn't say it clearly, but now everyone knows that it is rumored that King Zhao trapped His Majesty and threatened the emperor to order the princes. They are all under King Zhao's subordinates. When he came to Beijing, he ran to Nanying without thinking and took out an imperial decree that he didn't know the authenticity of.
He Huailing said unhappily: "The secret decree was sent to this general by His Majesty Tuo Shu and the eldest princess. His Majesty does not have a military talisman, but now the person holding the military talisman has evil intentions and conspired to commit a crime. Do you recognize the military talisman or your majesty?" emperor?!"
"You are talking nonsense and slandering Zhao..."
The deputy general surnamed Deng was arguing excitedly. Just as he shouted, his eyes suddenly widened, and he looked at Jiang Sheng in disbelief. The sword in the opponent's hand had already pierced his chest.
"Wang..." After the last word was pronounced, Vice Zongbing Deng collapsed with his eyes wide open, dying with a grievance.
Everyone was in an uproar, the cold-faced commander-in-chief held the sword that was still dripping blood in his hand, and his cold eyes slid across everyone present: "I am the commander-in-chief of the Southern Camp, and I will order you to wait and go immediately!" Order troops and follow the general to rescue him, if there are still those who disobey, I will not mind military punishment, and send them on the road together with Vice President Deng!"
A few steadfast confidantes of Liang Zhen stared at He Huailing and Jiang Sheng, still refusing to move, while those next to him flirted with each other, and when the first general gritted his teeth, he got up and went out to dispatch troops. After leaving, more and more people began to defect, and in the end there were only three or four people who refused to follow.
"You ungrateful bastard! You are so shameless! Your Highness treats you as much as a mountain, and that's how you repay His Highness!"
Jiang Sheng called his own soldiers, tied up one of them as they cursed loudly, and took him down.
There was no one else in the camp, Jiang Sheng turned around and knelt down in front of He Huailing: "The last general will see the general!"
He Huailing lifted him up with both hands, and patted him on the shoulder: "Get up, you and I are on the same level now, so you don't need to perform such a big gift. These years... I have worked hard for you, so come with me to Beijing to rescue him. Let’s talk about the rest later.”