In the Ciqing Palace, Du Ruo served with his hands down and his eyes locked.
There was no one in the hall at this moment, and Du Ruo couldn't help but ask: "Prince Concubine, what the old palace maid said... Are you telling the truth?"
Recently, the Yang family has blossomed everywhere, and the murder and murder of the grandson of the Yang family has not yet been concluded, and Yang Shoufu's wife has been dragged into the water. Murdering the former queen, this crime is not the same as the death of a civilian.
In particular, this involved the Queen's dystocia. When Empress Zhong was pregnant, the fetal image was unstable. After the early initiation, the prince was weak as soon as she was born, and Empress Zhong also left the root of the disease, and died after two years in bed. According to the old palace maid, Empress Zhong would not have given birth prematurely, but she suddenly started after using a porridge. On the day of giving birth, it went smoothly at first, but later it was Madam Wen who deliberately delayed it, which caused Empress Zhong to have a bad childbirth and her vitality was severely damaged.
It is tantamount to murdering a woman while she is giving birth. If the old palace maid's words are true, then Madam Yang has to face more than just prison.
Cheng Yujin flipped her fingers, pierced the brocade face, and gently turned the needle in the air with her right hand: "She dares to speak out on the bright side and spread the evidence in front of everyone, it must be true. It's just over the past. After so many years, even if it is real evidence, it is not easy to review it again. What really needs to be seen is the attitude of the emperor."
Of course, Du Ruo was in favor of the East Palace and the Crown Princess, not to mention the position of the East Palace, just because Mrs. Yang acted when Empress Zhong was about to give birth, it was difficult for Du Ruo to have a good impression of the Yang family. When a woman gives birth to a child, she steps into the gate of hell with one foot. During childbirth, the pain is so painful that she has no time to pay attention to other things. It can be said that she has no self-protection power. Harming people at such a time, and bribing the midwife to deliberately delay time, is really vicious and sinister. Du Ruo is a woman and instinctively rejects this kind of behavior.
If this is true, then everything is now clear to the world, and Mrs. Yang has no reason not to pay the price for her evil deeds. Du Ruo frowned and thought for a while, but still felt uneasy: "Prince Concubine, do you think Your Majesty will decide for the first queen, punish Mrs. Yang, and avenge the first queen?"
Revenge on the emperor? Cheng Yujin was not optimistic at all. If the emperor had intentions, he should have been suspicious when Empress Zhong had a difficult childbirth and pursued it further, but the emperor did not, and he and Empress Yang had been married for more than ten years.
Back then, people couldn't count on them when they were in front of them, let alone twenty years after they died? Cheng Yujin stabbed another stitch, turned her fingers, and pressed the end of the thread and the last stitch at the same time: "The justice that belongs to the first queen will definitely come, but it's not up to your majesty."
Du Ruofu knew the second half of Cheng Yujin's unspoken words with his heart.
Depends on the prince.
The matter of Queen Zhong will be investigated after many years, and the evidence will be collected from various sources, and the evidence will be preserved for many years, and will be announced to the world at the right time. Those who will do this, and those who have the ability to do so, are only one person.
Moreover, the timing of the old palace maid's grievance was also very coincidental. It happened on the fifth day of the investigation of Yang Xiaoyu's case in Dali Temple. Yang Xiaoyu's case is not difficult to investigate. What is really difficult is the relationship behind it. The emperor, the prince, and the chief assistant are in a stalemate, and there are other middle factions standing in line. The investigation result of Dali Temple can be said to be very difficult.
As a result, within ten days, the story of Empress Zhong suddenly broke out. At this moment, the Yang family was already on the cusp of the storm, but suddenly it was revealed that they were suspected of murdering the former queen, causing a lot of discussion inside and outside the palace. Once Empress Zhong's incident is true, Madam Yang will not be able to escape the blame. This is tantamount to smashing a hammer on the Yang family's head, and the situation of three-legged confrontation is instantly reversed. The Yang family's power has been greatly weakened, and the final result of the decision can be expected.
Cheng Yujin was basically certain that the old palace maid and the evidence she brought out must have been arranged by Li Chengjing. It's just that the originally planned time may not be now. The fact that Yang Xiaoyu was strangled to death was too sudden, everyone did not expect it, and Li Chengqian was also very surprised, but the opportunity was fleeting, and Li Chengjing made a decisive decision and immediately threw out the trump card of Queen Zhong.
The political struggle in the outside world is bloody and cruel, and there is no blood in the murder, but the East Palace is still peaceful. Cheng Yujin recuperates in peace, takes care of her two children, and restores her vitality damaged by childbirth little by little. When Li Chengjing comes back at night, she only accompanies her to take care of the children, chat and talk, and rarely mention the ups and downs outside.
Cheng Yujin knew that Li Chengjing didn't want her to worry about things outside, so she took the time to recover. But not getting involved doesn't mean he doesn't know, Cheng Yujin still listens to the movements of the outer court in the harem during the day.
Cheng Yujin embroidered the coats for the two children, and Du Ruo immediately took them and folded them carefully. Cheng Yujin rubbed her wrist and sighed: "This is a duel between His Highness and Yang Shoufu, we'll just wait."
This is indeed a war between Li Chengjing and Yang Fucheng. The prince and the first assistant, the East Palace and the descendants, the two behemoths confronted each other head-on, and the small officials did not dare to approach. Immortals fight, and mortals suffer. For ten days, some people are always watching and don't dare to stand in line, and one family after another expresses their stance. Although it is dangerous, once it is done, it is the power of the dragon.
Moreover, the Yang family is over. The Yang family has been stuck in a stalemate for many years, and it is difficult to return, but the prince is on the rise. One is dissipating and one is well-received, one is crumbling, and the other is aggressive. After Li Chengjing used the trump card of Queen Zhong, the Yang family really couldn't stand it.
It can be said that the reputation of the Yang family quickly deteriorated within a few days. Now everyone who walks through the gate of the Yang family dares to scold the traitor and cover the sky with one hand, and lose their conscience. Ten days later, Dali Temple came up with the results. Yang Xiaoyu, the grandson of Yang Shoufu, robbed the civilian girl, beat his brother to death in the street, and scolded the girl afterwards. .
Dying in a woman's bed can be regarded as a result of karma, and there will be reincarnation.
Seeing this result, the emperor was extremely disappointed with the Yang family, and in the early court he publicly reprimanded Yang Shou for his ineffectiveness in assisting the family. Originally, it was said that Yang Fucheng was only temporarily suspended, and he would be reinstated after the Dali Temple investigation was over, but now, Yang Fucheng has been suspended indefinitely, and the day of his resumption is far away.
At the same time, the matter of the old palace maid's grievance was also handed over to Dali Temple for verification. The person in charge of this is still the prince.
When Empress Yang learned that Yang Fucheng was suspended indefinitely, she immediately went to Qianqing Palace to intercede, but the emperor avoided seeing it. Empress Yang knelt outside for two hours, and the emperor never came out to take a look.
Empress Yang knelt on the hard white marble floor for two hours. After she went back, her knees would not work, and she could not even walk. Therefore, the emperor asked Empress Yang to live in the Kunning Palace to recuperate. If there was nothing to do, she would not go outside. This decree seems to be sympathetic to Empress Yang, but it is actually a disguise, and embarrassing Empress Yang.
The Queen's knee was damaged, and naturally she couldn't go to serve the illness. Cheng Yujin took the place of Queen Yang's duties and served the seriously ill Empress Dowager Yang. When Empress Dowager Yang suddenly heard the tragic death of the only seedlings of the Yang family and the incense of the Yang family was about to end, she was so anxious that she immediately vomited a mouthful of black blood. After vomiting blood, Empress Dowager Yang's condition deteriorated sharply and became more serious.
Especially recently, Yang Fucheng was suspended, Mrs. Yang was involved in the murder case, Empress Yang was grounded in disguise, and news came that each one was worse than the other.
The Cining Palace, which was usually very clean, seemed to have been opened up to the eyes and ears, and the bad news of the Yang family was delivered one by one. The imperial doctor originally instructed the queen mother to rest in peace, and she must not worry about it. Cheng Yujin nodded and wrote it down at that time. When she turned around, the slightest disturbance in the Yang family would be passed on to the queen mother Yang's ears.
Empress Dowager Yang's illness has not improved for a long time, and even worsened. Cheng Yujin was very anxious about this. All kinds of medicines were sent to Queen Mother Yang as if they didn't need money. No matter what the prescriptions prescribed by the imperial physicians, they were all fried and tried.
The bitter taste of the Cining Palace persisted day and night. Empress Dowager Yang woke up from a dream that was not very stable, and the tip of her nose smelled the long bitter taste of the cloudy tide.
At this moment, the sleeping hall was very clean, and there were not many palace servants in sight. After Empress Dowager Yang made a noise, it took a while before the curtain was lifted. Cheng Yujin stood outside the bed curtain and smiled at Empress Yang: "Empress Dowager, you are awake. How are you feeling?"
Empress Dowager Yang struggled hard, and seemed to want to get up, but Cheng Yujin still stood still, just winked, and a palace maid helped Empress Dowager Yang sit up. The so-called personal service is just a palace servant, but don't expect Cheng Yujin to do it by himself.
The palace maid brought a round stool to Cheng Yujin. Cheng Yujin sat beside the Empress Dowager Yang's bed and asked with a smile, "The Empress Dowager, the medicine is fried, do you want to use it now or later?"
Drinking the medicine again, even if the Queen Mother Yang is past the age when a child is afraid of suffering, drinking medicine as soon as she wakes up is really not a good experience. Empress Dowager Yang said with a gloomy face, "Wait a little longer."
"Okay." Cheng Yujin nodded in agreement, and turned to instruct, "Take care of the fire of the medicine stove, keep the medicine warm all the time, and never let it get cold. If it takes too long to damage the efficacy of the medicine, then pour it all out and fry it again. "
"Yes."
The palace maid led the order to retreat, and Empress Dowager Yang sneered when she saw all this in front of her.
"You all step back." Empress Dowager Yang twitched the corners of her mouth and said gloomily, "The Ai family has something to say to the Crown Princess."
The palace people all looked up at Cheng Yujin, Cheng Yujin raised her hand, and they backed away one by one.
Empress Dowager Yang did not smile, her turbid eyes were full of cold light: "Prince Concubine is so majestic, even the people in the Aijia Palace will obey your orders."
"Don't dare." Cheng Yujin sat on the round stool with her back straight, her hands folded, her wide skirt pleats spread out on the ground like a peacock, and said, "Erchen just learned three points from the Empress Dowager."
Now that there is no one else in the palace, the Empress Dowager Yang is too lazy to fight with Cheng Yujin, and asks directly, "Who is driving all this?"
Empress Dowager Yang is not a fool. On the contrary, no one can underestimate her ruthlessness and heartlessness. The public opinion is so one-sided, and everything is interlinked, from a snow to a snowball. If there is no one behind it, the Empress Dowager Yang will be the first to not believe it.
Cheng Yujin didn't answer, but raised her eyebrows and asked back with a smile, "Who does the queen mother think it will be?"
Who would have the ability to promote such a big trend of public opinion, have the ability to let many court officials express their positions one after another, put pressure on the emperor and the Yang family, and keep the evidence of Queen Zhong in their hands for many years
Empress Dowager Yang had the answer in her heart early in the morning, but now that Cheng Yujin doesn't deny it at all, her heart is completely clear. Empress Dowager Yang twitched one corner of her lips, but she didn't smile: "Sure enough, it's you. Also, apart from you, who else would hate the Yang family to the death and wish the Yang family would fall."
"I can't agree with the Queen Mother's words." Cheng Yujin straightened her long sleeves, raised her head and smiled at the Queen Mother Yang, "It's not us who hate the Yang family, it's not just us who want to bring down the Yang family."
Empress Dowager Yang was stunned, Cheng Yujin looked at her, and said slowly: "During the avalanche, did the Empress Dowager think that it was just one person's power? Everyone who pushed behind, everyone who stood by, wanted to bring down the Yang family. , all want to be fair to the white people."
The Empress Dowager Yang was silent for a long time, and after a long time, she smiled: "I think I have been cautious and solemn over the years, and I have worked hard and made great achievements. It turns out that there are so many people outside who can't stand the Ai family and the Yang family?"
"Hard work and merit?" Cheng Yujin smiled lightly when she heard it, and said, "The queen mother feels that she has worked very hard for many years. It's not bad to say this, but the labor is for the Yang family, the merit is for herself, and the queen mother is stepping on the clouds. How can you see the corpses under your feet, and how can you care about those who sacrificed innocently for your own selfishness?"
"Heh." Empress Dowager Yang was disdainful, "When Ai's family was in the harem, you were not even born. Now, as a mere child, you dare to speak out in front of Ai's family?"
"Erchen naturally dare not." Cheng Yujin held a soft smile on her lips, and lightly opened her red lips, "Erchen is just following the destiny and fulfilling the things they have hoped for for many years for everyone."
Empress Dowager Yang was severely choked, yes, no matter how fierce her words were and how brilliant she used to be, it cannot be denied that now, the Yang family has been pushed by everyone. Even the Empress Dowager Yang was getting old and crumbling at the top of the harem, and even the servants of the palace maids who had never looked at her at all stopped giving orders. The era that belongs to the Yang family has come to an end, even if the Empress Dowager Yang was the queen of two dynasties, even if the Yang family was at the peak of power and power, and the scenery was the same, they would not be able to withstand the current betrayal, the three-generation single-handed death, and the incense will soon be cut off.
The Empress Dowager Yang was extremely sad in her heart. She had known this earlier, why did she work so hard all these years, and why did she work so hard to pave the way for the Yang family all these years? Even if there is a family entanglement and power, but who will it be left to
Yang Xiaoyu is dead, Yang Shilong is nearly forty years old, it is not realistic to have another son at this age. Even without Cheng Yujin and Li Chengjing pushing behind, the Yang family would collapse sooner or later. Empress Dowager Yang hated the common girl who killed Yang Xiaoyu, she could not wait to eat her flesh, drink her blood, and smash her bones into ashes, but people outside even called her a martyr girl and shouted Apologize for her.
What an irony. Empress Dowager Yang actually had some regrets in her heart, but in front of Cheng Yujin, she still made a tough appearance and sneered: "Prince Concubine should worry more about herself. Do you think that if you overthrow the Yang family, you can get it? Save it quickly. Forget it, the birds are gone, the good bows are hidden, the cunning rabbits are dead, the running dogs are cooked, the Yang family is down, and the next one is you."
"The queen mother doesn't need to worry about this." Cheng Yujin said unmoved, "the relationship between the prince and your majesty is a family matter anyway. Say yes?"
This sentence can be said to have touched the sore spot of Empress Dowager Yang. The cold and hard expression on Empress Dowager Yang's face could not be maintained, and she spit coldly: "It's just an ominous person, born in May, even if you can grow up, you will be forever The numerology of loneliness and widowhood. When he was just born, Aijia shouldn't be soft-hearted."
No matter what the Empress Dowager Yang said before, Cheng Yujin maintained a smile, and her tone was always gentle. But hearing the Queen Mother Yang say Li Chengjing like this, Cheng Yujin's heart suddenly burst into a nameless fire.
Cheng Yujin couldn't help but restrain her smile, her eyes were clear, and when she smiled, she was like a picture scroll, and when she didn't smile, she showed the coldness of those eyes: "The Queen Mother relied on her grandmother's seniority to express her comments on the fate of others. Your Highness was called ominous when she was first born. , when my child came out, you also said it was ominous. Look at the queen mother, you have done too many evil things, and you have brought bad consequences to yourself. The Yang family has become extinct, and so are you, the queen mother. "
Empress Dowager Yang's eyes widened and she said in a hurry, "You..."
"The queen mother always says that others are ominous. This is true for His Royal Highness, and the same is true for my children. Perhaps for the queen mother, it is indeed ominous. All your descendants are dead, and we will live well, outlive you, and outlast you. You are a thousand times better, alive."
This is the untouchable pain in Empress Dowager Yang's heart. For many years, no one in the harem dared to mention it, and even Empress Yang avoided it everywhere, but at this moment, Cheng Yujin picked it up and spread all the wounds under the sun. Empress Dowager Yang was so angry that she coughed. She coughed for a long time, and when she finally recovered, she smelled a faint fragrance on the tip of her nose.
In some cases, smell is remembered longer than sight. The fragrance was too long ago, and Empress Dowager Yang relaxed for a moment. Even though she deliberately let herself forget, her grief immediately brought her back to that day.
The day her own son died in vain.
Her son was also a prince. On that day, my son asked for peace with Empress Yang as usual and went outside to make an appointment. At that time, Empress Dowager Yang was still the queen. She prepared fresh fruits and vegetables in Kunning Palace, waiting for her son to return from the banquet. But in the afternoon, Empress Dowager Yang hadn't waited for the news of her only son, but received a message from the servant that the imperial concubine had invited her.
Empress Dowager Yang didn't think much about it, she just packed up and went to Changchun Palace to make an appointment. That day, the imperial concubine wore a light white dress. When the Queen Mother saw her, she asked strangely, "Why is the imperial concubine so plain?"
The imperial concubine looked at her and smiled, and said, "I heard news of an old friend by chance. As an old friend, my concubine is sad and can't bear to wear bright clothes."
Empress Dowager Yang snorted in her heart and didn't ask any further questions. Who would have known that she had only drank half of her tea when she suddenly received bad news from the eunuch that the eldest son of the emperor had an accident and died on the spot. Empress Dowager Yang's only son, King Rong, the son of a noble concubine, was killed.
Empress Dowager Yang clearly remembered that the spices ordered by the imperial concubine in Changchun Palace that day were exactly this flavor.
Empress Dowager Yang was suddenly frightened, her heart contracted tightly, and she was speechless in pain. That's her only son, the one she's truly connected to in the world. If it wasn't for the death of her son, why would Empress Yang summon Li Huan to Beijing and hand over the throne in her hand to others. If it wasn't for the death of her only son, why would the Empress Dowager keep supporting the Yang family all these years? Those resources were originally reserved for her parents and children.
Presumably because her son died, the Queen Mother Yang had no roots to rely on, so she could only desperately subsidize her younger brother, trying to pull her younger brother and nephew for her support.
This is the eternal pain in Empress Dowager Yang's heart. In recent years, no one dared to mention the noble concubine and the king Rong, let alone the prince Huaiming. After a long time, Empress Dowager Yang almost forgot about these things, but the familiar smell brought her back to the pain of bereavement, which almost made Empress Dowager Yang unable to breathe.
It's not that she forgot, she just didn't dare to remind herself.
There were crowds of people, and the line of sight was confused. Empress Dowager Yang suddenly discovered that Cheng Yujin was also wearing a plain white dress today, with only broken flowers embroidered on the cuffs.
In the curling aroma, Cheng Yujin in front of her vaguely overlapped with the imperial concubine of the past. Empress Dowager Yang felt severe pain in her heart. She pointed at Cheng Yujin, her fingers trembling constantly: "You... why do you know this dress?"
With a smile on Cheng Yujin's lips, she said, "Niangniang, what are you talking about, I'll take care of you, so you should wear plain and light clothes, and you can't bear to wear bright clothes."
When Empress Dowager Yang heard the second half of the sentence, her eyes darkened and she almost fainted. Cheng Yujin stood up and looked down at the queen mother who was lying on the bed. She glanced at it and walked out with a wave of her sleeves: "come here, the queen mother is ill. Feed the queen mother some medicine to soothe the nerves and help sleep."
From Empress Dowager Yang's point of view, the back of Cheng Yujin's departure is especially like her nemesis, Concubine Renzong.
There was a familiar smell in his nose, and the plain shadow in front of him swayed back and forth. In a trance, Empress Dowager Yang almost thought that the imperial concubine was alive again. She crawled back from Abi Hell and came to seek revenge for Empress Dowager Yang.
Empress Dowager Yang fell into a convulsion and completely fainted.