In Biquan Palace, the Empress Dowager just finished drinking the medicine and was about to lie down for a while.
Recently, because of the rebellion, she has been restless. In addition, she is getting older, and various minor problems follow one after another.
The imperial physician ordered to prescribe medicine for her, and told her to relax and not to worry too much.
The queen mother agreed verbally, but was very upset in her heart.
The rebels have already hit the door of the house, how can we make her not worry
A little eunuch hurried in.
"Report to the Empress Dowager, the saint has been kidnapped!"
The Empress Dowager was so frightened that she sat up and hurriedly asked.
"What do you mean being held hostage? The emperor stayed well in the palace, how could he be held hostage? What about Habayashi Wei and Ye Xiaowei? Are they all just for nothing?!"
The little eunuch ran all the way, panting.
He swallowed hard, and quickly told what happened.
The queen mother was so angry that she beat and scolded Li Ji as a thief!
But the matter has come to this point, no matter how much you scold people, it is useless.
The Empress Dowager hurriedly left Biquan Palace and drove to Zhengyang Palace in a sedan chair.
She was anxious and kept urging the eunuch Dali to hurry up and hurry up.
When they approached the Zhengyang Hall, the Queen Mother saw a large group of people gathered in front of the hall from a distance, and they could be seen from the clothes of the Habayashi Guard and Ye Xiaowei.
On the steps farther away, there were still a few familiar people standing.
Among them, the most eye-catching one is naturally the regent Li Ji, the little emperor Li Qiong who has been held hostage by him.
Not only the queen mother, but also the left and right prime ministers and the six ministers rushed over after hearing the news.
Seeing so many big figures coming, Habayashi Wei and Ye Xiaowei retreated spontaneously to make way for her.
The queen mother supported the hand of the mother and walked forward quickly.
"Li Ji, the Ai family orders you to release the emperor now!"
Li Ji remained motionless, as if he didn't notice what the queen mother said.
Seeing that he didn't take herself seriously, the queen mother was very annoyed, but because of the knife in his hand, the queen mother didn't dare to explode on the spot, so she could only keep her temper down.
"As long as you let the emperor go, Aijia will be able to forgive the crimes you committed before."
Hearing this, Zhong'anbo Hua Dingzong immediately became happy.
He hurriedly said to Li Ji.
"Quickly let the saint go, so that nothing will happen to you and the saint."
For Hua Dingzong, Li Ji is his son-in-law, and Li Qiong is his grandson, with fleshy palms and backs, and he doesn't want any accidents to happen.
Everyone is happy when they are doing well.
Li Ji smiled, and said mockingly, "Do you believe her nonsense?"
Of course Hua Dingzong knew that what the queen mother said might not be true, but he always had a little luck in his heart.
What if she was telling the truth
Hua Dingzong said embarrassingly: "The queen mother made a promise in front of so many people, she won't break her promise and get fat."
The queen mother immediately said: "Yes, everyone present can testify to Aijia!"
All the people present were staring at Li Ji, for fear that his subordinates would hurt the little emperor.
Li Ji looked at the empress dowager's swearing look, and then at the restless officials present, thinking of something, smiled lightly, and his expression became unpredictable.
"It's rare that there are so many people here today. It just so happens that I have an old matter here that I need to talk to you about. Do you still remember Empress Ji and Prince Li Shu from the previous dynasty?"
The expressions of the left and right prime ministers immediately changed slightly.
Both of them have been officials in the court for many years, so they naturally know about Empress Ji and Prince Li Shu.
They exchanged a look silently, and then looked at the queen mother in unison
At this time, the Empress Dowager's complexion has become quite ugly.
She said coldly: "Two people who have been dead for many years, why do you mention them?"
Among the six ministers, only the oldest minister of the Ministry of Rites has experienced the case of Prince Li Shu, and the other five people have only heard about it and don't know the details, so they are all at a loss at the moment.
As for the little emperor Li Qiong, he had never even heard of the name of the crown prince Li Shu, so naturally he didn't know anything about it.
Li Ji said slowly: "Back then, Prince Li Shu was framed and convicted of treason. He committed suicide by burning himself, and the number of officials implicated in the court is countless."
The queen mother avoided his sharp gaze and said loudly.
"That's their own fault!"
Li Ji: "I heard that you used to be just a court lady next to Empress Ji, and you took the initiative to climb onto the emperor's bed while the emperor was drunk, which made the emperor promote you as a court lady."
Talking about the past, the Empress Dowager couldn't hold back her face, and her expression became more and more ugly.
"Who do you listen to nonsense? Although the Ai family entered the palace as a court lady before, but the Ai family is also the daughter of the Ji family! In terms of background, the Ai family is not much worse than Empress Ji!"
"That's too far away!"
A familiar female voice suddenly sounded.
Everyone immediately turned their heads, followed the prestige, and saw a group of royal family members walking towards this side surrounded by Princess Ningyang.
The person who spoke just now was none other than Princess Ningyang.
Those royal family members were terrified when they saw Li Ji holding the little emperor hostage with a knife.
Only Princess Ningyang didn't even move her eyebrows, she was surprisingly calm.
She was the aunt of the first emperor, who had gone through three dynasties and had a distinguished status. Even the queen mother had to give her three points of courtesy.
When she looked at the queen mother, the queen mother couldn't help clutching her sleeves, her face turned pale.
The queen mother asked sternly.
"Why are you here? Didn't Aijia order you to stay at home and think about your mistakes? Who allowed you to come into the palace?"
Ever since the Regent rebelled, the Queen Mother has placed Princess Ningyang under house arrest on the charge that Princess Ningyang failed to discipline her grandson, and ordered the entire Princess Mansion to be sealed off.
Princess Ningyang doesn't have the ability to read minds, but she can easily see through the Queen Mother's mind.
she said calmly.
"Empress Dowager, don't change the subject in a hurry.
Just now you said that you are also the daughter of the Ji family, and you are not much worse than Empress Ji in terms of background, thanks to you being able to say that.
Your mother is just a concubine of the Ji family.
Since your father died early, your mother took you back to Ji's house to seek refuge.
The Ji family sympathized with what happened to you, so they kindly took your mother and daughter in.
Back then when Empress Ji entered the palace, it was you who insisted on following Empress Ji into the palace as a dowry maid.
You have become a court lady, but you are restless. You always like to show yourself in front of the emperor.
Later, you took the initiative to climb onto the dragon bed while the emperor was drunk.
Afterwards, Queen Ji pursued it.
You knelt on the ground and wept pear blossoms and rain, pretending to be aggrieved and helpless, which aroused the pity of the emperor, and thus gained the position of Baolin. "
Through the narration of Princess Ningyang, the unknown past of that year was slowly revealed.
The eyes of the people present looking at the queen mother became brilliant.
The queen mother felt ashamed and indignant as if she had been stripped naked in public.
"you shut up!"
(end of this chapter)