"All of you step aside. I want to talk to my queen." Emperor Hongwu gave the order, and everyone dared to obey.
Hu Shanwei walked out of the underground palace and saw that it was already daytime outside. Snow was falling, the fighting had ended, the battlefield was being cleaned up, and bodies were being carried away in cars. The main building was half burned, and it was too late to repair it. It had become a dangerous building and needed to be demolished and rebuilt.
The house was shaky and could collapse at any time. For safety, a tent was set up in the open space outside. Hu Shanwei and others went to the tent to avoid the wind and snow. Mu Chun, who was guarding the door, ordered the soldiers to escort Prince Lu and Shen Qionglian to another tent: "There is a stove there, it is warmer."
Shen Qionglian was very smart and did not expose the secret. She just walked away and Prince Lu quickly followed her.
Hu Shanwei just walked into the tent and immediately froze in place:
No wonder Prince Lu and Shen Qionglian couldn't see it! But Prince Qi and Prince Tan were lying on a wooden table respectively. Four doctors were surrounding their stiff bodies, repairing them, putting pieces of broken bones as big as rice grains into the skull, covering the scalp, and sewing them up with needles and thread.
These four were all imperial physicians, led by the white-bearded chief judge of the Imperial Medical Bureau. Among them was the imperial physician Tan, whom Hu Shanwei was familiar with.
Mu Chun said, "The emperor has issued a gag order. Anyone who tells the truth will be killed. The emperor has said that the Northern Yuan people raided the Xiaoling Mausoleum and attempted to destroy the dragon vein of the Ming Dynasty. The princes of Qi and Tan died in order to protect the Xiaoling Mausoleum. Concubine Da Ding lost her two sons... She was too sad and died that night. No wonder you were in a bad mood when you came to the Xiaoling Mausoleum and hid it from me. It turned out that it was because of Concubine Da Ding's calculations. In the past nineteen years, this woman was too powerful. Even Empress Xiaoci fell into her hands."
Hu Shanwei felt sad and recalled Empress Xiaoci's last words:
"I don't have a legitimate son. The many concubines in the six palaces in the east and west have helped the royal family grow. Some of them are pitiful people. Concubine Da Ding and Concubine Guo Hui are both victims of political struggles. I can't do anything but treat them well. I am a mortal and have seven emotions and six desires... The six bureaus and one department can restrain my selfish desires and make sure these concubines are treated fairly as much as possible..."
"I don't want you to repay me, nor do I want you to take revenge. I just want you to live well..."
However, not all kindness can be rewarded. The struggle for power is so cruel and ruthless that couples, mothers and sons, and fathers and sons all send each other to the underworld.
No wonder Empress Xiaoci lost all desire to live and looked forward to death after seeing through it all, instead of asking her to find the truth and seek revenge.
Because revenge is endless, and the cycle of revenge is endless. Concubine Da Ding wants to avenge Chen Youliang, the Prince of Han, for killing Empress Xiaoci; Hu Shanwei wants to avenge Empress Xiaoci and uncover the truth; Concubine Da Ding loses her own life and the life of her two sons for this, and the real enemy, Emperor Hongwu, is still alive.
Hu Shanwei didn't want to walk out of the tent facing two cold corpses, but the entire Xiaoling Mausoleum was littered with corpses and there was nowhere to go.
She avenged Empress Xiaoci, but she did not feel happy, nor did she feel a sense of accomplishment and excitement like she did after completing various tasks in the past.
Looking at the countless corpses, the sadness overflowing from his brows was like the snow floating in the sky, boundless and endless.
At this time, Hu Shanwei deeply felt the fatigue of Empress Xiaoci before her death. He was so tired. It was not the mental and physical busyness, but the vitality was crushed and worn out in the tragic events.
She now finally understood why Empress Xiaoci faced death calmly and refused medical treatment. Because she had no vitality left and was barely alive, like a walking corpse. Empress Xiaoci didn't want to live like this...
More important than the truth is the reputation of the royal family. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was cuckolded for 19 years and his own son even betrayed him. If it were to make it public, it would damage the reputation of the royal family and become a laughing stock. They could only whitewash the situation and cover up the scandal like this heavy snow.
The mother and her two sons died together, and Emperor Hongwu gave them a grand funeral.
Emperor Hongwu locked his own coffin and that of Empress Xiaoci in the underground palace for a whole day and night. No one knew what he said to his deceased wife. When he came out the next morning, he had gained several wrinkles at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his temples were all white. This emperor, who was known for his energy, had already looked old.
"Go back to the palace and attend court." said Emperor Hongwu.
Xiaoling Mausoleum needs to be rebuilt, and Hu Shanwei can no longer hide here in peace. As the secret of Concubine Da Ding's poisoning has been leaked, there will inevitably be another wave of blood and gore in the palace and a major purge.
Hu Shanwei and his party followed the imperial carriage back to the palace. It was snowing heavily, covering the bloody scene. The west wind was blowing fiercely, but one could still smell a faint smell of blood.
She thought of Empress Xiaoci's last words, "... The harem is the biggest arena of fame and fortune in the Ming Dynasty. After my death, the harem will become the biggest arena of fighting for the position of empress, or even the position of crown prince, and everyone will tear each other apart... The Ming Dynasty court is about to face the biggest shock..."
Hu Shanwei thought to himself: Madam, every word you said predicted the future. Now the new queen has not been appointed, and Concubine Guo Ning has not even become a vice queen. She cannot suppress the harem like you did. When will the fighting end? The King of Qi and the King of Tan have even reached your resting place. Isn't this a big shock? Aren't there enough people dead now
Can you please stop causing trouble? If a fight breaks out, it will be fine if you are crushed to pieces, but how many innocent people will be killed!
As he was thinking, someone outside the carriage knocked gently and called out in a low voice, "Hu Siyan."
The voice sounded familiar. Hu Shanwei drew aside the curtain. It was Doctor Tan, who had repaired the skull of Prince Qi together with the judge in Xiaoling Mausoleum. He was riding on a horse, and his line of sight was exactly parallel to Hu Shanwei's.
Doctor Tan was a little nervous, looking straight ahead, as if he was just passing by. To avoid being seen, he said, "Please let down the curtains, Hu Siyan, to talk."
Doctor Tan and Hu Shanwei's father Hu Rong were close friends regardless of age difference. They often went to the Jiaofangsi together to drink tea and watch plays. Hu Shanwei fought with the assassin Canmu and was seriously injured. It was Doctor Tan and Ru Siyao who treated him together.
Hu Shanwei lowered the curtains and asked, "Why is Doctor Tan so panicked?"
Doctor Tan looked ahead and said, "Ru Siyao was taken away by the people from the Palace Administration Division last night. Anyone who was involved in the matter of Concubine Da Ding was executed silently. I heard that Hu Siyan was good friends with Fan Gongzheng from the Palace Administration Division. I beg Hu Siyan to save Ru Siyao as soon as possible."
The arrest of Ru Siyao instantly brought Hu Shanwei back to reality from the melancholy of losing Empress Xiaoci.
Hu Shanwei knew why Ru Siyao was arrested: that day Concubine Da Ding was poisoned, and Ru Siyao refused to treat Concubine Da Ding according to the prescription given by the Jinyiwei, and instead asked the judge to treat her.
Mao Xiang set up a trap and summoned the King of Qi back to the capital to visit Concubine Da Ding on the pretext that she was seriously ill, and then captured her in one fell swoop.
However, the secret of Concubine Dading's poisoning was leaked out for some reason. Her two sons, Prince Qi and Prince Tan, knew about it. They planned to kidnap Prince Lu in exchange for his life and attacked the Xiaoling Mausoleum to seize him.
So the question is, who leaked the information
Ru Siyao, who refused to treat Concubine Da Ding, is undoubtedly the first suspect.
Hu Shanwei hurried back to the palace. Without having time to pay his respects to Concubine Guo Ning at Zhongcui Palace, he went to the Palace Administration Office to find Fan Gongzheng.
There is blood and gore in the palace, and the Palace Administration Department is extremely busy. Fan Gongzheng has hardly slept recently and looks haggard. She relies on makeup to cover up her appearance. She has secretly executed many people, and her makeup is still exquisite. The only change is that the corners of her eyes have become sharper and more murderous.
Fan Gongzheng was not surprised by Hu Shanwei's visit. He politely asked her to sit down, ordered someone to serve tea, and said, "I know why you are here. But you have worked in the Gongzheng Division for a year, and you should know the rules of the game best. There are no unsolved cases in the harem, and human life is worthless. If there is no conclusive evidence of the leaker, then the person with the greatest suspicion must be strictly interrogated. After enduring the punishment, he may be able to prove his innocence."
Hu Shanwei said, "Ru Siyao has a good hand and a kind heart. If a doctor uses heavy punishment, his hands will no longer be sensitive and he will be useless. Fan Gongzheng knows Ru Siyao's ideal. If she cannot be a doctor to cure diseases and save lives and make progress in medical skills, what is the difference between killing her? Please give Ru Siyao a chance to defend herself."
Hu Shanwei was Concubine Guo Ning's "military advisor" and had the power to protest against the first female official in the palace, Cao Shanggong. Seeing that she was in a hurry, Fan Gongzheng thought that she was here to borrow Concubine Guo Ning's power to ask the Palace Administration Office to release the person.
Hu Shanwei spoke in a consultative manner and did not use his power to pressure others, so Fan Gongzheng became less polite and more sincere.
Having worked together in the palace for fourteen years, Fan Gongzheng was not without feelings for Ru Siyao. He said, "From the time she was arrested till now, I have not ordered any torture on Ru Siyao. But she refuses to identify anyone else and cannot prove her innocence. What can I do? I am helpless."
"It was easy to deal with when the emperor was not here. Concubine Guo Ning knew nothing and was kept in the dark. She didn't ask about this matter, so I was able to delay it until now. But now that the emperor is back, I don't need to torture him, and there are no other suspects. The emperor is asking me for the person, how can I report it?"
Fan Gongzheng is smooth in her dealings with people, and is a sophisticated egoist. She does not do evil things and is generally kind at heart, but she will never sacrifice her own future for others.
This has something to do with Fan Gongzheng's background. Her grandfather Fan Qie was one of the four great poets of the Yuan Dynasty and also a good official who was as clean as water. He had noble character and was good at using poetry to criticize current social ills. He offended many people because of this. Although he had a good reputation, his career was mediocre.
Fan Gongzheng has been exposed to her grandfather's deeds since she was a child, and she knows the rules of officialdom and learns lessons. When she grew up, she did the opposite, and her career went smoothly and she remained standing. She is a very realistic female official.
When Hu Shanwei had just entered the palace, she was fearless like a newborn calf, so Fan Gongzheng deliberately pushed her to the front to block arrows and avoid all kinds of landmines. Fortunately, Hu Shanwei was bold, careful, and lucky, with the help of various noble people, she was able to turn dangers into safety many times, turning risks into opportunities and rising rapidly, otherwise she would have become cannon fodder long ago.
Hu Shanwei knew Fan Gongzheng's character and said, "A great secret will not be leaked out for no reason. Please allow me to take Ru Siyao out of prison so that I can ask her carefully. Even Fan Gongzheng didn't know about Concubine Da Ding's poisoning at the time. Only five people knew about it: me, Mao Xiang, the chief judge of the Imperial Hospital, Ru Siyao, and the emperor. On the surface, Ru Siyao is indeed the most likely person to leak the secret, but I believe that with Ru Siyao's ten years of experience as a doctor in the deep palace, she would definitely not be the informer because she would not gain anything from it."
"I believe in her prudence, but..." Fan Gongzheng said, "Inadvertently leaking secrets is also a serious crime, and she is not innocent."
Hu Shanwei said, "What if it's not? What if it was the other four people, including myself, who accidentally leaked it? Please ask Fan Gongzheng to give Ru Siyao a chance. Ru Siyao is a proud person. If you interrogate her as a thief, she will have resistance in her heart. How can she cooperate?"
Fan Gongzheng was half-believing and half-doubting: "Why doesn't she cooperate? Isn't she afraid of death?"
Hu Shanwei recalled the day when Ru Siyao resolutely refused her fake pulse diagnosis and forged the pulse record of Concubine Da Ding's "heart disease".
At that time, Ru Siyao's words seemed to be ringing in her ears: "I am a doctor first, and then a court lady. I will only save people in my life, not harm them. Either you don't let me treat her, or I will do my best to treat the patient. Even if I know she will die, I will not give up any possibility of saving her."
"… You are Empress Xiaoci, and I am a doctor. We have different paths, so we cannot work together…"
In order to pursue her medical career, Ru Siyao even cruelly rejected the love of Doctor Tan, but Doctor Tan remained devoted to her and remained single despite all kinds of pressure. Whenever Ru Siyao was in trouble, Doctor Tan was the first to ask Hu Shanwei for help.
Hu Shanwei sighed and said to Fan Gongzheng: "For Ru Siyao, some things are more important than life."
Fan Gongzheng thought about it and decided that he couldn't get anything out of her now anyway. Since Hu Shanwei was willing to take this hot potato to his side, he would let her take it away. I would order people to guard the door of her room, and Ru Siyao would not be able to escape even if she had wings.
When the emperor asks about it, he will put the blame on Hu Shanwei.
Fan Gongzheng, an expert at shifting the blame, nodded in agreement.
Ru Siyao was brought out of the Gongzheng Prison. Apart from looking a little haggard, she didn't look like she had been tortured. It seemed that what Fan Gongzheng said was true.
Fan Gongzheng and the two made three rules: "First, Ru Siyao can only eat food and drink tea after Gongzhengsi's inspection. Second, Ru Siyao is not allowed to step out of Hu Siyan's house. Third, within three days, Hu Siyan must give me an explanation."
The two men agreed.
Ru Siyao followed Hu Shanwei back. Before she could ask any questions, she said, "The prison is dirty and smelly. I need to take a shower. I don't want to say anything until I'm clean."
Ru Siyao is a doctor who has a little mysophobia. Living with cockroaches and bedbugs in Gongzhengsi Prison is already a punishment for her.
Hu Shanwei said, "Don't worry, take your time washing, I still need to go to Zhongcui Palace."
After the vacation, Hu Shanwei went to pay his respects to Concubine Guo Ning. As for the Xiaoling Rebellion, Concubine Guo Ning and Prince Lu and his mother had limited IQs and both believed the official statement—the Northern Yuan people wanted to destroy the dragon vein of the Ming Dynasty, Prince Qi and Prince Tan died protecting the mausoleum, and the seriously ill Concubine Da Ding died of excessive grief.
The less you know, the safer you are. Hu Shanwei envied Concubine Guo Ning very much, because fools have good fortune.
Concubine Guo Ning held Hu Shanwei's hand, and burst into tears of gratitude: "I heard from Tan'er. In the critical moment, it was you who warned in advance and ordered people to carry Tan'er to the underground palace to hide, and you ran out to set up the Deer Sword Formation to resist the foreign enemies. Thanks to you, otherwise this hot-blooded and foolish son of mine would have gone out and fought desperately with the Beiyuan people without knowing the consequences."
What a close call! Fortunately, Hu Shanwei hid him, otherwise he would have died in battle at Xiaoling Mausoleum just like the Prince of Qi and the Prince of Tan!
She only has one son, Prince Lu, who is her lifeblood.
Hu Shanwei said, "I did not expect that Prince Lu would go to Xiaoling. Now that the matter has passed, we should take good care of the funeral of Concubine Da Ding and the two princes."
Speaking of Concubine Da Ding, Concubine Guo Ning shed a few tears of joy, "It's a pity that my sister is unlucky. The first concubine to sleep with her is gone just like that."
A few days ago, Concubine Da Ding was the first to sleep with Emperor Hongwu, and Concubine Guo Ning was very upset and jealous. Now Concubine Da Ding has lost everything overnight, and Concubine Guo Ning can't help but feel how lonely and empty Wu Di is. She doesn't need to do anything, she can win just by lying down.
It seems like my luck is really going to change, and being named a noble concubine or even queen is just around the corner!
The author has something to say: Every female official has her own temper~
Hu Shanwei is going to look for the real leaker. The harem werewolf killing begins now. Please close your eyes before it gets dark.
I will give out 100 red envelopes tonight, and everyone is welcome to leave comments.