Hu Shanwei simulated the seating arrangement for the Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner and the counterattack process of luring the enemy into a trap on the chessboard, and said, "... Your Majesty, if there are no other questions, we will proceed as planned."
Emperor Jianwen stared at the chessboard. The enemy and his own side were represented by black and white chess pieces respectively. The black and white were clearly distinguished. He was silent for a long time. His mother and brother were both black pieces. They wanted to kill him and his son. Because his wife was pregnant and the baby might be a boy, they did not even let his wife go this time.
If Hu Shanwei had not secretly surrendered, the four of them would have all gone to hell tonight.
"Everything is going according to plan." Emperor Jianwen's eyes were frosted, and the last bit of mother-son affection was worn away.
Hu Shanwei hesitated for a moment and said, "I dare to make a suggestion. The Queen is pregnant and has been kept in the dark about the Emperor's plan. Although there was no danger at the family dinner tonight, swords have no eyes. What if... The Queen is not feeling well? I am worried about what might happen. Can you find an excuse to let the Queen leave in the middle of the family dinner?"
Emperor Jianwen refused without further thought, "No, the plan is that halfway through the family banquet, there is a small amount of laxative herbs in the prince's soup, he will have mild diarrhea, and he will return to the East Palace to rest early. But if the queen also leaves early, it will inevitably alert the queen mother and Prince Heng. Once they stop, our plan will fail."
The crown prince was the crown prince's heir, so to be on the safe side, Emperor Jianwen planned to have the crown prince leave midway on the pretext of diarrhea. This way, even if an unexpected event occurred, at least the crown prince could be saved.
Now the three-year-old prince has begun to learn to read, and his study companions are all disciples of wealthy families in the capital. Emperor Jianwen was too hasty when he became the crown prince, and most of the officials in the Crown Prince's Palace were mediocre and incompetent people from humble backgrounds. As a result, he is now unable to do his best in governing the country, and his government is in a mess. Every failure makes him wiser, and Emperor Jianwen gave his son the best to make up for the regret of the past.
This includes the hope of survival, and Emperor Jianwen wants to ensure that the prince is safe.
After all, there is only one prince, and he can marry again. There will be countless women who want to bear children for the emperor.
Hu Shanwei was disappointed, but still unwilling to give up, and continued to persuade: "Since the prince is not feeling well, it is normal for the queen as a mother to go to see the prince halfway. Just say that you will go to see the prince and then come back. Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will mediate secretly and will definitely not let the queen mother suspect anything."
Emperor Jianwen still refused and said, "I have made up my mind. I will protect the queen. Go and make the arrangements, Lady Hu."
The purpose of Empress Ma's participation in the family dinner was to give Empress Dowager Lu and Prince Heng some peace of mind. After all, the emperor and empress had a deep relationship, and the only two concubines in the palace were just decorations. Empress Ma was the only favorite in the harem, just like Empress Xiaoci Ma, and her status could not be shaken.
Emperor Jianwen insisted on asking the pregnant Empress Ma to take the risk, which was beyond Hu Shanwei's expectations, but also within her expectations.
Imperial power is the most corrupting thing in the world. The one and only authority in the world, the absolute power is too tempting. Once touched, people don't want to lose it and would rather give up everything to protect the imperial power.
Hu Shanwei was used to seeing the deep love between emperors and empresses. Back then, Emperor Gaozu and Empress Xiaoci met when they were humble. An imperial guard who had just returned to secular life as a monk and the adopted daughter of a peasant uprising leader, they worked together and supported each other through many ups and downs. Emperor Gaozu respected and loved her, but in the end, Empress Xiaoci still chose to treat the role of empress as a profession. The identities of wife and lover had been worn away by the years and the political power.
In the past, Hu Shanwei could not understand Empress Xiaoci's indifference. In the end, she gave up the thought of living, refused treatment from the imperial physician and the female physician, and faced death calmly and even welcomed it with full anticipation.
Now, having witnessed with his own eyes the whole process of Emperor Jianwen and Empress Ma, from meeting, getting married, falling in love, having children, being crowned as empress, and supporting each other, to the emperor requiring Empress Ma to attend the Hongmen Banquet even though he knew that Empress Ma was in danger, for the sake of his own imperial power, Hu Shanwei finally understood and comprehended Empress Xiaoci's choice.
Empress Xiaoci had seen through everything long ago. Perhaps she had some expectations of her husband just like Empress Ma does now
It was one thing after another that made her sober up and gradually disillusioned with the things she once felt warm about. She repeatedly examined her marriage and family. She gradually gave up the roles of lover and wife and just chose to be a queen.
Empress Ma was once Empress Ma, and Empress Ma will also be Empress Ma, and this cycle will continue indefinitely.
The fate of the women in the harem all ends up in the same place.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th, people were reunited with their families. At the same time, two pieces of good news came from the north. The Southern Army led by Sheng Yong recaptured two important military locations, Dingzhou and Cangzhou. The Southern Army was turning defeat into victory.
Emperor Jianwen was overjoyed and gave Sheng Yong generous rewards. Li Jinglong had originally planned to laugh at Sheng Yong, thinking, "If you can do it, then do it." But when Sheng Yong took the stage, it turned out that he was really capable, and Li Jinglong was slapped in the face. In addition, at the Mid-Autumn Festival royal banquet, he, as the cousin of Emperor Jianwen and a great contributor to the reduction of the power of the princes, was not invited. The Caoguo Mansion, which was the most popular in the first year of Jianwen, suddenly became deserted.
Li Jinglong was originally a fence-sitter, but now he was forced by the fickleness of the world to side with the Prince of Yan. He hoped day and night that the Southern Army would be defeated and the Prince of Yan would enter the capital.
There was a royal banquet during the day. Princesses, princes who had fled to the capital, and other royal family members gathered together for a big party. People enthusiastically discussed the news of the Southern Army's victory and praised the commander Sheng Yong. But they thought in their hearts: The Southern Army has several times more people than the others, and they only won a few battles after fighting for more than a year. Is this worth celebrating
Hu Shanwei secretly observed the princes. Each of them was in their prime and had sharp eyes. They toasted Emperor Jianwen one by one, and it felt like a pack of wolves looking at each other.
Prince Yan was right. If Emperor Jianwen died, any prince who came to power would not be as easy to deal with as Emperor Jianwen, so he must be well protected.
It was not until dusk, when the palace gates were about to be closed, that members of the royal family left one after another. Only Prince Heng and Prince Xu, two of Emperor Jianwen's brothers, remained in the palace to attend the family banquet.
At night, lanterns lit up the Chrysanthemum Terrace as bright as day, and the family dinner began.
The mourning period for Emperor Gaozu has passed, and the harem is decorated with all kinds of colorful flowers. The Chrysanthemum Terrace is surrounded by lanterns of various colors, creating patterns of blooming flowers, auspicious dragons and phoenixes, etc. Using lanterns as pens and the night sky as paper, a perfect picture is painted. The atmosphere of wealth and splendor on earth can only be described in the imperial palace.
In the morning, he feasted the ministers, in the afternoon, he feasted the royal family, and in the evening, he had to spend time with his family. The Emperor Jianwen drank a lot of wine that day and seemed a little tipsy. A palace servant brought him some wine and was about to pour him some. The Emperor Jianwen stroked his forehead with his left hand, as if he had a headache. He stretched out his right palm and said, "I am already drunk and cannot drink any more. Give this pot of wine to my second brother."
There is poison in the wine.
Two years ago, in order to save his mother, Emperor Jianwen disobeyed the emperor's order and intercepted the poisoned wine given to Empress Dowager Lu by Emperor Gaozu. However, two years later, his mother not only did not
He knew how to be grateful, but instead he was harmed with a pot of poisoned wine!
After many twists and turns, the person who received the poisoned wine became the one who gave it. The person who saved the life became the victim. The mother and son who shared the same fate became enemies who killed each other.
When Prince Heng heard this, he immediately pretended to be drunk as well. "I cannot refuse the gift from the Emperor. However, I was so happy to hear that our army had won many victories and regained lost territory that I lost my temper. I drank too much today and I am not feeling well now. I cannot drink any more. I will take this pot of wine back to the palace. When the three armies return victorious, I will serve the wine bestowed by the Emperor and drink to my heart's content."
Empress Dowager Lu was also busy trying to smooth things over for her second son. "Drinking is for pleasure, but it's not worth it if it hurts your body. Tonight is a family dinner, and we are all family members. You don't have to worry about etiquette or face. If you can drink, drink. If you can't, just drink some soup. Don't hurt your stomach."
Empress Ma was a virtuous woman. Seeing her husband entertaining people all day, she felt very distressed. So she ordered people to remove the wine pot and picked up the crystal pot on her desk, which was filled with bright red liquid:
"I am pregnant and cannot drink. This is the 'Yinkou Lao' brewed for me by the Imperial Food Bureau specially ordered by Consort Hu. It tastes sour and sweet and is very refreshing. Would Your Majesty and Prince Heng like to try it?"
Prince Heng quickly took advantage of the situation and said, "Thank you, Queen, for the gift of 'Yinkou Lao'. I have only heard of it, but I have never tasted it."
"Give me a drink too." Emperor Jianwen nodded and said to Hu Shanwei, "Mrs. Hu is thoughtful. I am busy with official duties all day long, and Mrs. Hu takes good care of the queen."
Hu Shanwei said, "This is my responsibility. Besides, this 'Yinkou Lao' was a recipe that Emperor Gaozu of the Hongwu Dynasty ordered the Imperial Food Bureau to prepare for Consort Duanjing, who was not good at drinking. It is ready-made. I am just borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha and asking the Imperial Food Bureau to make it according to the old recipe."
Empress Dowager Lu quickly changed the subject and said with a smile, "Mrs. Hu is a very clever talker and thoughtful person. If you were willing to let me win a few times when playing chess with me, you would be perfect."
Hu Shanwei also joked: "There are too many people who have lost to the Queen Mother. I don't want to join in the fun. Every time I play chess with the Queen Mother, I will go all out. Therefore, I win more and lose less. This way, the Queen Mother will always remember me and give me good things when she gets them—"
Hu Shanwei rolled up his sleeves, revealing a jade bracelet on his wrist that looked like a bay of clear water. "I got this recently. The water looks like ice from the unmelted clear water in early spring. It's very beautiful."
Now that the harem is harmonious and the southern army is frequently recovering cities, the emperor is in a good mood, and Empress Ma is happy with her family and state affairs. She has also let go of her reserve and started joking around, as if she is acting like a spoiled child, saying to her mother-in-law, Empress Dowager Lu: "You don't even give such good things to your daughter-in-law."
Empress Dowager Lu said half-jokingly and half-seriously, "If the Queen can always beat me, you can choose whatever you want from my boxes and crates."
Everyone burst into laughter, and the Chrysanthemum Terrace was filled with a happy atmosphere.
During the journey, Empress Dowager Lu excused herself to change her clothes because of the cool autumn wind. Before leaving, she winked at Hu Shanwei, who followed her. Empress Dowager Lu added a cloak, "Is it a coincidence that the emperor doesn't drink wine with 'ingredients' added to it, or do you have some suspicions?"
Hu Shanwei said: "It is true that the emperor has been drinking all day. The queen mother may be worrying too much."
Empress Dowager Lu stroked her chest and said, "I don't know why tonight, but I feel so nervous for no reason. Concubine Hu, why aren't you nervous at all?"
Hu Shanwei said calmly, "Victory or defeat depends on this one move. What's the point of being nervous? The poisoned wine is no longer effective. Next, we have to watch the Jiaofangsi perform a dance. This stab must be successful."
Seeing Hu Shanwei so calm, Empress Dowager Lu immediately regained her confidence, "When I was young, I was the same as Hu Shanggong. I have become timid now that I am old. Let's continue with the plan."
Hu Shanwei helped Empress Dowager Lu back to the Chrysanthemum Terrace, but saw and heard a burst of laughter. The three-year-old prince's face was flushed red and he curled up like a shrimp. It turned out that the little prince was greedy for greasy and sweet mooncakes, and the cool autumn breeze made his intestines rebel. Because he was young, he could not control his sphincter and farted.
Empress Ma covered her mouth and laughed, "Why don't you hurry up and take the prince down to change clothes?"
This changing room refers to squatting on the toilet.
When Empress Dowager Lu heard Prince Heng's explanation, she just found it funny. She had given birth to five children, and children were more likely to get stomach upsets, so she didn't think too much about it and continued the family dinner.
But after drinking a round of 'Yinkou Lao', the little prince who was changing clothes had not returned yet. Instead, Liu Siyao from the Imperial Food Bureau came back and said, "The prince has been in hospital twice in a row and has diarrhea. I have examined him and he is fine. He just ate too many greasy mooncakes today and couldn't digest them. I have prescribed a recipe for regulating the spleen and stomach for him to take."
Empress Ma was a good mother. She was worried about her eldest son. Her maternal instinct drove her to stand up and say, "I'll go see him."
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Lu and Prince Heng looked at each other and were confused for a moment: the Crown Prince was not here, so they could not catch them all at once, and the Queen was leaving the table, what was going on? Was the secret leaked
Who leaked the secret? Could it be that... Both mother and son suspected Hu Shanwei. Empress Dowager Lu was about to order the assassination plan to be cancelled, but Emperor Jianwen grabbed Empress Ma's hand, stopped his wife from leaving, and said:
"Zi Tong, the prince just has a minor problem. What child is not greedy? Zi Tong, don't be so nervous. We are about to release Kongming lanterns. This year, there will be a thousand Kongming lanterns. Pray for our army to win a great victory and put down the rebellion in the north as soon as possible. Zi Tong, how about you watch with me?"
Empress Ma was a good wife and mother who regarded her husband as her God. Emperor Jianwen sincerely invited her, and Empress Ma could not refuse. Secondly, she felt that the prince did not have any serious illness, but just had a stomach upset. Moreover, at the family dinner, Empress Dowager Lu was still braving the autumn wind, chatting and laughing happily. As a daughter-in-law, if she left early, it would seem disrespectful to the Empress Dowager.
So Empress Ma sat down again and nodded to Liu Siyao, "I'll trouble you to take care of the prince tonight."
Liu Siyao took the order and left.
Seeing Emperor Jianwen holding Empress Ma's hand, Hu Shanwei sighed in his heart, but Empress Dowager Lu and Prince Heng and his son breathed a sigh of relief: it seemed to be just a coincidence and they had worried too much.
Along with auspicious music, a thousand Kongming lanterns rose slowly in the harem. This year's lanterns were specially made into a round shape. When the lights inside were lit, it looked like a thousand moons in the night sky.
A full moon was mixed in with a thousand fake moons, so real and fake that it was hard to tell who was Li Kui and who was Li Gui.
While everyone's attention was focused on the one thousand and one moons in the sky, Hu Shanwei quietly went to Empress Dowager Lu and whispered, "The Crown Prince has gone to the East Palace to rest. The Jiaofangsi dance is about to begin. Do you want to stop it, Empress Dowager?"
The poisoned wine failed, and the little prince also failed, but judging from the fact that Emperor Jianwen held Empress Ma's hand and watched the Kongming lanterns rise into the sky together, the first two events were just coincidences.
Do you want it
Empress Dowager Lu's eyes flickered like the stars in the night sky. Finally, she clenched her fists tightly under the table, and her veins were exposed. But she had a smile on her face, as if she was just chatting with Hu Shanwei about how beautiful the Kongming lanterns were. She said, "Do it! I have lost my patience after doing this again and again. I don't want to delay it any longer. When I'm done, I have plenty of ways to deal with that little girl in the East Palace."
When the last Kongming lantern disappeared into the starry sky, the dishes in front of everyone turned into freshly steamed crabs. In addition to the fragrant crabs, the table also had clamps, pliers and other tools for peeling crab meat - of course, the nobles did not have to do it themselves, as the eunuchs who were good at peeling crabs would kneel beside the table and do it for them.
These "eunuchs" were all young and strong. They were the imperial guards secretly kept by Emperor Jianwen, but they were dressed in eunuch's clothes.
Before eating crabs, everyone washed their hands with warm water soaked in chrysanthemum petals, and the Jiaofangsi presented a new style of dance. This dance was personally chosen by Empress Ma - "Magu Offering Longevity" to please the empress dowager.
Magu danced surrounded by the fairies. When she danced to the side of Emperor Jianwen, the six dancers and Magu, a total of seven people, suddenly pulled out a dart with a blue-black blade from a basket filled with fairy peaches and other things, and threw it towards Emperor Jianwen and Empress Ma!
The seven assassins shouted, "Kill the tyrant! Avenge the Yan army!"
The palace guards who were kneeling in front of the table peeling crab meat reacted quickly, pulled out shields that they had prepared long ago from under the table, and blocked the way ahead.
Dudu! With a few muffled sounds, the darts filled with poison pierced the shield.
"There's an assassin! Help!"
Emperor Jianwen was prepared and immediately squatted behind the desk, while Empress Ma was stunned on the spot and was almost forced down by Hu Shanwei.
The moment Queen Ma squatted down, a dart came flying with a whoosh and cut off half of the wig braided in the ponytail on her head.
"Don't move." Hu Shanwei lay on Empress Ma and pushed her under the table. He pressed the trigger, and the underground mechanism opened. A slide appeared, and the emperor and empress slid into the basement together and were caught by a soft cushion.
At the same time, Magu and other assassins were killed on the spot by the imperial guards. Empress Dowager Lu finally understood what was going on. Prince Heng immediately ran away with several darts in his back. Empress Dowager Lu cursed: "Zhu Yunwen, you traitor—roar!"
But the "eunuch" who had just been kneeling on the table peeling crab meat picked up the darts scattered on the ground and cut Empress Dowager Lu's neck.
Queen Mother Lu covered her bleeding neck and was unable to utter a word.
The "eunuch" threw away the dart, but shouted in horror: "Queen Mother! The assassin killed the Queen Mother!"
At this time, the poison on Prince Heng's back took effect, his legs became weak, and he fell onto a lamp stand that was piled up like a giant peony flower on the chrysanthemum stand. Lamp oil poured down and was ignited by the lamp, setting Prince Heng on fire.
The last thing Empress Dowager Lu saw in her life was her second son screaming and rolling in the fire.
No one came to rescue
The author has something to say: The little bird said, good morning, good morning, why did you update so early~~~~~~~~
There are 100-point bonus reading comprehension questions tonight;
Excuse me, in this chapter "Empress Ma was once Empress Ma, and Empress Ma will also become Empress Ma", who are these four "Empress Ma"? Thank you for casting your votes or irrigating my nutrient solution for me~
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