In the 29th year of Taiping, Chen Desheng, the chief eunuch who followed Emperor Taiping all his life, was old and critically ill. According to the rules of the palace, every court lady and eunuch who is found to be ill will be expelled from the palace.
Chen Desheng took the initiative to ask the emperor to leave the palace. Dugu Jie thought of following him for the rest of his life, so he allowed him to leave the palace and arranged for him to live in the private house on Chang'an Avenue.
Chen Desheng has no adopted son, and his relatives back then are all dead and old now. Dugu Jie chose three or four careful maids and eunuchs to take care of him personally, and let him spend the last two months of his life in that mansion.
On a hot afternoon, Chen Desheng became seriously ill.
The personal maid begged the guards to enter the palace to meet the Holy Majesty, hoping that His Majesty could come to see Chen Desheng for the last time. The guards immediately entered the palace and met His Majesty smoothly, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Chen is dying, do you want to see him for the last time?"
Shocked to hear that Chen Desheng was about to die, Dugu Jie immediately put down what he was doing and rode to the end of Chang'an Street.
Chen Desheng had someone put clean clothes on him, and put him on the recliner under the gazebo, lest His Majesty would be disturbed by the smell of patients in the room when he entered the ward.
Dugu Jie came under the gazebo and saw that Chen Desheng was short of breath, obviously he was about to die. He sat down and took his hand.
"Old man, here I come."
When Chen Desheng heard His Majesty's voice, his cloudy eyes lightened slightly. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, have you come to see this old slave?"
Looking at Chen Desheng's dying appearance, Dugu Jie felt a little emotional. After the death of his mother and concubine, Dugu Jie was always oppressed by other princes in the palace. At that time, Chen Desheng always stood in front of him and endured those ruthless fists and feet for him.
Later, Dugu Jie was poisoned and almost died of terminal illness. It was Chen Desheng who secretly bribed him, took him out of the palace secretly, and asked him to see Doctor Zhou.
Without Chen Desheng, there would be no Taiping Emperor today.
Although he is an eunuch, his protective heart is stronger than gold!
Dugu Jie sighed with some melancholy, and he asked Chen Desheng: "You're just waiting for me to come and see you, aren't you?"
Chen Desheng pursed his lips and laughed, "This old slave knew that His Majesty would come to see this old slave off for the last time. This old slave, this old slave, has something to say."
If he didn't have something to say, Chen Desheng wouldn't dare to disturb His Majesty.
Dugu Jie thought that Chen Desheng wanted to entrust him to take care of his family, he said: "If Desheng has any last wishes, tell them, and I will follow suit."
"Your Majesty, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Your Majesty!" Chen Desheng grabbed Emperor Taiping's hand suddenly, and he struggled to sit up.
Dugu Jie hurriedly held him down, "Lie down and talk!" Dugu Jie narrowed his eyes, dying, this old man finally confessed his sins? "What stupid thing did you do?"
There were two lines of muddy tears at the end of Chen Desheng's eyes. He seemed to see the young and beautiful General Nangong standing in front of him, waiting for him to go to the Nine Springs to make amends.
Chen Desheng cried and said to Dugu Jie: "Old slave, old slave is hiding something!"
Dugu Jie frowned deeply, appearing somewhat majestic. "I will give you a chance to confess!"
Chen Desheng said: "Eight years ago, before the old prime minister retired and returned to his hometown, he went to the palace to meet the empress. It happened that day, the Western Regions paid a tribute of silk, and His Majesty asked me to deliver silk to the empress. I went, But I accidentally overheard an amazing secret.”
Uneasiness arose in Dugu Jie's heart, and he asked in a deep voice, "What did you hear?"
"The old prime minister, the old prime minister told the empress that there were rumors of strange beasts in Shu, which were actually false. There have never been strange beasts in this world. The so-called strange beasts are actually"
The old eunuch widened his pupils and sighed: "It's actually a human!" After saying these four words, the old eunuch suddenly died.
After all, he couldn't bear to tell His Majesty that that 'strange beast' was none other than General Nangong who was loved by His Majesty all his life!
He was afraid that if he said it, His Majesty would have no intention of dictatorship, then he would be a sinner!
Dugu Jie was so frightened by this news that he didn't react when he saw Chen Desheng swallowed his breath.
On the side, the little eunuch reminded His Majesty: "Your Majesty, Eunuch Chen has gone."
Only then did Dugu Jie come back to his senses.
He closed Chen Desheng's open eyes, then stood up, and said, "Send someone to find Mr. Su, and ask him to choose a feng shui treasured place for Desheng to be buried in a dignified way."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Dugu Jie returned to the palace, thinking about what Chen Desheng said.
There are no strange beasts in this world, only strange beasts are people.
So, who is this person
Dugu Jie had a vague guess in his heart, but he didn't dare to verify it.
That afternoon, Eunuch Chen Degui, the new chief eunuch, was standing by the desk to ink ink for His Majesty. He saw that His Majesty sketched a peony on the paper. It's the same as the real peony in the imperial garden."
This eunuch is good everywhere, but he loves flattering too much.
Dugu Jie put down his brush, and suddenly said: "Tonight, I want the empress to sleep with me."
Hearing this, Eunuch Chen Degui was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped.
Chen Degui had learned to do things from Chen Desheng before, and he had been in the palace for many years, and Chen Degui also knew that His Majesty never summoned concubines to sleep.
It is rumored that His Majesty has someone in his heart, and he wants to guard his body like a jade for that person.
Hearing His Majesty's words suddenly, Chen Degui thought he had heard it wrong, he looked suspicious, and asked again cautiously: "Your Majesty, you mean that Empress Xuan is going to sleep with you?"
Dugu Jie nodded.
Chen Degui nodded hurriedly, went to the empress's bedroom in person, and read out the imperial decree.
After receiving the news that His Majesty asked her to attend the bed by name, the empress did not recover for a long time. She thought that her father-in-law must have made a mistake, so she knelt on the ground and asked, "Duegui father-in-law, did your majesty really say that you want me to sleep in bed tonight?"
Married to Dugu Jie for nearly thirty years, she seldom even set foot in His Majesty's bedroom, let alone serving him! She had waited until she was old, why wasn't she surprised that His Majesty suddenly wanted to announce her to be his servant
Chen Degui could understand the empress's mood, he smiled and said: "Empress, please wash up and get ready for tonight's bedtime."
"Eh, good."
This is the first time His Majesty asked the Empress to attend her bedtime by name, and it is a great joy. The empress hurriedly asked the maid to fetch the silver taels to reward the father-in-law.
After seeing off Chen Degui, Zheng Yue'e turned around and said to the maids close to her: "Quick! Go to the Clothing Bureau and ask if Ben Gong's new Luo skirt is ready. I will wear that bright yellow Luo skirt tonight!"
"Light some incense, and you must incense your clothes later. This is the first time Your Majesty invites me to serve as a servant, so I will naturally make careful preparations to give Your Majesty a satisfactory experience!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
I was shocked to hear that His Majesty will be attending the bedtime of Empress Xuan tonight, and these women in the palace who had given up their hearts suddenly revived.
To be favored by His Majesty has become every woman's wishful thinking for a while.
The empress spent an afternoon bathing and changing, putting on makeup and hairstyle for the night's bedtime.
This requires sleeping, and there are requirements for makeup and styling. First of all, the makeup should not be heavy and gaudy, it can only be light makeup. The bun can't be too complicated, and you can't wear sharp hairpins, you can only wear pearl flowers.
When she was ready, she sat in the dormitory and waited, her hands were shaking with nervousness.
When it was dark, the father-in-law invited her into the chariot and drove her to His Majesty's bedroom.
Dugu Jie lives in Yulong Palace, which is spacious and exquisite, and all the statues and paintings are exquisite. The Empress was taken outside His Majesty's bedroom, and the eunuch who led the way whispered, "Your Majesty, the Empress is here."
Inside, the man replied with a cold voice: "Let her in."
"Empress Xuan enters the palace to serve her bed!"
The empress was very nervous, and her mood was similar to that of her wedding day.
She walked into the bedroom with small steps, and saw Chen Degui standing in the outer hall lighting a lamp. Zheng Yue'e glanced over Chen Degui's body, and quickly turned to the dragon bed.
Under the candlelight, His Majesty was sitting on the edge of the dragon bed, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe. His hair was hanging down, and he didn't wear a crown on his head, which was rare, and only a faded wooden hairpin was inserted.
The Empress stared at the hairpin, thinking of the rumor that His Majesty had a black wooden hairpin, which he kept as a treasure. It is said that the hairpin was carved by General Zhen Guo as a gift to His Majesty.
The Empress Empress felt sore.
No woman would like to see her man wearing gifts from other women every day. It is still such a shabby wooden hairpin that is not worthy of His Majesty's status.
The empress did not dare to look carefully, she blessed the body respectfully and said softly: "All blessings, Your Majesty."
Dugu Jie didn't speak, he looked at the queen's appearance and figure with serious eyes.
They have been married for more than twenty years, and this is the first time that Dugu Jie has looked at his queen seriously. Being stared at by Dugu Jie with domineering and focused eyes, the empress couldn't help but blush.
She boldly walked forward and sat down beside Dugu Jie's bed.
"Your Majesty." The empress blushed shyly, she boldly and proactively stretched out her hand to hold Dugu Jie's arm, hinting to him: "It's getting late, does Your Majesty want to rest now, or wait a while?"
Dugu Jie looked down at the queen's dignified and beautiful appearance, and said calmly: "Queen, please talk to me for a while, I have never had a serious chat with the queen."
Hearing this, the queen felt aggrieved, sad, and her eyes were slightly red.
In terms of expression management, the queen also learned it when she was young. The red eyes of the empress, who usually always looks dignified, seem to add some charming charm.
The queen lowered her head and said considerately: "Your Majesty has so much to do every day, how can you have time to chat with my concubines? Your Majesty summoned my concubines tonight, and my concubines were overwhelmed by flattery, and their emotions were hard to calm down. Your Majesty laughed at me."
"Ah"
Dugu Jie stood up suddenly, walked to the tea table, and poured a glass of wine for the queen himself.
He held the cup of tea and handed it to the queen, "The queen drinks a glass of wine, the wine is strong, so that the queen will not be nervous."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The queen hurriedly caught the wine glass with both hands, and drank the wine without thinking. She thought to herself: Your Majesty looked at Leng Su, but she did not expect to be so gentle and considerate in private.
Dugu Jie watched the queen drink the wine, he suddenly smiled and said: "Queen, I never reward people with good wine for no reason."
The queen thought that His Majesty was implicitly expressing his affection for her.
As the prime minister's daughter, Zheng Yue'e was trained as a queen candidate since she was a child. In terms of speaking and doing things, the empress is always generous, dignified and elegant. Zheng Yue'e said with a smile: "Today, I am lucky enough to drink the fine wine rewarded by His Majesty. It is my concubine's blessing."
Dugu Jie took the cup from the queen's hand, shook the empty cup, and said softly: "In my whole life, I have only rewarded three people for drinking. One is the holy doctor Mo Liansheng. It is the god of war Nangongxian, and the other is the god of war. , is the queen."
The Queen listened respectfully, not understanding why Her Majesty mentioned this.
Dugu Jie continued: "I gave Mo Liansheng a glass of wine, and he lost his sense of smell and taste. I gave General Nangongxian a drink because I love her and love her. I gave the Queen this glass of wine today, Queen, Do you know why?"
The Queen's complexion changed slightly, and she suddenly felt a pain in her throat, as if a needle was pricking her throat. "Your Majesty." The queen is not Nangongxian, and there is no place for her in His Majesty's heart.
His Majesty rewarded her with a glass of wine tonight, obviously not because he loves her.
That.
That is to blame her!
The queen suddenly turned pale, and suddenly realized that the so-called sleeping tonight was just a cover, and His Majesty's real purpose was to punish her!
The empress is the head of the harem, and she has done many cruel and cruel things in order to consolidate the harem over the years. His Majesty suddenly raised an issue today, and the Empress has done too many bad things, so she couldn't figure out where she was showing her flaws for a while.
Right now, the Empress must not panic, what people say in a panic is full of leaks.
The queen showed a confused and incomprehensible expression, and asked Dugu Jie puzzledly: "I don't know why your majesty rewarded the concubine with this glass of wine tonight?"
Dugu Jie: "Of course it's because the queen has been in charge of the harem for more than 20 years. It's been too hard. I feel sorry for the queen."
Hearing this, the empress was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when she heard Dugu Jie sneer again and said sarcastically: "The empress will believe such stupid words?"
The queen's cheeks, which had just recovered a little blood, turned pale again.
She suddenly slid down from the edge of the dragon bed, knelt down on the floor along the footrest, and replied in fear and trepidation: "Your Majesty, I don't know what His Majesty wants to say, please tell Your Majesty clearly."
Dugu Jie squeezed the porcelain cup in his hand, and he asked the queen: "Back then, the prime minister deliberately spread the false news that there were strange beasts in Sichuan and Shu, so the queen knew about it too!"
This is what happened!
The Queen's heartbeat was out of rhythm, she lowered her head, and said anxiously: "My father also heard it from hearsay. Fortunately, His Majesty is blessed with great blessings, successfully found the strange beast, and finally recovered from his illness."
When she said that, it was completely ignorant of the truth.
But she could fool others, but she couldn't fool Dugu Jie.
Dugu Jie felt it was ridiculous, at this moment, the queen hadn't lost her sense of control, and was still dying. As expected of a country, this determination is high enough!
"The empress must know that there are no strange beasts in this world. The so-called strange beasts are actually people!"
Hearing this, the queen's delicate body trembled slightly. She bit her pink lips and continued to play dumb, "Your Majesty, this concubine doesn't know!"
"You don't know! Eight years ago, the old prime minister returned home and went to the palace to meet the queen! What did the old prime minister say to the queen during that meeting? Did the queen really not know?"
Seeing that His Majesty mentioned this matter accurately, the Queen knew it was over.
She shivered all over, and said with a choked voice: "Chen Qie. Chen Qie did hear about this from my father. The reason why Chen Qie dared not tell His Majesty was because he was worried that His Majesty would feel guilty when he found out! Chun Wan was made with the human heart!"
"Your Majesty has been working so hard every day. I can't bear to tell Your Majesty about such a thing. I am guilty of a crime, and I beg Your Majesty to convict me!"
Dugu Jie frowned and looked at the queen. He knew that the queen was not telling the truth, and there must be other secrets hidden in his heart. He asked again: "Tell me the truth, who is that 'strange beast'!"
The queen said: "The concubine is not clear. I heard from my father that the strange beast should be a kind of medicine man. The so-called medicine man is a patient who has taken Tiancaidibao since childhood. It's just a drug."
"Who is this medicine man, even the concubine doesn't know!"
Dugu Jie knew that he couldn't ask questions from the queen, so he waved his hand and said to Chen Degui: "Take the empress back to the palace!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The empress is going to bed!
The Empress has been sent back again!
The news quickly spread throughout the harem.
The next day, before everyone had time to laugh at the empress, they heard that His Majesty had issued an imperial decree, ordering that Zheng Yue'e would be abolished as the empress of the whole country because of her misbehavior!
After everyone inquired, they found out that the queen couldn't bear the loneliness, and secretly dressed a man as an eunuch and hid her in the palace!
This stunned the concubines in the harem.
The queen was thrown into the cold palace, and the position of the empress of the Luo Dynasty became vacant, and the women in the harem became excited again, waiting for His Majesty to establish a new queen.
However, they had not waited for the news that His Majesty was about to abdicate, and the shocking news came that His Majesty was about to abdicate, and that the emperor was in the crown prince Dugusheng!
In the autumn of the 29th year of Taiping, the Taiping Emperor Dugu Jie Chuandi, who was disease-free and disaster-free, was located in the crown prince Dugu Sheng. He stayed away from the temple at the age of fifty and no longer interfered in state affairs.
After Dugu Sheng ascended the throne, he changed his reign name to Shengping, and made Dugu Jie the Supreme Emperor, but the position of empress dowager was always vacant.
On this day, after Dugu Sheng disguised himself, he quietly came to the city gate in a carriage. Outside the city wall, Dugu Sheng saw Dugu Jie.
Dugu Jie led a fierce horse and stood in the square outside the city wall in a black uniform. Dugu Sheng got off the carriage, and respectfully bowed to Dugu Jie, "Father."
Dugu Jie looked at Dugu Sheng, he said: "Nineteen years ago, at this place, when the father almost went astray, it was the emperor who took over for the father."
Thinking about what happened here that year, Dugu Sheng couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "It's the boy who is bold."
Dugu Jie led the horse to Dugu Sheng's side, he raised his hand and pressed Dugu Sheng's shoulder, and said to him: "From that day on, I knew that the emperor has grown up and can be alone."
"Sheng'er, although my father is not your biological father, my father has always treated you like his own child. You are lucky. You have never experienced the tragedy of brothers fighting against the wall, and you have never experienced the great achievements. The master is always worried that he will be kicked by the emperor. The fear of leaving the East Palace."
Dugu Sheng listened quietly, thinking along with his father's words, and felt that he was really lucky.
Dugu Jie suddenly asked again: "The year I chose my adoptive son to adopt, there were twenty-three boys among the royal family. Do you know why I chose you?"
Dugu Sheng shook his head in confusion.
This is also the reason why Dugu Sheng has been unable to figure it out.
When he was a child, he wasn't the smartest, nor the best-looking and smartest, but that year, His Majesty the Emperor picked him out, and even his biological father, the Third Prince, praised him for his fate.
Dugu Jie looked at Dugu Sheng's face, and said, "Your cheek contour is most like me, and your eyes are most like hers."
Dugu Sheng was shocked!
Dugu Jie murmured: "If I have a son and a half with her, it will probably look like you."
Dugu Sheng felt uncomfortable and couldn't speak. "Father, you." Dugu Sheng asked sadly: "After so many years, you still can't let go of General Nangong?"
"Let go?" Dugu Jie looked up at the bright sky above his head, and sighed melancholy: "I've never had her before, so what are you talking about letting go of?"
Only when you have owned a person, you are qualified to let go of that person.
In this situation, he is not qualified to talk about letting go.
"Huanger, the great rivers and mountains of the Luo Dynasty were protected by your master with all his life. You need to help me take care of them. I have some things to investigate. This time, don't keep me anymore."
Dugu Sheng understood that his father had made up his mind, so he no longer wanted to keep him. He only said: "I hope that my father will go here, and my wish will be fulfilled."
Dugu Jie got on the horse and stared at Dugu Sheng condescendingly. He said, "I named you Dugu Sheng in the hope that your achievements will far surpass mine. Your master is disappointed!"
After finishing speaking, Dugu Jie turned his horse's head and walked away.
-
After leaving the palace, Dugu Jie went round and round to Jiangling, and found the small county town where Master Zhou lived in seclusion.
At that time, Doctor Zhou had passed away, and his young disciple Zhou Chuan opened a clinic in Jiangling.
On this day, Zhou Chuan was arranging medicinal materials behind the bunks in the medical hall. When he noticed someone walked into the medical hall, he raised his head and asked, "What's wrong with your body?"
After finishing speaking, Zhou Chuan was surprised after seeing the appearance of the person clearly. When Zhou Chuan was more than ten years old, he went to the palace with his master and had the honor to meet the emperor.
Even though His Majesty has shown his old age, his appearance has not changed much from his youth.
Zhou Chuan recognized Dugu Jie's identity, his expression changed drastically, and he was about to kneel and kowtow. Dugu Jie hurriedly waved his hands and said: "There is no need to salute, you stand and I will ask you something."
Zhou Chuan hung his hands on his chest, honestly and respectfully waiting for Dugu Jie to ask questions.
Dugu Jie looked at the hospital, and saw a crooked handwritten sticker hanging on a wall of the hospital, which read—
People don't expect medicine to be happy; I stand on my own and don't cheat. I hope that people in the world are free from disease, even if the medicine on the shelf is dusty. The world is peaceful, hahahaha.
Dugu Jie laughed after reading this sentence. "The word your master will be a ghostly talisman until death, quite scribbled."
Zhou Chuan blushed, but still had to bite the bullet to save some face for Master, "Master, an old man who can't see anything, is very good at writing."
"You worship your master." Unlike that Mo Liansheng, who was just a white-eyed wolf.
Dugu Jie asked Zhou Chuanyao to drink a bowl of herbal tea and put the bowl away. He sat on the wooden chair and told Zhou Chuan: "Your master is very predictable, but you guessed that I would come? Did you leave a message for you? "
Zhou Chuan laughed helplessly, "The Supreme Emperor is indeed a smart man."
Zhou Chuan walked into the inner room, took out an envelope, and handed it to Dugu Jie. Zhou Chuan told Du Gujie: "The Supreme Emperor, before the death of the master, the master told the grass people to keep this letter safe, saying that he would hand it to you. At that time, he was still the master to deceive the grass people, but the grass people still obeyed the master's instructions and sent the letter to you. Xin Haosheng kept it in his collection, hoping that one day he could hand it over to the Supreme Emperor."
"Today the Supreme Emperor is here. Cao Min handed this letter into the hands of the Supreme Emperor, which means fulfilling Master's last wish." Zhou Chuan breathed a sigh of relief after completing Master's last hospital.
Dugu Jie said: "Miraculous Doctor Zhou is a true doctor with a benevolent heart. He knows me and knows that I will definitely come." Dugu Jie always thought about Miracle Doctor Zhou.
After taking the Fengchun Pill, Dugu Jie became suspicious of the raw materials of the Fengchun Pill. Are there really such magical beasts in this world? If so, why didn't he show up sooner or later, and why did he show up when he was critically ill
That person, Mo Liansheng, had a wicked heart. Dugu Jie never trusted Mo Liansheng.
Mo Lian has a small belly and is jealous. Dugu Jie used a bowl of poison to take away Mo Liansheng's sense of smell and taste, and Mo Lian should hate him physically.
Mo Liansheng would be kind enough to save himself, but Dugu Jie didn't believe that he had such kindness.
After bidding farewell to Zhou Chuan, Dugu Jie returned to the temporary residence with the letter. He opened the letter and saw Divine Doctor Zhou's crooked handwriting—
[Your Majesty, by the time you read this letter, Caomin should be gone. However, there is something that Caomin has always buried in his heart, and Caominquan will not be safe if he does not tell His Majesty.
That day in the bedroom, Mo Liansheng brought Fengchun Pills into the palace to treat His Majesty. At that time, Cao Min noticed that the breath of Fengchun Pills was special and very familiar. Afterwards, Caomin finally discovered that the smell of the Fengchun Pill was exactly the same as the smell of the medicine on General Nangong's body!
Cao Min suspects that there are no strange beasts in this world at all, and the so-called strange beasts with hearts capable of living the dead are just a hoax. And the real strange beast is very likely to be General Nangong!
To prove it, Cao Min went to see Mo Liansheng. Seeing that the matter had been revealed, the child even stabbed Cao Min to death, and deliberately framed and framed Cao Min, ruining Cao Min's reputation.
Your Majesty, Caomin knows that you and General Nangong are deeply in love, and I am afraid that you will be in pain when you know the truth, so you have been waiting for a suitable opportunity to tell Your Majesty about this matter.
Mo Liansheng's intentions are not right, and he cultivates evil ways, the grass people implore Your Majesty, behead Mo Liansheng that beast for me!]
After reading this letter, Dugu Jie's face turned pale.
He put down the letter, got up and opened the door to the yard, knelt down on his knees, leaning against a crabapple tree and vomited violently.
When he couldn't spit it out, he clasped his throat with his hands, but even if he spit out the contents of his stomach, he still couldn't spit out what he really wanted to spit out.
Dugu Jie vomited violently, then raised his blood-red eyes, looking at the sky above his head with hatred.
Mo Liansheng!
Dugu Jie knew the truth, had a heart disease, and fell seriously ill.
The illness came like a mountain, and Dugu Jie almost died, but was rescued by Zhou Chuan. Dugu Jie doesn't want to live, and no one can save him.
He bid farewell to Zhou Chuan, left Jiangling, and went to Shu alone.
Even if he died, he would kill that beast Mo Liansheng!
(end of this chapter)