It was late at night.
Shao'an Hall, one of the East Palaces, was still lit.
In Jane's room, there was a chessboard on the couch, and the princess knelt in front of her, holding black pieces in her hand, hesitating.
Opposite her, the person who was playing chess with her was Fang Shaojian who had disappeared for a long time.
After Fang Shaojian was wanted, he first hid in a cloth village in the city, and now he hid in the East Palace.
He saw that the Crown Princess Sun was hesitant, so he reminded him, "If you decide to make a decision, you should make a decision. Don't look forward and backward when doing things."
The Crown Princess Sun smiled softly, and said to Heizi, "Only by careful consideration can you take every step steadily."
Fang Shaojian pointed out, "Opportunity is fleeting. It is good to think carefully, but it is also necessary to respond in times of crisis."
The Crown Princess Sun said with a smile: "What Fang Shaojian said is true. Then tell me, how good is the timing?"
These words seem to refer to the chess game, but they also seem to refer to something else.
Fang Shaojian held the white piece, and simply dropped a piece, and then said: "The time is not yet."
Crown Princess Sun raised her eyebrows, seeming somewhat dissatisfied.
She said: "The pawn is dead, it's time to take advantage of the victory and pursue it."
Fang Shaojian smiled coldly, "Although the pawn is dead, the people behind the pawn are not powerless to fight back. If you attack rashly at this time, beware of being backlashed."
The Crown Princess Sun frowned and thought deeply, "Tomb robbery and private coin coining are enough to bring down a bunch of people."
"But not enough to bring down the king." Fang Shaojian said loudly.
The Crown Princess Sun snorted coldly, "Ning Wang envoy, hid in the East Palace for decades. One attack, almost put the Crown Prince to death. How can we not avenge this revenge?"
Fang Shaojian looked at the Crown Princess Sun with a half-smile, "If it hadn't been for our family's reminder, Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince are still kept in the dark, accompanied by poison every day.
The body of His Highness the Crown Prince will soon fall ill and die. Fortunately, our family discovered something wrong in time and saved the prince's life.
Afterwards, our family informed the empress about the private coin coining and tomb robbing of Princess Huyang and her son-in-law.
It was also arranged by our family secretly, which caught King Ning by surprise. One by one, our family has done so much for the East Palace, can the empress still not trust our family? "
The Crown Princess Sun laughed instantly, with an extremely sincere expression, "Young Supervisor Fang misunderstood, if I don't believe you, how can I follow your plan. I just don't want to see King Ning get away with it."
Fang Shaojian suddenly lowered his voice, "Ma'am, do you still remember what our family said to you last time?"
Crown Princess Sun's complexion changed drastically, "Don't mention those words again."
Fang Shaojian smiled, "You can't do extraordinary things, you can't do extraordinary things. Looking at the whole world, King Ning is just a pawn on the chessboard. Empress should focus on the real king, the Son of Heaven!"
"You are presumptuous!" The Crown Princess Sun was terrified, but fortunately there were only the two of them in Jane's room.
Fang Shaojian didn't care, "Of course, if King Ning dares to send spies in the East Palace, the East Palace will retaliate one or two. I can't take the head of King Ning's Xiangshang, but take the head of the Xiangshang of the Young Master Zhao. Are you satisfied?"
The Crown Princess Sun is naturally dissatisfied, "Even if the son Zhao died, King Ning just lost a son. How can I be satisfied."
"Your Majesty insists on King Ning's death?"
"Of course?"
Fang Shaojian shook his head, "Forgive our incompetence, we can't do this. Don't talk about private coins, tomb robbery has nothing to do with King Ning, even if King Ning is involved, His Majesty will not execute King Ning, at most he will be demoted to a commoner , banned. This matter, the empress is really too embarrassing."
The Crown Princess Sun covered her lips and chuckled, "Fang Shaojian thinks he's talented, but his life is bumpy. Now that I give you a chance to show your talent, why are you so timid? Do things that others can't do, otherwise, how can you show it?" Out of your young supervisor's ability?"
Fang Shaojian was not affected by the crown prince's provocative method, he still shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't want to, but I can't. Your empress is not as good as another target."
The Crown Princess Sun's face had a look of foreboding.
She held the sunspot down, and then said: "The East Palace is in danger. I saw His Majesty looking at the Crown Prince at today's banquet, and I'm afraid he will do it in three years' time."
Fang Shaojian nodded, "Naturally. His Majesty gave the East Palace a year, which was beyond everyone's expectations. However, His Royal Highness did not seize this year, but connived at the subordinate officials to do mischief outside in the name of the East Palace. .Your Majesty has limited patience and will never give the prince another year."
The Crown Princess Sun's hand holding the chess trembled slightly, but said vaguely: "Prince is benevolent and righteous."
Fang Shaojian looked at the Crown Princess Sun with a half-smile, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, succeeds in benevolence, and will also lose in benevolence. As a king, one needs to combine leniency and strictness to be the best. Blind benevolence will only lose the majesty of the king in the end. If the county king has no prestige, he cannot control his subjects. The crown prince's defeat seems to be doomed."
The Crown Princess Sun did not refute Fang Shaojian's words.
Instead, remind the other party, "You said that you will help me."
Fang Shaojian nodded, "Our family is helping the empress right now."
As soon as the words fell, a white piece landed on the chessboard, swallowing several black pieces.
The concubine, Sun, was upset and didn't spend her mind on playing chess.
"What now?" she asked.
Fang Shaojian asked: "What is your empress referring to?"
Crown Princess Sun lowered her voice, "Naturally referring to King Ning, King Zhao, and your majesty."
Fang Shaojian's brows and eyes moved slightly, "Your Majesty wants to take risks?"
The Crown Princess Sun's face was gloomy, "You also said that the prince is destined to perish. However, I don't want to perish with the prince. I want to live, live well, and watch my children and grandchildren ascend to the throne. Now there is only one way , only you can do this.”
The so-called method of the Crown Princess Sun is to let the emperor die early.
Before the decree to abolish the prince, if the emperor dies, then the prince is the legitimate successor.
At that time, all civil and military officials will listen to the prince and suppress all ambitious guys.
It's just that the prince is weak, but the emperor is always strong.
How difficult it is to let the emperor die first.
Goals cannot be achieved without extraordinary means.
Kill the king and kill the nine clans.
Non-dead soldiers can't do it.
However, even a dead man needs someone to make a lot of preparations in advance to provide the dead man with the conditions for the assassination.
Fang Shaojian is the military adviser and adviser in this matter.
The two looked at each other, and they understood each other's intentions without words.
Fang Shaojian smiled, thinking that the Crown Princess wanted him to die!
If he really planned to assassinate the emperor, he would be executed regardless of whether he succeeded or not.
The road to his death is just ahead.
The crown princess is impatient to let him die.
He said: "Your Majesty thinks highly of me. Now I am just a shameless sinner, how can I take such a big responsibility."
The Crown Princess Sun laughed, "Young Supervisor Fang, why bother to be self-effacing. You didn't leave your home, but you managed to plot against Huyang and Concubine Chen, implicating King Ning. You've done a good job in this matter. Believe me, it's ten times harder Things can't help you."
Fang Shaojian lowered his head and smiled, his eyes were full of sarcasm, "Let me think about this matter carefully."
"Time waits for no one, please Fang Shaojian to make a decision early." The Crown Princess Sun urged him.
Fang Shaojian said: "This matter is no small matter, and must be discussed in the long run. If the empress can't wait, then find someone else. Our family will not accompany you."
The Crown Princess Sun compromised, "Okay, this matter is according to your plan. But you also said that His Majesty can't wait, and will decree to abolish the Crown Prince soon.
I hope that within three to five months, I can see the results of Fang Shaojian's hard work. "
Fang Shaojian smiled, "Ma'am, it's late at night, you should go back and rest."
The Crown Princess Sun looked at the game on the chessboard, "Before I knew it, I had come to a dead end."
"The empress is not thinking about the chess game, this result is not surprising."
"Young Supervisor Fang can do two things at once."
"Your Majesty, why bother with me as a sinner."
…
Prince Ning's Mansion.
Gu Jiu took the sandalwood box from the servant Qian Fu.
"What's in it?" she asked.
Qian Fu shook his head, "I don't know."
Gu Jiu made many guesses, and finally returned to the upper room with the sandalwood box in her hand, and opened it in the study.
On the upper floor is a stack of banknotes.
Gu Jiu was about to say, Liu Zhao is vulgar, and at this time he still doesn't forget to manage money.
When she turned to the lower floor, there were all kinds of house deeds and land deeds. Obviously, these are all private properties that Liu Zhao bought over the years.
At the bottom, Gu Jiu turned it out, and when he saw the content above, he immediately gasped.
Liu Zhao actually left behind the ironclad evidence that Prince Chen privately minted coins.
Gu Jiu was in doubt.
Liu Zhao was ordered by King Ning to settle the matter for Consort Chen, why did he leave these evidences
It cannot be said that he had already expected today.
Moreover, judging from the current situation, keeping these evidences is purely to give people a handle, and the harm outweighs the benefits.
Gu Jiu couldn't help trying to figure out Liu Zhao's intentions.
Obviously, Liu Zhao asked her to take over the sandalwood box to prevent the evidence inside from falling into the hands of Jin Wuwei.
Could it be that Liu Zhao left these evidences in order to threaten Huyang Princess Chen Huma and his wife
In any case, the contents of the box are not to be seen.
She closed the box, locked it, and handed it to Qingmei, "Put it in a cage."
Qingmei took the lead.
Gu Jiu wanted to destroy the evidence, but was worried that Liu Zhao would still be useful, so he could only hide the box first to prevent the Jinwu Guards from searching.
That night, no one returned home, and all stayed in the palace.
Gu Jiu tossed and turned, and didn't fall asleep until midnight.
After sleeping for less than two hours, she was woken up again by the servant girl.
Today is the first day of the first lunar month, and I have to go to the palace to worship.
The first thing Gu Jiu did after waking up was to ask, "Young Master, have you returned home?"
Qingmei shook her head, "Young Master, you never returned home?"
Immediately afterwards, Gu Jiu asked again: "Where are the princes and the others?"
"I heard from Deng's servant that the lord, the concubine, and all the princes and wives have never returned to the residence."
Deng Cunli is the servant Deng that Qingmei said.
Gu Jiu promoted him to be a servant. All the wind and grass in the mansion could not escape his eyes.
Gu Jiu was startled, but not flustered.
It is indeed very worrying that everyone has not returned home.
But just because no one returned home, it meant that Liu Zhao was fine for the time being.
Gu Jiu got up to wash up, ate a little, put on court clothes and sat in the carriage at the second gate, ready to go to the palace.
When I arrived at the palace, I was told that the pilgrimage to Zhengdan this year was cancelled.
"Cancel? Why cancel?"
Gu Jiu turned pale with shock. You can't cancel Zhengdan pilgrimage just because Chen Consort Chen robbed the tomb.
She didn't think Consort Chen had such energy.
The guards guarding the gate of the palace kept silent and just prevented Gu Jiu from entering the palace.
At this time, Deng Cunli stepped forward, "Madam, let this old slave go and ask, maybe he can find out the reason."
Gu Jiu nodded, "Go and come back quickly."
Deng Cunli is an old man in the palace, and he knows exactly where the little yellow gate in the palace often goes after leaving the palace.
He found someone, spent some money, and without wasting much effort, he found out the situation clearly.
He returned to Gu Jiu and whispered: "Madam Qi, this old slave has heard that His Majesty is seriously ill and unable to attend the meeting, so today's pilgrimage is cancelled."
Gu Jiu was startled, "Your Majesty was fine yesterday, why is he seriously ill today?"
Deng Cunli shook his head, "I don't know the reason. The news came from Xingqing Palace, so it should be true."
With the temper of the emperor, he will not cancel the worship of Zhengdan for no reason.
Either it was really seriously ill, or something big happened.
Gu Jiu couldn't enter the palace, so he could only turn around and go back.
She left Deng Cunli behind and asked him to inquire as much as possible. Especially when the people in Prince Ning's Mansion will be able to return to the Palace.
Gu Jiu didn't go back to the palace directly, she ordered the driver to detour to Princess Huyang's mansion.
Far away, the carriages and horses were stopped.
Gu Jiu raised the curtains of the car and looked outside.
On the first day of the first lunar month, the wind was biting cold.
The wind poured into the car from the car window, making Gu Jiu's cheeks ache, as if cut by a knife.
The Huyang Princess Mansion has been surrounded by the Jinwu Guards.
I saw a group of Jinwuwei's hawks and dogs coming in and out, carrying piles of books and letters.
The servants of the princess's mansion, except those who were serving Chen Consort's side were arrested and sent to prison, the rest of the servants were all driven to a separate courtyard to be guarded. Afterwards, the Jinwu Guards will interrogate them one by one.
Afterwards, Gu Jiu went to the Chen Mansion again.
The Chen family was miserable, all the old and weak women and children were arrested by the Jinwu Guards, and they would all be imprisoned until the case was over.
Innocence can still be released, but it also loses its glory and wealth.
Guilty, beheaded or exiled.
All in all, the Chen family is over.
Chen Consort is also dead.
Gu Jiu sighed, put down the curtains of the car, and said, "Let's go."
The carriage started slowly and returned to the palace.
The formerly bustling palace suddenly seemed empty and lifeless because of the absence of the masters.
The servants already knew about the accident at Princess Huyang's mansion, and since the masters and sons did not come back except the eldest lady, they were all panicked and out of their minds. I'm afraid that something will happen to the palace.
As soon as Gu Jiu returned to the East Courtyard, his servants came to report that it was Concubine Shen, Concubine Luo, and all the beauties who came to visit.
She thought for a while and said, "Just say I'm tired, and I won't see you for now."
Qingmei was worried, "Madam, is it appropriate to refuse directly?"
Gu Jiu said: "They just want to ask how the prince is and how the palace is? I can't answer these questions, so tell them to go back and wait for news from the palace."
Gu Jiu insisted on not seeing any guests, and it was not easy for Concubine Shen and the others to force their way into the East Courtyard.
In desperation, he could only retreat in embarrassment.
As Gu Jiu said, they waited for news from the palace with peace of mind.
As a result, the news did not wait, but the vicious Jin Wuwei waited.
Wei Zhong, the left guard of the Jinwu Guard, clasped his fists and said: "Madam please forgive me, I will follow orders to inspect the Young Master's edict room and confiscate all the letters."
Gu Jiu stood under the eaves, watching the Jinwu guards come and go in the document garden, collecting documents and letters in the study.
Gu Jiu looked at Wei Zhong expressionlessly, "My lord, when will they be able to return home?"
Wei Zhong said with a straight face, "I will come back when I should come back. Da Furen need not worry."
Gu Jiu snorted coldly, "How can I not be worried about the majestic Jinwu Guard coming to the door? What happened to my young master, can Lord Zuo Wei tell you?"
Wei Zhong shook his head, "There is nothing to deny."
Gu Jiu's expression was hesitant, like a woman who was neglected and acted impulsively without any thought.
However, she was extremely calm in her heart.
Why Jin Wuwei came to the door, she already knew yesterday. Today is just a play.
It's not like she didn't think about buying Wei Zhong with a lot of money.
However, after three seconds, Gu Jiu dismissed this idea.
Wei Zhong is the emperor's eagle dog, one of His Majesty's most trusted courtiers.
If a small amount of money can buy bribes, Wei Zhong is not qualified to be relied on by the emperor.
If Gu Jiu really spends a lot of money to buy him, not only will he not be able to get news from Wei Zhong, but he will also be targeted by the Jinwu Guard, which will cause endless harm.
Therefore, Gu Jiu made an angry look, looked at the group of Jinwu guards indifferently, and turned the document court inside out.
In the end, he watched angrily as Jin Wuwei walked away with the results he had found.
The arrival of the Jinwu Guard scared all the servants into stupidity.
Gu Jiu has no time to appease everyone's emotions.
She walked into the document court silently.
The document garden, which was originally furnished comfortably and luxuriously, was full of mess. All kinds of books were thrown all over the place.
Pens, inks, papers and inkstones were also thrown on the ground.
Gu Jiu walked around, and all the important things were taken away.
She ordered: "Qian Fu, bring someone to clean up the document garden."