Pei ordered people to set up a small Buddhist hall in Chunhe Hall.
Since the emperor suffered a stroke, she has been restless and can only pray for the blessing of the gods.
Every morning and evening, she burns incense and prays in the small Buddhist hall, praying for the Buddha to bless King Ning to return safely.
It has been more than half a month, and the news of the capital should have been sent to King Ning.
Why!
King Ning is too far away from Beijing.
It will take more than half a month for the news to be delivered quickly.
After receiving the news, he set off to return to Beijing, which may take a month or so.
People are not horses after all.
Even a horse cannot run continuously for twelve hours a day.
After reading a piece of Buddhist scriptures, Mrs. Pei stood up from the futon with the help of her maid.
She asked the servant girl, "Have the eldest and fourth sons returned?"
"Qi Niang Niang, the Fourth Young Master has just returned to the mansion, and the Eldest Young Master probably won't come back until dark."
"Invite the Fourth Young Master here, this princess has something to ask him."
"The servant obeys."
Mrs. Pei left the Buddhist hall and returned to the flower hall. The smell of incense has been washed off the body.
Liu Yi said hello to her, "Greetings to concubine mother. How is concubine mother these days?"
Mrs. Pei motioned him to sit down and talk, "If your father doesn't return to Beijing for a day, this princess will not get better. These days, I am restless, and I am afraid that something will happen to your father."
"Mother and concubine, don't worry. The eldest brother has sent someone to protect the safety of the father, and with Chang En and the others by his side, nothing will happen."
"Two fists are no match for four hands. Ants kill elephants too often. Don't be careless. By the way, when did your elder brother send someone?"
Liu Yi shook his head, "I don't know about this son, I have to ask my eldest brother to find out. My concubine also knows, my eldest brother never tells me these things. My father and eldest brother also hide some arrangements made by our palace in private. let me know."
Pei said: "That's because you were young in the past, you didn't care about things, and you liked to go out to drink and mess around. I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid that your mouth would be loose and someone would talk to you when you were drunk."
Liu Yi lowered his head and smiled, "Now that my son has changed his ways, it's time for my father and eldest brother to give me a chance."
"When your father comes back, if you behave well, I will also have a good talk with your father."
"Thank you, Madam."
"It's also up to you to fight yourself."
Pei Shi finished speaking and sighed.
"Why is the mother and concubine sighing again? My son has already said that there is no need to worry about the father. The father will live a long life, and he will return to Beijing safely."
Pei frowned, "I hope so."
"Mother and concubine, can you think about the future? What if the father..."
"Don't think about it." Mrs. Pei interrupted Liu Yi decisively, "Yi'er, listen to your mother and concubine, and don't think about anything. Thinking too much is not good for you. Only when nothing will change can you maintain a normal mind .”
Liu Yi was stunned for a moment, then smiled, "Mother and concubine is right, my son has to think about nothing."
Pei smiled gratified, "That's right."
"Mother and Concubine must be deeply touched."
Mrs. Pei sighed, "Back then, there were so many people with such good conditions that they all had the opportunity to be crowned the Great Treasure. In the end, all those people were defeated by your grandfather. Why do you think? It's because they thought too much and didn't want to down to earth."
Liu Yi was thoughtful, "My concubine will tell me about the events of that year."
Mrs. Pei shook her head, "My princess doesn't know much. If you have a chance, go to Lantai Temple. If some materials were not destroyed back then, it must be in Lantai Temple."
Yeah
Liu Yi immediately became curious about Lantai Temple.
Although Lantai Temple is a yamen that is so unpopular that it can no longer be unpopular, working as an errand in Lantai Temple is equivalent to being thrown into the cold palace, and the dream of being promoted and making a fortune has been cut off for a lifetime.
"Thank you, mother and concubine, for telling me that my son must go to Lantai Temple to see if he has the opportunity."
Pei nodded, "Look more at the experience and lessons of the predecessors, there is no harm."
Liu Yi smiled gently, with a pure and harmless face.
…
Every day that passes by, there will be an undercurrent in the peaceful capital.
The Eight Immortals cross the sea, each showing their magical powers. Everyone is racing against time, hurry up and arrange.
Liu Zhao suddenly disappeared.
Ask the yamen, the yamen said the tolerance.
No one in the yamen knows exactly where to go on business.
When asked about the Wangfu, the Wangfu didn't know anything.
Mrs. Pei is very worried, everyone has lost weight.
She called Gu Jiu to Chunhe Hall for questioning.
"Where did Zhao'er go? Why didn't he say hello to this princess when he went out. The situation in the capital is getting more and more tense. If he goes out at this time, what if something happens in the palace?"
Gu Jiu lowered his head and said: "Returning to my mother and concubine, the young master only said one business trip before leaving the house, and didn't say a single extra word. My daughter-in-law asked him, but he just told me not to ask more questions."
Pei was furious, "You are his wife, and you don't know where he went. How did you become a wife?"
Gu Jiu lowered his head and smiled, "My father often goes out for three to five days without coming back, and my concubine also doesn't know where my father is going. But my father and my concubine get along very well, and my father didn't say that my concubine did a bad job."
"You're presumptuous! Who are you talking to? Is there a hierarchy?" Pei slapped the table and scolded Gu Jiu angrily.
Gu Jiu sighed softly, "My daughter-in-law knows her mistake, please forgive me. My daughter-in-law also kindly reminded my mother that some things are really not what we want to do. When men are doing things outside, it's our turn to intervene. Concubine mother, daughter-in-law is right, right?"
Pei staggered angrily, "You are becoming more and more presumptuous now. Do you really think that with Zhao'er backing you up, this princess would not dare to use family law?"
Gu Jiu lowered his head and smiled, and said: "Mother Concubine, calm down. Before Mu Concubine uses family law, think about what time it is now. Our Prince Ning's Mansion can't mess things up."
"Then be honest, you can answer whatever my princess asks you."
"My daughter-in-law has already told me everything she knows. My concubine also told me that I can't make things up and make things out of nothing."
Gu Jiu was also quite wronged.
Pei Shi was short of breath, if it wasn't for the wrong timing, she really wanted to clean up Gu Jiu.
"Before Zhao'er went out, did he say how long he would be back in Beijing?"
Pei still took the initiative to return to the topic.
Gu Jiu shook his head, "I didn't say anything. I estimate that this trip will take half a month at least, and a month or two at most."
"So long?" Pei's expression changed.
"I've been away for such a long time at this time, what should I do if something happens in the palace during this time?"
Gu Jiu gave her advice, "Concubine Mother might as well go to the palace to ask Concubine Shu for instructions."
Mrs. Pei was worried, "My concubine will enter the palace to greet my mother. If I ask you anything, you don't know what to ask. What's the use of you. You step back."
Gu Jiu doesn't have the same knowledge as Pei's, so it's understandable that Pei's temper is a bit grumpy because King Ning hasn't returned to the capital.
She bowed and retreated, leaving Chunhe Hall.
Before Liu Zhao left Beijing, he did not tell Gu Jiu where he was going.
Gu Jiu guessed that Liu Zhao might be going to meet King Ning.
It is possible that King Ning encountered an ambush, encountered danger, and was blocked by something on the way and could not return to Beijing in time.
In short, anything is possible.
Now everyone is blocking the news.
Whoever can seize the first opportunity wins half.
Gu Jiu is self-aware, she knows what she is good at, and she also knows where her shortcomings are.
She didn't cause trouble for Liu Zhao, so she didn't ask Liu Zhao's whereabouts.
She didn't even ask too much about Qianfu.
However, she successively gave two huge sums of money to Qian Fu for turnover.
Gu Jiu is always very straightforward when giving money.
She handed over the money to Qian Fu, and only said: "My son trusts you, so my wife also trusts you. I hope the money can be used wisely."
"Madam, don't worry, the money must be used wisely."
Gu Jiu hummed, and did not forget to poach people at critical moments, "If staying with the young master is too tiring, you might as well come to me as an errand. My work is easy and I earn a lot of money."
"Thank you ma'am, this old slave is used to working with the young master, so I'm afraid I won't be able to adapt to changing places."
"Forget it, I won't force you."
Although not reluctantly, but will not give up.
High-end talents like Qian Fu are hard to come by. Gu Jiu will not give up easily.
Autumn passed and winter came.
Time passed day by day, and the atmosphere in the capital became more and more tense.
As soon as the weather became cold, the emperor's illness worsened, and he could only stay in bed every day.
In the past, I was able to handle a little government affairs and verbally approve memorials.
It's not enough now, I'm exhausted.
After all, the emperor is old, his health is not good, and his vitality is passing away little by little. The various organs of the body are also irreversibly failing.
Birth, old age, sickness and death, everything is doomed.
The emperor was lying on the bed, breathing very lightly.
After waking up, he waved his hand, and Chen Dachang bowed and stood beside the bed, "Your Majesty, you are awake."
The emperor nodded and said vaguely, "Help me up."
Several servants together helped the emperor up and sat on the bed.
The emperor panted, first asked the imperial physician to check his body, and then drank the medicine.
After drinking the medicine and feeling better, I asked, "Have the princes returned?"
"not yet."
"How long has it been, why haven't you come back?"
"The journey is long, and it will take time for the decree to be delivered to your highnesses, and it will take time for your highnesses to pack their bags and return to Beijing."
The emperor frowned.
"Decree to urge the bastards to return to Beijing quickly. I am afraid that time is running out."
"Your Majesty!" Chen Dachang was shocked.
The emperor waved his hand, "I have seen things through now."
Chen Dachang bowed to accept the order, and when he was about to leave, he turned his head and said: "Today the courtiers are discussing the appointment of the crown prince again. Please show me what this old slave should do."
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, "We have to wait for the establishment of the crown prince."
As for what to wait for, maybe only the emperor knows.
Chen Dachang bowed and said: "This old slave understands."
After a pause, he continued: "Master Gu, the Minister of the Household Department, was found guilty of corrupting a huge amount of ink, and is now dismissed for investigation."
The emperor was stunned for a moment before he came back to his senses, "Gu Jiu's father?"
"Exactly."
"When did this happen?"
"It was the decree jointly issued by the elders of the Zhengshitang early this morning."
The emperor frowned, "At this time, they still have the leisure to investigate a servant of the household department. What are they so worried about?"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. The evidence of Mr. Gu's crimes is conclusive, and the matter cannot be concealed. Several adults in the Political Affairs Hall have no choice but to dismiss Mr. Gu and investigate. How to judge and sentence is up to His Majesty to decide." .”
The Son of Heaven snorted coldly, "I passed on my oral order to take Gu Zhili into custody in Dali Temple, and Dali Temple will thoroughly investigate the case."
Chen Dachang was surprised, and then bowed to accept the order, and left the bedroom to deliver the emperor's oral order.
…
palace.
"Ma'am, something is wrong."
Xu Yousi hurried back to the east courtyard.
Even though it was winter, he was sweating a lot.
"What happened? Take a breath and speak slowly." Gu Jiu was very calm.
Xu Yousi panted and said, "Master Gu has had an accident."
Gu Jiu's expression changed, "What happened to the master?"
Xu Yousi took a sip of tea, breathed calmly before continuing: "Master was detained by Dali Temple. It is said that the master is greedy for huge sums of money, and several adults in the Political Affairs Hall ordered his dismissal for investigation."
When Gu Jiu heard this, she immediately frowned.
She is not surprised that Mr. Gu is greedy for ink.
Master Gu is not a very clean official, and the word "clean and honest" has nothing to do with it.
It is doubtful to be greedy for huge sums of money. It depends on what the standard for huge sums of money is.
What made Gu Jiu feel uneasy was that this matter came at such a good time.
What time is this.
Everyone was staring at the palace, at the princes rushing to the capital, and at which prince the emperor would appoint as the crown prince.
At this time, Mr. Gu's embezzlement of ink suddenly happened, and the Zhengshitang ordered his dismissal to investigate it very efficiently. Dali Temple immediately came forward and took Mr. Gu into custody.
Such efficiency is not logical.
It stands to reason that no matter what the case is, it should be pushed as soon as it can be pushed, and delayed as long as it can be delayed. It won't be too late to cook after the Crown Prince is established.
As a result, everyone didn't care about the palace, and all stared at a little Mr. Gu.
Gu Jiu took a deep breath.
Mr. Gu might become cannon fodder.