In the deep autumn night, the watchman beat his clapper, and the dull sound broke the tranquility of the night sky.
"It's dry, watch out for candles—"
There was a row of trees with fallen leaves floating on the side of the road. Under the trees, a simple blue sedan hurriedly passed by, and soon disappeared into the alleyway.
The watchman was an elderly man, he thought his eyes were dazzled, but after rubbing his eyes, there was no trace of the sedan chair.
He must have read it wrong, and he continued to patrol along the long street.
There are two red lanterns hanging in front of the gate of the First Prince's Mansion. Under the lights, the majestic vermilion lacquered mansion gate is majestic and majestic, and one can tell it is royal style at a glance.
As soon as the cyan sedan chair arrived, someone immediately opened the door of the mansion and welcomed the sedan chair in.
The red lacquered door closed again, and it was as if nothing had happened.
"Master Xiang, our Highness invites you."
A servant from the mansion came up to meet him, stood on the side of the sedan chair and bowed to invite him, the bearer pushed down the bamboo bar, Yin Shuo stepped out of the sedan chair.
Taking a closer look, it was not a servant who was waiting for him, but Eunuch Qiu from the First Prince's Mansion.
The prince leaves the palace as an adult to open a mansion and build teeth, and the princess moves to her husband's house when she gets married. As usual, she cannot take away the palace servants to serve her, but only a few very close and loving ones.
Therefore, the palace people who can follow the prince and princess out of the palace are very favored by the master. The eldest prince sent Eunuch Qiu to welcome him, which shows the importance he holds in the eldest prince's heart.
Yin Shuo smiled, "Eunuch Laoqiu will welcome you."
Eunuch Qiu stepped aside with a smile and led him to the First Prince's study.
The study room was lit like beans, after Eunuch Qiu retired, only the eldest prince and Yin Shuo were left to talk at night by candlelight.
The eldest prince said modestly: "It's hard work for the prime minister to come to my residence at night."
Yin Shuo took a sip of the hot tea, and the chill on his body faded away, "It's okay. My manor must have the eyes and ears of the Second Prince and Princess Danyang. It's more convenient to come to His Highness's mansion to talk."
The mansions of the eldest prince and the second prince are often visited by people, including courtiers, counselors, and their retainers.
Even if someone saw a sedan chair entering the First Prince's Mansion at night, they would not expect that it was Yin Shuo.
The eldest prince said: "You said you have something important to discuss with me, but you have already thought of a way?"
The tea was a little hot, but it was just right, Yin Shuo sipped it in small sips, not in a hurry to answer the eldest prince.
He knew what the eldest prince was asking about, and he knew how eager the eldest prince was, so he deliberately wanted to entertain the eldest prince.
"The eldest prince, do you remember that according to the old calendar in the past, His Majesty will go hunting in the paddock every two or three autumns?"
The eldest prince paused, "Of course I remember. After doing the math, Father hasn't gone to autumn hunting for three years. He was supposed to go this year, but the Xikun army invaded. Father wanted to share the joys and sorrows with the border soldiers and the people, so naturally he couldn't." Go hunting for your own fun."
Yin Shuo said: "Naturally we can't go during the war, but now Gu Hou has won a big victory. I expect him to return triumphantly soon. With his loyalty to His Majesty, we won't have a chance to fight when he comes back. .”
"Do it? What hand?"
The first prince showed vigilance, the last time he let the concubine Xian poison Emperor Ning was almost exposed, and he still has nightmares about Emperor Ning finding out about it.
Let him do it again, he may not have the guts.
Yin Shuo was a little disappointed, "I originally thought that the first prince was more courageous and insightful than the second prince, and he dared to take a gamble against the world. It seems that I think highly of His Highness."
The eldest prince glanced at him, gritted his teeth and said, "It's not that I'm timid. What happened last time was almost exposed. You know, no one in the court may know about it. Once this matter is exposed, the lives of my concubine and I will be in danger. What else is there to talk about?" Not in the world?"
"But this matter has not been brought to light. The God of Medicine does not want to interfere in the government and deliberately conceals this matter. His Majesty has not yet known about it. As for me, I am here to help His Highness. I heard Princess Danyang say that His Majesty intends to appoint the second prince as the crown prince." .Although I won’t mention it now, it’s hard to guarantee when it will be mentioned again.”
He looked at the eldest prince mockingly, "Your Majesty, people who have been cured by the God of Medicine can live to at least eighty years old. How old will the eldest prince be at that time? Do you still have the strength to fight the second prince? I hope that after your majesty dies of old age It is said that it is His Highness, it would be more useful to ask the second prince now to ignore the past."
The eldest prince gritted his teeth, stared at Yin Shuo without saying a word.
He was sizing up Yin Shuo, and at the same time, he was considering what Yin Shuo said, that such a crime of beheading cannot be conspired with anyone.
"I don't understand something, and I ask Prime Minister Yin to explain it."
Yin Shuo spread his hands openly, "Just ask Your Highness if you have anything to say, Yin Shuo will definitely tell you everything."
The eldest prince said: "This prince was obsessed with ghosts at the beginning because he knew that the father wanted to appoint the second prince as the crown prince. He and I are the eldest and the other is the heir. According to the ancestral system, we both have the qualification to inherit the throne. Even if we fight, it is reasonable. But once the Eastern Palace is registered, the situation will be completely different. Does the prime minister understand what I mean?"
Yin Shuo said: "I understand, it's just that the situation was critical at the time, and if you don't take the East Palace position, it's tantamount to giving it up to someone else. But it's different now, now His Majesty is alienating you and the second prince, and it's not yet known who will be appointed as the East Palace in the future. So His Highness thinks that there is no need to make dangerous moves now, right?"
The First Prince used silence instead of answering, he admitted that what Yin Shuo said was what he thought in his heart.
Yin Shuo smiled, "Sometimes the crisis is not only the vortex on the surface, but also the undercurrent under the water, which is the real invisible crisis. His Highness himself said that I may not be the only one who knows about it. In fact, it’s just other people who know it and dare not say it, but there is one person who is different.”
The eldest prince trembled all over, "Do you know anyone else knows about this? Who is it?"
"Who else? Of course it's Gu Hou."
The eldest prince put his hand on the table and suddenly clenched his fist into a fist, "How is that possible? If Gu Hou knew, Father would have known it a long time ago, how could you allow me until today?"
Yin Shuo said: "This is just my guess, please don't be nervous, Your Highness. The God of Medicine said he would not participate in the government, but at that time, Yufu and Tianshu followed the God of Medicine into the palace. Will they tell the people in the Guhou Mansion? This is one. The second is that the God of Medicine and Guhou's mansion are married, so he should have told Gu Hou to be prepared for such a big event. Maybe Gu Hou didn't want to make any troubles, so he didn't say anything, or maybe... "
The eldest prince took his words, "Perhaps he has already said it, but the emperor pretended not to know, and hasn't had an attack yet?"
This thought terrified him.
If this was true, then even if he waited another thirty years, he would have no hope of becoming the crown prince when Emperor Ning passed away.
Taking ten thousand steps back, Emperor Ning suddenly changed his mind and made himself the crown prince, Gu Huaijiang, as an insider, would definitely stop him...
The possibility of him becoming a prince is almost zero.
Yin Shuo nodded slowly, "Eldest Prince answered so quickly, it is obvious that you have long suspected that Gu Hou knew about it. You have been deceiving yourself and others, thinking that the attitude of the people in Gu Hou's mansion towards you has not changed, which means they don't know about it." It's a pity that you can fool yourself, but you can't fool others."
The eldest prince's face froze, and he re-examined the person in front of him.
Gu Huaijiang is a person who has worked in the court for decades. Holding a large army in his hand has always been suspected by many parties, but he was able to keep the honor of Gu Hou's family.
In addition to being a military commander with great military exploits, he naturally also has scheming and means. It is entirely possible that he knew that he poisoned Emperor Ning but did not speak out.
But Yin Shuo entered the court not long ago at a young age, and he has been holding on to his own opportunities to wait for an opportunity. Such a deep thought makes him even more terrified.
Such a person... Fortunately, he did not vote for the second prince.
The eldest prince said: "The great victory at Zhuguan, it is said that the Xikun army has already withdrawn. Gu Hou and others will stay for a while longer, and they will come back in a month at most. What can the prime minister do to make a move in this month? I can't use the previous methods anymore, my father has been in good health after being healed by the God of Medicine, and any minor ailments will cause others to be alert."
Yin Shuo said with a smile: "Of course we can't use that method anymore. Don't say that Yufu will come back when your majesty is sick, just that Gu Hou may know that your majesty has poisoned your majesty. Once your majesty is poisoned and dies, Gu Hou will not think about it." I know it was His Highness who did it. Even if he doesn't get angry, and the courtiers are choosing between His Highness and the Second Prince, who does His Highness think Gu Hou will support?"
The eldest prince was taken aback, "If Gu Hou really knew that I was responsible for the poisoning, then he would definitely not support me, but the second prince. He has great military power and prestige. At that time, he will not support me." Can anyone sit on the throne of God?"
He frowned and thought deeply. Thinking about it this way, even if His Majesty died, he would not be able to reap any benefits.
"So, we have to use a different method, and let people know that it was the second prince who attacked His Majesty. Do you still remember what I said about Autumn Hunting?"