This new year in Shuojing City is a double happiness for the Xiao family, and for some people, it seems to be worse.
In the Prince's Mansion, Guang Yan sat in the study, his face full of anxiety.
After Xu Jingfu's fall, although part of the Xu Party defected to Chu Zhao, Emperor Wen Xuan's reckoning was fierce and damaged many of his troops. For so many years, he has no ability on his own, and only by virtue of Queen Zhang's family and Xu Xiang's connections can he be able to secure the position of the prince for the time being. At the step of abandoning the car to protect the coach, although he made the decision himself, after he really made the decision, Guang Yan felt a little regretful.
In these days, Guangshuo has been very diligent in front of Emperor Wenxuan, and he has also begun to intervene in the affairs of the court. Empress Zhang instructed him not to act rashly at this time. When he approached Xu Jingfu in the past, I was afraid that Emperor Wenxuan would also be unhappy with him.
Guang Yan responded, and his heart became even more anxious. If the fourth child takes advantage of the opportunity of his absence to speak eloquently in front of Emperor Wenxuan... Who knows what will happen in the future? Now that Xiao Huaijin's power is becoming more and more abundant, how can he fall behind at this time
Just as I was thinking, someone from outside came to report: "His Royal Highness, someone outside is asking to see you."
Guang Yan said: "Come in."
The person who came was wearing the clothes of the servant and looked very inconspicuous, but when he raised his head, he could still see that his appearance was slightly different from that of the Wei person.
This is a Uto.
"His Royal Highness, the servant is here to send a message to His Highness at the order of Lord Manimbu."
"Manimbu?" Guang Yan squinted his eyes and greeted the others in the hall to step back. Then he looked at this person: "Your messenger, is he still alive?"
After Tianxingtai, Emperor Wenxuan had all the messengers from Utuo be placed under house arrest, and he has not said how to deal with it until now. Guangyan had tried to have someone speak to Manimbu, but he was too strict and never found a chance. Unexpectedly, the people from Manimbu came to the door by themselves.
As if afraid that Guangyan would not believe him, this man stepped forward and gave Guangyan a look at the seal in his sleeve.
"If you want me to save your lord, go back." Guang Yan said impatiently, "Royal father is angry, and this palace doesn't want to add fuel to the fire."
"His Royal Highness has not been to the court these days. I'm afraid I don't know. The fourth prince has been very favored by His Majesty recently, and the court officials also want to support it."
It's okay not to say this. When he said this, Guang Yan's face became a little ugly, and he sneered: "Don't Ben Gong know?"
"Concubine Lan Gui is serving illness every day," the servant said in a low voice, "Master Maningbu wants a servant to ask His Highness, do you want to sit and wait for death like this?"
With a "pop", the prince slammed the tea cup in front of him against the wall, "Shut up!"
His heart was full of anger, and Emperor Wenxuan favored Concubine Lan, it was no longer a day or two. Guangyan knew in his heart that if he was not the eldest son, if Emperor Wenxuan didn't want to scruple the world, he would have already established Guang Shuo as the crown prince, because Guang Shuo was the son of Concubine Lan Gui, that bitch!
"When it is broken, it will be chaotic, Your Highness."
Guangyan looked at the person who came and said, "What do you mean by that?"
The servant bowed his head humbly, "Master Maningbu wants the servants to tell His Highness, the emperor is already old, and now the fourth prince is ready to make a move. Originally, this matter would not have happened. In. Now that Xu Xiang has fallen, and Xiao Huaijin is already full of wings, if Xiao Huaijin takes refuge in the fourth prince..."
Guang Yan's heart jumped fiercely, and this was what he was most worried about.
In the past, Xiao Zhongwu looked at him unpleasantly, and often troubled him. After finally Xiao Zhongwu died, another son came to him! But now Xiao Huaijin is even more terrifying than Xiao Zhongwu at that time. Xu Jingfu failed to eradicate Xiao Huaijin at the beginning, and now he has raised such a scourge!
"His Royal Highness... why don't you cut the mess with a quick knife?"
"Presumptuous!" Guang Yan blurted out, both shocked and angry, "You dare to make a big deal in front of this palace!"
"His Royal Highness forgive me," the servant bowed down. "Those who achieve great things are not careful, and being kind to others is cruel to oneself. Otherwise, the fourth prince will take advantage of His Highness's kindness. But now," the servant said in his voice. It seemed to be bewitching, "If His Majesty's palace car Yan drives, you are the righteous emperor!"
The righteous emperor!
Guangyan: "Shut up!"
It was like opening the magic box of the goblin's bewitching heart, the thought that had never been moved before, was now gently hooked, and it could not be restrained from coming to mind.
He understood what Manimbu meant, but although he had fought against Guang Shuo in the past, he never thought of the idea of killing his father. Although Emperor Wenxuan was partial to Guangshuo, he was actually okay with him. Although looking at the previous dynasties, there were many cases of father and son killing each other and brothers killing each other in the palace, but Guangyan believed that he did not need to do this step at all.
Emperor Wenxuan had few heirs, and the Great Wei had always been the most disciplined. As long as the time came, Emperor Wenxuan would naturally pass on the throne to himself. Empress Zhang and Guangyan both thought so, but year after year, day after day, the wait seemed to have no end. Emperor Wenxuan seemed to be deliberately avoiding something. Waiting for the imperial decree, and waiting for the gradual rise of Guangshuo.
In the past few years, he has secretly and privately connected with the Uto people, isn't it because he has less and less confidence in his heart? If Emperor Wenxuan followed the steps honestly, why would he do this? So far, he has also been restrained in many places, so that in this battle for the throne, he has unknowingly been defeated by the position of the winner.
If Guangshuo continues like this...
His heart was viciously stirred by the evil thoughts, and it would be better not to do it again and again...
The servant who was kneeling on the ground had a panoramic view of the change in the expression on the prince's face, and persuaded kindly: "Your Highness, if your lord, the servants have already brought all the servants. Your Highness might as well consider it carefully. Everything you do is worth it. Throughout the ages, who has achieved great things, which road has not shed blood?"
"Your Highness, please think twice!"
Guang Yan was impetuously provoked by his few words, and scolded: "Okay, Ben Gong knows! Get out!"
The servants quietly retreated as they did when they came. Guang Yan looked at the shards of the tea cup that had been splashed on the ground, and a trace of haze gradually crept up into his eyes.
After a while, he seemed to be awakened and hurriedly left the hall.
After Guang Yan left, the maid of the Prince's Mansion came in to clean up the remnants on the ground, and a beautiful maid walked out from the back of the palace, and smiled softly, "I'll be fine."
"Miss Yingxiang." The maid did not dare to fight with her. Everyone knew that the most favored person in the Prince's mansion was this maid named Yingxiang. The crown prince also quarreled with the crown prince for her, but Yingxiang had a soft temperament and never gave the servants a face, but she got along well with other maids.
Ying Xiang knelt down halfway and gently picked up the debris on the ground. Her expression was as gentle as ever, and her long eyelashes concealed the strange emotions in her eyes.
Manimbu's people actually encouraged the prince to kill the king
This juncture... is not a good time.
…
The Chu family at night was too quiet.
Since the fall of Xu Xiang, the three direct sons of the Chu family, who were originally afraid of Chu Zhao, gradually became arrogant again. Since Chu Zhao didn't have Xu Jingfu's backing, even though he was still an official in the court, who knows how long it would last? No one could tell which day Emperor Wenxuan would blame Chu Zhao for his resentment towards Xu Jingfu.
When Madam Chu saw Chu Zhao, she occasionally sneered a few words. As for Chu Linfeng, he seldom saw Chu Zhao much, and he was completely different from his warm concern for Chu Zhao before the accident.
Chu Zhao himself was not affected by these things, and he still did what he had to do every day. The wound on his chest has not yet healed. He was recuperating in the mansion, and his colleagues rarely saw him, so he cleverly avoided this turbulent time.
The confidant walked in, took out a letter from his arms and presented it, "Fourth Young Master, Miss Yingxiang has news again."
Chu Zhao took the letter and opened it to see that it was fine before, but at the end, his expression changed slightly.
After a while, he threw the letter into the burning stove, and pressed his fingers lightly on his forehead, as if he had a severe headache.
"Fourth Young Master?" The confidant asked cautiously.
Chu Zhao waved his hand, but did not speak.
He really didn't expect that Guangyan would be so anxious, and he didn't expect that Manimbu would not forget to provoke at this juncture. As long as Guangyan has a little brain, he will not be led by the nose of the Uto people. Unfortunately, in these years, just like Emperor Wenxuan's dependence on Xu Jingfu, Guangyan has long been accustomed to leaving everything to Xu Jingfu. As soon as Xu Jingfu fell, he had no idea.
"Fourth Young Master," the confidant looked at his face, thought for a long time, and finally couldn't help but say: "Fourth Young Master has great talents, and now the Prime Minister is no longer there, His Royal Highness is impulsive and reckless, but the Fourth Prince knows how to keep a low profile and bide his time, and now the court is in the middle. The situation is different from the past, good birds choose wood to live in, His Royal Highness is incompetent, why doesn't Young Master follow His Fourth Highness..."
These words are outrageous, but Chu Zhao has always treated his subordinates very well, so his subordinates are always a bit bolder than other confidants.
Hearing this, Chu Zhao let go of his hand and looked at the oil lamp on the table.
The flame in the oil lamp swayed slightly by the cold wind that penetrated through the window. He said, "If there is no Xiao Huaijin, of course, but now, even for Xiao Huaijin's sake, the fourth prince will not use me."
Even if one of Xu Jingfu's remaining party members surrendered, it seemed that they would not be comparable to Xiao Jue's weight. At this juncture, Guang Shuo needs Xiao Huaijin's strength, and due to the relationship between Xiao Zhongwu and Xu Jingfu's everlasting enemies, Guangshuo will never give up Xiao Huaijin and choose himself.
"But if such a road goes to the dark..."
"It's not that I want to go to the dark one way," Chu Zhao interrupted him, "it's me, there's never been a second way."
Perhaps this, many years ago, when he saw Xu Jingfu for the first time and bowed down to Xu Jingfu's door, it was doomed today.
"The fourth son, what should we do now?"
"I need to go to the Prince's Mansion." A gloomy look flashed between his brows.
Although it seems that Manimbu's words may have caused the prince to have other thoughts, his words may not be useful. But since he was already on the same boat, if something happened to the prince, he would not be safe.
Just do your best.
…
In the Kunning Palace, Empress Zhang sat quietly on the soft slump, closed her eyes and listened to the violin master playing the violin.
The sound of the piano is clear and peaceful, and it can soothe the dryness of the heart. Since Xu Jingfu's accident, she often has insomnia at night, and she has very little time to fall asleep every day. Once he closed his eyes, his eyelids often jumped violently, as if signaling that something was about to happen.
Emperor Wenxuan's health was getting worse and worse, and he didn't go to court every three or five times. Lin Qingtan watched it several times and only said that it would be good to take good care of his body, but Queen Zhang always felt that it was not the case. She was also a little anxious.
Xu Xiang fell, which was unexpected to everyone. Although everyone knew in their hearts, there was bound to be a battle between Xu Jingfu and Xiao Jue. But no one thought that Xiao Jue used soldiers on the frontier battlefield, used techniques in the courtroom, and the evidence one by one would nail his opponents to the prison board.
Whether the matter of Xu Jingfu will be affected or not, Empress Zhang has no bottom in her heart.
Regarding Emperor Wenxuan's husband, Empress Zhang sometimes felt that she could see him clearly, but at other times, she felt as if she had never known her.
At the beginning, Emperor Wenxuan was still the crown prince, but because he was the heir apparent from the belly of the first empress, he got the position of the heir. Empress Zhang, as the daughter of the prime minister's family, had many fantasies about her husband before she married. .
But it wasn't until she became a princess that she realized that her husband was just an ordinary man who was obsessed with poetry and songs every day and indulged in pleasure. Neither ambition, nor political talent, nor the domineering inherent in the royal family. If he lost his identity, he would be no different from those ordinary men on the street.
Queen Zhang is an ambitious woman, but her ambitions have been satisfied too smoothly. Because her husband as the emperor was so mediocre, that in the end, she even lost interest in being jealous in the harem.
Just like Emperor Wenxuan's bland and stable life, as long as her son Guangyan sits on the throne in the future, she will be the empress dowager, from one supreme position to another supreme position.
Empress Zhang always thought so until the appearance of Concubine Lan Gui.
Emperor Wenxuan favored Concubine Lan very much. Originally, Empress Zhang did not care about the favor of the emperor. There are countless new beauties in the palace every year, so she can't care about each one. But Emperor Wenxuan's love for Concubine Lan was actually quite sincere.
This is very annoying, especially on the premise that Concubine Lan Gui also gave birth to a son.
Over the years, it's not that Empress Zhang has tried to eradicate Concubine Lan and her son, but this seemingly docile and indisputable woman is extraordinarily cunning, and she avoids disaster every time. Guang Shuo has grown into an adult safely. If it wasn't for Guang Shuo's own interest and avoiding the prince's edge, Empress Zhang would not have given up.
As long as the position of extension is not shaken, it does not hurt to let the mother and child live for a while longer. She thought so, but this delicate balance was broken instantly after Xu Jingfu's death.
Queen Zhang smelled a hint of danger.
The sound of the piano abruptly cut through a sound, and a palace maid came to report: "Niangniang, the prince has come down."
Empress Zhang opened her eyes, and Guang Yan walked in from outside.
"Let's all go down." She waved, and the violin master retreated with the palace maid. Empress Zhang looked at Guang Yan who was approaching, and couldn't help complaining: "Didn't I tell you, don't enter the palace these days? , the province is provoking right and wrong, you are good, for fear that it is not messy enough, what are you doing here in this palace?"
"Queen Mother," Guang Yan looked at her a little anxiously, "You won't let your son enter the palace, how do you know, now the palace is almost sinking Guang Shuo's world!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Who told you?" Empress Zhang sat up slightly, looking nervous.
"Don't worry about who told me." Guang Shuo asked, "Is your father's health not good? Mother, didn't the father tell you the slightest bit of news about the prince? My son heard that Guangshuo went to his father every day. Who knows how eloquent he is when he speaks before the emperor collapses!" He said bitterly, "If I coax the emperor into a daze, then I'll be in vain!"
"Shut up!" Empress Zhang shouted sharply, looking around, seeing that there was no one around, she breathed a sigh of relief, and said angrily, "You can just keep your mouth shut, I don't know how many pairs of eyes in the palace are staring at you. ."
"Queen Mother," Guang Yan said disappointedly, "I see that Concubine Lan, that bitch can't wait to do it, let's do so much!"
When it comes to Concubine Lan Gui, Empress Zhang's expression is also difficult to look at. She was conceited all her life, and claimed that no one in the harem was her opponent. Even if Emperor Wenxuan favored Concubine Lan, Concubine Lan did not want to be a man with her tail tucked in front of her these years. But the recent situation has shattered her original thoughts, that woman... that woman is not fighting, but she has great plans! All these years, I have been cautious and cautious in front of myself. I used to pretend to be pretentious. When the time came, I showed my true colors. The funny thing is that I was deceived by her!
Seeing the change in Empress Zhang's expression, Guang Shuo licked his lips anxiously, and suddenly leaned in and said, "Mother, I don't want to wait any longer."
Empress Zhang returned to her senses, looked at him and asked, "What do you want to do?"
"Now that Xu Jingfu is dead, the royal father must have rejected me, and the bitch Lan Guifei didn't know what to say in front of the royal father... If things go on like this, the royal father will definitely change Guang Shuo as the heir... I can't let this kind of thing happen. It happened!"
"you think… "
"As long as the emperor is gone now," Guang Yan's eyes flashed with madness, "the throne should be mine!"
Queen Zhang subconsciously covered his mouth, "Do you know what you're talking about?"
"Of course I know!" Guang Yan whispered: "Empress mother, think about it, what would happen to me if Guang Shuo became emperor? What would happen to you, empress mother? He passed on the throne to me. Since he is ruthless to me, don't blame me for being unrighteous! The big deal, when I become emperor in the future, I will give him a few more incense sticks every year!"
Empress Zhang was both shocked and angry, but before she could speak, Guang Yan's legs went weak, knelt down in front of her and begged, "Empress mother, please save my son and help him achieve a great career!"
She looked uncertain, she didn't speak for a while, and after a long time, she sighed and said, "You allow me to think about it."
But that look was clearly a compromise.