The lights outside the hall dimmed little by little.
When Eunuch Li entered the palace again, his eyes were filled with darkness. After he got used to the light in the palace, he stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, the matter has been investigated clearly. It is indeed as the Emperor expected. The Crown Princess..."
Emperor Baoqing waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to go on, "Where are Lao Ba and the others?"
"Waiting outside."
"Hold the lamp and call people in."
Although Eunuch Li was puzzled, he said truthfully: "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Jingyan entered the palace, straightened her clothes, and knelt down with Jiang Hongwen.
Emperor Baoqing stroked the Daozhu and said: "Old man, you should bring the case of the fire in the Ministry of Punishment to me truthfully."
Zhao Jingyan's expression was like a lightning strike, and she murmured: "Father, why can't I understand what you are talking about?"
"snort!"
Emperor Baoqing sneered, "I heard that you have been to the prison of the Ministry of Punishment?"
Zhao Jingyan was so shocked that she kowtowed and said, "Father, I have been there, but the murders and arson were definitely not done by me. I am unjustly accused!"
"What are you doing at the Criminal Department?"
Zhao Jingyan was so frightened that she quickly blamed Jiang Hongwen for the incident, "I was entrusted by him."
Jiang Hongwen glared at him resentfully and said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, I am engaged to Qingguan. Although she has left the Gu Mansion, she has the blood of the Gu family in her body. I beg Tinglin to go check it out and see them." Who did you offend?"
Emperor Baoqing's eyes wandered around the two people, and finally fell on Zhao Jingyan, and said coldly: "Old man, what did you find out?"
Zhao Jingyan and Jiang Hongwen looked at each other and lowered their eyes.
"Say!" Emperor Baoqing was furious.
Zhang Yunlong came to report that after the Gu family was imprisoned, in addition to Lao Ba, Lao Qi Wang and Lao Er's advisers had all investigated one by one.
A small Gu family actually attracted so many people to move together. What happened here, hehe, I'm afraid it can't be trivial.
Zhao Jingyan stretched her neck and said, "Father, don't be upset. I don't know whether this is true or not, so I kept it a secret."
"Hey, at this juncture, why are you still dawdling? If you don't say anything else, the Emperor will definitely suspect that it was us."
Jiang Hongwen seemed to be unable to bear Zhao Jingyan's squeaking, so he simply made his words clear.
"Just say it!"
Zhao Jingyan crawled forward half a step and said: "I went to inquire for Hongwen, but it turned out that Gu Yanqi cried and shouted for me to save him, and said... and said... The reason why his Gu family was imprisoned was because there was a shocking person in the house. His wealth was targeted by the old King of Qi, so he was imprisoned. "
Emperor Baoqing's eyes suddenly turned sharp.
"Father, I only know this much, and I really don't know anything about the rest. At that time, I just thought he was joking and didn't take it to heart."
Zhao Jingyan crawled forward a few more steps and said, "Father, I really didn't commit any murder or arson. I really just went to investigate for Hongwen."
Emperor Baoqing looked at them deeply, his gaze seemed to burn holes in their bodies.
After a long while, he slowly uttered a sentence, "Go ahead. I have been thinking behind closed doors in the house for the past few days. If you have nothing to do, don't go out."
"Yes, Father (Emperor)!"
The two people on the ground let out a long sigh of relief at the same time.
As soon as he finished speaking, Eunuch Li's voice sounded outside, "Your Majesty, Commander Zhang wants to see you!"
Emperor Baoqing waved his hand like a fly, and the two people on the ground left quietly without saying anything.
"Tinglin, do you have any confidence in your heart?" Jiang Hongwen said as he walked, stroking his chest.
Zhao Jingyan did not answer, her eyes fell several feet away.
Gu Qingwan was dressed in official robes and stood under the tree. The moonlight illuminated her figure, and she felt lonely. It was obvious that she was waiting for them.
"Ask her and you'll know."
When the two of them got closer, Jiang Hongwen smiled and said, "If you don't wait for us, you will go to the house."
There was no smile on Qingguan's face, she just said softly: "This is not the place to talk, get in the car."
The carriage is so big, and once the three of them sit on it, it seems a little cramped.
Qingguan shrank back and said, "How?"
Zhao Jingyan leaned towards her and said, "It went well. We came out and Zhang Yunlong just went in."
When Gu Qingwan heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief and his eyes wandered.
She brought out the affairs of the Cao family, and Tinglin brought out the affairs of the Gu family. With the emperor's methods, he would be able to find out all the truth within three days.
"If nothing happens, this matter should be settled." Zhao Jingyan comforted.
"I'm afraid not necessarily!"
When Jiang Hongwen heard this, he hurriedly asked: "Why?"
Gu Qingwan said: "There is an old King of Qi, a King of Rui, and the Queen of the Middle Palace is also involved. How will the emperor deal with these three important people? Should he pick them up high or put them down gently."
Zhao Jingyan understood instantly.
If you pick it up high, then King Rui's political future will be over; if you put it down gently, then the emperor still wants the position of prince to belong to King Rui.
"Wanwan, what do you think?"
"Tinglin, you once told me that the bowl of soup six years ago was replaced by a civet cat for a prince."
Zhao Jingyan's heart moved, "What do you mean..."
Qingguan smiled slightly, "As soon as Zhang Hua got into trouble, someone gave him a bowl of heartbroken grass. Who wants him to die so much?"
Jiang Hongwen answered, "Except for the Queen, there will be no one else."
"If it were just a Cao family, the queen would definitely not take action so rashly. There must be something more important than the Cao family."
Qingguan paused and looked at Zhao Jingyan's face, "Think about it, it was because of that bowl of medicine six years ago that the prince was charged with murder. Is this important enough?"
Jiang Hongwen was excited and grabbed Qingguan's hand, "You are saying that the Queen's hand was responsible for the Prince's matter."
Qingguan shook his head, "It's hard to say anything else, but that bowl of soup is certain."
Jiang Hongwen opened his mouth and said after a while: "Conspiracy to kill the emperor and put the blame on others is a treasonous crime. Even if the Queen and King Rui are full of skills, they will never stand up. Tinglin... Tinglin... "
When no one answered, Jiang Hongwen looked back and saw that the man was staring at Qing Guan's hand. He was so frightened that he quickly let go with a stern look on his face.
Zhao Jingyan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "In this way, Doctor Qian's grievances will be clear. But how can we do it?"
Gu Qingwan looked at him meaningfully and said, "This matter depends on you."
In Yichun Palace.
Queen Qin stands in front of the bronze mirror.
The woman in the mirror has her hair combed and her temples sparsely adorned with a few pearls. She looks so peaceful and behaves gracefully. Although she has passed her most beautiful age, she still retains a bit of charm.
Qiu Ju held the box at the side and said, "My queen is more beautiful without makeup than with full makeup."
There was not much joy on Queen Qin's face when she heard this, "Everything is ready."
"It has been prepared a long time ago. They are all the emperor's favorite food."
Empress Qin sighed softly and said, "Where is the Emperor now?"
"In the imperial study room."
"Who else is here?"
Qiu Ju lowered her head and said, "I can't find out. The people on duty in the Imperial Study Room these days are as tight-lipped as a river clam and don't know what to ask."
Queen Qin's heart sank.
It was precisely because of this that she felt panicked. The emperor personally interrogated Zhang Hua. How did the trial go and how much Zhang Hua confessed? He was really unsure and had to make this trip.
After leaving Yichun Palace and going to Fenghu, it was the time to light the lanterns.
After a while, he arrived at the door of the royal study and was about to step in when he was stopped by the servant at the door.
"The queen stays, the emperor is not in the study room!"
Queen Qin asked: "Where is the Emperor?"
"The Emperor was just called away by King Shou."
Empress Qin smiled and said: "I made some snacks for the emperor. Since the emperor is not here, I will wait inside."
"Queen, stop here. Your Majesty will tell you that no one is allowed to enter the Imperial Study Room without permission."
Empress Qin frowned. Although women could not participate in politics, it was not unheard of to wait for the emperor in the imperial study room.
With a look on her face, she asked, "Why?"
"this… "
The chamberlain hesitated for a moment and said, "Doctor Zhang is inside."
Queen Qin's heart was pounding fiercely, and she looked at the chambermaid majestically, "Is it possible that I am asked to wait here in the cold wind?"
After saying that, the hem of his skirt moved and he entered the royal study.
In the royal study room, the candlelight was bright, and a man prostrated himself on the ground, while the two servants stood with their heads bowed.
Empress Qin glanced at Qiu Ju, took out two banknotes from her arms, and stuffed them into the hands of the chamberlain. After a while, there was no one else in the huge study.
Queen Qin silently walked up to the man and coughed lightly.
When Zhang Hua heard the voice, he raised his head suddenly, his eyes first lit up and then darkened, and he said in a hoarse voice: "Mother, help me!"
Queen Qin took a few steps back in shock. In just a few days, Zhang Hua, who had always been graceful and graceful, turned out to be like a ghost from the underworld, and even his voice sounded hoarse and terrifying.
This retreat made Zhang Hua's heart skip a beat.
After years of being immersed in the palace, Empress Qin quickly calmed down. She said sternly: "I drank a few glasses of yellow urine, and I can't even tell the difference between the north and the south. Do you know who you have offended this time?"
Zhang Hua regretted it all the time, shed tears and kowtowed, saying: "Empress, I was wrong. Please save me and the entire Zhang family."
Empress Qin didn't speak, she planned in her mind for a while, and said in a low voice: "Don't worry, as long as you know how to measure, I will definitely plead with the emperor."
"Don't worry, Madam. As long as Madam is willing to move for me, I will never say a word." Zhang Hua vowed, but there was a faint threat in his words.
Queen Qin's face immediately darkened, "Are you threatening me?"
Zhang Hua said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, please calm down. I am doing this to protect myself. With your Majesty's abilities, it is easy to save Zhang Hua. Please save me for the sake of Zhang Hua's loyalty."
"What you committed is a capital crime!"
Queen Qin was furious. This wild dog was too cunning, even poison couldn't kill him. It would cause endless trouble.
If in the past, Zhang Hua would have been trembling with fear when the Queen was angry, but it was different now. As soon as the mouthful of heartbroken grass entered his mouth, he knew who wanted to harm him.
There is nothing that a person who has died once cannot figure out. He knows too much. How can he make others feel at ease if he does not die
But he is Zhang Hua, not Qian Zongfang, and not Lao Cao. A gentleman is virtuous and would rather die carrying the word loyalty.
Zhang Hua is a villain. A villain only knows how to save money and save his life. In order to save his life, he will do anything. He sneered and said: "Mom, please calm down. Even if I commit a capital crime, it is for my sake, so I'd better find a way to beg me, otherwise... Hehe!"