At night, the palace was completely silent, not to mention the chirping of insects and birds, and even the sound of footsteps from afar should have been heard from far away because of the repeated echoes.
However, it snowed tonight, and there was a thick layer of white snow on the ground. The faint light of the candles could illuminate a large area around the snow, and the black satin boots with the Melaleuca sole were silently stepped on, occasionally The cold wind that came from just sent the words ahead into the emperor's ears.
"Prince's life is too hard. I heard that he was born with fetal poison, and he was able to survive in the end..."
"What is this, you don't know, when he was crowned prince, his biological mother died..."
"Birth mother?"
"It's Concubine Ji!"
"Ah, even the biological mother died... Could it be that His Majesty really wants to abolish the prince this time?"
"Aren't you talking about the a few celestial phenomena that are actually related to the prince?"
"Shh..."
"What are you afraid of, it's spread all over the world now, and it's not what we said first. They all say that, you think, now that His Majesty's dragon body is not in good health, could it also be related to the prince, because his life is hard, and he can't die? Mother, I need to…”
Hearing this, Xiao Huangmen, who was following behind the emperor, changed his face, and immediately stepped forward to stop them from continuing to speak outrageous words.
But as soon as he ran a few steps, his arm was pulled out!
Xiao Huangmen turned around and found that the emperor was actually holding him.
Not only that, but the emperor stopped him from making a sound with a stern look.
Xiao Huangmen was a little scared. He didn't know what the emperor was thinking. Growing up in the palace, he knew that the words he heard tonight should not have been heard by him, and even if he heard them, he had to understand them all. forget.
Under normal circumstances, if the first two speakers were caught, they would have to be tortured to death.
But now the emperor didn't say anything, just stood there quietly and listened for a while.
It wasn't until the two people talked about other topics that he turned around and walked back and forth, but he didn't pursue the guilt of the two people.
He hurriedly followed behind, the emperor's pace was unexpectedly fast, hardly like someone who was still sick.
"Your Majesty..." Xiao Huangmen couldn't help but say.
The emperor, as if he didn't hear it, walked faster and faster.
He didn't stop until he walked under the steps of the Qianqing Palace.
There was a man standing on the steps, looking at him from a distance.
When he saw the other party, the expression on the emperor's face suddenly relaxed, revealing a tenderness that he had never shown in front of his biological mother.
He took a few steps to go up the steps, and was so frightened that Xiao Huangmen followed closely behind him, and he didn't dare to stretch out his hand to help him, for fear that the emperor would suddenly fall down if he stepped in the air.
Fortunately, such a thing did not happen. The person who greeted him stood in front of the palace gate, stretched out his hands towards the emperor, and caught the latter's hand firmly.
"Why does Your Majesty go out to hang out late at night and wear so little clothes? What if you get sicker?" The man's face sank. She even spoke to the emperor in a presumptuous tone, but the emperor didn't care, instead she showed a reliant smile. .
"Sister Wan, you should come over to sleep with me at night. Without you, I can't sleep at night." The forty-year-old man still had a coquettish tone. If such words were spoken by an emperor, it would be even worse Horrible.
However, the other party is obviously used to the emperor's words like this, and he didn't put his tone or figure in a soft tone because of these words, but still said hard: "There are many beauties in your harem, as long as you want, there will be new people to accompany you every night, why do you need me like this? the old woman?"
The emperor smiled and said, "Sister Wan is not old. In my mind, Sister Wan will never be old."
The two held hands and snuggled into the bedroom behind the Qianqing Palace.
Xiao Huangmen quietly wiped away his sweat from behind, and looked at the tall woman holding the emperor's hand, inexplicably awe-inspiring.
This woman is not beautiful. When she gets along with the emperor, she does not need to be as careful as other concubines to please her. Instead, she laughs when she wants to, gets angry when she wants to get angry, even curses and swears when she gets angry, and the emperor does not give face.
But the emperor just eats her way, even if the princes and princesses are born one after another, there is still no one in the harem who can take her place.
Even if this woman is one year older than the current queen mother, so that the queen mother refuses to let her be the queen, but apart from this status, all her expenses have already surpassed the current queen, and at the emperor's insistence Next, the inner palace and the outer court, no one can change this.
Even without her beauty, she will always be unique in the emperor's heart.
Contacting the scene where the emperor just heard those rebellious words without the slightest reaction, Xiao Huangmen's heart thumped, and he couldn't help thinking secretly, could it be that this time, the crown prince is really going to be abolished
Most people don't know what happened in the palace that night, let alone what the emperor heard and what ideas came up.
At the end of December in the 22nd year of Chenghua, this is destined to be an uneasy year and month.
However, no matter how tight the situation is, the days that should be lived are still to be lived.
It doesn't make any difference to ordinary people whether to change the prince or not. Even for most officials, it doesn't really matter.
Not long after Peng Yichun was promoted to the Minister of Punishment, according to the usual practice, even if he acts in a low-key manner and does not want to feast on the guests, it is always necessary to invite the colleagues and subordinates of the same yamen to have a light meal. Shangguan's total can not say nothing.
The dinner was set at Xianke Lou, and Peng Yichun also invited Tang Fan. This is not only because Tang Fan is in charge of the Ministry of Punishment in the cabinet, but also because without Tang Fan's recommendation, Peng Yichun would not have been able to become this minister - he is in the Ministry of Punishment. Although his qualifications are long, he has always been pressed on his head. It used to be Liang Wenhua, and then it was someone else. This time Tang Fan could have also been the minister of punishment. No matter what, it would never be Peng Yichun's turn.
In view of this, Peng Yichun is grateful for Tang Fan's gratitude to Tang Fan, and he also tries his best to cooperate with Tang Fan's footsteps in daily affairs.
There is a harmonious relationship between the ministers and the cabinet, and everyone does not need to spend their energy on endless wrangling and entertainment, and the daily efficiency is naturally greatly improved.
In the combination of the cabinet and the six ministries, Tang Fan and Peng Yichun are the most tacit cooperation with each other.
There are a lot of subordinate officials in the Punishment Department, but this time only officials of the sixth rank and above were invited, and these people are enough to fill two tables.
Peng Yichun booked a private room in Xianke Building ahead of time, and there were just two tables.
After today's value dissipated, the lower-ranking officials of the Ministry of Justice made appointments with each other and came one after another.
There has always been an unwritten rule in the officialdom. The higher the official position, the later the arrival. Therefore, after the principals sat down, the senior officials such as the waiter and the minister did not arrive.
Tang Fan didn't mean to be late, just because he was still in the cabinet meeting at the moment.
The people who arrived first had nothing to do, so they chatted all over the place, chatting and chatting, and somehow they came to Tang Fan.
As the most junior cabinet minister in today's cabinet, Tang Fan is the envy of many people.
Not to mention entering the cabinet, looking at officials above the third rank, there may not be a young man like him.
There were still many people present. They had dealt with Tang Fan in the punishment department back then. No one would have imagined that the little five-rank chief would become so successful in just a few years. Look at others, look at yourself, It is inevitable to give birth to some complex emotions or feelings or injustice.
Back then, when Tang Fan offended Liang Wenhua, everyone thought that his career would be over. The best thing was to go back to the local area and become a small official. If there was no great opportunity and great fortune, it would be absolutely impossible to return to Beijing. In a blink of an eye, that person went to the Supreme Court and became his immediate boss again. Now everyone can only look up to him. Most of them can't even reach the level of Tang Fan in their entire lives. the height of.
Although everyone said that being an official is hard, and getting seniority in the cabinet is even harder, but if it can be exchanged, it is estimated that now everyone is willing to go to the cabinet to get seniority.
"Jun Qi, has Tang Ge told you about the frequent occurrence of celestial phenomena recently?" He Xuan heard someone ask him as soon as he sat down.
As brother-in-law of Tang Fan's brother-in-law, He Xuan was envied by many people when he first entered the punishment department. , I feel that the He family is really blind to the pearls, and they leave such an in-law relationship and do not manage, and they still break up with the Tang family, and they laugh at Tang Fan's sister in private for not knowing what kind of hanbok it is, so that brother He Xuan is fighting for his future. Don't, and leave with such a woman.
Later, Tang Fan's career went through many twists and turns, ups and downs, and everyone felt that the He family really had foresight. Knowing that Tang Fan's career was bumpy, they broke away from him early, so as not to be implicated by him at any time.
Who knew that in the blink of an eye, Tang Fan entered the pavilion again. The speed of change was astounding, and he couldn't react at all.
At this time, some people thought that the relationship between the Tang and He family must be incompatible, and they wanted to take advantage of Tang Fan's occasional visit to the punishment department to stumble upon He Xuan in public, in order to please Tang Ge Lao, but Tang Fan not only did not appreciate it , on the contrary, he was very kind to He Xuan in the public eye, and also asked him a lot about the daily affairs of the Punishment Department.
This time, everyone can't understand it again, but they also understand a truth: don't flatter if you have nothing to do, because you don't know when you will accidentally slap the horse on the horse's leg. And Tang Ge Lao is not the kind of person who likes to avenge private revenge in public, and he will not bring personal grievances to public affairs. Any means of trying to please He Xuan or attack Tang Fan will not succeed.
Recently, there have been frequent occurrences of visions. Tang Fan and Liu Jian clashed with Wantong in public in the cabinet. This incident has long been rumored, and Liu Ji's tearing up of the joint memorial has been rumored to be a laughing stock. Such a major event, even if there is no direct relationship with them However, the abolition of the crown prince is related to the government, the cabinet has become such a mess, and even Wynn was sent to Nanjing, but the emperor's attitude is obscure and unclear. A little bit of inside information, lest the sky above him change, and he is still confused.
So when they heard this, everyone looked at He Xuan.
He Xuan smiled and shook his head: "I haven't seen Tang Ge for many days, let alone the matter is very important. Even if we meet, how can he tell me?"
Everyone made sense when they heard it. How could it be good to talk about this kind of thing, but Tang Fan's attitude is clear. Judging from his tit-for-tat situation with Wantong, this Tang Pavilion elder is 80% on the side of the prince. The two elders, Liu Jian and Xu Pu, should be the same.
Everyone grew up reading sages and sages, and the crown prince is a righteous eldest prince, and he meets all the standards of the prince. Although many people are afraid of the power of the party, many people dare not say it explicitly, but their hearts are undoubtedly more inclined to the prince.
Tang Fan spoke with righteousness. Once the news of the fallout from the party's prestige and prestige came out, many people immediately applauded, because Tang Fan said what they dared not say, and did what they dared not do. The courage and courage are enough to be admired by many people.
However, as soon as He Xuan's words were finished, someone on the side snorted coldly: "People like Tang Fan who are famous for fishing, naturally don't dare to talk about celestial phenomena!"
Who doesn't have long eyes like this, knowing that Tang Fan will come over, and saying such ignorant words
When everyone followed the sound, they were immediately stunned.
It turned out to be Xu Bang, the Qing official in Zhejiang, who was attached to Wan Dang and naturally disliked Tang Fan in every possible way.
Others didn't want to provoke him, but He Xuan couldn't keep silent. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Why do you want to make a name for yourself? Let Xu Langzhong make it clear!"
Xu Bang squinted at him: "What happened in the cabinet that day has already been reported, who doesn't know? If he is really righteous, why not speak upright and upright for the prince, but in the end he only insists on the rules that outsiders are not allowed to enter Wenyuan Pavilion easily, isn't it? What is fame and fame!"
In fact, this is Tang Fan's brilliance. Under the circumstances at the time, Wantong didn't mention the question of whether the prince should be abolished. Realize the population.
As a result, when it came to Xu Bang's mouth, Tang Fan became a villain who made a name for himself.
He Xuan sneered: "Since Xu Langzhong is so righteous and awe-inspiring, next time if someone is unfavorable to the prince, please come out and speak up!"
Xu Bang was not to be outdone: "As an official of the Ming Dynasty, you should be loyal to your majesty. Although the prince is now the heir, he still has a character!"
He Xuan said: "Then what's wrong with Tang Ge's words? He argued with Commander Wan for the sake of the court's law. How often was it for His Royal Highness?"
He imitated his brother's former anger at his father, and showed a contemptuous expression of "insufficient and conspiracy" on his face, which really made Xu Bang angry enough.
But before Xu Bang could think of anything to refute, the door of the private room was pushed open, and Shang Shu Peng Yichun and several servants surrounded Tang Fan and walked in.
Everyone got up and saluted, and the dispute between Xu Bang and He Xuan also came to an end.
In fact, Xu Bang only dared to talk behind his back. Facing Tang Fan, he had to salute like everyone else.
Tang Fan and the others didn't know that before they came, there was already a quarrel in the private room. Seeing that the atmosphere was a little stiff, they thought it was the arrival of a few of them that made everyone feel uncomfortable, so they joked: " Today is a treat for Peng Butang, so please don’t be polite, just order what you want to eat, or you will regret it!”
When everyone heard the words, they all laughed in support of the venue.
Peng Yichun also joked: "Sir, you have to leave some money in my wallet, or I will be drinking the northwest wind this month!"
Tang Fan laughed loudly: "Don't be afraid, as the cold winter is about to pass, no matter what, I have to let you drink the spring breeze!"
With a few jokes, the atmosphere gradually became lively, everyone raised their glasses one by one, and went forward to toast Peng Yichun one by one to congratulate Peng Yichun on his rise. Of course, he did not forget Tang Fan next to him, who is also the protagonist of today.
After three rounds of wine, the dishes were served one after another. Peng Shangshu is a kind person. He feels that his subordinates have been living in a poor capital for a long time. Taking advantage of the fact that they ordered a lot of dishes today, the cooking skills of Xiankelou are naturally extraordinary. , Every dish is extremely delicate, and everyone saw that several ministries were talking in a low voice, so they stopped coming forward to disturb them and began to feast on them.
Tang Fan being able to come to this kind of occasion is to give Peng Yichun face. He doesn't have to leave it until the banquet. When he sits there, others will feel uncomfortable, so after drinking a few glasses of wine, Tang Fan gets up and leaves, Peng Yichun He was sent to the door of the private room and had to be sent out, but Tang Fan refused.
Xianke Building is very famous in the capital. Many people think that it is elegant and face-saving to entertain guests here. In comparison, the Xianyun Pavilion at the back is a bit unattainable. There is a lively atmosphere outside.
This is the second floor, there are private rooms on the left and right, but the sound insulation is not bad, no matter how loud it is, there will only be a faint movement, which will not affect the guests next door.
Tang Fan came here often, and he was already familiar with the way, and he didn't need to find a buddy to lead the way. He walked out of the private room and walked towards the stairs.
However, he had just walked a few steps when the door of the private room next to him suddenly opened, and the sound of laughter and noise poured into his ears.
Before Tang Fan could frown, a fragrant wind rushed to his face.
Immediately after that, his eyes flashed, and his shoulder was hit hard.
Tang Fan couldn't help but take a few steps back, and didn't stop until he hit Langan, but there was one more person in his hand.
"Thank you for your help, my son. Can I ask you to do the slave family a favor?"
The person who was being supported by him said timidly, her pale jade-like face lifted up, her eyebrows furrowed like a distant mountain, which was truly touching.
The skin touched, and the hand supported by Tang Fan was even more delicate and boneless, and the soft and fragrant fragrance was transmitted from the clothes, which could make any normal man touch the intestines.
Tang Fan was undoubtedly normal, but after seeing Xiao Wu's national beauty and beauty, and looking at the woman in front of her, she felt that she was nothing more than a middle-class asset.
He wanted to let go, but the other party reached out his hand from inside his sleeve and grabbed his sleeve, his face full of pleading.
The woman's hair on the temples was slightly messy and her lips were red and swollen. It was obvious that she had just experienced something in the private room.
But Tang Fan still took his hand out of her: "Girl..."
He hadn't been able to say the last half of his sentence, "A man and a woman don't kiss each other", and then two more people came out of the private room: "You bitch, just haven't seen you for a while, and then hooked up with another man?!"
When the woman heard this voice, her body trembled, and she ducked behind Tang Fan more and more desperately, and hugged his waist tightly, unable to pull it apart.
"Young Master save me, Young Master save me..." She trembled.
Seeing this, the other party was even more angry, pointing at Tang Fan and scolding: "You little white face, you dare to grab my woman in front of me, you are tired of living, aren't you!"
Tang Fan frowned and shouted, "Don't let go!"
But he was talking to the woman.
The woman obviously didn't expect Tang Fan to be so unsympathetic to Xiang Xiyu, and when he was frightened, he loosened his hands, and Tang Fan immediately pushed the person away, but the woman responded quickly, and then jumped up and hugged his thigh tightly, sobbing: "Young Master, you just said you were willing to help me get ahead, why are you regretting it now!"
Tang Fan: "..."
He was speechless for a moment, and said to the young man who came out of the private room: "You saw that she was haunting me, I was just passing by."
Hearing this, the other party laughed angrily: "If you two didn't know each other long ago, how could she ask you for help alone and say that you are not an adulterer!"
His voice and this movement attracted many people to look out from the left and right private rooms to watch the fun.
Someone from Peng Yichun also came out. After seeing Tang Fan, he was shocked and hurried back to report. After a while, Peng Yichun and the others also rushed over.
Someone recognized the young man's identity: "Isn't this the son of Yin Ge's hometown?"
When they heard that it was Yin Zhi's son, everyone understood.
This Young Master Yin is an uncompromising playboy in the capital, but there are too many playboys in the capital. The reason why Young Master Yin is famous is not only because he is Yin Zhi's son, but also because he can play.
From the Beijing Zhifen Hutong to the restaurants and casinos, Yin Gongzi has never disappeared. In some respects, his fame is even higher than that of his father.
Obviously, Yin Gongzi was having fun with Hu Peng Gou friends in Xianke Building, but he was interrupted in the middle.
Everyone looked at Yin Qi, then looked at Tang Fan, and then looked at the woman behind Tang Fan, and it was difficult to judge for a while.
Even if the woman is good looking, Tang Ge is not so hungry and thirsty that he is jealous of others in such a place, right
Tang Fan couldn't tear the woman away, so he just let her go. If he tried too hard, and when he pulled the person away, the other party pulled his pants off by the way, it would not be shameful to describe.
Tang Tang Ge Lao was torn down by a woman in the restaurant, and dozens of people witnessed it. This scene might even be recorded in the history books, leaving future generations laughing.
Seeing this, Peng Yichun said solemnly, "Young Master Peng, this is your father's minister in the cabinet. Today, Tang Ge was invited by me to appear here!"
To say that Tang Fan grabbed a woman from Yin Qi right here as soon as he left the private room, he would never believe it.
However, when this incident spreads, others will not go into the details, and will only treat Tang Fan as misdeeds in his words and deeds, and the censors of this dynasty have heard rumors about the incident, and they don't need real evidence. When the trouble arises, it will indeed be a stain on Tang Fan's reputation.
Who knows that Yin Qi doesn't eat his way at all, and looks at him squinting with his chin up: "Then who are you?"
Peng Yichun held his breath and said, "I am Peng Yichun, the minister of punishment!"
Yin Qi snorted: "So what! With high power, can you rob other people's women based on their status?"
Peng Yichun almost got his nose out of his anger. What is robbing a woman? Who robs a woman
Yin Qi sneered at Tang Fan again: "My surname is Tang, I tell you, you'd better return my woman quickly, otherwise, if this matter spreads, Tang Tang Ge will always snatch the woman from the restaurant with others, and then the time will come. I'll see how you end up!"
Even if his father is also in the cabinet, even if his father's ranking in the cabinet is higher than that of Tang Fan, there are not many people like Yin Qi who have no reverence and dare to speak out against Tang Fan in person.
Many guests were attracted by this movement, and even those on the first floor climbed the stairs to see it, and there were many people inside and out.
Tang Fan was still holding a woman on his lap. People who didn't know what to do had already started to have various plots of jealousy. Especially after they learned about Tang Fan's identity, this kind of plot would only become more and more outrageous. By tomorrow, Maybe the rumor that Tang Fan has an illegitimate child with this woman will come out.
If such rumors intensify, the censor will impeach Tang Fan, and he will submit his resignation in accordance with the procedure.
After all, in this world, there is no one except Liu Mian who can insist on being impeached by an official. It is even more impossible for a modest gentleman like Tang Fan to do such a shameless thing.
Don't look at Tang Fan, although he is at the bottom of the cabinet now, but his public rebuke of Wantong has already spread all over the capital. Without him, the few people left in the cabinet would not be enough to fight Wandang, and the pro-Prince Prince's influence would be great. receive a blow.
Even Wynn was banished from Beijing. If even Tang Fan left, who could stop Wandang
Thinking of this, Peng Yichun couldn't help being surprised.
It really can't blame him for thinking too much. Yin Qi is Yin Zhi's son, and Yin Zhi is the backbone of Wan Dang. Now Tang Fan and Wan Dang are at odds with each other. Who knows what is the relationship between the two.
What Peng Yichun could think of, Tang Fan naturally also thought of it.
So he didn't bother with the woman, didn't even look at her, his attention always stayed on Yin Qi.
Yin Qi was messing around with him, and Tang Fan felt a little guilty, and said sternly: "What do you think, don't you want to admit it! Let me tell you, I am a law-abiding commoner, don't think that you are the chief minister of the cabinet. bully me!"
Hearing this really made pigs laugh. If Young Master Yin obeyed the law, there would be no good people in the world!
But he also deliberately accentuated the words "Cabinet Saisuke" in order to let everyone know Tang Fan's identity, muddy the water more and more, and blacken Tang Fan's reputation.
Peng Yichun blamed himself a little. After all, he invited the people. If he insisted on sending Tang Fan to the door, the current situation might not have happened.
But he forgot that the other party deliberately wanted to trouble Tang Fan, and Tang Fan could not avoid him whether he was around or not.
Just when Peng Yichun was about to come forward to take over the trouble, he heard Tang Fan say, "You're right, I really came here for this woman."
Did you admit it
Everyone looked at Tang Fan in astonishment, thinking that he lost his calm because of Yin Qi's anger and broke the jar.
Yin Qi was also stunned for a moment, and then laughed out loud: "It's good if you admit it! The dignified cabinet elder actually went to the restaurant to compete with others for jealousy and grab women, dare to love this is the Saisuke of our Ming Dynasty? With people like you, this Can the court get better?"