As the night grew darker, the Chenfeng Palace returned to tranquility, but the Southern Dynasty Palace was in a state of panic.
Outside the Manxiang Hall, a group of veterans knelt on the three-foot-square bluestone bricks for a whole day in order to meet the emperor. However, the Southern Emperor entered the Manxiang Palace on the night when the imperial concubine was expelled, and never came out again. The emperor's personal eunuch, Mr. Xiang, issued an edict that the emperor was ill and needed to rest in peace. During this period of recuperation, all court officials The government affairs are temporarily entrusted to the prime minister and supervised by the Minister of the Six Departments of Ming and Qing Dynasties.
For more than 20 days, the imperial doctor came and went in and out of the Manxiang Hall, and the medicine soup continued, and the emperor's illness seemed to have no improvement. Therefore, the ministers began to worry about the body of the holy dragon, and wanted to face the holy to persuade him to be at ease, and some even started a private beauty pageant, hoping to find a peerless beauty, so that the emperor could forget about the expelled concubine, so as to cheer up again.
"My lords, it's late at night, let's all go back. Your Majesty is not feeling well, and he won't see anyone, so please stop embarrassing your slaves!" Eunuch Xiang almost knelt down for these ministers.
An old minister looked up at Xiao Sha, the commander of the Imperial Guard who was personally guarding outside the Manxiang Hall with his sword in his arms, with obvious doubts in his eyes. In their view, Commander Xiao belongs to the imperial concubine and is not worthy of trust.
The veteran leader said: "The emperor's dragon body is related to the country and society. I will go in and see the emperor. Please be flexible. If I don't see the emperor today, I will kneel and die here."
Eunuch Xiang looked at him helplessly, his lips were worn out, and this group of stubborn veterans couldn't make any sense. Seeing that the palace gate is about to be closed, it is not a problem for these ministers to kneel here all the time. If something bad happens, he can't afford it! Eunuch Xiang turned his head and wanted to ask Commander Xiao for help, but Commander Xiao looked indifferent, looking at the group of ministers with disdain, as if they knelt here to die, and he would not be moved at all.
Eunuch Xiang knew that Commander Xiao hated these people's poisonous tongue, so he would definitely not help. He was a little confused, but at this moment, not far away, a man in his thirties, wearing a black official robe, walked steadily towards this side with a servant. The man's facial features were resolute and stylish, and there was an awe-inspiring righteousness between his brows. Seeing them, Eunuch Xiang greeted them happily as if they were seeing a savior, bowed his waist to please him and said with a smile: "Master Ming, you are finally here! Please help persuade all the adults."
This person is the talent who was promoted by the Southern Emperor at the beginning, Ming and Qing Zheng. His personality is just like his name, honest and upright, he is trusted by the Southern Emperor and the imperial concubine, even better than the prudent and tactful prime minister, the current minister is an important position, and he is in charge of the six departments. He just heard that a group of old ministers could not kneel in the palace in order to see the emperor, so he hurried over after assisting the prime minister to handle the government affairs.
Without further ado, Ming and Qing came to the ministers, frowned, and said to the senior minister in charge, "Master Pei, the imperial doctor has made it very clear that the emperor is sick and needs peace of mind." Jingyang, you lead a few adults to kneel and make noise here, are you afraid of disturbing the emperor's rest?"
That Master Pei's beard moved, his face was displeased, "The emperor's holy body is always healthy, how can you say that you are sick? Moreover, the illness lasted for dozens of days, and the tonic soup and medicine did not improve every day. The officials thought this was really strange. The emperor Since Zi ascended the throne, he has been diligent in political affairs. Even if the emperor is really sick, he should not ignore the country's major affairs and border wars, and stay behind closed doors all day in a place where a woman used to live. In the early morning, I didn’t see all the ministers, and abandoned the government for a demon concubine. These actions were not done by Ming Jun. As ministers, we should be persuaded, how can we let them go? Unless, Mr. Ming, you... are in charge of the supervisory administration now Quan, I hope that the emperor will stay in the palace to recuperate!"
What this person said sounds like righteous words, and the last sentence is even more meaningful. Ming Qing was listening to it, as if he didn't realize it, he just said: "My lord Pei's words are not unreasonable, but the emperor's affection for the imperial concubine is known to everyone in the world. At the beginning, the emperor would even abandon the country for the sake of the imperial concubine. Now what happened Such things must make the emperor feel uncomfortable. It is not the emperor's wish to drive the imperial concubine out of the country, but the officials are sternly forcing the emperor to lie in bed with depression. As ministers, at this time, all we can do is We can only do our part well and handle our own affairs well, instead of forcing us to die again! Whether the emperor is a wise king, the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty and even the thousands of people in the Southern Dynasty have their own conclusions! We should trust the emperor and give him some time , so that the emperor has always trusted and valued us." Compared with Mr. Pei, Ming Qingzheng's words have a touch of human touch.
Those ministers were not completely unreasonable. After the Ming and Qing Dynasties said so, they also felt that this second remonstrance was very unwise. Several people nodded one after another, "Master Ming also makes sense."
Seeing that they were shaken, Mr. Pei's face darkened, and he seemed to be angry: "Mr. Ming said that the reason why the emperor is sick in bed is because of our stubbornness? Yes, it was indeed the lower officials who took the lead and insisted on punishing him. Concubine, the lower officials did this for the sake of the emperor and our society in the Southern Dynasty. Hmph, the concubine's behavior is bad, and she is in the harem, a shameless woman like her... "
"Lord Pei!" Ming Qingzheng suddenly interrupted him in a deep voice, "The matter is over, the imperial concubine was seriously injured and expelled, so you don't have to repeat such bad words again and again, you'd better keep some morals."
Mr. Pei stared at his beard and said: "Master Ming's words are really nice! But, Mr. Ming, don't forget that although you didn't say anything too radical, you kowtowed to remonstrate...but you took the lead first!"
As he spoke, he stood up, put his hands behind his back, puffed out his chest, and squinted at Ming Qingzheng with his head raised. Ming Qing was looking at him squarely, his eyes were slightly sunken, and there seemed to be many unspeakable words hidden in his eyes. He glanced at Mr. Pei twice, but didn't make any rebuttal. In the end, he glanced at Mr. Pei, and said to the ministers behind him in a deep voice: "It's late at night, are you still not leaving? Are you going to wait for the emperor's decree to order the imperial guards to send you back to your residence?"
The faces of those people changed, and they hurriedly said goodbye, Mr. Pei couldn't speak alone, flung his robe sleeves, and left with a cold snort.
"Master Ming, thank you very much!" Eunuch Xiang hurriedly stepped forward to thank him, Ming and Qing said righteously: "If there is another matter in the future, let Commander Xiao take them home directly."
"This... just in case, Prime Minister..."
"The same goes for the prime minister! This is the imperial edict, and no one can disobey it. If there is anything to do, I will be responsible for it myself." He Mingqing was not afraid of outsiders' opinions. Although the prime minister is one level higher, more real power is in the hands of him who is in charge of the six departments.
Eunuch Xiang hurriedly responded, and Ming Qing was facing Xiao Sha cupped his hands and said: "Here, there is Lao Xiao in command!"
Xiao Sha's eyes were a little gentle, and he nodded slightly as a greeting.
Ming and Qing were just leaving the palace and got into the carriage. The servant who had been with him for twenty years in the carriage wondered, "Your Excellency always hates flirtatious women the most. Why do you want to offend Mr. Pei today because of the expelled imperial concubine?"
The carriage drove fast, the wind lifted the curtains, Ming and Qing raised their heads slightly, looking at the bright moon in the sky, did not speak, and thought back to more than 20 years ago.
That night, the moonlight was also so clear, just like the eyes of a woman. He was dealing with official duties in the study, and due to the heavy snow, the food and grass could not be delivered to Zixiang Pass, and the shortage of war horses at the border was frowning. In the past, he would have entered the palace during the day to discuss with the imperial concubine, but on this day, it was suddenly reported that the imperial concubine was discovered by many guards and eunuchs to have an affair with others, which is really unbelievable! The imperial concubine didn't look like the kind of red apricot who would cheat, not to mention, how many men in the world can be compared with the emperor in terms of nobility, appearance and temperament, ethics, culture, governance, martial arts, and infatuation? How could a woman as smart as the imperial concubine do such a foolish thing
He sighed, stood up, stretched his numb muscles, and walked to the bookshelf. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a white shadow in front of the window. He asked alertly, "Who?" Following the sound, he walked quickly to the window. , looking into the yard with the probe, except for the vegetation, the yard is empty, and there is no one in sight. When he was wondering, suddenly, someone behind him called out: "Lord Ming."
He froze for a moment, and turned around quickly. At first glance, he was terrified. I saw the visitor with his back facing him, dressed in snow-colored white clothes, rather than saying that she was as elegant as a fairy, it would be more appropriate to say that she quietly entered the house like a ghost. The woman's long hair is loose, the same color as the clothes on her body, flying in the wind coming in through the window.
After calming down, Ming and Qing Zhengcai said in amazement: "Imperial Concubine!"
Hearing this, the woman turned around slowly, saw his pale face, and smiled slightly: "I'm sorry, I frightened Master Ming."
Ming Qingzheng frowned in puzzlement, and asked: "Your Majesty has something to do, you can wait until tomorrow morning to call the servants into the palace, why do you need your Majesty to come here in person?"
The woman didn't answer, but the smile on the corner of her mouth deepened a little, and she looked straight into his eyes. Ming Qingzheng only felt that those eyes were sharp, as if he could see through people's hearts at a glance, he couldn't help frowning, and only heard the woman say: "Master Ming must have heard that someone found a man in the palace yesterday. , and that man claims to be my favorite man."
Ming Qing was lowering his head slightly, his face was peaceful, and no expression could be seen. Seeing that he should not respond, the woman suddenly smiled, and said: "Why, Mr. Ming is worried that others will find out about this visit and ruin your reputation? Or... are you afraid that you will be punished for this?" implicated, thus losing an official and losing his life?"
"Your Majesty is serious!" Ming Qing just heard her say that, and immediately raised his head proudly, his complexion straightened, he spread his hands to the sides, and said in an awe-inspiring manner: "I behave well, sit upright, and are not afraid of others' criticism. As for why I lost my official position and died... The humble minister thought that the emperor is not a fatuous king, and he would not listen to slanderous words and kill loyal ministers. But you, the empress... "
"It's good that Master Ming is not afraid." The woman cut off with a smile, and then said seriously: "I am here today, mainly to ask Master Ming for a favor, but for this favor, I wonder if Master Ming would dare to help?"
Seeing her solemn expression, Ming Qing thought for a moment, guessing that it must be something important, otherwise the imperial concubine would not have come here in the middle of the night. He turned around and closed the window, invited the woman into the room, and said: "My lady, please sit down. If you have something to say, you may as well speak up."
After the woman was seated, she got straight to the point and said, "The news about my privately raising a male favorite has spread all over Jiangdu in just one day. I believe that within five days, even the border guards will know about it. When the emperor returns to the court, Mr. Pei will be the leader. The old ministers will definitely not let this opportunity go." When the woman spoke, her eyes never left his eyes, and she kept carefully observing the changes in his expression, while he just listened without any emotion in her eyes.
After hearing what she said, Ming Qingzheng turned his eyes slightly, raised his eyebrows lightly, and said neither humble nor overbearing: "What does the empress want me to do? The person who found out that there was a strange man hiding in the empress's bedroom last night was not a meichen. Please forgive me in the future. Before we see the definite evidence, we can't prove your innocence. However, please rest assured, my servant will definitely ask the emperor to send someone to investigate this matter, so that my mother will not be wronged for nothing."
Although the imperial concubine is a woman, she has handled the political affairs in an orderly manner in the past two months, and every decision-making arrangement is impeccable. In particular, General Luo Zhi, the commander-in-chief of the Luo family army, dared to go against the will of the officials and made a decisive decision to order the Luo family army to reinforce the frontier Shacheng in time for the safety of the country, which he highly appreciated. If that happened, if it was a person who was timid, I am afraid that Shacheng would have already been broken.
The woman smiled and said: "Master Ming misunderstood, I am not here to ask you to help speak good words in front of the emperor, on the contrary, I think that after the emperor returns to the palace, not only should my lord not be able to speak for me Together with Mr. Pei and others, we strongly advise the emperor to severely punish this palace. Whatever Mr. Bulun says, this palace hereby promises that I will not blame you afterwards."
Ming Qing raised his eyes in surprise, looked at the woman's eyes, and was sure that what she said was very serious, and he was even more surprised in his heart! Usually, women should try their best to prove their innocence at such a time? Why did the concubine ask him to ask the emperor to punish her severely? Could it be that the imperial concubine really felt ashamed for doing something wrong to the emperor? But looking at her expression, it's not like that!
He thought for a long time, but he couldn't figure it out, so he frowned and said, "Wei Chen, I don't understand what your empress means!" You can't just agree to such a thing.
The woman stood up, took a few steps in front of him, stopped at a position five steps away, turned her head sideways to him, and her smile looked holy and coquettish against the snow-white silk that slipped from the corner of her forehead. Bring some unfathomable. The woman laughed and said: "Milord Ming thinks that without my palace's permission, someone... would dare to blatantly confirm the truth of the rumors?"
Ming Qingzheng was taken aback for a moment, and something suddenly became clear in his mind, "What does your empress mean..."
The woman didn't directly answer his doubts, but asked another question on her own: "Is Mr. Ming worrying about food and horses recently?"
"Yes, ma'am." Ming Qingzheng replied truthfully, but he didn't understand how the matter of food and horses had anything to do with this matter
The woman said: "You don't need to worry about the grain and grass for the time being. I have already told reliable people to secretly transport enough grain and grass from the Northern Dynasties to Zixiang Pass, and it will be within a month."
Ming Qingzheng's eyes suddenly brightened, half of the worries of the past few days had gone. To transport grain and grass from the Northern Dynasty, as long as there are trustworthy people, this method is excellent! There was no heavy snow blocking the way, and the army of the Northern Dynasty would never have thought of it, let alone send people to stop it. "Good idea!" He couldn't help but praise.
The woman said again: "As for the war horses, they are also favored by my palace and the emperor today. The horse selection period of the Chenfeng Kingdom has come down, and their envoys were killed on the border of our country for no reason, which aroused the anger of the officials of the Fengchen Kingdom. If people go there, not only will they not be able to buy good horses, but it may also trigger a war and delay major events.”
Ming Qingzheng nodded in agreement, "Wei Chen also thinks so, that's why he hasn't decided on a candidate for a long time. I don't know what clever plan the empress has?"
The woman turned around and faced him, her gaze was extremely firm, she opened it slowly, and said in a deep and forceful voice, "I need a reason to leave Nanchao."
Ming Qingzheng's body trembled, and he suddenly thought of something, "Could it be...you arranged the man in the empress' palace?"
The woman shook her head, "Of course not. Some people want to take advantage of the emperor's affection for me to disturb their purpose of disturbing my court and shaking the morale of our army. How can I let them succeed!" She raised her chin slightly, her lips curled Sneering sarcastically, he paused, and said again: "It just so happens that I also need such an opportunity. Why don't you... just use the plan!"
Ming Qing was staring at the woman in front of him in a daze, what a smart person he is, naturally he soon understood what she meant when she said that he was going to be tricked. But... ...
"Women in the world do not protect their reputations like their lives. Madam, do you really...don't care about your reputation at all?" This is what shocked him the most. If an ordinary concubine were to be framed, she would definitely cry out in grievances. Wronged, she did everything possible to prove her innocence to the emperor, how could anyone be as calm as her, only thinking about the emperor and the country, regardless of whether she was notorious!
The woman sneered slightly: "Reputation? As early as in Qiyun Kingdom, there were rumors that this palace was extremely ugly and devoid of virtue; after marrying the then General of the Wei Kingdom, some people said that this palace did not obey women's morals, and was comparable to a prostitute in the world of mortals. ;When the emperor gave up the great country for the sake of the palace and surrendered to the enemy, people said that my beautiful face was a disaster and harmed the country and the people; not long ago, didn't someone say that my beautiful face and white hair were reincarnated from a monster?" She paused for a while, her face There was no expression of anger or excitement on his face, only the ironic smile on his lips gradually deepened. Smiling, the sarcasm gradually turned dignified and firm, and she said again: "This time, perhaps, it will be a little more ugly. However, to share the emperor's worries, let alone sacrifice your reputation, even if you want me to sacrifice your life I will not hesitate to pay... my palace!"
Ming and Qingzheng suddenly felt that the woman at this time was more awe-inspiring than sitting behind the high bead curtain. She is just a woman, it is really commendable that she can do such a thing for the country and the emperor. It's no wonder that the emperor set up a harem for him. This woman, she can afford the three thousand favors of an emperor and be the mother of a country.
Thinking of this, Ming Qingzheng lifted up his clothes, knelt down in front of the woman, with an extremely respectful expression, and said: "Your Majesty, please tell me what to do, please."
The woman seemed to be waiting for his words, and said with a slight smile: "I have sent a letter to the emperor last night. In a few days, the emperor will return to the court. At that time, you only need to agree with Mr. Pei and others, and give your strength to the emperor." Admonish and punish me severely, and in the end, I must be expelled from the Southern Dynasty."
"This..." Ming and Qingzheng were a little confused: "This plan is good, but without the cooperation of the emperor... I'm afraid it will be impossible. Moreover, the empress went to the Dust Wind Kingdom alone , if the plan is revealed, the empress may be in danger of her life." With the emperor's love for the empress, I am afraid that he will not agree to do this.
The woman raised her hand and signaled him not to worry, "My lord, don't worry too much! I still have some friendship with King Cangzhong. Besides, since I have done this plan, I can't let it be revealed. On the side of the emperor, you just need to follow my orders. , there will be no problem."
Seeing that she was so determined, Ming and Qing said, "My lady, please tell me."
"My lord, please lead all the officials to kneel at the gate of the palace before the emperor enters the palace. After entering the palace, I need my lord to lead all the officials to remonstrate with death." When she said this, her tone paused, her voice sank a little, and she emphasized: "Remember, what I'm talking about isn't just for show, but for the real admonishment with death. At least, there must be blood. You know, there are countless spies hidden in this invisible corner of the palace. We can't show any flaws. Master Ming, can you do it?"
Ming Qingzheng didn't answer her immediately, he was thinking, everyone knows that the emperor is extremely infatuated with the imperial concubine, if the imperial concubine is punished based on rumors, let alone those enemies, even he would not believe it. If coupled with the courtiers' remonstrance, the emperor had to temporarily expel the imperial concubine in order to stabilize the courtiers and stabilize the morale of the army. This reason should be impeccable! Ming and Qing had no choice but to admire the imperial concubine's thoughtfulness. He thought about it for a while, his face straightened, implying firmness, and he replied solemnly, "My humble minister, I will definitely live up to your mother's trust. Then, my mother, you..."
The woman raised her head and said: "Bengong? I was expelled from the Southern Dynasty by the emperor in a fit of anger. Naturally, I was heartbroken and did not hesitate to hurt myself to repay the emperor. I believe that in this way, at least in a short period of time, there will be no No one is suspicious anymore."
With a look of great appreciation on the front of Ming and Qing, he couldn't help showing a little more respect for this woman in his heart. "Your Majesty is wronged! Your Majesty understands righteousness so well. In the future, all civil and military officials, border guards, and thousands of subjects will thank you!"
The woman gave him a little help, let him stand up, and shook her head with a faint smile, "This palace is not as great as you said, and I don't need other people's gratitude! Everything I do is not for the sake of the world, but to help Bengong's husband will achieve his wish as soon as possible. That's all! Bengong should go, you should rest earlier."
After the woman finished speaking, she turned and left. Ming Qing was watching her disappearing figure and couldn't recover for a long time. People in the world, no matter men or women, do everything they can for fame and wealth, wishing to stand on a high place and be worshiped as a god. However, there is such a woman who gives everything just to help her husband, but regards fame and wealth as nothing. She doesn't need anyone's gratitude, and doesn't care whether someone praises her for her dedication, she only needs to achieve her simplest goal, and she is satisfied!
...
"My lord, I'm home."
Ming Qingzheng was still immersed in memories, but he didn't think the carriage had already arrived at his door. He was helped out of the carriage by a servant, stepped on the steps, stood in front of the vermilion gate, turned around suddenly, looked at the sky in the northwest, and imagined That one is only for her husband, and she even prays in her heart: I hope that the imperial concubine and empress will successfully complete the task and return safely!
At this time, the Dustwind King's Palace was shrouded in a piece of moonlight like water, and the hustle and bustle of the hundred days faded away, leaving only a piece of tranquility.
The evening wind in early spring is very cool, blowing the shadows of the branches outside the window and swaying, and pouring through the window to the ground, leaving some mottled spots.
In the bedroom of Qingyue Palace, Manyao lay quietly on the bed, holding her heart, waiting for the mysterious man to show up, but she waited for a long time, but the man never showed up. She couldn't help wondering, if he didn't come so late and left so early in the morning, then he shouldn't have had a rest at night! But the three of them seem to be in good spirits during the day.
The more I think about it, the more confused and uneasy I become. Just like that, after another half an hour, the man still didn't come. Gradually, the exhaustion of her body and the boring waiting made her feel drowsy.
After the third watch, she frowned, unable to resist the attack of sleepiness, and slowly closed her eyes. And just when she was drowsy, suddenly, the window was quietly opened, without making a sound, but she clearly felt a gust of wind blowing in from the window, she opened her eyes, and the yellow curtain reflected on the side of the bed lightly Gently shaking, there is a soft sound from the sleeves, which is almost inaudible.
Her heart was shocked, and all the sleepiness disappeared immediately.
Is it finally here
She hastily gathered her inner strength secretly, grasped the profound soul in her hand, and tightened her five fingers, just waiting for someone to enter the account.
The man closed the window gently, and walked as silently as a ghost. She held her breath and stared closely at the wall beside the bed, where besides the shadow of the yellow curtain, there was also a tall black shadow. It is hazy, and the outline cannot be seen clearly. It can only be seen that the person is approaching the bed step by step, the speed is very slow.
The surroundings were quiet, and even her breathing could be clearly heard. Suddenly, she became nervous and her heart beat faster. This man's martial arts skills seem to be higher than hers, but she is pregnant and her womb is unstable, how can she fight against him
He clenched the sword in his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly.
The black shadow reflected on the wall became clearer and taller, and she stared at it with wide eyes, without blinking.
Suddenly, the man came to the yellow mantle and stopped moving. She held her breath, her palms slightly wet. As time went by, her ignorance of the enemy made her feel more and more nervous. She didn't know what was going on in the heart of the man in front of the yellow mantle? I don't even know what he wants to do
She wanted to call the guard outside the door, but she was worried that this person would rush out of the window quickly, and she wouldn't recognize who he was? Suppressing the panic in her heart, she patiently waited for the opportunity.
The man finally made a further move, raising his hand to lift the yellow curtain, the movement was indeed so gentle and slow. She felt him sitting on the edge of the bed, as if he was about to undress and lie down.
She panicked, and almost reflexively wanted to draw the sword out of its sheath, but just as her fingers were concentrating, suddenly, there was an unusually familiar refreshing breath, which filled the entire tent, lingered in her nose, and penetrated directly. heart. His movements suddenly froze, his body stiffened, and his heart trembled incomparably.
How... is it him? !
The intense mood swings made her chest rise and fall, and her breathing was unsteady. The man sitting by the bed paused slightly, turned his head and took a deep look at her, then continued his movements. He took off his coat and lay down slowly behind her.
She came back to her senses, turned over and sat up in shock, turned her head to look at the man who shouldn't be here, and blurted out: "Why are you here?"
Phoenix Nirvana Heroine Soul