Eunuch Cao, I didn't say anything. Someone must have slandered me. Concubine Wang grabbed Cao Tai and said excitedly, "Who is it? Who is behind this? Tell me, Eunuch Cao!"
Cao Tai said calmly: You need to calm down first and think it through carefully. I will come to see you in a few days.
Concubine Wang, please leave. The eunuch next to her picked up the bundle that was thrown on the ground. Someone else lifted Concubine Wang and pushed her into a door.
Wang Cairen walked through the long corridor and then saw the garden of Wanfu Palace. Compared with other places, there are still some old trees here, but the ground between the tree trunks is all bricks, and there are no other plants except trees, so even the garden looks monotonous and lifeless. And around it are high red walls, and you can't even see outside.
In this area, it is very difficult for people who come in to leave, and Wang Cairen only feels that her steps are heavy.
After a while, the eunuch brought her to a large house in front. The eunuch said: "The one in charge here is the Grand Imperial Concubine. I will hand you over to her in a moment. You will listen to her from now on."
The Grand Imperial Consort should be the Imperial Consort of Taizu, the grandmother of the current emperor. Concubine Wang had never seen one before, and in her panic and confusion, an image of an old woman with completely white hair emerged in her mind.
She entered a large hall and saw a group of women sitting on stools doing needlework. When they noticed someone coming in, they looked up one after another, then ignored her and continued to work. The women had dull faces and were very slow in sewing. Wang felt that they were not working, but wasting time.
When Wang Cairen thought that she would have to spend the rest of her life like this, her legs softened and she sat down on the ground. She no longer cared about her face and grabbed the eunuch's legs and said: "Please let me go. I don't want to be here. Please ask Eunuch Cao to help me beg for mercy. I will never forget your kindness."
The eunuch said: "Wang Cairen, you are the late emperor's servant, you should be here, where else can you go?"
At this time, a voice said: There is nothing wrong here, there is food and clothes, but it is a bit boring. You will get used to it after a while.
When Lady Wang looked up, she saw a woman in a large robe coming out from behind. She was stunned for a moment, not knowing who it was. The eunuch then said, "Greetings to the Grand Empress Dowager Consort. I have been ordered to bring someone here, and I will leave the person to you."
The Grand Imperial Concubine Wang Cairen was stunned for a moment, because the woman in front of her was too young, maybe even younger than herself.
She had a beautiful face and a petite figure, but she wore such a wide robe, perhaps to add a sense of calmness, but it made her figure look even smaller. This kind of woman does not look old, she looks younger than her actual age, maybe she is at least in her twenties, but she looks like a girl in her teens.
Wang Cairen came to her senses. It had only been eight years since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty. Even if she was a concubine of the Taizu, she could not be an old woman. This Taihuang Tai Guifei seemed to be surnamed Zhang. She was a concubine favored by Guo Wei after he became emperor. Guo Wei was thinking about his deceased first wife who had shared hardships with him, and posthumously conferred her the title of empress, but he never appointed another empress in his life. Zhang was able to become a concubine because she was favored by her beauty. If she was favored by her beauty, she could not be too old. So the grandmother-like person Wang Cairen saw now was actually a young woman.
Zhang said: If she stays, she will get used to it after a while.
The eunuch was also polite and bowed, saying: I will take my leave now.
Please stay, eunuch. Zhang said, I have been eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures here for a long time. I only have one relative who cares about me. I wrote a letter and wanted to tell him that I am doing well in the palace. Can you please help me find someone to send it out
The eunuch hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and continued: I will try my best to ask Eunuch Cao first. If it is not appropriate, I will send it back to you.
Thank you for your help. Zhang slightly side-glanced. A woman next to her came forward and said politely: "Please, sir. I will see you off on behalf of the empress."
The eunuch declined but secretly accepted some money, so the letter fell into Cao Tai's hands.
Cao Tai was in front of Fu Jinzhan in the Wansui Palace. People from Wanfu Palace were generally ignored. Most of them were concubines of the two immortals. According to the rules of the past dynasties, they were either buried alive or became monks in the temple. They couldn't be released and disgrace their ancestors. It was easier in our dynasty. They were all rushed to Wanfu Palace. They were given some expenses and could help make some things in the palace.
Fu Jinzhan nodded slightly. Widows from ordinary families in the world can remarry, let alone concubines who are not the main wife, but those in the royal family cannot.
Cao Tai held the opened letter in his hands: But this Madam Zhang, I have to ask the Queen Mother after thinking about it. She is the aunt of the military commander Cao Bin. Cao Bin is a filial son, very filial to his mother, and now he is leading the troops at the front line.
Fu Jinzhan said: I remember now that the person who was sent as an envoy to the Wuyue Kingdom last year was Cao Bin.
Yes. Cao Tai bowed and replied, "This letter is very cleverly written. I have read it carefully. Madam Zhang praised the Queen Mother for treating her well and asked Cao Bin to be loyal to the country."
Fu Jinzhan laughed and said: I have never paid any attention to her, she is quite a good person. But I can't let her out, then she is not my elder.
That is, that is Cao Tai hesitating to speak.
Fu Jinzhan glanced at him, and suddenly she understood, and her red lips slightly opened. In this world, not only Fu Jinzhan herself was afraid of the rebels, but other women were also afraid; Zhang had stayed in Wanfu Palace for so long and was now thinking about protecting herself.
Send it to Cao Bin for her. Fu Jinzhan said, tell the messenger to tell him that Concubine Zhang and I get along well in the palace.
Here. Cao Bin carefully put away the letter.
Fu Jinzhan stood up and left the imperial bed, walked to the wall, stood in front of the window and looked at the scenery outside. This Wansui Palace was built on a high platform. From here, you can see a large area of palace tile roofs. She felt that everything was a little ethereal. This imperial city was too big, and she felt a little panic in her heart.
A few days later, Fu Jinzhan was reviewing memorials in Jinxiang Hall when Cao Tai came to report that Zuo You, the Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, had returned to Tokyo.
She immediately summoned Zuo You to the study room next door and naturally asked him whether Guo Shao was planning a mutiny.
Zuo You's words were vague: Many generals urged him to ascend the throne.
Fu Jinzhan couldn't help but ridicule Zuo You: General Guo has fought so many battles and has such high prestige in the army that he can't restrain his subordinates even in such a serious matter.
Zuo You couldn't answer, so he said: General Guo said that even if he was supported by others, he would not change the name of the Great Zhou. He said that his great-grandfather was the grandfather of our Taizu, and he just wanted to protect the country and had no intention of seizing it.
Fu Jinzhan was stunned. Even though there were thousands of considerations for this matter, Fu Jinzhan immediately understood the connection: if the country's name was not changed, she would still be the queen mother, not the deposed queen mother of the previous dynasty.
Fu Jinzhan didn't believe that Guo Shao, who started from a commoner, had any relationship with Taizu. If he really had one, he would have said it long ago. Why would he have to work as a guard or a soldier for so long? It was not difficult for the royal family to get an official position at the beginning. To be a founding emperor, in addition to the reputation after death, the most important thing was to bring honor to the family.
Fu Jinzhan couldn't help but think: He didn't even care about the ancestors of the Guo family just for me to have a legitimate identity.
The status of the ancestors, a woman, when comparing the two, will usually choose one at a glance. And she can only choose one, Fu Jinzhan has not thought of a solution that will satisfy both sides. If she becomes the empress dowager of the previous dynasty, she will inevitably lose all her dignity and status, and Guo Shao can no longer give her a truly honorable status; for example, if she is re-titled as empress or concubine, she will be ridiculed by the world for having no shame, and she will not have the face to face the people around her, including her natal relatives, palace servants and subjects. The empress dowager of this dynasty is different. After all, rumors and hard facts are very different.
At this moment, Fu Jinzhan suddenly remembered what Guo Shao had said after the Tokyo mutiny: No matter how many times you have been married, what your status is, or what you look like, you can't stop my heart. In this world, you are better than anyone else in my heart, including my parents.
It's really outrageous. He can even say such things. He doesn't even care about filial piety. He is indeed a traitor. Fu Jinzhan's eyes flashed with water in the sunlight. She pursed her red lips and gritted her teeth to keep her expression steady.
Zuo You certainly didn't dare to look up at the empress dowager, otherwise he would feel something was strange.
He said in a deep voice: The Queen Mother is still the Queen Mother, your sister will even be crowned as the Queen, and the status of the Fu family and the Queen Mother will not be harmed.
This man is really stupid, Fu Jinzhan held back tears. He was still talking to me seriously about the benefits, but he didn't even look at the great power of the imperial city and the might of the world. Just for a little benefit, I am really willing to give up justice and duty so easily.
I know. As soon as Fu Jinzhan opened her mouth, she found that her voice was a little choked, and she was unwilling to say more.
Zuo You stood with his head bowed for a while. He didn't hear the empress dowager ask any more questions, and he didn't seem willing to say too much, so he said: "If the empress dowager has nothing else to ask, I will take my leave first."
Fu Jinzhan raised her robe sleeves and waved them without saying a word. Zuo You then walked backwards towards the door.
Fu Jinzhan sat on the imperial couch for a long time, finally controlling her emotions. After a while, the eunuch Cao Tai came in and saw the queen mother sitting in the upper seat with a unhappy look. Cao Tai did not say anything, but walked up with a bent waist and stood by her side.
Cao Tai. Fu Jinzhan said, her voice had returned to normal, even a little cold.
Cao Tai hurriedly said: "I am here, please give me your instructions, Your Majesty."
Fu Jinzhan said: Go and compile a list of the recent deployment maps and military generals of the imperial guards at each gate in Tokyo.
Cao Tai didn't ask any questions and answered directly: Yes.
Fu Jinzhan said again: Get ready, I may have something to ask you to do.
After she said this, her face was completely pale and her fingers were trembling slightly.