Guo Shao was awakened before dawn. The palace lady beside the bed was very careful and emphasized: Your Majesty asked me to wake you up last night.
Guo Shao said dazedly: I remember.
It was still a little chilly in the early morning of early summer. The bed was warm, and his wife was in his arms. Guo Shao really didn't want to get up; but if he didn't get up, he would feel uneasy, just like when he was used to going to work or school, he would feel extremely guilty if he was absent from work occasionally.
After a little hesitation, Guo Shaoyi gritted his teeth and sat up.
Her husband Fu Ermei turned over and hugged his legs.
Before the hour of Mao, I have to meet with the ministers first. If I am late, it will affect the daily work of the government offices. Guo Shaodao, I will get up first.
Fu Ermei hummed, still half asleep and half awake.
Guo Shao was not in a good mood at this time. He thought that sleeping would restore his vitality, but in fact, sleeping was not rest. At this time, he did everything out of habit and inertia.
He placed his palm on Fu Ermei's cheek, looked at her slightly trembling eyelashes, and liked her face. Guo Shao thought again: My wife and children are my own, and everything I have tried to do is also a responsibility that I cannot shirk.
He then put aside his messy feeling, got up and washed.
The palace servants brought breakfast up, and the eunuch Wang Zhong on duty also came over. Guo Shao asked him to read the people he was going to summon and the things he was going to deal with today. Guo Shao's attention had shifted to official business, especially the expansion of the scale of firearms manufacturing in the workshop area, the recruitment of craftsmen to build a new city, etc., which were related to the overall situation and were very important; Guo Shao had to focus on employing people and transferring money and food.
Wang Zhong finished reading the words written on the book, waved his hand, and dismissed the palace maids. He bowed his head beside Guo Shao and whispered: "Your Majesty, I have a small matter to tell you, but I don't know whether I should tell you or not."
Guo Shao glanced sideways and nodded. Since the eunuch had spoken, he decided to tell the emperor.
Wang Zhong pondered for a moment, as if he was trying to decide what to say, and then whispered: “I heard someone secretly report that there are rumors in the harem that Concubine Zhang wet her body with scented oil in order to seduce Your Majesty.”
Guo Shao threw the chopsticks heavily on the table and his face fell.
Wang Zhong trembled and quickly bent down to stand by.
Guo Shao was annoyed: Are those people full and have nothing to do
Wang Zhong hurriedly said: As long as your majesty gives the order, I will immediately ask the people of the Imperial City Bureau to secretly investigate who are the people talking nonsense, and arrest them all and let your majesty decide their fate.
Guo Shao suddenly realized the consequences of his anger. He took a deep breath and said: I usually don't care about the harem. You should first ask Queen Duanci what she thinks.
Wang Zhong said, he thought for a moment and said, Your Majesty, this matter is the fault of Concubine Zhang, it has nothing to do with Your Majesty; as long as Your Majesty reprimands Concubine Zhang in public, Your Majesty's reputation will not be damaged.
Guo Shao glanced at him and thought: Wang Zhong's suggestion is actually very normal, and it is indeed the best suggestion for the emperor. In this world, the responsibility is generally pushed onto women.
The matter of the incense oil was already known to everyone in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In Wanfu Palace, several palace ladies racked their brains to come up with ideas in front of Concubine Li. One woman said solemnly: If the higher-ups come to investigate this matter, we should have the same caliber when confronted.
Everyone asked: What should we say
The woman said: Let's say that the little maid who stole something was punished by Zhang, and she was resentful and came to us to tell the truth. After hearing this, the queen repeatedly warned her not to say anything nonsense. The little maid failed to sow discord, so she went out and told nonsense everywhere.
Several people immediately agreed and said it was a good idea.
Concubine Li tapped her fingers on the armrest of the chair twice and said thoughtfully: If we really have to confront each other, we will win this matter.
After hearing this, everyone seemed to be thinking about something.
Concubine Li lost her usual calmness, and her fingers made some trivial and useless movements. She sighed and said: This matter is a blessing or a curse, and it is still unpredictable. She changed her tone and said softly, but if you win this time, Zhang hums, don't even think about getting up again
After hearing this, the women became more nervous and concerned, and started talking about it.
Concubine Li stood up, folded her hands in front of her abdomen, and walked back and forth in front of a picture of a maid on the wall. Perhaps, walking would keep her mind from stagnating.
It was indeed her negligence that the news leaked out so quickly; now that things had come to this point, the risk of backlash against her was still there, but her chances of winning were not small.
Concubine Li stood still, turned around and said in a deep voice: You must remember that if anyone asks, just say that the maid is making trouble and wants to take revenge on Zhang. After she said that, she was still worried and said coldly, if any of you want to take responsibility, just say nonsense, but no one can escape, and no one will have a good result.
Yes, yes, I will follow the order of Empress Li.
Zhang looked very haggard, and she often got angry for no apparent reason. Even Wang Shanggong, who was close to her, did not dare to provoke her, or she would be scolded.
Sometimes Zhang's words were very hurtful. Once, when she was angry, she said to Wang Shanggong: If I get into trouble, you can find another way out. It's none of your business.
In fact, there is really no need to say such things, as saying them will only alienate people.
Zhang sat in front of the chessboard, trying to kill time by setting up the game according to the chess manual as usual. However, this time she couldn't concentrate on reading even a single word. She wasn't in the mood. She kept daydreaming and had something on her mind, but she didn't know what to do.
After hearing the news from Wang Shang Gong, Concubine Li sent the autumn clothes woven by Wanfu Palace for the princes and princesses to the concubines in her own name.
Zhang understood Li Taifei's move.
Concubine Li's calculation was nothing more than that she felt that most of the matters in the harem were decided by the Empress and her sisters. The Emperor's attitude might be hard to say, but Guo Shao's women certainly had no good feelings towards those women who competed with them for men.
This move made Zhang feel that there were many dangers. Li's scheming was really too sinister.
Zhang realized that it was not only the attitudes of the empress and concubines, but also the attitude of the emperor. She was Taizu's concubine. As long as the emperor weighed the pros and cons, it would be the wisest choice to push the rumors and infamy directly onto her.
Zhang's hands and feet trembled when she thought of the serious consequences.
Regardless of the punishment for the crime of disturbing the imperial palace, even the infamy of seducing a younger member of the royal family would drown one in spit for the rest of one's life in this palace, with so many people inside. What kind of situation would it be to live with the infamy for the rest of one's life? It's chilling to think about it.
At this moment, even the Ministry of Internal Affairs knew about it, and the rumor would definitely reach the ears of the emperor and the empress. Zhang could only wait for the verdict of her fate in fear.
She racked her brains to come up with a countermeasure, but at this time, Concubine Li had the upper hand. Zhang had some advantages of her own, so she didn't need to use her usual network management. She was also relatively inexperienced and couldn't compare to Concubine Li at all.
Zhang looked out the window and sometimes thought: I should just come earlier to avoid being frightened.