Inside the secret room of Jinxiang Palace, a room covered with notes, there were only Guo Shao and the eunuch Cao Tai.
Cao Tai bowed and stood in front of the chair, where Guo Shao sat. Guo Shao was saying: It is not appropriate for me to handle the affairs of the harem, and this matter needs the intervention of Empress Duanci. I think that we cannot allow the palace people to spread rumors in the palace at will, and this is a good opportunity to let everyone know some rules. Otherwise, the palace people will talk all over the place and even dare to slander the reputation of Empress Duanci.
Cao Tai hurriedly said: Your Majesty is absolutely right.
Guo Shao felt that he had understood. In the past, some people in the palace had been talking about Fu Jinzhan behind her back because she scolded him for the stone in the Yellow River. However, it was not a good idea to punish Fu Jinzhan openly, otherwise it would only make the matter more obvious.
Guo Shao pondered for a moment, patted the military strategy that General Cao Bin had just submitted, and said in a deep voice: We still have to protect Concubine Zhang, she is Cao Bin's aunt. Cao Bin is of great use to me, and I can't find anyone more suitable than him now. Since we want to use Cao Bin, we have ruined his aunt's reputation in the palace. What does this mean
Yes, yes. Cao Tai nodded vigorously and seriously.
After a while, he carefully reminded: Your Majesty, if you want to protect Concubine Zhang, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain in the future.
Guo Shao said: Even among the ancient emperors, from Qin Shi Huang to Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang, there is no one who has not been scolded. It is really difficult to have no points of criticism. Just take it easy and let others say what they want. Anyway, I am not afraid of being scolded. A few scoldings can't do anything to me.
After hearing this, Cao Tai hurriedly said: Your Majesty is wise.
Guo Shao suddenly sighed. He really wanted to make the world fair, with black and white, good and evil clearly distinguished; but he also completely disregarded right and wrong for some things.
At the gate of Wanfu Palace, a group of eunuchs walked quickly.
The thin eunuch with gray hair came forward and looked up at the people in front of the palace gate. The eunuch guarding the upper floor looked down, cried out "ouch", jumped up from his chair, and ran downstairs. He accidentally fell on the wall ladder, screamed in pain, and crawled to the door without caring about the pain.
The eunuch Cao was bending over and smiling, but the corner of his mouth was cracked due to the pain, and his expression was very strange. "Eunuch Cao, you are so honored to be here. What wind brought you here?"
The eunuch Cao Tai looked at the sky and said: Empress Duanci’s decree.
Everyone knelt down hurriedly.
Cao Tai immediately claimed that he was ordered by the emperor to investigate the rumors. He then ordered the eunuchs guarding the Wanfu Palace to go in and arrest the young palace maid who had returned from the Sanqing Palace for questioning.
After the maid was dragged out, Cao Tai claimed to have verified the facts, but he immediately convicted her: "Someone has accused you of fabricating things and spreading rumors to slander the emperor and Taizu's concubines. Do you know your crime?"
The little palace maid was so frightened that she could not speak and could only say that she was wronged.
Cao Tai heard the injustice, thought for a moment, and said coldly: You said you saw Concubine Zhang's clothes wet with scented oil, who can prove it
The little palace maid hurriedly said: Wang Shanggong also knows this
Cao Tai immediately sent someone to Sanqing Temple to call Wang Shanggong. When Wang Shanggong was asked, she kept saying that she knew nothing.
After hearing this, Cao Tai said sternly: What else do you have to say
The little maid was so frightened that she fell to her knees.
Cao Tai shouted: "The royal family has treated you well, but you like to spread rumors and destroy people's reputation. Your crime is unforgivable. Come on, beat me to death!"
After hearing this, several strong officials who had prepared wooden sticks as thick as their arms rushed forward without saying anything, grabbed the maid by the hair and dragged her away. Soon, the sound of heavy beatings could be heard in the distance, and the maid screamed in agony, the sound could be heard almost throughout the imperial city. Everyone's face changed color, and they were speechless.
Cao Tai remained calm. Soon, the maids' screams died down, but the sound of sticks hitting flesh continued.
After a long while, Cao Tai walked towards the execution site. He smelled a mixture of various smells, frowned, and put his finger in front of the maid's nose to probe. Then he withdrew his finger and turned around and said: "Who is this person? Tell them to collect the body. Look carefully. It is a serious crime to make up rumors without any evidence."
The screams outside Wanfu Palace were clearly heard by Concubine Li and others. They stayed inside and dared not make a sound.
Even when everyone outside had quieted down, everyone remained silent for a long time.
At this time, someone came in to report: People from the Ministry of Internal Affairs asked us to collect the bodies.
Only then did Concubine Dowager Li come to her senses and said, "Let the eunuchs from Wanfu Palace carry it out and burn it."
After a long time, a palace lady finally spoke up: "This matter should be the intention of the emperor, and it is obviously biased towards Empress Zhang. We have been worried for so long and have thought of all kinds of ways. We can't do anything without hearing a word from the people above."
Another sighed: In this world, justice, etiquette, right and wrong are all jokes. The outcome depends on what those in power want.
The man just said: Being favored is the kingly way. As long as the emperor favors you, you can do anything right; if someone the emperor doesn't care about offends someone, what does it matter if you are right
When Concubine Li heard this, she believed it. She thought that Zhang had always been superior to her and had taken all the benefits just because that woman pleased the emperor more.
Li swallowed her anger and said with lingering fear: Stop talking, the palace maid was beaten to death to scare the monkeys, we have to be sensible.
Yes, fortunately the emperor did not take out his anger on Zhang by using Empress Li.
Such a hateful woman, worse than a whore
Wang Shang Gong also rushed to Sanqing Palace, and when she saw Zhang, she couldn't wait to say: "Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
Zhang asked hurriedly: What happened
Wang Shanggong said: Empress Duanci sent the eunuch Cao Tai from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to beat the maid to death, accusing her of fabricating the incident and framing her without reason. With this saying, and someone else dying over it, who would dare to say anything bad about the Empress in the future
Zhang was stunned there, and it was dealt with so simply.
Wang Shanggong said: Yes.
Zhang sighed and her whole body went limp. She had thought it was complicated and serious, but she had not expected the result to be so simple. She said dejectedly: That palace maid was also asking for trouble. It would have been fine if she had slandered me, but she also involved the emperor. I had expected that she would not survive.
Yes, yes. Wang Shanggong said in a deep voice, “Today Cao Tai asked me, and I said I knew nothing.”
Wang Shanggong whispered again: Empress Duanci has no relationship with you. This should be the emperor's intention. As long as the emperor respects the empress, it will be useless for Empress Li to jump.
Zhang said calmly: "I didn't expect the emperor to do this. Although he didn't allow people to talk about it, he sent eunuchs to beat him to death. Outsiders think he was helping me. The emperor also took the blame for the incident. It's hard to explain."
At this moment, a female Taoist priest suddenly called out from outside the door: "My queen, I have something important to discuss with you."
Zhang said: Come in and tell me.
The Taoist priest opened the door and came in, saying anxiously: "Your Majesty has come to the Sanqing Temple and said he wanted to ask about the Queen's well-being."
Zhang's face flushed, and she tried to calm down, but she couldn't control the blush on her face. Her mind was blank, and she was a little confused. She murmured, "What does it mean that the emperor came to see me at this time?"
But she was still very grateful to Guo Shao for helping her out. She stood up and took two steps, then sat in front of the bronze mirror to look at her hair and face. After a while, she realized that this action was inappropriate in front of others, so she said with a frown: Since the emperor is coming, I can't be rude and untidy.
Sure enough, Guo Shao came in a short while. Zhang walked into the hall outside, feeling extremely nervous and not daring to even look at him.
Guo Shao saw that her face was flushed and her words and actions were very nervous. He pondered for a moment and said: "I have always been polite to the Grand Concubine. It was fine originally, but I feel uncomfortable after hearing what she said."
Zhang raised her head and curled her lips and said: The official is right, a person of integrity is not afraid of his own shadow, why should I care about those rumors
Guo Shao did not hesitate and sat down on the futon. There was still a chessboard on the table, with some pieces still incomplete. Guo Shao lowered his head to watch. He had just learned some tricks of playing Go recently, and the novelty was still there.
Zhang said in a panic: I'm sorry, I forgot to ask Your Majesty to sit down.
She quickly brought another cushion and said softly: Your Majesty, please use this, it is softer.
Guo Shao took it casually, and in order to act naturally, he continued to watch the chess game. After a while, Zhang said again: Your Majesty, are you thirsty? I will make you some tea.
While drinking tea, she asked again: Is it hot
Gradually, Guo Shao began to enjoy such meticulous care. He finally remembered why he came here today, and said: The Imperial Concubine has become a Taoist nun, so she doesn't have to stay in the Sanqing Hall all the time. There is a Taoist temple outside the palace called Yuzhen Temple, which is also full of female Taoist priests. If the Imperial Concubine wants to go there, Empress Duanci will allow it.
After hearing this, Zhang bit her lip lightly, her chest heaving up and down, her heart almost jumping out, as if she was doing something terrible. She whispered: "Your Majesty, what do you mean?"
Guo Shaodao: You can meet Cao Bin in the Taoist temple.
Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and said suddenly: Oh,” then she hurriedly said, “Your Majesty has taken good care of me in the palace. I will definitely remind Cao Bin not to forget your grace and serve the country well.
Guo Shao said kindly: "It's like this. I came to visit Qingxu. Because the Grand Concubine lives here, I just stopped by to say hello. In fact, I didn't do anything for the Grand Concubine. The one who issued the decree for this recent matter was Empress Duanci; Empress Duanci privately respected the Grand Concubine very much."
Oh, Zhang asked in confusion.
Guo Shaodao: There is an old story. Nun Qingxu once saved Empress Duanci. Qingxu said in front of Empress Duanci that the Grand Concubine was a very good person.
Zhang nodded thoughtfully: So that's how it is.
She thought to herself, Qingxu is the master of the Sanqing Palace, but he never takes care of things and doesn't interact with her much, so why would he speak for her in front of Empress Duanci
Zhang observed Guo Shao's face from time to time, but felt that he was sometimes close and sometimes far away, making it difficult to guess what was in his mind.