The empress was stunned for a moment, lowered her head, and cast a fixed glance at Li Changle: "You're messing around, Sheng Yuan is already married."
Li Changle was flustered by the empress's first glance. She almost thought that the empress had seen her thoughts. Li Changle grabbed his hand and calmed down quickly, with a coquettish tone in his voice, he said, "Mother, I'm not talking nonsense, I really think it's good for Sister Sheng Yuan to marry King Liang? Liang Wang is the eldest son of the Wu family, and his elder sister is also the eldest daughter. Only when they get married can they be married. I will marry the king of Wei, and sister Sheng Yuan will marry the king of Liang. In this way, the family of Wu and Li is yours. In it? Me, in me? You, truly one."
The queen kept a straight face and said nothing, but she was obviously moved by her expression. Li Changle made persistent efforts and said: "Sister Sheng Yuan and Gu Siqing have been married for two and a half years, and they have no children so far. It can be seen that the two of them have a poor relationship with children, and maybe they are not suitable for marriage. It just so happens that King Liang is now in funeral I don’t even have a wife under my knees? Children, if sister Sheng Yuan were to marry? King Liang, the two of them? A child born with the blood of the Wu family and the Li family at the same time, smart and noble, wouldn’t it be kind?”
At first glance, the queen thought that Li Changle was just messing around. Li Chaoge is married, how could he match up with Wu Yuanxiao? But now, the empress gradually felt that this might be a way out.
She has been vacillating between establishing a son and setting up a nephew. Passing it on to her nephew is a violation of blood relationship, and passing it on to her son worries that the Wu family will be liquidated after her death. She tossed and turned for a long time, wrapping herself around. Now, Li Changle provides her with a new solution.
Let Li Chaoge marry? Wu Yuanxiao, and then pass the throne to? The child born to the two of them, once and for all, the best of both worlds. In this way, the descendants of the dynasty have the blood of the empress and the inheritance of the Wu family. The queen doesn't have to worry about the restoration of Li and Tang after her death, doesn't have to worry about the beheading of the Zhou Wu dynasty she worked so hard to build, and doesn't have to worry about whether she doesn't have incense during the festivals.
The queen's body can still last for a few years, and it will not be difficult for her grandson to grow up. If she has the energy, she can even take the child into the palace, teach it with her, and personally carve an heir that meets her expectations.
Even as long as Li Chaoge gave birth to a son with Wu Yuanxiao, the throne would be left to Li Chaoge. Once a woman gives birth to a child, she is bound to her husband for the rest of her life. With the support of children, Li Chaoge will not embarrass Wu Yuanxiao and the Wu family after he takes power. Even if she wants to raise a man like Li Changle, the queen can let her go.
As long as the children of Li Chaoge and Wu Yuanxiao are sitting on the throne.
As for Li Chaoge being a married woman now... the empress didn't take it to heart at all. Yes? So what about the husband
Li Changle kept peeping at the Queen's face, and when she saw the Queen's pensive expression, she knew it was over. Li Changle said a few more words about how well-matched Li Chaoge and Wu Yuanxiao are, and suddenly said: "But sister Sheng Yuan has a son-in-law now, and it seems that she still has a deep relationship with her son-in-law. If sister Sheng Yuan and Li remarry, Will she not want to?"
The queen didn't speak, and said lightly: "She and Gu Siqing are both people who are aware of current affairs and will not do unnecessary things. Don't meddle in your sister's affairs? Go back, and don't talk nonsense when you go out."
The queen believes that Li Chaoge is a person who can understand clearly. Between the illusory love and the throne waiting in front of her, which one should she choose? She wants to understand. As for Gu Mingke, the empress does appreciate Gu Mingke's character and talent, but these appreciations cannot be compared with the empress' own interests.
The big deal is that after reconciliation, I will give the Gu family some compensation.
Li Changle suppressed the joy in his heart, stood up, and agreed with his delicate and pretty body. Li Changle took two steps, and suddenly heard the queen behind him say: "Your marriage is not short, and everything has its own limit, do you understand?"
Li Changle's heart trembled, what does the empress mean? The queen was dissatisfied with her hanging out with men outside, or did she guess the real cause of Xu's death
Li Changle's thoughts changed quickly. She didn't dare to let the queen wait, Xiao? bowed cautiously, and asked tentatively: "My daughter dare not disobey mother, please tell me clearly."
After Li Changle finished speaking, he kept observing the Queen's face, trying to find some clues from it. But the queen didn't? Besides, she just said indifferently: "Isn't the third generation of the Wu family still? Son, wouldn't it make people laugh if you say it. I thought you and the king of Wei were young, so I let you mess around, but? It's been so many years, It's time for you to grow up too. When you go back, send away all those Yingying and Yanyan in your yard, how are you husband and wife? Live a life and give birth to an heir as soon as possible."
Li Changle's heart shuddered, and the queen really guessed it. That's right, the empress was the one who was killed from the Ganye Temple back to the harem and then to the former court. In her eyes, these tricks were simply childish. The queen knew how Xu died, but for the sake of Wu Yuanxiao and Li Chaoge's children, the queen was willing to pretend not to know. However, there won't be? Next time.
The Queen doesn't like people who try to trick her even though they're smart.
Li Changle didn't dare to test the queen's bottom line any more, and hurriedly saluted and came out. She quickly walked down the long jade steps, just in time to meet Zhang Yanchang. Seeing Li Changle, Zhang Yanchang smiled lightly: "It turned out to be Princess Guangning. Princess Guangning, how are you? Long time no see."
What kind of long time does the "long time" in his words refer to? Only Li Changle and Zhang Yanchang know. However, today Li Changle was not in the mood to joke with Zhang Yanchang at all, she gave Zhang Yanchang a cold look, and said bluntly, "Get out of the way."
Zhang Yanchang was stunned for a moment, Li Changle took the opportunity to walk away. She walked quickly in the magnificent and vast Ziwei Palace. She was clearly wearing a fox fur that was worth thousands of dollars, but Li Changle felt cold.
The queen's guilt towards her was finally exhausted, but the queen still saved face for Li Changle. Not only did she send away Li Changle's male favorite, Wu Yuanqing's concubine Ji was also cleaned up. Unexpectedly, Mrs. Xu was right again. Only when Li Changle gave birth to a child of the Wu family can he truly gain the empress' trust.
Li Changle felt disgusted when she thought of sharing the same bed with Wu Yuanqing, or even having a baby like that. But the queen has an order, and she has to obey it.
However, Li Changle hugged the silver stove, thinking viciously and cheerfully, soon it wasn't just her who was disgusting. Why is she being forced by the queen to marry someone she doesn't like, yet Li Chaoge can be comfortably with someone she likes? This time, Li Changle wanted to pay back to Li Chaoge bit by bit the crimes she had suffered.
Outside Ziwei Palace, the heavy and dark cell door? Slowly pushed open. The attendant held the lamp for Li Chaoge, and said, "Commander, this is here."
At this moment in the Dali Temple, someone knocked on the door, interrupting Gu Mingke who was reading the file: "Gu Siqing, the Holy Majesty has summoned you."
Li Chaoge entered the imperial prison and went straight to the cell where Shi Yang was detained. Shi Yang's fingers were wrapped in white gauze. Although they were not healed yet, they could at least move slightly. Li Chaoge pushed open the cell door, and waited until the dust inside had settled, before saying unhurriedly: "Shi Xuguang, whose real name is Shi Yang, is from Qingyun Village, Dayuan County. His father, Shi Hao, has two younger sisters and a younger brother in his family. , Grandma passed away due to injuries some time ago. When grandma died, you happened to be visiting relatives out of town and going home to take care of things. .”
Every time Li Chaoge said a word, Shi Yang would startle, and finally, he had completely given up. He knew that the commander in front of him had already found out everything.
Li Chaoge walked in and asked openly, "Tell me how you committed the crime."
In the Hall of Great Achievement, Gu Mingke saluted the Queen: "See Your Majesty."
The queen put away the papers and said: "I read the papers you submitted. This year Dali Temple has done very well. Not only have you solved all the cases this year, but you have also dealt with previous unjust and wrong cases. With your talents, Far more than Dali? Siqing."
Gu Mingke's eyes were calm, and there was no wave in his voice: "Thank you, my lord, for your love. But I don't have big ambitions, so it's good to be in Dali Temple."
"Only by standing taller can you help more people." The Queen said, "The servant of the Ministry of Justice's mother passed away, and he wants to return to his hometown Ding You. If I let you be the servant of the Ministry of Justice, do you have the confidence to be competent?"
The woman in front of her was wearing a black uniform. Standing in the prison, she looked even more fair-skinned, beautiful and slender. She paced in the cell, strolling leisurely and leisurely.
Shi Yang's body was unknowingly tense, he was lucky, he lowered his head and said, "No? Others, it was I who wanted to avenge my grandma, so I wrote on the door of Zhang's mansion."
Li Chaoge sighed softly: "I still want to cover up. How many people do you have in total? I know exactly what you did. There is a limit to my patience. I will give you one last chance. Either say it or I referred the other people to the imperial prison. As for whether they will cause trouble? Zhang Yanyi doubts whether they will be embarrassed by the Zhang family in the future, then? I can't control it."
After struggling several times, Shi Yang finally drooped his shoulders and said dejectedly, "Commander, please forgive me. I will do anything. We did it."
Shi Young tells his story slowly, starting with his grandmother's death. At first, Shi Yang wanted to avenge his grandmother, so he entrusted his cousin from afar to take him to Zhang's residence. Although Shi Yang has studied hard for many years and has no ambitions, he neither knows how to kill people, nor does he know the way to officialdom. Zhang Yanyi is always surrounded by many guards, who have basic necessities, food, housing and transportation? There is a special person in charge, and Shi Yang has no access at all. He was troubled for many days. Once when he was pruning the trees, he heard the mother-in-law and the maids chatting and vividly talking about the story of Princess Shengyuan capturing Feitian in the Shangyuan Festival in the 23rd year of Yonghui. That day, my mother-in-law happened to be watching the lanterns outside, and saw Li Chaoge galloping down the long street on a fire horse.
The mother-in-law speaks in cadence, and the maids sometimes scream in fright, and sometimes they are convinced, all of them are extremely obsessed. Shi Yang is an outsider and has never seen Li Chaoge subduing a demon, so he naturally thinks these words are exaggerated. However, what the mother-in-law said reminded Shi Yang.
He thought of a way to take revenge on the Zhang family.
Shi Yang made an agreement with his cousin from far away. When Shi Yang sneaked out in the dead of night, his cousin opened the side door for him. Taking advantage of Zhijinwu's inattention, Shi Yang quickly jumped over the square wall to the street, painted large characters on the gate of Zhang's mansion, and then slipped back quietly.
The first and second nights went well, and there was no roommate? Did you find that Shi Yang went out at night? But from the third night onwards, things got complicated.
Zhang Yanyi sent someone to eavesdrop at the door. If anyone approached the door, they would definitely be heard by the people inside. The uncle persuaded Shi Yang to give up, but Shi Yang was not reconciled. The Zhang family caused his family to leave their hometown, so why not receive retribution? The more nervous Zhang Yanyi was, the more Shi Yang wanted to intimidate the Zhang family, and then put these things on top of the ghosts. Even if Zhang Yanyi can't be killed, Shi Yang will let Zhang Yanyi feel frightened.
On the third night, Shi Yang decided to try his luck. Yinshi was the most sleepy person. He guessed that the doorman was asleep, so he sneaked out to write. He was lucky, he was not found that night, and he returned to the mansion safely.
Gu Mingke didn't hear the Queen's words? He immediately expressed his opinion. Although the Dali Temple Minister and the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment are similar in rank, their status is very different. The Tang Dynasty was governed by a group of prime ministers. Although there was no definite position of prime minister, senior officials from the three provinces and six ministries were qualified to discuss state affairs, and they were veritable prime ministers. The minister of the Ministry of punishment is the deputy chief of the Ministry of punishment, and he can be regarded as one of the prime ministers.
No matter from which point of view, Gu Mingke has been promoted from Dali? It is undoubtedly a great honor to enter the ranks of Xianggong at his age.
But Gu Mingke was not happy. He felt that there were other conditions for the empress to give him a promotion.
Gu Mingke asked: "I don't know what the queen wants the minister to do?"
Li Chaoge raised his eyebrows and asked, "You're so lucky? You haven't been discovered for three days?"
Shi Yang sighed: "Where is it? Forever good? Luck. In fact, on the third day, I was seen."
The night watchman who had never met before took the initiative to come to the door and told Shi Yang that he saw everything. Shi Yang was taken aback, thinking that the night watchman was going to expose him, but unexpectedly, the night watchman offered to cooperate.
The night watchman also said that it was dangerous for Shi Yang to try his luck like this, and sooner or later he would fall into the hands of the Zhang family. The night watchman thought of a way to work with the kitchen to help.
Only then did Shi Yang realize that it wasn't just him, there were so many people who had feuds with the Zhang family, including the night watchman, Mrs. Gongsun.
The night watchman is from Luoyang. For many years, he has relied on small businesses to make a living. When he is older, he will hand over the stall to his son and daughter-in-law. He can take care of his grandson at home, which is considered stable and happy. But it was the Zhang family who demolished their house, dragging the money and not paying them. The night watchman's family lost their source of income, the daughter-in-law shed tears every day, and the grandson cried loudly from hunger. The night watchman has no choice but to come out to earn a living after a long time, looking for places to pay people everywhere. He doesn't need to earn much, as long as he can provide his board and lodging and save his son a ration, the night watchman will be satisfied.
But the night watchman was too old to do physical work, and his movements were slow, so the shops outside didn't recruit him at all. The night watchman can only do the drudgery of night watch. If the young people are too cold and tired to do it, then he will do it.
When the night watchman was on patrol, he found that Shi Yang had gone out secretly. The night watchman stood guard at the corner and quickly understood what Shi Yang was doing.
The night watchman is a small townsman who has given up his unnecessary self-esteem long ago. Dignity can't let their family eat. As long as the Zhang family gives me money, the night watchmen are willing to bow to the Zhang family. However, even the grass on the ground is blood-thirsty.
The situation of Aunt Gongsun and the night watchman is similar. Aunt Gongsun originally opened a soup and cake restaurant in Fangshi, but it was taken over by the Zhang family. Zhang Yanyi heard that Aunt Gongsun was good at making soup cakes, so she even asked Aunt Gongsun to serve them in the mansion. Aunt Gongsun has held grievances for a long time, and after being matched by night watchmen, they hit it off.
On the fourth night, Aunt Gongsun deliberately made more pasta and added soothing ingredients to it. When the kitchen delivered refreshment tea to the door and room, Aunt Gongsun asked the cook to bring her pasta along with her. The night watchman can wander around at night, and no one will suspect him. After the night watchman sees the door dozing off, he informs Shi Yang to go out to write from the side door.
The same goes for Fifth Night. In fact, on the third day, Shi Yang's roommate discovered that Shi Yang had gone out at night, but his roommate was also a farmer's child, so he could understand Shi Yang's hatred, so he didn't expose it, and kept pretending to sleep every night. .
On the sixth night, Zhang Yanyi sent four people to work in two shifts. This time Aunt Gongsun's medicine was useless, so the night watchman discussed with Shi Yang, and waited for the night watchman to replace the shift when the night was coldest, and then used the sound of birds as a call. Once the guards left, the night watchman issued a signal, and Shi Yang immediately went to the door to paint.
Shi Yang speaks fluently, and can catch every detail. Li Chaoge asked: "What about the seventh night?"
The queen was not surprised to see that Gu Mingke had guessed it. If he can't guess anything, then? It's the empress who misunderstood the person. The queen said: "Back then, Chaoge broke into Pei's mansion to rob you in order to avoid going to Tubo to get married. I know that you two probably made some agreement in private, otherwise you wouldn't have no children now. Now The Tubo crisis is over, and after two or so years, you and your family should have had enough troubles. Someday you and Li Chaoge will reconcile and leave, and go find your true love."
When Gu Mingke heard the word "Heli", his expression was calm to indifferent, he paused, and asked: "How does the sage know that she is not my true love?"
"Back then, your marriage contract was just a joke. Do you really think that I and the first emperor couldn't see it? It's just that for the sake of the royal face, neither I nor the first emperor said anything. Who would like to rob their own people?"
"If I didn't want to, how could she be able to force her to succeed." Gu Mingke raised his hand and bowed lightly to the queen, "I'm not talented enough to be the servant of the Ministry of Punishment. Please take it back."
The empress narrowed her eyes slightly, and the breath around her gradually became solemn: "You want to disobey the emperor's orders?"
"Forgive me." Gu Mingke said, "I have no siblings, and my relatives died early. Now I am alone, and what I want is nothing more than my heart. I thank the Queen Bole for allowing me to enter the Ming Dynasty for the scientific examination, and to protect me in Dali. The temple solves the case with peace of mind. But a gentleman can do something and not do something, she is my wife, and there is absolutely no reason to abandon his wife for the sake of the future."
The Queen was not surprised that Gu Mingke would refuse. She laughed and asked, "You don't want to, but? How do you know that Li Chaoge doesn't want to?"
Shi Yang sighed, and said: "To tell the truth, we don't know why the word "?" appeared on the seventh day. We really didn't find a chance that night, so we had to give up. Later they said that the door was painted again. I was also surprised by the large characters.”
In the first six nights, tricks could be played, but on the seventh night, there were ten gatekeepers, two inside and two outside, and the gates of Zhang's mansion were surrounded by iron barrels. Shi Yang couldn't hide it anyway. . He didn't know why the door? The outside was the same.
Li Chaoge raised his eyebrows: "So? That is to say, you didn't write the words on the seventh day?"
Shi Yang shook his head: "No."
Shi Yang has recruited so many people in front of him, there is no need to lie in this kind of place. Li Chaoge nodded and smiled slightly.
At that time, the gate of the workshop was opened, but the characters were not written by Shi Yang, which is interesting.
Li Chaoge came out of the cell, and the attendants followed her, asking: "Commander, what happened to the Seventh Night? Could it be that Shi Yang is lying?"
Li Chaoge said softly: "He has recognized it for six days. Is there any difference? Most likely, he really didn't write it."
The attendant scratched his head, quite unbelievable: "Then? Who is it? Then? There are so many pedestrians? See, it can't be? To hell."
Didn't Li Chaoge? Answered the words, but secretly thought in his heart, why not? Lies are decent and bright, but the truth is often hideous.
There would be no witnesses in public, but what if all the witnesses lied? It's no secret that the gate of Zhang's mansion was cursed with cursing words, and that line of words is also widely known. After Fangshi opened the door, passers-by saw that there was no writing on the door, and it was not a bad idea to write on it quietly while the people in Zhang's mansion were not paying attention.
The only one to blame? The Zhang family was so unpopular that no one in the neighborhood was willing to remind them. The people living at the gate of the square insisted that they did not hear anything unusual. The pedestrians who passed by that day covered each other and only said that they did not see anyone writing. Crowds committed crimes and collective perjury, the Zhang family could not find the real culprit no matter how many people they asked.
When Li Chaoge walked out of the imperial prison, the sun outside immediately shone on his body, making the piercing eyes turn white. There was a person waiting at the gate of the Imperial Prison, and when he saw Li Chaoge coming out, he hurried forward: "Commander, there is a message in the palace."
Li Chaoge stretched out his hand to block it, and after his eyes adjusted to the light, he asked, "What's the matter?"
"The empress ordered her to go over, but the person who sent the message didn't say anything about it."
Li Chaoge entered the palace without saying a word. When she entered the Daye Hall, she found that the atmosphere in the hall was not very good. Li Chaoge felt strange, and raised his hand to salute the queen: "Long live my lord. My lord, are you looking for me?"
The queen didn't wake her up immediately as usual, but sat behind the table and looked at her deeply. Li Chaoge gradually pondered in his heart. Come on, who came just now? Why does the queen look at her so strangely
Before Li Chaoge could figure out the reason, a thunder suddenly exploded from above. The queen said in a very flat voice, "Gu Mingke has agreed to make peace with you."
Li Chaoge's eyes widened in shock, and he quickly reacted, saying firmly, "He won't."
"Gu Mingke just left." The Queen said unhurriedly, "Among men's official career and marriage, you don't think they will choose marriage, do you?"
Li Chaoge was taken aback by Heli's words just now, but now her heart has stabilized, and she said very calmly: "Other men can't, but Gu Mingke is different."
"Why is it different?" The Queen asked back, "Do you really think he is a sage who does not eat the world? Fireworks? The prosperity of the world is for profit, and the world is for profit. He has? Think about your future. He's agreed."
Li Chaoge didn't move, but the eyebrows were very firm: "I dare not say that I understand him completely, but the Gu Mingke I know is fair and strict, selfless and desireless, he won't."
Seeing that she believed in Gu Mingke so much, the empress sighed in disappointment or regret, and said, "Even if you believe he won't. What about you?"
"Since Zigui Palace, you have been planning step by step and working hard, all for the throne. Now? Now I give you a choice, reconcile with Gu Mingke, marry? Wu Yuanxiao, as long as you give birth to a child, no matter male or female, the throne will be guaranteed. It can be left to you. Another choice, you guard your love and a man who will betray you sooner or later, but you can only be a princess for the rest of your life."