Now that the Imperial Palace had become a troublesome place, no foreign officials were allowed to enter the palace, including the princes, princesses, and imperial concubines.
So, does Princess Huaiqing want to talk to me about something? Xu Qi 'an immediately followed the captain of the guards and rode his beloved mare to Huaiqing's mansion.
Huaiqing's mansion was located in the highest part of the Imperial City and was the most heavily guarded area.
There were mansions for the royal family and the princes and princesses in this area. It was second only to the Imperial Palace.
"I am the head of the case in Chu Zhou City. Although I am not at the center of the storm, I am still one of the main people involved. Why would Huaiqing want to see me at this time? It can't be because she misses me …"
To be honest, it was Xu Qi 'an's first time in Huaiqing's mansion. He had been to the second princess's mansion many times. If it weren't for the fact that there were too many spies and it was against the rules, Xu Qi' an would have asked for an exclusive guest room in Lin 'an Mansion.
The layout of Huaiqing's mansion was the same as that of Lin 'an Mansion, but it was quiet and elegant. From the plants to the decorations in the yard, everything was plain and simple.
In the spacious and bright living room, Xu Qi 'an saw Huaiqing, who he hadn't seen for a long time.
She was wearing a plain palace dress and a light yellow chiffon. Half of her black hair was loose, and the other half was tied up in a bun. There was a jade hairpin and a golden hairpin.
Her facial features were beautiful beyond compare, and her eyebrows were exquisite, long, and straight. Her eyes were large, bright, and deep, just like a clear lake after autumn.
"Your Highness!"
Xu Qi 'an cupped his fists. He wanted to ask her if she liked the seal he gave her with a smile, but he didn't have the mood to tease her. He sat down at Huaiqing's gesture.
"Tell me the details of the Northern Region." Huai Qing's expression was indifferent, but his eyes were solemn and gloomy. He didn't seem to be in the mood to chat.
Xu Qi 'an told her what happened in Chu Zhou City in detail.
After hearing this, Huai Qing was silent for a long time. There was no emotion on her beautiful face. She said softly, "Walk with me in the yard."
The back garden of the Princess Residence was very big. The two of them walked side by side without saying a word, but the atmosphere was not awkward. There was a sense of harmony between old friends and the peaceful years.
"Father is wrong. Duke Huai is a Prince first, and then a Warrior. In life, the higher one's status was, the more one had to consider the position they were sitting in. This is the foundation. "
After a long while, Huai Qing sighed and said, "So, Duke Huai deserved to die, even if the Great Consecration lost a peak martial artist."
"What about your father?" "Did he deserve to die too?"
Xu Qi 'an said softly, "Your Highness is righteous."
Huai Qing shook her head. Disappointment and frustration appeared on her pretty face as she softly said, "What does this have to do with righteousness? My blood. I … am disappointed in my father. "Xu Qi 'an was about to speak, but he received a message from Huaiqing," Father is not afraid, it is his strategy. "
Princess Huaiqing's cultivation is not low. If she wants to send a message, she has to reach the Spirit Refinement Realm. She has been hiding her strength … Xu Qi 'an was shocked and asked,
"Princess Huaiqing's cultivation is not shallow. If she wants to send a voice transmission, she must reach the Spirit Refinement State. She has been hiding her strength …" Xu Qi 'an was shocked and asked,
"Strategy?"
Huai Qing nodded slowly and explained telepathically, "Have you ever noticed that in the past three days, among the civil officials blocking the gate of the palace, who left, who came, and who was just watching the fun?"
Xu Qi 'an was speechless.
Huai Qing glanced at him and continued to transmit his voice.
"When the news of Duke Huai's massacre reached the capital, no matter if it was a traitor or a good one, no matter if it was because they were angry or because they wanted to gain fame, as long as they were scholars, they would have reacted. At this time, the public's emotions are at their most ferocious. Thus, Father Emperor avoided the sharp edge and shut himself in the palace.
"However, the first spurt of energy, the second decline, and the third exhaustion. When the officials calm down, when some achieve their goal of becoming famous, when other voices appear in the bureaucracy, that is when father will truly compete with the officials. And that day will not be too far away. I promise, within three days. "
After saying that, she snorted and said disdainfully, "Right now, rumors are spreading everywhere in the capital. The people are angry and shocked, and all levels are discussing it. At first glance, it looks like the general trend. However, Father's true opponent was only in the imperial court. Not those peddlers. "
Xu Qi 'an frowned and said, "But Duke Huai still massacred the city. He must give the officials and the world an explanation."
Huaiqing sighed pessimistically, "Let's see how Wang Shoufu and Duke Wei make their moves."
In the heavy atmosphere, Xu Qi 'an changed the topic, "Your Highness studied at Yunlu Academy. Have you heard of a book called 《Highlights of the Great Zhou》?"
Huaiqing carefully recalled and shook her head, "Never heard of it."
… …
On this day, the indignant civil officials still couldn't break into the palace, nor could they see the Yuanjing Emperor. After dusk, they all dispersed.
However, the civil officials didn't give up. They agreed to come back tomorrow. If the Yuanjing Emperor didn't give them an explanation, they would paralyze the entire court.
It was also on this day that different voices appeared in the bureaucracy.
Someone worriedly raised a question, "Everyone knows about the King of Zhenbei massacring the city. Where will the dignity of the court go? The people of the world are probably very disappointed in the royal family and the court. "
The King of Zhenbei was His Majesty's younger brother. He was a prince, not just a normal prince.
At the same time, he was also the Daibun's military god, the guardian of the north in the hearts of the people.
Such a person massacred a city for his own selfishness!
The sequela of this incident was that the people lost trust in the court, the royal family was disgraced, and the people lost their hearts.
Could the words "King of Zhenbei has been executed" really heal the trauma in the hearts of the people?
This was different from executing a corrupt official.
In the past 20 years, the image of the King of Zhenbei was great. He was the military god, the guardian of the north, and a prince.
How could a corrupt official compare to him? Killing a corrupt official would only show the dignity of the court and the royal family.
However, if the royal family committed such a cruel act, would the people applaud like they killed a corrupt official? No, their faith would collapse, and they would lose trust in the royal family and the court.
It turned out that the King of Zhenbei, whom we praised and loved, was such a person.
It might even lead to an even more extreme reaction.
On the same day, the Crown Prince of the East Palace was assassinated in his bedroom after dusk.
That night, the palace gates were closed, and the royal guards searched for the assassin, but to no avail.
The next day, the four gates of the capital were closed. Wang Zhenwen and Wei Yuan mobilized the five guards of the capital, the bailiffs, and the night watchmen to search for the assassin.
They went door to door.
The entire capital was in chaos.
…
"What does the Crown Prince have to do with this? Why was he assassinated? Was it a coincidence, or was it part of the game? If it's the latter, it's too tragic. "
Early in the morning, when Xu Qi'an heard about this, he immediately went to see Wei Yuan, but Wei Yuan didn't want to see him.
He had no choice but to go to the courier station and discuss it with Zheng Xinghuai.
"Lord Zheng is out. He's not at the courier station."
Li Han, who was carrying the ox-horn bow, welcomed Xu Qi'an into the room and said in a deep voice,
"Recently, there have been some different voices in the court. They say that the King of Zhenbei massacred a city is very difficult to deal with. It concerns the prestige of the court and the hearts of the people, and needs to be treated with caution.
"Lord Zheng is very angry. He went out this morning. I think he went to the Imperial College to preach."
"Those are the old emperor's navy …" Xu Qi'an heaved a sigh. He admired the Yuanjing Emperor for so many years. Although he was not a good emperor, he was not stupid.
He and Li Han rode to the Imperial College.
From afar, they saw Minister Zheng standing outside the Imperial College, full of emotion.
"The sage said that the people are more important than the emperor …"
"The King of Zhenbei, as a prince, slaughtered the people and treated them like livestock. He is the common enemy of all scholars …"
"I am a scholar, and it is my duty to work for the good of the common people. Therefore, I have returned to the capital to seek justice for the 380,000 people of Chu Zhou City …"
Was it useful?
Of course it was useful. Some of the newly rising Confucian scholars (learned Confucian scholars) liked to preach in places like the Imperial College before they became famous.
They wanted to spread their academic ideas.
If they could get the recognition of the scholars and make a name for themselves, it would be easy for them to start a school.
Zheng Xinghuai was not spreading his ideas. He was criticizing the King of Zhenbei and calling on the scholars to join the army of criticism.
The effect was not bad. Scholars, especially young ones, were full of ambition and were much purer than the old foxes in the government.
Since ancient times, most of the people who caused trouble were young people.
"No one came to stop it?" Xu Qi'an asked.
Li Han shook his head.
"It doesn't make sense …" Xu Qi'an furrowed his brows.
He waited patiently by the side of the road until Zheng Xinghuai had vented his anger and returned with Shentu Baili and the other guards. Then, Xu Qi'an went to greet them.
"This is not the place to talk. Xu Yinluo, follow me back to the station." Zheng Xinghuai nodded with a serious face.
After returning to the station, Zheng Xinghuai led Xu Qi'an into the study. After Li Han served tea, this scholar who had experienced the ups and downs of life looked at Xu Qi'an and said,
"Is it because of the rumors in the government today?"
"This is just one of the reasons. He was the one who spread the rumors, but it is not without reason. We have to be careful." Xu Qi'an sighed and said,
"I am mainly concerned about the case of the Crown Prince's assassination."
Zheng Xinghuai pondered and said, "In this case, who was the most active?"
Xu Qi'an was stunned, "Duke Wei and Wang Shoufu."
Zheng Xinghuai sat upright and nodded, "This matter was most likely planned by Duke Wei and Wang Shoufu. As for the purpose, I do not know."
Ah? Duke Wei and Wang Shoufu wanted to assassinate the Crown Prince?
What was the reason? Did the Crown Prince have anything to do with this case? This was an answer that Xu Qi'an could not imagine.
After a long discussion, Zheng Xinghuai looked at the water leak in the room and said in a low voice, "I still have to visit my old friends in the capital and walk around. I will not keep Xu Yinluo."
Xu Qi'an got up and walked to the doorstep. Zheng Xinghuai's voice came from behind, "Xu Yinluo …"
He looked back.
This scholar whose back was gradually hunching, combed the white hair on his temples and bowed, "A man's promise is worth a thousand gold.
"A man's promise is worth a thousand pounds of gold. I like Xu Yinluo's poem very much. That day at the top of the city wall, I promised the three hundred thousand innocent people that I would seek justice for them. Since I have already promised, I have no regrets.
"After this matter is over, I will resign and return to my hometown. I am afraid that we will not meet again in this life. Therefore, I thank you in advance."
Xu Qi 'an turned around. His face was solemn as he returned the greeting.
He opened the door and stepped over the threshold. After a few steps, Zheng Xinghuai's recitation came from the room behind him.
"The heroic spirit of a young man befriends the heroes of the five capitals. Liver and gallbladder cave. Hairs stand. Standing in the middle of a conversation. Life and death together. A promise is worth a thousand gold … "
"The affairs of the world are chaotic and noisy. If I can retire with success, leaving only a leisurely and idyllic life, it is not bad …" Xu Qi'an smiled.
…
The palace.
The Yuanjing Emperor sat cross-legged on a cattail hassock with his eyes half-closed. He said faintly, "Have the assassins been caught?"
The old eunuch shook his head and said respectfully, "No news."
"Since we can't catch them, there is no need to catch them."
The Yuanjing Emperor opened his eyes. His smile was cold, but he said with a sigh, "In this court, only Wei Yuan and Wang Zhenwen are interesting. The others are not."
The old eunuch lowered his head. He didn't dare to say anything.
The Yuanjing Emperor continued, "Send someone out of the palace to deliver a message to the people on the list. Don't be ostentatious, but don't be careful either."
After a pause, he continued, "Inform the cabinet that I will call for a meeting in the Imperial Study tomorrow. To discuss the Chu Zhou City case. "
The old eunuch's breath quickened and he said, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
