Because of the Emperor's edict, no one in the capital dared to mention the Empress' death. However, there were still some people who could not bear the loneliness and wanted to use this matter to test Mo Rongzhan's patience …
During the morning court assembly today, an old Marquis, who rarely attended morning court assembly, suddenly stood up and said that the Emperor should take in a harem to help the Imperial Family procreate. The Emperor was already so old, but he still didn't have a child. He was really letting down the ancestors of the Mo Family …
After speaking for a while, he did not see that Mo Rongzhan's face was already dark. He still thought that it was for the sake of the Imperial Family. He only stopped short of telling Mo Rongzhan to stop caring about relationships. A woman who disappeared before giving birth to a child was not fit to be the Empress!
"Are you done?" Mo Rongzhan looked coldly at the old Marquis. Even he could not remember who this old Marquis was. He usually did not see him attend morning court. For him to say such words today, it seemed like he had been used by someone!
The old Marquis sighed, "Your Majesty, this old subject still has many things to say. However, this is all I have to say. I hope that Your Majesty, for the sake of the Imperial Family, children are the most important!"
Mo Rongzhan sneered, "Throw him out for zhen!"
"..." The officials who were watching in court immediately put away their suggestion to persuade the Emperor to take in a harem!
The Empress' whereabouts were a mystery. Even the child in her womb was not known if it was still alive. The Emperor did not allow anyone to say that the Empress had passed away. He was determined to find her back. What if what came back was not a person, but ashes?
No one dared to say such a thing. However, it seemed that someone wanted to force the Emperor to face this matter. Who was so daring, really not afraid of death?
Mo Rongzhan looked coldly at everyone, "Do not ignore zhen's words. Those who want to cause trouble in the dark, it is best not to let zhen find out. Otherwise zhen will definitely implicate your entire family …"
Don't think that he did not know what some people in the Imperial Family were doing behind his back. They wanted to publicize Yao Yao's matter to the world. Did they think that this would be a blow to him? Or did they want to arrange for another woman to be the Empress in the palace? These people had been at ease for too long. They treated him like the previous emperor, manipulating him as they pleased!
"This subject will obey the imperial decree!" Elder Xu knelt down and shouted.
Mo Rongzhan said calmly, "If you have something to say, report it. If you have nothing to say, you can leave now!"
The most important thing now was the war in Xiliang and the marriage with the Kingdom of Qi. Both of these things were related to the Empress. How could anyone bring them up?
Seeing that Elder Xu did not speak again, everyone bowed and retreated.
Not long after Mo Rongzhan returned to the imperial study, Tang Zhen and Shen Yi came to see him.
"Your Majesty, the words that Guang and the old marquis will say in court today were told by the Eastern Commandery King yesterday!" Shen Yi said in a low voice.
"It's Chen Jing again!" Mo Rongzhan grunted coldly. "Have you found out his connection with Nanyue?"
Shen Yi said, "The Eastern Commandery King and the Marquis Ping both have contacts with Cao Xingyu, but there is no evidence of them selling illicit salt. The Pan family and the Feng family cases have not been found to have anything to do with them!"
"Just because we can't find anything doesn't mean it doesn't matter. It looks like they've hidden it very deeply." Mo Rongzhan narrowed his eyes. He had been on the throne for so many years, but he had never had the time to reorganize the royal family. They had been honest and never interfered in court politics. He had thought that it was because Ye Yisong had suppressed the royal family back then, but it seemed that was not the case. It was because he had not touched their interests. Now that he wanted to dig up old scores and investigate Nanyue, some people's interests had been touched, and so they could not sit still and wanted to jump out.
"Continue to keep an eye on Chen Jing, Zheng Jiasheng, and the others. Find evidence of their collusion with the Nanyue merchants. As for Cao Xingyu, leave it to the Sixth Marquis to investigate!" Mo Rongzhan said coldly.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Shen Yi nodded.
Mo Rongzhan waved his hand. "You are dismissed!"
Only Tang Zhen was left in the study. Mo Rongzhan looked up at him and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Your Majesty, the news of Chengde Villa that day was not controlled in time. Some people in the capital knew about it and spread it. I am afraid that if it reaches Xiliang and Ye Chunnan knows about it, there will be unpredictable consequences!" Tang Zhen whispered.
It had already been half a month. Mo Rongzhan had tried his best to numb himself to this matter. However, whenever he thought of the pain Yao Yao had endured during childbirth, his heart felt as if it had been forcefully torn open and stabbed with a knife. "You mean that someone has already sent the news to Western Liang?"
Tang Zhen said, "I am just in case. Some people are afraid that the capital is too stable!"
"Ye Chunnan … he will understand!" Mo Rongzhan whispered.
"Your Majesty, if the Empress wakes up, will Lord Ye let someone tell Ye Chunnan this news?" Tang Zhen had been with Mo Rongzhan for more than ten years. He had never seen the Emperor like these days … like a walking corpse. Although he still attended court and discussed state affairs, he seemed to have lost all vitality, and there was not even a little spirit in his eyes!
According to Eunuch Fu, the Emperor would stay up all night reading the books left by the Empress in Yongshou Palace. If this went on, the Emperor would collapse sooner or later!
Mo Rongzhan's dark and cold eyes flashed a light. He had forgotten this possibility. Ye Chunnan was Yao Yao's brother. If he knew that something had happened to Yao Yao, he would definitely return to the capital regardless of the imperial order. After so many years, the news must have reached his ears!
If Ye Chunnan had been in Xiliang without any movement, it proved one thing. He knew that Yao Yao was taken away by Ye Yiqing, and she was … fine!
"Is there any news from Xiliang?" Mo Rongzhan asked in a low voice.
Tang Zhen listened to Mo Rongzhan's cold voice, but there was a little more vitality, "Not yet, but there are changes at the border of Dongqing. Li Heng asked Cui Yang to lead troops to Donglai!"
Cui Yang was a young general of Dongqing. He led troops to Donglai at this time, obviously intending to attack Xiliang. This was to divide the forces of Xiliang, let Ye Chunnan face Wan Ziliang alone, and force the Jin to retreat from Xiliang!
Mo Rongzhan's mouth floated a shallow smile, "Li Heng …"
Tang Zhen whispered, "Your Majesty, why don't I lead troops to support General Ye?"
"You take 5,000 elite troops to intercept Cui Yang!" Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice, "There should be news from Qi!"
As long as the news of the marriage between Qi and Jin was confirmed, the Beiming Kingdom would not dare to put all its troops in Xiliang!
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Tang Zhen replied.
Mo Rongzhan thought for a moment, "Did Lord Lu come to court today?"
"… Not yet!" Tang Zhen whispered, "When I saw Lord Lu that day, he didn't look very good. Maybe … he was too sad!"
"I see. You can leave!" Mo Rongzhan said lightly.
(Nine-headed Bird Academy)
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