As soon as Yang Ling said that he would swallow the marriage certificate, An Dongchen and Li Hu trembled as if they had cramps. Now it was their turn to be bloodshot. The two of them were so angry that they knew the situation was hopeless. They couldn't help but roar, "Surnamed Yang, father will fight you to the death!"
The two of them jumped up and bared their teeth, wishing they could bite off a piece of Yang Ling's flesh. Yang Ling's heart was now calm, and his hands and feet were much more agile. His hands moved left and right, and he began to practice Taiji Fist in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. He moved left and right, like a white crane spreading its wings and a golden rooster standing on one leg. He beat An Dongchen and Li Hu until they were dizzy.
In the end, Yang Ling suddenly grabbed their necks and touched them. The two of them cried out in pain. Their foreheads swelled up and they immediately fainted.
Zhengde, Ma Yongcheng, a group of bodyguards, and little eunuchs looked as if they were watching a drama. They stared blankly at Yang Ling piling up his in-laws one by one. Emperor Zhengde then asked again, "Minister Yang, uh... What are you doing?"
Yang Ling made a very natural and unrestrained gesture. He parted his hair that covered his eyes and then pointed to An Ye and said, "Your Majesty, this dog is terminally ill, but they actually cheated the princess. When I heard the news, I was really scared out of my wits. In a hurry, I rushed into the palace and saw that Your Majesty was about to issue the marriage certificate. In a hurry, I didn't have time to report to Your Majesty and lost my etiquette in front of Your Majesty. This killer knows that he can die at any time... "
He looked down and saw An Ye lying there straight, his mouth and nose covered with black blood. He was obviously dead. Yang Ling was stunned, and then he said confidently, "Your Majesty, look, he can die at any time!"
Yang Ling said, but he quickly thought in his heart, "Oh no, why did he kill him? This time, we have to find Golden Needle Liu, the medicine shop owner, and the servant who brewed the medicine for the An family. "
Zhengde, on the other hand, did not ask him to waste his energy. He had developed a conditioned trust in Yang Ling. Looking down again, An Ye was lying there, her mouth full of dirty blood, and the blood that gushed out was black. There was no longer any doubt. In an instant, it was as if a ladle of snow water had been poured over his head. Emperor Zhengde's scalp was numb and numb. He was afraid. If he had handed over the marriage certificate just now, his sister's lifelong relationship would be over.
Everyone has a reverse scale. Zhengde's reverse scale was to not bully his loved ones and not to betray his feelings. As soon as he saw this, Zheng De howled and pounced forward like a madman, punching and kicking him as he scolded, "You're a dog indeed, what a murderous genius, you even dare to touch my sister, I'm going to kill you! I will kill you! "
The pitiful An Ye was trampled on by the dragon's feet even after his death. When Zheng De was enraged, he didn't even care about his head or his legs. In just a short while, An Ye's remains were kicked beyond recognition, his little tongue was hanging out.
When Ma Yongcheng heard what Yang Ling said, his heart skipped a beat. His legs went soft and he could barely stand: This is so scary! How could there be such a thing! Didn't that dog Bi Zhen say that he had a minor cold? How did he become terminally ill? This b * stard, he even dared to earn this kind of money. He must be f * cking tired of living.
He did not doubt Yang Ling's words. First of all, Yang Ling had no reason to lie. Moreover, An Ye had a sickly appearance. Now that he died there, the blood flowing out of his mouth was dirty and black. It was clear that his internal organs had a very serious illness.
Yang Ling kicked the prince consort to death, broke into the palace without being summoned, and … jumped into the royal banquet. Did he think he was a dish? If there was no solid evidence, how could the dignified National Guild do such an outrageous thing?
"Bi Zhen must die! He must die! " He and a few little eunuchs hurried forward to hold Zhengde and drag the emperor away. They tried to persuade him, but at the same time, they had vicious ideas in their minds.
Emperor Zhengde trembled as he sat on the chair, half out of anger, the other half out of fear. Panting heavily, he said, "Pass the decree! Pass the decree! The An family has deceived the emperor and the princess. Their whole family will be executed! "
"Yes, yes, yes." Ma Yongcheng promised. Yang Ling had come to his senses at this time. He felt that An Ye could not run away anyway, so there was no need to worry about this matter. The most important thing now was the princess. Today, there was a ceremony with great fanfare. The princess surrendered and married the prince consort. Hundreds of people of the An family went to the palace to hold the wedding ceremony for the princess.
Now that the prince consort had been … kicked to death or crushed to death by himself, and then a large group of soldiers raided his house, the emperor's anger had been vented, but what about Princess Yongfu? How much harm can rumors do to an unmarried girl?
Yang Ling saw that Zhengde was trembling with anger and wanted to kill to vent his anger. He immediately lifted his robe and was about to kneel down to present the memorial. In the end, he only picked up a few pieces of cloth. The robe had already been torn to shreds, similar to the people of the Beggar Clan.
Yang Ling simply threw away the cloth, knelt in front of Zhengde, kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, as the official in charge of the princess' wedding, I could not see clearly and almost ruined the princess' life. I am guilty!"
"Of course you are guilty!" Zhengde was still in fear. He angrily slammed the table and smashed the bowl, saying, "Yang Ling, ah, Yang Ling, zhen trusts you the most. You … you … you almost ruined zhen's imperial sister. Once a woman gets married, she has made a big mistake. Even if the sky was turned upside down, it would not be able to make up for it. Zhen's younger sister almost … you … you clearly saw that the dog had a sickly face, why didn't you check it properly? "
Yang Ling said with shame, "I am guilty. At that time, he was coughing non-stop. Eunuch Bi said that he had a cold, so I asked Eunuch Bi to find two imperial physicians to treat him so that he would not be disgraced in front of the emperor. Eunuch Bi also said that he had found someone to treat him. I was careless. I really did not expect that … the An family would dare to use a dying person to cheat the Emperor into marriage. "
Emperor Zhengde frowned and said with a murderous look, "Bi, Zhen?"
Ma Yongcheng saw that the opportunity had come. He immediately bowed and said, "This servant was wondering why when Your Majesty was choosing a son-in-law, Bi Zhen rushed to report and spoke good words for An Ye. He did not allow the Duke and Imperial Uncle to interrupt. He must have received bribes from the An family!"
"Go! Go, go! Drag that animal Bi Chun here for zhen! "
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Ma Yongcheng was ecstatic. He immediately called over four guards in brocade clothes and two eunuchs and ran out to find Bi Zhen. He was the head steward of internal affairs in the palace. He was in charge of money and grain. That was the most lucrative job in the palace. He had bribed many trusted eunuchs and guards. It was a piece of cake for him to kill a eunuch who had lost his power.
Seeing that Yang Ling was still kneeling there with a face full of shame, Emperor Zhengde let out a long sigh and sighed, "Forget it. You can get up. Fortunately, you came in time. Otherwise, zhen would be ashamed to face Imperial Father and Imperial Sister. Get up, zhen will punish you to make up for your mistakes. Go and confiscate the An family for zhen and exterminate their nine generations. "
Zhengde slammed the table. His handsome face also became ferocious. He clenched his teeth and sneered, "They lied and lied to the royal family. If we don't punish them severely, there will be more bastards who take advantage of us! Aren't they afraid that zhen will punish them severely? "
When Zhengde said this, he thought about it. They really weren't afraid. They could just say that they died of a sudden illness. Then, you can only blame your own fate. If it wasn't for the fact that you are a princess, the groom might even curse you for having a tough life. At that time, you would really have to suffer in silence. At that time, if the royal family was confiscated and people were killed, what would the people think? Would there be people who would dare to occupy the royal family? Who could guarantee that they wouldn't fall ill for the rest of their lives? So vicious! When Zhengde thought of this, he couldn't help but slam the table again.
Yang Ling stood up and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, for the sake of the Empress Dowager's illness, I coincidentally went to visit the Divine Doctor Golden Needle Liu's residence. I heard that he had diagnosed the An family's young master and said that this person was suffering from an incurable illness. That was how I discovered their conspiracy. From my point of view, the An family is not trying to curry favor with the royal family.
Recently, Eunuch Liu has been eliminating corruption and promoting honesty in all the yamen. The inner palace and the palace treasury are the main focus of the investigation. The first storehouse of the Xishi Storehouse has been turned upside down and more than 160 people have been arrested. An Dongchen is in charge of the Dirty Punishment Storehouse, so his hands and feet are definitely not clean. That's why he wants to curry favor with the royal family. At that time, not only Your Majesty, even the investigating officials will have to give face to Princess Yongfu and let him go. "
Emperor Zhengde sneered, "Good investigation, good climbing, and even better protection!"
Liu Jin walked in in a panic and happened to hear Yang Ling talking about Neshku. He still didn't understand what was going on and couldn't help but feel his heart tighten, "Yang Ling is accusing me again?"
Liu Jin hurriedly stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty, the palace has sent out a warning. The Nine Gates are closed and the palace keys have been sent to the Department of Rites. The Old Slave doesn't know what happened and strictly ordered all the doors to be guarded, but he is worried about the Emperor..."
As he spoke, he turned around and saw three people lying on the ground. All of them had bloody noses and swollen faces. One of them even had his nose and mouth covered with blood. There was also a big footprint on his forehead. He didn't know that it was the Emperor who had just kicked him. He thought that someone was trying to assassinate the Emperor, so he was so scared that his voice went out of tune.
Yang Ling hurriedly said, "It's all my fault. Just now, the situation was urgent and I ran wildly on my horse and collided with the Brocade Guards. That's why the palace is so nervous."
Zhengde looked at Liu Jin and said, "It's nothing. Tell the Nine Gates not to make a fuss and withdraw the guards."
"Yes, Old Slave obeys! I'll return the Nine Gates' keys! "Liu Jin hurriedly responded.
The Emperor Zhengde nodded and said, "Old Liu, Minister Yang was just talking about how you investigated the Six Ministries, the Treasury, and the various yamens in the capital. I heard that you arrested more than a hundred people in the Mech Character Library?"
Liu Jin said nervously, "Yes, uh... the Old Slave hates evil. Those people helped Your Majesty guard the Treasury, but they stole what they were guarding. The Old Slave hates them, so... they arrested more people. It's hard to avoid being wronged. This is the fault of the Old Slave. When the Old Slave goes back, he will..."
"Good arrest! You must act like a violent storm. You must catch those who deserve to be arrested, kill those who deserve to be killed, and exile those who deserve to be exiled. You must not tolerate evil. Old Liu, you are my loyal subject. You have done very well. "
Liu Jin was flattered by Zhengde and smiled awkwardly. He peeked at Yang Ling bashfully and thought to himself, "So Yang Ling is not saying bad things about me. Hehe, could it be that because he lost his power, he suddenly thought it through and wants to curry favor with me?"
Zhengde said to Liu Jin hatefully, "I can't take this lying down. Liu Jin, you came at the right time. You are in charge of the Three Factories and One Guard, this family!" He pointed at the three people lying on the ground, "Because the An family embezzled money from the palace treasury, in order to get away from the crime of marrying the Emperor, they used their sick and dying son to deceive my imperial sister into a marriage. Their crime is extremely heinous and unforgivable. Go and search them thoroughly!"
When Liu Jin heard that there was an order to search the family, his spirit was instantly shaken. He was the best at searching the family.
Liu Jin hurriedly agreed excitedly. After receiving the order, he turned and ran. However, he was suddenly stopped by Zhengde, "Wait, two are alive and one is dead. These three bastards on the ground, take them all away!"
Liu Jin hurriedly turned back and ordered the embroidered clothed imperial guards to drag the An family father and son out of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Yang Ling worriedly said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty loves the Princess. Punishing the criminals is something that should be done. However, the most important thing is how to solve the Princess' marriage.
Today, the Princess surrendered and the An family asked for their names. Even though the ceremony was not completed and there was no status between the two parties, this matter is known by the entire city. In the morning, the An family was welcomed into the palace as the Emperor's relatives. Now that the An family has been dragged out of the palace as criminals, what about the Princess? When this matter spreads out, there will be a lot of discussion among the people. This is not good for the Princess' reputation. "
Liu Jin was good at pranking people and searching the family. Zhengde was good at causing trouble and throwing a temper. After all, he was still young. How would he know what to do when he was asked about this matter? When Zhengde heard this, he felt that it was reasonable. It was reasonable, but he didn't know what to do. Zhengde sat there in a daze and said, "Subject Yang, what do you think we should do?"
Yang Ling pondered for a while and said, "Your Majesty, you should immediately find the Empress Dowager and summon the three scholars to come up with a plan. You have to settle this matter perfectly. The An family father and son deserve to be killed. However, even if you kill them a thousand times, isn't Your Majesty still venting for Princess Yongfu? This official thinks that the most important thing is to reduce the impact of this matter so that Her Highness won't be sad. "
"Yes, yes, yes. You stay here and don't leave first. I will go to the back palace immediately. Oh right, it's better for Subject Yang to summon the three scholars to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful. Tell them your idea first. I will wait for them to discuss in the back palace. "
Emperor Zhengde sprang to his feet and hurriedly went to the back palace.
When the eunuchs saw that the Emperor had left, they called out to him and rushed in to clean up the mess. Yang Ling also hurried to the Hall of Literature and Hall of Martial Excellence where the three scholars worked to pass down the decree.
※ ※ ※
"Imperial Brother stretched out his hand and handed over the marriage certificate. That bastard... ah, no, that An Ye reached out his hand to take it. At this moment, Yang Ling knocked down the hall door with a bang..."
"Ah!" Yongfu and Zhu Xiang'er exclaimed at the same time.
Yongchun said proudly, "Don't be noisy. This Princess found a very familiar eunuch and asked. It's definitely true. I heard that Ma Yongcheng from the Ministry of Internal Affairs found a large group of people to repair the main door of the Palace of Heavenly Purity."
Zhu Xiang'er swallowed and asked, "What happened next?"
Princess Yongfu stared at her sister with her almond-shaped eyes. She clenched her small pink fists tightly and ignored the pain in her palms. Although Yongchun had shouted, "An Ye cheated the marriage and was beaten to death by Duke Wei. Imperial Brother went to the back palace to discuss with Imperial Mother," as soon as she entered the door, she was still shocked and almost had a heart attack by Princess Yongchun.
Princess Yongchun skipped to the table and sat down. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a small sip. She hated Yongfu so much that she secretly gritted her teeth. She giggled and said, "At that time, everyone in the hall was scared out of their wits. They only saw him majestically bringing a gust of wind behind him and swirling snow all over the sky. Then, he pointed at An Ye and scolded, 'How dare you! Put down the butcher's knife!'"
Zhu Xiang'er couldn't help but interrupt, "Why did he say put down the butcher's knife? Does that An Ye have a knife in his hand?"
Yong Chun waved his hand and said, "What do you know? This is called spouting nonsense on purpose to attract his attention. Didn't you hear about the group fight between the six subjects in the Hall of Human Splendor yesterday, and no one could pull them away? Didn't you hear that they all stopped after Yang Ling shouted," Spare him! " This guy is really cunning. "
Zhu Xiang'er agreed with this comment and nodded hurriedly. "Yes, this guy is cunning, very cunning."
Yongfu glared at them unhappily and argued, "How is that cunning? That is called being quick-witted in an emergency. No one else could come up with this idea. What happened next? "
Yongchun gesticulated and said, "As soon as An Ye saw that things were not going well, he immediately went to snatch the marriage contract from my brother's hand. Yang Ling kicked... No, he kicked first and broke the bones of his hand."
She giggled and said, "I heard that my brother's dragon robe was covered in vegetable soup. When he went to see mother just now, he found a shrimp stuck in his pterosaur crown."
Zhu Xiang'er giggled, but Yongfu was not in the mood to be happy. She hurriedly urged, "What happened next?"
"Next, next, Yang Ling was really anxious. The little eunuch said that Yang Ling jumped on the table and ran all the way over, kicking all the cups and plates away. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hair stood up one by one. He looked like a mad bull. He looked as scary as he could be. As he ran, he slipped and fell! "
Princess Yongfu gasped and said in fear, "The plate was full of cups and plates. Did he... did he hurt himself?"
"Of course not. There's snow on his boots, and the vegetable soup that's spilled on the table is full of grease. With this slip, his whole body was sent flying. But it's such a coincidence that evil has its retribution. His foot landed squarely on An Ye's forehead."
"Wow!" Zhu Xiang'er exclaimed, "His foot is so big, twice as big as mine. Didn't he kick someone to death?"
"Eh? How do you know how big his foot is? "
"I... I... I guessed. Didn't they say that he ruled the world with big feet? He became a duke at such a young age. His feet must be big. "Zhu Xiang'er laughed dryly and said guiltily.
"Tsk! My brother is in charge of the whole world. He is the highest official in the world, but his feet are not that big. "Yongchun said unhappily.
"Alright, alright. Don't talk about these useless things. What happened next?" Princess Yongfu was so anxious that she almost grabbed her sister's neck to force her to confess.
Princess Yongchun spread her hands and made a wrestling gesture. She said with a smile, "Then An Dongchen and Li Hu pounced on them. There was also An Ye. The four of them rolled together and fought in a mess. Their hair and beards were all torn off."
Princess Yongfu stamped her feet anxiously and said, "My brother is too much. Why didn't he go up to help? How could Yang Ling fight four people alone? He must have suffered a great loss. "
Princess Yongchun pouted and said, "They were like crazy. Aren't you afraid of my brother going up? They even dared to hit him? Yang Ling is really powerful. The four of them fought for a long time. An Ye was beaten until he vomited blood, and the blood was black. Then, for some reason, Yang Ling jumped up as if he was possessed by a ghost. He was covered in rags and laughed at the sky. That laugh scared An Dongchen and Li Hu. "
Zhu Xiang'er said curiously, "Could it be another one of his... uh... ideas?"
Princess Yongchun beamed with joy and said, "That's not it. I saw Yang Ling patting his stomach and laughing, saying, 'The marriage certificate is here. Come and get it if you have the guts.' It turned out that he had swallowed the marriage certificate. An Dongchen and Li Hu were dumbfounded and didn't dare to move. Yang Ling walked over and grabbed their heads. With a bang, their heads split into four. They didn't wake up until they were dragged away by the Imperial Bodyguards."
Zhu Xiang'er didn't expect this Princess Yongchun to have the potential to tell stories. Zhu Xiang'er was fascinated. Princess Yongfu was in a daze for a long time after listening. Her eyes slightly curved and a gentle smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. "The marriage certificate... was eaten by him. He... for me, he took a beating and swallowed the marriage certificate. It was really... really hard on him. Alas! I don't know how badly injured he is. An Ye and his son are too black-hearted and ruthless. They actually tore his clothes into pieces. Yang Ling... is so pitiful. "
Princess Yongchun and Zhu Xiang'er looked at each other when they saw Princess Yongfu's expression. Her fiancé deserved to die, but... she didn't have to be so happy, right? She kept talking about Yang Ling. Sister, don't be silly. She is the dignified Princess Ming Destiny!
After a long time, Princess Yongchun stammered, "Sister, it seems that Yang Ling beat the father and son until they vomited blood and died, and the other knocked his head and fainted like a birthday boy. He can't be that miserable, right? If we are talking about black-hearted and ruthless, it should be... "
Yongfu's pair of almond-shaped eyes glared fiercely. Yongchun immediately stuck out her tongue and obediently shut her mouth.
Yongfu was full of joy. She only knew that today was the day she should be betrothed. But now she was free again. No one knew that she liked Yang Ling. She also couldn't think of the possibility of her being with Yang Ling. But now that she didn't have to marry, she could silently love Yang Ling in her heart with a clear conscience. She liked him and thought about him. She didn't need to feel guilty because she had a husband.
What made her even happier was that Yang Ling cared about her very much. He must really care about her. He... could it be that he also likes me, but just like me, he doesn't dare to think about me because I am a princess?
He likes me! Does he like me?
Thinking of this, Yong Fu's heart skipped a beat. She only felt that the sun was shining on the ground, it was warm and comfortable, the little deer in her chest also jumped happily. Her eyes were soft and gentle, there was a touch of gentleness, like a lilac swaying gracefully under the moonlight.
The two little girls who didn't know the feeling looked at Princess Yongfu with surprise. They had never shown a strange expression before. After a while, Princess Yongchun finally said, "Sister, you look very, very, very beautiful right now!"
"En?" Princess Yongfu's face blushed, and her lips also became moist and tender. "And then? Imperial Brother rushed to see Imperial Mother? Then... where is Yang Ling now? "
Yongchun shook her head and said, "I didn't ask. After that, Imperial Brother found out about the An family's plot. He flew into a rage and immediately sent Liu Jin to the An family to confiscate their property. I heard that Yang Ling was also severely scolded by Imperial Brother because of his inappropriate marriage choice."
When Princess Yongfu heard this, she said unhappily, "Choosing the Emperor's son-in-law is not his business alone. Why didn't Imperial Uncle scold him? Speaking of An Ye, it was Imperial Mother who decided it. What does it have to do with Yang Ling? If it wasn't for him, wouldn't I be in trouble? "
Yongchun laughed dryly. She and Zhu Xiang'er looked back and forth, not daring to meet her eyes. They also didn't dare to let their sister know that they were faking her orders behind the screen.
Princess Yongfu thought for a while and said, "Xiu Ting, Xiang'er, go to Imperial Mother and see what Imperial Brother said. Don't spread it. If you have any news, come back and tell me quickly!"
"Okay!" The two gossipy girls agreed excitedly and hurried to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful.
Princess Yongfu sat by the table with her hand resting on her cheek. Her eyes were hazy as if she had not woken up yet. After a long while, her brows, which were like distant mountains, furrowed again with a faint worry. She gently stroked the handkerchief tied to her other palm, feeling the trace of pain that seeped into her heart and refreshed her mind.
This handkerchief was her personal possession. It was something that Yang Ling had returned to her. It had Yang Ling's scent on it. Ever since it returned to her hands, she had treated it as a gift from Yang Ling. She had always treasured it and kept it close to her body. Now, it was stained with her blood. In her heart, it seemed that she and Yang Ling had become one because of this.
This crisis had passed. The heart-wrenching torture had also disappeared. She really didn't want to experience it again. But as she grew older, how could she avoid it? What do I have to do for God to fulfill my wish? A match made in heaven, a match made in heaven. I wonder if he swallowed my marriage certificate. Is it considered a prenatal betrothal?
Princess Yongfu sat in her room and began to let her imagination run wild …
※ ※ ※
Yang Ling first went to Li Dongyang and Yang Tinghe's place. Finally, he went to Martial Heroic Hall to see Jiao Fang. Jiao Fang listened to Yang Ling's narration of the situation. She pinched her beard and pondered for a while. She shook her head and sighed, "Marquess was careless. This is a good opportunity. The An family is determined to get Bi Zhen. They will not only rely on Bi Zhen. I'm afraid that with Bi Zhen pulling the strings, there will be many eunuchs in the palace who will help the An family.
Especially that Ma Yongcheng. After all, Bi Zhen is Liu Jin's man. He is Liu Jin's man. If this is a breakthrough, it may be a chance to overthrow Liu Jin. You must know that the Emperor hates people who deceive his trust and hurt his close relatives the most. "
Yang Ling was taken aback, then said in realization, "Aiya, I had rushed into the palace in a hurry back then, my heart burning with anxiety. It was not easy for me to snatch the marriage certificate, and then I fought a terrible battle. How could I calm down and think so much? Now can't I … "
The scene of Ma Yongcheng hitting the head of the Princess Residence's female official and beating her to death suddenly appeared in front of him. Yang Ling suddenly became silent. If he rushed over now, it would be too late. Ma Yongcheng would definitely use the same trick again and kill Bi Zhen. With his power, it would not be difficult to find an excuse and bribe the spies.
Jiao Fang saw that he had understood and said regretfully, "The opportunity is fleeting. If marquess had failed the Emperor's grace at that time and volunteered to perform meritorious deeds to investigate this marriage fraud case, we could follow the vines and trace the melons. We could take the opportunity to dig out all the other problems. Maybe we could overthrow Zhang Cai, Ma Yongcheng, and Liu Jin, the three people inside and outside.
In the officialdom, a small matter with a suitable opportunity is the opportunity to set off a monstrous wave. We can take the opportunity to wash our powerful political enemies into the bottomless abyss. It was a brilliant plan to kill three birds with one stone. Now … it seems that we have to endure and wait for another opportunity. "
Yang Ling thought for a moment and said, "Liu Jin has not caused enough trouble and has not offended enough people. The case happened in the palace. Even if I intervene, the culprit will only be handed over to the Three Commissariat and One Guard. Before we can investigate clearly, Liu Jin can think of a way to turn a living person into a dead person. Liu Jin's internal affairs are still a piece of iron. The time is not right. Even if there is a storm, it cannot be stirred up. Otherwise, we might end up falling into the sand."
He saw that Jiao Fang was still deep in thought and joked, "Alright, my Old Master, we can't kill three birds with one stone. Let's kill one person with one spear and find an opportunity to attack the Commander-in-Chief of the central army. Besides, Liu Jin and Zhang Cai are at most one bird. How can we kill three birds with one stone? "
Jiao Fang was stroking his beard as he pondered. Hearing this, he couldn't help but be startled. Only then did he come back to his senses. He couldn't help but laugh. The worried expression on his face also became relaxed.
He smiled and said, "I am not thinking about them. Since the opportunity has been lost, it is useless to think about it. I am thinking about another matter. The Duke cannot be away from court politics for a long time. I am afraid that there will be changes. But I also cannot openly regain power. Otherwise, if Liu Jin knows it will be difficult to restrain himself, Duke's painstaking efforts will be wasted. I think … this matter may be a good opportunity. It will not arouse Liu Jin's suspicion … "
He cupped his hands and said, "Duke, I will first go to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful to see how the Empress Dowager and His Majesty want to resolve this matter. I will act according to the situation and look for an opportunity!"
※ ※ ※
In the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, Empress Dowager Zhang's face was ashen. She paced anxiously in the hall. The phoenix hairpin in her hair trembled slightly. Emperor Zhengde pursed his lips and sat on the seat of honor. He also did not say a word. The three scholars sat on both sides. Their eyebrows were drooping and their eyes were focused. They looked like clay sculptures. The atmosphere in the hall was unusually heavy.
After a long silence, Emperor Zhengde could not hold it in anymore. He coughed and said, "My beloved subjects, say something. What should we do now?"
Yang Tinghe looked left and right. He cupped his hands and said, "I think …"
Just as he said this, Ma Yongcheng rushed in and knelt down on the ground, "Your Majesty, the Old Slave replies."
Zhengde stood up and said in a stern voice, "Did you bring that bastard Bi Zhen?"
Ma Yongcheng hurriedly kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, Bi Chun committed suicide to escape punishment when he heard that the matter was exposed. When the Old Slave sent people to fish him out of the well, he had already drowned."
Zhengde was stunned. He muttered, "Dead?" He sat back on the chair and said dispiritedly, "Get up! He really knew what was going on. He really got off lightly! "
Bi Zhen really committed suicide. It turned out that before he entered the palace, he was a hoodlum. Because he was blind one time, he offended a local tyrant. Unable to make a living, he hardened his heart and castrated himself to become a eunuch in the palace. Before this person entered the palace, he had already married a wife and had two sons and a daughter. Not many people knew about this, but Ma Yongcheng knew about it. If he wanted to kill Bi Zhen, he could do it. However, if he could force Bi Zhen to commit suicide, wouldn't that be even more perfect?
Therefore, when Ma Yongcheng found Bi Zhen, he first used peaceful means before resorting to force. Today, even if he wanted to die, he had to die. If he did not want to die, he still had to die. If he died alone, he would not implicate others. At least he could ensure the safety of his family. Otherwise, his entire family, including his sons and daughters, would all be finished. Bi Zhen had no other way out and could only commit suicide by jumping into the well. Ma Yongcheng only moved his mouth and his hands were clean. When he replied, there was nothing to be afraid of.
Ma Yongcheng stood up and obediently retreated to the corner of the wall. He secretly peeked at the crowd from the corner of his eyes. Yang Tinghe coughed twice and said, "Your Majesty, this official thinks that... the An family has deceived the monarch and defied his superiors. Their crime cannot be forgiven. Luckily, the marriage certificate has not been issued and the princess' reputation will not be affected. However, the princess' wedding is known by the entire world. If we leave it unsettled, it would be child's play. Therefore... this official thinks that we should immediately choose another son-in-law from the two candidates that were sent to the Imperial College and settle the marriage. When the dust settles, the princess will be at ease and the people will be less noisy. "
When Empress Dowager Zhang heard this, her expression changed. She sat back on the phoenix chair and thought for a moment. She nodded and said, "It's not too late to mend the pen after the sheep is lost. Now we can only choose another son-in-law and let this matter settle down. Only then can the royal family save some face. Your Majesty, my subjects, what do you think? "
Zhengde nodded and Jiao Fang also nodded and said, "What Scholar Yang said is right. This official also thinks that it's better to cut through the Gordian knot and end this matter as soon as possible!"
Empress Dowager Zhang's phoenix eyes shifted to Li Dongyang and said in a soft voice, "What Grand Secretary Li thinks?"
Li Dongyang's brows slightly furrowed and he said hesitantly, "This official has no opinion. But today's son-in-law selection was actually deceived by a traitor who is seriously ill and almost ruined the princess' marriage. If Her Highness hears of this, she will definitely be worried. This official thinks that at this critical moment, should we invite Her Highness Yongfu and ask Her Highness in person if she is willing to choose a husband now or wait for things to calm down and her mood to calm down? "
Empress Dowager Zhang thought that if her daughter heard of this stupid matter today, she would inevitably be sad. She couldn't help but sigh deeply and nodded, "Grand Secretary's concern is very good. Ma Yongcheng, go invite Princess Yongfu to the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful."
Princess Yongfu rolled up her sleeves and walked in slowly. She bowed down to the Empress Dowager, "Yongfu greets mother and brother."
Zhengde quickly said, "Get up, get up, cough! Imperial sister, uh... do you know what happened in the Palace of Heavenly Purity? "
Princess Yongfu's expression was calm as she said, "Yongfu heard something from Manager Ma. It seems that the An family was greedy for power and status and swindled the marriage certificate. The matter was exposed and they have all been sent to the Heavenly Prison. Is that right?"
Zhengde saw her calm face and thought that she was too sad. He became even more uneasy and said, "Imperial sister, you... you don't have to be sad. I, mother, and the three lords have discussed and will choose another good husband for you. What do you think?"
Yongfu had already received the news from Yongchun and Xiang'er when the Taoist ran back. She had made up her mind not to let her life be controlled by others in such a ridiculous way. She also didn't want to suffer that kind of mental torture anymore.
Yongfu lowered her eyelids and said faintly, "No matter how unfilial the An family is, the marriage certificate has been issued and the status has been fixed. A husband has the right to remarry and a wife has no second wife. A woman's way of establishing herself is to be pure and chaste. As an imperial princess, Yongfu should set an example. My name and date of birth are written on the marriage certificate. Since it has been handed over to him, there is no reason to take it back. Thank you, imperial brother, for your concern. Imperial Sister... still has to marry! "
"Ah! Hehehe... "Emperor Zhengde clapped his hands and stood up happily," Imperial sister, don't worry. That marriage certificate has never been handed over to the An family. Hehe, so this marriage cannot be allowed. "
Yongfu blinked and asked, "Oh? Imperial brother didn't lie to me? "
"Ah ~ ~ ~ a gentleman does not lie. Why would brother lie to you?"
"Then … let me have a look!" A white hand was stretched under Zheng De's nose.
"Uh..." Zhengde took a step back awkwardly, "This... the marriage certificate has been... eaten by Yang Ling."
"Ai!" Princess Yongfu gave a faint sigh and knelt back on the ground, "Yongfu knows that mother and imperial brother don't want Yongfu to suffer, so they lied to me. Yongfu's heart is filled with gratitude. But a woman's loyalty is to be faithful to one person. That marriage certificate is not food, how could it be swallowed? Imperial brother, don't lie to me. "
Empress Dowager Zhang gently said, "Yongfu, your imperial brother didn't lie to you. The marriage certificate has really been eaten by Yang Ling."
"Daughter doesn't believe it. The marriage certificate is Yongfu's innocence. Whoever has the marriage certificate, daughter should be that person's... wife." Yongfu stared at the tip of her nose. When she said these words, it was like a wild horse had suddenly charged out from under her breasts, wildly jumping around inside. Her entire body trembled.
These words were the boldest, most shameful, and … the most satisfying words she had ever said in her life.
When the three scholars heard this, it was like they were all suffering from dementia. Their eyes were dull and their muscles relaxed. Li Dongyang looked at the sky, Yang Tinghe looked at the ground, and Jiao Fang stared at her fingernails with great interest, as if it was a peerless article!
Empress Dowager Zhang suddenly stood up and her face was livid with anger, "Daughter is a princess, how could I say such words? The three scholars are important ministers, not a single one of them would say it, but this is still a shameful matter. When did daughter become so bold and shameless? That day, I found it strange that my daughter had secretly fallen in love with that man surnamed Yang! "
Only Zhu Houzhao did not understand his sister's thoughts. He was overjoyed as he said, "My good imperial sister, are you afraid that someone will make a marriage certificate appear in the future to fight for the prince consort? That marriage certificate is in Yang Ling's stomach and it has already been wet to the point where no one can recognize it. Yu … Yu … "
He looked around and suddenly found that everyone was acting strangely. He couldn't help asking curiously, "What happened?"
Empress Dowager Zhang waved her sleeve and her face turned cold as she scolded, "Immediately send out aijia's decree to summon Chen Hui and Sun Shibo back to the palace. Aijia, the emperor, and the three scholars will choose the prince consort for the princess! Ma Yongcheng, help the princess back to the palace! "
"Yes, this servant obeys!" Ma Yongcheng quickly went in front of Princess Yongfu. Just as he was about to reach out to help her, he froze and didn't dare to move.
Yongfu knelt there with her face as calm as water. She raised her right hand and gently reached into her hair. She slowly took out a dark green jade hairpin and placed the sharp tip of the hairpin against her throat. She softly said, "Daughter knows that this goes against the rules of the ancestors. But daughter is not willing to be manipulated by others and suffer the pain of marrying and remarrying. Mother does not agree, so this prince consort selection will be put aside. Daughter will not marry again in this life, mother asks for permission. "
Once an honest and docile child became stubborn, that was the most powerful thing. Even nine bulls couldn't pull her back. Empress Dowager Zhang had just taken a step forward when the hairpin in Yongfu's hand pierced into her throat. A drop of dark red blood seeped out. The pitiful and delicate Princess Yongfu had been cared for since she was young. Her entire body was like jade and there was not a single flaw. But today, for Yang Ling, she had bled twice.
Empress Dowager Zhang trembled with anger when she saw this. She coldly smiled and said, "Good, good, good! You've really grown up to not follow the rules! There's no prince consort selection, send the princess back to the palace! "After saying this, she waved her sleeve and led the palace maids and eunuchs to the back of the palace.
Princess Yongfu's heart sank and two streams of tears flowed down. She silently bowed and stood up to leave.
Jiao Fang's pair of treacherous eyes spun around, the chance had finally come.
He suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister has a bit of a need to go to the toilet and will be taking his leave." Zhengde blankly nodded his head and quickly followed him out.
At this time, Zhengde had already guessed his sister's thoughts, "She ….. likes Yang Qing? This is not good. I can help whoever she likes, as long as she is happy. But Yang Qing ….. Yang Ling has a wife! In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there was a precedent of a princess marrying a married man and the one she married was the famous Wang Xianzhi. But after Wang Xianzhi received the emperor's order, he divorced his wife before marrying the princess. Meimei, imperial brother ….. if imperial brother forced Yang Ling to divorce Young-niang jiejie for you, how could I do such a thing? "
Jiao Fang used the excuse of going to the toilet to leave the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful as he walked out of the Palace of Compassionate and Peaceful, staggering his old legs to chase after Princess Yongfu. Yongfu cried as she walked. Suddenly she heard someone shouting from behind. She turned her head and saw the over eighty year old, white-haired Jiao Ge Lao running after her. She quickly wiped her tears and bowed slightly, saying, "Jiao Da Jiao."
Jiao Fang panted heavily and probed, "Er ….. Your Highness, this old minister is presumptuous, does Your Highness want to marry … marry the person who swallowed the princess' marriage certificate?"
Yongfu's tearful eyes swept over and did not answer. Jiao Fang twirled his beard and looked to the side, using the corner of his eye to peep at the princess' expression. He very sinisterly said, "This old minister is over eighty years old and softhearted. How can I bear the pain of the separation of children in this world? It is a pity that I do not know the princess' feelings. Even if this old minister wants to help, I am afraid it will be rude."
Yongfu's eyes brightened and hurriedly said, "Jiao Daren, you … you have a way to persuade my Empress Mother to change her mind?"
Jiao Fang frowned and said, "Empress Dowager is right, it is indeed difficult. But ….. the princess and ….. and the person who swallowed the princess' marriage certificate are in love with each other and secretly engaged for life? "
Yongfu was startled and her face was slightly embarrassed. She lowered her head and faintly said, "He ….. he does not know my feelings."
Jiao Fang said, "Well … this is going to be difficult. The Empress Dowager is at the peak of her anger. Even if the Empress Dowager loves the princess, this change of heart needs to be slowly persuaded right? The entire world knows about the prince consort selection. If the princess is suddenly betrothed to the matrimonial officer, how can there be a lack of wind and rain? That person still does not know the princess' feelings. The princess does not want the emperor to issue an edict to force him to marry, right?
That person is a man who values affection very much. For his wife, he even refused the imperial edict. If the current Princess Yongfu marries him, then the position of the first wife must be left empty. Even if the princess does not care, but the dignity of the imperial family is important. I just do not know if he ….. is he willing to divorce his first wife for the princess? "
Hearing this, Princess Yongfu was also stunned. Hearing that the Empress Dowager wanted to give her a prince consort, her heart became anxious. She only had one thought, which was to lay her cards on the table with the Empress Dowager and express her feelings. If the Empress Dowager opposed it, she would not marry anyone else. She did not think about so many things. Hearing Jiao Fang's words, she then realized that even if the Empress Dowager passed this hurdle, she was afraid that things would not be so easy to handle. It was simply filled with difficulties. Even he … … whether he liked her was just his wishful thinking after hearing her snatching the marriage certificate.
When Yongfu thought about this, she suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. Why am I so stupid, what should I do now? I do not want to take away Young-niang's position, but whether it is the imperial court, the common people, or he, she … … would they think this way?
She hurriedly asked Jiao Fang, "Jiao Daren, you … … do you have any way to help me?"
Jiao Fang slowly said, "If we want to calm the storm of the marriage selection, the Princess's status must be fixed. If we want the Empress Dowager to change her mind, we must slowly persuade her with mother-daughter affection. If we want that person to be willing to marry the Princess as his co-wife and not drive his wife and concubine away because of the imperial family's rules, all of these, in order to achieve the goal, the Princess … … must have a more suitable status, and then slowly plan it over time."
Princess Yongfu held her breath and said, "I … … I do not care about the status, but I … … what should I do?"
Jiao Fang narrowed her eyes and said, "In the past, there was a Princess. When the Emperor wanted to choose a marriage to Tubo Zanpu, she … … happened to be sixteen years old. In order to avoid marrying far away, she claimed that she wanted to pray for her maternal grandmother and became a Daoist priest. She moved out of the palace and lived in a Daoist temple. When the marriage was settled, she returned to the secular world and married an ideal husband … … "
"Ah! Princess Taiping … … "
Jiao Fang smiled and said, "Exactly! The Empress Dowager has not recovered from her illness. If Her Highness prays for her maternal grandmother, neither the Empress Dowager nor the Emperor can say anything. First, it is to buy some time. Second, the Empress Dowager can bear it for one or two days, but after a long time … … Her Highness is the Empress Dowager's own flesh and blood. Is she willing to spend the rest of her life with you?
Third, once you become a Daoist priest, you will have nothing to do with worldly status. The Princess can ask the Emperor to take back her title and wait until she returns to the secular world before giving her a new title. The rank of Prince Consort and Princess must choose an auspicious day to hold a royal ceremony and solemnly give out the golden book … … "
Old Jiao Fang smiled sinisterly, "This period of time will take at least two months. In these two months, the Princess will be a woman without a title and no rank. With the Empress Dowager's tacit consent, it is not difficult for the Duke to marry an ordinary woman of the imperial family. After that … … the Princess will be the Duchess of the Duke. "
The old fox frowned and said in confusion, "The Princess cannot marry a married man and cannot let her husband marry another wife or concubine. But if the Royal Family wants to promote a Duchess to a Princess, they can't force her to break up her family, right?"
He shook his head and sighed, "Even when Sage Confucius made the ceremony, he did not mention such a situation. Ai! I don't know what to do. My head hurts! "
Princess Yongfu was only sixteen years old after all. She was so happy that she almost jumped up. She said excitedly, "Good! I will go and find my brother immediately. I want to … … become a Daoist nun! "
"No no no, not a Daoist nun. I want to be a nun!"
"Ah? You … … You want to shave your hair! " Originally, the little girl wished that she could not see anyone but after listening to the old man's words, her mind became lively and she could not bear to part with her black hair.
"Heh heh heh …" Jiao Fang laughed sinisterly, "When a young woman becomes a nun, most of them first cultivate with their hair. When they grow older and have a firm Buddhist heart, only then will they officially shave and become a monk. The Princess is just changing her palace attire to black clothes!
As for your beautiful hair … … Your Highness, the person who swallowed the marriage vow is probably the most difficult obstacle for you. To become a nun, whether you shave your hair or not, let him feel sorry for you. Isn't that better? "
* * *
"Your Highness Princess Royal! I … … I am guilty! "
Yang Ling walked into the dim little Buddha hall in the palace and saw Princess Yongfu in white, kneeling with her back facing him. She was silently worshipping Buddha with her palms together. Her beautiful hair had been untied and was softly draped over her snow-white shoulders. Yang Ling felt a pain in his heart. He silently knelt behind her and slowly lowered his head.
"She is going to become a nun. She is only a sixteen-year-old girl. After such a blow, she is so disheartened and wants to spend the rest of her life as a Buddhist monk!"
"I didn't kill Boren, but Boren died because of me. For the rest of my life, every time I think of a young girl sitting in front of a Buddha statue in a cold and desolate temple, her beautiful face haggard, her black hair turning white in the hollow sound of a wooden fish, I … How can I bear it …"
Yang Ling's eyes were wet, but when he saw Princess Yongfu's snow-white and holy aura, he could not persuade her to change her mind and not to become a nun.
"High Duke Yang … …" Princess Yongfu kowtowed three times, stood up and turned her head, "You are not my subject, and I am not your princess. I have decided to become a nun. My Dharma name is Xiuyuan, and I will study Dharma, cultivate my character, and pray for the Empress Dowager."
Yang Ling raised his head with tears in his eyes and found that Princess Yongfu had a peaceful face with a gentle smile. She was like the merciful Goddess of Mercy, a female Bodhisattva. She was holding a nectar bottle in her palm. There was no trace of despair and sorrow of becoming a nun. He was stunned.
Princess Yongfu gently took a few steps forward. Her white robe fluttered in the wind and her jade-like body was light. She really had an extraordinary temperament and the original luxury and grace was swept away.
"Living in the palace, only changing the name of the original palace, and still being served by those palace maids and eunuchs, how can I cultivate? I have already reported to my brother … Ah, I have sinned, I should address you as His Majesty. Choose a good place in the western suburbs of the capital and build a nunnery. I will have to trouble High Duke Wei to supervise the construction of the nunnery. "
Yang Ling looked at her silently. This was the first time that Yongfu was stared at by his burning eyes. Her heart started beating wildly. She quickly turned her head and said hurriedly, "This is my own decision. You don't have to feel guilty about it. You should accompany my brother … His Majesty. When the new house is built, I will officially become a nun."
"Is this a Ge Ni Nunnery or a new house? Sister's happy look is not like a nun, it is more like a marriage … "Emperor Zhengde who was standing at the entrance of the Buddha hall rolled his eyes in boredom.
My nunnery is just beside your house. There will be more opportunities to meet after becoming a nun than in the palace. Yang Ling, Yang Ling, you can't let me down. Otherwise … otherwise … I will really become a nun! Princess Yongfu thought shyly and happily. She suddenly raised her head and met her brother's eyes. The pair of bored siblings turned their heads away at the same time.
"Subject Yang, let's go." Zhengde strode in front and thought, "Just now when Empress Mother heard that Sister is going to become a nun, she was a little flustered and seemed to be regretful. Maybe this method of hers will really fulfill her wish. If she wants to make a fuss, then let her. It doesn't matter what robe she wears. When she is tired of it, she can come back. In any case, I will not let her really become a nun. "
"Hey … wait, if Sister really marries him, then won't he become my brother-in-law? Ah! Subject Yang is older than me but he has to call me Big Brother. Hehe, haha! " When this frivolous man thought of this layer of relationship, his dragon face became happy. He flung his sleeves and walked with even more vigor.
Yang Ling was confused as he followed behind, "What's going on with these siblings? Why are they so heartless? I feel sad for her. They themselves … "
The two of them came to the front hall one after the other. Ma Yongcheng was waiting there. Zhengde coughed and said, "As for Yongfu becoming a nun and building a nunnery, I will ask the Observing Sky Officials to choose an auspicious place in the western suburbs. Hmm … the supervision of the construction will be handed over to Subject Yang."
"Yes!" Yang Ling's face was solemn and he bowed deeply.
"The palace treasury is not rich now, but I cannot let my sister suffer. The An family is deceiving the Emperor. I have already sent an order to Liu Jin to let you handle the investigation. Dig out this nest of rotten rats and use the seized property to build a nunnery. If it is not enough, ask Ma Yongcheng for more!"
Yang Ling and Ma Yongcheng agreed in unison. Zhengde stepped forward and patted Yang Ling's shoulder. "The nunnery is in the western suburbs, close to where you live. Help me take care of it."
"Yes! I will do my best. "
"Hmm, I trust you!" Emperor Zhengde nodded and said, "Yongfu is my sister. I love her very much. She is still young, you must help me take good care of her …"
When Ma Yongcheng heard this, his face twisted like a steamed bun. This sentence … why did it sound so familiar?
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
