ebookland Chapter 512 Shen Zhi is His Majesty's Eyes
Chapter 512 Shen Zhi is His Majesty's Eyes
The palaces in Xianyang Palace were far apart from each other, and Ganquan Palace was outside the main palace. The first people to arrive at Ganquan Palace in a chariot were not the harem, but the court officials.
The first is the Zong Zheng, followed by the Feng Chang, the Lang Zhong Ling, and then the doctoral historian and the fortune teller.
It seemed that all the people who had not been to Ganquan Palace in the past ten years had gathered there that evening.
The Empress Dowager and the Emperor had a bad relationship, and all the court officials with a little seniority knew it. It was hard to estimate whether her death was due to the left or the right. In any case, in order to prevent any changes, the Imperial Physician Feng Quji quickly mobilized the garrison, surrounded the Ganquan Palace tightly, and arranged for officials of all levels to come according to the law.
They didn't know about the queen's coma. As for the secrets in the palace, many people still remembered the old news about the emperor and the queen.
"Why not go to Qiuyue Palace to invite Madam Hu?" asked the doctor.
"Not right." Someone interrupted.
Zhang Han said, "Mrs. Hu never gets involved in such matters. Prince Hu Hai is just a child, how can he get involved in funeral matters?"
"Mr. Zhang is wrong. Madam Hu's position is only below that of the Queen. The eldest son and the Prime Minister are away..."
Feng Chang glanced at Feng Quji, and the two exchanged glances, reaching some kind of agreement. Feng Chang bowed to Ying Teng and said, "The Grand Zongzheng is the most senior official at the moment, and he is also the uncle of His Majesty the Emperor. I think the funeral ceremony should be decided by the Zongzheng."
Ying Teng knew how difficult it was to prepare for a funeral - should he hold a grand funeral for the Queen Mother Zhao, or keep it simple... Since Ying Zheng happened to be away from the palace, he didn't dare to touch upon the emperor's past that had been sealed off for nearly twenty years.
Other officials may not be unaware of this.
The ministers were pushing Ying Teng first, and as they were trying to shirk their responsibilities, a female official with extraordinary temperament and wearing a dark blue robe appeared at the end of the long stairs.
A red ribbon hangs from her waist...
"Miss Shen?" The court officials looked at each other, and then realized something in an instant. They almost forgot that Princess Yong'an had returned to Xianyang from Chu. However, she was still under house arrest and was not allowed to leave the palace without permission, let alone attend meetings with court officials without permission.
Fengchang wanted to mention Madam Hu again.
Feng Chang was the head of the Nine Ministers. He had few duties, but he was particularly important in the whole process of weddings and funerals. Feng Chang was very resistant to Princess Yong'an because ten years ago, Zhang Liang almost stayed in this position. But later, the Zhang family was implicated by Changping Jun, and Feng Chang and the censor became hot potatoes.
The atmosphere was tense and difficult to distinguish for a moment.
Shen Zhi met Feng Chang, who was recommended by Li Si. At the moment of the small coffin, a man in a robe could be seen from afar performing a soul-calling ceremony. The palace maids who had served the empress dowager for many years held their breath in front of the hall.
"The Empress Dowager has passed away suddenly. Your Highness is deeply saddened."
"Your Highness the Princess is still under house arrest, why did you come out here?"
Shen Zhi asked in return, "But with all the adults gathered in front of the palace, are you worried about disturbing the Queen Mother?"
When Feng Quji heard the voice, he came out of the side hall. He saw a seal in Shen Zhi's hand... He was shocked. Could it be that the person behind Shen Zhi was not Princess Yong'an?
He said solemnly, "What the maid said is wrong. It has been a while since His Majesty the Emperor returned to the palace, but His Majesty the Empress has not appeared to preside over the ceremony. The small coffin is now complete. When His Majesty the Emperor was our king, he informed us of this. We are all here in secret and have never come here without permission."
"Your Excellency, you know that times have changed. The current situation is different from that of 20 years ago." She glanced around. "You adults are gathered here. Aren't you afraid that His Majesty will be unhappy?"
"..." Feng Chang paused, "Then according to your opinion..."
Shen Zhi put away the seal on his palm and said, "It has been three months since the princess returned to Xianyang. His Majesty the Emperor has not blamed her too much. The Prime Minister and the Court Judge have inquired and found nothing unusual. The princess once welcomed Wang Ben at the city gate on the day he returned to the court. Why not go to Zhilan Palace and invite the princess to Ganquan Palace?"
Feng Chang was thinking.
The doctoral official suddenly interrupted and said, "In that case, His Highness Yong'an is indeed capable of taking on the important task." Then, many voices echoed him.
Not far away, in Meng Yi's car, Xu Zhi did not move at all when he heard this.
Meng Yi knew that Ying Zheng actually had complicated feelings towards Zhao Ji, and it was definitely not just the alienation and hatred on the surface. The doctoral official wanted Ying Hehua to take responsibility.
When he was about to get up and get out of the car, she held his arm.
She almost let go, "It's not the right time yet."
Meng Yi was puzzled. He looked at her and said, "You know, only those in the inner secret cabinet can use the seal."
She didn't answer.
"Do you believe Shen Zhi?"
"I believe in my father." She curved her eyebrows, "If my father wants Shen Zhi to be with me, then it's not a bad thing."
Meng Yi was stunned. He bluntly told the story that happened in Guxiakou many years ago... "At that time, His Majesty the Emperor was already aware of the matter between Lu Ze and Zhao Jia. Shen Zhi was Lu Ze's unmarried wife, and His Majesty the Emperor knew it long ago. Including the people who accompanied Huai Qing to Qin had a connection with Cheng Jiao... Speaking of which, if Li You hadn't said that you would rather fall off your horse than save Shen Zhi in Bolingsha... If she didn't protect you well, His Majesty the Emperor would have already exterminated her three clans."
"I saved her. Isn't this good?" She fiddled with the wide coral agate bracelet on her hand, asking herself, "What she did for my father and for me was all for the Qin State. It's good that she survived."
Meng Yi was stunned. "Princess, if you know that... then why did you ask Shen Zhi to return to Qin first when you were in Chu?"
She said sincerely, "In fact, I was only convinced after seeing the reaction of the Fengchang official. It is not easy to hide it from Zhao Gao, so using his own trick against him is a good idea."
Before getting off the car, she turned around and said seriously, "Meng Yi, he is a very cunning man. If we make a mistake, we will all die without a burial place."
Seeing his face full of disbelief, she suddenly laughed, "The remnants of the six kingdoms are the root of trouble, but when father was alive, they were just clowns. But you see, he tried to kill me through Zhao Rong, and seriously injured Li Xian, and then the queen mother died, and my mother was seriously ill. I'm afraid that for father, this is a sharp knife piercing into people's hearts."
After she said this, she suddenly felt that Meng Yi's face, which had always disliked her, now had a kind of pleasant surprise.
"If it's as the princess said, wouldn't it be exactly what he wants if you showed up?"
"Something happened suddenly in Ganquan Palace, and Zhao Gao's life story became a mystery. Few people would believe it if it was told to others. But some things cannot be understood if told to others. He must see it with his own eyes to know the truth."
After Xu Zhi finished speaking, he was about to bend down and lift the curtain.
"Yongan..."
Meng Yi called her unexpectedly.
"?" Xu Zhi turned around.
Meng Yi's voice was low as usual, but not as cautious as usual.
"If what the princess said is true, I will never allow such evil people to run rampant here."
"Meng Yi?"
His eyes are calm like jade hidden in a deep pool, and when his gaze moves, it is as sharp as that of an officer inspecting troops on the battlefield, and as calm as that of a man planning a strategy.
He grasped the sword at his side and got out of the car before Ying Hehua.
Hearing that she had taken part in the game, he subconsciously felt uncomfortable.
He just didn't want to see the same scene as Gu Xiakou. He thought that there was no need to act to expose the crime.
Meng Yi turned sideways, and the sunlight shone on his official uniform with mountain patterns, as if there was mountain mist floating.
"His Majesty the Emperor has not yet returned to the palace, but the court officials have already gathered in front of Ganquan Palace. The Empress Dowager's matter is already difficult to deal with. Now that the Queen is seriously ill, the princess is the Queen's daughter. When the eldest son is away, you should show your filial piety by his bedside. Don't wade into muddy water. If you shouldn't show up, don't show up."
"I once played chess with an old minister of Han and heard a piece of advice from him: the person who makes the move should be above the chessboard, sit back and watch the situation calmly. Since the princess has received instruction from this man, she must understand the meaning of it."
"But I would rather be the one in the game, so what should I do?"
Meng Yi was slightly stunned. He didn't know whether it was Chunyu Yue or Zhang Liang who had taught her bad things, causing her to forget everything she had learned from Han Fei in her early years. How could this be the way of a monarch? She was clearly the material for being a supporting prime minister...
He said, "Then I can only tell the princess. I was able to report this man to prison back then, and now that I am the court judge, I will not forget my original intention."
Xu Zhi trembled slightly. After hearing Meng Yi's words, she felt that it was tantamount to gaining his trust.
"With what Lord Meng said, I think it's worth it even if you tell me that my father asked you to stay in Xianyang to monitor me."
Meng Yi is really a very loyal person. After all, he speaks the truth even if it hurts people, and he never hides it.
"What the princess said is true. It is the truth."
Before he finished speaking, he waved his hand to let the car move forward.
Meng Yi looked at the carriage heading towards the Xianyang Palace, and he felt that the people sitting inside must be scolding him.
He seemed to see the only lovely stubbornness left in her little conscience.
So much so that the ice on the top of Kunlun Mountain finally loosened.