Chapter 205: The Rift Between the Emperor and the Empress
Chapter 205: The Rift Between the Emperor and the Empress
Three days later.
There were four people standing in front of the Fengning Palace door.
The giant sword-carrying man was wearing fish-scale steel armor, like an upright bear, and was half a head taller than Li Yu next to him.
He firmly occupied the position closest to the palace gate, and obviously did not take the newly appointed commander of the Zhaode Palace guards seriously.
"This is a master!"
Even though he was three feet away, Zhang Yu felt a little oppressed. He could sense the cold air coming from the heavy sword.
Opposite the giant stood a eunuch in a dragon robe, with snow-white hair and beard and a kind face, who was looking at him.
Zhang Yu frowned slightly. The other party's meaningful look seemed to see through him.
"Chief Executive Gao, is there anything wrong with my clothes?"
Gao Guang shook his head and smiled, "Don't worry, Commander Li. I just feel a little emotional."
"Sentimental?"
Gao Guang sighed softly, "When I put on this dragon robe, I was already over fifty years old, and Commander Li is still so young. It's really amazing how young people can be feared. But I am also happy. The Imperial Palace is full of talented people. Only in this way can we, the rootless people, become the sharpest sword of His Majesty."
Zhang Yu thought this analogy was rather strange, and complimented him casually, "General Manager Gao has profound intentions, no wonder he is trusted by your majesty."
"Your Majesty values heroes. A talent like Commander Li is only fit for duty as a guard in the palace, but if he is willing to come to the East Factory, perhaps there will be a new world for him..."
Gao Guang was the eunuch in charge of writing in the Imperial Household Department, and also served as the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Commissioner-General's Eastern Depot. Not only in the harem, he was also the most powerful eunuch in the entire Ming Dynasty. He was on par with the giant man with a sword on his back, and was one of the few people trusted by Emperor Yousheng.
Zhang Wei, who was standing opposite Zhang Yu, turned his head away when he heard this, seeming a little disapproving.
The emperor and his empress are like one body, but as the source of power, their subordinates are inevitably divided into two factions. Both put their own interests first, which inevitably leads to many rifts.
While they were talking, they suddenly heard sobbing coming from the hall, followed by a "dong" sound, as if something heavy had fallen to the ground. Several people immediately held their breath, focused their eyes and noses, and kept silent.
Inside Fengning Palace, the two of them sat in silence.
Emperor Yousheng was wearing a round-collar dragon robe and leaning back on a phoenix chair, looking a little tired.
He closed his eyes gently, but recalled some past events. During the previous emperor's reign, the Wan family was convicted, his father and brother were exiled, and Concubine Wan was confiscated by the government and became a maid. The two had known each other in the deep palace when they were young.
He was never the most outstanding son of the previous emperor. Even the prime minister had said long ago that "Prince Qi is frivolous and unfit to rule the world". Many things that happened later indeed confirmed the prime minister's statement.
She was originally the daughter of an official. After all, she was born a palace slave and her status was inherently insufficient. The previous dynasty's big turban tried to dissuade her from doing so and even deliberately spread rumors of "father and son having an affair", which cut off Concubine Wan's path to becoming queen from the very beginning.
During those turbulent years, the two of them supported each other all the way, and through many ups and downs, they have come to where they are today.
"Shen Sansi is an old man in the palace, the chief of the Imperial Horse Administration. When I first ascended the throne, my position was unstable, and you... suffered a lot of criticism from Gao Pinghu and his men. Shen Sansi contributed a lot and took a lot of blame. This time, he made a mistake, but it is not unforgivable. Considering our old friendship, you shouldn't just kill him without authorization."
"Your Majesty, are you going to punish me?"
Concubine Wan was dressed in plain clothes, had taken off her hairpins and pearl ornaments, had her hair loose, and was kneeling barefoot in front of the palace, her eyes already red.
Emperor Yousheng shook his head and said, "When did I ever say I would punish you?"
Concubine Wan asked, "Then why did Your Majesty come to my Zhaode Palace to question me for a slave?"
Emperor Yousheng shook his head and said, "As the master of the harem, you have enemies everywhere, and you can't even tolerate the ministers around you. You act so cruelly. I really don't know how you will cope with it one day..."
Concubine Wan laughed softly and said, "How can I be the head of the harem? Throughout the ages, in every dynasty, I have only heard that the Empress of the Central Palace can be the mother of the country and the legitimate mother of the princes. What is the status of a concubine in the history books?"
Emperor Yousheng was silent for a long time, then he sighed, "Is this why you hate Su Huanzhen?"
Concubine Wan sneered, "Your Majesty finally asked the question! I must have been holding it in my heart for a long time. Your Majesty is right. I am only a concubine in name only, and I have no children. Even if that bitch gave birth to a prince, she would not recognize me as her legal mother. Of course, I have reason to be jealous of her."
"Where did you hide Su Huan-zhen?"
"Didn't Shen Sansi tell His Majesty?" "How could someone in the harem disappear out of thin air? Zhen'er, if you really want the title of queen, I can agree to it, as long as you don't harm them and their son. I'm really afraid that you... will be cursed for eternity."
Concubine Wan sneered, "Your Majesty, do you want to make a deal with me? It's too late."
Emperor Yousheng's voice was slightly cold: "What do you mean?"
"If I had sent someone to abduct that bitch, there would only be two piles of bones left."
Emperor Yousheng's voice trembled slightly, and he pointed at her and said, "You...you are too cruel..."
Concubine Wan looked up at the person on the phoenix chair and smiled sadly: "Your Majesty, do you believe it? I want to be the queen, but I won't be so despicable."
Emperor Yousheng sighed deeply: "Do you know how people outside evaluate you?"
"They are nothing but Baosi, Daji, Feiyan and Hede."
When Concubine Wan heard the emperor ask this, she became even more angry, her cheeks turned slightly red, and she took a deep breath.
"But they compare me to Baosi and Daji. I really don't know... who are the kings Jie and Zhou?"
Emperor Yousheng pointed at her angrily: "How insolent!"
Concubine Wan opened the brocade box and took out a green jade dragon-shaped seal of the Queen. There was also a gold tablet inside, nine inches long and about five inches wide, as thin as a piece of paper, with dense inscriptions on it.
"Back then, I was entrusted with the Golden Book and the Golden Treasure to exercise the power of the Empress. Today, I have behaved inappropriately and offended Your Majesty. Your Majesty, please take them back."
Emperor Yousheng slowly stood up, glanced at Wan Zhen'er, and walked out of Fengning Palace.
"Your character is still the same as before, strong and domineering, unable to tolerate any grievance."
The long hall was dark and quiet, with only Wan Zhen'er kneeling alone, crying silently.
Emperor Yousheng walked out of the palace without saying a word and went towards the dragon chariot. Eunuch Gao and the giant man with a sword on his back quickly followed.
"Farewell to Your Majesty."
Led by Eunuch Zhang, everyone in Zhaode Palace knelt in unison to see them off.
"The rumors are true. The emperor is very ill."
Zhang Yu quietly raised his eyes and saw that the emperor was only in his forties, but his steps were already unsteady, his eyes were swollen, his face was yellow, and he looked haggard. Compared with the still bright and beautiful Concubine Wan, he seemed to be more than ten years younger.
Emperor Yousheng sat on the dragon chariot and was about to leave when he suddenly looked at the people in Zhaode Palace who were kneeling in the corridor. He turned sideways and whispered a few words. Eunuch Gao came out from the queue and quickly walked up the stairs.
"Commander Li, His Majesty has summoned you."
Zhang Yu was a little surprised and quickly stood up and followed Eunuch Gao to the dragon chariot.
"I, Li Yu, the commander of the Zhaode Palace guards, pay my respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty..."
The emperor's voice was a little tired: "Okay, no need to kneel, I want to say a few words to you."
"Yes."
Emperor Yousheng supported himself on the armrest of the dragon chariot and sat up a little, a smile on his face: "I heard that you blocked the assassin's crossbow and risked your life to save the imperial concubine?"
"Your Majesty, I am only trying my best to help you."
Emperor Yousheng nodded, looked at the setting sun, and said softly: "The storm is coming, I am afraid the harem will not rest in peace. If you protect the imperial concubine for me, it will be a great achievement for you, and I will reward you in the future."
"Wei Chen takes orders."
The dragon chariot gradually went away.
(End of this chapter)