Chapter 86 Three Nights in the Palace

The night was already deep, the imperial study was quiet, the Qing Emperor was diligent in his political affairs, his favor to the harem was naturally much less, like this night this kind of not sleeping in the harem, but sleeping directly in the imperial study was extremely frequent, so the eunuchs had already prepared a set of appliances.

A breeze drilled in from the edge of the window, obviously not blowing into the lamps that have a glass barrier, but somehow still let the interior light darken a little.

“Yes, I heard that he stole the Empress Mother’s childhood wear a piece of water green jade pennant, was interrogated for a while, couldn’t deny, watched for an opportunity to kill himself.”

Eunuch Yao very simple and clear to His Majesty the emperor to tell his grasp of the original cause, did not add a word.

“Shui Qing’er Jade Peninsula?” The emperor frowned, seemed to be thinking about this thing, a moment later, he smiled and said, “Come to think of it, that’s what the empress wore when she was a child, remember that it was the father’s father that year who gave it to her family after he had contracted this marriage, it seemed like the father had just ascended to the throne not too long ago at that time……. The palace was in chaos and ruthlessness, and this object child is also not what top quality, but when I was a child, the empress liked it very much and always wore it.”

He frowned, pulling out from this rare warm memories, and said indifferently, “Remember that it is carved with a cloud pattern.”

Eunuch Yao was silent for a moment, wondering what His Majesty’s mood was.

“Although the Empress likes it, it’s not so bad that she would cane a palace maid for such a trinket.” A cold smile spread across the corners of the Emperor’s lips as he said, “Isn’t she known as the most lenient master in the palace? Virtuous and benevolent, benevolent mother of the nation, has always played extremely well, how come she broke on this small matter?”

Obviously eunuch yao said that the palace maid committed suicide in shame, but the emperor directly said caning, people in the palace one more than one shrewd, who all understand what is the truth that these names are used to cover up.

“You secretly check what is going on.” The emperor picked up the zhangzhi again and returned to calm.

The palace had long since returned to its seemingly eternal calm, and no one had expected that Eunuch Yao was leading a few old eunuchs in secretly investigating what was going on. However, the emperor did not seem to be too concerned about this matter, for several days without asking for follow-up news.

Another night, Eunuch Yao respectfully reported back, “There is no problem with the death of the palace maid.”

The emperor nodded and said, “Got it.”

“It’s just that, the afternoon before that palace maid’s accident, she went to Guangxin Palace to deliver a roll of embroidered cloth, and the batch of foreign cloth that the Empress Mother had asked for from Dongyi City the day before arrived, and as a rule, it was sent to all the palaces the next day, and there was no problem with it.” Eunuch Yao added a sentence.

The emperor slowly withdrew his gaze from the zhangzhi, glanced at him, hung down again, and said, “I see.”

“The Crown Prince was in Guangxin Palace at the time.” Eunuch Yao lowered his head to the point where it couldn’t go any lower.

The emperor gently placed the medallion on the table, thoughtfully, without repeating the three words, “I know,” he directly ordered, “Have Hong Zhu come over.”

Hong Zhu knelt in front of his majesty’s low couch, his face was like earth, his legs trembled, even the cotton robe in front of him was shaking out layers of ripples.

He wasn’t faking it, but was truly terrified – he had thought that this clue arranged by Lord Fan Jr. was buried extremely deep and seemed to have nothing to do with him, and should have kept him far away from this matter, not expecting that he would be kneeling in front of the Nine to Five in the middle of this late night.

The emperor did not look at him squarely and asked directly, “A palace maid died in the Eastern Palace?”

“Yes.” Hong Zhu did not dare to have half a hesitation, in order to show his frankness and sincerity, but also desperately squeezed his lungs, striving to this should be incomparably dry, however, the airflow is too strong, even let him some broken voice, sounds very hoarse.

The voice of his reply echoed in the imperial study, a little harsh and hard to hear. The emperor imperceptibly frowned and said, “Lower your voice …… to tell the situation at that time.”

Hong Zhu honestly told the Empress why she remembered the jade ring, how she started to investigate the palace, how she found out about the palace maid, who conducted the interrogation, and how the palace maid committed suicide.

The emperor seems to be listening attentively, but also seems to be a word did not listen in, eyes always fall on the zhangzhi, casually asked: “that courtesan hit the column, you can see with your own eyes?”

“No.” Hongzhu answered without hesitation, deep down inside called for a fluke, if not at that time the Empress has other things to leave themselves, this time promised to break not so natural.

The imperial study fell into a calm again, after a long time, the emperor suddenly raised his head, seemingly smiling but not smiling, looking at Hong Zhu, said: “Why are you so afraid today?”

Hongzhu swallowed a mouthful of saliva, face naturally shows fear and self-blame mixed look, kneeling on the ground one side kowtow one side said mournfully, “slave is responsible for the grace, that the news of the courtesan suicide did not come in time to report, slave should die.”

The emperor was stunned, laughed, scolded: “I let you go to the East Palace to serve the Empress Dowager, but not let you go to be a secret agent, this kind of small matter, of course you don’t need to report me to know.”

Hong Zhu nodded his head like pounding garlic, but in his heart he was thinking of something else. A year ago, he was expelled from the imperial study to the eastern palace by the emperor who had always favored him, in the eyes of outsiders it was of course because Fan Xian had spoken ill of him in front of the emperor, but only he himself knew clearly that his majesty was only using this as an excuse to let himself go to the eastern palace to be a gold medal little undercover agent, and that during this year, he had done a good job as this little undercover agent.

He consoled his own cowardice in his heart, and thought to himself, even his majesty doesn’t know who he really is, so what’s the point of shaking a little?

The emperor was about to open his mouth to ask something, but suddenly frowned and stopped his mouth, turning to say, “This year in the Eastern Palace, how is the Empress treating you?”

“The Empress treats her subordinates with extreme generosity, and a group of lackeys are pleased and convinced.” Hong Zhu said this artfully.

The emperor laughed and said to himself in a very low voice, “A palace maid died for a jade jade ring, this …… is considered generous?”

When Hong Zhu left, Eunuch Yao stood quietly by the side of the emperor, waiting for His Majesty’s decree. The emperor was silent for a long time before saying, “Hong Zhu didn’t tell a lie. That courtesan’s death really doesn’t seem to be much of a problem, it’s just ……” he smiled and said, “It’s just that the process is too unproblematic.”

Yao eunuch brain shock, understand his majesty’s meaning, since the founding of the kingdom of Qing, all kinds of bizarre deaths in the palace do not know how many times, and then how unseemly intrigue and blood, can be coated with a fair and square reason, however …… often when the reason is too sufficient, the process is too natural, the death itself, but rather questionable! .

“There are some things that I do not believe, and you should not remember.” The emperor calmly said.

Eunuch Yao knelt down.

“Please ask Eunuch Hong to come.”

Eunuch Yao, under hidden fear at this time, did not hear His Majesty’s words clearly, and subconsciously returned, “Little Eunuch Hong just went out.”

The emperor frowned, with a somewhat displeased look. Eunuch Yao immediately snapped out of it, lifting his front flap and running out the door, nearly falling when he crossed the threshold.

Since the day after Fan Xian’s three hundred poems made a scene at the night banquet, which was also the first time the palace had been infiltrated by an assassin in the last ten years, Eunuch Hong, who had been in the palace since the founding of the country, the chief eunuch of that year, had become more and more silent and low-key, and was only willing to sunbathe outside the Hall of Containing Light for the entire day.

But no one in the palace dares to underestimate him, but because of his silence more and more feel the old eunuch unfathomable up. Even now the red man in the palace Hongzhu, in fact, because of his relationship, only now the status.

Even the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, for this old eunuch are maintaining a certain degree of courtesy.

However, today, His Majesty the Emperor called him by his name and said, “Hong Si Itch, what do you think?”

The last time Emperor Qing addressed this old eunuch in this manner, it was to solicit his opinion of Fan Xian, to which old eunuch Hong replied that he thought that Fan Xian was too hypocritical.

Only at such important times when Eunuch Hong’s opinion was needed would the Emperor seriously call him by his first name. In the eyes of an onlooker, this might be a form of disrespect, but the emperor meant just the opposite; he had always thought that addressing Eunuch Hong as Eunuch would make the other party think of a hidden physical ailment, whereas calling the other party by his first name would be a bit more appropriate instead.

Eunuch Hong slightly ricked his body, with a sleepy look, softly returned, “Your Majesty, there are many things that do not lie in how to see, even if you see it with your own eyes, it may not be true.”

The emperor nodded and said, “I have always been a bit suspicious in my nature, I know that this is not good, there is a possibility that I might see it wrong, so I ask you to help me look at it.”

Eunuch Hong respectfully bowed and did not have much to say.

The emperor was silent for a long time and then said, “Cheng Qian has been in good spirits for the past six months, and in addition to his daily tai fu teaching, he also goes to Guang Xin Palace from time to time to listen to Yun Rui teach him the three strategies of governing the country. I am a little curious as to how his body is getting better so quickly.”

Although it is said that nowadays the imperial family rift has appeared, but at least on the surface there is no problem, the emperor is well aware of his own sibling in the power tactics together with the deep research, so in the past is not opposed to the crown prince and the eldest princess to go too close, and even also secretly expressed appreciation, however ……

“Trouble you.” After the emperor finished this sentence, he stopped looking at Eunuch Hong.

Eunuch Hong slowly ricked and retreated out, slowly closing the door to the Imperial Study, walking a distance away, looking back at the light inside, sighing in his heart and saying to himself, “Since I know I’m paranoid, in the end why should I say that I’m curious …… Your Majesty, ah, this nature of yours should be changed. The future of the Kingdom of Qing can be at your whim.”

A few days later, a doctor died of a sudden illness. A few days later, a nobleman from a distant clan’s residence fell off his horse during an outing. A few days after that, a fire suddenly broke out in the famous Hui Chun Hall in Kyoto, killing a dozen people.

On the night of the fire, Eunuch Hong appeared in front of the emperor again with a wooden face and reported in an old voice: “I checked the Imperial Hospital, and the doctor died. When I checked the clan’s residence, the nobleman also died. When the old slave found out about Hui Chun Tang, Hui Chun Tang burned down.”

Tonight, His Majesty, the Emperor of Qing, did not review the sangha, and listened very carefully to Eunuch Hong’s return, and after hearing these words, the corners of his lips flashed with a wry smile.

“Someone is trying to hide something. And whether it’s in the palace, in the capital, there aren’t many people who can get ahead of you in everything.” The emperor said calmly, “Her methods have always been my favorite.”

Eunuch Hong did not speak. Rapunzel’s means, the whole world is clear, only in these years has been no room to exert, if this kind of means to help his majesty balance the dynasty, the sword on the world, his majesty of course love, but if used in the destruction of traces, deceiving the king to conceal the upper, his majesty of course …… very unloved!

Eunuch Hong took out a pill from his bosom and handed it over, saying, “Only one pill was snatched.”

The emperor gently pinched and played with his fingertips, and with a slight force, the pill shattered as much as it could, with a strange fragrance. His eyes were indifferent, and he said, “Really good medicine.”

Eunuch Hong calmly said, “It is possible that it was planted.”

“So …… something still needs to be seen with your own eyes.” The emperor said, “Rest first, no matter how this matter ends up, don’t tell mother.”

Eunuch Hong answered and retreated. He knew in his heart that even with his own identity, but there were many things in this palace that still could not be seen.

The breeze blew the buildings in the palace. In a garden not far from Guangxin Palace, the Emperor of Qing in yellow shirt flashed out from behind a tree, slightly bowing his head, in his heart, he felt a little strange, obviously Hong Si Itch had already made such a big commotion, why didn’t she tighten up a bit?

However this hint of doubt had long been shattered by the anger and absurdity in his heart, the emperor’s eyes were filled with an emotion of defeat disappointment and disorientation.

The middle-aged man did not go back to his chambers, still resting in the imperial study.

During this night, he pondered for a long time, then asked Eunuch Yao, who was serving beside him, a strange question, “Could Hong Zhu know anything?”

Eunuch Yao shook his head nervously and advised a few words. He had to keep Hong Zhu alive under His Majesty’s hidden rage in order to keep himself as safe as possible as well.

“I want to kill him ……,” said the emperor, frowning, “I want to …… kill everyone in this palace.”

Then he calmed down and commanded in an unusually cold tone, “Declare President Chen to enter the palace.”

Sweating profusely in the winter sun, Eunuch Yao was like an amnesty and hurried out of the palace straight to Chen Yuan to find that great savior. Not long after he left the house, a loud bang came from the imperial study, sounding like that expensive five-foot bottle had been pushed to the ground.

It was unknown what kind of thing could make His Majesty, the Emperor of Qing, who had always changed his face in the face of the eastern mountains, make such an angry outburst.

“There won’t be any problems there at the Hall of Returning Spring, right?” In the Chen Garden, the old cripple who had been in a wheelchair for a long time said to his closest comrade beside him, “I don’t want to make a mistake at the last moment.”

Fei Jie, who had a head of dazzling hair, said, “What could go wrong? Even though it’s Hong Si Itchy himself, every step in the palace is in your calculations and won’t let them catch anything.”

“Very well.” Chen Pingping closed her eyes and thought for a long time, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes bloomed like chrysanthemums, then she opened her eyes and slowly said, “I’m thinking of a question, should I make Hong Zhu disappear.”

This was a very strange question. The reason why the emperor thought of this occasionally was because in his rage, he subconsciously wanted to kill all those who were in the know who could potentially guess the royal scandal, and he immediately reacted at that time and did not make this decision. Then what was the reason for which Chen Pingping would think of killing Hong Zhu?

Chen Pingping frowned and said, “After counting, amongst this whole thing, there is only Hong Zhu, the thread that could go wrong.”

Fei Jie shook his head, “Although we were the ones who found a way to let Hong Zhu see this matter, it is obvious that His Majesty did not know about it through this little eunuch.”

A shocking truth was elucidated in these two lines of dialog, and it also illustrated the great doubt that had been hovering in Fan Xian’s mind, but there had been nowhere to ask anyone about it.

Although Hong Zhu is the chief eunuch of the East Palace, but what makes him so lucky …… or so unlucky that he would actually find out the yin and yin private matters between the Princess and the Crown Prince?

It turned out that …… even Hong Zhu was only the pawn that Chen Pingping had used to set off the waves in the first place.

“Because of this, I feel that this little eunuch is somewhat impervious.” Chen Pingping frowned and said, “He is obviously the nail that His Majesty put in the Eastern Palace, after knowing about this matter, why has he never reported to His Majesty? So much so that I would have thought that I would have to wait another two months before this matter could be stirred up.”

“Perhaps it is because he knows that if this matter were to come out of his mouth, he would die for sure.” Fei Jie said, “Those who can climb up in the palace are certainly not stupid.”

Chen Pingping suddenly smiled and said, “Hongzhu can always hold back, I admire …… just that His Majesty finally still knows, very good.”

Fei Jie also smiled, his smile was a bit gloomy, “You have a good successor, I have a good student.”

Chen Pingping nodded with a contented smile, “Until now, he has not figured out how he arranged it, this alone shows that he has grown quite a bit.”

This old cripple knew that Hong Zhu was the emperor’s beloved, but did not know that Hong Zhu was Fan Xian’s man.