funbook-pk Chapter 351 Catching a turtle in a urn
Chapter 351 Catching a turtle in a urn
The emperor stood up so suddenly that the teacup on the table was knocked over, and tea leaves and water spilled everywhere.
He didn't even have time to wipe the tea that spilled on him, and he talked as he walked.
"Seventeenth brother, I need to go to Shoukang Palace."
"Brother Emperor, I will go with you."
Prince Guo followed him out without hesitation.
He had just started to observe mourning in the thatched cottage on behalf of the emperor today, and the empress dowager's mourning hall caught fire. It would be unreasonable for him not to go and take a look.
Prince Guo narrowed his eyes and looked at the emperor who was striding in front of him, and a hint of ill intent flashed across his face.
The imperial mausoleum under construction collapsed during the day, and the empress dowager's mourning hall caught fire at night. There is a lot to be said about this.
Anyone with ears in the previous dynasty had heard that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were at odds.
If the Empress Dowager was angered to death by the Emperor and therefore did not want to be buried, is that a good reason?
The people are ignorant and foolish. When this matter became known to everyone, how could Yinzhen still have the nerve to sit on the dragon throne?
The more Prince Guo thought about it, the more excited he became. He pinched himself hard to suppress the corners of his mouth that kept curling up.
"Seventeenth brother, the palace has been in turmoil recently. Please be careful when you stay in the thatched cottage."
When they reached the Cining Gate, the emperor said something inexplicably.
Prince Guo was stunned for a moment, then he quickly responded.
"Thank you for your concern, my Lord. The patrols on the palace roads are very frequent, and I trust the palace guards."
"Seventeenth brother, Shoukang Palace just caught fire and is in chaos now. You should quickly return to your thatched cottage and rest."
The emperor gave concerned instructions as he was about to step into the Cining Gate.
"Brother Emperor, I, your humble servant..."
"Old Seventeen, I have guards guarding me. You don't need to worry about my safety."
Under Prince Guo's reluctant gaze, the emperor stepped into the Cining Gate guarded by a row of guards.
Prince Guo didn't believe it, and just as he took a step forward, the cold-faced guard drew out his reflective sword.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor has forbidden anyone from entering. Please don't embarrass us servants!"
"With you all Baturu guarding my royal brother, I am very relieved."
He returned to the thatched cottage with a smile on his face and asked in a low voice.
"Ah Jin, can you tell where the guards guarding Cining Gate come from?"
"Your Highness, before I even got close, I could smell the indelible scent of blood on them. These people have most likely killed someone, and more than one person has died at their hands."
When A Jin came back to get the things, he was questioned by the guards. I guess the other party also saw that he was unusual.
He was able to escape by using the excuse that he had accompanied the prince on a tour and killed a few bandits.
"Master, I am sure those people are not ordinary palace guards. The thatched cottage is right under their noses, so we must pay close attention."
"You are right. When I was young, I overheard my father say that every emperor had his own secret guards."
Unfortunately, the emperor made a mistake and chose a son who was two-faced as his heir.
When the late emperor was alive, he often discussed Taoism with eminent monks, and even spent time every year in the temple to practice meditation, appearing to be indifferent to the world.
Who knew that this man would change his face after he ascended the throne. Not only did he force his own mother, but he also brutally suppressed his brothers who disagreed with his political views.
Anyone who disagrees with him will be met with brutal revenge.
It was because my mother saw through his true nature that she asked to go to Ganlu Temple to practice asceticism.
After just a few years of hard life, he looked older than the empress dowager.
How could Prince Guo, who was almost an orphan, not hate this?
If he had not been favored by the late emperor, he would certainly be content to be an idle prince, but the emperor made him see the supreme power that comes with controlling the world, and he never wanted to let go.
Prince Guo sat in his chair, thinking about how to use recent events to make things difficult for the emperor.
On the other side, the emperor had already entered the main hall of Shoukang Palace under the escort of guards, and the smell of burning curtains had not yet dissipated.
The fire in Shoukang Palace only burned two curtains, and everything was under control.
The emperor nodded with satisfaction and waved his hand into the air.
Then a man in black with only his eyes exposed emerged from the corner and greeted him.
"Your humble servant Xia Qie pays respect to His Majesty."
Others hiding in the dark also knelt on their knees, but did not make any sound.
"Lord Xia, please stand up."
"Has the person been caught?"
Accidents occurred one after another in the palace. The emperor and Xia Qia planned to use the empress dowager's mourning hall to trap the turtle in a jar.
The Ministry of Punishment pried the secret out of the mouth of the fire-cooking maid imprisoned in Chuxiu Palace, saying that someone had tempted her with food and poisoned Huipin's yam and date paste cake.
When Caiyue was in charge of the small kitchen, the palace maid who was in charge of the fire could barely eat until she was 70% full.
Later, the emperor registered Longyue under the name of Shen Meiyu, and Chuxiu Palace was temporarily short of staff. Caiyue spent less time in the small kitchen and could not take care of the palace maid who was in charge of the fire.
In order to get more money for her retirement, Madam Gou, the deputy in charge of the small kitchen, said that her food exceeded the palace servants' share and personally watched over her and did not allow her to take more.
When the master of Chuxiu Palace and the maid in charge were busy observing mourning in Shoukang Palace, the meals of the maid in charge of cooking fires were severely withheld.
Therefore, a meal of ten white flour buns was enough to bribe the palace maid who was only trying to fill her stomach.
When the emperor learned how Longyue was poisoned, he didn't know what to say.
He thought for a long time, and before the palace maid who was in charge of the fire left, he ordered Su Peisheng to give her a large steamed basket of meat buns.
He also ordered all palaces not to be harsh on the food of the palace servants, and if anyone was found guilty, they would be dealt with according to palace rules.
"Your Majesty, I have fulfilled my mission and have captured the suspects. The three men and four women we captured have all had their jaws removed, and our subordinates have already investigated their backgrounds."
There are too many things going on in the palace, and the deputy commander who completed his mission in the imperial mausoleum has returned with his men for support.
Right now, their people are everywhere in the palace, and as soon as the remnants of the previous dynasty show up, they will be wiped out in one fell swoop.
The emperor, who had been stern for several days, clapped his hands for a rare occasion.
"Good, very well done. The arrest of the remnants of the previous dynasty in Shoukang Palace tonight has disturbed the Empress Dowager's peace. Please bring the old Empress Dowager back from the rear hall as soon as possible."
"Wei Chen obeys your orders."
Xia Qi made a few gestures with his hands behind his back, and the coffin placed in its original position was carried away by the men in black who appeared.
Not long after, a coffin carved with a phoenix playing with auspicious clouds was carried out and placed in its original place.
The emperor personally offered three incense sticks to the empress dowager.
"I have something to say to the Queen Mother. Please all retreat outside the palace."
Xia Qi bowed respectfully and then took all his subordinates to retreat outside to guard.
The emperor stood in the hall for a full quarter of an hour before he slowly knelt on the cushion and spoke calmly.
"Empress Dowager, I thank you for having Concubine Lan pass on the filial piety booklet to me. I have already reported your profound sense of justice to our ancestors in Fengxian Hall, so that you will not be embarrassed to speak in public."
"Old Fourteen has also helped me a lot. He used the silver you gave him to forge weapons and armor in the mountains. I have seen the finished products, and their exquisite craftsmanship far surpasses that of the craftsmen in the Imperial Household Department."
"I have ordered the large quantity of military supplies to be delivered to the border. On behalf of the people living there, I would like to thank the Queen Mother for her kindness."
"..."
The emperor chattered for a long time before leaving with a satisfied look on his face.
The young eunuch who was on night watch in Shoukang Palace nodded his head heavily. When he woke up, he found that the eternal lamp in the hall had gone out at some point.
He took out the tinder tremblingly, muttering to himself.
"Please spare me, Empress Dowager. If you have any unfulfilled wishes, please go directly to the prince and grandson..."