The Gilded Cage

The Donggong treason case caused a sensation among the ruling and opposition parties, and Sansi did not dare to neglect, and for half a month, he kept investigating, collecting personal and material evidence one by one.

Because it was involved in matters far away in Bozhou, and Zhao Lun was guilty of fornicating Nanzhao, it took a lot of effort to investigate and verify. Fortunately, Zhao Lun’s case has been investigated for a long time, and only needs to be verified immediately.

The brothers and sisters of the Zhao family were not members of the East Palace, but because of the situation, they had to form an alliance temporarily. Seeing that the general situation was gone, they explained quickly in order to protect themselves. In particular, Zhao Yu'e was unwilling to be dragged down by Xiao Yu, and even pushed all the blame for the mastermind to Xiao Yu alone.

The countless pairs of eyes in Chaozhong stared at the progress of the case. Seeing this situation, even if it was clear that Zhao Erniang's words were somewhat exaggerated, the prince's rebellion was indeed voluntary.

More importantly, when the prince conspired with the Zhao family, he clearly knew that they had colluded with Nanzhao privately, embezzled military payments, and ignored the safety of the people in the past years, but they did not care about it and went their own way!

Not only that, when the Ministry of Criminal Affairs interrogated the ministers of the Donggong, it was discovered that the Donggong had sent people to the north to communicate privately with the Beirong people. It was precisely because of the news from the Donggong that Beirong knew that there would be great chaos in the Great Liang. Dare to provoke suddenly and take the opportunity to robbery.

Such behavior is far from the magnanimity and character talent that the prince should have, and it can't even compare with the ordinary and honest court officials.

The dozens of courtiers in the dynasty who were originally worried and dissatisfied with the succession of Xiao Kezhi were ashamed. After meeting for one day, they stayed together and knelt outside the Taiji Hall and kowtowed to Xiao Kezhi.

"The ministers do not know about the East Palace, and they have repeatedly spoken for the East Palace before, betraying your majesty's pains and trust, and are extremely ashamed of your majesty, and I beg your majesty to punish!"

A group of hanging old men bowed their heads on the hot slate-paved ground under the scorching July sun, attracting the officials and servants on the side to look sideways.

When Xiao Kezhi saw such a situation, he knew that the most stubborn courtiers in the dynasty had been completely surrendered, and would never have two hearts again.

"Okay, the weather is hot. All the princes are cool ministers. Get up quickly." He waved his hand to let the waiters lift them up, and led them to the seats one by one, with a warm smile on his cold face. , "The past is over. As long as the monarchs and ministers work together to work for the welfare of the people of Daliang, it is a good thing."

Seeing that he did not mean to be held accountable, a few people became more ashamed and bowed their heads sincerely.

"The minister has waited for decades as an official in the dynasty. The long-cherished wish of his life is to benefit the community and the people. Your majesty must not abandon it before you have room for display, and you will surely live up to your majesty's trust in the future."

Xiao Kezhi nodded and asked Liu Kang to present them with herbal tea for cooling off the heat and give them food. After a while, he seemed to be inadvertent and said: "This is how the qings are, it reminds me of the time when the grand prince Chu was still in charge of the court. Qingming is a commendable situation for the people. At that time, I was still young, but I also thought that the great coolness in the future should be like that of the day, so that the country can strengthen and the people are safe."

When everyone heard the words "Da Xianggong Chu" suddenly, they were stunned, and then they remembered the drug rebel case that shocked the government and the opposition three years ago.

Back then, almost everyone thought that Chu Qianyu was clearly innocent, but was inexplicably involved. It must be a trap set by the Qi family to seek the post of Zhongshuling. Only the prince understood the righteousness and insisted on marrying Chu's daughter as his wife.

But now I think about it, but no one knows what the prince did in it.

"Your Majesty, there are still quite a few suspicious points in the case of Chu Xianggong that year, and there is some involvement in it when you want to come to the East Palace. The minister thought that you might as well take this opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation." One of them thought for a moment, got up from his seat, and bowed respectfully. He salutes himself and speaks to the emperor.

Xiao Kezhi was waiting for this moment. He nodded immediately and replied: "Yes, since Qing mentioned it, I immediately ordered people to bring this case up again. If there is a real hidden story, I might as well investigate it as soon as possible."

Having said that, he immediately ordered people to go to the Imperial Academy to formulate the decree and send it to the Third Division, ordering him to transfer the case file and retrial.

…

At night, Chu Ning heard that Chu Qianyu's old case had been put on the agenda again, and couldn't help feeling mixed.

She waited for so long. Xiao Yu, who had promised to repay her father's innocence at the beginning, failed to fulfill her promise and instead lied to her. Fortunately, she found out in time and fortunately that Xiao Kezhi was there, and finally waited until this day.

"The people of Sansi have gone everywhere to find the people involved in the case, from the officials who tried the case files, to the people from the Qi family, to the people from the East Palace, and the old people in your family. As long as they have a relationship, they will try their best to find Come out." Xiao Kezhi personally supervised the matter and told her everything clearly. "At that time, they handled it cleanly. They have been working on it for the past two years. It is not easy to find out. I will try to let them take the initiative to confess guilt. ."

Chu Ning listened carefully, and knew in his heart how difficult it was to find out the evidence. The uncle Fang who told her the truth has passed away, and most of the others who knew the inside story were eliminated by Xiao Yu and Xu Rong. There was only one letter from Uncle Fang in her hand. If you look into it carefully, it would be difficult to prove the authenticity.

"Thanks for your majesty's arrangement." She thought for a while and said, "Your Majesty, I want to meet him and ask in person, okay?"

Xiao Kezhi pondered for a moment, but did not immediately respond.

It wasn't that he was reluctant, but he was just worried that if she was allowed to see Xiao Yu at this time, if the trouble was too embarrassing, it would make her feel sad if it touched her past.

However, this is also an unavoidable fact. It is also a good thing to let her solve it personally, and it is a good thing to get rid of the stone that is still in her heart.

"Well, you can see him and Zhao Erniang." He nodded and said, "However, you don't have to go to jail yourself, just let Sansi bring people to you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Chu Ning calmed down, smiled and thanked him, then changed clothes and had a meal with him, and took advantage of the cool night, taking a few more steps outside.

They had walked many roads around the Ganlu Temple, and they even remembered a few lights and a few flowers along the road.

The moonlight was bright and the breeze was cool. Chu Ning looked at the familiar scenery, then suddenly glanced in the direction of the Baifu Hall to the west, and smiled: "In the past few days, I have asked the female officials of the Sixth Bureau to repair and decorate the Qianqiu Hall. I want to be able to move there soon."

She has lived in the Ganlu Temple for a long time, and Xiao Kezhi hasn't even asked her to choose another palace to live in. She will eat and live with her every day. After thinking about it, she only felt that it was wrong, so she let people go to Qianqiu Hall to clean up.

However, when Xiao Kezhi heard the words, he suddenly stopped and asked in amazement: "Why, are you moving to Qianqiu Hall? Isn't it good for Ganlu Hall to live?"

Chu Ning didn't expect him to react in this way, and stopped, nodded, and shook his head: "The Temple of Ganlu is naturally good. But this is your majesty's bedroom, even the queen, there is no reason to live forever. West side His concubine’s sleeping quarters are where the concubines live."

Xiao Kezhi didn't speak, gave her a look, and continued to walk forward slowly.

She was right. The Temple of Ganlu was always the place where the emperor lived alone. The rest of the women, queens and ordinary concubines, all lived in other places.

However, he never told her that he did not intend to let her move elsewhere.

"When I was a child, what I wished most was that the family would stay together every day, the husband and wife would be harmonious, and the children would be around the knees, just like folks." He looked up at the full moon on the horizon, and said what was in his heart. Married, the Ganlu Temple is my home. There is a wife in the house. Where is the reason for letting his wife live elsewhere? Besides, the palace is empty. If you live in Qianqiu Temple alone, you still have to come to Ganlu Temple every day. So busy?"

Chu Ning couldn't help looking sideways, carefully observing his expression, and whispered: "It's empty right now, there will always be people in the future."

"Aning, I haven't told you yet." He stopped again, turned sideways, supported her shoulders with his hands, leaned over slightly, and said seriously, "There will be no more people in Tai Chi Palace. ."

"Your Majesty?" Chu Ning was stunned, looking at him in surprise, some of them couldn't believe whether he meant what he thought in his heart, "How can there be such a reason..."

"This is my reasoning." Xiao Kezhi laughed, his tone of scowling aura is quite a bit like on the battlefield and in the court hall, "My Taiji Palace, only one wife is enough. I said, I don't want to. Being a father-like person, in that case, you should not let anyone down."

Chu Ning stared at him in a daze, and suddenly laughed out: "Your Majesty is always so unusual, and the courtiers know that it is time to talk. Fortunately, everything has stabilized now..."

It was probably because he was always reliable. He had unknowingly melted the shivering shell of her looking forward and backward. She didn't have the slightest suspicion when she heard such shocking words. It was just that her eyes were hot, and she subconsciously believed it.

Who doesn't want his man to be single-minded and focused? In particular, her parents are rare loving couples in Gaomen, and she naturally yearns for such a marriage in her heart.

"Don't worry, they won't care about things in the palace anymore-as long as we work harder and have a few lively and strong children." He turned around and hugged her before she could react. He leaned close to her ear and said ambiguously.

Chu Ning's cheeks were hot, but did not avoid the topic, but took a deep breath and whispered: "Your Majesty, you have to pay attention to this matter, and you have to find the right day..."

Xiao Keyi was stunned. After seeing that she was not joking, he hurriedly hugged her and asked seriously: "You can talk about how to be careful and how to find a life?"

"This matter has something to do with my Guishui..." Chu Ning thought of what Feng Yu had said before, and listened to him one by one.

Xiao Kezhi listened very carefully, keeping a few days in mind, thinking about it, and slowly said: "In this way, I should work harder on weekdays, and in those few days, I have to work harder..."

…

In the prison, the atmosphere was dark and humid.

Xiao Yu sat silently and witheredly on the shabby futon, the pleated prison clothes lining his thin body thinner and thinner, a dazzling sunlight shining through the window, illuminating his withered wood face bleakly.

The jailer never treated him harshly. Although the daily meals and water were not comparable to those in the court, they were provided on time and in quantity. He still tied his hair tiara meticulously, and his appearance was neat, but his whole person seemed to have been taken away from most of his anger.

"Open the door and bring people out." The jailer guarding outside quickly stepped forward, opened the door of the cell, and gestured at him, "It's time to go out."

Xiao Yu moved his eyes, slowly got up from the futon, did not ask, pursed his lips and stepped out of the cell.

In these days, he had to be arraigned almost every day. At first, there was some reaction. Now, he is almost numb, and there is no more fluctuation.

It is more able to consume a person's will than to be isolated in a narrow space of heaven and earth, rather than happily succumbing to death.

"Go this way." The jailer stopped him from going to the place where he was usually tried. "Today I'm going to Tai Chi Palace."

Hearing the three words "Tai Chi Palace", he suddenly reacted.

"In Tai Chi Palace, who wants to see me?"

"It's your Royal Highness the Queen."