HCB Chapter 202: The Imperial Study
Chapter 202: The Imperial Study
My father has always valued the Crown Prince. Although he is strict with other princes, he never places high hopes on them.
But he would only wear this jade token around his waist when he went to see the empress dowager. The last time he went to see the empress dowager was before the eldest princess' birthday banquet... After the birthday banquet, he didn't pay attention to it. He didn't know when the jade token was lost, and it ended up in his father's hands...
"Do you remember it?"
His father's angry voice sounded above his head.
Prince Chong kowtowed three times on the ground, and blood immediately flowed from his forehead. I hope he can show some sympathy for him because they are close relatives.
However, all he got was suspicion and distrust.
"Since you can't explain it clearly, then go back to your palace and think about it carefully. Don't come out until you figure out how to explain it to me!"
In one word, King Chong was restrained.
He originally thought that his father was angry because he spoke for Censor Huang at an inappropriate time.
But the moment he stepped out of Chongwen Hall, he understood that his father did it on purpose today.
Whether he spoke or not, this result was inevitable.
Unfortunately, he still couldn't figure out why.
He was escorted out of the palace by the Imperial Guards and sent back to the palace. After the gate of his palace was closed, he was surrounded by the Imperial Guards.
He became even more certain that being confined today was not accidental but inevitable.
Over at Shouxiang Palace, Empress Dowager Lan could no longer contain herself when she learned that Prince Chong was suddenly under house arrest.
Last time, when he was punished to guard the imperial mausoleum, she was not panicked at all, because the emperor was only giving her a minor punishment. Although it was for the same thing, scolding her in front of all the civil and military officials in the court, and then confining her, was not of the same nature...
"Xiao Haizi, what do you think the emperor means by this? Why is he sentencing Prince Chong to death at this very moment?"
Xiao Haizi is the old eunuch who has served her for decades.
Everyone in the palace called him Eunuch Hai, except the Empress Dowager, who called him Little Haizi.
"Empress Dowager, ever since Prince Ling recovered, His Majesty's attitude towards you has become worse day by day. I'm afraid what happened today was directed at you..."
Queen Mother Lan sneered, "You came for me? I'm just a woman in the harem, why are you coming for me?"
Queen Mother Lan thought about it and suddenly felt a chill on her back, "No... No... After Prince Chong came out of the imperial mausoleum, the emperor's attitude towards Prince Chong has been very abnormal. This can't be a coincidence... In the past, although he was not close to Prince Chong, there was still some fatherly kindness in his eyes. Otherwise, when he abandoned Prince Ling and fled alone, he would not have been punished to guard the imperial mausoleum... Now..."
The more Empress Dowager Lan thought about it, the more frightened she became. "Quick, set up the imperial study!"
Xiao Haizi had followed the empress dowager for decades and rarely saw such a panicked look on her face. He did not dare to delay and hurriedly ordered the preparation of the sedan chair.
After hurriedly arriving at the imperial study, Emperor Jianning avoided him.
Empress Dowager Lan was furious. Although she was not the emperor's biological mother, she was his legitimate mother. Yet he ignored his filial piety and avoided her!
Empress Dowager Lan was furious and rushed in without any regard for etiquette. Wang Quan did not dare to stop her and could only persuade her with kind words.
But Queen Mother Lan was not listening at this time. She wanted to test the attitude of Emperor Jianning. If he already knew the identity of Prince Chong, she would send a message to Prince Yong to let him make plans early, instead of passively taking the beating like now.
Her inner intuition told her that the sudden departure of Gu Qingrong and his brother from Beijing might be related to Prince Yong!
Since Mu Ruge was taken away, in order to avoid attracting attention, she has not exchanged letters with King Yong for a long time. Occasionally, she wrote one or two letters, saying that everything was fine and nothing important had happened.
However, being too calm can be a bit eerie!
When Emperor Jianning heard the commotion outside, he knew that Empress Dowager Lan had taken the bait.
He lowered his head and raised the corners of his mouth until she angrily walked up to him. He pretended to look up casually, "Why is my mother here..."
Wang Quan was embarrassed, "Your Majesty, I really don't dare to stop you..."
Emperor Jianning did not blame him and waved his hand to let him leave.
Queen Mother Lan found a place to sit down and started to complain as soon as she sat down, "The emperor suddenly banned Prince Chong's foot. What exactly is he trying to do?"
Emperor Jianning was stunned. "The news reached my mother's ears so quickly? It seems that the people around me are really unreliable..."
Queen Mother Lan said angrily, "Don't play dumb with me! You scolded him in front of all the civil and military officials in the court, and even confined him to his house. How can he save face? How can he gain a foothold in the court in the future!"
Emperor Jianning listened to these questions one after another, and there was already anger in his eyes, "Mother, are you saying that my own son has done something wrong, and I can't discipline him?"
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Lan felt a little less suspicious!
Fortunately, he also said that this was his son, so it seemed that he didn't notice it. She was just being overly suspicious...
But she was not completely relieved, and her tone was not as cold as before. She looked like a grandmother who loved her younger generation. "It's not that you can't discipline him! You have to take care of his face! He is a prince after all! In front of all the ministers, if you lose his face, how can you, as his father, save face?"
Emperor Jianning's expression did not ease, but was filled with doubt, "Mother, what you mean is that he secretly sent someone to assassinate his uncle, and pretended to be afraid of death and left him to die in order to get rid of suspicion. Is this correct?"
The anger that Empress Dowager Lan had just suppressed suddenly rose again, "The emperor keeps saying that he sent someone to assassinate his uncle, but where is the evidence? You can't just say whatever you say is true, right? Why would he go and assassinate his uncle when he was fine?"
Emperor Jianning began to speak in a sarcastic tone, "Yes, why did he go to assassinate his uncle? I can't figure it out either... Just like when my brother was poisoned after drinking a cup of tea in Shouxiang Palace... Why did my mother harm Prince Ling for no reason? Could it be that Prince Ling was blocking my brother Prince Yong's path?"
Something broke in Empress Dowager Lan's head.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I didn't hurt him!"
Emperor Jianning no longer wanted to hear such talk. "Whether it is harmful or not, my mother knows it best. Prince Ling is very close to me and is my right-hand man in the court. You wish you could cut off my arms and leave me isolated and helpless. Don't think I don't know anything!"
Queen Mother Lan stood up excitedly, "Do you know what you are saying? If your father is still alive, wouldn't he be sad? You are so suspicious of me and your own brothers! After Prince Yong came of age, he has been staying in his fiefdom to guard the gate of Da'an! Youzhou is bitterly cold, he went through life and death, even if he has no merit, he has worked hard. Now, you have wiped it out with just a few words!"