Bright Spring

Ms. Xu couldn't sleep even more, her face was always hot, embarrassment and discomfort shrouded in the letter; the feeling of shame was like being stripped naked.

After a long time, Miss Xu had to face the reality: she couldn't hide Duan Xuehen from someone like that, she would definitely be able to search that hole!Xu Niangzi tremblingly said: "Xue hates sister, can you stop talking about it?"

Duan Xuehen's answer was unexpected, her voice said: "What about you?"

After a while, Miss Xu understood what she meant, so she whispered: "Then we won't say anything."

Too many emotions and feelings entangled Ms. Xu, her mind was clear and she did not feel sleepy at all, and finally couldn't help the huge curiosity in her heart, and asked: "Sister Xuehen, who is Duan Yang?" What is the 'that thing'? ?”

A sentence was like a small stone thrown into Dongting Lake, without even an echo.

……

……

(I’ve been a little tired recently, so I’ll update a chapter every day these days, sorry, book friends. But of course I need to update it, so that I can maintain my life.)

Chapter 572 It's Half an Hour

Chinese New Year has always been valued by the world, and people hope that the whole family can be reunited during this festive season.

Zhu Gaoxu remembers the scene of later generations, when the New Year comes, countless people rush home from thousands of miles away, and all the roads are congested; from ancient times to the present, nothing seems to have changed.

However, on New Year's Eve, Zhu Gaoxu led more than 6 army forwards and all naval warships to do the opposite, leaving his family and embarking on the expedition!In such days, Zhu Gaoxu was somewhat reluctant; but in comparison, he still chose the real benefits.Perhaps if the troops were sent out one day earlier, the situation would be better for him.

Zhu Gaoxu stood on the wooden building at the stern of a large ship, looking at the countless warships on the river, watching the grand scene on the water, he seemed to have a lot of emotions for a while.

It was cloudy and not rainy, and the northwest wind was blowing in the sky. The banner with the words "Fighting Crimes and Rebellion" was "crackling" and dancing on the warship.Because of the wind direction problem these days, can't the number of sailors kill me?If I don't do anything, the second brother will feel that I have neither courage nor ability, so there is no need to be too wary of me in the future. "

When Huang Yan heard this, he was speechless, unable to think of words that could persuade King Zhao.

Zhu Gaosui said calmly: "Royal brothers, is it important to have the heart? Our father is the emperor, who dares to say that he has never had the heart (inheriting the throne)? The most important thing is whether he has the strength and ability."

Chapter 573 The Willow Pond

At the beginning of the first month of the second year of Hongxi (the seventh year of Yongle), many government offices in the capital were suspended.

There was no news from the rebels of the King of Han. Some ministers in the court estimated that the rebels would threaten the capital in three months; others estimated that it would be more than two months.Minister of the Ministry of War, Ru Yu, etc., even exaggeratedly said: The rebel army will come to Zhili in half a month!

The important ministers in the court were very anxious at this time, but because there was no imperial decree and residence report, some yamen rested according to the rules.Anyway, most officials can't help at this time.

But Dali Siqing didn't take time off. Compared with the big things he did, the New Year's Eve was nothing.He really wanted to find out the truth about such a serious mystery!Xue Yan's hard work was also reported by the Holy Majesty; the Holy Majesty was very satisfied with Xue Yan's great rewards, and urged Xue Yan many times to find out the truth as soon as possible without worry!

Xue Yan walked towards Chunhe Gate along the brick road.The snow in the twelfth lunar month has not fallen, but the snow on the ground has not completely melted, and people walking on it make a small "quack" sound.

Inside the Chunhe Gate is the Chunhe Hall where the East Palace is located.It turns out that the owner of this place is already the current emperor of Ming Dynasty, who has moved away from this place long ago; just after the new year, the eunuchs and maids did not sweep the snow diligently, and the embroidered hem of Xue Yan's red robe was covered with white snow.

Almost no ministers from the foreign court would come to the Hall of Spring Harmony, even the former officials of the East Palace and the place where they met the crown prince were in the Wenhua Hall in the south.Of course, Xue Yan is an exception. The Holy Majesty has issued several imperial decrees recently, allowing Xue Yan to go anywhere and meet anyone!

Xue Yan walked to the Chunhe Gate, turned around and glanced at the eunuch Haitao and Jin Yiwei Commander Tan Qing, cupped his hands and said, "There is a decree from the Holy Spirit, so I went in. The court officials avoided it, right?"

Haitao clasped his fists and said, "Xue Siqing just rest assured."

The real time of the late emperor's death was not at all the day of the imperial court's funeral, but two days before.Among them, Xue Yan has confirmed the inside story and process from three people: Sheng Shang, Hai Tao, and Tan Qing.

Those who know the story are far more than these people; there are also Empress Zhang, Yuan Gong, Guo Zi, the dead Jin Zhong, and the old officials of the East Palace.However, Xue Yan felt that the person with the motive of killing the king might have a serious background, so he only asked three necessary people;

A group of people entered the Chunhe Gate, but Xue Yan did not go to the "place where the crime happened"; instead, he went to the Chunhe Palace first, where he often stayed when he was the crown prince.

Xue Yan walked into the main hall of the Hall of Spring Harmony, paced around the hall for a while, and then his eyes stopped on the big chair directly north, behind a desk.Looking at the location, you can tell that the chair should be the place where the former crown prince often sat.

Xue Yan walked to the chair, thought for a while, moved the chair away, and moved another Taishi chair over there.He sat down by himself.

Both Hai Tao and Tan Qing stood silently on one side, did not stop Xue Yan, and neither of them said anything.

Xue Yan has also heard a little about the life of the current Holy Majesty before he ascended the throne.The late emperor's discipline was indeed very severe; for a while, today's emperor even went to the embarrassing situation of borrowing money everywhere.

Sitting in this position, Xue Yan felt that the Hall of Spring Harmony gave people a very deep and quiet feeling.He imagined the feeling of a trembling prince sitting here, day after day, but precarious.

Most of the time, the crown prince does not deal with state affairs and government affairs, and the time is so long; the key is that the crown prince thinks that the time will be longer in the future... Sitting here, what will the crown prince think in such an environment and state of mind?

While speculating on the motives of all parties, Xue Yan secretly felt that there was a lot of suspicion today!It's no wonder that the king of Han rebelled and blamed the death of the first emperor directly on the "East Palace".

After the death of the first emperor, the person who can benefit the most from the beginning is precisely today!The reason for the death of the emperor and the succession of the prince is as simple as that.

Of course, these are all Xue Yan's secret speculations.According to common sense, today's Shang (Zhu Gaochi) was already the crown prince at that time, so he shouldn't have to take the risk of doing such unreasonable and unreasonable things

And the most unreasonable thing is: if the killing of the king was done today, then it would be completely unreasonable for the emperor to order Xue Yan to investigate the case...

Judging from the results, the king of Han is also somewhat suspicious; because the biggest beneficiary right now has become the king of Han.It's just that when the King of Han wanted to raise troops, the risks and costs were great, so it must be difficult to predict today's results.So Xue Yan didn't rule out King Han, but thought it might be relatively small.

In addition, Xue Yan also secretly suspected Queen Zhang!Even some of the former officials of the East Palace were also suspected. The motive was that because the crown prince made mistakes, the officials of the East Palace had repeated bad luck and even lost their lives!Xue Yan has worked as a criminal law official since the Hongwu period, and has seen many strange cases. There is almost nothing impossible in the world.

In addition to these people, Xue Yan also believes that there are at least two other types of people with motives.

First, Concubine Guo, who is still imprisoned in the Spring Harmony Palace.This is also the person the Holy Majesty and his confidants are most suspicious of!

Xue Yan now understands why Concubine Guo was imprisoned and members of the Guo family went to prison.

According to what the Holy Majesty said, Concubine Guo and Empress Zhang competed for favor and had deep grievances; Concubine Guo's first child miscarriage was blamed on the empress.The motive of Concubine Guo is that hatred blinds her heart, out of revenge, or she wants her mother to be more precious than her son, so as to defeat the current Empress Zhang... Therefore, she wants to poison the current eldest prince Zhu Zhanji, but she accidentally kills the previous emperor by mistake!

From Xue Yan's point of view, if Concubine Guo really did this, of course she is very stupid!However, these women, even the imperial concubines, may not be very knowledgeable.

Second, the remaining party of Jianwen.After Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, the Qing Dynasty counted a lot of civil and military affairs in the Jianwen Dynasty.It is inevitable that there will be leaks, seeping into the palace, looking for opportunities to revenge!

But this kind of person has not been exposed so far, so people have no clue.

...Xue Yan pondered for a while in the main hall of the Hall of Harmony, and then left the main hall; he asked Haitao to lead the way, and finally went to the "place where the crime happened".

This is his many years of experience in judging cases: first determine the cause of the victim's death; A person who has a chance of committing a crime.

The time since the death of the late emperor was too long, and the section "determining the cause of death" could no longer be done; the most important people, the two medical officers who had personally checked the pulse of the late emperor on the day of the incident, were It was silenced!

Hai Tao and others said that the medical officer was executed because he failed to treat the late emperor and deserved death.But Xue Yan could guess what was going on in his heart, but it was just inconvenient to explain.

Right now, it can only be presumed temporarily that the cause of the late emperor's death was being stabbed with a poisonous needle that was stained with the venom of the silver ring snake.Because those who knew the inside story, when relaying the diagnoses of the two medical officers, said the same, the credibility is relatively high; and besides, Xue Yan did not have any way to prove the cause of death.

...The place is by a pool in the Chunhe Palace.When Xue Yan came to the shore, he saw some willow trees planted by the pool, but only bare branches remained;

Xue Yan walked a few steps, saw a place where the bricks and stones had collapsed by the pool, pointed there and said, "So it was broken? At that time, the eldest prince (Zhu Zhanji) and the eunuch Wang Gou'er dug here mud?"

Haitao nodded and said, "Exactly."

"Was Eunuch Hai personally present when the incident happened?" Xue Yan asked.

Haitao recalled, pondered for a moment and said: "When the servants came, the late emperor had been here for a while. At that time, the late emperor wanted to come to the East Palace on the spur of the moment, but he didn't ask anyone to inform him. After the late emperor arrived in the East Palace, the emperor (Gao Chi) came here in a hurry, and the slaves and servants came running after them..."

Xue Yan looked at it for a while, and then asked: "Did Eunuch Hai see it with his own eyes when the eunuch Wang Gou'er went to dig the mud? Where are the others standing?"