Hibiscus Tent: The Prime Minister’s palm is reborn

The moon sets and the stars sink, and the sky is about to brighten.

Liang Qian sat up from the bed, and as she opened the curtain with her fingers, a string of tinkling bells rang out, breaking the dead silence in the deep palace room.

The entire inner hall was dimly lit and dark, completely devoid of its former colorful and dazzling appearance.

Liang Qian's feet had just touched her shoes when a palace maid walked into the inner hall to light the lamp, and the rest followed closely behind, holding basins, dishes and clothes in their hands.

Jinlan lowered her head, stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Queen Mother."

She is an elder in Hanguang Palace, and has always acted in a way that is somewhat like Xianglan, very cautious.

Since Xianglan left the palace and went to Zixiao Temple, he took over the position of head.

After Liang Qian responded lightly, she followed a familiar routine of washing and changing clothes.

She had gone to bed late last night and had been half asleep and half awake the whole night. Now she felt completely exhausted, so she just let them do whatever they wanted.

During the national mourning period, people kept everything simple, which saved a lot of trouble.

The emperor's sudden death did not cause a panic, but it should have been a bit hasty. However, on the contrary, all affairs inside and outside the palace were in order.

He had already arranged everything she could think of, so she didn't have to worry too much.

Even the mourning clothes for her, the empress dowager, were prepared in advance.

Perhaps, he had already started taking care of these affairs after his death on his way back.

If not for this, she would not have known that all the palace dresses and jewelry presented to her in the past had been screened by him in advance.

Liang Qian glanced at the plain and tired face in the bronze mirror and asked, "How is the emperor?"

Jinlan pinned a white flower in her hair and replied, "She is still unconscious. Minister Qian is watching over her."

Liang Qian said solemnly: "Please take good care of it."

Jinlan bowed to the ground and said, "Yes, please rest assured, Queen Mother."

Liang Huan said no more.

Yesterday, after Qian Ming and Lu Wanying brought Gao Yang, Situ Zhou took out the emperor's will and read it out in public, passing the throne to Crown Prince Gao Yang. However, considering the crown prince's young age, Empress Liang would rule the country before he took power.

In the court, she had the Minister of the Chancellery Lu Xu for civil affairs and the General Wang Tingyue for military affairs. In the harem, she was in charge of the imperial guards and the secret guards. Everything went smoothly. However, Gao Yang fainted as soon as she returned to the palace.

So, she left Gao Yang in Hanguang Palace to take care of him personally, on the pretext that the emperor was in excessive grief.

After all, the new emperor must not make any mistakes at this time.

After a simple meal, she went to pay her respects.

In the outer hall, Lu Xu led all the officials.

When she arrived at the inner hall, the concubines and palace maids knelt in an orderly manner.

Regardless of what they really feel inside, at least on the surface, everyone seems to be holding back tears and looking sad.

Whether it's true or false, she doesn't care.

In addition to the coronation ceremony, the renovation of the previous emperor's mausoleum, the internal affairs of the harem, and the documents from the previous dynasty presented by Lu Xu, she also had to settle the case of Prince Guangping's treason and regicide. It seems that there are quite a lot of matters that need to be handled.

Therefore, even when she was standing by the coffin, she was not simply mourning.

Liang Qian closed the document. She was fine with everything else except treason and regicide. She disagreed with Lu Xu on the matter. Lu Xu believed that they should strike while the iron was hot and eliminate all dissidents in one fell swoop.

However, she disagreed.

Gao Qian's so-called witnesses and evidence are a mixture of true and false, and cannot withstand scrutiny.

As for those people who were dealt with yesterday, one by one, all the high-potential ones who could be killed were killed, and the rest were not easy to touch.

This matter should be resolved as soon as possible to avoid further complications.

What's more, the current situation is not as calm as it seems on the surface.

Liang Qian put down the document and rubbed her eyebrows.

"Empress Dowager, the imperial physician sent someone to say that the Empress Dowager has woken up."

A young palace maid came forward with her head lowered.

Liang Qian hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "Let's go to Renshou Hall."

After walking a short distance, someone caught up with me from behind.

Liang Qian looked back and saw it was Lu Wanying.

"Queen Mother..."

She glanced at the palace maids on both sides, as if she had something to say that was not convenient for outsiders to know.

Liang Qian nodded, and the palace maids and eunuchs bowed and stepped aside.

"What's the matter with Concubine Lu?"

Lu Wanying was dressed in plain clothes, with a look of surprise flashing across her sad face: "I..."

Liang Qian smiled faintly and got straight to the point: "Don't worry, I won't let you guard the mausoleum. Whether you want to stay or leave the palace, tell me when you've made up your mind. As for the Shangshu Ling, I will tell him that it was the late emperor's wish."

Lu Wanying opened her mouth and twisted her fingers: "I..."

Traditionally, concubines in the harem who had no children would either be buried alive with the emperor or go to the imperial mausoleum after the emperor's death. Those who died alive were rare, and usually they would guard the imperial mausoleum.

Liang Qian did not forget that one of the reasons why Lu Wanying entered the palace was to find the Peony Seal and exchange her freedom with Lu Xu.

"Is there anything else Concubine Lu wants to do?"

Lu Wanying glanced at her, lowered her eyes, shook her head, and made way.

Liang Qian nodded slightly and walked towards Renshou Hall.

"...I want to stay in the palace."

After taking only a few steps, a hurried voice was heard behind me, not loud but very clear.

Liang Qian stopped and stood still for a while, looking around expressionlessly. The entire Nancheng Palace seemed to be covered with a layer of white snow, with nothing in sight.

She didn't look back, but squinted her eyes at the palaces in the distance, and said lightly: "Okay, you can choose any palace in the harem."

Gao Yang was still young and not yet of marriageable age. With Gao Qian's death, many rooms in the harem were suddenly vacant.

This was also the reason why she was not in a hurry to move out of Hanguang Palace. After all, she was used to living there and it was close to Taiji Palace. Moreover, the Empress Dowager was living in Renshou Palace...

Lu Wanying hesitated for a moment, but still asked, "...Sister-in-law, do you have my cousin in your heart?"

Liang Qian frowned: "What do you want to say?"

Lu Wanying stared at her and took two steps closer: "I have been in the palace for quite some time. I have seen clearly how your cousin treated you. There is no need to elaborate on your past favor. I just want to say that when he knew he was dying, he went to Renshou Palace to ask your aunt to make you the queen--"

At this point, she paused, her slightly red eyes moistened: "You should also know how many voices of opposition there were at the time, but my aunt still agreed. Do you know why?"

Liang Qian looked at her silently.

Lu Wanying smiled slightly: "He told my aunt that before he died, he had only this one wish. My aunt was stunned for a long time after hearing this, because my cousin had never asked her for anything."

Liang Qian pursed her lips and said nothing.

Lu Wanying shook her head: "Whether it's my uncle or my cousin, they treated you sincerely, but you were so... so heartless... You didn't even shed a single tear. You just treated them as steps to move up."

Liang Qian looked at her and smiled slightly: "Maybe."

It's rare that the Lu family still has a Lu Wanying.

Liang Qian walked around her and moved forward.

As they passed each other, Lu Wanying turned her head and said, "Liang Qian, you really look like the same person."

Liang Qian kept walking.

Lu Wanying watched the departing figure and said, "She looks just like my aunt."