happy day

Wu Luan stayed up all night and didn't sleep. Just after the fourth watch, she changed into a formal navy blue court dress and went straight to the palace. At this time, it was still dark and the gate of the palace hadn't opened yet.

The courtiers who arrived one after another were surprised to see the well-dressed Wen Zhonghou. In the past, Wu Luan was lazy, and he was basically the last to come when he occasionally appeared in the morning court, but today he took the lead and stood at the palace gate early. Longneck waits for the door to open.

Everyone was thinking that Wu Luan probably came here for the affairs of the Liu family, but no one dared to ask, but just said hello and said early.Wu Luan was very anxious, and responded perfunctorily, not in the mood to chat with everyone.

At Maoshi, the gates of the palace were wide open, and hundreds of officials marched in line.Wu Luan pulled away the three lords and six ministers who were the leaders, and was the first to rush into the palace.

He originally wanted to go directly into the Golden Luan Hall, but after thinking about it, it was still inappropriate.Pleading for Liu Chen in the court, wouldn't it be the same as preventing the saint from coming to power in front of everyone?So he turned a corner halfway and went straight to the harem, planning to find a way through the back door from his sister.

Sitting in Fengluan Palace all morning, I drank eight cups of tea on an empty stomach.Empress Wu mentioned the matter of the Liu family's divorce again, thankfully saying that it was fortunate that they divorced a few days ago, otherwise it would be impossible to guarantee that they would not be implicated at this time.After sighing for the wiseness of the sage, and counting the ladies from various families in the court, it seemed that one Liu Yihan had gone, and countless backup forces immediately followed up.In short, I still want my younger brother to give up the idea of ​​being a broken sleeve and embark on the broad road of marrying a wife and having children.

Wu Luan had a headache, "Sister, can we not talk about it today? Something happened to the Liu family, so I don't have the heart to think about anything else."

Empress Wu was stunned for a moment, "The matter of the Liu family has nothing to do with you, why are you still upset about it. My sister told you that Liu Chen contradicted the emperor in court, and the emperor is annoyed at him, so don't touch this bad luck. Besides, Liu Chen also brought up the fact that the East Palace repaired for Zhi'er violated the ancestral system, fortunately the emperor punished him for his crime, otherwise this palace would not be able to make it through."

Just as he was talking, the palace servants announced that the sage had arrived.The two siblings quickly got up to pick them up.

The Holy Majesty was still wearing court clothes, and he opened his hands to ask Empress Wu to change into a homely silk shirt with seawater blue embroidered with silver dragons, took off the dragon boots and put on casual shoes, and sat on the soft bed.He reached out to take the tea from Empress Wu, took a sip, and then said to Wu Luan who was still kneeling on the ground: "Get up."

Wu Luan couldn't get up, and lowered her head, said: "Brother-in-law, you are very discerning, you must have known why I came today. I also understand that Liu Chen provoked your taboo, but he has always been so fond of bullying horns Yes, it’s not pleasing to look at anyone with a straight face all day long. Seeing whoever eats an extra piece of meat will bring out a lot of saintly principles. Do you know? I have never been full in their house, A table surrounded by five or six vegetarian dishes, the only meat dish is fried shredded pork with bean sprouts, I couldn’t swallow it, my ex-father-in-law still stared at me, saying that I was too extravagant and didn’t understand the sufferings of the people? Huihuier came out of their house and I They all have to ask Zhengyang Tower for another duck to fill their stomachs."

Empress Wu didn't expect her younger brother to intercede for the sinful minister, and even called the emperor "brother-in-law", and claimed to be very casual, so she was so frightened that she quickly knelt on the ground, "My concubine's younger brother speaks lies and disrespects the Holy Majesty, please forgive me."

The Holy Majesty smiled, "Qingyan, don't rush to apologize, there is nothing wrong with him calling me 'brother-in-law'. We are a family at first, so this imperial wall has made it very important. The brother-in-law in the ordinary people's family is the most offended No way, now that my brother-in-law is kneeling here and there, my brother-in-law is very guilty."

Wu Luan rubbed her nose, "Your Majesty said that, I can't bear it. I forgot the rules for a while, and I hope the Majesty will forgive me."

Pointing at Wu Luan, the Holy Majesty shook his head helplessly, "I pretended again now, and now I think of the rules? When you were young, you pestered me all day long, and when you got upset, you would roll on the ground and break how many authentic antiques in the prince's house. How many clothes and robes have you wet? Your father wanted to beat you, but it wasn't my brother-in-law who stopped you for you."

Wu Luan also blushed, "It's all about my childhood, is it interesting for you to mention it again?"

The Holy Majesty put the teacup on the tea table on the soft table, "Let's all get up and talk, we are a family behind closed doors, don't talk about so many red tapes."

Wu Luan then got up from the ground with her sister and sat on the stool.

The Holy One said: "I also know the purpose of your coming to the palace, but you came to plead for Liu Chen, you don't have to worry about this matter, I have my own discretion. Fortunately, you withdrew from the marriage of the Liu family a few days ago, Liu Chen's matter doesn't involve you."

Wu Luan lowered her head, "It's not that I'm afraid of getting involved, but now it's said that I resigned because I knew Liu Chen was going to be convicted and was afraid of being implicated by the Liu family. I really have a hard time saying that. Just like half a son, I can't sit idly by no matter what. Your Majesty has always been generous and loving to his ministers, can you spare Liu Chen the death penalty."

His slender fingers tapped on the tea table, "I know Liu Chen is the most upright person, so you don't have to pay attention to what other people say."

"Your Majesty!" Wu Luan raised her head abruptly, and asked inexplicably, "Since Your Majesty knows Liu Chen's character well, why do you still..."

There seemed to be a black whirlpool in the long and narrow eyes of the Holy Majesty, "Wu Luan, I am playing a game of chess, and the useful pieces should naturally be reserved. As for you, if you do your job well, you will relieve my worries. Now Yu Shifu It is much more convenient for people to go home empty.”

Wu Luan was dumbfounded, he suddenly felt that he couldn't see through the Holy Majesty at all.I am already in the middle of this game, but I don't know who else is working for the Holy One.

Wu Luan went out of the palace and looked around to find Liu Yiru, so he thought about it and went to the Ministry of Punishment.

As expected, Liu Yiru had been guarding the gate of the criminal department and was pleading with the gatekeeper, so the man refused to let him in.

Seeing Wu Luan, Liu Yiru quickly came over and asked, "What did your majesty say?"

Wu Luan chose his words carefully, "The Holy Majesty only said that he can trust your father's character."

A glimmer of hope ignited in Liu Yiru's heart, "Will the Holy Majesty say that he will punish my father lightly?"

Wu Luan shook his head, seeing Liu Yiru's gloomy expression, he could only comfort him: "Don't worry, let's find a way slowly."

Liu Yiru closed his eyes, "I want to see my father. Can I ask Lord Hou to accommodate me?"

Hearing that he was so polite and alienated, Wu Luan felt very uncomfortable, "Yi Ru, you don't have to..."

Liu Yiru gave a deep bow, "Thank you, Lord Marquis."

Wu Luan shut her mouth all of a sudden, and after a while she sighed and said, "Let's look for Qin Zheng first."

Wu Luan and Qin Zheng knew each other well, so the guard from the criminal department recognized him, nodded and said, "Uncle Guo, you are here."

Wu Luan pointed to Liu Yiru, "Take me a little brother to meet you Master Qin, is he on duty today?"

"On-duty, on-duty!" The guard graciously moved in, "Master Qin was still talking about you just now, and said that you are here, so please come in immediately."

The two came to Qin Zheng's house together.Qin Zheng came out to greet him, "Yan Qing, I knew you would definitely come today, Yo, Mr. Liu is here too."

Wu Luan's cronies Liu Yiru also know each other, but they don't know each other well, so he clasped his fists and said, "Master Qin, my father is currently locked up in the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, please make it easier for him to let Yiru see his father."

Qin Zheng was in trouble, and looked at Wu Luan, "The death row prisoners are all locked in the innermost part of the prison alone, and no one else can see them."

"Come on, come on, Hongxuan, take a step to talk." Wu Luan pulled Qin Zheng outside the house, "You have to help with this favor, and you have to help if you don't. Brother, I owe the Liu family, even if I die. Pointing to you to help me with this, I can sleep soundly at night."

"You owe the Liu family, but I don't!" Qin Zheng didn't agree.

Wu Luan stretched out two fingers and gestured in front of Qin Zheng, "2000 taels."

"Get out!" Qin Zheng said angrily, "The last time I found someone to act in a play, I paid it off. I even bought a drink from the headhunters in Shuntian Mansion out of my own pocket! How many times do you want to restrain me with the 2000 taels? Is it over?"

"Okay, then I'll go to your house to find my wife!" Wu Luan turned and left, "I told her how those two pieces of embroidery came from."

"Yan Qing, Yan Qing, dear brother, stay a step!" Qin Zheng chased after him, his tone sincere, "Your sister-in-law is holding back her energy and chopping you up with a knife. You are the only root of your Wu family, and it cannot be broken by you."

"I've already lost my sleeves, what am I afraid of?" Wu Luan said indifferently, "I recognize the loss of children and grandchildren, but I'm still afraid that your wife will chop me up?"

Qin Zheng was at a loss for words for a while, he opened his mouth and couldn't think of a rebuttal for a long time. It was not until Wu Luan walked into the room that he bit his back molars and said, "It's just time for a cup of tea."

In order to cover people's eyes and ears, Qin Zheng asked the two to change into the clothes of the jailer, and followed the jailer who delivered the food to the innermost part of the criminal prison.The innermost part is a row of closed rooms made of large blue stones. There is no window in the room, but only an iron door with a small window of one foot square on the iron door, which is used for ventilation and to bring in food and water.

Liu Yiru eagerly pushed at the bars, "Father, are you there?"

It was quiet in the cell.Liu Yiru panicked, and looked through the bars with difficulty, seeing a vague figure on the floor of the cell with a little yellow light.

"Father!" Liu Yiru yelled, and the iron door rattled when it shook.

"What's the matter, what's the matter?" The guard on duty came over, "How can Er and others be allowed to make a lot of noise in the prison of the Ministry of Justice?"

Wu Luan kicked over, "Hurry up and open the door to see why the person is lying still."

The jailer didn't dare to be negligent, "Hey, I ate two corn buns the day before yesterday, don't you just overstuff yourself."

The jailer opened the cell door with the key hanging on his waist, and Liu Yiru was the first to rush in, but when he got close, he was trembling all over and didn't dare to confirm it.

Wu Luan came in holding a torch, and saw Liu Chen lying flat on the bluestone floor covered with straw, motionless, with a few streaks of blood on his mouth and nose.He stretched out his hand to check Liu Chen's breath, it was already cold.

The people from the Ministry of Punishment rushed over when they got the news. Wu did an examination and said that he committed suicide by taking poison. He had been dead for two days, and his body did not rot because of the overbearing poison.

The Ministry of Punishment detained Liu Chen's body, saying that he had to go through the formalities before returning the body to his family.

Wu Luan dragged Liu Yiru all the way out of the gloomy prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice.Ever since he saw his father's dead body, Liu Yiru kept his eyes fixed and remained silent.

All comforting words seemed hollow and pale.Wu Luan tentatively asked: "How is your life with your mother and sister? It's better to move to my house, so that we can take care of us if we live together."

Liu Yiru looked numb, pushed Wu Luan away, and stumbled away.

Looking at his back, Wu Luan only felt a deep sense of powerlessness. They were supposed to be a family, but now there was a gap between them.He couldn't help but miss the intimacy before, it was the friendship that grew up together, and there was no defense between each other.He was the one who ruined all of this with his own hands in order to fulfill his special liking.