Fake concubine, real queen

The meaning of Lan Shu's question was only understood by Pei Zhaoheng, and the other two——

Lord He Xiaohou was confused, and Commander Zhou was even more confused.

The atmosphere was very embarrassing for a while, but fortunately there was a Zhou Yufei who had a bigger heart than He Gu, and he didn't notice anything wrong at all, but he couldn't understand what they said like playing a charade, he just thought he was a rough person with a stupid brain It's not easy, and I didn't get entangled in it, so I changed the subject very naturally, and asked He Gu and Pei Zhaoheng, "Why are you two here? Last night was New Year's Eve, and today is the first day of the new year. Don't you have a banquet?"

He Gu remembered what happened last night, and felt mixed feelings for a moment, he was silent for a while before recounting yesterday's palace banquet with the three of them in detail.

After he finished speaking, both Zhou Yufei and Lan Shu's expressions changed drastically.

Zhou Yufei was startled and said, "What? Who did it? Could it be that he really slaughtered the entire temple in Zongshan? He really has a vicious heart. What exactly is he planning?"

In such a cold and snowy day, Lan Shu was so anxious that a few drops of bean-sized sweat appeared on her forehead. She had served Empress Chen since she was a child, and she had an unusual relationship. She was later ordered to take care of the two. Little master, at this moment, her heart was really fried, and she said anxiously: "What? What kind of guard without eyesight actually said this in front of the empress... and said such a sensational thing, how could the empress hear this? This time the empress is definitely going to get better!"

Yesterday, when Zhengye told Pei Zhaoheng what happened when He Gu rushed out of the city, due to the rush of time, Zhengye only gave a general outline. Now after hearing He Gu's words, Pei Zhaoheng knew the details of yesterday's incident. He held the knife handle For a moment, he exerted so much force that his knuckles turned slightly white.

Seeing his expression, He Gu knew that the Third Highness was probably worried about Empress Chen. He chased him out of the city because of himself. Zhou Yufei and Lan Shu in the suburbs of Beijing, and then thinking about the suspicious messenger guard last night, He Gu could clearly distinguish the priorities, and naturally knew that at this moment, the most important thing was the empress in the palace.

They didn't dare to delay any more, they hurriedly called Cheng Wei who was in the yard, and hurriedly said goodbye to the young couple of the host's family, then hurried back towards the capital.

----------------------

The imperial palace, Zhiyang Palace.

There is only a screen between the inner hall and the outer hall. Inside lay the unconscious, high fever, and muttering Empress Chen, while outside was surrounded by a group of people. The emperor who came out of the water also included the crown prince, the second prince, Chen Yuanfu, the elder brother of Empress Chen, Mrs. Chen, etc., as well as a group of accompanying officials and maids.

After a long while, several palace talents came in from outside the hall, leading an old imperial doctor with a hunched body and a medicine box on his back. When the emperor saw the old imperial doctor, he continued to ask, "Did A Rong take it yesterday?" The medicine from the hospital has not shown any signs of waking up to now! I have a fever, what is going on? Why is this medicine useless? When will people wake up?!"

The old doctor was getting old, and the emperor's series of stern questions, how could he bear it, and hurriedly wiped the sweat from his brow, tremblingly said: "This... this... The medicine must be fine. Why the empress is still awake, and why she has a fever, I have to wait for the old minister to see it before I can know..."

The emperor shouted, "Go and see!"

Several court ladies hurriedly led the old doctor into the inner hall.

The emperor felt even more anxious, and his pace became faster and faster. All the people present were silent, watching their noses, noses, noses, and hearts, and did not dare to show their spirits. Everyone knew that they must not touch it at this moment. Otherwise, if His Majesty's current appearance was angered, he might lose his life.

The prince is more courageous.

He stood up and bowed his hands to Junfu and said: "Father has guarded the queen mother for a whole night. The queen mother's body is important, but the health of the father and dragon is related to the country and society, and it is more important. The father should rest. The queen mother is here. There are still servants guarding."

The emperor was silent for a while, and said: "The queen is like this, how can I rest?"

After a pause, he said again: "Have you asked someone to interrogate the messenger?"

The crown prince said: "Returning to the emperor's words, I have asked people to ask them carefully. He is indeed under the command of the Twelve Guards Tengshe. Half a month ago, he and several others went to Zongshan under the order of the mother to visit the emperor's sister. , I just came back last night, but I don't know how... I asked him to break into the palace banquet hall, and that's why..."

He said again: "Perhaps it is Zongshan's matter, which is related to the safety of the imperial sister. He was anxious for a while and forgot about it, so he rushed into the palace to report in a hurry, which shocked the queen mother."

The emperor hurriedly said: "Even if something happened to the eldest princess, he should report to me first! The New Year's Eve palace banquet is going on, so many royal relatives and female relatives, he is so indifferent, regardless of the occasion, isn't it true? I intend to frighten the queen!"

He turned his head to look at Pei Zhaolin again, and said angrily: "You are in charge of the Twelve Guards of Xuanji now, and this person can be regarded as yours. I trust you, and I promise you to organize the New Year's Eve palace banquet and be in charge of the palace patrol. You come here Explain why this person survived the heavy patrols and rushed to the banquet, what did I tell you to do, and what did you do!"

The second prince had expected such an incident a long time ago, but even though he was mentally prepared, he was so frightened by the emperor's thunderous anger that he almost lost his footing. Hearing this, he immediately knelt down with a plop, kowtowed and explained: "... I have heart palpitations. Before today, my son didn't know about it. How could that person know? She wanted to disturb the queen mother."

The emperor was silent for a while, then suddenly sneered, and said, "Oh? You have an opinion, why, could it be that he is still loyal to the Lord and has no fault at all?"

Pei Zhaolin hurriedly said: "I don't mean that...it's just...it's just that this person went to Zongshan in person after all. The most urgent thing right now is to confirm whether the imperial sister in Zongshan is safe or not, rather than to investigate his guilt."

"I know that the father doesn't believe that something happened to the imperial sister in Zongshan, but such a big event is not a child's play, it is related to the safety of the imperial sister. Although the mother's body is important right now, what is the situation at the Lianhua Temple in Zongshan? , what happened to the imperial sister, isn't it equally important?"

"In that case, can you send someone to see it?"

"Returning to the emperor's words, the time is short, this... but this has not happened yet, and the minister immediately sent someone to look."

The emperor didn't say a word, but walked slowly to the kneeling Pei Zhaolin, and said coldly: "Raise your head."

Pei Zhaolin's back was stiff, but he didn't dare to be disobedient. He trembled twice, but still raised his head.

As soon as he raised his head, what awaited him was a slap in the face from his father who didn't show any mercy.

The emperor raised his hand and "slapped" and left a clear five-fingerprint on Pei Zhaolin's face. Pei Zhaolin was almost stunned by the slap, with burning pain on his face, but he didn't dare to make a sound, or even raise his hand to touch his face. I don't know where I got the wrong answer, which angered the emperor, and made the always kind emperor angry at him, but the matter has come to this point, he can only kowtow again and again, crying: "Please calm down, father!" , Father, please appease your anger."

The emperor's chest rose and fell rapidly, looking down at him, he was panting very rapidly, it sounded "ho ho", a little scary, it took a long time to calm down, and said coldly: "... I... I trust you, love I respect you, I entrusted you to command and take care of the mysterious twelve guards, and entrusted you to handle the New Year's Eve palace banquet, but you...not only ruined the errands I entrusted to you, but now your mother has a high fever all night long. Retire, lying in this hall, unconscious and unknown, yet you can still say 'not the most important thing', where is your filial piety? Have you let the dogs eat it?!"

Pei Zhaolin's mind was buzzing instantly, and he was at a loss what to do for a moment, he could only kowtow repeatedly: "I don't mean that, I mean that the Queen Mother's body doesn't matter, I just think, Zongshan..."

The emperor said angrily: "That's enough! I don't want to hear any more! Did the messenger rush into the palace in a moment of urgency, or did someone deliberately let him in? Is there something real about Zongshan, or was someone specially instructing him to come in?" Tell him to summon him like this, even if you are really so incompetent, you can’t handle the errand entrusted to you by your father, or do it on purpose, with ulterior motives! I don’t want to pursue it anymore today, you get out, get out Go out of your mother's empress Zhiyang Palace, I don't want to see you!"

Pei Zhaolin had never seen the emperor's father get so angry. He kowtowed his head halfway, and when he heard the last sentence, he raised his head in a daze. His mind was buzzing, and he almost felt that the sky was about to collapse.

Chen Yuanfu, Uncle Chen Guo, who had been standing silently by the side, suddenly said: "After all, the Twelve Guards belong to the Fifth Division of Gyeonggi, and now His Highness the Second Highness is in charge of the Gyeonggi Imperial Army. It is reasonable to ignore the matter, take the wrong idea, and misuse the errand, so there is no need for His Majesty to be too harsh on His Majesty."

Chen Yuanfu's words seemed to be speaking well for Pei Zhaolin, but there were pits buried everywhere in what he said. Pei Zhaolin knew that his uncle was in charge of Luoling and Chenghe guarding the camp, and he already held the imperial court in his hands. More than half of the military power, so the emperor's father didn't feel suspicious at first, and he was willing to hand over the twelve guards to him, which made Pei Zhaolin very happy. Doesn't the emperor's trust in this move mean something?

But how excited it was, how creepy it is to hear Uncle Chen's words now. This uneasy and kind old fox seems to say good things, but every word is full of heart-breaking words. Isn't it true what he said? Is it implying that his family, Wen's family, won more than half of the military power and the position of the Imperial Guard in Gyeonggi, and he was born with a heart of disobedience, which is why he wants to scare the prince's aunt, the current empress?

But he dares to swear that he has no such intentions!

Pei Zhaolin felt depressed and aggrieved for a moment, but he couldn't find any words to excuse himself. Just now, the gentleman's father was so angry again, and now he is really complaining about every day and being ineffective, as if he is surrounded by enemies.

At this moment, a woman's voice suddenly came from outside the hall.

"Your Majesty! Lin'er also made unintentional words and mistakes. This child has always been stubborn and simple-minded. How can he think so much? With such vicious thoughts, Your Majesty must not misunderstand Lin'er! "

The person who came was a tall, beautiful woman in her 40s wearing a goose yellow palace dress. She had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and heroic features. She was none other than the second prince's biological mother, Concubine Wen Gui.

Concubine Wen was followed by two young men aged seventeen or eighteen, they were all travel-stained, they had just returned to the palace to go to Empress Chen's Palace, when they bumped into Concubine Wen's He Guyu who happened to be heading to Zhiyang Palace Pei Zhaoheng is gone.

Seeing Concubine Wen Gui, the emperor frowned first, and said, "Why are you here?"

Then he saw the third prince and son-in-law behind her, he was stunned and said: "Heng'er, why are you back?"

After the two saluted, Pei Zhaoheng said: "Jiang Luo's errands have been explained, and the minister wanted to rush back to celebrate the new year with his father, queen mother, but he came late, and the queen mother..."

Just at this time, the old doctor who was treating the queen in the inner hall came out, and everyone was shocked when they saw him coming out, and they surrounded him one after another. The emperor immediately asked, "What's the matter with the queen?"

The old imperial doctor sighed, put the medicine box on the ground beside him, and made a gesture to kneel and kowtow, the emperor hurriedly supported him and said urgently: "Why are you kneeling, the imperial doctor said, how is the queen?"

The old imperial doctor was supported by the emperor and did not kneel down, so he cupped his hands and shook his head ashamedly said: "The old minister is incompetent, the empress has some old diseases, and her foundation is also weak, and she is most afraid of palpitations and worries. It's not that it can't get better slowly, but the pulse condition of the empress is full of stagnation and worry over the past few days. She was injured in the body of the phoenix, but she was frightened again yesterday, and fainted for a while. Not retreating, raving again and again."

The emperor was anxious when he heard this, and hurriedly said: "Then what should we do? Do you need to give acupuncture or take medicine? Physician Wen has an idea!"

Physician Wen waved his hands again and again, and said: "This is a terrible experience, and now the medicine can't be poured down. Even if you give acupuncture, it can only relieve a little bit, but the empress can't get over it, the fever won't go away. Go on, when to wake up, it can only depend on the empress herself, and the old minister is also helpless."

The emperor said angrily: "What does it mean to look at A Rong herself? What will happen if she can't survive? Isn't Imperial Physician Wen also practicing medicine in the palace for decades, why is he helpless? Could it be that Qing meant to Tell the queen to fend for herself!"

Physician Wen said: "If you can't make it through, and the high fever persists for a long time, you are lucky, you can save your life, but your brain is probably not good...Old minister...Old minister is incompetent, I'm sorry Your Majesty, I really can't think of it. There is a way..."

The old doctor shook his head and sighed. On his old face, there was helplessness and powerlessness, but he was not afraid. He looked like a dead pig who was not afraid of boiling water. The appearance of the emperor's treatment,

He Gu: "..."

He finally understood that shamelessness was probably the reason why this old man was able to practice medicine in the palace for decades and still live to this age.

He Gu turned his eyes to look at the expression of His Highness the Third Highness, and sure enough, he saw that his face was a little pale, and his lips had no blood——

On the way back to Beijing, Lan Shu and the Third Highness had already told him in detail why he had to disguise himself as a woman, and how he changed from the third prince to the eldest princess.

Back then, the real eldest princess, the twin sister of His Highness the Third Highness, passed away. Empress Chen was still the imperial concubine of Chunhui. Holding the dead princess's body for a long time, she didn't let go of her hands, let alone the palace people of Zhiyang Palace. After alarming the emperor, she pulled out the hairpin on her head and pressed it against her throat to threaten her with her life. She would not let anyone take her away even if she died. daughter, like a vigilant, frightened mother beast, howling, howling, maddened, vowing to defend her poor cub, even though the body of the cub was cold, even...

Fortunately, without sleeping or resting for three days, and without water or rice, even a hard-working person can't bear it. Besides, Xiao Chen is just a weak woman. Then he came up with an idea and pretended to be his dead sister, only then replaced the body of the eldest princess, and comforted the crazy mother.

She is unlucky.

A mad woman is destined not to stay with the emperor. If all the officials know that what awaits her is either confinement or cold palace, then no matter how much the emperor loves her, she will leave her husband and son , and for a woman suffering from such a disease, how easy is it to live alone in the cold courtyard of the deep palace?

But she is also lucky.

The emperor and the third highness are willing to weave a dream for her and let her sleep in it. The third highness is even willing to be a "woman" for this mother for the rest of her life. But the party in charge is willing to wrong himself for the sake of his mother, just to create a soft and sweet dream for her.

But since it is a dream, there will always be a day when I wake up.

Empress Chen's dream was so beautiful and true that he even included He Gu in it. If it wasn't for what happened yesterday, the Third Highness took the initiative to confess to him, I am afraid that Lord He Xiaohou would also be immersed in this dream. I can't wake up from the dream.

Now seeing Zhiyang Palace in dire straits, the Queen's high fever persisting and comatose, and seeing the expression of His Highness the Third Highness, He Gu's heart softened by three points, and his resentment for being kept in the dark also dissipated a little. some.

Compared with resentment, He Gu felt more melancholy at the moment.

In just one day, his wife, whom he was still worried about yesterday, was like a dream bubble today, burst with a "poof", and then disappeared, as if it had never existed.

Now that he knew the whole story and this royal secret, He Gu felt even more powerless.

...he doesn't seem to blame anyone.

Everyone has unspeakable secrets, and they have to do it as a last resort. All the ghosts and blunders have worked together to lead to today's situation. It seems that only God can blame him.

... Is God teasing him?

Because in the previous life, he helped a narrow-minded person who was not worthy of being an emperor at all to be the master of the country, so many people who should not have died died. Haiyan Heqing?

There is guilt in him.

So God teased him for a while, making him think that in this life he would be able to find his sweetheart as a wife and have a happy reunion, but in the end he was ruthlessly made him realize that it turned out to be a dream, and you, He Gu, were still a widow and a widow.

Thinking of this, He Gu tightened his fingers under the sleeves.

...Forget it, even if there is no love in this life, he still has family members to protect him. So miserable.

As for the Third Highness...

In fact, until now, this person has caused He Gu to feel confused, and he doesn't know how to face him.

... Right now, the only thing He Gu can be sure of, and he can make a firm decision on, is that the Third Highness is the king, and he must be better than the crown prince.

To live a new life is not only that he should not repeat the mistakes of his previous life, but this world, the country of the Great Viet Dynasty, should not repeat the mistakes of his previous life.

He Gu was silent for a while, then suddenly said: "I know a doctor, maybe he can take a look for the empress."

The outer hall of Zhiyang Palace was originally silent because of the old doctor's words. The emperor's face was so gloomy that he could drip water, and the third prince's face was even paler. No one dared to speak out at this moment. Mildew.

Therefore, when He Gu said this, everyone frowned, thinking to themselves, this little son-in-law is very courageous, don't you know that he is recommending a doctor at this moment, and wants to show courteousness to His Majesty, but if the doctor he finds can't cure him? Good empress, then...

After all, even Imperial Physician Wen is helpless, where can a wild doctor be better than a national player working in the palace and imperial hospital?

The emperor naturally didn't want to think so much at the moment, and after hearing He Gu's words, he said, "Oh? Where is the doctor, since the son-in-law recommended him, he must have some skills."

He Guyi said: "I only think of her when I see that there is nothing I can do. It's just that this doctor is still young. Although she is very diligent and proficient in her family education, I can't guarantee it. She must be able to take care of the mother's illness, I have a request."

The emperor said: "But it doesn't matter."

He Gu said: "If she tried her best and still failed... Please don't blame her, Your Majesty."

At this moment, the emperor has the mentality of treating a dead horse as a living horse doctor, so he naturally agreed. After all, no matter whether it is good to see or not, there is always a little more hope, which is much better than letting the queen continue to have such a high fever.

Yan Zhiya was invited into the palace in such a daze.

When she found out that the patient she wanted to see was the Queen, Miss Yan was really shocked.

He Gu said in a low voice: "Just look at it, if it doesn't work, forget it, I have asked His Majesty for grace, even if it doesn't look right, I won't blame you."

Yan Zhiya swallowed her saliva and said, "...Really?"

He Gu was about to answer, but she heard her ask again: "...How much is the consultation fee?"

He Gu: "..."

Seeing his black face, Miss Yan didn't dare to be skinny anymore, she hurried into the Zhiyang Palace, kowtowed to the emperor and his highnesses, and then followed the palace people into the inner hall to see Empress Chen.

He Gu looked at the entrance of the inner hall with a gloomy expression on the third highness's face, and wanted to comfort him, but didn't know what to say, so he just reached out and shook the third highness's hand under his sleeve while others were not paying attention.

Pei Zhaoheng felt a warm hand covering him, and in a blink of an eye, he saw He Guzheng's gaze fixed on him.

He Gu's voice was very low, so low that only the two of them could hear it in the corner of the outer hall.

Zihuan said: "Don't worry." Pei Zhaoheng looked at him and was silent for a while, then a thought popped into his mind——

He is such an incompetent man.

... In the end, nothing was protected.

The mother and queen were plotted against, and Zihuan...

If he could confess to him as he thought before, maybe Zihuan would still have the possibility to accept him, no matter how small the possibility was.

But like last night... Caught off guard, forced, and suddenly, it is perfectly normal for Zihuan to be annoyed, disgusted, and even alienated from him for being deceived.

Pei Zhaoheng never thought about what he wanted to fight for, he was not a greedy person, he thought he would ask for nothing, but now this is enough to protect everything he cares about——

But up to this moment, Pei Zhaoheng suddenly felt a huge sense of powerlessness hit his limbs and bones.

...It turned out that he didn't protect anything, and even every act and action was calculated by others, just like a marionette.

Silently, ignorantly and unconsciously, it seems that everything I care about is about to be lost.

How could this be?