This shadow guard, you are enlightened

"But what's the news?" Xing Chenmu calmed down with a light cough, and asked the kneeling shadow guard,

"Yes, Mr. Zhou has attached a secret letter. The subordinates dare not delay, so hurry back to Luancheng." The shadow guard took out the wax-sealed letter from his arms, and presented it with both hands.

Zhuo Ying stepped forward to take the letter and handed it to Xing Chenmu.

In the past few years, Zhou Qiyou sent back several news, but the investigation made little progress, so Xing Chenmu didn't have much hope when he opened the letter, but when he finished reading the letter, he stood up abruptly.

Seeing this, Zhuo Ying was a little surprised, and blurted out: "Is there a result?"

Before Zhuo Ying regretted his quick talk, Xing Chenmu had already handed him the letter in his hand.

Zhuo Ying glanced quickly across the paper, and a rare look of surprise flashed in her eyes.

Zhou Qiyou's line was released by them a long time ago, and there has been no result. He was about to give up, but unexpectedly, there was a turning point at such a critical moment.

When Xing Chenmu was attacked at the Shangqing Temple, Zhou Feng, who was the commander of the Guanwei Army at the time, was not there. Zhou Feng was also a general who was stationed at Beiguan with Wei Lin in his early years. He was seriously injured and returned to Luancheng to recuperate.

In the autumn of Fulu's 15th year, Zhou Feng suffered from an old injury and could barely do it. The late emperor allowed him to recuperate at home. Most of the military affairs were handled by the deputy commander. Only very important matters would be discussed with him at the mansion.

The murder of the crown prince was of great importance. Even if he was not present, as the commander of an army, he could hardly escape the blame. What's more, he was transferred back to Luancheng not long ago, and he had no foundation in the court, and no courtiers were willing to intercede for him. After some investigation, Xing Chenmu himself believed that he was not involved in this matter, so he pleaded with the first emperor to spare him the death penalty, and only sent him to return to his hometown.

Before Zhou Feng left, he deliberately entered the palace to kowtow to Xing Chenmu, and promised that he would give him an explanation.

Xing Chenmu didn't have much influence of his own at that time, and it was easy to scare the snake when he wanted to send people from the palace to investigate the assassination, so he took advantage of the situation and agreed to let Zhou Feng investigate secretly.

Since the second year after Zhou Feng left, news came back from the people one after another. Zhou Feng mainly started his investigation from the surroundings of the two demoted princes.

But it is a pity that until Zhou Feng died of illness, it was not found out who was behind the scenes who controlled the conspiracy. Xing Chenmu originally thought that the matter would be done here, but he never expected that Zhou Feng's son Zhou Qiyou would take over. Father, continue to investigate this matter.

Compared with Zhou Feng, Zhou Qiyou, who has never shown his face in court and is very young, is obviously less likely to attract suspicion.

Zhou Qiyou has been living at the foot of Qiling Mountain for these years. The former imperial hospital that helped Xing Chenxiu was making Hua Xin settle on Qiling Mountain. Xing Chenxiu would live there for a few months in the name of medical treatment every year. In order to ensure Xing Chenxiu's safety, Xing Chenmu was here Many secret sentries were placed in that area, which also made it easier for Zhou Qiyou to communicate with the palace.

On the other hand, it was also because the third prince settled in Nianzhou Mansion dozens of miles away from Qiling Mountain after being expelled from the palace, and Zhou Qiyou was there for his convenience.

The news this time was leaked by his third brother.

Xing Chenmu raised his pen and wrote a reply letter. The investigation of the assassination in Shangqing Temple came to an end, and it was time for Zhou Qiyou to concentrate on preparing for the next autumn exam.

The news sent back by Zhou Qiyou perfectly closed the last link in Xing Chenmu's plan. If there is no accident, everything will be settled in the coming year.

Xing Chenmu handed over the reply letter to the shadow guard, and his eyes couldn't help but glanced at Zhuo Ying again. If there was any change in this plan, it was probably because of Zhuo Ying's feelings for him.

Unlike the excitement when he first understood the other party's intentions, after calming down, Xing Chenmu was more worried.

He thinks that he has deep affection for Zhuo Ying, and naturally hopes that Zhuo Ying can respond to the same emotion, but at the same time he is very contradictory, and sometimes thinks that it is good for Zhuo Ying to be just a master and servant to him at this time.

The time has not come yet, he is not yet able to protect Zhuo Ying safely behind him, and he can't even give him a title. More importantly, before the court is stable, there are too many uncertainties, and he doesn't want to. He didn't dare to let Zhuo Ying accompany him on the adventure.

Thinking of this, Xing Chenmu couldn't help laughing bitterly in his heart, Zhuo Yinggang said he didn't dare to be angry with him, but when it came time to implement his plan, he didn't know how the other party would feel.

But he had to do that, no matter how sure he was about the whole thing, there would still be a possibility of failure in the end, but he hoped that Zhuo Ying's feelings for him would weaken now, so that if there was an emergency, he could get out in time.

"Your Majesty?" Seeing that Xing Chenmu had somehow started to lose his mind again, Zhuo Ying was a little worried, "Is Your Majesty tired? Do you need Imperial Physician Xuan to come and see?"

"It's okay, I'm just thinking about something."

Since Xing Chenmu took the throne, he has always been very concerned about government affairs. He can do it every day in the morning, and all the memorials sent by various places will be reviewed on the same day, so he often still can't rest at night. Zhuo Ying is skeptical of his words, but also It's not good to ask any more questions, but just asked: "Do you need the servants from the palace to serve?"

"No need." Xing Chenmu looked at the sky outside, "You take a group of people and accompany me to the emperor's grandmother."

# # #

The Empress Dowager, Xing Chenmu's grandmother, was imprisoned in the courtyard by the late emperor for murdering the crown prince.

I don't know whether it should be said that good fortune tricks people, the first emperor has passed away for more than three years, but the empress dowager is still alive.After Xing Chenmu ascended the throne, she never lacked food and clothing, but only strengthened the guards of the courtyard to ensure that she could not communicate with the outside world.

Go along the Qingshi Avenue in the palace to the Kangshou Palace where the Empress Dowager lives. The closer you get, the more depressed you feel. Over the years, Kangshou Palace is equivalent to a cold palace, except for the Jinwei Army and the Empress Dowager who must guard here The few confidantes of her, the rest of the palace people all avoided them for fear of not being able to make it.

Xing Chenmu felt a little emotional in his heart, he could vaguely remember the prosperous Kangshou Palace back then.

The Empress Dowager was born in a famous family. After she entered the palace, she became established not long ago. After giving birth to the eldest son of the emperor, her position in the palace became more stable.

The first emperor was a dutiful son, and he almost obeyed his biological mother after he ascended the throne. If the empress dowager's niece was not young when she got married, the empress would belong to the Ning family.

Even though she married Chen Xiang's daughter, when the daughter of the Ning family was sent to the palace at the age of fifteen, she was still made a noble concubine and was very favored.

Maybe everything went too smoothly. During those years when Empress Chen was ill, Concubine Ning Guifei thought that once Empress Chen died of illness, the successor would be her own.

Who would have thought that an accident would happen in the middle, the current queen mother, that is, Xing Chenmu's biological mother, entered the palace and was named Concubine Shu. Concubine Shu did not fight or snatch, but she was favored by the previous emperor.

Only now did Concubine Ning have a sense of crisis. After the death of Empress Chen, the former emperor under pressure did not reestablish the empress for a long time. Thinking, if the eldest prince is not around, the prince will come out of the second and third princes born to her. At that time, the mother is more expensive than the son, and she will definitely be able to ascend to the throne.

Xing Chenmu didn't know if his imperial grandmother knew about the poisoning incident, but after thinking about it, judging from the fact that the imperial grandmother was even willing to personally participate in the murder of him, she probably knew about it already and would not stop it.

Xing Chenmu thought he couldn't do this ruthlessly, otherwise the Empress Dowager would not still be able to live in Kangshou Palace.

When the group entered the Kangshou Palace, someone had already communicated that the few eunuchs and maids in the palace were all kneeling and waiting, but the Empress Dowager, who was dressed in plain clothes, sat firmly on the main seat, seeing Xing Chenmu Entering, he even mocked: "What kind of wind brought our emperor here today, the cold tea and cold bench in Kangshou Palace froze the dragon's body, Ai's family can't afford it."

"Grandmother was joking, if the Kangshou Palace doesn't even have a cup of hot tea, what's the use of these palace people, it's better to kill them all." Xing Chenmu was not at all angry at the Empress Dowager's sarcastic remarks, Xin walked up to her.

The Kangshou Palace has had no newcomers for some years, and now most of the people kneeling on the floor are leftovers from the early years. They have served the Empress Dowager for decades, and they are all old. When Xing Chenmu said "cut", everyone immediately left Cold sweat, even the Empress Dowager's complexion changed.

Xing Chenmu didn't intend to ask the people below to get up, he just sat down on the chair beside him and didn't speak anymore.

After a long while, the Empress Dowager said in a stiff voice: "The emperor didn't come here to embarrass his servants today, right? If you have anything to say, you may as well speak up."

"It's nothing serious." Xing Chenmu smiled, took a sip of the tea made by Yan Qing, and then said unhurriedly, "I just came to inform the emperor's grandmother, I heard that my brother, the third prince, has the disease of willows. Bedridden, counting the days, the letter I received today, I am afraid he has already gone."

The author has something to say: Zhou Qiyou is the sweetheart of my junior sister, ╭(╯^╰)╮You all forgot