Family Has a Concubine

Even the palace banquet was cancelled, and the nobles and ministers naturally did not dare to hold a grand New Year's wine at home.

Except for the necessary exchanges between relatives, there are no banquets at home.

Originally, the seal was not opened until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Who would have thought that the court suddenly sent a notice saying that the seal would be opened earlier today, and the courtiers couldn't help but speculate.

In the Taihua Hall of Yichao, the ministers came early.

"Happy New Year, Mr. Lu and Mr. Chen!" Qian Zhixin crossed his hands and stepped forward with a smile, "I haven't seen you for a few days, and your complexions have improved a lot."

Yao Yangcheng on the side watched Qian Zhixin approach Lu Zhi and Chen Miao, and couldn't help but smile coldly.

It would be fine if it was Lu Zhi, after all Lu Zhi was a minister just like them, but Chen Miao was just a servant, and also a servant of the household department, a subordinate of Qian Zhixin.

On the contrary, Qian Zhixin warmly flirted with Chen Miao, which made Yao Yangcheng burst into ridicule.

In the past, Yao Yangcheng had the best relationship with Qian Zhixin, both of whom were important ministers of the Crown Prince. As a result, now that the Crown Princess has fallen and Chu Miaoshu has risen, not only has he held the Luan seal, but now he is pregnant with the emperor's grandson. Chu Yunpan was powerful and powerful, and the prince relied heavily on him. There is no doubt that Chu Miaoshu will be the empress in the future.

And their Yao family has long been abandoned by the crown prince!

In the Prince's Mansion, Concubine Qian Shu has already trapped Chu Miaoshu. Although Qian Zhixin treated him the same as before, in fact, he had betrayed him long ago!

Chen Miao is a relative of Chu Yunpan, so Qian Zhixin wanted to turn his fight with Chu Yunpan into a friendship, so he lowered his value and called Chen Miao a buddy.

Hatred flashed in Yao Yangcheng's eyes, and then turned slightly cold.

"Hehe, hello Mr. Qian!" Chen Miao really didn't like this boss. He remembered that when Chu Yunpan was about to go to war, it was Qian Zhixin and Yao Yangcheng who tried their best to stop Chu Yunpan.

But the way of being an official in the officialdom made him laugh and laugh, like two good brothers.

"I don't know why the seal was suddenly opened in advance." Qian Zhixin looked puzzled, and suddenly said nervously, "Could it be..." Then he looked sad.

This means that Emperor Zhengxuan may be dying, and the courtiers around him are also thinking in that direction.

Yao Yangcheng glanced at Qian Zhixin: "Master Qian is drinking New Year's wine, and he is confused."

Qian Zhixin was taken aback, seeing him speak in a strange manner, but Qian Zhixin pretended not to feel the same on his face, and said, "Hehe, the imperial doctor told me to drink less, where did I get the wine? Master Yao really Will be joking."

Although Qian Zhixin had conflicts with Chu Yunpan earlier, it can only be said that there is a disagreement in political views. If Qian Zhixin is willing to mend it, it can still be mended.

But Yao Yangcheng is different, because of the dispute between the Crown Princess and Chu Miaoshu, Yao Yangcheng and Chu Yunpan are doomed to die.

Seeing his posture of being close to Chu Yunpan, Yao Yangcheng only sneered.

"Marquis of Zhenxi, hahaha!" There were bursts of laughter from a distance, coming in from Yunpan, and the ministers surrounded him a lot, and they couldn't stop making friends.

But some stood far away, watching from the sidelines.

After Chu Yunpan came in, he greeted his acquaintances, and the little eunuch sang loudly in front of him: "His Royal Highness is here!"

Everyone quickly stood in two rows, and after a while, the prince came out, followed by Li Gui.

"See Your Highness the Crown Prince!" All the courtiers hurriedly saluted.

The prince sat on an octopython-patterned chair beside the dragon chair, and raised his hand: "Get up." The voice sounded impatient, "The opening of the seal today is all because of the bandits."

When everyone heard it, it was either that Emperor Zhengxuan died, or they were shocked.

When Chu Yunpan heard the word "rogue bandit", his sword eyebrows slightly frowned.

"The bandits have been a disaster for Daqi for several years, and they even abolished Wu Yiyi, the commander of the Jingwei battalion. Now, under the leadership of Zhen Xihou, they have finally wiped out all the bandits. Even if there are remnants of the party, they will not be able to succeed." The prince said. He glanced at Chu Yunpan, this Chu Yunpan really got better and better the more he used it, he was able to lead the army to stabilize the country outside, and he was able to quell chaos and eradicate bandits inside.

Before going to war, he was also very capable in the Imperial Academy. When he was called to be a consultant in the Imperial Study, he could also put forward many political opinions. Anyway, it seems that if there is any trouble, it doesn't matter whether it is literary or martial arts, just throw it to him, and it will always be resolved.

The prince has already made up his mind, he will stay in the capital, and usually lead the Jingwei battalion back to protect the imperial capital, and he can give some political opinions in the court, and if he can't stand it outside, he will be asked to fight outside. I can sit back and relax, and feel refreshed just thinking about it.

But there is always someone who makes him unhappy! For example, the old man Yao Yangcheng.

After the gangsters were caught, they were sent to the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice.

Yao Yangcheng is the Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment. Ever since the crown prince had an accident... no, it should be said, since the crown prince married Chu Miaoshu, the crown prince has looked down on Yao Yangcheng less and less. Feeling dispensable, it is impossible to give Chu Yunpan the same attention.

Now that the crown prince has an accident, the crown prince doesn't pay much attention to Yao Yangcheng.

But this nest of bandits is still making trouble.

I heard that the bandit was not only a bandit, but also colluded with Ma Zhifu and almost killed Chu Yunpan. Fortunately, Chu Yunpan saw through the trick early on.

Later, he was captured and taken to the capital, and Master Lu recruited him to cooperate with the exile bandits, besides Ma Zhifu, there were also people from the capital. As for who it is, Master Lu doesn't know.

Ma Zhifu was flogged because he couldn't stand the prison, and he froze to death on the second day of the new year, leaving only the leader of the bandit.

"The night before yesterday, the remnants of the exile bandits entered the palace to save people, and unexpectedly entered the prison of the Criminal Ministry without making a sound. If they hadn't been discovered in time, Hong Guangshou and others would have been rescued long ago." The prince said.

"Ah!" The courtiers below gasped when they heard this, Lu Zhi said, "These bandits have actually entered the palace, what's going on? And they still haven't made a sound."

Yao Yangcheng looked at Chu Yunpan and sneered: "I have to ask the Marquis of Zhenxi. Although the palace is guarded by the imperial guards, the Marquis of Zhenxi is responsible for the deployment of the Ministry of Criminal Justice. If the officials of the Ministry of Criminal Justice were not vigilant, Hong Guangtao would have escaped long ago."

Chu Yunpan sneered: "This Marquis is in charge, but naturally you have to tell the guards how to deploy the defense."

The crown prince glanced at Chu Yunpan: "I believe in Marquis Zhenxi, after all, the imperial army is not under the command of Marquis Zhenxi."

The corner of Shangguan Xiu, the commander of the imperial army, twitched his lips. Does this mean that he is incompetent, and no matter how capable Zhenxihou is, he can't afford to lead him?

Liao Shoufu said: "Is this why the seal was opened in advance?"

A cold look flashed in Yao Yangcheng's eyes, and he said with a smile: "Of course not. It's the survivors who were arrested. Last night, they finally made a confession. They drew a picture to arm them and instruct them how to pass through the defense line in the palace. portrait of man."

With a buzzing sound, there was a discussion in the hall.

"Ah, there is a portrait?" Lu Zhi said, "Then Master Yao will investigate carefully." Yao Yangcheng is the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment.

Yao Yangcheng's old face was gloomy, and he snorted coldly: "After our identification, this person is not an ordinary person. Come here, bring the portrait."

Immediately a little eunuch came in with a tray outside, and the prince looked at it with a frown.

Yesterday Yao Yangcheng said that Chu Yunpan had made a mistake in deploying defenses, and the prince was annoyed at Yao Yangcheng picking on other people's faults. Later, he said that the portrait of Yu Dang had been interrogated, saying that it was of great importance, so he asked to print it in advance.

The prince thought of the person who colluded with the bandits and Ma Zhifu in the court.

That person harmed Chu Yunpan, but his mouth is still in prison. He is not sure when he will confess him, and he might join forces with the rest of the party to save him. Therefore, the person behind it must be a member of the court.

The prince felt that it was not too late these days, and the matter was of great importance, so he opened the seal in advance.

The little eunuch had already walked to Yao Yangcheng's side, holding a tray in his hand.

Yao Yangcheng picked up the portrait, and saw that it was a man in black with the lower half of his face covered, only a pair of eyes were exposed, and those eyes were a pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes.

What is strange is that this portrait still has his hand painted.

Yao Yangcheng said: "According to Yu Dang, this person has six fingers on his right hand. Later, after investigation, it was found that one of Zhen Xihou's subordinates had a pair of peach blossom eyes and six fingers. And two or three days ago, it was heard that Zhen Xihou had six fingers. The Xihou Mansion killed a man in Plum Blossom Village in the suburbs of Beijing, and that man had six fingers, and his name was Shi Xiaoquan."

"Ah—" The whole hall exploded, and Lu Zhi said in shock, "What's going on? Master Yao, have you checked it out?"

Chu Yunpan sneered: "Lord Yao is really funny. What do you mean, Ben Hou ordered his subordinates to guide the rest of the party to save people? Then kill people to silence them? Don't forget, this nest of bandits was captured by Ben Hou himself! The Marquis wants to save them, so why arrest them?"

Yao Yangcheng frowned: "Marquis Zhenxi, isn't this official investigating? It's just telling the truth now. As for the result, it remains to be found out. Naturally, I know that Marquis Zhenxi is innocent, so I propose to open the seal as soon as possible. , so that the investigation can be clear, so that Lord Hou can be innocent."