Chapter 20 Tit for Tat
Although Liugong knew that the queen Gu Zhen was not very popular with the emperor, but after all, family background and status were placed there, not everyone would dare to blatantly make things difficult for Zhonggong.
Even so, the fact that the third concubine sent someone to report was enough for Gu Zhen to have a headache.
After all, the safflower incident at Concubine Shu's place was enough for the Ouyang family to bring it to the temple to seek justice.
No matter if it was Chunjia or the previous dynasty, the eyes would definitely not be directed at Gu Zhen himself, but the crime of not restraining the palace servants in Woxialou was definitely borne.
"Your Majesty, why don't you let the noble concubines assist in the affairs of the Six Palaces?" Someone suggested to her, "You and His Highness Chu Wang are both good, and it is not suitable for you to work hard yourself. Besides, the two His Highnesses are still young. , it is time for you to take care of me."
The Gu family knew early on that it was not very reliable for Gu Zhen to compete for favor and power, and they were counting on the East Palace position from the beginning.
From the perspective of Gu Zhen's grandfather and uncle, except that the East Palace must come from Gu Zhen's knees, other things can be compromised or compromised.
In this way, at this moment, the people around the queen feel that there is no need to fight to the end with the imperial concubine and the others for the sake of momentary anger.
Because Gu Zhen's most important mission is to take good care of the prince under his knees.
Especially the prince who will be crowned prince in the future.
As far as her ability and energy are concerned, even if there are no imperial concubines in the palace who are staring at the power of the harem, it is actually impossible to balance the heirs and palace power well.
Not to mention that the three concubines headed by the noble concubine are not easy to provoke, and they started to fight back on the second day after taking power. Are there more things to come?
Now Gu Zhen may not need to spend a lot of energy on the emperor's heir. After all, the third prince was excluded from the list of candidates for the East Palace by tacit understanding. From the current point of view, the king of Chu has little hope. Before Chunjia arranges another healthy and normal prince for Gu Zhen, from the perspective of interests, the two princes can be raised as they please.
But even so, Gu Zhen might not be able to cope with the turmoil brought by the third concubine's report.
Left and right couldn't help but feel that the queen had made a foolish move and rashly started a war with the three concubines, not only did she not have the support of her family and Chunjia, but it was also a plain enmity.
"Although I am a queen, everyone knows that the noble concubine in this palace is the one who really has the final say." Gu Zhen also knows these truths in her heart, but she has her own thoughts, "This palace is just for your majesty The regent is just fighting for a pawn of the Dingbei Army. Your Majesty does not have much affection for this palace at all... Of course, this palace does not blame your majesty, because the reason why the family supports this palace to sit on the phoenix position is for the prosperity of the family, not for the prosperity of the family. Just like Duke Yi, out of loyalty to His Majesty, each takes what he needs! Therefore, since this palace was enshrined as empress, it has been letting the noble concubine control the palace affairs, and even brought Concubine Shu and Defei to seek refuge with the noble concubine, turning a blind eye to it."
"Because this palace has always kept in mind the meaning of the family and raised the emperor's heir with care."
"Others, as long as it's not too much, don't fight or grab."
"But now I feel that the family's idea is wrong."
"When you are in the palace, you don't fight or rob yourself, but you may not be scrambled and robbed by others!"
"This palace is not the wife of His Majesty. She has no extraordinary talents and looks, and her family background is not unique. It is just a coincidence that she was valued. In terms of virtue, she is not outstanding. Even the prince under her knees is not her own..."
Gu Zhen smiled wryly, and said, "So, even if you sit on the phoenix seat, it is difficult to convince the public. If you still have to back down step by step, you can say that this palace can really raise a healthy emperor peacefully. Heir?"
"This..." Hesitating left and right, indeed, for the Gu family, producing a queen is not the goal, but producing a crown prince and queen mother is the fundamental goal.
But if Gu Zhen's prestige is not enough, and the children under her knees can't survive the harem's secrets, then even if her heir is always stable, what's the use?
"Now that His Majesty is sizing up Wei He, it is the time when he is most willing to tolerate my family." Gu Zhen's attack this time was not all on the spur of the moment, but also after careful consideration, "If it passes for a while, there will be no hope. Before His Majesty came to Woxia Tower in person, he didn't say anything, obviously he didn't intend to put the noble concubines on the wrong side. If this is the case, if I don't take this opportunity to set rules for the Six Palaces, when will I wait?"
"Your Majesty said so." Left and right thought for a while, and wondered, "But now that the third concubine is clearly looking for faults, what should I do?"
Gu Zhen was silent for a while, and said: "I am not a smart person. From my point of view, the most flexible person in the harem is probably Concubine Min. Regardless of whether she is good or bad, she is really worthy of her." So if you don’t have any good ideas, then let’s learn from Concubine Min.”
The meaning of Xueyun Fenghuang is that Gu Zhen first sent someone to drag the so-called palace man who mixed safflower into Concubine Shu's anti-fetal medicine from Suizhu Pavilion to Woxia Tower, and under the banner of personally investigating the root cause, he brought him alive. He was beaten to death in the courtyard of Woxia Building.
When it was over, he told Ouyang Fulu: "The lowly servant girl couldn't bear the torture and finally told the truth, but she resented Concubine Shu for being suspicious since she was pregnant, and sent them a lot of errands! Isn't it a joke that you said this? As a slave girl, don't you?" Do things, do you still want to rest all day like the nobleman? Then what does the nobleman want them to do? This lowly maid is lazy, thinking that she has too many things to do, so she wants to let Concubine Shu have a miscarriage, so that she can follow the old Same, there is not much errand in the sky."
He also said, "It's not that this palace is talking about you, concubine Shu. Of course, this lowly servant girl is wrong in this matter. Murdering the master is the first, and planting this palace is the second, but you are usually kind to the people below. After all, our majesty is the most Generous and kind person, since you are His Majesty's concubine, you should learn from His Majesty, right?"
As for Concubine De's claim that she lost something, Gu Zhen said that all the servants in Dan Ruoting would have to go and check: "Otherwise, how do you know who is innocent and who is innocent?"
If she had said that from the beginning, Concubine De might have agreed to at least hand over most of the palace servants to give her a headache.
However, there was an example of the palace official from the Broken Bamboo Pavilion being dragged to the Woxia Tower, and then beaten to death without even seeing the Queen's face. How could Concubine De be willing?
After looking for an excuse to decline, he rushed to Lanzhou Yeyu Pavilion to find Yun Fenghuang and cried: "Sister, look at the queen! It's too much!"
"Yes, my concubine." Concubine Shu had already come one step ahead, and she had just finished explaining the ins and outs. Hearing the words, she hurriedly helped, "When the empress said that the palace people should be thoroughly investigated, the concubine also said that the empress was sincere. The truth is for the concubine's sake. Who knows, when someone went to Woxialou, he was killed without asking a single word! Isn't Woxialou making up the words at this moment? The child is fooling around, and the strange concubine who is talking inside and out is not good, this... this is really deceiving!!!"
As he spoke, he cried aggrievedly.
Yun Fenghuang's face was gloomy, and she thought that she really underestimated the queen. According to her previous understanding of Gu Zhen, each of the three concubines asked a question, which was enough to make Gu Zhen feel overwhelmed.
Who knew that this successor became smart after listening to someone's advice, and quickly settled Concubine Shu and Concubine De.
Yes, although the second concubine was still crying in front of her, and the queen couldn't help deliberating on her methods, but in Yun Fenghuang's view, as long as Gu Zhen didn't lose his head, the embarrassment raised by Concubine Shu and Concubine De would be over.
Because who told the emperor that now is the time to rely heavily on Dingbei Army and Uncle Zhaowu?
According to the tacit understanding, even if Gu Zhen made an outrageous move right now, the royal family would still tolerate her, at most it would be settled after autumn.
And Gu Zhen's actions are all within the Queen's authority, so how could Chun Jia confront her head-on?
She killed Concubine Shu because she was a harsh palace talent who was revenged, and she was wronged. Concubine De refused to hand in others, so she couldn't continue to investigate... Would Chunjia still know that Concubine Shu and Concubine De had framed and found fault, and punished her for her crimes? ?
Now that the queen has not dealt with it, it is Yun Fenghuang's suspicion that King Qin was murdered.
But in Yun Fenghuang's view, it is easy to deal with Gu Zhen's advantage, even if it is more vicious...
Gu Zhen said to the left and right: "King Qin is the eldest son of His Majesty, with a high status, who would dare to touch him in leisure time? Moreover, noble concubines are always delicate, even if ordinary people have evil intentions, it is very difficult for ordinary people to get them. These days, people who often go in and out of Lanzhou Night Rain Pavilion , is nothing more than Concubine Shu, Concubine De, and Yishi Qushi. Presumably the real culprit who murdered the King of Qin is among the four of them, and it is not impossible for the four concubines to conspire! You go and tell the noble concubine my thoughts , Ask the noble concubine if she agrees to hand over these four concubines to the palace, torture them severely, thoroughly investigate the truth, and return King Qin justice!"
"...The meaning of the Empress is very clear now." Yun Fenghuang only comforted Concubine Shu and De Concubine, and after receiving such a beating, he calmly dismissed the palace servant who sent the message, and said to the second concubine, " It's relying on her natal family and treating a deer as a horse. She knows that His Majesty will condone her unreasonableness, so she simply is unreasonable."
Concubine Shu frowned and said, "Your Majesty, do you just rely on her like this?"
She said unwillingly, "If there is no imperial concubine to make the decision, how can the harem be so peaceful these days? But the empress did not say that she crossed the river and demolished the bridge, and beat us in turn. Is it the appearance of a mother? Such behavior , it is really not the blessing of the harem!"
So he asked Yun Fenghuang, "I don't know if the empress can tell your majesty, can you tell me something about the empress?"
"Sister, Your Majesty is busy with government affairs, so don't let him worry about my affairs in the harem." Concubine De glanced at Concubine Shu, thinking that Ouyang Fulu really had evil intentions, and she knew that it was not sincere at all to push Concubine to pick things up !
She turned to Yun Fenghuang and said, "The empress is mediocre, even if she can rely on her family background for a while, she may not be able to rely on her family background for a while. Let's just wait and see if she can continue to be so unreasonable!"
One advocated retaliation, the other advocated avoiding the edge temporarily, after the second concubine finished speaking, they all set their eyes on Yunfenghuang, waiting for her decision.
Yun Fenghuang pondered.
In fact, it is safer to follow Concubine De's suggestion. After all, Chun Jia went to Woxia Tower in person but did not have the slightest objection to Gu Zhen's behavior of taking power. He knew that the emperor would not come forward in this turmoil, let alone end in person.
In this case, even if Gu Zhen wins the battle in the palace, it may not be of any benefit.
There is even a future trouble, that is, if the emperor needs the Gu family especially, and the Gu family expresses dissatisfaction with it, they will probably be thrown out to appease the Gu family's resentment.
It is very wrong.
It's better to get through this period of time, and wait until Chunjia doesn't need the Gu family so much, or Gu Zhen has done too many irritating things in the palace, giving everyone enough reasons to resist... then stand up , also has enough name.
But there is a problem with doing this.
Yun Fenghuang started to skyrocket from the first day she entered the palace, and she has intimidated the former court and the harem all these years because she was able to ingeniously find vitality and a way out even when she was in a low position and had no one to rely on.
If she backs down now, her prestige will definitely suffer a heavy blow.
At that time, Gu Zhen will step on her and become famous.
Just like she and Yuan Niangniang back then, in fact, looking at the front and back palaces, it is not uncommon for the concubines to step on the throne of the concubine, or even step on the position of their own master.
Why is Yuan Lianniang so shameful and Yun Fenghuang so legendary?
Apart from the fact that she was extraordinarily quick to avenge and collect debts on the spot, it was because Yuan Niangniang was recognized by the Six Palaces as the killer of concubines.
Many concubines were killed.
Suddenly one day, a concubine who just entered the palace was slapped in the face. Can this not attract attention and make people laugh?
If Yuan Niangniang is the kind of person who settles accounts with a hidden knife behind her smile, she will be humiliated openly by the people below, and most people will still not underestimate her, but will whisper and wait for the follow-up.
Now Yun Fenghuang is in Yuan Niangniang's situation. Everyone knows that the imperial concubine has never been wronged, and it is very good not to trouble others. Yesterday the queen wanted to take power, and today she will lead the concubine Shu and Defei to the queen. , now the empress refuted it to her unceremoniously, if she just let things go, even if everyone thinks that she will retaliate in the future, they will feel that the imperial concubine is afraid of the empress after all.
"That's it." Yun Fenghuang thought for a moment, then said slowly, "Concubine Shu, tell the queen later that you have no experience in pregnancy for the first time, and I didn't expect that but being a little more cautious will make the people below resent you. This is your fault, thanks to the empress who is aware of the details and helps you find out the truth, you have to thank me."
Concubine Shu let out an "ah" and sat upright: "Then, then?"
"Then it is natural to ask the empress to give you a few capable and sensible palace servants to serve you." Yun Fenghuang said lightly, "Also let the people around you learn well, so that similar things don't happen again."
Concubine Shu understood that if the Queen's people went to the Broken Bamboo Pavilion and something similar happened, then the Queen herself would not be able to escape the responsibility.
This method is not difficult to understand, but Concubine Shu is a little worried: "Your Majesty, the concubine is pregnant..."
What if the person sent by the queen is malicious to her?
Under normal circumstances, Queen Gu might not or dare not do this.
But this time Gu Zhen's reaction was completely different from usual, who knows if she will suddenly become cruel?
Especially now that the empress is protected by the Gu family, Concubine Shu is not sure. In Chunjia's mind, the imperial heir in her stomach is more important than the overall situation of the previous dynasty!
"You have to let them get involved in what you're serving before it happens?" Yun Fenghuang squinted at her, and said lightly, "Maybe they just went to the Broken Bamboo Pavilion, so you can see that something is wrong? Don't you always It is said that the queen is honest and honest, is she not shrewd enough? Then when she rewards you, she may have missed it."
This is the glaring addition, do you really want to play a full set?
Concubine Shu suddenly came to a sudden, and said awkwardly: "Yes, I am confused."
Looking back at Concubine De, Concubine De quickly sat upright, listening to Concubine Gui give her advice.
"Isn't there no one missing from your place?" Yun Fenghuang asked after taking a sip of tea.
Concubine De thought for a while, and said: "My sister didn't have many people serving there, but this year, because of the third emperor's daughter, a lot of people have been added, which is not without redundancy. But the empress said that everyone should be served. Send it over, this..."
How is this possible, not to mention what if the servants are sent to the queen and are beaten to death and disabled, their mothers and daughters are all ordered to be servants and servants after birth, and they don't even know for a moment that the palace people are gone How are you doing?
"Do you do what the queen asks you to do?" Yun Fenghuang sighed, "You just send those dispensable ones over, and then make a list for the queen, saying that the others have to serve you and the three." The princess can't go away, but these days, the people in front of you also have contacts with the Liugong. Maybe those people, the masters of those people, are all suspected? If there are more lists, the Liugong will be involved. Let's see, does the Empress have the courage to take Liugong together?!"