sbdcsierra Chapter 451 Shen Zhinian takes the next step (67 votes added)
Chapter 451 Shen Zhinian takes the next step (67 votes added)
"I also have high hopes for Liu Shizhang, and I hope he can inherit his father's career, so I sent him to the frontier."
"I hope that my mother, the imperial concubine, and the Duke Dingguo's Mansion can all understand my painstaking efforts!"
After Empress Dowager Liu and the emperor reached an agreement, they naturally needed some reasons to cover up the situation.
Empress Dowager Liu's expression did not change. She nodded and said, "Of course."
"I also hope that Shi Zhang can achieve great things on the border, so as not to disappoint the emperor!"
Nangong Xuanyu stood up and said, "In that case, it's getting late, so I won't disturb my mother's rest."
The palace maids hurriedly saluted: "Farewell, Your Majesty!"
It was not until Nangong Xuanyu disappeared from sight that Empress Dowager Liu sneered, "...Who do you think the emperor looks like?"
Those serving in the inner room are all confidants.
Nanny Yuan sighed, "Your Majesty doesn't look like the late emperor, but rather like you, the Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Liu had a hint of mockery in her eyes: "When the previous emperor was in power, he only knew how to indulge in pleasure. If it weren't for the foundation laid by our ancestors, I'm afraid..."
"You are right. The emperor is indeed not like the last emperor, but is exactly like me. That is why he used the method I taught him back then, hitting the snake at its weakest point, to deal with me!"
"I have such a good son, and the Great Zhou has such a good emperor. I should be happy!"
Queen Mother Liu's tone was very calm, and only those who knew her well enough could hear the anger in it.
Nanny Yuan advised: "At least now, the Third Young Master's life is safe. Empress Dowager, please relax..."
Empress Dowager Liu sneered, "Why can't I relax? Do you really think men are so loyal?"
"Forget it. The emperor is currently in love with the virtuous concubine, and I am too lazy to bother him. Otherwise, he will protect her and care more about her."
"Everyone said that the Imperial Concubine was the Emperor's favorite woman. I wonder how long the favor that the Concubine has now will last?"
Nanny Yuan shook her head and said, "No more than two years. When the next selection is held and a new budding woman enters the palace, even if Concubine Xian does not lose favor, His Majesty's attention will be diverted to the new woman."
Two years?
A dark light flashed across Empress Dowager Liu's eyes.
Xianfei now has a family background, a position, and children. She is only one step away from becoming a noble concubine.
How could she allow the virtuous concubine to continue to grow stronger and threaten the position of the noble concubine!
However, this incident also taught Empress Dowager Liu a lesson.
No matter how secretly something was done, there would always be traces. She shouldn't have taken action against Concubine Xian.
There are so many people in the harem who wish Concubine Xian would die, so why should she get involved in this mess?
……
Zhongcui Palace.
The news that the emperor had exiled Concubine Liu's brother to the frontier had spread throughout the harem.
Everyone was discussing in private, wondering what the Imperial Concubine or the Liu family had done to anger His Majesty?
Shen Zhinian naturally found out about it as well.
Her fox eyes narrowed slightly, with a dangerous light flashing in them: "It seems that the person behind Han is the Empress Dowager of the Cining Palace!"
Shen Zhinian was not surprised by this result.
Fuqiu and the others were angry and afraid: "As expected, a tall tree attracts the wind. His Majesty's favor for the queen and the queen's current status have finally attracted the attention of the queen mother..."
Handan said worriedly, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is the most noble woman in the Great Zhou. The manpower and power she has in the harem are far beyond our reach."
"Since the Queen Mother has already decided to kill you, what will you do if you and the Fourth Prince are in danger in the future?"
How could they defeat the Queen Mother...
Shen Zhinian had to admit that what Handan said was true.
Not to mention now, even in two years, she would not be a match for Empress Dowager Liu.
Not only her, but also Nangong Xuanyu is the same.
The Zhou Dynasty ruled the country with filial piety. Even if Empress Dowager Liu did something that angered the heavens and the people, and it was made public, the emperor could not punish her too harshly, otherwise people would accuse him of being unfilial.
Empress Dowager Liu was able to suppress them all with just the word "filial piety"!
But... everyone has weaknesses.
The Duke Dingguo Mansion is the support of Empress Dowager Liu, but isn't it also her weakness?
After eliminating the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion, Nangong Xuanyu was no longer the emperor without any real power.
If she guessed correctly, he "exiled" Liu Shizhang to the frontier because of her and A Xu, as a warning to Empress Dowager Liu and Duke Dingguo's Mansion!
Empress Dowager Liu wants Liu Shizhang to live, so she will never attack Zhongcui Palace again in the short term.
This gave Shen Zhinian a chance to catch his breath and plan.
In the final analysis, the family prospers together and suffers together. If the Duke Dingguo Mansion falls, will Empress Dowager Liu still dare to be as unscrupulous as she is now?
In any case, Nangong Xuanyu had already made up his mind to concentrate the imperial power.
Shen Zhinian walked to the desk and picked up a pen to write a letter.
Father Shen is now the Minister of Personnel, managing all the officials of the Great Zhou. Although he cannot control the Prime Minister, Duke Dingguo, he can secretly collect evidence that the Duke Dingguo's mansion despises the imperial power and has bad intentions.
When the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was being eradicated, civil and military officials led by Zhou Yuxi and Gu Jinxiao worked together to plan.
This time, she would make Shen's father a trusted confidant of Nangong Xuanyu and help the emperor eliminate the last major threat!
Of course, whether Shen Zhinian can follow this path to success and gain the emperor's trust depends on the ability of Shen's father.
Shen Zhinian believed that her father would definitely be able to find a way to do it!
After Shen Zhinian finished writing the secret letter, he handed it to Fuqiu as usual: "Send someone secretly out of the palace and hand it to my father."
Fuqiu knew that the matter was of great importance, and said seriously: "Yes!"
……
Qin'an Hall.
Just as Concubine Liang expected, after being cold all night, she developed a high fever.
When Ruoli woke up in the morning and saw Concubine Liang lying on the ground, she was startled and rushed over: "My queen, what happened to you?!"
Touching Concubine Liang's hot skin, she felt distressed and guilty: "My Lady, you have a fever?!"
"It's all my fault... If you didn't feel sorry for me and gave me the quilt last night, you wouldn't have caught a cold..."
Woo woo woo... Where in the world can I find such a good master like the Queen?
She was a worthless person, but the Queen actually valued her so much. Ruoli was really touched, so touched...
Concubine Liang had already fallen into a coma due to the fever. Ruoli carefully covered her with the quilt and rushed to the door and knocked on it: "Open the door! Open the door quickly!"
"Is there anyone outside? Our queen has a high fever, open the door and let us out!"
Concubine Liu had already instructed that Concubine Liang must be locked up in the Qin'an Palace for three days. Apart from water, they were not allowed to be given any food.
The Imperial Concubine holds the power over all the six palaces, so the guards dare not disobey her orders and just pretend they didn't hear Ruoli knocking on the door.
Humph! Who knows if this is a self-torture trick that the master and servant came up with.