Wangfu little dumb wife

Chapter 722 The Final Choice
Qianqing Palace.

Concubine Duan had knelt outside for more than an hour, but she was never summoned by Emperor Guangxi.

At this time, the door of the emperor's bedroom was opened, and the person who came out was Imperial Physician Shen, followed by Eunuch Cui.

Knowing that there was no news from the imperial physician, Concubine Duan simply looked at Eunuch Cui and asked with concern, "How is your majesty's condition?"

Eunuch Cui sighed, "The emperor summoned the empress to enter."

Concubine Duan stood up holding the hem of her skirt, arranged her appearance briefly, and followed Eunuch Cui into the inner hall.

A golden silk veil hangs down on the luxurious and spacious bright yellow dragon couch, and a person can be vaguely seen lying inside. It is Emperor Guangxi who has not gone to court for several days.

Eunuch Cui went forward to hang up the curtain, revealing Emperor Guangxi's thin side face, which showed the color of vegetables that had not recovered from a long illness.

He half-closed his eyes and breathed weakly. Compared with the majestic and mighty emperor in the paddock more than half a month ago, he was a completely different person.

Concubine Duan was startled, "Didn't you say that your life is out of danger? Why is the emperor still not recovering?"

After Yang Shoufu left the palace that day, she thought a lot, from the arrow shot by Emperor Guangxi to the confinement of the prince, to the critical illness of the empress, and even the killing of Song Wei, everything was too coincidental, as if there was a pair of invisible pushers behind her Hide all the key people and set up an empty city plan to wait for them, and this person can only be Emperor Guangxi.

So in fact, the purpose of Concubine Duan's visit to Qianqing Palace today is to find out the real situation of Emperor Guangxi.

Concubine Duan was a little dumbfounded looking at Emperor Guangxi who seemed to be dying of illness on the dragon couch.

Everything was different from what she had guessed, she seemed to have misunderstood something.

"Zhen'er..."

Emperor Guangxi's feeble voice came.

Concubine Duan hurried forward, "Your Majesty, concubine is here."

Emperor Guangxi held her hand and turned his head to look at Eunuch Cui.

Cui Gonggong said, "Please take good care of your mother, the slave will leave."

After Eunuch Cui left, Concubine Duan shifted her gaze to Emperor Guangxi again. Presumably, the injury was too severe. He has lost a lot of weight. The phalanges and wrist bones of the hand holding her are particularly prominent, leaving only a layer of leather with.

"I thought you wouldn't come."

"The concubine has been here, but it's a pity that I can't see your majesty."

Concubine Duan stuffed his hands back into the brocade quilt, "It's cold outside, Your Majesty should keep warm."

Emperor Guangxi stared at her without speaking.

Concubine Duan felt uncomfortable being stared at by him, "Why does Your Majesty look at concubine like this?"

"Am I getting old?" Emperor Guangxi asked.

Concubine Duan smiled and said, "The emperor thinks he is old because you have worked too hard for Da Chu."

"I ascended the throne when I was young, and I have been in power for forty years. I thought I could live forever." Emperor Guangxi's voice was very soft, and the candlelight diffused into his eyes, but there was not much warmth. fate."

Concubine Duan hesitated, "This arrow... was really shot by the crown prince?"

Emperor Guangxi was noncommittal, "Where is that rebellious son?"

"It has been imprisoned in the clan's residence." Duan Concubine said.

Seeing that Emperor Guangxi's complexion was not good, she hurriedly said again: "Since the emperor has not recovered yet, don't think about those troublesome things, and let's take care of him at ease. The concubine will come to take care of the sick every day."

Emperor Guangxi coughed twice and closed his eyes, "How did the queen fall into the water?"

"Concubine Xian has already found out that it is related to Xianfu Palace."

The queen fell ill, and during these days the harem was presided over by concubines Xian.

Concubine Qi and Concubine Qing used to live in Xianfu Palace, when Concubine Qi was promoted to empress, Concubine Qing became the main seat.

During the hunting days, Concubine Qing was left in the palace like Empress Qi.

Hearing this, Emperor Guangxi sneered, "It's all upside down!"

"The dragon's body is important, please appease the emperor." Concubine Duan said, reaching out to stroke his chest.

Emperor Guangxi gasped for a few breaths, his face became darker and more solemn, "As soon as I fell down, accidents happened one after another. Now in the front and rear palace, the only one I can trust is you, Zhen'er."

The concubine Duan lowered her eyelids, "If the emperor wants to say something, just tell the concubine."

Emperor Guangxi said: "I have a secret letter that needs to be sent to Duke Lu's mansion urgently."

Concubine Duan's heart was pounding, "What does the emperor mean, let the concubine go in person?"

Emperor Guangxi nodded, "I said before, I don't trust anyone except you."

Such a heavy promise is like a huge boulder on Duanbi's shoulders.

"It's in the silver box on the shelf behind you." Emperor Guangxi pointed his finger, "The situation is urgent, I hope you can fulfill my entrustment as soon as possible."

Concubine Duan stood up and walked towards the Bogu rack, and she saw the silver box that Emperor Guangxi had mentioned, with dragons tattooed on the body of the box, it looked very luxurious.

"The box is unlocked, and the key and secret letter are inside."

After Emperor Guangxi finished speaking, he yawned, then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Concubine Duan hugged the box and stood there for a long while without moving.

-

Coming out of Qianqing Palace, Concubine Duan did not go to Lu's house immediately, but sent someone to send a letter to Yang Shoufu.

Knowing that Emperor Guangxi asked Concubine Duan to send a secret letter to Lu's house, Yang Shoufu quickly rushed over.

"Why does the emperor let the empress do this in person?" Yang Shoufu was puzzled.

"The emperor said that he doesn't believe anyone except me." Concubine Duan stretched out her hand to caress the intricately patterned box, "But I always feel that he is testing me."

“How come you see?”

"Look." Concubine Duan pointed to the box and said, "It's not locked, and the secret letter is inside. If I have any objections, I will open it privately to read what is written on the secret letter."

These words reminded Yang Shoufu, "The emperor sent a message to the Lu family at this time, and the content could never be innocuous nonsense. Since it is not locked, why not open it and have a look?"

Concubine Duan shook her head, "Knowing that it's a test but still taking risks, if something happens, I'll regret it before it's too late."

Yang Shoufu bowed, "Your Majesty, you don't have to do it yourself, this kind of thing can be left to the veteran."

Taking a few steps forward, Yang Shoufu held the box with both hands and took it to the table of the Eight Immortals, and slowly opened it. Inside were a lock, a key and a confidential letter.

The secret letter has not been sealed with wax, and it is obviously tempting people to take a peek.

Seeing Yang Shoufu take out the secret letter, Concubine Duan's expression changed, "Uncle, you can't open it!"

"The emperor is forcing you to make a choice." Yang Shoufu said calmly: "If you are loyal enough and don't open the box, then this secret letter will be delivered to Duke Lu safe and sound, but if you peek, you must It will be intercepted halfway. Madam, think about it carefully, what was written in the secret letter that made you react like this?"

"I don't know what was written." Concubine Duan didn't want to think about it, "I only know that uncle can't read it."

A secret letter written by the emperor himself is equivalent to an imperial decree.

If you peek at it or intercept it, you are resisting the decree and deceiving the emperor.

From the first time Yang Shoufu plotted against Song Wei in order to avenge the Liang family, Concubine Duan knew that the Yang family would never turn back.

At this point, Yang Shoufu's ambition has completely exceeded her expectations, and she doesn't want him to make the same mistakes again and again.

Yang Shoufu knew what Concubine Duan was worried about. He looked at the secret letter with a half smile in his eyes, "In order to pave the way for the second prince, I started planning when he was still in the mother's womb. Now I am only one step away from success, but the mother persuaded me Don't you find it ridiculous that I stop?"

"I just don't want my uncle to go all the way to the dark."

"Your Majesty, don't forget that there are not only old ministers on this road, but also you and the second prince. At the third prince's full moon banquet, Empress Qi almost threw the child to the ground. I owe you all of it. Do you think the emperor really doesn't know the truth? It is because he knew that today he gave you a difficult problem, giving you the last chance to choose. If you choose correctly, he may save your life, but if you choose wrong, it will not only be you and the second prince, The Yang clan must be buried with him!"

Concubine Duan pursed her lips, her brows and eyes were full of tangles.

"If you don't believe me, empress, take a closer look."

Yang Shoufu had already pulled out the paper from the secret letter, and after reading it himself, he sent it to Concubine Duan.

Concubine Duan lowered her eyes, and saw eight words written on the paper: Yang's treason, he deserves to be punished.

Back stiffened, Concubine Duan's eyes were fixed on those eight characters, and her eyes were full of disbelief.

Yang Shoufu slowly stuffed the paper back, "If your majesty intercepts this secret letter, you will betray the emperor and deceive the emperor, but if you send the secret letter to Lu Guogong, the Yang family will be finished. How do you choose? Madam is the best choice." It’s better to think about it carefully.”

Concubine Duan insisted: "Since the emperor is testing me, the contents of the secret letter can't be counted. As long as I send the things over to complete the test, nothing will happen to the Yang family."

Yang Shoufu's old face sank, "Your Majesty, are you going to bet on the lives of my entire family?"

"Then what do you think?" Concubine Duan said: "The Emperor obviously held back. Once we stop the letter, we've really fallen into a trap. It's not certain what will happen then!"

"Really?" Yang Shoufu walked to the candlestick, raised his hand, and the orange flame swallowed the secret letter into ashes.

Taking out his handkerchief and wiping his hands, Yang Shoufu turned around with a ferocious smile on his lips, "There are people like me in the emperor's bedroom, as long as I don't give the order, the emperor may find it hard to get well, if you don't take advantage of this time to force the palace, the empress will return!" Do you want to wait for the crown prince to come out and raise him as your own son?"

Concubine Duan gasped in shock, "Emperor Cui's palace... you said, could it be Eunuch Cui?"

On the day Song Wei's coffin returned to Beijing, it was given a posthumous title by Yang Shoufu. Concubine Duan had heard people mention it, and Eunuch Cui personally brought someone to change the coffin.

In the emperor's bedroom before, Emperor Guangxi himself said that he didn't believe anyone in the front and rear palaces.

Could it be that Eunuch Cui was really bought by his uncle?
Anyone who has served the emperor for so long can be bribed. What has uncle done in private all these years?
The more Concubine Duan thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Looking at the empty box, Yang Shoufu raised his lips and sneered, "The emperor asked you to deliver a secret letter to Lu Guogong to punish my people, then you can use this box to bring in the official seal, as long as the seal of the Jade Seal of Chuanguo is stamped." , and we will be done.”

Seeing that concubine Duan was still hesitating, Yang Shoufu said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, the old officials have already made arrangements, and with Eunuch Cui's assistance, there won't be any trouble."

(End of this chapter)