Chapter 30 Brother and Brother Compared to Jiang He who was stunned, Queen Mother Ji Man was obviously much calmer.
Her fingers fiddled with the twelve chapters embroidered on the cross-collared dress, from the sun, moon and stars to mountain dragons and insects. The gold and silver threads made her well-maintained fingers feel rough and painful.
The hall was so quiet that even the sound of the cold wind blowing through the window lattice was extremely harsh.
After a long silence, the Queen Mother said dejectedly: "How could this happen?"
how so.
The eldest son who was entrusted with an important task is about to die, the dreams of the previous kings of Yong are about to be shattered, and the envoys from various countries gathered in the capital of Yong will see with their own eyes how vulnerable the Yong court is.
This time, the memorial ceremony at Jiuwei Mountain to celebrate the marriage between Yong and Qi will turn into a feast for various countries to discuss carving up the Yong Kingdom.
No matter who in the royal family wants to inherit the throne, they will not hesitate to cede land and people in order to temporarily stabilize their status.
The Queen Mother's face did not change, but her heart seemed to contain a pot of water that no one knew about before. But now the water boiled, and the hot water vapor kept pushing the lid of the pot, but she could not suppress it.
The words of Chang'an Lord Zhao Jiao came to his ears.
——Mother, please think clearly, I am the only son you have!
When the Queen Mother asked why this happened, the imperial doctor who had been serving Zhao Zheng thought he was asking about his condition. After thinking for a moment, he replied: "The poison your Majesty was poisoned was hidden in the wine vessel that day. The antidote was originally available. But for one thing, time was wasted, and secondly, His Majesty has been poisoned by aconite, arsenic, tripterygium, gelsemium, oleander, and trichophylla in the past few years as a hostage among the six countries. The poison enters the heart. The liver meridian of Jueyin of the foot and the heart meridian of the hand Shaoyin were injured. Even if most of the poison was resolved at that time, the body was already injured. Now when the poison is drunk again, Wei Chen and others..." The imperial doctor's head hit the floor, He said sadly, "There is nothing we can do."
Jiang He stood up suddenly.
Her movements were sudden and panicked, and the Queen Mother looked at her with a He's eyes fell on Zhao Zheng's face with his eyes closed, and he asked in confusion and horror: "How come you were poisoned by so many kinds of poisons?"
She seemed to be asking the imperial doctor, but actually she was asking Zhao Zheng.
In fact, it should be said that he has been poisoned by all the poisons that can be extracted and refined in the seven countries.
Is this a test of poison, or is it a pledge of going abroad? Zhao Zheng's calm face was expressionless, while the imperial doctor shook his head and sighed: "There is nothing we can do. Your Majesty is careful enough, but you still can't prevent it."
Yes, he was careful enough.
He never eats out, only drinks cold water, and does not need to be served by maids when changing clothes and bathing. He walks as if on thin ice, but he still gets attacked again and again.
"It's just what happened before," Jiang He walked to the Queen Mother, knelt down, and kowtowed, "I have found out where the poison came from and who administered it."
Before the Queen Mother asked, Jiang He deliberately said: "Su Yu, the commander-in-chief of the Xuanwei Army, is here to see you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Wenzhou, the chief chamberlain waiting outside, summoned Su Yu to enter the palace.
Su Yu knelt down outside the screen and said solemnly: "Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Her Majesty the Queen, I have found out that the poison was 'drunk to death' in the wine vessel. It was Chang'an Jun's guard Chang Baiqing who replaced the poisonous vessel. The wine vessel was the reason why His Majesty was poisoned. The retainer who refined the poison of "Drunken Death" has also been captured by the ministers, and he now happens to be under the supervision of the Lord of Chang'an. In addition, yesterday's mob gathering outside the banquet to cause trouble and besiege the palace is also It’s what Chang’an Lord did.”
Zhao Zheng used himself as bait, just waiting for the assassin to make a move.
I just don't know if he ever thought that Lord Chang'an or Wei Zhangde would be so vicious.
If you want to destroy the marriage between Qi and Yong, killing the princess of Qi is enough.
For example, the assassination in Qi Guangguan and the flames in King Yong's Palace.
But Zhao Jiao's target is Zhao Zheng, his brother from the same mother.
He didn't even bother to put poison in the wine vessel of Princess Qi.
The Queen Mother's expression changed dramatically, but Jiang He kowtowed again and said: "Your Highness, the Queen Mother, please order the arrest of Lord Chang'an for rigorous interrogation."
Dark clouds obscured the skylight, and the hall felt a little cold for a moment.
The Queen Mother looked at Jiang He who was kneeling in front of her, and then at Zhao Zheng who was unconscious on the bed, and tightened her grip on the twelve chapters embroidered on her clothes.
Regicide is a capital crime.
Of her two sons, one will die of poisoning and the other will die following the law? No one dared to urge her to make a decision, but Jiang He had already raised his head to look at the Queen Mother.
There was something more than just a plea for justice in her eyes.
Like determination, like hope.
"Open the door!"
This dungeon in the Da Zheng Palace does not usually lock people in. It is cold and damp, and occasionally poisonous insects crawl through it.
Zhao Jiao's leg injury had just recovered. Sitting here at this moment, he really couldn't stay any longer.
He never expected that his mother, who usually favored him, would lock him up today.
what's next?Send him to Tingwei for trial and conviction?Or simply starve to death to cover up the human tragedy in the palace?
The poison was put in the wine vessel. As long as the Queen Mother asked where the same wine vessel as Zhao Zheng was, she could guess that he had poisoned her.
But Zhao Jiao is still confident.
Because in his heart, only he and his mother have been dependent on each other for 17 years, and they are the real mother and son.
Zhao Zheng, on the other hand, was an outsider who was raised outside and never agreed with them.
But now Zhao Jiao knows that he was wrong.
The old cow still knows how to lick its calf, but it never occurred to him that his mother was going to kill him.
All this is because of Zhao Zheng.
The Queen Mother's words that day are still in my ears.
——Chang'an Jun, how can you not be willing to give in?
——Chang'an Jun, you can't do it.
For Zhao Zheng's sake, his mother would humiliate him, belittle him, and even kill him! Everyone says that his brother is good, and even his mother is on his side now.
Zhao Jiao stood up holding the iron door and looked at the chamberlain who was walking hurriedly not far Queen Mother may not know that the Da Zheng Palace is now his.
Tomorrow, the entire capital of Yong Kingdom will belong to him.
"Open the door." His eyes were filled with hot fire.
The iron chains jingled like weapons or shackles.
In the Zhiyang Palace, the Queen Mother suddenly let go of her clothes and replied to Jiang He: "This matter needs long-term consideration."
"How to plan for the long term?" Jiang He asked, "Now the evidence is conclusive. If the mother is cautious about looking forward and backward, I am worried about another accident in the palace."
"How to change?" The Queen Mother looked at Jiang He angrily and said sternly, "The sudden death of the monarch is the biggest change! Your Majesty only has this one brother. If Chang'an Lord is imprisoned, who will deal with the six countries' envoys and who will suppress the emperor?" The royal brothers are rebelling, who will stabilize the situation and complete the memorial ceremony at Mount Jiuwei?"
Jiang He's legs hurt a little from kneeling, but he didn't feel as distressed as she did.
Up to now, is the Queen Mother still thinking about the missions from the Six Nations, the rebellion of the royal family, and the memorial ceremony at Mount Jiuyi? It's not that she doesn't know the art of vertical and horizontal and the way of the emperor.
However, she couldn't understand that a mother would give up justice for her eldest son to save her second son who killed his brother and committed rebellion? "Mother," Jiang He said one word at a time, his heart and lungs were cold and his teeth were cold, "Your Majesty is seriously ill. Do you want Lord Chang'an to deal with the mission, suppress the rebellion, and complete the memorial ceremony at Mount Jiuyi?"
She looked at the Queen Mother.
For the first time, her eyes were pleading.
She is a carefree and fearless person who has never asked anyone for anything.
But her eyes and expression were pleading with the Queen Mother, please, please say no.
The man in the hospital bed, he was awake, he could hear.
During the night when he was unconscious due to poisoning, he called for his mother in his sleep.
Even if you have not raised your child, even if you prefer your younger son, please let him see your mercy and justice once.
However, the Queen Mother looked at Jiang He indifferently and said firmly: "Zheng'er's bad fate is not the fault of the Ai family."
Isn't that also Chang'an Jun's fault?
Jiang He lowered his head in disbelief, not daring to look at the expression of the man on the bed.
She really hoped that Zhao Zheng was asleep.
She took it for granted, and took it for granted that all parents in the world would love their children as much as her parents did, and that like Wei Ji's parents, they would leave the throne to their eldest son and leave their care to their youngest son.
Zhao Zheng's life has been completely different from theirs since he was six years old.
The Queen Mother of the Yong Kingdom, Ji Man, did not feel guilty or caring about her eldest son because she was separated from him. Instead, she regarded him as the sharpest knife in the Yong Kingdom from beginning to end.
Hold it in your hand and achieve your purpose.
In the Great Yong Palace, except for the chief chamberlain who had been with him for more than ten years, probably no one really cared for him.
"Su Yu," the Queen Mother's voice sounded, calling to the commander of the guards outside the screen, "Your Majesty is seriously ill. Please guard the palace and leave the military talisman to the Ai family for safekeeping."
Su Yu, who was outside the screen, hesitated for a moment and then respectfully refused: "Reporting to Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Her Majesty gave the order before she fell into coma. All the guards will obey the Queen's order and do not dare to make any mistakes."
The Queen Mother looked slightly sluggish and sneered: "What if His Majesty is seriously ill?"
Su Yu did not hesitate this time and kowtowed: "If His Majesty dies, the ministers should be buried in the royal mausoleum. The new king will naturally make the decision on the military talisman!"
Jiang He turned to look at the screen. Su Yu was behind the screen, and she couldn't see his expression she knew she was wrong again. There was one more person who truly cared for Zhao Zheng.
"Okay, okay!" The Queen Mother said hello three times in a row, but her tone was full of contempt, "The Ai family has worked hard to protect the late king's throne, but we didn't expect to be criticized and feared by you. Su Yu, you don't have to stay in the palace these days. Now, let’s make arrangements for the memorial ceremony at Mount Jiuwei in seven days.”
How can we go to pay homage? Jiang He raised his head and asked: "Queen Mother, Your Majesty, I'm afraid he can't..."
"What can't be done?" the Queen Mother said angrily, "Brothers come to an end. If Your Majesty does not wake up in seven days, it will be Zhao Jiao who goes to Jiuwei Mountain to attend the memorial ceremony. As for you, Princess Jiang of Qi State, you will naturally still belong to our Yong State. queen!"
When the younger brother comes and takes the throne, should he marry the king's wife? Jiang He suddenly felt extremely ridiculous.
She rubbed her sore legs and stood up, looking at Queen Yong with a sneer.
She understands that the envoys from the six countries are now gathered in the capital of the Yong Kingdom. If the monarch dies and the Chang'an Lord is executed, the Yong Kingdom will be in chaos.
She also understood that the Queen Mother was good at wielding power. In order to stabilize the situation, even if she hated Zhao Jiao, she would not let him die.
But she didn't expect that she would not even let go of her eldest son's first wife.
Yes, the Qi delegation is also here.
The Qi State is arrogant and will never allow the princess to remain a widow thousands of miles this way, the marriage between Qi and Yong would not work, but would lead to discord.
If the princess marries a new king, Qi will reluctantly agree.
It's just that this would be too greedy.
Greedy people will not be rewarded.
"Queen Mother." Jiang He stood tall and straight and looked at the Queen Mother.
When you no longer expect someone to uphold justice for you, when you hold your destiny in your own hands, you will feel fearless and even the cold wind can be used with a combat knife.
"I'm sorry that I can't obey my orders," Jiang He said determinedly, "I will capture Zhao Jiao, interrogate Zhao Jiao, and kill Zhao Jiao! As for who will sit on the throne of your Yong Kingdom, it depends on who is more capable. I will join you. The country does not bother to marry you again in the Yong Kingdom, but is willing to take the opportunity to share a piece of the pie so that you can see the death of Yong as soon as possible and the hearts of the people will be scattered!"
"You...bastard maid!"
The Queen Mother suddenly stood up and slapped Jiang He with her palm.
(End of this chapter)