The Child Emperor

Minister of Officials Yuan Jiuding hurriedly ran home. As soon as he entered the bedroom, his wife raised her head and asked, When are you leaving? With the palace, or alone?

Yuan Jiuding's face sank, and he waved the maid out, What are you going? I am the Minister of Officials, and I have to stay in the capital. Only the Ministry of Household and the Ministry of Rites can leave.

Why? Madam asked in surprise, followed by an angry look on her face, Who makes the decision, the prime minister or the master?

Don't worry about so many things at the wife's house, you pack up and take your family to go first, you don't have to wait in the palace, I got a customs clearance document, you go through Hangu Pass, go straight to Luoyang, and go to the Zeng family, if...

Madam stepped forward, without you, where would our orphans and widowed mothers go? The Zeng family also depends on your face. If you have an emergency... Who will take care of us. You have to go with us.

Yuan Jiuding's face was ashen, Do you think I don't want to? But the prime minister made it very clear that only the Ministry of Household and the Ministry of Rites can leave, and the other ministers must stay to guard the city and wait for His Majesty's imperial decree.

The decree has arrived, and everyone is dead. I'll go see the prime minister's wife and ask the prime minister to let you go.

It's useless, the prime minister himself stayed, can he let me go?

I said I can leave if I can. I don't even have to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion in person. I just need to write a letter to the Prime Minister's wife, and she will help you get the Prime Minister's approval.

Yuan Jiuding looked suspicious, What are you women doing?

Madam sneered, Of course it's to help you. Now, there is no need to hide it. When the emperor went on a hunting tour in Beijing, several women ordered the mother-son relationship between the empress dowager and the emperor in the palace every day, and the master behind it was the prime minister's wife. .

Yuan Jiuding was taken aback, You participated?

It doesn't matter. Anyway, I have evidence that the prime minister's wife abetted her wife. The queen mother refuses to leave the capital now. If I give this evidence to the emperor, the prime minister's wife will be suspected and the whole family will be ruined.

Yuan Jiuding's face turned red and white. He knew that these ladies in the court often planned small plots in private. As long as it was beneficial to his family, he would not interfere. He didn't expect such a big thing to happen.

Where's the evidence?

The lady took a letter out of her sleeve and gave it to her husband.

Yuan Jiuding opened it and read it again. This was written by the prime minister's wife to Wang Cuilian, thanking her for her help, and saying that she would soon arrange a fat job for her son.

The letter did not mention the matter of provoking the relationship between the emperor and the empress dowager, but such a letter is enough. The prime minister's wife colluded with the people around the empress dowager, and promised to be fat, which itself is a suspicious felony.

How did this letter end up in your hands?

I picked it up when I was waiting in the palace. It must have been Wang Cuilian who accidentally fell to the ground.

You didn't tell anyone else?

Of course, if it wasn't to save your life, I wouldn't take it out today.

Yuan Jiuding thought for a while, then laughed, Let's go, we don't have to wait for the Prime Minister's permission, our whole family will leave now.

Madam was overjoyed, You don't have to ask the prime minister's wife for mercy?

Yuan Jiuding put the letter in his sleeve, It's such a time, why do you want to ask the prime minister's wife for mercy? I will write a letter to the prime minister and send it to the prime minister after we leave the city. Zhuo Ruhe will definitely issue another order. enough.

Zhuo Ruhe also went back home and asked the princess and her family to pack up the delicate things and prepare to move to Luoyang with the queen.

The princess had to persuade, but Zhuo Ruhe only replied, I am the prime minister, all the people in the city can leave, but I can't leave, I will stay alone, and I will keep my loyal name, if I abandon the city, the whole family will be suffer.

The family knew that they could not be persuaded, so they had to give up, and sent someone to contact the palace to prepare to leave Beijing together.

Zhuo Ruhe should have gone to the Qinzheng Palace again, but instead he went to the study, withdrew from his followers, and sat alone for a while.

Without the presence of outsiders, he could finally show his sincerity without any scruples. He only felt that his whole body was collapsed, and even his hands were shaking slightly. He had to remind himself in a low voice: You can do it, Xiao Sheng can do it, and you can too.

The former Zuo Cha censor Xiao Sheng threw his allegiance into the river in Jincheng, and has become a model for ministers. Zhuo Ruhe also boldly marched into the Huns, but his decision at that time was irrelevant, but now it will affect the survival of the capital and even the great Chu.

After half an hour, Zhuo Ruhe finally regained his composure, got up and went out, preparing to call his entourage to the Palace of Qinzheng.

The entourage handed over a letter, Letter from the Minister of Officials, Lord Yuan.

Zhuo Ruhe was stunned for a moment, then opened the letter and read it briefly.

Is the lord going to leave the palace? the entourage asked. He had served the prime minister for a long time and could always accurately guess the master's decision.

This time it was wrong.

No, I'll leave later, go see the princess first.

Yes.

In the mansion, the prime minister's wife was called the princess, which was the case when she married the Zhuo family, even when her in-laws were still there.

The princess was instructing her family to pack valuables into boxes, which filled half the yard.

Zhuo Ruhe frowned, Princess, please come in and talk.

The princess gave the servant a few more orders, and entered the house with her husband. The house was empty, even the tables and chairs were emptied.

It's all my dowry stuff and can't be left to the barbarians. The princess thought that her husband thought she had brought too many things.

Zhuo Ruhe handed the letter over.

The princess was stunned for a moment, read the letter again, and became furious, So that letter fell into her hands!

So, is there really a letter?

The princess hesitated for a moment and replied, It's not a big deal, can't I communicate with others?

Who is Wang Cuilian's nephew? Has it been arranged?

Served as a small official in the Ministry of Household.

Zhuo Ruhe knew in his heart that the Ministry of Household was in charge of money and rations, and even a small official might be a fat poor.

Oh, you've hurt me.

I'm doing it for your own good. You are a precarious slaughter. The emperor doesn't trust you, the ministers have different opinions, and the queen mother is also dissatisfied with you. She always wants to replace you with others. I kept your position. When you are nervous, the more you need to maintain the stability of the court, don't you understand the truth?

Zhuo Ruhe was speechless.

Didn't Yuan Jiuding just want an order to leave Beijing? Give it to him. When I get to Luoyang, I don't need you to intervene. I have a way to clean up their family.

Zhuo Ruhe sighed, It seems that I really overestimate myself, probably only His Majesty can handle this mess.

It's not the time when the mountains and rivers are exhausted. The princess said loudly.

Just pack up your things.

Zhuo Ruhe turned to leave, and the princess said again: Since this is said, there are still a few people who want to go to Luoyang, and I hope to get your permission.

Zhuo Ruhe turned his head with a look of shock and anger, How many handles do you have in the hands of outsiders?

It has nothing to do with the handle. You sign an order and you can get at least 50,000 taels of silver to pay in Luoyang.

Zhuo Ruhe was furious, Is the Zhuo family so short of money?

The days to come may be more difficult. Of course, the more money, the better. There are not many people, just a dozen...

Zhuo Ruhe walked away and took the sedan chair out of the house. As soon as he exited the gate, he was stopped. The entourage shouted. After a while, an entourage came to the sedan chair and said, Sir, Uncle Wang Guo asks to see you.

Zhuo Ruhe hummed, the sedan chair fell to the ground, and the attendant lifted the sedan curtain.

One of the emperor's uncles rushed over, leaned into the sedan chair, grabbed the prime minister's arm, and said angrily: Master Zhuo, you are negligent, how can you let the queen dowager stay? If others don't leave, the queen mother has to leave, otherwise, How will you see your Majesty in the future?

Uncle Wang Guo was originally a farmer, and he could force himself to obey the rules at ordinary times.

Zhuo Ruhe was stunned for a moment, and immediately understood that Uncle Wang Guo was anxious for his own family. The Queen Mother left the capital, they naturally followed. If the Queen Mother did not leave, it would be difficult for them to leave. Even if the Queen Mother ordered, if the Wang family left the capital, they would fall behind. bad reputation.

It's not something I can decide.

You are the prime minister. When His Majesty leaves, the capital will be handed over to you. You can't decide. Who can decide? Don't fool us honest people. This matter has to fall on you. You don't care, I won't withdraw.

Zhuo Ruhe threw his hand away, but Uncle Wang Guo's hand was not small, so he had to say, I'm just about to enter the palace.

I'll go with you. Uncle Wang Guo said and squeezed into the sedan chair.

The attendants on both sides hurriedly stopped, and one said, Uncle Guo, don't you have your own sedan chair?

Only then did Uncle Wang Guo wake up, let go and step back, Let's enter the palace together and persuade the queen mother together, we can't let the queen mother stay in the capital.

Zhuo Ruhe still has a lot of business to deal with, but he is troubled by trivial matters one after another, and his mood is getting worse and worse.

If Your Majesty is here... Zhuo Ruhe muttered to himself in the sedan chair, feeling guilty and nostalgic.

Not too far away, the sedan chair stopped again, Zhuo Ruhe stomped his feet, and an attendant lifted the curtain and said, There are people blocking the road, and someone has been sent to expel them.

The news of moving the palace to Luoyang has already been spread. There is chaos in the city, and everyone wants to leave first, but since I heard that Shenxiongguan fell, all the gates of the capital have been closed, and no one can get out without the order of the court. Open the door and let people go.

Zhuo Ruhe could not order the city gate to be opened, it would cause even greater chaos and block the way of everyone in the palace, and if everyone ran away, there would be only one empty city left, which would be even more difficult to guard.

The sedan chair moved forward slowly, and the shouting outside became louder and louder. Zhuo Ruhe was worried, and planned to order the whole city to be under martial law as soon as he arrived at the Qinzheng Hall, not allowing the people to go out casually.

With a bang, the sedan chair swayed and almost fell over. Zhuo Ruhe was shocked and held both sides with both hands, thinking he had encountered an assassin.

A male-female voice shouted: Let me see the prime minister, why not let me see the prime minister? I even see the emperor...

The sedan chair steadied, Zhuo Ruhe lifted the sedan curtain by himself, and saw several sergeants struggling to hold down one person, angrily said, What's going on?

The entourage came over, although it was late autumn, his face was full of sweat, An old woman, her strength is terrifying...

The old woman became violent, pushed the soldier away, took two steps forward, and was less than ten steps away from the sedan chair, and the sedan chairman did not dare to stop her.

Prime Minister, let me tell you, my man has a good relationship with the emperor, I don't believe it...

More sergeants ran over and worked together to hold the old woman down, and some even drew their knives.

Stop. Zhuo Ruhe shouted, killing the women in the street, once it spreads, it may arouse public anger, Send it to Jingzhao Yin's house, lock it up, don't hurt.

The sergeant dragged the old woman away, and the old woman was still yelling.

The sedan chair continued to move forward, and finally reached the palace safely and stopped in front of the Qinzheng Hall.

Uncle Wang Guo ran again, Why stop here? Enter the palace.

Is it possible to enter the palace if you want? You have to tell me. Zhuo Ruhe got off the sedan chair and entered the Qinzheng Hall. He saw that several adults had arrived, but Yuan Jiuding was not there.

What will your majesty do at such a time? Zhuo Ruhe has been thinking about this question. The moment he stepped into the hall, he knew who to ask, Chuan Yu Shi Nan Zhi Jin.