Chapter 148 Undercurrents

Huang Zicheng Mansion, the capital.

In the bright second hall, several green primrose bamboo potted plants are scattered in the corners of the hall, giving the slightly dull inner hall a little vitality. On the mahogany tea table, there is a hint of heat emitting the edge of the exquisite jasper tea cup.

Huang Zicheng sat in the first place, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table beside him.

He likes this move very much recently. He believes that the rhythm of knocking on the table helps him think, and because this move is also the move that I like today. If I like it above, I will definitely be effective.

As a minister, only by "one heart of the king and his subjects" can the country and the country be stable and prosperous, and the Ming Dynasty can enter a prosperous era.

There were several people sitting on the guest seats on both sides of the inner hall, namely Yang Jing, Minister of Justice, Bao Zhao, Censor of the Left Capital, and Huang Guan, Censor of the Censor.

The room was very quiet, and everyone seemed to be silently organizing language in their hearts.

After a long time, Huang Guan said in a deep voice: "The reason for the incident has been reported in the palace. Your Majesty ordered Xiao Fan to divorce his original wife and marry Princess Jiangdu. Xiao Fan refused to obey the order, which annoyed Your Majesty, so he was sent to the imperial prison."

Yang Jing frowned and said, "Everyone said that Xiao Fan is a treacherous slander in the court. How dare the treacherous slander resist the order? Is there something else in this matter?"

Huang Guan sneered, "What's the inside story? Your Majesty wants him to divorce his wife, but he refuses. And both of them want them. He deserves to be so ignorant of such an ignorant prison!"

Bao Zhao said: "I would rather offend Tianyan than leave my original wife for glory and wealth. This move is quite strong. Xiao Fan doesn't seem as bad as we think."

Huang Guan said in a deep voice: "One code is one code, and it is his family matter. Xiao Fan is the disaster for my Ming Dynasty. This is unquestionable. Since he entered the court, all the civil and military officials in the court have been slaughtered because of him. There are countless traitors led by him. The traitors led by him have formed their own faction, making the court chaotic. In the long run, how can we have a loyal minister in the court? Wouldn't the good Ming Dynasty become a traitor in power?"

After saying the passionate words, everyone in the hall looked different, Bao Zhao lowered his head and remained silent, while Yang Jing seemed to be thinking.

Huang Zicheng, who was sitting upright at the main seat, had no expression on his face, and his fingers were still tapping on the table, not knowing what he was thinking.

Huang Guan turned his head and looked at Huang Zicheng and said, "Mr. Huang, what do you say?"

Huang Zicheng was silent for a while before he said slowly: "Xiao Fan was imprisoned because he was responsible for it. No wonder others. When Princess Jiangdu and his rumors spread throughout the capital, I and my colleagues had never said a word. We are all people who read the books of sages and never make a fuss about other people's family affairs. They thought that those who are pure will be clear, but they never thought that these rumors were true..."

Huang Zicheng's eyes gradually became a little gloomy: "...I have a wife in the family, but she still has a bad relationship with Princess Jiangdu. She is so out of control that she is unwilling to divorce her wife and marry Princess. How could Tian Family Qingyu be so insulted by him? Facts have proved that Xiao Fan is not only a traitor in the court, but his own moral integrity is even more unbearable. How can such a traitor in the country come from?"

Huang Guan nodded and agreed: "Mr. Huang said it well. Now he is old and sick. He can't hold on for long. His Royal Highness is bewitched by Xiao Fan, a traitor, and he is in harmony with him. If the Grandson ascends the throne in the future, Xiao Fan will be highly valued. At that time, the country and country of the Ming Dynasty will be in danger! Now Xiao Fan is in prison, which is a good opportunity for heaven. You and my court should work together to impeach and eliminate harm to the country! Avenge their colleagues who died tragically under the butcher knife of the Jinyiwei!"

Huang Zicheng stopped tapping the table, stood up slowly, looked around the people in the hall. He had a gloomy face and said slowly: "We can decide whether to eliminate him or not. Now Your Majesty only took him to the imperial prison, but did not kill him. This shows that Your Majesty has not made up his mind yet. You and I might as well wait a few more days. Your Majesty will definitely know what he will do to Xiao Fan."

There was a turbulent tide in the court, and ministers connected each other and walked secretly. The incident happened suddenly. Before everyone could figure out the direction of the wind, the civil and military officials in the court remained silent, waiting for Zhu Yuanzhang to deal with Xiao Fan.

Princess Jiangdu was punished to be confined to Zhaoren Palace, and was kept in mind to think about her mistakes and was not allowed to go out.

Zhu Yunwen of the Eastern Palace was so anxious that he jumped up and down. He entered the palace several times to plead for Xiao Fan, and cried and made trouble. Unfortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang's heart was as firm as iron this time. It seemed that he was really angry and insisted on dealing with Xiao Fan severely. Zhu Yunwen advised him several times but failed, so he returned.

The Xiao Mansion was already in chaos. When the servants learned that Xiao Fan was in prison, they all lost their opinions. Butler Zhang staggered into the inner courtyard and reported the news to Xiao Huamei as soon as possible.

Xiao Huamei was less than thirteen years old. Although she had experienced many difficulties since childhood, she had never encountered such a difficult thing. She was suddenly confused and was so anxious that she still couldn't find a way to deal with it.

The entire capital seemed to be moved by Xiao Fan's imprisonment. From the palace to the streets and alleys, it maintained a strange atmosphere, just like the tranquility before the storm, and the storm of the earth shaking in the silence.

On the day when Xiao Fan was imprisoned, Xiao Huamei packed up a few clothes and wiped her tears to the gate of the imperial prison. Unfortunately, the prison guards at the gate did not recognize her, so they stopped her and refused to let her in.

The thrush left clothes and returned sadly.

On the second day, Cao Yi, a thousand households of the Jinyiwei, climbed the door of Xiao’s Mansion.

Xiao Huamei was busy welcoming guests in the outer hall. Seeing Cao Yi strode in, Huamei wiped her tears on her face and bowed to Cao Yi seriously. The head of the family was in trouble. As the only mistress in the Xiao Mansion, Huamei took out the demeanor of being the mistress. At a young age, she would put away her sadness and panic. Her pretty face was dignified and solemn, and she was calm.

Cao Yi saw the performance of the thrush, and his eyes showed a look of appreciation.

At a young age, he was so calm and composed when encountering problems. He was calm and composed, and his demeanor was not inferior to his beloved. Brother Xiao did not miss the wrong person. No wonder the emperor ordered him to divorce his wife and refused. With such a good wife, which man would like to divorce her?

Cao Yi walked into the hall, waved his hand at the thrush, and said in a deep voice: "My brother and sister-in-law, Cao and Xiao Fan are brothers of life and death, they are all family members, so there is no need to put on these clichés."

Xiao Huamei said calmly with a calm face: "If the head of the family is not here, the courtesy cannot be abolished. Brother Cao is the eldest brother of his husband, so I should treat him with his brother."

Cao Yi nodded with more appreciation and said, "Cao is here today, it was Xiao Fan who asked me to bring you a word..."

Xiao Huamei's eyes suddenly showed excitement and said anxiously: "Can you be safe in the imperial prison? Did the Jinyiwei torture him? Is there any food, clothing and food in it?"

Cao Yi laughed and said, "Don't worry, brother and sister. That boy Xiao Fan is living so happy inside. With Cao, a thousand households in the brocade clothes, and His Royal Highness standing behind him, who dares to let him suffer? Don't worry, brother and sister."

When Xiao Huamei heard this, her anxious expression finally calmed down a little.

She blinked her big eyes, then lowered her eyelids, and asked, "I have heard of the reason why my husband was imprisoned. How can I feel at ease when I suffered this great disaster for me? Maybe... I am really an ominous person. I have repeatedly hurt my husband. I left the Chen family for me and now I have issued an edict to prison for me. I... have really implicated him too much."

Cao Yi heard her words with infinite inferiority and bleakness, and hurriedly said, "You should not think too much about your brother and sister. The husband and wife are united, so it is better to be with you. Brother Xiao is not afraid of power. For you, he is not afraid of losing his head. If you complain about yourself, what's the point of doing this?"

Xiao Huamei was not stupid. After hearing Cao Yi's comfort, his eyes finally gradually became full of vitality from gloomyness, and the long-lost agile light slowly flashed in his eyes.

Xiao Huamei quietly clenched her fist, and her pretty face looked resolute.

"My husband is imprisoned for me. I can't watch him suffer. I want to save him!"

Cao Yi praised: "Okay, this is Xiao Fan's good wife!"

Huamei blushed a little, pursed her thin red lips, thought for a while, and said, "Brother Cao, if you want to save your husband, where is the joint of this matter?"

Cao Yi said: "Your Majesty forced him to divorce you and marry Princess Jiangdu instead. If Xiao Fan wants to survive, it will be impossible for you to marry you two, let alone you be Xiao Fan's original wife. This is quite tricky."

Huamei looked depressed: "My husband and I have been husband and wife for a long time. The Tian family is so ruthless. In order to fulfill his and Princess Jiangdu, can't tolerate me, an ordinary woman? Under the power of the emperor, what he did was to break up the happy couple. This world is human favor, hum! It's so filthy, and it's indecent for the sky without discrimination!"

As the thrush said, the cynical look that had disappeared for a long time gradually appeared in his eyes.

Cao Yi was shocked when he saw it. Xiao Fan had briefly mentioned the character of thrush to him. She had the kind of courage to do whatever she wanted. As long as the things she insisted on were violated, she would stab anyone in the world. At such a critical moment, if she had another extreme problem, things would be out of control.

"Sister-in-law, we can discuss it slowly when rescuing Brother Xiao. You must not act impulsively! Otherwise, it will not only kill you, but also harm Brother Xiao!" Cao Yi reminded in a deep voice.

The thrush was shocked, and the angry look in his eyes gradually faded.

"Brother Cao, how can we save our husband?"

Cao Yi shook his head distressedly: "This matter is a death situation. The princess has a noble status. Of course, the dignified Tian family cannot let her marry into Xiao's house as a child. But if Xiao Fan divorces you and marry her, it is absolutely impossible for Brother Xiao to marry her. If Brother Xiao does not marry the princess, he will not be able to escape death. - This is the way of the world. There is no law under power. A noble identity often causes the family to be destroyed. Alas! If the princess is not the princess, there will be no such storm..."

Xiao Huamei looked bitter, but when she heard the last sentence, her beautiful eyes gradually began to shine.

She quietly pursed her thin lips and a complicated smile appeared on the corner of her lips.

"...If the princess hadn't suddenly become the princess, and the two princesses were concerned about their husbands, how should the emperor choose? Who is the older and who is the younger? Who is the original wife and who is the concubine? The emperor should be very troubled..."

Yan King's Villa.

Zhu Di, who was waiting for the Ministry of War to dispatch the troops and was about to return to Peking, suddenly bounced off his chair, opened his eyes wide and grabbed the front of a guard, and said in surprise: "What? Say it again!"

"Your Highness... Xiao Fan angered Long Yan in the palace yesterday and was taken to the imperial prison."

"Why did he go to jail?"

"Your Majesty ordered him to divorce his original wife and marry Princess Jiangdu instead. Xiao Fan refused. The emperor was angry and took him to the imperial prison."

Zhu Di's eyes flashed with bright colors, and it was light and dark. Could Xiao Fan's original wife be... Chang Ning?

Xiao Fan was unwilling to let Chang Ning down, which shows how deep his affection for his daughter. Should I help him for Chang Ning?

Zhu Di hesitated for a long time, but suddenly the warning from Monk Daoyan suddenly echoed in his ears: "Xiao Fan is a great hidden danger to the prince's great cause, and the prince should get rid of it as soon as possible."

Thinking of this, Zhu Di's expression became cold, - those who want to accomplish great things can also kill their closest relatives, and I can afford to lose a daughter!

After sighing, Zhu Di gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice: "Come here, go and prepare a generous gift for the dozen censors in the Censorate in the court. Please ask them to help the king impeach Xiao Fan in the morning court two days later. We must participate in the imperial edict to kill him!"

The guard held his fists and responded with a stern voice.

"Also, I will send people to various wineries, teahouses, bookshops, etc. in the capital to spread rumors, and to describe the affairs of Xiao Fan and Princess Jiangdu, to the greatest extent, and to the greatest extent, they must spread their reputations to everyone in the world!"

"yes!"

After the guard left, Zhu Di sneered at the corner of his mouth.

Taking two steps, I am worried that I can't force my father to have no way out and have to kill him? Xiao Fan, no matter how lucky you are, the gods can't save you this time...

The darkness in the prison was still there.

The prisoner's shrill screams from time to time came from the torture room, which gave the dark prison a little more gloomy, as if he was in hell, making people tremble involuntarily.

It was the first time that Zhu Yunwen had been to such an old age to go to the imperial prison. Listening to the screams of the torture room, Zhu Yunwen's face turned pale, and his legs were unconsciously weak when he walked on the dark and wet aisle. Fortunately, Cao Yi, who was standing beside him, quickly reached out to support him.

"Your Highness, the road in the prison is wet and slippery, so you can walk with caution."

Zhu Yunwen trembled his lips and murmured, "It's so scary... Is this a place where people stay? How can Xiao Shidu be locked up here?"

Cao Yi smiled and said, "Your Highness, don't worry, Xiao Fan is locked up in a clean cell. Well, he is actually very used to living..."

Zhu Yunwen looked disbelief: "Don't let my heart go unrest, just this place, I was almost scared when I came in. Can he get used to living? Xiao Shidu must have suffered too much here..."

Cao Yi smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness will soon know how much he enjoys..."

Under the siege of a group of guards in the imperial clothes, the two walked through the gloomy aisle and soon came to the cell where Xiao Fan was imprisoned.

Zhu Yunwen rushed to the front of the cell with tears in his eyes, grabbed the iron bar of the cell, and shouted in vain: "Shi Du Xiao, I'm here to see you, you... you are suffering... You fools, why don't you open the door quickly!"

The dark figures in the room moved slightly, and the guards had not had time to open the door, but they were shocked to see the door of the prison cell open from inside.

Xiao Fan was wearing a gray long gown, standing in front of Zhu Yunwen in an elegant and romantic manner, looking at him with a smile.

"Ah! It turns out that it's the palace down. Come on, come in quickly!" Xiao Fan invited him warmly.

"Ah?" Zhu Yunwen stared at the door of the cell that was not locked at all in surprise, and said nothing for a long time.

Cao Yi laughed dryly: "Xiao Fan is also a psychic in our Jinyiwei. Everyone is so familiar with each other. It doesn't matter whether they can lock it or not..."

Zhu Yunwen closed his mouth tightly, his face turned a little dark: "..."

When Xiao Fan saw Zhu Yunwen standing at the door in a daze, his eyes were straight and he was stunned. He immediately said unhappy: "Come in quickly, why are you always standing at the door? Do you think your residence is too shabby?"
To be continued...