From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

Chapter 677

"He's really crazy! He's the Prime Minister of the Cabinet!"

It was still late at night, and Empress Zhaojing didn't sleep at all, waiting for the news.

When the news came, she couldn't hold it anymore: "Does he know how important Yang Guozhong is! He can calm down all the officials! He can get things done! He knows how to advance and retreat, knows the limits, and has sufficient experience as an official. Apart from his love of party struggles and greed for money, he has no shortcomings."

"Besides, party struggles are just disputes among officials, at most a dispute between the power of the monarch and the power of the prime minister. What is this? How can you just kill him!"

Zhuang Xuansu whispered: "Your Majesty, Yang Guozhong did send people to attack the Duke's Mansion after all... This is something Zhou Yuan can't tolerate."

"This idiot!"

Empress Zhaojing was so angry that she shook her head: "I didn't dare to take that step, but he did it directly."

Thinking of this, she felt something was wrong again, raised her head and looked at Zhuang Xuansu, wondering: "Why did you start speaking for Zhou Yuan?"

Zhuang Xuansu was startled and said quickly: "Your Majesty, I have absolutely no intention of speaking for Zhou Yuan!"

Empress Zhaojing said: "What Zhou Yuan? I can call him by his name, but you can't."

She waved her hand and said: "Go and keep an eye on the people of the Money Gang. All of them will be sentenced as members of the Wusheng Sect. They will be beheaded at the Meridian Gate tomorrow. Otherwise, the court will have no face and will be trampled to pieces."

Zhuang Xuansu said: "I obey your command."

As soon as the voice fell, Xiaozhuang's voice came from outside: "Zhou Yuan asked for an audience and entered the palace directly with a gold medal. He is now at the gate of Ziwei Palace."

Empress Zhaojing's face changed, frowned, and then said: "Let him in."

She looked at Zhuang Xuansu and said in a low voice: "Don't leave, lest he mess around."

Zhuang Xuansu lowered his head and dared not speak.

Zhou Yuan walked in with a swagger. When he saw Zhuang Xuansu, he was stunned for a moment, and then said: "It's none of her business. I killed the man. What's the point of calling her here to lecture her?"

"No."

Empress Zhaojing smiled and said: "I called Xuansu to talk and understand the situation. You came here in the middle of the night, didn't you just want to talk about this?"

Zhou Yuan sat down and said: "Xuansu, go and pour me a cup of tea. I've been busy all night and my mouth is dry."

Zhuang Xuansu didn't dare to move.

Empress Zhaojing narrowed her eyes and said: "Xuansu, go, the Duke has given instructions, you can take care of it."

"Yes."

Zhuang Xuansu then ran to pour tea.

Empress Zhaojing laughed, looked at Zhou Yuan, and said, "See, the Inner Court is loyal to me. You, the Duke, may not be able to do anything."

Zhou Yuan rolled his eyes and said, "Who wants to compete with you? You are the emperor, and they should listen to you."

"Heh! You still think I am the emperor!"

Empress Zhaojing said, "You killed my Prime Minister, ran to my bedroom late at night, sat like a master, and asked my chief to serve you tea and water."

"I am the emperor? No, I think you should be the emperor."

Zhou Yuan said She waved her hand and said, "Stop pretending, stop trying to find out what's going on. I'm really not interested in your position."

Empress Zhaojing laughed instead, sat beside him, and said with a smile, "You are a meritorious official of the Great Jin Dynasty, and my favorite official. It's her duty to serve you."

Zhou Yuan looked at her and said slowly, "Big sister, I came here late at night not to play this kind of boring mind game with you. I want to tell you something serious, about the throne, about the Great Jin Dynasty."

Zhuang Xuansu just came over with tea, and then stood aside carefully.

"Get out!"

Empress Zhaojing said, and Zhuang Xuansu hurriedly left.

Zhou Yuan frowned and said, "No, why did you yell at her?"

"Ah?"

Empress Zhaojing was slightly startled, then gritted her teeth and said, "You even want to control this, and you still say you are not interested in the imperial power! I talk to them like this, otherwise how can I have the dignity of a king and intimidate the people below?"

Zhou Yuan said with a fake smile, "Then I am even less interested."

He looked at Empress Zhaojing and said, "Yang Guozhong's reaction is very abnormal. He said that I am a traitor, not only monopolizing power in the court, but also desecrating the palace and forcing the king to commit himself to me."

"It's so serious and the reaction is so exaggerated, It feels like someone is always behind him. "

Empress Zhao Jing said with a change of color: "Don't accuse me. How could I let him do something to your family? I didn't do that at the beginning."

Zhou Yuan said: "What I mean is that he just went to court in the morning and started to act in the evening. This speed is a bit too fast."

"Big sister, tell me honestly, have you looked for him?"

Empress Zhao Jing's expression did not change, and she said lightly: "This matter has nothing to do with me."

Zhou Yuan said: "If you don't tell the truth, don't blame me for punishing you."

He took out a whip from his arms. It wasQu Ling prepared it specially for playing games before, and Zhou Yuan just used it this time.

Empress Zhao Jing was so angry that she stood up and shouted: "You bully me again! Do you really think my kung fu is not as good as yours!"

Zhou Yuan didn't say anything, just picked up the whip.

"Okay, okay!"

Empress Zhao Jing said: "After the day in the Taimiao, I found him once, but I...but I didn't ask him to assassinate you, I just asked him to find an opportunity to secretly mobilize the civil and military officials to jointly write a letter to refute the previous decision on the appointment of Wang Xiong and Liu Fang."

She lowered her head, seemingly without confidence, and whispered: "If the civil and military officials jointly write a letter, then you can't do anything, the appointment of Wang Xiong and Liu Fang can be shelved, and I can breathe a sigh of relief."

"As long as the civil officials are firmly in hand, it will also It can restrict you to a certain extent. Who knew he was so stupid and came up with such an assassination plan. "

Zhou Yuan said: "Confused! Don't you know how sensitive the four words "military generals usurp power" are to civil officials? When you called him over and said this, he immediately felt that "Your Majesty has entrusted you with a heavy responsibility to save the country", so it is inevitable that he will be confused. "

Empress Zhao Jing said: "This... I just wanted him to unite with the civil officials. I really didn't expect him to do this..."

Zhou Yuan picked up the tea, drank a few sips, and then sighed.

He was silent for a moment, then said calmly: "Big sister, we should talk about the throne and the Jin Dynasty."

Empress Zhao Jing said: "You said you were not interested in this position!"

Zhou Yuan looked at her and whispered: "Look at you, such a smart person, but when it comes to the throne, you are impatient, as if you have lost your mind."

"You said you became the emperor just for the world, do you dare to say that you don't have any desire for power?"

Empress Zhao Jing was silent, then she said frankly: "Anyone who sits in this position cannot be without desire for power."

"Junior brother, I am not a saint, you can't ask me to be completely like a saint. I have been the emperor for so many years, and I have a desire for power, but I am not confused, and I have not lost my mind. "

"You can't deny that I have done a lot. Taxes can't be collected, the court officials are busy with party struggles, the princes of the previous emperor are busy with rebellion, with countless followers, and the people are suffering from natural disasters and treason... I can only support this situation and prevent the collapse of the Jin Dynasty. It is already the limit."

"Since you came to Beijing, the decisions you have made include the rectification of Shenjing, the collection of the Five Military Camps, the implementation of the Central Plains New Law, the investment of a large amount of silver and money, and last year's salt affairs... I support everything, right? Not a tyrant, right?"

"I have done a good job as an emperor, maybe not the best, but you can't deny that I have indeed tried my best to maintain and work hard."

Zhou Yuan looked at her and nodded solemnly: "Yes, I agree with all this."