Li Yanqing did not go to see the Empress Dowager Zheng alone, but went to meet with the Privy Council and the same acquaintance Zheng Wangzhi, Zheng Wangzhi is the brother of the former privy envoy Zheng Juzhong, and he is also the maiden family of the Empress Dowager Zheng, although he is not as close as the Empress Dowager Zheng's sister and brother, but he is now the highest-ranking son of the Zheng family in the imperial court.

However, because he is a partial concubine, Zheng Wangzhi's status in the Zheng family is relatively low, and it is difficult to become the representative of the Zheng family's interests in the imperial court.

Because of the Fan Dang case, Li Yanqing and Zheng Wangzhi have a good relationship, in order to get the support of the Empress Dowager Zheng, Li Yanqing and Zheng Wangzhi reached some kind of agreement, Zheng Wangzhi is responsible for taking the route of the Empress Dowager, as a return for Li, Li Yanqing supports Zheng Wangzhi's entry into the phase.

There are three ways to support Zhao Gou, the king of Likang, to ascend the throne, one is to designate Zhao Ji or Emperor Zhao Huan to succeed him; the second is that the six phases of the Zhizheng Hall have always supported Zhao Gou to ascend the throne; The third is recommended by hundreds of officials, and the Queen Mother endorses and agrees.

But it is also very difficult, the key is that Zhao Chen, the king of Daning County, is still in the palace, as the eldest grandson of the emperor and the eldest son of the emperor, even if he has not had time to establish the prince, but according to the law, Zhao Chen should still succeed him.

In history, King Kang Zhao Gou succeeded to the throne because the royal family was taken away, so he got the opportunity, and now Zhao Huan's sister-in-law is still in the palace, and Zhao Gou's difficulty is relatively greater.

Although there is difficulty, it is not impossible, the Song Dynasty has a precedent, Zhao Guangyi is not the emperor who took over his brother, Zhao Ji also took the throne of the imperial brother, and the Song Dynasty pays more attention to the sage, Taizong, Zhenzong, Renzong, Yingzong, Zhezong, and Huizong are not the eldest son of the emperor, so as long as the operation is done properly, King Kang Zhao Gou can also ascend the throne.

Ningde Palace, Empress Dowager Zheng met with Li Yanqing and Zheng Wangzhi, Empress Dowager Zheng is nearly fifty years old, well maintained, there is no wrinkle on her face, she looks only more than thirty years old, she is very grateful to Li Yanqing, if it were not for Li Yanqing to lead the army to fight against Jin, I am afraid that she is now trapped in the gold camp, suffering inhuman abuse, and her daughters, will be insulted by foreign races.

Empress Dowager Zheng sat behind a bamboo curtain, she could only see her figure, but she couldn't see her face, Empress Dowager Zheng's voice was very soft, and she knew that she was not a strong person, and she would not seek to listen to the government like the Empress Dowager Gao.

"Li Shaobao, I wonder if I can discuss with the Jin people and let the official family and the Emperor Taishang return to Beijing?" Empress Dowager Zheng asked worriedly.

Li Yanqing sighed, "As a courtier, of course Weichen hopes to be able to save the Emperor Taishang and save the Great Song Dynasty from the humiliation of the two emperors' captivity, but Weichen heard that the Emperor Taishang and the official family have been sent to Yanjing Mansion first, and I am afraid that they will not be able to come back for a while, but Weichen assured the Queen Mother that the imperial court will definitely try its best to redeem the Emperor Taishang and the official family." ”

"Li Shaobao is loyal and righteous, and the mourning family is remembered in his heart!"

At this time, Zheng Wangzhi said on the side: "Empress Dowager Qi, it is not a day and a half to redeem the Emperor and the official family, but the court cannot be without a monarch for a day, Weichen and Li Shaobao came to ask the Empress Dowager to call the shots and set up a new monarch as soon as possible!" ”

Of course, Empress Dowager Zheng knew that Zheng Wangzhi and Li Yanqing came together, in fact, they were representing the interests of their mother's family, Li Yanqing held military power, he must already have a suitable candidate, and the so-called letting himself be the master was nothing more than to ensure the legitimacy of the new emperor's candidate.

Although she knew it in her heart, she still had to say what she had to say, and the Empress Dowager Zheng muttered: "The eldest grandson of the Emperor Taishang and the eldest son of the official family are currently in the palace, and it is very suitable for him to inherit his father's throne, what does Li Shaobao think?" ”

Li Yanqing bowed and said: "If it is a peaceful and prosperous era, the ascension of the king of Daning County will have no effect, and it can be assisted by hundreds of officials and grow up slowly, but now is the time of life and death of the Great Song Dynasty, the king of Daning County is only seven years old, too young, I am afraid that he will not be able to take on this heavy responsibility, please Empress Dowager Mingjian!" ”

Zheng Wangzhi added meaningfully on the side: "Queen Mother, if the King of Daning County ascends the throne, Empress Zhu will inevitably come to the court as the Queen Mother, and Weichen also thinks that at the time of crisis in the Great Song Dynasty, the way the Queen Mother came to the court seems inappropriate. ”

Zheng Wangzhi is reminding the Empress Dowager Zheng very implicitly that once the Empress Dowager Zhu comes to the court, it will be the Zhu family, a relative, who will gain power, and it will have nothing to do with the Zheng family, and even the Zheng family will be suppressed, which is by no means in line with the interests of the Zheng family, and he reminded the Empress Dowager Zheng to take into account the interests of the family.

Of course, Empress Dowager Zheng understood Zheng Wangzhi's reminder, and she smiled faintly, "If it is not the king of Daning County who ascends the throne, then who is more suitable?" ”

Li Yanqing smiled slightly: "King Kang is in the prime of life, Wen Tao is martial, he will be able to lead the Great Song Dynasty out of the current predicament, Weichen thinks that he is the most suitable to ascend the throne, at present, His Royal Highness King Kang is in Guancheng County, Zhengzhou, please make an edict, and Weichen will personally lead the troops to welcome King Kang back to the dynasty." ”

Empress Dowager Zheng pondered for a moment, "Can Li Shaobao discuss with other ministers?" ”

Li Yanqing nodded, "Weichen has discussed with Minister Cai, and he also insists that King Kang is the most suitable. ”

Empress Dowager Zheng sighed secretly in her heart, and had to agree, "Since Li Shaobao thinks that King Kang is suitable, the mourning family has no opinion, and the mourning family will issue an order to invite King Kang to return to the dynasty and ascend the throne!" ”

．．．．．．

Just as Li Yanqing left the inner palace, Queen Zhu Lian hurried to Ningde Palace, Zhu Lian gave the queen mother a blessing, "The concubine is here to greet the queen mother!" ”

Empress Dowager Zheng glanced at him coldly and said, "You're not here to say hello, are you here to find the mourning family?" ”

Zhu Lian asked in a low voice: "The concubine heard that Li Shaobao entered the palace and wanted to ask about the situation of the official family. ”

"The mourning family has already asked, and the official family has already sent it to Yanjing Mansion, and it will not come back in a short time."

Zhu Lian suddenly panicked, "The official family can't come back, so what can I do?" ”

"Li Shaobao promised that he would try his best to negotiate with the Jin people, so that the official family and the emperor could return to Beijing as soon as possible, but the country could not be without a king for a day, Li Shaobao mainly came to discuss the establishment of a new monarch with the mourning family today."

Zhu Lian hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice, "Do you want to make Chen Er the new king?" ”

Empress Dowager Zheng was silent, Xiang, Zheng, and Zhu's three major relatives had already reached a consensus to make Zhao Chen the crown prince, and to fully assist Zhao Chen to ascend the throne in the future, and at the same time let Zhao Chen establish the daughter of the Xiang family as the queen, so as to continue to ensure the interests of the three relatives.

But the situation is stronger than people, at this critical moment, none of the three major relatives are in the capital, leaving behind a few of their orphans and weak mothers, and still counting on them to fight against Li Yanqing?

Empress Dowager Zheng sighed and asked, "Do you really want to make Chen Er the new king?" ”

"I don't know!"

Zhu Lian shook her head, of course she knew the political intentions of the three major relatives families, but Chen Er was her son after all, and she was her only support, thinking of what happened to her husband, her heart tightened.

Zhu Lian said in a low voice for a while: "He is still so young, he can't afford to take the responsibility of recovering the Great Song Dynasty." ”

"It's good that you understand, it's too risky to ascend the throne now, if the Jin soldiers invade the south again, Chen Er is likely to be forced to go to the Jin camp to negotiate like his father, I believe you will never want to see that scene."

"Nope! Chen Er must not go to Jinying. Zhu Lian shouted out of voice.

"So Li Shaobao proposed that King Kang ascend the throne, and he also thought that the King of Daning County was too young to take the throne at the current time of life and death in the Great Song Dynasty, and the mourning family had agreed to his plan and be succeeded by King Kang."

Zhu Lian was both disappointed in her heart, but at the same time she was relieved, the throne should belong to her son, but it was taken away by King Kang, she felt a little unfair in her heart, but she thought that her husband was keen on imperial power, but in the end he was taken away by Jin Bing, she must not let her son repeat the same mistakes, thinking that her son can stay away from imperial power and danger from now on, she breathed a long sigh of relief in her heart.

As for whether the Zhu family will blame themselves, Queen Zhu can't care about it.

Zhu Lian curtsied, "The queen mother's decision, the concubine has no opinion, everything is up to the queen mother." ”

Empress Dowager Zheng saw that her daughter-in-law was sensible, and she was a little sorry in her heart, so she explained in a low voice: "Li Shaobao nominally let the mourning family be the master, in fact, he decided a long time ago, just let the mourning family make a decree, queen, you are a smart person, the struggle for imperial power has always been your life and death, speak with strength, now the military power is in the hands of Li Shaobao, if we women do not know how to advance and retreat, we must compete with Li Shaobao, I am afraid that it will be difficult to die well in the end." ”

"The queen mother doesn't need to say it anymore, the concubine understands in her heart that keeping Chen Er safe and sound is more important to me than anything else, what power and interests, let them go!"

"You can think like this, it's a blessing for Chen'er!"

.........

Li Yanqing and Zheng Wangzhi came to Daqingdian Square, and the hundred officials were still gathered in front of the dragon head to wait for news, and when they saw Li Yanqing coming back, all the officials rushed forward and asked, "What did the Queen Mother say?" ”

Li Yanqing held up a decree and said loudly: "Xuan Empress Dowager's decree!" ”

Hundreds of officials knelt down one after another, and Li Yanqing opened the edict and read aloud: "Jingkang is in trouble, the imperial court is disgraced, the second emperor was exiled to the north, so that the mountains and rivers are dark, the country is broken by the mountains and rivers, and the Great Song Dynasty is dependent, and I hope that the monarchs will work hard to seek the return of the two emperors to the south." However, the country can not be without a monarch for a day, King Kang is generous and forgiving, heroic and heroic, can succeed the unification, hope that the monarchs will work hard to assist, reorganize the mountains and rivers, restore the glory of the Great Song Dynasty, the tenth day of May in the first year of Jingkang, Ningde Palace drafts. ”

Baiguan was shocked in his heart, he thought that he was supporting the succession of the king of Daning County, but it turned into the succession of King Kang, which greatly surprised everyone, at this time, Cai Jing took the lead and said loudly: "The ministers accept the decree of the queen mother, and are willing to support the king of Kang to succeed to the throne!" ”

Cai Jing took the lead in expressing his position, and the hundred officials had to respond one after another, "Inherit the Empress Dowager's decree, and I am willing to support King Likang to succeed the unification!" ”

Li Yanqing put away the decree and said to everyone: "Since the Queen Mother has issued an edict, and everyone has unanimously agreed to support King Likang, we will discuss how to welcome His Royal Highness King Likang." ”

At this time, Xu Churen asked, "May I ask Li Shaobao, where is His Royal Highness King Kang now?" ”

Li Yanqing said slowly: "His Royal Highness King Kang led the army to King Qin, currently in the garrison in Guancheng County, Zhengzhou, I have sent someone to inform His Royal Highness King Kang of the withdrawal of the golden soldiers to the north, His Royal Highness King Kang will enter Beijing soon, before His Royal Highness King Kang returns to Beijing, I propose to form a temporary council to preside over the affairs of the court, especially to deal with the plague outside the city, everyone needs to work together, otherwise the plague will spread into the city, and the consequences will be unimaginable." ”

Cai Jing smiled slightly: "Li Shaobao's suggestion is very correct and timely, it is better to determine the candidate for the temporary council hall now." ”