From the luxury family to Huizhou, the soldiers pointed directly at Jiangning, and it took more than ten days to work.

At that time, the communication mainly relied on people and horses, and after more than ten days, the news could be transmitted to Yanjing, and the land of Jianghuai quickly set off an uproar, and the news reached Chongzhou, and the business travelers and ordinary people were also stunned for a while, and they were also panicked.

The so-called nest is not finished, how do the people know that Huaidong has made a lot of arrangements in order to deal with the current situation? In the hearts of most people, if Jiangning is destroyed and the imperial family collapses, no matter how strong the Huaidong soldiers and horses are, they will be unable to support them alone, how can they not panic?

After staying in Chongzhou, Qin Chengzu directly transferred the 9,000 workers' battalion troops that had been transferred to the vicinity of Chongzhou into Chongzhou according to the order letter issued by Lin Tie, and the 1st Brigade of the Sijin Navy and the 5th Brigade of the 3rd Water Battalion of Jinghai who were guarding Chongzhou expanded the 6,000 soldiers and horses of the original garrison of Chongzhou to 15,000 men and horses -- in addition to strengthening martial law in Chongzhou New City, Old City and other key places, it also strengthened the control and prohibition of entering and leaving Huaidong commercial brigades.

Although it is not helpful to eliminate the panic of ordinary people, it at least firmly controls the situation in Chongzhou and its surroundings.

The old city of Chongzhou was also panicked, and as soon as Zuo Guitang stepped into the gate of the palace, Miao Shuo greeted him from the inside, and opened his mouth to ask, "But what new news is coming?" ”

"In the teahouse, it is said that Meng Yishan led the Hanghu army to surround the luxury family in Liyang, and some said that Meng Yishan had joined the rebels; There was heavy snow on the side of Hanghu Lake, which stopped the Huaidong soldiers and horses in Xiaoshan, and said that the Huaidong soldiers and horses had gone north and fought with the luxury family in Changxing; There was no movement on Dong Yuan's side, and maybe there was no movement that could be transmitted. Yue Lengqiu led the Jiangzhou army to say that it was early, but wherever he went, there were various theories, that is, it was far from Jiangning. He also said that Yu Feixiong sent troops to fight Jiangzhou in Yuzhang, and Yue Lengqiu led his troops back. The Hu people in the north are also ready to move, a ** cavalry is fighting Wuyang, and it is said that Chen Zhihu is leading his troops to fight Hezhong Mansion - in short, it is a mess, everything is said in the teahouse, and I don't know who to believe? Zuo Guitang said, "If you really want to know any news, the Queen Mother sent someone directly to the Yamen of the Military Department to inquire, and if you want to come to the Huaidong Military Division, you will not prevaricate...... Master Miao, what do you say the Queen Mother has in mind? ”

"What does the Queen Mother think, how can we guess blindly as slaves?" Miao Shuo said, "Don't say much, the Queen Mother and the prince are waiting inside to hear the news!" ”

Zuo Guitang wanted to say something, but when he saw Changshi Gaoqiang peeking out of the corner of the corridor, he closed his mouth and said nothing, and followed Miao Shuo inside.

Since Lin Tieshang's return visit, the defense inside and outside the palace has all been taken over by the Huaidong Military Division, and the big and small affairs in the palace are actually directly controlled by Qin Chengzu, and the long history of Gao Qiang has naturally become an ornament, although Zuo Guitang, Miao Shuo and others Although the situation has not necessarily improved, there is no need to look at Gao Qiang's face.

Gao Qiang looked at Zuo Guitang and Miao Shuo avoiding him, he didn't feel good in his heart, gritted his teeth, and decided to follow.

Walking to the Moon Gate of the East Wing Courtyard, Zuo Guitang looked back at Gao Qiang and asked, "What does Lord Gao have to enlighten the Queen Mother?" ”

"Gao Qiang is also outside?" Empress Dowager Liang's voice came out of the courtyard and said, "Come in together!" ”

Zuo Guitang was silent, and Ren Gaoqiang followed them into the East Wing Courtyard.

Empress Dowager Liang sat in the corner pavilion of the East Wing Courtyard, accompanied by Yuan Jianhai, the king of Hailing, the princess Tian and the princess Yuan Yan of Yangxin.

The corner pavilion leaks wind on all sides, the terrain is the highest in the courtyard, King Hailing's face is a little cold and blue, Miao Shuo saw this situation, hurriedly walked over, and said: "Ancestor, the wind outside is so strong, the body of the ancestor can't stand such a blow!" ”

"Nonsense, the mourning family's body is still very strong!" Empress Dowager Liang said energetically, "It's too stuffy in the house, and the mourning family wants to come out to breathe, how strong the wind is, but there is nothing that doesn't blow." ”

Yuan Yan sat on the side, and felt strange in her heart, the Queen Mother has been in poor health since she arrived in Chongzhou, she has been in the room all day, and she doesn't dare to come out for a walk, but her spirit is surprisingly good these days, and her body is suddenly neat. Yuan Yan was worried that it would be a return to the light, but the Queen Mother's appetite had improved a lot in the past few days, and her body had indeed improved suddenly, and even her eyes were much better, but she urged Zuo Guitang and Miao Shuo to take turns to go out to find out the news every day.

Empress Dowager Liang refused to go back to the house, and insisted on sitting in the limelight, and everyone was not easy to persuade. Miao Shuo's heart was sour, if it weren't for today's predicament, even in Yanjing, where the weather was cold and icy, the Queen Mother would have to walk around outdoors, put up a flowery curtain, and fill in some braziers, the outdoors would be as warm as spring, where do you need to blow cold wind in this piercing corner pavilion?

Zuo Guitang recounted the messy news he had just heard from the teahouse word for word.

The rumors in the teahouse are hearsay, three points true and seven points false, or an exaggeration under people's panic. Miao Shuo said: "There are different opinions, and I don't know which is true and which is false, Chongzhou's days are good these days, although it is a little cold, it is also a sunny day, but Hanghu Lake has been snowing heavily for days, this day is also strange......"

Yuan Jianhai is also difficult to argue with the truth of the news he heard from the teahouse, but Miao Shuo's words also speak his thoughts: he also suspects that Lin Jian has Xiao Shan delaying and refusing to send troops.

Empress Dowager Liang narrowed her cloudy old eyes slightly, and only said: "Be more patient, the situation may not be as bad as imagined, but most of the Tang newspapers in various places have stagnated at this time, and everyone can't cope with this crisis for a while." If you really want to know the accurate news, it is better to ask the Yamen of the Huaidong Military Division directly, "and look at Changshi Gaoqiang again, "Gao Qiang, do you say this is the reason?" ”

"What the Queen Mother said... Be. Gao Qiang Xiaoyi replied, and said secretly: The Queen Mother won't ask me to go to the south to find Qin Chengzu and ask for news, right? Although he is also very worried about the current situation, he is an official sent by the Jiangning Zongren Mansion, if Jiangning is breached, he will be sandwiched between the Hailing Palace's Mansion and Huaidong, and he is not a person inside and outside. But if Gao Qiang went directly to Xincheng to inquire about the news from the Yamen of the Huaidong Military Division, he was also angry in his heart - why did Huaidong tell him the accurate news?

At this time, the gatekeeper came in and said: "Jian'an Junjun Gu's family, said that he was coming to greet the Queen Mother, the princess and Princess Yangxin, and the special female officer came to listen to the Hou summons ......"

Lin Tie was awarded the title of Pengcheng County Duke, Liu Miaozhen was awarded the title of Mrs. Qianguo for a special case, and Jian'an Junjun was Gu Junxun's title as the main room - Gu Junxun had never been on the door of Hailing Wangfu, when Empress Dowager Liang and King Hailing came to Haizhou, Gu Junxun also depreciated himself out of the house because the Gu family was involved in the dispute between King Ning, so he did not go to the Empress Dowager Liang to say hello.

Empress Dowager Liang has been in Hailing for the past two or three years, and it is naturally impossible for her to summon Lin Lian's wife and concubine.

At this time, Gu Junxun suddenly sent a female official over to ask for peace, which naturally meant far-reaching things.

Lin Tie supervised the battle in Xiaoshan, although Chongzhou's military and political affairs were all special, but in front of the Empress Dowager Liang, only Gu Junxun could officially represent Lin Tie, and it was not suitable to change Qin Chengzu or Lin Meng.

Miao Shuo, Zuo Guitang and the others looked at each other, and Gao Qiang could also realize that this was a very strong signal; Hailing King Yuan Jianhai stood up with a "snort", as if he couldn't sit comfortably because of nails sprinkled on the couch, Hailing Princess Tian was a little confused, but Yuan Yan was thoughtful, compared to what others thought, she might be more simple to see what Lin Lian's wife and concubine looked like.

Empress Dowager Liang was still calm and asked Miao Shuo to go out and invite the female official sent by Gu Junxun in.

After waiting for a while, Yuan Yan saw a beautiful woman with a rich posture and a bright appearance, Yingying, walking back, and leaning down to greet them: "The concubine Gu family of the forest family asked the queen mother, the prince, the princess, and the princess to say goodbye, and the king of Jian'an learned that the queen mother was in a small condition, and he was worried in his heart, and wanted to come to greet him, so he specially asked the queen mother to ask for permission......."

"Jian'an Junjun has a heart, and the mourning family is fine, but being idle is also idle, and Peng Chenggong's family has never seen it in Jiangning. If you want, it would be better to accompany an old woman in the mourning family in the afternoon. Empress Dowager Liang said, which can be regarded as agreeing to Gu Junxun's request to see.

After the people sent by Gu Junxun left, Empress Dowager Liang asked Miao Shuo: "Who is this forest man?" Lin Mengde's wife's room? ”

The room is the seal of the county monarch, and the surname Guanlin is the husband's surname, and the Empress Dowager Liang can't remember who this beautiful woman is for a while.

"It seems that Gu Bingbu's niece, Lin Xiang's aunt, and the main room of Pengcheng County Duke are cousins......" Miao Shuo said, he presided over Yudong Gongzhuang in his early years, and he was next to Chongzhou, and he knew a lot about the various complex relationships in Chongzhou.

The son called his father's concubine his aunt, since this woman was Gu Wuchen's niece, and she was a cousin with Lin Xuan's main room, and her background was naturally extraordinary, why she was willing to succumb to Lin Xuwen's father's concubine, so that many people in the courtyard couldn't understand.

However, Lin Xuwen is the deputy minister of the dynasty, a dignified and second-class civil official, and his mother died early to be posthumously crowned the county monarch, and his aunt was also in line with the rules to be named the county monarch.

"Oh!" Empress Dowager Liang replied and didn't think much about it.

Yuan Jianhai couldn't wait to say to Gao Qiang: "Is it okay for Gao Changshi to say goodbye?" "Take away the high power between the words, so as not to hinder them from speaking.

Gao Qiang knew that he had treated King Hailing and the Queen Mother too badly, and it was difficult to get anything back, so he could only ask An to withdraw. Yuan Yan and Hailing Princess Tian were also about to retire, and the Empress Dowager Liang said to Yuan Yan: "Yan girl stay and beat my back for me......"

Yuan Yan's face was full of doubts, and she said in her heart that the Queen Mother and the Uncle had something to hide from her, why did she want to stay at this time?

King Hailing didn't know why, but when the other unrelated people left, he couldn't wait to ask: "Old Ancestor, according to this situation, does it mean that Jiang Ning may not be able to hold it?" ”

Zuo Guitang and Miao Shuo both knew that if Jiangning City was broken by the rebels, what would it bring them? They were a little puzzled, but the Lin Gu clan, who had never shown up, had to come to greet the Queen Mother, didn't it mean that Lin Jian was also preparing for the establishment of a new emperor?

From the down-and-out prince who lived in a hut, endured hunger and cold, and even bullied the little officials, to the dragon chair emperor who might ascend to the throne of the Ninety-Five in one fell swoop, who can treat him calmly?

Zuo Guitang and Miao Shuo have also suffered countless hardships over the years, and when they thought that it was possible to "ascend to heaven" together, they couldn't hold back their excitement.

"No one in this palace knows anything about military affairs, who knows if Jiang Ning can hold it? Didn't there be news that Jiangning was not bad, and there were still 40,000 soldiers and horses guarding it? It can't be broken like a papier-mâché. Moreover, even if Jiang Ning can't hold it, Jiang Ning is next to the Yangtze River, and if King Ning escapes with his ministers, it will be too late," Empress Dowager Liang said, "If King Ning is still here, Huaidong insists on pushing you to sit on the chair that is hot for the fire, do you feel good?" ”

Miao Shuo was shocked, if Jiangning City was broken, Emperor Yongxing would either collapse or be captured, and Huaidong's support for King Lu would be justified; If King Ning is still there, Huaidong will be abolished, and even if King Lu sits in the Dragon Court, he will only be a chess piece and a puppet in Huaidong's hands - the difference between the two is too great.

"In my opinion, Huaidong is also making preparations with both hands, Lin Jian must have ambitions, but judging by his deeds, he still knows etiquette, righteousness and shame, and will never move lightly to abolish the establishment," Empress Dowager Liang said, "Jianhai, you still have to be a little restless!" ”

"How can you be at ease, how can you not be impatient?" Yuan Jianhai couldn't help but be impatient, stood up and said excitedly, trapped in this palm-sized place all day long, bullied a small official who didn't dare to say anything, and was always worried about when King Ning would send someone to kill them to prevent future troubles, even if he was a puppet of Huaidong, at least he was sitting in the dragon court and on the dragon chair, the two were very different, he said, "As long as you sit in that seat, this world is still the world of Dayue, the subjects are still the subjects of the Yuan family, and it is not Huaidong's turn to cover the sky with one hand!" ”

Empress Dowager Liang saw that Yuan Jianhai was so excited, and felt inexplicably a little pity in her heart, and asked him to calm down a little, and said: "The more you are like this, the more likely Lin Jian is to stand still, and the more we are pawns in his hands - it's just that we were idle chess before, and next, I think no matter whether Jiang Ning can hold it or not, or if King Ning successfully escapes from patrolling Huaixi or Jiangzhou, we will no longer be idle chess." I went to great lengths to come to Huaidong, didn't I just wait for this moment? You have to be patient! ”

Miao Shuo understood and said, "The ancestor is far-sighted. ”

"What kind of foresight does the mourning family have, as long as Lin Jian is ambitious, the mourning family and Jianhai will be of some use, it is better than running to Jiangning for two years to die," Empress Dowager Liang said, "I think about it, the imperial camp army has been defeated again and again, and the Hanghu army has also been defeated again and again, even if Jiangning holds it this time, the Huaidong soldiers and horses will not honestly withdraw from Jiangning." But this matter is very important, Lin Jian doesn't dare to ignore it, he can't be above the temple, everything is hard and tense to let King Ning see his face, right? The mourning family and Jianhai are more or less useful than before......"

Zuo Guitang also figured it out, the imperial camp army is vulnerable, Huaidong soldiers and horses enter Jiangning City, they can master the defense of Jiangning, Lin Tie has Lin Xuwen and Huang Jinnian cooperated, and they can almost control the government, but Chen Xiyan and other officials may not be willing to bow to Huaidong, and Yue Lengqiu and Dong Yuan do not have the strength to fight Huaidong.

If you don't want to fall apart, everyone still has to follow the rules - what are the rules that Huaidong needs, and the rules that Huaidong needs are that although Emperor Yongxing is the respect of the Ninety-Five, he also has to "respect the old and love the young" in front of the Queen Mother and King Hailing.

Besides, since this dynasty, there is a precedent for brother to brother, Emperor Yongxing's heir is still young, if Emperor Yongxing has any accidents, King Hailing's accession to the throne is also a smooth thing. Only when the Queen Mother went to Jiangning with King Hailing, Emperor Yongxing would be more honest and let Huaidong control the government.

Even if Chen Xiyan and others have any opinions and doubts about Huaidong, Huaidong may push the Queen Mother out to prevaricate.

If Lin Jian doesn't want to cause infamy by abolishing the establishment in vain, in addition to controlling the defense of Jiangning, the Queen Mother and King Hailing will be the most important move for him to control the government.

Yuan Yan can figure out some things, but she is tired of the emperor's family's deception: the emperor is her cousin, but he can't wait to put them to death, and everyone here doesn't care about Jiang Ning's safety at all, and they can't wait for the emperor to accompany Jiang Ningcheng to be buried together.

"Yan girl......" Empress Dowager Liang called.

"Ah," Yuan Yan came back to her senses and asked, "What did the old ancestor command!" ”

"If you let Yan Yatou go to school in Pengcheng Mansion to do things, will you be wronged?" Empress Dowager Liang asked.

"Ahh Yuan Yan was stunned for a moment, and continued to understand what the Queen Mother meant, Lin Yan wanted to use this side, and this side did not have the intention of using Lin Bin, but there was no chance before, at this time, as soon as there was a chance, the Queen Mother was anxious to use her as a chess piece and threw her out, Yuan Yan was full of grievances, but she had to agree, "Yuan Yan listens to the Queen Mother's arrangement for everything." ”

"I think the forest man who came just now is a shrewd and capable woman, and if you have more contact with her, you can learn a lot of things." Empress Dowager Liang could see Yuan Yan's reluctance in her heart, and it was too unruly to let the princess frequently haunt the inner house of the Lin Mansion, but there were too few chess pieces in her hand, too few, and the headache at the moment was what name to borrow, which sounded decent.