noffsinger Chapter 399 Verification
Chapter 399 Verification
If the situation in the past few days were the same, most of the military officers who accompanied the group would go out hunting, and the civil officials would also stay in the hunting palace or outside the hunting grounds to cool off and discuss poetry and prose.
Zhou Chang found a place to enjoy the scenery while having a feast with Skinny Monkey.
However, a fire broke out in the Hunting Palace last night, and everyone was in danger today. In addition, the Imperial Guards and Prince Xian's troops were jointly protecting the palace, and the atmosphere had completely changed.
"What's going on?" Zhou Chang glanced at the skinny guy who had just returned from outside.
The thin monkey looked disappointed and pouted: "Just as the prince expected, there is nothing in the imperial kitchen right now. It's difficult to get anything at this moment."
"So, isn't it enough for you to eat the things the princess brought?" Zhou Chang also felt it was a pity. She felt sorry for those imperial tablewares, but she never had the chance to get them again.
"We have almost finished eating what the princess brought. It would be better if the cook could come with us this time." The skinny monkey was daydreaming.
At this time, an eunuch came in to report: "Your Highness, Deputy Commander Tang came to ask for an audience, saying that he wanted to conduct a routine inspection of Laiwu Garden."
"Please come in." Zhou Chang didn't know what the verification was, but he still agreed.
After a while, the eunuch led Tang Mao in with two subordinates.
Tang Mao was the first to bow to Zhou Chang: "Greetings to His Royal Highness Prince Yi."
"What does Lord Tang want to verify?" Zhou Chang asked lazily.
Tang Mao bowed and said, "As usual, I would like to ask whether His Royal Highness Prince Yi was well last night. Did anything special happen?"
"That's perfect," Zhou Chang came here specially to report, but after all, Yuan Qi also lost something, "After the fire last night, my palace was also robbed, and the princess lost a lot of valuable jewelry."
Tang Mao was not surprised: "As far as I know, not only His Royal Highness Prince Yi, but also His Royal Highness Prince Duan and His Royal Highness Prince Xian have lost things, and the palace garden of Concubine Qin in the harem has also lost valuables."
"Oh..." Zhou Chang didn't take it seriously. He probably couldn't find it back, so he might as well ask a more practical question. "The lost things are not a big deal, but the assassins came last night with such force, setting fire and assassinating. It was really abominable."
"Alas, I am ashamed," Tang Mao sighed, "Last night, the assassins were divided into three groups: front, middle and back. One group was in the harem, one group was in the front hall, and one group was roaming around to distract the imperial guards. Reports came in from all the palaces and pavilions that had spotted the assassins. The western pavilions were the worst hit, followed by the middle pavilions. It was indeed dangerous. Thanks to the sudden change in wind direction last night, the fire did not affect His Royal Highness Prince Yi."
Zhou Chang had already roughly guessed the assassin's origin, but he still pretended to be ignorant: "Why did they mobilize so many troops, set fire and assassinate? Who ordered them and what was their intention? Is there no clue at all?"
Tang Mao thought for a moment and said, "To be honest, Your Highness, judging from the clothes and weapons worn by the captured assassins, they are probably southern rioters who were dissatisfied with the court's disaster relief policy and sneaked into the hunting palace to seek revenge."
"Southern mobs? Or victims of the disaster?" Zhou Chang had always been indifferent to the court's political affairs and had no idea what kind of disaster the South had.
Tang Mao, a military man who did not participate in government affairs, only said: "I heard that the rainfall in the south of Peishui came earlier this year, and the flood also came earlier. There was also a sudden large-scale outbreak of an epidemic in the south. Although Your Majesty has sent people to control it, the effect is minimal. Therefore, many victims are dissatisfied and riot. "
"Is there another epidemic in the south?" Zhou Chang didn't know if it was the same as before in Jindu City.
After the last epidemic, she took the initiative to hand over the prescription to the court and made it public to various clinics, hoping that it would help people who were infected with the disease in the future.
However, since the south has suffered another disaster, if Zhong and Mr. Zhong were around, they would probably "encourage" Prince Yi to donate money again.
Fortunately, Zhong Yu stayed in Prince Yi's mansion. Even though Zhou Chang now had no money, he had one less "creditor" and could relax for a while.
As for the southern mob's deliberate revenge and assassination of Your Majesty, it is probably all framed under false pretenses.
Tang Mao didn't care what Prince Yi was thinking. He remembered something and had to ask, "Your Highness Prince Yi, there is one more thing. Last night, the imperial guards conducted an investigation and found that Liu Dexia, the deputy chief steward of the inner court, had disappeared without a reason. I wonder if Your Highness or your subordinates have seen him?"
"Monkey, have you seen it?" Zhou Chang had expected that someone would track down Liu Dexia after he disappeared.
The Deputy Chief Eunuch of the Inner Court is equivalent to a fourth-rank official in the imperial court. It would be strange if he disappeared without a trace.
The thin monkey's expression was calm as well. He bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I did not see this eunuch Liu yesterday."
"I haven't seen it either," Zhou Chang also replied.
Tang Mao had no doubts at all. He asked all the questions he needed to ask and then bowed and said goodbye.
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Lord Tang." Zhou Chang waved his hand and sent Tang Mao away.
Tang Mao had just left when Yuan Qi came back from Concubine Qin Sun's place.
"Why is Your Majesty sitting here in broad daylight?" Yuan Qi walked in with two personal maids and saw Zhou Chang sitting on a stone bench in the yard.
Zhou Chang looked up and saw Yuan Qi's bright pink complexion, no longer showing the worry he had yesterday: "Princess, you are in a good mood, but is everything okay with Yuan Jie?"
"I just went to Concubine Qin's palace. They are all fine, so I feel relieved." Yuan Qi sat down with a smile.
The advantage of being in the Hunting Palace is that there are fewer rules, and it is convenient to travel between the inner and outer palaces.
"I'm glad the two children weren't scared last night." Zhou Chang also thought of Feng Suo. When it comes to being a brother, she is indeed not as caring as the former Prince Yi.
"Yesterday, His Royal Highness the Twelfth Prince and Yuan Jie were better than me. They were very calm when the incident happened." Yuan Qi smiled gently, sweeping away the unhappiness of last night. "Last night, after His Majesty went to see Concubine Yi and Prince Duan, he finally returned to Yunshui Pavilion, so Concubine Qin was also very comforted."
"You guys stay outside." Speaking of Prince Duan, Zhou Chang also wanted to know more, so he sent the others away.
"Yes..." Shouhou, Luju and Luping bowed and left the inner courtyard.
Yuan Qi understood, and seeing that everyone had left, he took the initiative to say without asking, "Just now, from what Concubine Qin said, it seems that His Royal Highness Prince Duan's legs are really broken and can't be healed."
"Oh? Really?" Zhou Chang was still thinking about this matter as he tossed and turned in bed last night, unable to sleep.
Why did Prince Duan's leg break?
"This can be considered as evil being rewarded with evil." Yuan Qi sighed softly, as if he remembered what happened in the past.
Zhou Chang still couldn't believe it: "Is Prince Duan's leg really broken?"
Yuan Qi's news also came from Concubine Qin: "It should be, otherwise Concubine Qin wouldn't have mentioned it specifically. According to Concubine Qin, His Majesty came back last night and revealed that not only the head of the Imperial Hospital, but also several imperial doctors who came with him had already consulted. His Majesty also said that there was no hope, but Concubine Yi must be unwilling to give up and will look for famous doctors after returning to Jindu."
"It's only right to look for famous doctors." Zhou Chang added casually, and then another thought came to his mind, "Oh, at this time, shouldn't I go visit Brother Duan, Prince of Duan?"