Zheng Yuheng had been waiting outside the prison where the case-pushing department was located until dark, and then he took out his waist badge and asked several reliable Ziwei guards he had met in the Palace Front Department to help look after him in case someone acted secretly.
　　Afterwards, Zheng Yuheng re-entered the palace, but he did not go to Guiyuan Palace to serve the little emperor as usual, but changed clothes and packed up in the residence of the Imperial Hospital, and then returned to the Cining Palace.
　　The Cining Palace was still lit, and there were not many people on guard outside. When they saw him coming, they all stopped chatting and saluted the young Zheng.
　　Zheng Yuheng also returned the salute. From the words of the eunuchs' chatter, he heard that the queen had given birth safely, and the mother and child were safe. His Majesty was probably still in Fengzao Palace and would not go back tonight.
　　This is also good, at least it is a good thing, and the more good things there are, the more they can dilute the things that angered Meng Cheng before.
　　Zheng Yuheng walked into the hall, walked around a screen on the outside, lifted the curtain, took down the candlestick lampshade on the small table, and trimmed the candle wick with a pair of small scissors to make the flame straight and brighter.
　　He put the lampshade back, and the red koi on the veil seemed to be swimming under the light. Then, Zheng Yuheng sat on the other side of the long seat, opposite Dong Lingjiu.
　　Dong Lingjiu did not sleep, but it was late. She had washed and her hair was not completely untied. The gold ornaments on it were removed, leaving only a transparent jade hairpin pinning her long hair. Because the black hair was too dense, half of the hair could not be pinned and fell on her back.
　　Zheng Yuheng approached and saw that she was reading a book of evil spirits.
　　The so-called evil spirit book is actually a book that records ghosts, stars, fate, etc., and regards the illness or disaster that occurs on a certain day of a certain month as the work of ghosts and gods, and casts spells to eliminate it.
　　Although Zheng Yuheng didn't care about this kind of thing, he also knew that there were many people who believed in this book among the people, and even some officials in the court believed in it. Most people were of the mindset that it was better to believe it than not to believe it.
　　No matter which emperor ascended the throne, or a founding emperor established a foundation, he would say something like "received the mandate from heaven" to consolidate his legitimacy... Zheng Yuheng kept a distance from the sayings of ghosts and gods, and he was one of those who didn't believe in these things.
　　"What are you reading?" Zheng Yuheng asked knowingly, "There are times when Tan Niang can't make up her mind and asks ghosts to do things?"
　　The second half of the sentence was a joke, because he didn't believe that Dong Lingjiu believed in ghosts and gods.
　　Dong Lingjiu smiled when he heard this and said, "I really have something for them to do."
　　Zheng Yuheng was stunned for a moment and didn't react for a while.
　　Dong Lingjiu pointed to one of the pages, tapped the description in the book, and said, "The third day of September, a good day."
　　Zheng Yuheng followed her hand and looked over there, and saw a row of words printed on the woodblock, which read: "Life and death are unlucky, avoid blood and killing, and when something happens, kowtow to Dou Mu Tianzun in the north."
　　Zheng Yuheng asked, "It doesn't look like a good day."
　　"Why not?" Dong Lingjiu said, "I ordered Xu Xiang to be executed on this day, isn't it wonderful?"
　　Zheng Yuheng didn't understand again, and felt like his head was hit - because what Dong Lingjiu said must be the superficial meaning, not her real intention.
　　"The Imperial Observatory will definitely stop it." Zheng Yuheng quickly sorted out his thoughts.
　　"Great, if it is not stopped, it will be a waste of raising them." Dong Lingjiu said.
　　Zheng Yuheng seemed to realize something, and there was a flash of lightning in his mind. He suddenly thought that based on his understanding of the little emperor these days, these "humble and lowly" people in his eyes were not only a question of whether they were worthy of the royal family, but also that his "admiration" itself was not qualified. Correspondingly, if Dong Lingjiu insisted on picking a "good day", Meng Cheng might even hope that Xu Xiang would not die on this day, so as not to implicate his mother because of the "evil spirit".
　　But if even such a thing was used to plan, it would be too fearless. Tan Niang did not believe it, she simply threw this statement to the ground and stepped on it, and her face was not changed.
　　He subconsciously said, "Isn't the path too biased?"
　　"A biased path is fine as long as it works." Dong Lingjiu said leisurely, "Layout and design vary from person to person. The right path and smooth path will be taught by their teachers. As for me..." He
　　suppressed the second half of the sentence, put down the evil book, put his arm around his shoulders, pecked Zheng Yuheng's slightly cold lips, and whispered, "There are reasonable ways to be reasonable, and there are unreasonable ways to be unreasonable."
　　...
　　This "unreasonable" method was the first time Zheng Yuheng saw her use it.
　　After Queen Wang gave birth to the prince, Meng Cheng's heart finally fell back.
　　With his heart back, he naturally began to deal with Xu Xiang's affairs. He angrily rebuked Wang Zhaohe and others who wrote a letter to impeach him, saying that they made up stories, slandered and fabricated, and scolded these people back fiercely, but then secretly instructed the imperial censors in the court to dig up old accounts and re-charge Xu Xiang with the crime of "abuse of power and dereliction of duty."
　　This crime is different from offending the emperor. After all, if there is no treason, Meng Cheng would not kill someone for this reason. At most, he would punish him with a stick in the court. But if it involves the government affairs of the country, many of the ministers watching from the sidelines have grudges against Xu Xiang.
　　In this way, almost everything fell into Meng Cheng's calculations. He received more than 20 memorials on this matter, half of which were quite in line with his wishes. They all wrote that after the Ministry of Justice found out the truth, it would be severely punished and beheaded according to the crime.
　　Everything went according to his plan. Even Meng Zhaiyue, who cried and talked back at the beginning, remained silent and seemed indifferent. He was confused and a little relieved, thinking that the emperor's sister finally thought it through and knew that the princess's status was precious and should not be mixed with eunuchs.
　　Until his mother read those memorials.
　　He even handed them over personally, because Xu Xiang was considered a subordinate of his mother.
　　Unlike what he thought, he thought Dong Lingjiu would speak for Xu Xiang, but she watched in silence for a moment, and was actually furious about it, as if she hated the actions of the internal factory supervisor very much. She immediately approved the execution on the third day of September. The speed of the action almost stunned Meng Cheng.
　　But the stunned was still to come. Just one day after the imperial edict was issued, the sweaty people from the Imperial Observatory hurried to meet Meng Cheng, and earnestly explained how this date was not right, and asked him to be executed in the autumn.
　　This time was too fast, because Wang Wanrou gave birth at the end of August, so Meng Cheng only started to deal with this matter recently. Only a few days later, on the second day of the first lunar month, he handed the memorial to his mother, the queen mother issued an order, and the Imperial Observatory met with him... This series of things happened in just one day.
　　Meng Cheng stared at the middle-aged fat man in front of him, sweating profusely and with a panicked and anxious look on his face. He was a little slow to react. He held his forehead and pinched it, pointing at this man and said to Zheng Yuheng: "What does he mean?"
　　Zheng Yuheng said: "Killing on the third day of the first lunar month will anger Dou Mu Tianzun. This is what he meant."
　　"Did I ask you that?" Meng Cheng habitually choked him and said with his back teeth grinding, "I mean, how come this man came so quickly!"
　　Zheng Yuheng paused, and said: "The Imperial Observatory is in the imperial city." But it would take half an hour to run over there on horseback. If I hadn't sent someone there quickly, you wouldn't see him until dark.
　　How can we just trust a Si Zheng to "do his job"? It is somewhat naive to put all the chips on other people's professional ethics, and this naivety has long disappeared from Zheng Yuheng except in bed. He can "understand" it without Dong Lingjiu's instruction.
　　Meng Cheng's eyes swept over his face and saw that Zheng Yuheng had no expression on his face and did not show any ripples. He put these words in his mouth again, but still did not dare to let them go. He stood up and said, "You come with me. Please ask the queen mother to withdraw the order and change it to beheading in autumn."
　　Zheng Yuheng nodded and agreed, and happily walked with him.
　　As they walked along, Meng Cheng thought more and more that something was wrong. He stopped at the gate of the Cining Palace and could not help turning around and saying to him, "Don't I want to kill him?"
　　"But not on the third day of September." Zheng Yuheng said. "The queen mother is angry. I'm afraid she is determined to behead him tomorrow."
　　Meng Cheng was concerned about the ghosts and gods, and thought to himself, what would happen if he postponed it for a few days? In another month, it would be October, the time for the execution after autumn. He had just taken a few steps forward when he saw a teacup flying out and shattering in front of him with a snap. Then there was the sound of heavy books slamming against the table, mixed with a familiar voice that was a little cold.
　　"... He should have died long ago for doing things this way, bastard."
　　This familiar voice and tone almost made Meng Cheng subconsciously think of the time when his mother taught him more than a decade ago. Whenever he misread a word in the book, Dong Lingjiu's face would darken a little. She herself didn't seem to notice it, but the child was sensitive and strong to the changes in his mother's mood, even if she didn't say anything harsh.
　　Meng Cheng's heart trembled, and he turned around and looked at Zheng Yuheng again.
　　Zheng Yuheng was wearing the official uniform of the Palace Front Department. She had just handed the sword to the maid of the Cining Palace and was about to accompany him in. When their eyes met, Zheng Yuheng suddenly had an idea and said inexplicably: "It's okay, the Queen Mother never vents her anger on others."
　　Meng Cheng's face darkened and he said, "I know!"
　　Then he stepped in.
　　It was cloudy outside at the moment, with a heavy layer of rain in the dark clouds. No other maids spoke in the palace, only the sound of Dong Lingjiu talking to someone else.
　　Meng Cheng walked in, and then he suddenly remembered - who was in the palace? Who was his mother talking to?
　　As soon as he thought about it, he heard a more familiar voice that he had played with since childhood. This voice was light and charming, without any sorrow that his lover was about to be punished and killed, and in his impression, it was still the same willful tone as the teenage Meng Zhaiyue, and said lazily: "Mother - if my brother wants to execute him, I will have nothing to play with. You can't just focus on taking concubines for my brother, I also want -"
　　Meng Cheng was stunned for a moment, then his eyes went dark, and he took a half step back. In his mind, Xu Xiang's face appeared when he was serving the pen and ink in front of the emperor, and his extremely humble and docile face during the questioning process.
　　Zheng Yuheng quickly supported him from the side and whispered, "Your Majesty?"
　　Meng Cheng looked at him and said, "...Actually..."
　　"Actually what?" Zheng Yuheng put his ear closer. Meng
　　Cheng opened his mouth, hesitant to speak, and then heard Meng Zhaiyue say again: "Doesn't the eldest son Wang who was rejected by my mother some time ago like me? Let him marry me as a concubine. Anyway, my mother is going to execute Xu Xiang. Oh, it's really sad. I will set up a tablet for Xu Bingbi in the mansion, and the eldest son Wang can also pay his respects to his elders and burn incense to the legitimate son-in-law and the brother of the governor in front..."
　　"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?" Zheng Yuheng shook him.
　　Meng Cheng raised his hand to cover his face. He turned his head to look at Zheng Yuheng and threatened: "If you say a word of what you heard today, I will kill you."
　　Zheng Yuheng hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, what are you talking about? Your Majesty and I are one family... family..." Meng
　　Cheng almost raised his hand to quarrel with him, but when he thought of his identity, it would be disgraceful, so he gritted his teeth and endured it, and said to him: "Who the hell is one family with you? I am the emperor. Do you understand the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects?"
　　Zheng Yuheng nodded: "Yes, I understand. Let's go in and ask the Queen to change the execution to autumn." Meng
　　Cheng had just finished listening to Yingying's words, and his heart was beating fast, fearing that this fearless sister would really do such a thing. Then he heard another snap, as if the teacup hit the table heavily, and Meng Cheng felt a chill down his spine.
　　Across the beaded curtain, Dong Lingjiu suddenly asked, "Is the emperor here?"
　　The female official whispered, "It's your majesty."
　　Meng Cheng really wanted to turn around and leave, but because Zheng Yuheng was with him, it was not like he had to face it alone, so he sorted out his thoughts and repeated what the Imperial Observatory said to Dong Lingjiu.
　　"I don't believe it," she said the truth, without a trace of falsehood, "Things in the world, if you believe it, it exists, if you don't believe it, it doesn't exist. The emperor is taboo, so let me order someone to deal with him. After all, Yingying doesn't like him anymore."
　　The princess said very obediently, "That's right."
　　Meng Cheng's eyelids twitched, and he pondered over what Yingying had just said. Based on his understanding of his little sister over the years, she had played with nine-linked rings and wooden horses since she was a child, and she was always fickle and only had a short-lived enthusiasm. The prince consort she had chosen had divorced, let alone a eunuch who was just a little bit pretty?
　　"Mother," Meng Cheng said, "I think it's better to do it in autumn... Well, no... Although he is guilty, he doesn't deserve to die. Don't be sad, little sister. It's his blessing that you are willing to play with him. As for having a lover and letting Wang Zhaohe be your concubine, that's... no need for that."
　　Dong Lingjiu lowered his head and took a sip of tea, then said slowly, "Didn't Cheng'er think that he had tarnished the reputation of the royal family? This man is indeed guilty. Your little sister was a little impulsive that day. She doesn't really care. She has a child's mentality. You don't have to care about her."
　　Meng Cheng's scalp tingled, and he said, "No, no, no, I have to care about it, I have to care about it, this, this..."
　　"I want to get a new one." Meng Zhaiyue muttered, "He is cold and unreasonable, and he won't even hold hands."
　　Meng Cheng felt relieved. He didn't even hold hands... No, he didn't even hold hands with his mother. He was a eunuch. Wasn't that too good? The imperial sister didn't like him. He just had the mentality of a child playing around.
　　Meng Cheng made up his mind, turned around and whispered to Zheng Yuheng, "Help me persuade him."
　　"What to persuade?" Zheng Yuheng blinked and asked him deliberately.
　　"Are you out of your mind? You can't even hear the pros and cons?" Meng Cheng couldn't figure him out, so he opened the bead curtain and went in. "Please withdraw your order, mother. Xu Bingbi has served in the imperial court for many years and also served as the head of the inner prison. Although he has no merits, he has worked hard. Although he has committed the crime of abuse of power and dereliction of duty, he is not punishable by death. However, he will be dismissed from his position in the inner factory, fined and caned as a punishment..."
　　After he finished speaking, the palace was still very quiet, and you could hear a pin drop.
　　After a moment, Dong Lingjiu said, "Then, the emperor should keep the reply memorial for now. Let me think about it again."
　　Meng Zhaiyue added sadly, "Royal brother, you just delay my good things." Meng Cheng breathed a
　　sigh of relief, looked at Yingying, and couldn't help saying, "He is sincere to you, Yingying, it's time for you to grow up."
　　Meng Zhaiyue smiled when she heard it, and said, "Of course he is sincere to me. I am the royal brother's biological sister, Yingying, who doesn't like me?" Meng Cheng nodded and
　　felt that it made a lot of sense, but his mother still refused to give in, so he had to think of a way to deal with this matter.
　　The three of them talked about this matter, sat together and drank a cup of tea, and then Meng Cheng returned to Guiyuan Palace to change the red comments. As he was writing, he felt something was wrong. He looked at Zheng Yuheng who was accompanying him in the palace and said abruptly: "Zheng Junzhi."
　　"I'm here." He said.
　　"You said... Didn't I want to kill him?"
　　Zheng Yuheng touched his chin and thought for a moment, and said: "It was the Empress Dowager who wanted to kill him. Your Majesty is a benevolent monarch. He will not take revenge for personal desires. Just punish according to the crime that should be punished. On the contrary, it is the Empress Dowager who is too disappointed. You still have to ask Your Majesty to comfort her."
　　Meng Cheng pondered for a while and said: "... Makes sense... I am a benevolent monarch."
　　The author has something to say:
　　Little Emperor: You three set up a group chat, why did you exclude me? Wait... Zheng Junzhi, why are you in the group!