Inside Guiyuan Palace.
　　"Tell me what's going on!" Meng Cheng said a lot of words without even letting Zheng Yuheng to explain. He said like a string of bullets, "If you weren't so perverse and unbridled, would you be discovered by the censor? From now on, you might as well get out of the palace, so that you don't have to rely on your mother to find work for me every day."
　　What he said was a bit heartless. No matter how wrong Zheng Junzhi was, he also helped him a lot in dealing with government affairs.
　　Zheng Yuheng was speechless. He could only take the memorial silently and read it from the beginning. As soon as he saw the name, he muttered softly, "I have been at odds with this person for a long time..."
　　"At odds?" The little emperor frowned. "You two have never spoken to each other. Do you think I don't know?"
　　"When he wrote an edict to slander the Empress Dowager two years ago, I was already at odds with him in my heart. It's just that except in the court, we have never met in private."
　　After Zheng Yuheng finished speaking, he looked at what Xing Wenchang had written - otherwise, how could this person be said to be a sharp weapon that Meng Cheng both loved and hated? He had a taste of indiscriminate hurting people. This time, when he was impeaching Zheng Yuheng as an imperial censor and paying attention to the ministers, he noticed that his house in the suburbs of the capital was an empty house and he didn't go back for ten days or half a month.
　　It stands to reason that a minister like Zheng Yuheng, who is favored by the emperor, should be highly valued by the emperor and have a lower position in the imperial city. Ordinary people would not think too much about it. However, Xing Wenchang has a chance to be promoted this year because of his outstanding performance. While the censors of the Censorate congratulated him, they could not help but mention the hot new noble in the court - Zheng Junzhi of the Palace Front Department.
　　This really stirred up a hornet's nest. There are many young censors in the Censorate who are about the same age as Zheng Junzhi, but they are jealous of his rapid promotion. One of them immediately mentioned the rumors that he had heard the old men occasionally talk about Zheng Junzhi's appearance. He has a bit of the charm of the previous emperor and is very pleasing to the empress dowager. Maybe this is also part of the reason for his rapid promotion... In this way, he poured out his bitterness of not being reused and his envy of high positions and generous salaries.
　　The speaker is unintentional, but the listener is intentional.
　　After listening to this, Xing Wenchang turned around and went to investigate. Soon after, he submitted this memorial, which was full of righteous indignation and sharp, asking Meng Cheng to execute Zheng Junzhi.
　　The little emperor was just happy to see who he was going to scold today, but he was implicated by Xing Yushi's sarcastic and sarcastic remarks. Not only did he scold Zheng Yuheng, but he also said that he didn't know people well and allowed a despicable villain to participate in politics.
　　The two sat face to face for a while. The little emperor just scolded him and got a choke. He covered his ribs with one hand and pressed on the corner of the table. He didn't say a word for a long time. When he saw Zheng Junzhi looking up, he squeezed out a sentence: "Why, do you have any countermeasures?"
　　Zheng Yuheng stroked the paper in silence, and after a while said: "He has no real evidence at all."
　　"But rumors are like tigers, and people's hearts are scary. You still...you still..." You really have something. Meng Cheng couldn't say this, and gritted his teeth and said, "No matter how innocent a person is, a piece of paper cannot withstand thousands of people's criticism, let alone you? Xing Wenchang is a small matter, but I'm afraid that the Imperial Censor Wei Zefang has already known about this. If his old bones and stubborn temper are killed in my palace, the public will be excited and I will have to kill you!" When
　　he said this, his ribs, which were caused by a stitch in the side, began to ache again. He frowned and stared at him in a muffled voice.
　　The ministers all knew something more or less, and Wei Zefang was not completely ignorant of the news. But his own doubts and suspicions in private were different from the face-saving project that was exposed in public.
　　Zheng Yuheng pondered for a moment and said, "Actually... In fact, the prime ministers are more afraid of this happening than I and Your Majesty."
　　Meng Cheng was stunned: "Why?"
　　"If this is confirmed, my death will be a small matter." Zheng Yuheng said as he thought, "Let the civil and military officials know that there is such a way. As long as they please the empress dowager, they can be promoted one after another and rise to the top. I am afraid that many people will no longer study and write, but put on makeup and dress up to be handsome and charming in order to rise to the top... If there is a shortcut, the atmosphere in the court and the country will change drastically. The prime ministers should be so anxious that they will bang their heads against the beams and pillars, right?"
　　Meng Cheng hung his hands, tapping his fingers lightly on the corner of the desk, staring at him without saying a word.
　　Zheng Yuheng continued: "This is an unhealthy trend. One way is to kill me and put an end to the rise of this unhealthy trend. However, this will not only damage the reputation of the Queen Mother, but also prove that this path may be feasible. It is not the best choice. The best choice is to simply maintain the Queen Mother's upright image and rebuke Xing Wenchang for confusing right and wrong, calling a horse a zebra, and having ulterior motives. Your Majesty, please send a private letter to the ministers immediately to analyze the pros and cons and ask the ministers to choose the right path for themselves."
　　"What if they have wanted to get rid of you for a long time?" Meng Cheng said, "Why would the old masters be your backers?"
　　"Your Majesty," Zheng Yuheng sorted out his thoughts and said to him, "It has been no secret for a long time. If they want to get rid of me, they should have done it a long time ago, and there is no need to wait until today."
　　"You are my close minister and can curb my power. It is difficult for them not to take the opportunity to add fuel to the flames."
　　"But since I entered the Palace Front Office, except for the time when I personally came forward to negotiate peace with the envoys of Beisu, others don't know which ideas are mine and which are yours." Zheng Yuheng said, "More often than not, it doesn't matter who advises your majesty. What's important is that the queen mother stands behind your majesty. The queen mother is unshakable in your eyes and in the eyes of the prime ministers. That's enough."
　　On the scale of monarchy and prime minister power, Zheng Yuheng's weight is not enough to make it sway left and right, but the balance of this scale is not equal between the two sides, but there is a third party who is strong enough and has omnipresent eyes, that is, the queen mother.
　　She is not only the backer of the little emperor, but also the backer of the ministers to a certain extent, because Meng Cheng is unstable. If he is incompetent and tyrannical and kills innocent people, only Dong Lingjiu can suppress him and prevent him from making any waves. This is the responsibility of "checks and balances" mentioned by the queen mother before.
　　Meng Cheng thought for a long time in silence, then stood up to draft a letter and asked Zheng Yuheng to write it for him. He paced back and forth in the palace while speaking, forgetting that he was so anxious. After
　　finishing writing the private letters to the Minister of the Central Secretariat, the ministers of various ministries, the Censorate and the Dali Temple, Meng Cheng was sweating on his forehead. He sat back in his original position and suddenly felt something was wrong. He said, "Although Censor Xing is not likable, he is really useful. You won't kill him by doing this, right?"
　　Before Zheng Yuheng could speak, there was a voice outside asking for an audience. A deputy governor of the rear province came and reported in a thin voice, "Your Majesty, Censor Xing entered from the palace gate and privately met with the Empress Dowager. He stopped the phoenix carriage at Chaofeng Gate. Governor Xuan sent me to report to your Majesty... and Lord Zheng."
　　Meng Cheng was stunned when he heard this, and Zheng Yuheng had almost the same expression. The two looked at each other.
　　Meng Cheng waved his hand, and the eunuch left. As soon as the door closed, the little emperor frowned again, feeling that his shortness of breath had just recovered. He held his forehead and said, "What does this mean?"
　　Zheng Yuheng said blankly, "I don't know..." Meng
　　Cheng looked at him for a few times, and suddenly stood up and said, "We have to go and see. This man is so bold. Don't do anything to assassinate the king or kill me. Ten heads will not be enough."
　　Zheng Yuheng hurriedly helped him up and considerately helped the little emperor to calm down. Meng Cheng looked at him strangely, and felt that Zheng Yuheng seemed to have no objection to taking care of him, which gave him a very subtle illusion... Did this man regard himself as an elder?
　　...
　　The wind and snow were blowing, and the light and cold wind was rolling snowflakes, slowly fluttering back and forth on both sides of the sedan chair curtain.
　　Dong Lingjiu's hands were caressing each other, and she was very surprised by the other party's words, but she was used to not showing obvious expressions, so on the surface she just raised her eyes slightly and said calmly: "You?"
　　Just one word, it was full of oppression and questioning.
　　The enthusiasm and flush on Xing Wenchang's face had not faded yet. He knelt on the ground and took a few steps. Under the gaze of the maids and eunuchs on both sides, he got closer to Dong Lingjiu. He could almost see the indifference in her eyes.
　　But even so, he felt it was natural. Xing Wenchang bowed his head and said hurriedly: "I once misunderstood the Empress Dowager, and I deserve to die."
　　"No need," Dong Lingjiu said, "I have read your manifesto, it is... not bad."
　　Xing Wenchang seemed to be more excited by this sentence, and even his fingers trembled slightly. He took a deep breath and said: "I deserve to die, I... I didn't know the wise decision of the Empress Dowager. After confronting Zhou Yao, I felt very sad and regretful, but I have never had the chance to meet the Empress Dowager."
　　He had never really seen Dong Lingjiu before, and he didn't care about the appearance of the Empress Dowager. Instead, his mentality changed as he got to know Dong Lingjiu... There are many descriptions and records of Empress Dowager Dong in the capital, in terms of political achievements, means of governance, and the tactics of playing with people's hearts. He is like a person who loves poetry and has read the other party's 40,000 good poems. This long-fermented admiration is enough to make him enter a stage of fanaticism.
　　If Dong Lingjiu lived in the present, he should be able to understand it. This is probably similar to "poisonous star chasing".
　　But Xing Wenchang had no intention of meeting her at first - because in all the rumors, Dong Lingjiu and the late emperor had a deep affection. The status of the monarch is a kind of oppression for the ministers. Xing Yushi could not compare himself with the late emperor at all. This was a blasphemy to the feelings of the empress dowager and the late emperor.
　　Therefore, when Xing Wenchang found out that Zheng Junzhi, who frequently went in and out of the palace, had a secret with the empress dowager, he was in a state of extreme contradiction and ecstasy. He had a strong desire to kill Zheng Junzhi, but this did not prevent him from offering himself to her.
　　Dong Lingjiu watched him crawling over on his knees, and the official robe of the censor dragged a trace on the thin snow.
　　Xing Wenchang said: "My queen, what Zheng Junzhi can do, I can do the same. I don't even need you to pave the way for him behind the scenes. I don't care about the official position, as long as you are willing to let me replace him. Are you... tired of playing with him?"
　　He was indeed very bold.
　　There are indeed many traces of Dong Lingjiu in Zheng Yuheng's resume, but there is no concrete evidence, so it is understandable that it was noticed. But Xing Wenchang didn't know that Zheng Yuheng didn't care about rising to the top. He entered the officialdom so that Dong Lingjiu could have one more person to assist the young emperor. Otherwise, he wanted to stick to Dong Lingjiu more than anyone else and couldn't get rid of him.
　　Dong Lingjiu lowered her eyes and looked at his face, suddenly smiled, and said, "You are such a person, I also have times when I make mistakes."
　　"No," he said, "Your Majesty is wise and powerful, and you have seen through me long ago."
　　As he spoke, he reached into the sedan chair under Ruixue's vigilant supervision, held one of Dong Lingjiu's hands with both hands, and wrapped his cold fingers around her fair and delicate knuckles.
　　Dong Lingjiu looked at him and said, "... insolent."
　　Xing Wenchang shuddered at these two words, and a ball of hot breath surged on his face and ears, which made his face, which was already due to insomnia and tension, look sick and paranoid: "Empress Dowager, why do you treat him so well? Because he looks like the late emperor? Because he is opportunistic and got there first? Your Majesty, you can try something new. I will not be jealous or envious. I will introduce new young men to your Majesty. I apologize to you for misunderstanding you before--"
　　These are all lies.
　　Dong Lingjiu could see it at a glance. He was not skilled in lying, as if he was forced to say it under extreme enthusiasm. She even had a vague premonition that Xing Wenchang was full of murderous intent towards Zheng Yuheng, which was definitely not what he said. Before
　　Xing Yushi finished speaking, the finger he touched was suddenly pulled back. With a crisp "snap" sound, his face suddenly became hot, and his whole body was hit to the side. His teeth broke the inner wall of his mouth, and blood oozed out from the corner of his mouth.
　　"Oh, madam, be careful with your hands." Ruixue hurriedly came from the side to care for her, rubbing her palms, but the corners of her mouth could not hide the joy of relief.
　　Dong Lingjiu said expressionlessly: "It's okay."
　　"Madam..." Xing Wenchang's voice was hoarse, he lowered his head and spit out a mouthful of bloody saliva, wiping the corners of his lips, "Please think about it again, I definitely know you better than Zheng Junzhi, if madam wants to use me in the court, as long as I become your guest, I will repay you with my life."
　　Not only did he not get depressed because of being beaten, but he spoke more bluntly, as if he understood Dong Lingjiu's character and would not behead him because of his outrageous words.
　　But on this point, he did understand it well, Dong Lingjiu was indeed not that kind of person.
　　"You are too confident in yourself." Dong Lingjiu smiled and whispered, "Why do you think you are worth using for me?"
　　She looked down at the bloody corners of Xing Wenchang's lips and said in a light tone: "Everything you have is not enough to exchange for the four words 'a guest of honor.'" The sound
　　of wind suddenly rose, but it made her cold words clearer. Even this indifferent and emotionless tone, with a taste colder than the wind and snow, could cut through the skin and bones.
　　In the distance of Chaofeng Gate, Meng Cheng and Zheng Yuheng had just arrived. Seeing the sedan chair of the Cining Palace and the back of Xing Wenchang kneeling on the ground, they were a little confused.
　　Coincidentally, a little maid who was sent back by Aunt Ruixue to change the hand warmer for the Empress Dowager passed by. Zheng Yuheng saw that she looked familiar, and hurriedly called her and asked, "What's going on over there, do you know?"
　　The maid timidly glanced at His Majesty the Emperor.
　　Meng Cheng understood and pulled her and Zheng Junzhi to a corner, avoiding the eunuchs of Guiyuan Palace behind them. He coughed and said with dignity, "It's okay, go ahead."
　　The maid was blocked by two big men. Due to the status of His Majesty the Emperor and her lack of experience, she could only whisper truthfully, "Censor Xing stopped the Empress and said in front of us that he wanted to recommend himself to replace... replace Lord Zheng." Zheng
　　Yuheng's head buzzed.
　　Meng Cheng's head buzzed too, but he covered his ribs where he was out of breath and felt that he almost couldn't breathe. He turned his head and looked at the person next to him.
　　Zheng Yuheng turned around and was about to go over, murderous intent was surging, he gritted his teeth and said: "Xing, Wen, Chang!"
　　"Hey, don't be impulsive--" Meng Cheng stopped him nearby and grabbed him from behind. He was almost thrown out by the powerful little Zheng. He said, "Why are you crazy? Aren't you different from him?"
　　"How are I and him the same? I am destined, it's a match made in heaven. He is shameless to steal my girl behind my back!"
　　"Zheng Junzhi," Meng Cheng said earnestly, "Didn't he do it in front of me? No... this girl's not your girl, she's my mother! My mother!"
　　Zheng Yuheng was so angry that he lost his mind, pulled his hand away: "Don't stop me, Cheng'er, I tell you, he didn't impeach me for anything else, he just wanted to play tricks! He is the one who covets your family's power and wealth. If you don't kill him, I will beat him myself!"
　　Meng Cheng couldn't hold back at all, and it also affected his already cramped area. He held onto the pillar and coughed for a while, pointing at Zheng Yuheng's back and said, "Why don't you go, why don't you go and pull your Lord Zheng back!"
　　The stunned Ziwei Guards woke up as if from a dream, and took two steps at a time, and several people stepped forward to pull their immediate superior back.
　　The two attendants on the side hurried up to help Meng Cheng carry him on his back. The little emperor coughed for a long time, and sat down next to the angry Zheng Yuheng, holding his shoulder with one hand: "What are you going to do? Are you going to compete with him in front of so many people and confirm your status? Do you remember what you said to me just now in Guiyuan Palace?"
　　Zheng Yuheng's eyes were red, and he kept silent, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
　　"I almost died from your elbow," Meng Cheng said, still frightened, "I'll go, I'll go over and help you, you just sit here."
　　Zheng Yuheng's eyes were red, his voice was hoarse, he suppressed his emotions, took a deep breath, and blurted out: "You beat him for me."
　　Meng Cheng was convinced by him and said: "Okay, okay... You keep an eye on him, don't let him go crazy, otherwise I'll beat you up first."
　　Several Ziwei Guards nodded conscientiously and surrounded Lord Zheng.
　　Author's words:
　　Meng Cheng: ... ... This can also be regarded as a kind of growth, that is to say ... ...