Chapter 543: Twin Concubines (Part 1)
It’s actually related to the solar eclipse again!
These things keep coming one after another and there’s no end to them!
After walking out of the interrogation room, Sun Shaozong became more and more confused. At the same time, he had a vague suspicion that this incident might be somehow connected to the previous case of Zhou Xi being silenced.
If this is true, the conspiracy and secrets hidden behind this are probably even more...
"Captain Sun."
At this time, Lu Hui came out from the next room, also looking worried, and asked hesitantly: "In your opinion, what is the purpose of the person behind this?"
There were wiretaps installed on both sides of the interrogation room, so Sun Shaozong didn't need to report anything, as he had already heard every word next door.
Although Sun Shaozong has not yet figured out what the mastermind behind the scenes is planning, he instigated Zang Liang to create trouble for the Northern Pacification Office, which must be an attempt to divert the Northern Pacification Office's attention.
In other words, something that the Northern Pacification Office was originally paying attention to, or was about to pay attention to, might very well have touched upon the core interests of the mastermind behind the scenes.
"You mean..."
After listening to Sun Shaozong's analysis, Lu Hui seemed to have thought of something. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but finally shook his head slowly.
Although he did not reveal his true feelings, Sun Shaozong was able to vaguely guess what he was thinking from his changing facial expressions.
It’s not that Sun Shaozong suddenly mastered the art of mind reading, but that he was actually also suspicious of a certain unspeakable existence - the Niu family of Zhenguo Prefecture.
If the White Lotus Sect had not suddenly entered the capital, the Northern Pacification Office would have definitely fully cooperated with the court and launched an open and covert investigation into the Niu family - of course, they would also have been accused of forcing the old feudal lord to death, so in a sense, the other party's accidental coincidence allowed the Northern Pacification Office to escape.
However, if we consider it from the perspective of maximizing interests , the Niu family is undoubtedly the biggest suspect.
But if you think about it carefully, this speculation is full of loopholes.
Because Zang Liang was caught by someone, it happened in the winter of the second year of Guangde.
At that time, Emperor Guangde had just ascended the throne and had the emperor emeritus who had been in power for 36 years above him. He was walking on thin ice all day long and was very cautious in everything he did. He also respected and admired the Niu family in every way.
More importantly, at that time, the Northern Pacification Office was also controlled by the retired emperor's people. Under such circumstances, what reason did the Niu family have to interfere with the Northern Pacification Office?
Besides, even if they really wanted to sabotage someone, given the power of the Niu family at the time, there was no need to find a small general, let alone act in secret.
Sun Shaozong was trying to figure out Lu Hui's thoughts when he heard Lu Hui ask in a deep voice, "So what do you think Zang Liang is hiding?"
In fact, in Sun Shaozong's opinion, Zang Liang should have confessed everything he could.
But who will take full responsibility for this matter?
What's more, with Lu Hui's character, as long as there is a one percent chance, he will never give up and continue to torture Zang Liang.
Therefore, Sun Shaozong simply made his bottom line clear: "Your Excellency has just heard it. I promise to protect his wife and daughter..."
"You can rest assured about that."
As Lu Hui was talking, he suddenly remembered something and said hurriedly, "Oh, by the way, a steward just came to the Crown Prince's Mansion and said that His Highness wants to summon you to make a statement."
The prince summoned me to make a reply?
Sun Shaozong suddenly felt a headache. He was in a hurry to find me at this time. It was probably because the report made in Jingren Palace yesterday had reached the ears of the prince. Although the prince had fallen out of favor, the queen was still the master of the six palaces. It should not be a problem for her to find out some news for her son.
Damn it!
The father and son were scheming against each other, and neither of them was willing to speak out directly, insisting on letting themselves be the middle man...
No matter how much he complained in his heart or how much of a headache he had, he still needed the prince's shelter for the time being. So Sun Shaozong could only hand over his job temporarily and hurried to the prince's mansion.
No conversation along the way.
Seeing Sun Shaozong urging his horse to arrive, Wang Dexiu, the chief clerk of the Zhanshi Mansion, came out from the doorway to greet him. He flexed his short legs a few steps, stepped forward to help Sun Shaozong hold the reins, and said anxiously: "Your Excellency is finally here. The prince is waiting impatiently in the flower hall in the backyard!"
Seeing his fat face covered with oil and sweat rubbing against his legs, Sun Shaozong hurriedly turned over and dismounted from the other side, saying casually: "In this case, I'll have to trouble the king to be the chief clerk."
After saying this, he threw the horse to Wang Dexiu and strode into the Prince's Mansion.
Everyone in this palace knows that the prince is anxious to see him.
Therefore, after entering the door, there is no obstruction.
Turning around the red pavilion and crossing the veranda, Sun Shaozong saw the flower hall looming under the shade of a few red maple trees. Just as he was about to quicken his pace, a burly maid suddenly appeared from behind the rockery and greeted him with a stern face, "Sir Sun, please stop. My queen wants to see you for something!"
Could it be that this kind of 'practical' slave has become popular among the royal family recently?
Although the maid's attitude was a bit bad, considering that the Crown Princess always valued me, she probably wanted to give me some advice by looking for me at this time.
So Sun Shaozong didn't think much about it and followed the maid to the courtyard next door.
However, as soon as he entered the courtyard, Sun Shaozong noticed something strange - the maids waiting under the eaves saw Sun Shaozong being led in, and all of them had a look of surprise on their faces.
At first, Sun Shaozong just thought that they didn't know that the Crown Princess summoned him, so they looked strange.
But when they saw the door, two maids hesitated and walked out of the corridor, as if they wanted to come forward to stop them.
wrong!
Sun Shaozong immediately stopped, stared at the maid who was leading the way, and asked in a deep voice: "Who are you?"
If this maidservant was someone close to the Crown Princess, with her leading the way, no one should have tried to stop her. However, the two maidservants on the opposite side not only stepped forward to stop her, but were also wary of her.
Seeing Sun Shaozong stop in his tracks, the plump and strong maid also stopped in her tracks, but she did not explain anything. She just straightened her body and stood with her hands hanging down.
There is indeed something fishy!
Upon seeing this, Sun Shaozong raised his voice and asked again to show that he and the palace maid were not of the same kind. If anything really went wrong, he could distance himself from it in time.
"I asked her to come find you."
At this moment, the Xiang curtain in the main hall was lifted, and a tall woman walked out. She was dignified but also cold and beautiful, and her cold and beautiful appearance was wrapped with a heroic spirit that was no less than that of men. She was the famous "fierce woman" in the capital, Princess Wei of Prince Beijing!
After Wei walked out of the living room, she came to Sun Shaozong without any reservations and said sternly, "I have tried to find you several times but never had the chance. Now I happen to run into you at the Prince's Mansion. I really don't want to miss you, so I sent someone to invite you halfway."
As she said this, she turned back and said to the Crown Princess who had chased after her: "I acted on my own initiative. If I have caused any trouble to Your Majesty, please feel free to punish me. I will not complain at all."
Sun Shaozong and this Wei had only met three times in total, and the first two times they had ended in unpleasantness. They were far from being close enough to be able to call each other "you you and me".
But Wei's casual words were mixed with a bit of heroism, giving people the illusion that it was natural.
The Crown Princess nodded slightly to Sun Shaozong to show her apology and comfort, then smiled and said: "Sister, what are you talking about? What kind of punishment can we talk about between you and me? It's just that Lord Sun came here because His Highness..."
"I have only a few words to say to him, and it won't take long!"
Before the Crown Princess could finish her words, Wei resolutely retorted, leaving her speechless.
"Please forgive me, Princess."
At this time, Sun Shaozong saluted and said, "I have been summoned by Your Highness. How dare I keep you waiting for so long?"
"I told you it won't take long!"
As Wei was speaking, she suddenly turned to the Crown Princess and said, "Please step aside for a moment, Your Majesty, and let me have a few words with him alone!"
This is even more impolite.
But the more she was obviously unreasonable, the more difficult it was for the Crown Princess to refuse. She frowned and hesitated for a long time, but finally she moved aside and got out of the way to the living room.
Wei turned around, glanced at Sun Shaozong, and walked straight into the hall.
Unexpectedly, just after taking a few steps, Sun Shaozong said behind him: "If the princess can promise not to mention the matter of Wei Tongpan, I can reluctantly do it - if you can't avoid this matter, I'm sorry I dare not enter."
Originally, with the crown prince stepping in, it should have been enough to save Wei Ruolan's life, but man proposes, God disposes. The death of the old lord of Zhenguo Mansion suddenly made the case a hot potato.
Everyone knows that the Queen Mother is filled with rage at the moment. Who would dare to bend the law and show favoritism to the person who killed the eldest son of the Niu family at this time?
The reason why Wei came to Sun Shaozong at this time was probably because he was desperate and wanted to use his "divine judgment" ability to find out the so-called truth behind the scenes.
However, at this critical moment, how could Sun Shaozong do something to take advantage of the situation for the sake of his former rival?
Therefore, Wei's hopes were simply extinguished at the very beginning.
"you!"
Wei suddenly turned around and glared at Sun Shaozong, her pretty eyes full of hostility. Her breasts, which were originally slightly smaller than the Crown Princess', began to swell violently, pushing up her palace skirt.
Facing the murderous gaze, Sun Shaozong still bowed and said, "Since the princess is unwilling to avoid this matter, then I can only be disrespectful."
Having said this, he bowed to the Crown Princess again, took a few steps back, turned around and walked away.
As soon as he walked out of the courtyard gate , he heard Wei shouting angrily: "Sun, if anything happens to Brother Lan in the future, I will never forgive you!"
Hehe~
Sun Shaozong sneered in his heart and walked towards the flower hall without caring at all.
If it were in the past, when Prince Beijing Shuirong was at the height of his power, Sun Shaozong might have been a little wary.
However, ever since the Niu family defected, Prince Beijing's influence in the court has been much less than before.
And in this turmoil, Sun Shaozong was valued by Emperor Guangde and the Crown Prince. Although he is not yet strong enough to compete with Prince Beijing, he has no problem protecting himself.
However, Sun Shaozong put Wei's threat behind him and arrived at the door of the flower hall. Just as he was about to introduce himself, the prince had already rushed out from inside, sneering several times with a gloomy face.
Sun Shaozong just thought that he was angry because he "unauthorized" applied to go to Huguang.
Just as I was thinking about how to explain, I heard the prince say in a low voice: " This lowly maid really doesn't know how to live or die. She even dared to threaten you with such outrageous words in my house. When I ascend the throne, I will send her to the Jiaofang Bureau and make her a whore that thousands of men ride on and rape ten thousand people!"
Sun Shaozong was speechless for a moment. It seemed that he had worried for nothing. He had no idea what he had said in the palace, otherwise he would not have the leisure to target Wei now.
"how?"
Seeing that Sun Shaozong remained silent after hearing what he said, the prince rolled his eyes and suddenly laughed, "My dear minister, you are a man who cherishes women. Well, I will give this lowly maid to you as a concubine."
Sun Shaozong: “…”
This guy is really good at imagining things. I clearly didn’t think about it in that direction - well, it’s actually quite exciting to think about it!
