After the morning court was over, those courtiers from the aristocratic families came out of the Imperial Hall and hurried out with grim expressions.
Cui Lin, who had been happy to see the Lu family suffer, was also panicking: "What is the Lu family doing? Are they crazy?"
He wanted the Lu family to be in trouble, and he also wanted to use the grain tax case to suppress the Lu family, but that didn't mean he wanted the aristocratic family to turn against the emperor.
The Lu family secretly helped Prince Cheng smuggle banned items and helped him connect with the Ministry of War to recruit soldiers and stockpile weapons. Are they crazy?
The son of Queen Lu is the bloodline of their Lu family, and they want to help the next emperor to ascend the throne. How dare they help Prince Cheng to rebel? !
Cui Lin couldn't figure it out and wondered if the Lu family had lost their minds.
Feng Qiuli followed beside him and looked back at Xiao Yan who was walking leisurely around the inner palace gate not far away. After making eye contact with him, she looked away and turned to look at Cui Lin who was cursing beside her.
"I can't figure it out either. When the late emperor was alive, it was understandable for the Lu family to eat with the two families. But Your Majesty has been on the throne for many years, the government has long been stable, and the Fourth Prince has already intended to seize the throne, but the Lu family is still helping Prince Cheng..." Feng Qiuli's face was a little bad. "If the Queen and the Fourth Prince knew, how could they live in peace with the Lu family?"
Cui Lin said calmly, "I always feel that something is wrong with this matter. Lu Chongyuan shouldn't be so stupid."
Even if the Lu family had other ideas and wanted to have another way out besides Queen Lu and her son, they should not choose Prince Cheng.
Even if they secretly contacted other princes, or even assisted them privately, and considered them as a backup for the Fourth Prince, it would be better than choosing Prince Cheng. Lu Chongyuan should not be so foolish as to choose someone who would never have another chance to ascend to the throne.
Feng Qiuli whispered, "Mr. Cui is right. There may be something else going on." He paused and said in an even lower voice, "I just saw Xiao Yan heading towards Fengxi Palace."
Cui Lin glanced back and said, "He wants to use this incident to sow discord between the Queen and the Lu family."
Feng Qiuli said: "It's no wonder he's anxious. After the account book was found, we secretly sent a lot of clues. We thought we could nail the Lu family, but who knew Lu Chongyuan had dealt with those people earlier. Now the account book alone can't take down the Lu family, and Lu Zhao has been unwilling to speak. Xiao Yan is probably getting anxious..."
Cui Lin narrowed his eyes slightly. "Lu Chongyuan, that old fox, I thought the continuous attacks would kill him, but I didn't expect him to be so treacherous!"
He had previously thought about using the grain issue to put the Lu family to death, but Lu Chongyuan was one step ahead and ruthless. He killed those who might implicate the Lu family, and Lu Zhao also seemed to be ready to take all the blame.
The Lu family suffered successive setbacks, and everyone including Cui Lin thought that Lu Chongyuan had run out of tricks. However, no one expected that apart from those people on the surface, the Lu family actually had other tricks in secret, and they were still able to take care of things outside the capital when Lu Chongyuan was trapped.
Even the eunuch Xiao Yan didn't get there before the Lu family.
Cui Lin did not dare to act rashly, for he was afraid of being caught by the Lu family's secret agents and being targeted by the aristocratic families. He was also afraid that if he gave away more clues, Xiao Yan would follow the clues and implicate several other families.
He had been anxious, but now he found an opportunity to sow discord between the Queen and her son and the Lu family. If the Queen and her son could bite back at the Lu family, no matter how capable Lu Chongyuan was, he would probably be caught off guard.
This is a good opportunity.
Cui Lin whispered, "Send a message to the Second Prince, asking him to come see us."
Since Xiao Yan has found the Queen, they will give him another push. Compared with the Queen, the impulsive Fourth Prince is more likely to be provoked.
Feng Qiuli lowered her eyes and said, "Okay."
…
Ever since Prince Cheng was imprisoned, Empress Lu seemed to be indifferent and appeared to be keeping everything as normal in the harem, but in fact she paid closer attention to the news from the outside world.
She had heard from the palace servants about the Song family's moving of the grave last night. She knew that Song Tangning had actually gone to the Song family to get him expelled from the family and even moved the coffins of Song Xi and his wife out of the Song family.
Queen Lu frowned for a long time, always feeling that the person the servants were talking about was nothing like the easy-to-control little girl she once knew.
"The Song family actually agreed?" asked Queen Lu.
Jin Zhi whispered, "It's impossible not to allow it. I heard that not only the head of the Gu family went, but also the governor Xiao brought the Black Armor Guards with him. After the Song family lost the Duke's Mansion, they are just an ordinary official family. How can they stop that evil spirit?"
She hesitated: "Madam, you sent people to the Song family's ancestral tomb that year. If they suddenly moved the tomb, would it be possible..."
"When has this palace ever sent anyone?"
Queen Lu glanced back coldly, and that look made Jinzhi feel a chill down her spine.
The person who did the job back then had long since died, and although she had sent people to look for the item, she had also instructed them that no matter whether the item could be found or not, they had to clean up the mess thoroughly. The palace servant who came back to report also made it very clear, and he left the rest of the matter to the Song family.
With the old lady around, she would be able to take care of her own son's grave. Moreover, after the grave was moved last night, there was no reaction from the Song family and Song Tangning was also quiet.
So many years have passed, who would know that anyone had moved the coffin in the grave?
"Jinzhi, I've noticed that you've been talking more and more recently. Are you getting older and your memory is getting messy?"
Jinzhi's face turned pale after hearing what Empress Lu said, and she lowered her head quickly: "I misremembered it, Your Majesty has never had any contact with the Song family."
Empress Lu then withdrew her gaze and took the golden scissors in her hand and placed them on the peony in front of her: "Don't lose your sense of proportion and cause people to misunderstand you."
Seeing Jin Zhi lower her head, she sighed softly, "I always thought that Tang Ning was a stubborn girl, and she only had Lu Zhinian in her eyes. I never thought that she could catch the eye of Xiao Yan."
If she had known that the little girl had such ability and could please the powerful eunuchs inside and outside the palace, she should have kept more people in the palace.
Even if the Lu family's marriage fails and the thing cannot be found, if she can coax Xiao Yan into doing her bidding, how could she be restricted in every way and not even be able to find out any news about Xie Tianyu in prison?
"What a pity, that child got tired of me because of the Lu family."
Queen Lu was filled with regret. She closed the scissors in her hand, and several flowers of the peonies that were originally in full bloom were cut off.
Jinzhi held the tray and placed the cut flowers on it. Seeing that the queen looked depressed, she whispered: "It's that Miss Song who is cold-hearted. The queen used to treat her well, but she doesn't know how to appreciate it."
Empress Lu said, "After all, she is a young girl with a bad temper. When you have time, please invite her to the palace to have a chat. We cannot let her misunderstand me."
It is not yet known whether Song Tangning has the thing in her hand or not. Just her current reputation outside, the academy that is about to be built into a "holy place" in the capital, the goodwill of those upright officials, and even Xiao Yan, are no less than the benefits that the Rong family could bring back then.
The little girl can't not get married. Since she has been wronged by the wrong matchmaker, she should be given a good marriage.
If the Lu family fails, there are still other families. Even if we take a step back, there is still the Fourth Prince.
Queen Lu looked at Shaoyao in front of her calmly. She looked as delicate as ever. If one did not see the blue complexion under her eyes that could not be concealed even by makeup, one would really think that she was living a peaceful life and was not concerned about the world. But in fact, only she herself knew the urgency in her heart.
The Lu family has lost power, and she and the prince are not as good as before. She has to find a way.
Compared to other people, a little girl is always easier to handle.
"My queen!"
The sudden sound outside the palace made Queen Lu, who was in deep thought, tremble in her hands. She cut off a bunch of branches and leaves, and the whole pot of peonies became ugly.
Jinzhi turned around and yelled, "What are you yelling about?"
"It's news from the morning court."
Queen Lu put down the golden scissors and said, "Come in."
The person who hurried in was the head eunuch of Fengxi Palace, who was also the one who had inquired about Prince Cheng's news that night. He looked a little flustered, and when he came closer, without waiting for Empress Lu to speak, he said in a hurry:
"Just now, when the court was dismissed, I hid in the corridor leading in and out of the palace and heard a few adults talking. They said that Prince Cheng had confessed."
Queen Lu curled her fingers and said, "If he confesses, then he will confess. Why are you so nervous?"
The young eunuch said, "Prince Cheng confessed that he was colluding with the Ministry of War and the Armament Department through the Lu family. He also said that the ore he used to refine the iron was obtained from the Lu family, and that the Lu family's merchant ships helped transport it to the capital. Your Majesty was extremely angry and said that he would investigate the matter thoroughly."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone outside the hall came with a message.
"Your Majesty, Governor Xiao requests to see you."