Empress, you don't want to be thrown into limbo by your father, do you?

It's no wonder that as a veteran minister in the court, Zhang Lao, the chief assistant prime minister who is now the head of the civil servants in charge of the cabinet, would have such an idea.

Just before the early court today, he was secretly summoned into the palace by Emperor Qianming.

Recalling the scene a few hours ago, Old Prime Minister Zhang couldn't help but sigh again.

A few hours ago...

The sky was not yet bright, and the palace was still quiet, but at this time, I saw an eunuch waiting at the gate of the palace, and when he saw the Xiangfu's carriage approaching, he immediately went up to meet him.

"Zhang Xiang, Your Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."

The person in the carriage was none other than Mr. Zhang, the first assistant prime minister and grand tutor of the dynasty. When he heard the summons early in the morning, he felt a little doubtful in his heart.

"Lead the way."

As the prime minister of the current dynasty, Mr. Zhang was also a veteran of the three dynasties, let alone a mere eunuch of the internal servants, even the emperor would treat him with courtesy when he met him on weekdays.

The eunuch did not dare to entrust Dalian to lead the way.

Soon, under the guidance of the eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mr. Zhang came to the imperial palace, and when he entered, he saw that Emperor Qianming had been waiting for a long time.

"The old minister pays his respects to His Majesty."

"Long live your majesty, long live, long live."

It is not uncommon for the emperor to summon him alone in all dynasties, but at this time he is urgently summoned to the palace without guessing what must have happened.

As an old fox who has been up and down in the court for decades, Mr. Zhang has secretly looked at Emperor Qianming's face since he entered the door.

Then he frowned slightly, feeling a bad premonition in his heart.

According to his many years of experience, the next step is very likely to be the emperor's wrath!

"The storm is coming..."

Mr. Zhang couldn't help feeling emotional and at the same time puzzled, what could have caused Emperor Qianming to call him into the palace secretly at this moment?
"You don't need to be too polite, Mr. Zhang, come here and give Mr. Zhang a seat!"

Emperor Qianming waved his hand lightly, and then an eunuch moved a chair, which could be given to sit in front of the emperor, and there were few civil and military people in the whole dynasty.

Obviously, Old Prime Minister Zhang was one of them. At the same time, he was also the one who strongly supported Emperor Qianming's ascension to the throne, and he could be regarded as the first assistant minister.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Old Prime Minister Zhang didn't refuse either, and it wasn't the first time he was secretly called into the palace, and he and Emperor Qian Ming were both teachers and friends in private.

After sitting down, Emperor Qianming did not immediately explain the reason for calling the prime minister into the palace today.

Looks like someone is still waiting.

Sure enough, the eunuch's announcement soon came from outside, "Your Majesty, King Shou is here."

Shou Wang?

Old Prime Minister Zhang's expression flashed.

Emperor Ganming nodded when he heard the words, "Let him in."

"My son-in-law pays respects to his father."

"I've seen Zhang Xiang."

After Li Changshou came in, he saluted Emperor Qianming first, and then nodded at Old Prime Minister Zhang, "Father emperor summoned his children into the palace, did something happen?"

He is asking the question knowingly, but who can see it?

Emperor Qianming snorted angrily, "How did you become the envoy of the imperial city!"

Old man, did you throw fire on his head?

However, on the surface, Li Changshou immediately panicked when he heard the words, "Father, please calm down, what is it that my son did not do well enough?"

"I have entrusted you with the responsibility of the Imperial City Secretary. Your Imperial City Secretary is responsible for the safety of the entire palace. Then tell me why someone can sneak into the palace in the middle of the night with the intention of harming my concubine?!"

This is why there is no excuse for the crime. Li Changshou understood that Emperor Qianming didn't really blame him, but just used this reason to completely release the fire.

But when he understood it, he still rolled his eyes in secret, if it wasn't for the emperor's old man to keep it, it would still be useful.

He had already cut him with a single click.

"My son is incompetent, please calm down my father!"

Li Changshou knew that the foreshadowing he planted last night had begun to work, and then he looked at Old Prime Minister Zhang who was secretly summoned into the palace by the emperor's old son.

I knew it immediately.

"Your Majesty, I don't know if calling the old minister into the palace is also related to this matter?"

An old fox is an old fox. Mr. Zhang has been an official for decades, so how can he not see that Emperor Qianming's accusation of King Shou is false, and it is true to target him?

Sure enough, with this excuse, Emperor Qianming's expression did not ease at all.

Instead, he snorted coldly, "Master Zhang knows that someone sneaked into the harem late last night and did something shameless with one of my concubines?!"

As soon as these words came out, Li Changshou's expression did not change, but Old Prime Minister Zhang's heart skipped a beat!

Humiliation of concubines in the harem or adultery has been a royal scandal in all dynasties!
Generally speaking, it is kept secret, and Bai Ling is either given poisoned wine in private, or thrown into the sidelines.

Like now, there is only one reason to directly call ministers into the palace!
"The old minister is terrified. How dare someone be so bold as to sneak into the palace?!"

The old fox could hold his breath, and Li Changshou sneered from the sidelines. Emperor Ganming's anger was greater than he imagined, and the emperors of all dynasties would never allow someone to put a hat on him.

What's more, an expert like Emperor Qianming who likes to steal towers?Now that the tower is stolen by others, that kind of anger is not small.

"Hmph! That's right! I am the Son of Heaven, but I never thought that someone would dare to set their minds on me!"

Emperor Qianming laughed angrily, and the next moment he grabbed the inkstone in his hand and threw it on the ground!
With such anger, anyone with a discerning eye knows that the matter is not small.

Li Changshou hurriedly said, "Father, please calm down. Is there some misunderstanding here? It's because I didn't arrange well. I will definitely investigate the matter clearly!"

Still need to investigate?
Isn't the real culprit himself?
But outsiders don't know, and Emperor Qianming and Old Prime Minister Zhang don't know.

"Did I ask you to check?!"

Emperor Qianming's eyes showed a fierce look, Li Changshou shut up immediately by taking the donkey down the slope, although it's fun for thieves to catch thieves, but one more thing is worse than one less thing.

"My son doesn't dare!"

He was so happy that he stepped back easily, but Emperor Qianming had already pointed the finger at Old Prime Minister Zhang.

The latter has actually already felt it, so he couldn't sit still in the chair under his buttocks, and got up quickly: "Your Majesty called the old minister into the palace, so this matter must have something to do with the old minister."

Which concubine in the harem will have a relationship with Prime Minister Zhang?
Have!
Of course!
Concubine Li!

Li Changshou had figured it out a long time ago, but he deliberately pretended to have just reacted, and deliberately exclaimed: "Could it be Concubine Li..."

In the middle of the sentence, he immediately shut up and pretended to blurt out accidentally. Although Emperor Ganming's face was gloomy and terrifying, he didn't express his anger on Li Changshou.

The biggest target of venting now is naturally the Prime Minister himself, the veteran of the three dynasties.

"I have decreed that Concubine Li will be thrown into the cold palace. Does Zhang Xiang want to intercede for her?"

Emperor Ganming asked word by word, his eyes were fierce, as if as long as the Prime Minister interceded, it would not only be Li Concubine who would be unlucky today, but even the Prime Minister himself would suffer.

As an old fox in court, how could the prime minister not understand this?
"Old minister dare not!"

Even if he dared to mention it at this moment, as for the relationship between Concubine Li and the Prime Minister's Mansion, it still involves the old Prime Minister Zhang's wife's natal family!
Yes, Concubine Li was born in the old Prime Minister Zhang's wife's natal family.

Back then when Concubine Li was able to enter the palace, the prime minister was behind the scenes to fuel the flames. His original intention was to send Concubine Li into the palace to restrain the concubine. By the way, if he could give birth to a son and a half for Emperor Qianming, it would also weaken the power of the concubine in the harem.

Just didn't expect...

"At the beginning, it was the prime minister who tried his best to send Concubine Li into the palace. I really didn't expect it! I really didn't expect it! Prime Minister, prime minister, you sent me a virtuous, gentle and virtuous woman, huh? !"

The emperor is also a man, so he must not be able to bear such humiliation.

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

The prime minister hurriedly spoke up, and at the same time asked: "It's the old minister's negligence, but is there any inside story in it, based on the old minister's understanding of Concubine Li..."

But before the words were finished, Emperor Qianming was furious, and roared directly: "Prime Minister! Do you think I'm a fool! Ah!? Or I framed my concubine!"

He was so furious that even the prime minister had never met him for many years, and he was so stunned that he didn't dare to respond, and a little cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Speaking of it, the Prime Minister himself felt wronged, that Concubine Li was only from his wife's natal family, and he agreed to send her to the palace to deal with the concubine, but now that this happened, he was in a very embarrassing situation.

"The old minister dare not..."

"I see that you are very daring! Do you know why you were called into the palace? Because you sent Concubine Li into the palace back then! And do you know who is the person who appeared in the harem to have an affair with Concubine Li tonight?!"

I'm coming!

The moment Li Changshou is most looking forward to is here!
Emperor Qianming was furious, and at the same time shouted in a cold voice: "Bring people in!"

Soon someone from outside brought the three eunuchs in. Li Changshou saw that just as he expected, they were the three little eunuchs he deliberately met in the harem last night.

At this moment, the three of them were already trembling with fright. When had they encountered such a scene?

"Come on! Tell me! Tell the prime minister! Who did you see in the harem last night!"

Asked by the emperor, the three little eunuchs were trembling all over, lying on the ground with their foreheads on the ground, and faltered when they heard the question, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, slave, slave..."

"Say!"

"It's His Royal Highness! The servants met His Royal Highness in the harem last night!"

Not to mention a few young eunuchs, even the old eunuchs who have served the emperor in the palace for decades would not dare to hide this situation.

Li Changshou was happy in his heart, but on the surface he hurriedly asked: "You three slaves, you can't just talk about this kind of thing!"

"His Royal Highness, the servants did not lie, they really bumped into His Royal Highness in the harem last night!"

"That's right, I dare not hide anything. At that time, we happened to find someone sneaking around during the night patrol, and we went up to check, but we didn't expect it to be His Royal Highness. He still, still..."

"What else?!"

Li Changshou snorted angrily, and when he saw that Emperor Qianming's face had turned livid and black, the prime minister also looked embarrassed.

"Your Majesty, at that time, His Royal Highness ordered the three slaves to keep quiet and to completely forget about seeing him. Please forgive me! Please forgive me!"

The truth of the matter came to light, and the truth came to light.

Although all the evidence and clues would be full of doubts if you really want to investigate them in detail, Emperor Ganming doesn't need to investigate at all!
He himself was very suspicious, and no one knew better than himself what scandalous things he had done in the early years that had no regard for human relations!
The ancients said, like father, like son!
Isn't that enough circumstantial evidence?
"What? The prince appeared in the harem late at night? This..."

Li Changshou pretended to be horrified, and also looked at Emperor Qianming, "Father, this is just the words of a family of three slaves. My son thinks that the prince and brother..."

"Shut up! Don't even you think I wronged Concubine Li and the Crown Prince?!"

Emperor Qianming was furious, and Li Changshou stopped talking when he saw this, and he was almost as angry as he was, and he would lose his words if he said too much, so he just needed to watch the show quietly.

Sure enough, Emperor Qianming's anger was not aimed at him, but at the moment he was swearing at the prime minister.

"Prime Minister, my good prime minister! Is this the heir that you and I promise? This is why you have chosen an heir for me?!"

Facing the angry scolding and questioning of the emperor's old son, the prime minister did not panic but quickly cupped his hands, "Your Majesty, calm down, this old minister firmly believes that the prince will never do it!"

Now, whether it is true or not, we must insist that it is not!

Otherwise, the matter may become a big mess!
The prince sneaked into the palace late at night to have an affair with the harem concubines?
The cold sweat on the prime minister's forehead increased visible to the naked eye...