Chapter 221 Zhao Gao came very late.
He is a cautious person, otherwise he would not have followed Li Wenzhou for so many years and still be safe.
In the palace, he was humble and submissive, but when he came to the court official Li Tonggu, he stood up straighter.
"Master Li, please stay safe."
"Sit down." Li Tonggu said with a gentle expression.
This polite look was like waiting for the most trusted colleague.
Zhao Gao sat down with a natural expression, took the tea from the maid, and took a slow sip.
After the maid closed the door and retreated, he raised his head and looked at Li Tonggu.
The eyes of the two people collided with each other, with a tacit understanding of coincidence.
"Thanks to you for warning me at that time, I was able to escape the purge after the fall of Webster." Li Tonggu said, "Later, thanks to you sending news from time to time, I was able to rise step by step and reach the position I am today."
This position is only a stone's throw away from the prime minister.
Zhao Gao shook his head and said: "Master Li studied under Xunzi. He has both ability and political integrity, and what he has earned is what he deserves."
As for him, he just wanted to make one more friend in the Yong court.
It seemed that he had made the right friend.
"What's more," Zhao Gao said with a grateful expression, "His Majesty ordered you to conduct a thorough investigation into the palace. Although you found out the relationship between the slave and the Chu royal family, you still helped the slave cover it up. This kindness will be unforgettable until my death. "
That was when Zhao Zheng just succeeded to the throne.
At that time, in order to punish the old officials who controlled the government, the monarch and Wei Zhangde teamed up to clean up the harem of the previous dynasty.
Because Li Tonggu was Wei Zhangde's right-hand man, he was entrusted with important tasks.
Soon after, Zhao Gao's life experience was found.
He was not a careless orphan as Li Wenzhou knew.
His father was the cousin of King Mi Fuchu of Chu, and his entire family was slaughtered because of his Gao escaped and grew up in the streets.
Li Tonggu felt that it was more effective to take advantage of a servant than to report him.
In his eyes, Zhao Gao was just an outcast among the Chu royal family.
Li Tonggu didn't know that Zhao Gao was not an abandoned son, but a sharp sword that Mi Fuchuchu deliberately used to penetrate the Yong Kingdom.
He prevented Zhao Gao from him, appease him, put the blame for his father's death on Yong Guo, and then use him.
Therefore, Zhao Gao was willing to follow Li Wenzhou and was even willing to be purified and become an eunuch.
"I heard that Manager Zhao has not been doing well recently." Li Tonggu said.
When asking someone if they are okay, most of the time it is not because they care, but because they want to induce him to talk.
By speaking out, the relationship between the two will be closer and things will be easier to do.
"It's not bad." Zhao Gao's eyes narrowed, "Because of the queen, I was beaten by the master and removed from the position of serving in front of the palace. This matter was my fault, and I have repented."
As Zhao Gao spoke, he speculated on Li Tonggu's intentions in his heart.
He inquired about what was going on in the court and knew that Li Tonggu had asked for advice to deal with Qi first.
Therefore, mentioning the queen is a way of saying something, and it depends on whether Li Tonggu will pick it up.
Zhao Gao felt more and more that the other party was trying to take advantage of him.
It's good to be taken advantage of.
Sure enough, after listening to Zhao Gao's words, Li Tonggu sighed: "The queen has won your majesty's trust. If Manager Zhao wants to stay in the palace safely, it is better to avoid her."
"How can we avoid this!"
Zhao Gao looked like he was helpless at being bullied: "Not even Her Royal Highness the Queen Mother dares to say that the Queen is not good at all."
"This is too much." Li Tonggu said, "It seems that although the queen is from Qi, she doesn't understand filial piety."
The State of Lu, where Confucius was born, is within the present-day State of Qi.
The Master values filial piety, and the people of Qi also observe filial piety.
Mutually belittling someone brings them closer together.
Zhao Gao drank tea for a while and finally said: "I wonder if there is anything I can do for you, Lord Tingwei, for this servant to do."
Li Tonggu got up and walked to the window, looked around, and then closed the window tightly.
"Manager Zhao," he sighed longly, "I have plans for the Yongguo court, so I have to ask you to do a small favor."
Zhao Gao's narrowed eyes suddenly opened, like a ferocious beast that had found its prey.
Refreshing cakes were burning in the house.
Zhao Gao put down the tea cup and stood up to salute Li Tonggu.
"Although your lord tells you to."
He respectfully said.
Zhao Gao really wanted to help Li Tonggu.
To help him is to help yourself.
The Chu State was destroyed, and he and the Yong State had more than just a blood feud.
If Li Tonggu asked him to help punish Jiang He, he could also drag Zhao Zheng to 's fair.
If you destroy my country, I will smash you to pieces.
This year's New Year's Eve, due to the smooth affairs of the court, the palace and harem of Yong Kingdom were more lively than in previous years.
As the first month approaches, more and more clan members come in and out of the harem.
Jiang He liked peace and quiet, so his female relatives often stayed in the Queen Mother's Palace.
The Queen Mother is old and enjoys the fun.
Sometimes the female family members mentioned the Queen in conversation, and the Queen Mother would send someone to invite Jiang He over.
Jiang He always went when invited, but after sitting for a while, someone else came to Zhiyang Palace to ask for permission, so she resigned and left.
The Queen Mother knew from this that there were actually many courtiers who came to see Jiang He.
"Your Majesty, don't you care about her?" the Queen Mother replied, knowingly or not.
Interfering in politics in the harem is a big taboo. How many clear-minded kings have fallen into the hands of women.
"It was said that he was arranging matters after the surrender of the Qi Kingdom. Your Majesty said that because we are the queen's mother clan, everything must be confirmed by the queen."
The chamberlain reported this.
When it comes to arranging matters, it seems that he is taking the opportunity to seek a lot of benefits for his mother clan.
The Queen Mother glanced at the chambermaid, feeling unhappy. When Li Tonggu came to see her, she couldn't help but complain a few words.
"According to Ai's family," the Queen Mother said, "it's better for Feng Jie to stop being a censor! Someone is trying to bewitch Your Majesty and control the government. Is Feng Jie blind? He didn't even see anything."
It sounds like he is scolding Feng Jie, but if you think about it carefully, you will know that he means something else.
This was exactly what Li Tonggu wanted.
In fact, many of the ministers who met with the queen in recent days were instructed by Li Tonggu.
"I heard that King Ben of Qi was promised the position of prince," Li Tonggu shook his head and said, "Qi was allowed to worship the ancestral temple and was given a lot of land. Even if you surrender, I'm afraid that our Yong Kingdom will also collect taxes from Qi in the future. I won’t be back much longer.”
"What kind of surrender is this?" The Queen Mother couldn't help but said angrily, "If I had known this, it would be better to fight, but I would be completely defeated!"
After defeating them, there is no need to negotiate any conditions or give any benefits.
"Your Highness, please do not be angry, lest you get hurt." Li Tonggu came forward to serve tea, and the Queen Mother took it and sighed.
"The Ai family always felt that she cured His Majesty's health, gave birth to a child for Him, and contributed a lot to the war, so they should be more tolerant and not care about many things so much. But they didn't expect that she was getting more and more intolerant. I’m not sensible anymore!”
Li Tonggu nodded and said: "Your Highness is magnanimous and compassionate."
The Queen Mother has no compassion, she just has nothing to do with Jiang.
Many mothers-in-law subconsciously want to embarrass their Jiang He refused to eat hard and was very capable, which often gave the Queen Mother a lot of trouble.
The Queen Mother of the Yong Kingdom shook her head and said: "The Ai family would like to have the opportunity to teach her a few words, but she is afraid that your majesty will protect her, which will cause a rift between the Ai family and her son."
Li Tonggu remained silent. After a while, he suddenly offered an idea: "This is not difficult. Wait until the spring comes in the new year, and Qi will submit. To show your solemnity, your majesty will accept the jade seal of Qi at the foot of Jiuwei Mountain. Come and come back again and again, and you have to do it." Two days. By then, Your Majesty will no longer care about the Queen."
Regardless of whether he reprimands or punishes, the Queen Mother has the final say.
As a mother-in-law, she can let out a bad breath.
"What if Your Majesty must let Mr. Jiang follow?" the Queen Mother asked.
"Wei Chen is willing to make plans to give His Highness and the Queen a chance to be alone." Li Tonggu said sincerely.
The Queen Mother then raised her eyebrows and smiled.
She really needed a chance to be alone. It was best to be surrounded by water so that Jiang could not wanted to hear Jiang admit her mistake, hear her promise not to interfere in government affairs, and hear her plead with her.
"Zhao Gao went out for a trip."
In Zhiyang Palace, Zongjun met with Li Wenzhou to exchange information.
"Does Aweng know who he met when he went out?" Zongjun asked.
Li Wenzhou shook his head and said: "The people sent out have lost track. But looking in that direction, it seems to be Li Tingwei's mansion."
Zongjun rubbed his face that was itchy due to the arrival of winter.
"Li Tonggu." He said solemnly.
Li Tonggu did have many political opinions that were at odds with the as a courtier, he worked hard and was blameless.
"You can't scare the snake away." Li Wenzhou said, "Mr. Zong, please pay more attention."
"Your Majesty, you're welcome." Zongjun smiled, "My eyes are broken, so I'm very willing to follow the clues."
"What are we talking about?" Jiang He entered the palace at this time and asked when he saw them whispering.
"It's a small matter." Li Wenzhou and Zongjun saluted in unison.
They didn't want Jiang He to bother before things became clear.
"I have a letter here." Jiang He smiled and raised the envelope in his hand, "Guess whether Zi Pei gave birth to a son or a daughter?"
"I guess he's his son!" Cai Ling, who followed Jiang He into the palace, said happily.
"Come and guess." Jiang He was in a good mood. "If you guess it right, I will reward you."
(End of this chapter)