The capital suddenly lost some of the prosperity of the past.

This huge city has the development of business, which actually relies entirely on the consumption level of the capital. The mainstream of consumption is naturally those high-ranking officials and yamen. With the money from high-ranking officials and yamen, it can support many people, consume from top to bottom, and the prosperity of the capital.

When these high-ranking officials suddenly stopped going out and spent a lot of money, many places seemed deserted.

Why do these consumer groups who really spend a lot of money go out today? Because the atmosphere in this capital is really strange, it is so strange that every elder in every household is strictly ordered that people in the family are not allowed to go out.

But these elders were running around everywhere, trying to figure out what was going on.

In fact, it is not difficult to figure out what happened. Anyone who has some news about the situation in the court can naturally guess one or two of them. Those who go out and run around want to leave more ways for themselves, and no matter what the situation ends up, they must keep their own peace and wealth.

Li Qiming, who heard Xu Jie enter the imperial city, was very furious because Li Qiming was still waiting for Xu Jie to release his cousin Li Deming. Xu Jie suddenly brought the entire yamen into the imperial city, and the imperial city was even more closed. Even the recent morning court was cancelled. How could Li Qiming not know the reason?

Ye Zhang, a direct scholar of the Privy Council, came hurriedly and arrived in front of Li Qiming, saying only: "Supreme Li, big things are not good, big things are not good."

Li Qiming was bored and scolded, "What big thing is wrong? I'm so chaotic, what kind of discipline?"

Ye Zhang was the civil servant of the Privy Council who was born in a noble family, and he was like the secretary of Li Qiming. When he heard Li Qiming scolding, he hurriedly said: "Prince, I just received a military report from Hebei. Wang Yuanlang's vanguard of 5,000 cavalry had already entered Hedong Liaozhou and entered Xingzhou, not far from Daming Prefecture. More than 40,000 infantrymen also entered Liaozhou and were about to leave Hedong."

Xingzhou is Xingtai. If you pass Daming Prefecture, the capital of the capital is really not far away. Wang Yuanlang gathered five thousand cavalry and left the army and headed south, which shows how anxious the old emperor was.

Li Qiming frowned when he heard this. There were still the generals No. 7 or 8 in the house. They all stood up, most of them were anxious.

There are some things that Li Qiming is still passive in the end compared to the old emperor. After all, the emperor is the emperor, and he is justified and can take the lead in everything he does. If Li Qiming wants to take action, he will also take the lead.

Before this, Li Qiming actually had no intention of touching the old emperor. This was also the cleverness of the old emperor being seriously ill early. Li Qiming originally had to wait for the old emperor to die and wait for Xia Wen to ascend the throne, but he still worked step by step. With the power of the new emperor, he gained greater political interests, managed greater power, and even managed a real hand to cover the sky.

However, Li Qiming did not expect that the old emperor was critically ill for two or three years and could not die. Li Qiming understood the reason for this disease, and even regretted that he had not made plans early.

This is the situation caused by the difference in status between Li Qiming and the old emperor.

"Don't be so panicked, just wait with me." Li Qiming suppressed his inner worries. At this time, anyone can panic. Only Li Qiming, the backbone, cannot panic. Li Qiming also has a backhand, and even Li Qiming himself is a little worried.

Li Qiming's backup plan is naturally Xia Wen. The Xia Wen who was still waiting to ascend the throne, Li Qiming and Xia Wen actually met again, and no one knew what was being discussed in it. Even Luo Shou or Li Qigong didn't know what these two people had talked about in the same cellar.

Everyone heard a sentence waiting and each sat down again. However, one of them couldn't help but say: "Supreme, the worst is that... the worst is that you can fight!"

At worst, fighting is not empty talk. At this time, even if everything cannot be as he wants, Li Qiming still has the capital to compete for him. More than 10,000 Jinwu Guards and more than 10,000 Jindian Guards, and even if more than 100,000 imperial guards outside the city cannot die for him at a critical moment, Li Qiming also has the capital to compete for him. Li Qiming has the capital to compete for him for 20,000 to 30,000 confidants, and masters, Li Qiming has it, although not as many as the Jindian Guards, but there are also many.

So Li Qiming raised his hand and replied: "Fight, that's the last method. Don't worry at this time, just wait."

What are Li Qiming waiting for?

All I waited for was Xia Wen, who had entered the palace.

Xia Wen, who was trembling after entering the palace, was chatting with Empress Xuande. Perhaps when people were in a panic, they found peace with their closest mother.

Queen Xuande could see the absent-mindedness on her son's face and persuaded him: "Don't worry, your father will be able to handle everything properly."

The queen was actually very anxious. How could she not know about the affairs of the capital and the affairs of the imperial city? Even if she didn't know the details, she knew about it. Li Qiming, who held a million troops, was his biological brother after all, and the son in front of him would probably be the emperor in the future.

Empress Li was in this awkward position, and she felt really heartbroken. Why did things turn out like this? But she couldn't be the emperor's master, and she couldn't be the elder brother's master. Perhaps the only thing that could comfort Queen Li was the son in front of her, and she was very satisfied.

Perhaps Empress Li would rather recall the past. At that time, Li Qiming followed the old emperor like a servant, and worked hard to do his best to run for the old emperor. At that time, Empress Li was also favored. The brother and sister could see each other from time to time, and they always looked at each other and laughed at each other. There was also a serious Xia Wen by her side. Both brother and sister were full of hope for the future. At that time, the brother and sister were also the happiest time.

Times have changed, and in a blink of an eye, it is now that since the old emperor started to get sick, he never came to Empress Li again. Even when Empress Li asked for a meeting, he probably wouldn't see anyone. This kind of cold reception was something that Empress Li had never felt in so many years.

"Mother, how can you not worry?" Xia Wen replied, but hesitated whether to continue talking. After thinking about it, he said more: "Mother, it is related to the survival of the Li family, and also to the Datong Kejie. How can you not worry about the ministers?"

Xia Wen said the words a little more bluntly, and Queen Li's face sank, tears in her eyes had fallen, and she said, "Son of the Emperor, you are from the Xia family, and your mother is also from the Xia family now."

After saying this, Empress Li covered her face and cried out, crying. This sentence expressed all the helplessness of such a woman.

Xia Wen finally revealed what he thought in front of his mother: "Mother, there are many people in the Xia family!"

Xia Wen said this sentence a little bit gritted his teeth. The Xia family has many people, and in the final analysis, anyone can sit on the throne. In the final analysis, Xia Wen is afraid that the throne will fall into others.

"Son of the Emperor, your father has his own decision. Your father likes you the most..." Empress Li was heartbroken, but she was still telling her son that this was her only son and her most important psychological support. Even if the emperor was neglected and his brother was neglected, seeing this son, as a mother, would see everything.

Xia Wen was thinking about it and gritted his teeth and said again: "I thought my father liked him the most, and others were far from being able to compare with his father's position in his father's heart. Now, I'm afraid I won't..."

Queen Li saw Xia Wen gritting his teeth and talking, and stopped crying. He asked quickly: "Son, why do you have such an idea? Son, you must not have such an idea. You are still unsubstituted in Your Majesty's heart."

Xia Wen smiled and asked, "Mother, since that's the case, why did the father not give me the position of crown prince for so many years? What else do the father want? Who else can I compare to me? Who else can do better than me? Could it be that King Wu? Yes... I am just a prince, but others have become princes. Mother, what is the reason? Even if the prince is not established in front of me, the father has been critically ill for more than two days, and his health has been deteriorating. Everyone knows that he is not far away from Tiantian. At this moment, why didn't he establish a crown prince? Others say that the emperor's mind is to be unpredictable. Now everyone says that the father wants to be passed on to me, haha... Is this what others say that it is unpredictable?"

Xia Wen laughed, fell, excited, angry, talked to herself, and asked Queen Li again.

Queen Li was frightened when she heard this, so she got off the seat and walked to Xia Wen. She reached out and wanted to cover Xia Wen's mouth. She said anxiously: "Son, you must not say such a ruthless word, and you must not overestimate nonsense."

"No, what the mother and son minister said is false? My father was the crown prince for four or five years. Who in the world knows that the crown prince is the foundation of the safety of the country? Who did not move into the Eastern Palace early? Is it really time to reach the time of Bintian, and those unjust thoughts make the world storm? Have there been such a thing in all dynasties?" Xia Wen became more and more excited and said some truths.

The saying that the crown prince is the foundation of safety is not false. The emperor is also a human being. There may be an accident. Whether it is an emergency or a fall to death while walking, it is possible. Then the crown prince is the foundation for stabilizing people's hearts. If the emperor suddenly becomes Bintian, has no crown prince, and has several princes with some power, the world will inevitably be in chaos.

"Son of the Emperor, I can't say it anymore, I can't say it anymore... Your father always likes you the most. When he is critically ill, he will only summon you to Beijing. How can the Emperor not know your father's wishes?" Empress Li was still raising her hand to stop him, but how could she stop such a grown-up man?

"I was very happy at the beginning, but now, it is just a trick to fool the eyes. It is all the things my father did to hide his inner purpose, all of which are fake!" Xia Wen said resentfully, raised his hand to support Queen Li's arm, turned around and left the door.

Fake? Perhaps Xia Wen really made some sense, critically ill, summoned the King of Guangyang to Beijing. These actions naturally meant to confuse Li Qiming.

But are they all fake?

Empress Li chased after him a few steps, walked out of the door, and chased him all the way to the palace gate, but could not catch up with his son. After chasing out a few more steps, a eunuch came forward and kowtowed and said, "Empress, Your Majesty has an order. The Empress is not in good health in recent days, so she should rest well in Yanfu Palace."

Queen Li saw the eunuch kneeling in front of her, and saw that there were two rows of eunuchs on both sides and kneeling in front of her. She was already angry. The queen's kindness was only in front of her son. Naturally, she raised her hand and beat these slaves. She was a little angry and actually went to beat her by herself.

The eunuch in front of him was beaten but did not dare to do anything. He just kowtowed repeatedly: "Stop the anger, please calm down!"

Queen Li looked around and asked, "Where is Li Dezhong?"

Li Dezhong, the close eunuch beside Queen Li, needs no need to say that his confidant was even the surname Li. After the character Li, there is a character "de", which further indicates his origin.

The eunuch kneeling on the ground quickly replied, "Report to the Empress, Eunuch Li was called to the Chuigong Hall by His Majesty to take the lights."

The Chuigong Hall is a temple of governance and is far from the inner palace. The lantern in the Chuigong Hall is not a small official. It can serve the emperor who governs the country. It shows the importance of authority. If the emperor shouts words like "If you have something to say", the lantern in the Chuigong Hall is also qualified.

But whether Li Dezhong really went to take the lights is not sure. Maybe he had been buried somewhere.

When Empress Li heard this, her eyes sank slightly, she sighed, looked at her son who had been invisible for a long time, and slowly got up and went back. The eunuch who had been serving for decades said that it would be gone. This palace is really a place to eat people.

Queen Li's heartbreaking pain and heartbreaking pain, how can she reveal her feelings in front of these servants?

There were many people in the Chuigong Hall, and Xu Jie was among them, but the eunuch Li Deming who was holding the lamp was not seen.

The old emperor sat on the dragon throne, holding the desk with his hand, and did not look at the people in the hall. At this time, he was probably in his mind. There seemed to be only two people playing chess, one old emperor and the other Li Qiming, and neither of them could be calm.

Xu Jie stood in the hall like this, looking at the people next to him, and constantly looking at Ouyang Zheng. Perhaps Xu Jie was also a little nervous. Xu Jie had faced life and death, but this time he was very nervous.

Seeing Ouyang Zheng's expression was normal, Xu Jie seemed to be more peaceful. This is also the reason why humans live in groups.

At this time, Wang Xiawen of Guangyang walked in from the side, holding a tray in his hand, a large bowl and two small bowls on it.

"My son pays homage to my father." Xia Wen held the tray and bowed respectfully.

When the old emperor Xia Qian saw his son coming in to pay a visit, a little smile appeared in his serious expression. Everything the old emperor did was probably for this son. Now he has reached this critical moment and he can retire as long as he succeeds. At this time, he is really relieved to see this son.

"Don't be too polite. Wen'er, let's meet you all my dear friends first." The old emperor said this, and it was when the old emperor knew that if he really wanted to retreat, the people in the hall would be their son's future dependence. Those scholars and talents, those who had nothing to do with Xia Wen's interactions were of no significance compared to those in the hall.

The old emperor even thought that Ouyang Zheng could be the Secretary of the Shangshu Pushe in the future, Xie Fang could be the Hanlin Grand Secretary, today, the loyal general of the Jinwu Guard, and the candidate for the head coach of the border town in the future, and there was also Wang Yuanlang who could be in charge of the Privy Council Seal.

These arrangements are both civil and military, which is enough. These people are also tried and tested people, and they are loyal. Wang Yuanlang can endure humiliation for more than ten years. Ouyang Zheng was demoted for more than ten years and is still loyal. Xie Fang was an orthodox and Qingliu, who was so honest that he didn't care much about being promoted to the post and promoted, and Qingliu, who was so clear that he could become friends with Wu Boyan.

Only when these people were left to Xia Wen was relieved that the old emperor was relieved.

The old emperor may have forgotten one person, that is the young and promising Xu Jie and Xu Wenyuan.

As for Xu Wenyuan, maybe the old emperor himself didn't think about it, so he used it and abandoned it?

Fortunately, although the future is not long, there is still some time left. As long as the old emperor is alive, the old emperor will not believe that Xu Wenyuan can take off his palm.

In the end, I will use it and discard it? In fact, there is only one key to checking, which is whether Xia Wen can control Xu Jie like the old emperor.

In the heart of the old emperor, Xu Jie was no longer a person like Ouyang Zheng. He had become a double-edged sword. As long as he had some worries, he would have to abandon it like a piece of grass. There are many people in the world who can do things and plan things, and no one is indispensable, and no one is irreplaceable.
Chapter completed!