Chapter 209: Changes in the Pattern (VI)

The Daming Palace at night seemed particularly quiet. Taiye Pond had a thick layer of ice, like a huge white jade plate. The ice surface was covered with a thin layer of light mist. The stars in the sky were as bright as a star, and the stars shone with the white jade plate on the ground.

Zhang Huan and Li Fanyun walked quickly by the Taiye Pool. The road under their feet was clearly visible. It winded forward, and countless branches led to palaces, with lush grass and trees. The palace seemed faintly vaguely under the bright starlight.

Compared with last year, the Daming Palace seemed to be even more deserted. After walking two miles, no palace servant saw it, and there was no festive atmosphere of the New Year. There was only a ray of flute sound that vaguely traveled between the palaces.

Li Fanyun seemed to understand Zhang Huan's thoughts and smiled and explained: "Last year, the Empress Dowager moved many concubines of the late emperor to Tai Chi Palace and took away more than half of the eunuchs and palace maids. There were not many palace servants in the Daming Palace, so now there were even fewer people. The Empress Dowager was in a bad mood during this period, so she didn't want to celebrate the New Year."

"Oh! So that's it." Zhang Huan responded with a smile, and asked Li Fanyun again, "Why is the Empress Dowager in a bad mood?"

Li Fanyun smiled bitterly and said lightly: "Does this still need to be asked? I thought Cui Xiangguo was seriously ill and might be able to change the empress dowager's undercover situation, but in fact, the empress dowager is still just a decoration."

After Cui Yuan fell down with a stroke, Pei Jun, who had high expectations, did not bring about the new atmosphere of the court that had been long-awaited. Although he also intends to discuss some military and national affairs with Cui Xiaofu, he still cannot change Cui Xiaofu's status as a subordinate of decision-making. Cui Xiaofu's opinions cannot change the final decisions of these military and national affairs.

The government of aristocratic families has been in place for fifteen years and has gradually been established. The only change during this period is the rotation of those in power. The imperial power no longer has the power to change the system itself. There is only one way to change the status quo, that is, to break this system from outside, such as Zhu Li's rebellion. Of course, if Zhu Li's rebellion succeeds, it will only be a burning of both jade and stone. Neither the aristocratic family nor Cui Xiaofu hopes that he will go to that point.

In addition, there were only two people who were outside the aristocratic government and had certain strength, one was Duan Xiushi, the governor of Shuofang, and the other was Zhang Huan, the governor of Xinlongyou.

Thinking of this, Li Fanyun glanced at her younger brother meaningfully. She really hoped that Zhang Huan could form an alliance with Cui Xiaofu again.

Since it was late at night, Li Fanyun did not lead Zhang Huan to Linde Hall, but went directly into Cui Xiaofu's bedroom. Cui Xiaofu had already gotten up. She put on light makeup and put on formal court clothes. The meeting place was set in Cui Xiaofu's study in the side hall of the bedroom.

This study room is where Cui Xiaofu usually reads and writes. It was found when she was the queen. She rarely handles government affairs here, and she never met ministers here. Today, she set the precedent for Zhang Huan. The lights in the study room were soft. More than a dozen eunuchs were busy for a while before using a charcoal basin to warm the already cold room again. The room was filled with a faint fragrance of lilies. After Cui Xiaofu sat on the desk, she looked absent-mindedly at the "Records of the Grand Historian" written by Sima Qian.

As Li Fanyun thought, Cui Xiaofu was very interested in Zhang Huan's late-night visit, but her interest was not in the big matters that Zhang Huan said, but whether they could reunite again through his late-night visit.

"Empress Dowager, Envoy Zhang has arrived!" a eunuch whispered.

"Take him in!" Cui Xiaofu sat upright, waiting for Zhang Huan's arrival with a smile. For a moment, fast footsteps came from outside the room. Zhang Huan followed the old eunuch who led the way into the study, and Li Fanyun followed behind him.

As soon as he entered the room, a warm breath rushed towards him. Zhang Huan saw Cui Xiaofu at a glance. She hadn't seen her for a year and had almost no changes, just like her former elegance and luxury.

Zhang Huan didn't dare to look at it anymore. He quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, "I was afraid to meet the Queen Mother when I met her late at night."

"You are not a gift!" Cui Xiaofu looked at Zhang Huan with interest. He tied a black cloak, which was neatly uniformed in the inside. He wore a horse boot on his knees to make his figure look tall and slender. His skin was still as dark as before, slightly rougher than last year, but it was this rough skin and a dark beard that made him look more mature.

However, his deep and concave eyes seemed to contain an extraordinary energy, sometimes bursting with fiery vitality, sometimes deep and cold.

Sitting in front of Zhang Huan, Cui Xiaofu felt oppressed. She immediately waved her hand and said, "Give her seat!"

The two palace maids quickly spread soft wool cushions in front of Zhang Huan, "Thank you, Empress Dowager!" Zhang Huan bowed again and sat down.

Cui Xiaofu looked at Zhang Huan and smiled slightly and said, "I heard that you have become a father, congratulations!"

"Thank you for your concern." Zhang Huan's face showed a hint of warmth when she mentioned her son. He smiled and said, "The little guy cried, his voice was unusual, which made people feel a headache."

"But why do I feel like you don't feel like you have a headache, but you feel like you feel sorry for you." Speaking of this, Cui Xiaofu laughed softly, and the restrained atmosphere in the study was swept away.

She took out a silk bag and handed it to Zhang Huan and said, "This is the colorful mother-son beads paid by Silla. It is very rare. It is a little bit of my wish for your wife and children."

Zhang Huan took it and thanked her repeatedly. Cui Xiaofu narrowed her eyes and smiled, and then entered today's theme, "This is the first time in the past year that the Ai family has received a minister late at night. What urgent matters does Zhang Jun have?"

Zhang Huan bowed apologetically and said, "I just arrived in Chang'an this morning. I planned to come back to the Empress Dowager in two days to thank the Empress Dowager for his title, but things have changed. I will leave Chang'an early tomorrow morning."

"Leave Chang'an?" Cui Xiaofu and Li Fengyun looked at each other and showed a look of surprise. Could something really happened? Cui Xiaofu immediately asked, "Please tell me clearly, what happened?"

Zhang Huan looked at the palace maids next to him, but just smiled but didn't answer. Cui Xiaofu immediately ordered: "You all go out!"

Several palace maids slowly retreated. Li Fanyun hesitated for a moment. Just as she was about to leave, Zhang Huan reached out to stop her, "It's important to be important. Sister, why not stay and discuss it together."

When Cui Xiaofu heard Zhang Huan use the word "discussion", she couldn't help but feel a little moved. She said without saying a word: "Let's talk about why you are leaving Chang'an tomorrow? What does this have to do with you coming to find the Ai family late at night?"

Zhang Huan did not answer this question directly, but smiled and said to Li Fanyun: "At the end of the year before yesterday, I went to Kaiyang County to negotiate with Wei Yan. I happened to meet my elder sister who was entrusted by the Queen Mother to go to Lingwu County to appease Duan Xiushi. That night, you said that the Queen Mother asked you to tell me that my real opponent in the future will be a noble family, and she is the same. Our interests are the same on this point. She will not care about this, whether I defect to the Pei family or the Cui family. She also said that she knew that I would cooperate with her again sooner or later, right!"

Li Fanyun stared at Zhang Huan deeply, and she nodded slowly, "Yes! This is what I said, it's a good thing."

Although Zhang Huan was talking about the past to Li Fanyun, Cui Xiaofu's eyes became brighter. She could no longer hide the joy in her eyes. Zhang Huan finally turned to herself again.

At this time, Zhang Huan's expression slowly became serious. He turned around and stared at Cui Xiaofu and said, "No matter where I go in the future, I will always respect you as the Queen Mother. If you swear to this, God and man will kill each other!"

As soon as this said, Li Fanyun was shocked all over. Yes, this is indeed a hurdle that they cannot bypass. He originally thought that the alliance between them would avoid this matter, but Zhang Huan said so frankly. Thinking of this, Li Fanyun looked at Cui Xiaofu nervously.

But Cui Xiaofu was not surprised at all. On the contrary, she nodded slowly and said, "You are so honest about your sincerity. The Ai family accepts your vows, but the Ai family also clearly tells you that the Ai family will not give you any promises in the future."

Zhang Huan smiled faintly. Things were originally about seeking common ground while reserving differences, but if they did not make clear in advance, there would always be suspicion of each other, thus destroying the basis of cooperation between them.

"I left Chang'an early tomorrow morning because I was secretly ordered by Pei's prime minister to take down Fengxiang and force Cui Yuan to give way!"

Although Zhang Huan said it lightly, a thunder broke out in Cui Xiaofu's ears. She and Li Fanyun looked at each other, and their eyes were full of shock. The news was too sudden. On the surface, the court was calm, but unexpectedly, the undercurrent was surging. Cui and Pei two prime ministers had a very sharp conflict. Can she benefit from it? At this moment, Cui Xiaofu suddenly understood that the purpose of Zhang Huan coming today was to let her take advantage of this opportunity.

Thinking of this, Cui Xiaofu looked at Zhang Huan eagerly, and she knew that Zhang Huan must have a back.

Sure enough, Zhang Huan smiled slightly and said, "Now Pei Qiang and Cui Wu are in an unbalanced state, why doesn't the Empress Dowager take advantage of this opportunity to fill this balance?"

"Why doesn't the Ai family want to take advantage of this opportunity? It's just that there is no opportunity that makes the Ai family have nowhere to start." Cui Xiaofu asked Zhang Huan tentatively.

Zhang Huan took out a note from his arms and pushed it to Cui Xiaofu, "This is Zhu Li's brother Zhu Tao's residence in Chang'an. He came to ask for peace from the court and was still waiting and watching. The Empress Dowager can take the initiative to resolve the rebellion in Shu. This is the best opportunity for the Empress Dowager to enter the government."

Cui Xiaofu took the note in a daze. Although Zhang Huan's thoughts were very exquisite, how could she, as the dignified queen mother, directly contact the bandit leader through the court? If it was spread, wouldn't the world suspect that Cui Xiaofu and Zhu Li colluded with her interests?

Zhang Huan smiled and said implicitly: "Of course it wasn't for the Empress Dowager to contact Zhu Tao directly. Why didn't the Empress Dowager find a spokesperson in the cabinet and let him come forward for the Empress Dowager?"

At this time, Li Fanyun next to him immediately understood Zhang Huan's intention. She quietly stretched out a finger and wrote the word "Mian" on Cui Xiaofu's back.

"Li Mian" made Li Mian, who was inclined to the Empress Dowager, the third force other than Cui and Pei Erjin. This is Zhang Huan's real purpose. Before he was strong enough, he had to maintain the balance of the court.

．

．

．

．

．

．

．

．

An hour later, Zhang Huan left Cui Xiaofu's bedroom and walked towards Chongxuan Gate accompanied by Li Fanyun. The two palace maids each led the way with an orange lantern. Zhang Huan walked silently. When approaching a small bridge, Zhang Huan stopped. He held on the railing beside the bridge and looked at the white and silver Taiyi Pond. After pondering for a while, he said to Li Fanyun: "Sister, I have something I want to ask you for help."

Li Fanyun walked to him and smiled and said, "I just saw you want to say something before leaving, so I knew you still had something to say, just say it! I want me to help you with what's going on."

"I have almost occupied the entire Guanlong, and now there is only one Lingwu County left. Please tell me about it to the Queen Mother and ask her to persuade Duan Xiushi to either surrender to me or go to Xishoujiang City to continue to be his Anbei Protector. I can't let him stay in Lingwu County for a long time."

Li Fanyun thought for a while and said, "I guess your request is acceptable to the Queen Mother, but the problem is that Duan Xiu may not be willing to listen to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother ordered him to go to Beijing to report his duties, but he declined it because of his busy official duties. I am worried that I can't help you."

"Sister, don't worry!" Zhang Huan suddenly smiled at the sky and said, "I'll take advantage of it without any effort. I'm just giving the Empress Dowager a face."

After saying that, Zhang Huan walked up to the small bridge. He looked up at the starry sky and exhaled a long white breath. The distant and cold sky was still full of stars, as if countless gems were dotted on the blue and purple velvet, but at this moment it became clearer and pure. Suddenly, a huge and bright comet passed through the vast space. It stopped moving directly above Zhang Huan, like a sharp sword showing off its white light among countless twinkling stars.

Zhang Huan stared at the comet with all concentration, as if he felt that this comet and his vibrant and hopeful heart completely coincided.

Li Fanyun stood three steps away from Zhang Huan. She did not disturb him, but looked at her younger brother gently, her heart full of relief. He had inherited his father's will and was moving towards the goal step by step. Li Fanyun couldn't help but look up at the comet in the sky, and murmured: "Father, have you seen it? Brother did not disappoint us. He is our pride. May you bless him in the spirit of heaven!" Before she knew it, her eyes were filled with tears.

．

．

．

．

．

．

．
Chapter completed!