Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 465 Tao Mo

The Grand Master simply nodded, and then stroked the Second Prince's head and asked in a low voice, "What about your grandmother? Is she behind? Who else did she bring?"

"Originally, the Imperial Grandmother wanted to ride over here with us overnight, but no matter how the Imperial Father tried to persuade her, it was useless.

"It was Aunt Yimin who insisted on coming along as well. She said that the Royal Grandmother must be accompanied by someone to serve her.

“Aunt Zhaoqing also sent someone to inform the Crown Princess, and lied to her that she was going to spend the holiday with the Queen Mother and the Emperor.

"In this case, the Imperial Grandmother had no choice but to take Aunt Yimin, the Crown Princess's sister-in-law, and the Imperial Concubine Jia who my father asked to come along, and walk slowly behind.

“Before we set off, Aunt Zhaoqing specifically told Tao Ajian that she had already given instructions for the Empress Dowager’s ceremonial procession and that it would be delayed.

"She gave the time as around noon on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month.

"However, given the Royal Grandmother's impatience, Aunt Zhaoqing's plan may not be 100% successful."

The Second Prince knew that this was what the Highness was most concerned about, so he told the Highness in detail.

Sure enough, after hearing this, the old man breathed a sigh of relief.

Prince Kejin, who had already woken up, listened silently without saying a word, but rubbed his waist with his fat hands.

Outside, Emperor Zhaoming’s scolding was coming to an end: “…What use do I have for frontier officials like you!?

"Someone come!

“Right in the atrium!

"Twenty strokes of the cane for each one!

"Deduct your salary for another three years to serve as a warning to others!"

The two middle-aged officials who were kneeling on the ground and shaking like a ball paused, their shoulders visibly relaxed, and they shouted: "We are innocent! Please forgive us, Your Majesty!"

Emperor Zhaoming glared at them fiercely, with murderous intent on his face!

You don't even want to endure these?!

Then you will have to endure more than just this!

He tilted his head and glanced at Tao Xingjian.

Tao Xingjian hurriedly stepped forward and said in a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, calm down! These are all accidents, and no one wants them to happen.

"Aren't the two gentlemen here already? Just take care of the errands you have!"

As they got closer, Emperor Zhaoming gave a few quick instructions, then raised his voice again, sneering, "They are all trash! I don't need them for anything! The only thing I can do is give them a beating!"

He was determined to fight.

Tao Xingjian could not persuade them any more, so he could only step aside awkwardly and go to ask about the injured at the scene.

The two military governors were pinned to the ground and beaten with twenty sticks in front of everyone.

Both of them are people with prominent families and backers, and they are also the highest officials with real power in the local area. They have been local tyrants for many years.

How many times have you experienced such pain in your life, living a life of luxury and power? Moreover, it was in front of so many people, and you lost all face!

So the two of them refused to open their eyes until their skin was torn and they were carried into the room where the injured were for "treatment."

His face was filled with shame, anger and hatred.

The medicine delivery eunuch named Tao Mo, who had just been hiding here to hide his shame because he was kicked by his master, saw this and immediately raised his hand to scratch his temples, then stood up with a shameful look on his face to make room for them.

Seeing this, the personal soldiers of the two people outside wanted to come in and serve.

But the room is so small, and there are already a dozen seriously injured guards inside. How can it accommodate so many people?

The faces of the seriously injured guards all looked unhappy.

Tao Mo hurried forward and took over the work from a personal soldier. He half-knelt on the ground to cut open the pants of the two men and wipe the blood, and then whispered:

"You two gentlemen have arrived too late..."

Yun Guang looked at him coldly with an expressionless face.

Feng Bingze asked him hummingly, "Who are you, young man? Where are you employed?"

"How dare I ask such a question from an adult?" Tao Mo said in a low voice while carefully cleaning their wounds, "I am the apprentice of the Tao Supervisor, and my name is Tao Mo."

He looked around with a sullen look on his face, "I just came all the way here to deliver the life-saving medicine to the prince. Because I broke the rules and made a few noises, my master gave me a beating and left me here to reflect on my actions."

He groaned and immediately changed the subject, lowering his voice a little, "Why don't you two keep one brother by your side, and let His Majesty arrange the guards for the rest of the brothers?"

Feng Bing and Yun Guang looked at each other and said nothing.

Who doesn't know that Tao Xingjian had served Emperor Zhaoming since he was young, and that he was incorruptible and could not be moved by anything?

His apprentice, what good person can he be! ?

When Tao Mo saw that the two of them didn't seem to believe him, he became anxious, looked back, and quietly pointed:

"Look, the one with a broken leg in the corner is the nephew of the twelfth concubine, the most beloved by the old prince Le.

"The one beside him who has no arms is the youngest son of the Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple.

"Further over there, in order, there is the nephew of the Hangzhou general, the nephew of the Liuzhou governor, the eldest grandson of the Shengjing prefect, and the cousin of the Sichuan governor."

The two people were stunned.

Tao Mo sighed, then pointed back: "Look over there, the one who was stabbed in the stomach and is unconscious, that's Prince Duncheng's eldest son!"

Yun Guang seemed to understand something: "The Supreme Lord is sentimental, and the guards around him are all the sons and nephews of the old ministers..."

So, these were a group of young soldiers, and because we two delayed the rescue, most of them were killed! ?

Wouldn't that mean that I would be mortal enemies with most of the ministers in the court? ?

The two of them just felt their scalps tingling!

"So you see, this group of young masters, who are missing limbs, are looking at the two of you, the big soldiers who are from unknown backgrounds, walking around in front of them in good health...

"If they don't complain to the adults at home when they get home, that would be weird!

"They are a bunch of disabled children. Why are you two magnanimous adults fussing over them?

"Leaving two brothers, plus me, is enough to take care of the two adults!"

Tao Mo tried his best to prove that his suggestion was reasonable.

But what they heard was a warning to "keep a low profile".

Yun Guang made a prompt decision, pointed to a trusted person to stay behind, and waved his hand for the rest to go outside: "Stand alert! Follow the command of His Majesty, and search for any assassins who have escaped!"

Feng Bing hurriedly followed suit.

Tao Mo here had a proud look on his face, smiled, and helped around, even snatching the golden medicine they brought with them to help the two people apply the medicine.

He flattered me again, and said with a drooling face and a sincere look:

"Don't worry, my Lords! Our Majesty and the Queen Mother trust Princess Yimin and Princess Zhaoqing the most!

"This time when the Queen Mother left the capital, she didn't bring along the Crown Princess or even the Queen, but brought along her eldest sister, Imperial Concubine Jia!

"You two are both old ministers of the emperor, and you can at least have some old friendship with the Rongguo Mansion. In a few days, Concubine Jia and Princess Yimin will arrive. If you two ask for a favor, the matter will be over!"

The two looked at each other and asked tentatively, "Didn't we hear that the four kings and eight dukes were arrested in Beijing? The second master of Rongguo Mansion was killed without any trial or questioning?!"

"What? Where did these rumors come from?" Tao Mo frowned, and his knuckles turned white while holding the medicine bottle.

"At the New Year's Eve palace banquet, because the East King was poisoned, the West King was found to have medicine on him; plus Jia Hua and Jia Yucun, who were detained earlier for an old case in Jiangnan, started to accuse people, so they surrounded several mansions.

"But not only the four princes and eight dukes, but also the Zhongshun Palace and several other palaces were surrounded! But no one was killed!

"As for Master Jia Er, he is..."

Tao Mo looked outside with a sly look in his eyes, his smile turned evil, and his voice became low, "He was the one who discovered that the child in his concubine's belly was his illegitimate son that day when he was in the mansion.

"He was so ashamed of being cuckolded by his own son! He was so embarrassed and angry that he committed suicide!

"It's none of other people's business?!"