Early in the morning, Xiao Chengwen took a carriage to the palace.

The atmosphere in the palace was very strange.

Some are worried, while others are smiling happily!

It's just two extremes.

When they arrived at Changle Palace, the palace ladies held their breath and didn't even dare to breathe.

I'm afraid of being cannon fodder!

Empress Dowager Tao did not rest well all night, and she tossed and turned, and her bad mood was difficult to relieve.

She woke up before dawn.

I couldn't sleep when I woke up, and I was in a very bad mood. I got angry several times and blamed several palace ladies.

Now, the hall is filled with a calm incense!

Empress Dowager Tao finally calmed down and lay on the Arhat couch to rest.

The steps are light and a little deliberate.

The Empress Dowager Tao, who was still resting with her eyes closed.

She opened her eyes and asked, "Have Prince Ping arrived?"

Young Master Mei paused, then rushed forward and said, "Qi Bi, Empress Dowager, the prince has arrived. Do you want to Xuan him to come in?"

"Let him come in! Help me sit up!"

"promise!"

After a while, Xiao Chengwen walked into the hall.

"My son pays me a blessing to the queen! How are the mother's days?"

"You're tired and worry, sit down and talk."

"Thank you, my mother."

Xiao Chengwen sat down on the ground.

Wide robe and big sleeves, unparalleled handsomeness.

Over the years, his appearance seems to have never changed. He is always young and handsome, weak and thin.

Empress Dowager Tao leaned on the pillow, leaned her body tilted, and chose the position she felt most comfortable to lean on the couch.

She looked at her eldest son and felt a little emotional.

"The weather is hot, can your body still stand it?"

"Thank you, my mother for caring for you. My son is still healthy and can get through it."

"If you feel uncomfortable, remember to ask the imperial physician to prescribe medicine. Don't think that I am annoyed. Your body has never stopped medicine since you were born. I am really afraid that you will lose one day if you have a few things."

Xiao Chengwen lowered his head and smiled, with a sarcastic look flashing in his eyes, "The queen must be very surprised that her son can live to this day. And it seems that she can live for a few more years."

"What are you saying ignorantly! Are you suspicious that I hope you will die soon? Absurd! You are my first child, and I only hope that you will live for a hundred years."

"It's my son's fault. If you say something wrong, please forgive me."

Xiao Chengwen admitted his mistakes very simply, but it did not prevent him from continuing to mock and disdain in his heart.

Empress Dowager Tao sighed, "In recent years, I have neglected you, and it is appropriate that you have resentment in your heart. I don't say anything about compensation, I just hope that you will be healthy and not be in front of me."

"My son will take care of himself and prevent the mother's wish from failing." Xiao Chengwen said sarcastic words seriously.

Empress Dowager Tao was very helpless and could only continue to sigh.

"Dingtao hasn't entered the palace to pay his respects for a long time. Have you visited her? The prince-in-law hasn't come back yet, and I don't know what the couple is doing. Otherwise, when will you ask Dingtao and what her plans are."

"My mother is thinking about Dingtao, why don't she send someone to call her into the palace to meet?"

"I summoned her several times and let her enter the palace to live. She refused to do anything and got angry with me. I really couldn't do anything to her. She listened to you, so if you have time, go and see her. In any case, she is the real sister of your mother."

"Don't worry, my mother, my son will take time to visit Dingtao."

Queen Mother Tao drank a sip of tea.

After chatting about homework, we should get to the topic next.

She was straight to the point, "The emperor promoted Shi Wen to prime minister, and there were many oppositions in the court, causing a lot of controversy. Don't you care? Are you not afraid that the emperor will be confused and bewitched by Shi Wen?"

Xiao Chengwen lowered his head and smiled, "What do you want me to do? Your Majesty favors Shi Wen more than anyone else. I don't think the emperor will listen to my advice."

Empress Dowager Tao waved her hand, "I know that the emperor will not listen to your advice. I don't expect you to persuade the emperor. I want to ask, is there any way you can restrain Shi Wen and let Shi Wen not be so arrogant. Relying on His Majesty's favor, Shi Wen is lawless. Last night, he dared to stay in the palace for dinner with the emperor, and he was simply ignorant of his life!"

At this moment, Empress Dowager Tao was extremely disgusted with Shi Wen, the Marquis of Pingwu.

It was so disgusting that it made her sick.

Xiao Chengwen thought about it and said carefully: "If you want to check and balance Shi Wen, no one can be more suitable than Zhengshitang."

Empress Dowager Tao was very disgusted, "The Zhengshi Hall is a group of waste food. Since Shi Wen became the prime minister, the Zhengshi Hall has retreated step by step, which is embarrassing! I don't want to see the old people in the Zhengshi Hall. They are more polite than anyone else. They are all guys with high expectations and low-key attitudes.

It’s not your Majesty’s fault that he valued Shi Wen. Shi Wen is good at speaking, doing things, and is in line with His Majesty’s wishes everywhere. I like such ministers.

However, the family rules of our ancestors are here, and the lessons from all dynasties are also here.

In the court, you must not let Shi Wen's family dominate, that is the way to cause disaster!

Now, I can't control Your Majesty, and he will not listen to my advice. I can only count on you and hope that you can come forward to check and balance Shi Wen. If you need to go to court, I will respond to this for you."

Empress Dowager Tao looks generous.

Xiao Chengwen disagreed.

Being generous is just a choice after weighing the pros and cons, not a genuine generous one.

He coughed lightly and said, "My mother's meaning, my son understands. If you want to balance Shi Wen, you can only start from the court and from Your Majesty."

"Can't you find out something else?"

"Don't forget my mother. He is now the prime minister, under one person and above ten thousand people. With the troops in Yuzhou, he is extremely powerful. It is ridiculous for you to let your son find something strange about it in such a strong courtier! If Shi Wen is embarrassed, he will definitely not be the only one. The entire court, Your Majesty, will be embarrassed together."

"I'm following your opinion, do you support Shi Wen?"

Empress Dowager Tao couldn't believe that her son would actually support Shi Wen.

Xiao Chengwen shook his head and denied, "I don't support anyone, nor Shi Wen. However, some things, after reaching a certain level, can only be solved by court methods. If you want to drive Shi Wen away, it is useless to rely on checks and balances. Because the emperor is already on his side, he is now a sure win! At this time, even if someone says Shi Wen wants to rebel, he can still provide evidence, and the emperor will not believe it unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless the emperor is sick and unable to take charge of the directors, he cannot deny the decision discussed by the court officials. But at the same time, Shi Wen will definitely not miss such an opportunity. He will take the opportunity to hold power and wait for an opportunity to suppress his colleagues."

"Can't Shi Wen get sick? As long as he is sick, he can't go to court. If he can't go to court, he can't meet the emperor every day. I don't believe that the emperor will still favor him as usual."

Xiao Chengwen shook his head and smiled, as if he was laughing at Empress Dowager Tao's innocence.

He thought for a while and said, "It is indeed a solution to make Shi Wen sick. However, the consequences are unpredictable."

"Why are the consequences unpredictable?"

"If Shi Wen is sick at this time, it is hard to guarantee that someone will not doubt that someone will tamper with it. As long as he has a slight suspicion, he will definitely not sit still and wait for death. With his ability and counterattack, it is unimaginable and fierce. I don't know how many people will die under his suspicion. Even His Majesty will be bullied by him. If he does not hide it from his mother's queen, his son dares not take such a risk."

"You, you're simply ridiculous!"

Queen Mother Tao was so angry.

She gritted her teeth, "According to your words, no one can touch Shi Wen? Aren't you holding the nineteen guards in your hand? Is it all a decoration?"

"Did the Queen Mother have any misunderstandings about the Nineteen Guards? The Nineteen Guards have not yet become arrogant enough to assassinate the Prime Minister of the Court. Or is it that the Queen Mother is forcing me to challenge the imperial power and undermine Your Majesty?"

Xiao Chengwen was angry.

The stability of the court lies in a balance of power.

The court now seems to be very chaotic and fights very hard.

In fact, to a certain extent, it is in a state of balance of power.

Shi Wen has the support of the emperor.

Behind the several big bosses of the Political Affairs Hall stood a family of aristocratic families in the world, and even received support from their clans.

If both sides fight, the Political Affairs Hall may not necessarily lose.

Of course, it is not that Shi Wen will lose.

The two major powers are fighting each other.

This is also a balance.

Before, before Shi Wen entered Beijing, the power of the court was obviously unbalanced.

Officials from aristocratic families are powerful.

Clan relatives and military generals must stand aside.

The court has almost become a one-man show of officials from aristocratic families.

Shi Wen was promoted to prime minister, and the situation of aristocratic officials was broken once.
To be continued...