lcionline Chapter 31 Asking for Money as Bribe from the Empress
Chapter 31 Asking for Money as Bribe from the Empress
When Duke Dingguo and Marquis Changxing heard this, they were stunned at first, and then they both hesitated.
You have to know that they form cliques and work for their own interests, and rarely meet each other. Except for those who openly support a certain prince, the others are all hidden players.
Even the Empress Yan Fuyao is not clear about who is loyal to her and who is loyal to her two princes in the current court.
After all, it was her that was being kept secret.
If I tell Shen Changgong now, wouldn’t that be equivalent to exposing my own followers to the empress?
You have to know that the person in front of you is the empress's husband. Is there any relationship in the world closer than the person next to you?
Shen Changgong saw their hesitation and sighed and said,
"I just have good intentions, but I'm afraid of accidentally hurting one of our own. It's okay if you don't want to tell me, but I'm afraid it will be very difficult to deal with.
After all, I have just entered the court and I don’t know or understand anyone.
If one day I catch someone breaking the law and want to torture him, and I think he's an enemy but turns out to be one of us, that would be embarrassing."
Duke Dingguo looked at Shen Changgong and said slowly,
"Sir Shen, it's not that I don't trust you, we're afraid too. If you hand this list over to His Majesty, wouldn't that be like putting a knife to our necks?"
"Hahahaha, so that's what you're worried about. You can rest assured. Your Majesty and I have only known each other for a few days. How can we have such a deep relationship?
Moreover, I am a person who is content with a small fortune and is petty-minded.
I just want to live a life of luxury. If others don’t provoke me, I won’t provoke others.
You and I have no grudges against each other, we are all family. I still have to rely on your support to consolidate my position.
After all, I am almost like a queen now. Without any power to support me, I might be banished to the cold palace one day.
How about this? To show my loyalty, I will send some gifts to Prince Gong's residence today. This is evidence of my bribery. If I ever turn against you, you can always use this evidence to denounce me. How about that?
Duke Dingguo said firmly,
"Lord Shen is a man of quick words and well versed in the ways of an official. Since you are so frank, it means you truly regard us as your own.
Then I won't worry about it anymore. As long as Prince Gong can receive your gift today, we will immediately send someone to the Security Army camp to give you the list. How about that? "
"That's the best. We have a mutually supportive relationship. I'll help you take down Prince Rong's group, and I can also help you with your support. You support me and solidify my position. We have a long way to go in our future cooperation."
"Hahaha, easy to talk about."
The three of them reached a conspiracy and formed an alliance. They raised their glasses to celebrate together and laughed in collusion.
After a very enjoyable meal, the three of them went downstairs together.
Arriving at the counter, Shen Changgong was about to pay the bill, and Duke Dingguo quickly said,
"Hey, what is Lord Shen doing?"
Shen Changgong pushed and said,
"You said it's my treat, so I'll treat you. You've helped me so much today."
"Oh, no, no."
"I must ask."
Duke Dingguo quickly whispered,
"No, it's our own shop."
Shen Changgong then smiled and said,
"I see. Well, I'll take advantage of you today."
"From now on, whenever you come, Master Shen, all meals will be free."
"No, I'm trying to take care of your business. If you give me a free meal, I won't come here again."
"Hahaha……"
The three of them walked out harmoniously, said goodbye warmly, and went home.
Shen Changgong returned to the security army camp with his guards, sat in the house of the commander's mansion, and wrote a letter to the empress.
The general meaning is that he has stabilized the hearts of Prince Gong's faction, but in order to get the specific list, he still needs a letter of allegiance.
He asked the empress to take out a sum of silver from the inner treasury and sent his guards to deliver it to Prince Gong in his name.
After writing the letter, Shen Changgong handed it to the chief guard Dai Xing and said seriously,
"You must personally deliver this letter to His Majesty. Then, you must personally bring people to deliver the letter to Prince Gong's residence. No matter what they say, just pretend you know nothing.
Take the things Prince Gong gave you and give them to me, understand?"
"The villain understands."
Dai Xing took the letter and immediately rushed to the palace.
After Shen Changgong finished all this, he went back to sleep with peace of mind.
He was relatively free, and could sleep in the harem or in the camp, and it was okay for him to go home occasionally.
Just don't go to brothels or sleep with random women.
After all, the identity is there.
Shen Changgong did not feel distressed. After he gained power, he would completely suppress the empress and then sleep with whoever he wanted.
The public security in the capital was exceptionally good on this day.
The news spread throughout the city that the Prince of England had his entire family killed by the newly appointed Grand Captain of the Security Army because he ate two bowls of jelly and only paid for one bowl.
Listen, how rare it is.
For a time, all the powerful and wealthy people in the capital were silent as a cicada, and dared not to be the first to act at this time. Even those who were a little daring would be locked up at home and wait until the storm had passed.
So much so that when the security forces were patrolling today, they felt that the workload was much lighter.
royal palace.
Royal study room.
The empress sat on the dragon throne, looked at the letter in front of her, and sneered,
"This Shen Changgong, who wanted to bribe officials, even dared to ask me for money. He is so audacious."
Gongsun Wan'er lost no time in saying,
"Your Majesty is right. He is so daring and blatantly corrupt and bribes people. He should be severely punished."
"Oh? Then tell me, how should we punish him?"
The empress had a playful smile on her face and glanced at Gongsun Wan'er.
“Well…now is the time to use him. Chopping off his head is definitely not an option, but we have to teach him a lesson.
Then... give him thirty lashes, no, fifty lashes, and I can personally carry out the execution."
"Hehehe... How on earth did my husband offend you? You hold such a grudge against him that you always want to punish him."
"I didn't offend him. I just simply don't like him. He also doesn't like me and wants to deal with me too."
The Empress smiled and said,
"You two really are a pair of happy enemies. I even want to be your matchmaker."
"Matchmaking?"
Gongsun Wan'er said with eyes wide open,
"He's your husband, why are you trying to be my matchmaker? How can a wife find a woman for her husband?"
"So what? In the folk, a wife who doesn't find a concubine for her husband will be labeled a jealous woman.
I don't want to be that jealous woman, so why don't you become his concubine?"
"No, no, no, no, oh my, even if I, Gongsun Wan'er, don't have another man, I will never serve Shen Changgong, absolutely not!"
Seeing Wan'er's frustrated look in the company, the empress smiled even more triumphantly.