Chapter 588 Queen Liu Wan
When Shen Ruzhuo heard this, his head suddenly exploded.

This pretty boy is actually Marquis Jing'an?

"My Lord, please spare my life!" Shen Ruzhuo was a bachelor, and he knew that the man in front of him was someone he could not afford to offend, so he bowed down without saying a word.

"My Lord, my grandfather is Shen Yilun. For my grandfather's sake, please just treat me like a fart and let me go!"

"Descendants of Shen Yilun?" Lin Hao looked at him in surprise, then looked at Yuan Changhe and asked:

"Is what he said true?"

"It's true!" Yuan Changhe nodded quickly.

If it weren't for the fact that Shen Ruzhuo was the descendant of Shen Yiluan, how could Yuan Changhe allow him to go to the Jiaofangsi every now and then to flirt with others?

Shen Yilun was the prime minister during the reigns of Emperor Taizu of Song and Emperor Taizong of Song. Although he has been dead for more than 20 years, he is still somewhat popular among the civil servants.

That's why Yuan Changhe turned a blind eye to Shen Ruzhuo's actions in the Jiaofangsi.

But this guy hit a wall today.

"So you are the descendant of Lord Shen!" Lin Hao grinned, but his smile was a little weird.

If Shen Ruzhuo hadn't brought up his grandfather who had died many years ago, Lin Hao would have killed him at most.

But now!
Lin Hao felt that the entire Shen family no longer had any reason to exist.

It’s not that Lin Hao and Shen Yilun have any grudges. The old guy has been dead for more than 20 years, and Lin Hao has only been here for a few days, so they don’t have any intersection.

Lin Hao's purpose was actually to use the lives of the entire Shen family to deliberately stir up public outrage among that group of upright people, and to kill a few of them to establish his authority.

Lin Hao ignored Shen Ruzhuo. There was nothing to say to a dying man. Instead, he put his arm around Song Yinzhang's slender waist and said directly to Yuan Changhe:
"Master Yuan, I want to help Yin Zhang get rid of his membership in the family. Please help me."

Although Lin Hao said please, Yuan Changhe was neither stupid nor blind. It was obvious that Song Yinzhang was the Marquis's man and would naturally not offend him for a prostitute.

Then Yuan Changhe said with a smile on his face:

"Don't worry, my Lord. I'll take care of this matter!"

Lin Hao also smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble you, Master Yuan."

"No trouble, no trouble~!" As he said this, he helped Song Yinzhang to complete the documents for deregistration.

After Song Yinzhang received the document of deregistration, he was so excited that he cried. He finally got the citizenship he had longed for.

At this moment, Song Yinzhang gazed at Lin Hao affectionately, his eyes filled with gratitude, touching, joy and attachment.

Lin Hao smiled at Song Yinzhang, and then said:
"Okay, let's go home!" Lin Hao's plain words made Song Yinzhang very happy. Go home, go home!

From now on, Song Yinzhang is a family person, and the Lin Hao in front of her is her man.

After getting Song Yinzhang's documents of excommunication, Lin Hao took Song Yinzhang away from the Jiaofangsi.

During this time, Lin Hao didn't even bother to look at Shen Ruzhuo, who was kneeling on the ground like a dead dog, while Shen Ruzhuo still thought he had escaped the disaster by moving his grandfather out.

However, that night, the Shen family was raided by the Imperial City Administration.

That night, although the two of them were very affectionate, Lin Hao did not want her, which made her feel uneasy.

It was Lin Hao who saw the uneasiness in her heart and said:

Although you cannot be my legal wife, I still want to give you a status. But if I take you in directly before I can become my legal wife, how can I, as my legal wife, tolerate you in the future?

After listening to Lin Hao's thoughts, Song Yinzhang felt not only admiration for Lin Hao but also gratitude towards him, and was also glad that he had met such a good man.

However, Song Yinzhang felt a little conflicted as she watched Lin Hao leave. She actually wanted to invite Lin Hao to stay...

······
In the imperial palace, inside the Queen’s bedroom, Ciyuan Hall.

At this time, Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng was lying on the legs of Queen Liu Wan, smoking, making the whole palace full of smoke.

"Cough cough~!" Queen Liu Wan was choking and kept coughing, while she was fanning herself with a round fan in her hand.

The smell of smoke was really too pungent. It was also mixed with an extremely unpleasant odor that was nauseating.

This is only the emperor. If someone else smoked this thing in front of her, she would kill that person.

"My dear, this cigarette does smell bad, but it tastes sweet when you inhale it. How about you take a puff?"

Seeing Liu Wan's look of disgust, Zhao Heng recommended it with great enthusiasm.

In Zhao Heng's opinion, this cigarette was indeed a good thing. It not only cured his headache, but also cured all the minor ailments in his body.

After taking a few puffs every day, he feels full of energy and he thinks he can live a hundred years thanks to these cigarettes.

"Forget it!" Liu Wan frowned and refused:

"Such a good thing should naturally be kept for the emperor. Besides, Marquis Jing'an only presented such a small amount of the cream, which shows how rare this cream is!"

Liu Wan is much more scheming than Zhao Heng. Ever since Marquis Jing'an presented the so-called opium paste to the emperor, the emperor has been basically smoking all the time except for eating and sleeping.

It has only been a few days, and she has no time to deal with the affairs of state. All the affairs of state have been pushed to her these days.

The emperor himself just hides in the harem and smokes cigarettes. If this continues, he will be ruined.

This thing is not a miracle drug to cure diseases, it is simply a deadly poison.

But she did not remind the emperor, because the feeling of holding power was so fascinating.

In the past, when the emperor was ill, she also handled state affairs on his behalf.

However, after she finished handling the matter, she would report it carefully to the government and only execute it after the government gave its approval.

Therefore, all the civil and military officials in the court called her a witch queen, worried that she would imitate Empress Wu. However, Liu Wan knew in her heart that this official was very smart and held all the power firmly in her hands.

She was just a puppet pushed to the front by the government. She was pushed out to attract the fire of the clean stream so that the government itself could have some peace and quiet.

If it weren't for her, the evil queen, to attract the firepower of the Qingliu, that group of Qingliu would have caused trouble for the government.

But now it’s different. Ever since the emperor started smoking, he no longer has the heart to ask about the state affairs she has handled.

Even if she took the initiative to report, the emperor would not listen. This is what it means to be in real power, and Liu Wan enjoys it very much.

"Forget it then!" After hearing the Queen's words, Zhao Heng did not force the Queen to smoke.

The main thing was that the porcelain bottle of tobacco paste that Lin Hao presented to him was almost empty, so he had to quickly ask Marquis Jing'an for some more.

He felt that he could no longer live without this thing. It was so comfortable to smoke and he felt like he was floating in the air.

"Your Majesty!" At this moment, Eunuch Cui called softly from outside the door.

"What's the matter?" Zhao Heng asked impatiently.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Ke, Qi Zhongqi, Lin Sansi and others jointly request a meeting!" Cui Neidai reported.

Zhao Heng heard this and a trace of impatience flashed across his face. These old guys came to see him in the middle of the night and must be up to no good, so he said impatiently:
If you don't see me, just say I'm resting!"

"Your Majesty, several important ministers want to see you at this time. Perhaps there is something important?" Liu Wan stayed by Zhao Heng's side as always, playing the role of a virtuous queen.

In the past, Liu Wan wouldn't have needed to persuade Zhao Heng, as he would have met these people no matter how impatient he was.

But at this moment, Zhao Heng just wanted to smoke.

"Boring!" Zhao Heng said impatiently:
"The Queen should go see this man on my behalf and tell him that I am not feeling well and have gone to bed!"

"I obey your command!" Liu Wan smiled.

So the queen changed her clothes and went to the imperial study to meet with several ministers.

The group of Qingliu faction headed by Ke Zheng all regarded Liu Wan as a thorn in their side and wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible.

Seeing that it was Liu Wan instead of the emperor who came out to meet them, these old men all looked unhappy.

However, although they were unhappy, the queen was in a good mood. She liked to see this group of so-called upright people who couldn't stand her but couldn't get rid of her.

It was very refreshing to watch, and then Liu Wan asked with a smile:
"Several of you have requested to see me late at night. What is your business?"

"I would like to report the new Imperial City Envoy, Jing'an Marquis Lin Hao, for abusing his power and imprisoning the entire Shen family in the Imperial City Bureau for no reason!"

The queen was surprised when she heard this, Marquis Jing'an was the emperor's confidant, but she didn't know why he was related to the Shen family.

"Why does Marquis Jing'an want to arrest people from the Shen family? As far as I know, Marquis Jing'an Lin Hao is not such an arrogant and domineering person!" Liu Wan asked.

"As far as I know, it seems that the conflict was caused by a prostitute working in the Jiaofang Bureau!"

Liu Wan lamented in her heart that such a small matter had caused such a stir in the city, so she ordered the eunuch to invite Marquis Jing'an.

After a while, Lin Hao arrived at this small palace, and then the eunuch's sharp voice rang out:

"According to the Queen's order, Marquis Jing'an is summoned to the palace to meet with her immediately!"

At the moment when the Shen family was confiscated, Lin Hao had already guessed that the palace would summon him. However, Lin Hao thought that it would be the emperor who summoned him, but he did not expect it would be the queen. But it didn't matter, who cares, anyway, he had already asked the Imperial City Department to prepare the evidence of the Shen family's crimes.

However, when Lin Hao stepped into the imperial study, he found that the situation was completely different from what he had expected. None of the upright people who had come to denounce him were there. Only Queen Liu Wan was waiting for him in the imperial study.

"Your Highness, Marquis Jing'an, greets Her Majesty the Queen!"

Lin Hao bowed and saluted. Although he felt extremely disgusted in his heart, he still had to do his job on the surface. If for no other reason, just because of the status of the queen and her beauty, Lin Hao felt that he was not losing out just by bowing.

"No need to be polite, please sit down and have some tea!" Liu Wan said in an approachable manner.

Soon the young eunuch brought a chair, placed it next to Lin Hao and served him tea. Lin Hao was not polite and sat down on the chair.

Then he slowly sipped the tea, and while sipped the tea, he did not forget to look at the queen again.

With a pretty face, tall figure and creamy skin, she is certainly very beautiful.

If we only talk about appearance, not to mention Zhao Pan'er, even Song Yinzhang is better than her.

But Liu Wan’s appearance certainly cannot be judged solely on her looks. However, she has the special temperament of being the mother of a country, which makes Lin Hao feel itchy.

How should I put it? Perhaps it was because she had been pampered for a long time that she had a graceful and elegant temperament.

And although Liu Wan appears to be approachable, her every move gives people a sense of arrogance.

This is not the case with Sheng Minglan, who has just been the queen for a few days. Liu Wan's arrogance seems to be engraved in her bones, making people want to conquer her.

Wow, no wonder she could be so bewitching to Emperor Zhenzong of Song.

At this moment, Liu Wan's eyelids twitched slightly. It was not the first time she saw Lin Hao, the Marquis of Jing'an, but it was the first time she discovered that Lin Hao was so bold as to stare at her.

In the past, even if she gave the order to grant seats, which minister would not sit upright?
Even Xiao Qinyan only dared to sit on the chair with one-third of his buttocks in front of her.

Only Lin Hao in front of him actually leaned on the chair
Not only that, the Marquis of Jing'an sipped his tea carelessly and even kept looking at her, as if he had no respect at all for her as the queen.

This made Liu Wan very dissatisfied, but with Liu Wan's scheming, it was impossible for her to give Lin Hao a cold shoulder or get angry at him just because of his rudeness.

There is no need, after all, she still needs the Marquis of Jing'an.

When the day comes that this man is no longer useful, it won’t be too late to settle accounts with him.

Thinking of this, Liu Wan first waved her hand to let the eunuchs and palace maids retreat, and then asked calmly:
"Marquis Jing'an, you are looking at me like that. Is there something on my face?"

"Yes~!" Lin Hao nodded seriously.

"Hmm?" Liu Wan looked at Lin Hao in silence.

The original purpose of her asking this question was mainly to remind Lin Hao that looking directly at the queen was disrespectful and to let him restrain himself.

But I never expected that Lin Hao would actually say yes. Is there really something dirty on her face?

He hurriedly picked up the bronze mirror and looked at his face, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find anything dirty on his face.
Then Liu Wan frowned slightly.

"No!"

However, Lin Hao said seriously:

"Have!"

"have what?"

"It's quite nice!" Lin Hao said this with a serious expression, as if it was a matter of course.

Liu Wan was stunned at first when she heard this, then she stared at Lin Hao with wide eyes, completely stunned.

This Marquis Jing'an was actually teasing her. How could she, the queen, be teased by a marquis?
"presumptuous!"

It took Liu Wan a long while to come back to her senses. Her face suddenly darkened and she scolded:
"Marquis Jing'an, do you admit your guilt?"

Flirting with the queen is not as simple as beheading. At the very least, all nine generations of the clan will be exterminated.

"What crime have I committed?" Lin Hao pretended to be dumb.

"You, you~!" Liu Wan opened her mouth and wanted to say that Lin Hao was teasing her, but she couldn't say it.

"This court has never convicted people based on speech!" Lin Hao said solemnly:

"Besides, the Queen is already beautiful. I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. How can I be guilty of this?"

Then Lin Hao asked back: "Does the Queen think she is ugly?"

"Sweet words and flattering expressions!" Liu Wan looked at Lin Hao dangerously. She didn't want to continue arguing with Lin Hao on this topic, so she changed the subject and said:
"Tell me, why did you arrest the Shen family and take them to the Imperial City Division for no reason?"

However, before Lin Hao could answer, Liu Wan continued:

"Do you know that because of this matter, Mr. Ke, Qi Zhongyong, Lin Sansi and others jointly went to the palace to report you?"

"But don't worry, I have already blocked this matter for you!" Liu Wan said as she picked up a few memorials on the dragon table and fiddled with them, with a playful smile on her lips.

Lin Hao knew clearly that this was Liu Wan extending an olive branch to him. If Lin Hao was sensible enough to join the party behind the scenes, then she would help him to block this matter.

But if Lin Hao doesn't know what's good for him, the memorials in her hand from Mr. Ke and others reporting on him will immediately be placed in front of Zhao Heng.

Liu Wan would even go to Zhao Heng and exaggerate the matter to get the government to punish Lin Hao.

At this point, it is no longer a question of whether the Shen family lives or dies, but a question of letting Lin Hao choose his side.

It has to be said that Liu Wan does have some political skills and she chose the right timing.

If Lin Hao was just an ordinary marquis, even if the Shen family was not wronged by him, they would not be able to withstand the double-sided attack from the Houdang and the Qingliu.

By then, Lin Hao will surely die, and the only way out for him is to surrender to the Queen. But the problem is that Lin Hao is not an ordinary person, but a man with a lot of brains.

So Lin Hao looked around and said something else:

"Your Majesty, I accidentally found a painting some time ago. I think Your Majesty will like it!"

"Painting?" Liu Wan looked at Lin Hao in confusion.

Now she was asking Lin Hao to choose sides, but what was Lin Hao talking to her about?
"Wait~!" Liu Wan suddenly thought of something.

Then Liu Wan's eyes narrowed slightly, and she stared at Lin Hao with a serious expression and said word by word:

"Night~banquet~picture~?"

"Yes, it's the Night Banquet Picture that the government asked me to check!" Lin Hao grinned.

After hearing Lin Hao's answer, Liu Wan's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and then she took a deep breath and said:
"Tell me your conditions."

She was naturally aware of the rumors about her outside.

But she thought she had hidden it well and that Zhao Heng didn't know about her past, so she tried her best to hide it from Zhao Heng.

Little did she know that Zhao Heng knew everything about her past, and he just pretended to be ignorant because he loved her.

But the problem is that Liu Wan didn't know all this. She naturally also heard about the emperor sending people to investigate the Night Banquet Picture, but the information she received was that the emperor asked people from the Imperial City Bureau to investigate.

However, he did not expect that the emperor had secretly sent someone, but Lin Hao did not seem to report the matter to Zhao Heng.

At this time, Liu Wan looked at Lin Hao and suddenly had an idea. If Lin Hao wanted to report it to the government, he would have reported it before.

From what Lin Hao said, it seemed that the Night Banquet Map was still in Lin Hao's hands. Thinking of this, Liu Wan's breathing became a little rapid. The Night Banquet Map must not be handed over to Zhao Heng.

As long as we get the Night Banquet Picture and destroy it, everything will be fine.

As Liu Wan expected, Lin Hao put forward a condition, but this condition made Liu Wan angry and embarrassed.

I only heard Lin Hao say with interest:
"I have heard that the Queen is an excellent singer and dancer. I wonder if I can have the honor to watch her?"

As soon as Lin Hao said this, Liu Wan could no longer conceal the murderous intent in her eyes, and said in a cold tone:

"Marquis Jing'an, I didn't hear what you said clearly, please say it again!"

The voice was so cold that it seemed as if the temperature of the entire imperial study had dropped for a moment.

"Then just pretend I didn't say anything!" Lin Hao took a sip of tea and said slowly:

"I heard that Mr. Ke is the most famous painting appraiser in our dynasty. Tomorrow I will take this painting of the Night Banquet to Mr. Ke for appraisal!"

"You dare to threaten me?"

"I dare not!" Lin Hao said he dared not.

But there was no sign of fear on his expression. He even seemed eager to try, as if he was hoping Liu Wan would not agree so that he could make a big deal out of it.

Liu Wan was so angry that she went crazy. She didn't know how many years had passed. Ever since she married the current emperor, who was then the Prince of Shou, no one dared to threaten her.

(End of this chapter)