From the Valley of the Wicked to the Town of Demons

In the imperial city, Cao Xing was flipping through idle books in the study room. This book was bought by Zhen Jing for him from nowhere, and it was a book about a love story between a gifted scholar and a beautiful woman.

This book is not thick, but the content is extremely attractive.

The content of the story is very simple. A gifted scholar rushes to take the exam and fails in Sun Shan. When he is disappointed, he meets a prostitute.

The woman had a secret heart for the talented man, so she took out her private money to help him prepare for the exam.

As a result, as soon as the talented man was on the list, he was a high school student. In order to live up to the beautiful woman, he begged the Holy One to grant the woman a low status so that he could marry her as his wife.

This book is somewhat taboo, and the story is also a bit old-fashioned. The reason why it is attractive is because of the writing. To be precise, there are a lot of places that cannot be described.

Cao Xing watched it with gusto. If this kind of unrefined thing appeared in the upper study room, the author would probably cry bitterly and shout "my emperor's confidant".

"My lord, the two ministers have arrived."

At this time, Zhen Jing walked in cautiously, he spoke in a low voice, Cao Xing raised his hand, motioning for them to come in.

Not long after, Liu Xun and Wang Bin walked in. When he saw Cao Xing reading the book, Wang Bin couldn't help frowning.

Wang Bin is not a pedantic person. In fact, this book is very popular in the market now, and he has read it himself, but he really doesn't like this kind of thing, so he didn't read a few pages and put it aside.

Unexpectedly, the Holy Majesty was so fascinated, he suddenly had a feeling that "this emperor is unreliable".

In fact, Wang Bin was a little overwhelmed. Although Cao Xing was not a wise man, he did what he needed to do, and he did it well.

After all, the emperor is also a human being, and he also has emotions and desires. He is also curious about this kind of "action scene in bed" book, as long as the government affairs are not neglected, it is fine.

What's more, the emperors are all three palaces and six courtyards, and there are groups of concubines. Sometimes this kind of action scene is staged several times a day, and they can practice it, why?unhappy?If you have the ability, you can also be the emperor. Have fun with the wine pool and meat forest.

"I came to you this time, do you know why?"

Cao Xing put down the book, but he wasn't embarrassed at all.First, everyone is a man, and second, he is the emperor. Except for a very few, such as Wang Peiyuan's watering can with a bag on his head, whoever dares to say that he is wrong.

"Please also express your majesty."

The two bowed down to salute at the same time, Cao Xing waved his hands, motioning for the two to sit down and talk.

"The Hubu now has Huang Zheng as the minister, but Wang Peiyuan is the only servant.

Although it is not in a hurry, it is not good to always be so empty. I would like to ask you if there is any suitable candidate to fill in the position. "

Cao Xing picked up a piece of pastry, stuffed it into his mouth, then looked at the two people, then at the pastry, and gently pushed the plate towards the two people, letting them have a taste too.

Wang Bin didn't dare to stretch out his hand, but the old man Liu Xun didn't care about that, he just picked one with peach petals on it, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"It's not easy for outsiders to intervene in the affairs of the household department, so I think it's better for the servants to promote two from the household department, which is more appropriate."

Liu Xun chewed the pastry and had no time to speak, while Wang Bin thought for a moment and gave his opinion.

"If you have a choice, just say it."

Cao Xing leaned on the back of the chair, crossing his legs leisurely, but what he said stopped Wang Bin.

Wang Bin was born in the Ministry of Industry and had little contact with the Ministry of Household Affairs. Even if he became the prime minister, firstly, the time was short, and secondly, he and those people from the Ministry of Household Affairs had only a general impression. He is really not very clear about his abilities and abilities.

This Wang Bin was promoted by Cao Xing, so Wang Bin was in a difficult situation at the moment and couldn't speak for a while. Cao Xing could probably see why, so he turned his eyes to Liu Xun, and the old man took the first dim sum Swallow it down, but pick up the second one, put it in your mouth, and chew it carefully.

"Prime Minister Liu, I didn't come here to ask you to help me eat snacks. Let me tell you what you think about the candidate for the Minister of the Household Department."

Cao Xing stroked his forehead, and for a moment, he really had nothing to do with this old hob.

"Hubu Xilang is almost in the middle..."

Liu Xun opened his mouth, but there was dim sum stuffed in his mouth. The words sounded like a foreign language, and the dim sum scum flew all over the place. Cao Xing hurriedly picked up the idle book he was reading and covered his face.

"Swallow the snack and talk."

Cao Xing frowned, thinking that this old guy is getting more and more shameless, he dared to be so disrespectful in front of his face, when he is free someday, he has to find a chance to beat him.

As soon as Cao Xing finished speaking, Liu Xun stood up abruptly, scratching his neck and yelling "Whoa!"

Cao Xing and Wang Bin were taken aback, but Zhen Jing behind him understood, and immediately brought a bowl of tea and handed it to the old guy.

ton ton ton...

After drinking this tea, Liu Xun finally calmed down, and still laughed at himself: "I almost gave up this old bone on this peach cake."

"It doesn't matter if you want to die, but don't die here in the study, or you will become a lonely ghost and disturb me."

Cao Xing gave the old man Liu Xun a blank look. This was the emperor's contempt.

"No, no, Chen Sheng is a courtier of the Great Wei, and death is the ghost of the Holy Majesty, absolutely will not harass His Majesty.

If he really died in the upper study room, he would accompany His Majesty to review memorials every night, help His Majesty drive away mosquitoes, and do what a courtier should do..."

Before Liu Xun could finish his "good words of loyalty", Cao Xing interrupted him with a wave of his hand, and said, "Where you love to die, don't die in my place. I don't need you to turn into a dead ghost to drive me away." Mosquitoes, a stick of mosquito repellent incense is enough for this job."

The two monarchs and ministers bickered as if there was no one else around, not like a master and servant, but more like close friends for many years.

Seeing this, Wang Bin couldn't help giving his thumbs secretly, thinking: "In the entire Wei Dynasty, you, Liu Xun, are the only one who dares to talk to the Holy One like this."

The two fought for a few more rounds, and finally brought the topic to a serious matter. Liu Xun thought for a moment, and said: "My lord, I think that these two vacancies should not be given to the people in the household department. One should be promoted and transferred here." one."

Cao Xing did not speak, but picked up the tea bowl and took a sip by himself. He knew that there must be a reason for Liu Xun to say that, so he listened attentively.

"The household department has always been relatively closed, and the relationship among internal colleagues is intricate. If they are all promoted from within, some troubles will inevitably arise.

It's better to promote one, and then transfer another one from other provinces. The minister recommends one, and I hope His Majesty will consider it. "

Sure enough, Liu Xun pointed out something, Cao Xing nodded, motioning for him to continue.

"Qiu Ye, the chief executive officer of the Salt Tax Department of Luzhong Prefecture, has been working hard all these years, and he has been in this position for seven or eight years.

I remember that when he first went to Luzhong Mansion, not to mention the flood of private salt, the market price of salt was six or seven times higher than the imperial court's price, and the people complained a lot.

This Qiu Ye has some skills. In less than half a year, he let the price of salt drop, and he also paid off a group of salt dealers who squeezed the people's fat and oil, which can be regarded as eliminating harm for the people, so he has a very good reputation. "

It seems that Liu Xun has a good impression of this Qiu Ye, and some of his achievements can be seen as soon as he opened his mouth.

"In this case, you can handle this matter as appropriate."

Cao Xing nodded. Liu Xun was a veteran of the three dynasties, and he could be called a "living history". He pretended to be in his heart about the people and events in the officialdom of the Great Wei, and he was in charge. Cao Xing was still very relieved.

This is also one of the reasons why Cao Xing is unwilling to let Liu Xun die.

While the three of them were discussing, a young eunuch came to Zhen Jing's side and whispered a few words.

"Your Majesty, General Zhenbei Cui Jingbo is waiting outside the palace gate, saying that he has something to ask for an audience."

Zhen Jing came in front of the three of them, smiled embarrassedly, and said in a low voice.

Cao Xing was taken aback for a moment, thinking that General Zhenbei was fine, why would he beg to see him?

But after thinking about it, it was probably related to the case of the Hubu assassin, so I felt a little headache.

You can't tell, he is General Zhenbei after all, one of the sixteen generals in the Great Wei Dynasty, I don't see him losing the prestige of the emperor.

But see, it must be another bad thing like an assassin, you are a dignified general, what are you doing with these things.

After thinking about it, Cao Xing sighed and asked Zhen Jing to announce Cui Jingbo.

After all, the emperor's face is still important. It would be detrimental to his own prestige to let a general ask to see him but not to see him.

Not long after, Cui Jingbo came down to the upper study room under the guidance of an eunuch. He didn't wear any armor today, but just wore the military uniform.

"Meet Your Majesty, may my emperor live long, long live."

Cui Jingbo entered the upper study room, saw Cao Xing, immediately knelt down on one knee, and performed a military officer's salute.

"Get up, Cui Aiqing wants to see me for anything."

While talking, Cao Xing reached for the tea bowl, but the moment he touched the tea bowl, he stopped his hand, hesitated, and retracted.

What if it sprays again, you have to save face.

"Your Majesty, the day before yesterday I went to Prince Rong's Mansion because of my subordinates. I never thought that I would meet that assassin. The thing is like this...

So I suspect that the Rongwang Mansion may have something to do with the assassination of the head of the household department. "

Cui Jingbo told the whole story, the atmosphere in the study room suddenly became condensed, Liu Xun and Wang Bin looked at each other, and they both saw the seriousness in each other's eyes.

The Household Department has a lot to do with it, so it would be fine if it was an ordinary assassination, but with the involvement of Prince Rong's Mansion, the taste will be different.

Although King Rong took retreat as an advance and became an idle prince, it did not mean that he had no chance of ascending to the Great Treasure at all.

In the past dynasties, the fight for the throne was full of blood. Everyone knows that the dragon chair is stained with blood, and the emperor always stepped on the seat on the steel knife and spear.

But what supported the steel knife and spear?
The answer is simple, it is silver.

If Hubu fell into the hands of King Rong, what would he do?What does he want money for?

In terms of title, a prince is already at the top. In terms of expenses, the annual salary given to him by the imperial court is more than twice that of other princes.

Anyone can spy on the household department, but only the imperial relatives can't, because the only purpose of the imperial relatives taking that place is the dragon chair.

"What you said is true."

Cao Xing's face turned cold. He knew the seriousness of the matter and had to confirm it again and again.

"Every sentence of the last general is true, and the subordinates of the last general were present that day, so they can testify."

Cui Jingbo said sincerely, without any falsehood.

"My lord, I'm afraid this matter..."

Just as Wang Bin was about to speak, he saw a young eunuch rushing in in a panic and whispering something in Zhen Jing's ear.

"Your Majesty, Prince Rong has arrived, and...he is wounded."

Zhen Jing heard Cui Jingbo's words, but as the chief steward in front of the hall, he pretended not to hear him and still spoke in a normal tone.

"What? With injuries?"

Cao Xing was stunned, what happened to the Rong Palace, Cui Jingbo came to complain on the front foot, and his eighth uncle followed with injuries on the back foot.

Now that King Rong is here, it is impossible for Cao Xing not to go to see him. Immediately, everyone left the upper study room and went to the side hall outside.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

Seeing Cao Xing coming, Cao Song immediately sat up from the bed and wanted to greet him.

"No need for eighth uncle, what is going on, who hurt you."

Cao Xing immediately stopped Cao Song, helped him lie back on the bed, took advantage of the situation and glanced at his shoulder, blood seeped out of the bandage, he was indeed injured.

"Hey, it's all my fault. A few days ago, I planned to recruit a few guards from the guard house, but I never thought of sneaking in an assassin.

It turned out that General Cui had gone the day before yesterday and forced the assassin to show up, so he had to escape.I never thought that the assassin would sneak back that night, intending to assassinate me.

Fortunately, a few servants were brave enough to block the knife and saved me, what a pity for them, four dead and three wounded, four dead and three wounded..."

As Cao Song said, he shook his head in remorse, beating his chest and stamping his feet, which was moving.

"Prince Rong, could it be that assassin..."

Cui Jingbo is here, knowing that this is Cao Song's play, but he can't expose it, so he has no choice but to use his tricks. He wants to ask questions to find out the flaws, but Liu Xun stops him with a wave.

Seeing Cao Xing comforting his eighth uncle, he ordered the admiral Xuan Jiumen to meet him, and he wanted to send an order to the world to arrest this daring thief and assassin.

"Your Majesty, it's because the minister's mansion is lax in guarding the gate, and the assassin took advantage of the loophole, killing and injuring so many people, I still hope that the Emperor will punish him."

Cao Song knelt down and kowtowed deeply to Cao Xing on the bed, which made Cao Xing rush to help him up, repeatedly saying "no need".

The uncle and nephew were courteous for a long time, and finally Cao Xingxuan came to the imperial physician to see Cao Song's injury.

Cao Song's assassination somehow alarmed the Empress Dowager, so that Cao Xing had to go to the Empress Dowager's bedroom and tell the story again.

"Liu Zaifu, this King Rong obviously did it on purpose."

The palace was in chaos, Liu Xun and the other three couldn't stay any longer, but as soon as they left the imperial city, Cui Jingbo pulled Liu Xun aside and whispered.

"Whether it's intentional or not, it doesn't matter. What do you want Your Majesty to do? Question your own uncle in a stern voice? And this uncle is still wounded."

After Liu Xun finished speaking, he shook his head, raised his legs and walked away, leaving Cui Jingbo standing there alone.

"General, what did the Holy Majesty say?"

Han Yu, who had been waiting outside the imperial city, rushed over and asked in a low voice.

"Hey, what a pity, what a pity. King Rong, this old fox, is really difficult to deal with. He can even use the means of self-mutilation to act in a play. He came with a 'reproach for injury'. Go."

Cui Jingbo closed his eyes, Liu Xun had already woken him up just now, even though the emperor had doubts about King Rong, on the surface, he had to maintain the appearance of "harmony between uncle and nephew".

Even a needle has pierced deeply in my heart.