Quickly wear: There are always those who are not afraid of death and want to torture me

As the year drew to a close, two major events occurred.

The first thing is that Yuebiguan in the northwest has solved the problem.Originally, Yue Beiguan had been confronting the [-] Jin troops outside the pass for more than three years.There was nothing anyone could do. The Jin people simply camped outside the city, hoping to fight Li Guo to the end.

Unexpectedly, after the prince passed there, he spent several months getting familiar with the terrain and battle conditions.Late one night, he led a group of light cavalry to sneak attack the Jin camp from behind, encircle the army, and completely annihilate the Jin army stationed outside the city.It ended the three-year confrontation between the two armies at Yuebei Pass.

Cui Yuanjue was overjoyed when the good news reached the capital.He ordered Cui Yuzhen to be granted the title of Marquis of the Town Border, with a hundred acres of fertile land and ten thousand taels of gold.The remaining officers and men were rewarded according to their merits.

In order to express the reward, everyone in the East Palace was also rewarded.Even people like Mo Qin who had left the East Palace were rewarded with a hundred taels of silver.

Almost at the same time, bad news came from the Prime Minister's Mansion - Chao Lin finally couldn't stand it anymore and died.

As the news spread, everyone's eyes invariably focused on the Chao family.

Everyone in the capital knows that this day is going to change.

After the emperor heard the news, it is said that he sat in the imperial study for several hours.He sighed endlessly and said repeatedly: "Chaolin is Dali's loyal minister and my loyal minister. It's a pity, it's a pity that God is jealous of talents!"

In order to show the royal family's pity and love for this great minister, Cui Yuanjue decided to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion in person to see the Prime Minister off for the last time.

The guard of honor set off from the palace in a mighty manner and arrived at the Prime Minister's Mansion.

All the members of the Chao family were already kneeling at the door to welcome the emperor's arrival.

Immediately, Cui Yuanjue asked Li Shi to read the imperial edict of granting grace.In gratitude for the Prime Minister's contribution to the Li Kingdom over the past decade, his funeral was upgraded to the level of a prince.The tomb was buried in the imperial mausoleum, and the bones were returned to the ancestral land of the Chao family.

This is an unprecedented honor.But Chao Lin's son's expression when he received the decree was uglier than crying.

The emperor also had a faint sad expression on his face, and he personally leaned over to help him up.He said that he felt very uncomfortable and felt sorry for what happened to the Prime Minister.

After listening to the emperor's words, Mo Qin couldn't help but curl his lips.

My heart says, Your Majesty, you don’t seem to be so sad these days that you can’t eat.The only reaction was to say "Yeah" after hearing the news of Chao Lin's death, and then he took me to play chess, eat well, drink well, sleep well, and was very happy.

After the emperor said: "Ping Sheng." After that, the family members of the court went about doing what they were supposed to do, treating guests to guests, and receiving the wind from those who welcomed the guests.Only Concubine Chao came forward to salute the emperor alone.

These days, Chao Qinshu has been staying at the Chao family to take care of his brother and balance the power disputes within the Chao party. Now he is physically and mentally exhausted.

There was no makeup on her face, as if she had huddled in a corner and cried before meeting the emperor. Her eyes were red, and she looked extremely sad and depressed.

She was wearing a plain lake blue dress. As for her jewelry, there was only a wooden hairpin on her head, which was very simple and low-key.However, it still seemed a bit awkward among the crowds of people wearing sackcloth and mourning.

She is a person who married into the royal family. Even if her family members die, she cannot wear mourning clothes, otherwise it will be a curse on the royal family.So I could only dress more modestly and not wear makeup on my face to express my condolences.

There are still three days left for the coffin period. In order to send the minister to the court for burial in person, the emperor has to stay at the court's home before the funeral.

Concubine Chao wiped her tears and led Cui Yuanjue to see her residence.

Next to her was a girl of fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in white linen mourning clothes, with a pretty and lively face.Her watery eyes are tearful and pretty. If she were decorated with pink and white jewelry, she would be as beautiful as the young imperial concubine.

Concubine Chao: "This is the daughter of my cousin, my niece."

It sounds like a casual introduction.Cui Yuanjue responded lightly without paying too much attention.

However, Mo Qin couldn't help but look at Miss Chao a few more times, and saw that she had a small white-pink flower pinned to her ear. It was similar to the color of the mourning dress, so it was difficult to recognize it.

The head of the main family is dead, but he still has the thought to wear flowers in his hair.Didn't the Chao family notice such unfilial behavior?

Mo Qin lowered his head and followed Cui Yuanjue, his eyes rolled around a few times, but he finally said nothing.

Entering the courtyard, there were enough servants serving the Chao family, so Cui Yuanjue left Mo Qin, Li Shi and a few guards behind.Tell the remaining people to go back.

The Prime Minister's Mansion occupies an unusually large area, and after housing the giant Buddha Cui Yuanjue, there are more than enough rooms for other guests.

This time, in order to express the importance that the royal family attaches to the court, Cui Yuanjue not only came by himself, but also brought the princes and princesses from Beijing with him.

Among them is naturally the fifth prince Cui Qiu.

Speaking of which, Mo Qin has never met the other party alone since the secret letter was stolen last time.

Sometimes Cui Qiu was summoned to the emperor, and when he saw him intact and on duty in front of the emperor, there was no unnecessary emotion in his eyes.It was as if he didn't know him at all.

Mo Qin's behavior was also extremely calm, and he only treated Cui Qiu as an ordinary prince, respectfully and politely.There was no resentment or resentment, as if he had forgotten the other person's deception and abandonment.

Now that the prince is not in the capital and Chao Lin is dead, Cui Qiu will surely take action soon.

After tidying up, under the leadership of Miss Chao, the niece of Chao Guifei, the group came to the nave where the coffin was placed.

Before he even entered the door, he could hear grief-stricken cries coming from inside.

Mo Qin followed Cui Yuanjue and walked in.Everyone quickly stopped crying and saluted the emperor.Waiting for His Majesty to finish expressing his condolences.

When Cui Yuanjue walked out of the mourning hall, crying started again inside.

Mo Qin turned around and looked coldly at his family members who were crying loudly.He knew that these people were crying more for themselves in the future.

The Chao family has relied on the power of the ruling party for so many years and has done a lot of evil.Unfortunately, except for Chao Lin, no one in the entire Chao family can take on a major responsibility.

Once Chao Lin dies, the ruling party will inevitably disperse. The glory of the past will no longer exist, and it will be time for reckoning.Those forces that were once suppressed, bullied, and disdained by the court will make a comeback together.At that time, it will be the moment when the wall falls and everyone breaks the drum and beats it.

Mo Qin knew this, the Chao family knew this, all the visitors knew this, and Cui Yuanjue naturally knew this too.

The art of the emperor is also the art of checks and balances.

In the early years, the prince's power had not yet arisen, and Chao Lin did not have that much power.

As the prince grew up and supported the upstarts in the court, in order to check and balance this overly outstanding son, the emperor would inevitably want to establish another force to fight against the prince.

It can be said that it was the emperor's acquiescence and secret support that made the ruling party so powerful and powerful, allowing them to do anything without any scruples.

But now, the prince made a mistake and left the capital for the frontier fortress. The sky is high and the water is far away.Now that the ruling party has fallen, the emperor will be more able to use the interests for his own purposes.

I just don’t know how many scattered forces among them will get into Cui Qiu’s pocket.

Mo Qin lowered his head and felt as if he were flying to the sky.

Until Cui Yuanjue tapped his forehead and called him: "Mo Qin, what are you thinking about in your little head? You didn't even notice that I was talking to you."

Mo Qin came to his senses and quickly apologized: "Your Majesty, forgive me. I just saw my family members crying so miserably, and I couldn't help but feel the same way, and thought of my relatives."

Cui Yuanjue asked: "Oh? I have never heard you say, where are your relatives now, and who are the other children in the clan?"

Mo Qin said: "Your Majesty, this servant is from Shu. He entered the palace at the age of five. As for his relatives at home, they must be gone." He said with a look of loneliness on his face.

The light in a pair of peach blossom eyes also dimmed, which made one feel heartbroken.

Cui Yuanjue subconsciously raised his hand to touch his head, but Mo Qin had a eunuch hat on his head and it was difficult to do so, so he had to pat his shoulder instead.

"From now on, when you are in the palace, I will take care of you on behalf of your family."

Mo Qin couldn't help but trembled when he heard this, and even put away the pretended down expression on his face.

He stepped back in fear and bowed his head and said: "The duty of a slave is to take care of Your Majesty, how can you turn it upside down? Your Majesty said this to offend the slave."

Cui Yuanjue shrank his fingers slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but when he said it, he said: "Okay, I scared you. I was just joking. Let's go, I've been walking for a day, go back and have a rest."

Mo Qin followed him with his head lowered, his brows slightly furrowed so as not to be seen.

The system's voice rang in his head: "Host, do you think there's something wrong with this emperor? I actually wanted to say it a long time ago. Sometimes he looks at you like...like..." It carefully considered its words. , looking for a more appropriate metaphor, "Just like the way Su Mingjun looked at you at the beginning of the last world. There is a little desire in the sharpness, and there is something weird in the silence. Tell me, does he like you? Already?"

Mo Qin frowned: "If that's really the case, it would be a bit difficult..."

The system said nervously: "Huh? Are you going to become Cui Yuzhen's baby mother?!"

Mo Qin rolled his eyes: "We haven't reached that point yet, so don't make any arrangements. Cui Yuanjue's private life is not corrupt at all. He can't even take the eunuchs who are close to him into bed..."

"...Bar."

The two people walking in the front were so occupied with their own thoughts that they didn't notice the young lady from the Chao family who was following behind them, with a strange thoughtful look on her face.