Huan Rong

There is an ancient saying, from the son of heaven to the common people, the body, hair, skin and skin are taken care of by the parents. When they are born, they are supported, and when they die, they are mourned. Three years of mourning, the world's rites.

According to ancient rituals, when Sima Yu passed away, his parents and children should be in mourning for three years.

However, Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty reformed the funeral ceremony system, and the funeral period was once changed.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and the Wei and Jin systems all followed the Han rites.Emperor Wu of Wei had a last order at the end of his life: "The world is not stable, and it is not possible to follow the ancient times. All officials should be in the middle, and the fifteen voices will be removed after the burial."

More strictly, all generals stationed in various places are not allowed to leave without authorization.There is no need to cry and mourn at the court, in case the enemy can take advantage of it.

Emperor Wu of Wei passed away on Gengzi in the first month. Xin Chou went to the funeral that month, and Ding Mao was buried in the imperial mausoleum. The entire funeral lasted less than a month.Since then, the emperors of Wei and Jin have used this as their system, and the ritual is only one month.

The emperor of the Jin Dynasty passed away, and the whole country mourned for three days, and the people were relieved after three days.

However, the new emperor still needs to wear deep clothes and plain hats, and there will be no entertainment in the palace, and the banquets and meals will be withdrawn.After serving for one month, you can change the clothes and hold a banquet, and re-establish the music.

With all his efforts and calculations, Sima Yu has been on the throne for less than two years.

To put it bluntly, he returned home before his butt was hot.

Sima Yao was established as the crown prince, and he had just put on the Yuanyou crown, and hadn't lived in the East Palace for a day, and suddenly became the master of the Taiji Hall.

The changes were too fast, and there was no time to get excited. The pressure suddenly hit him, almost making him breathless.

Hundreds of officials wear mourning hats and scarves.

The court meeting was suspended for three days, and while the officials were busy with the emperor's funeral, they also had to prepare for the new emperor's enthronement.

When Xi Yin entered the court to assist the government, whether Sima Yao wanted to or not, he had to show some respect to him.If not, the envoy Xi Ji can wave his hand, follow the will of the first emperor, imitate the story of Duke Zhou, kick him off the throne in a fair and honest way, and push another "obedient" new emperor.

Sima Yu's imperial decree before his death was like a sharp long knife, which could fall at any time and cut off Sima Yao's neck.

Fortunately, Xi Yin is a powerful minister and has no ambition to usurp the throne.

Sima Yao only needs to grit his teeth and be patient, be an obedient puppet, find a gap to act secretly, and there will always be a bright future.

As for whether he would be abolished before he came out, or whether there would be another powerful minister after Xi Yin, Sima Yao didn't think so much for the time being.The only thing he can do is to put on a simple and honest face, to be a cash puppet, and to put pen and seal on the imperial edict according to Xi Tingshi's wishes.

During this process, Sima Yao discovered a strange thing. The Jade Seal of Chuanguo was still there, and the Six Seals of Chengyu were not missing, except that the golden seal of the emperor was missing.

Due to the war at the end of the Han Dynasty, the Chuanguo Yuxi once fell into the hands of the Hu people, and the Chengyu Six Seals gradually lost their real meaning.For quite a long time, the imperial edicts issued by the emperors of the Wei and Jin Dynasties used the golden seal of the emperor.

After the Yongjia Rebellion, Emperor Yuan crossed the river to establish the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and the Imperial Seal was withdrawn. Most of the time, the edict was still stamped with the emperor's golden seal.

Sima Yao searched around and summoned eunuchs to inquire, but he still couldn't find the whereabouts of the gold seal.

After confirming that the golden seal was missing, Sima Yao dismissed the crowd and sat alone in the hall, contemplating for a long time, his expression becoming more and more gloomy.Clenching a fist with one hand and pounding on the table vigorously, still unable to relieve his anger, he stood up abruptly, kicked it hard, and the low couch fell over in an instant.

The eunuchs and maidservants guarded outside the palace, all of them kept silent.

Sima Daozi came just in time, and when he saw this situation, he sneered.Regardless of the eunuch's obstruction, he kicked the man away, pushed open the palace door, and strode in.

After taking two steps, he suddenly stopped, turned around and walked to the side of the eunuch, seeing that the latter was still kneeling on the spot, smiled coldly, and kicked directly on top of his head.

"How dare you stop me?!"

The eunuch didn't pay attention, and suddenly fell to one side and rolled down the stone steps.The back of the head was smashed, and the blood flowed slowly, staining the bluestone under his body red.

Sima Daozi didn't even move his eyebrows, he just said "clean up", and immediately a servant stepped forward to drag him away.Life or death depends on destiny.

Even if he can survive, he will not continue to serve in the Tai Chi Hall.

Walking into the inner hall, seeing the mess in the room, Sima Daozi cupped his hands casually, and said: "The enthronement ceremony will be in a month's time, brother should be proud of the spring breeze, what kind of anger is this?"

Sima Yao remained silent, with his hands behind his back, pacing around the room.

The toe stepped on a roll of bamboo slips, and there was a soft sound.Not feeling well, he immediately kicked and flew out, regardless of whether it was related to the emperor's funeral request or not.

Seeing him like this, Sima Daozi put away his playful expression, frowned and said, "Brother, what happened?"

"What's the matter?" Sima Yao stopped, gritted his teeth and said, "Emperor Jinyin!"

"what?"

"I said, the emperor's golden seal is gone!"

"How could it be?" Sima Daozi was stunned, "The edict before that..."

"They all use seals."

Tired from walking, Sima Yao kicked off the low couch, sat back on the futon, and signaled Sima Daozi to come forward.

"Father died, please use the jade seal in case of an ominous ceremony. After father is buried, this matter will definitely not be hidden." Sima Yao gritted his teeth.

"Brother, have you asked the person who served the royal father?"

"I've asked, but I don't know anything about it." Sima Yao clenched his fists, "The two who came from the palace hanged themselves in the room four days ago, and died for their father."

Sima Daozi fell into deep thought, but after much deliberation, he still couldn't find a good solution.

"This issue……"

When he was speaking, a sudden report came from outside the hall, saying that Xu Shuyi had died for the emperor.

"Add chaos!" Sima Yao muttered, and ordered, "Report the matter to Xianyang Palace, and then go to Changle Palace to deliver a letter. Since you died for your father, you will be chased as Concubine Shu, and you will be sent to the imperial mausoleum together on the day of the funeral. .”

"Brother, how can you be so cheap to her?!" Sima Daozi was very dissatisfied, brushing his hand over the right cheek, he seemed to still feel the burning pain that day.

"What else can I do if I don't?"

"What's the matter?" Sima Daozi's eyes were cold, "just charge him with a crime, say that he committed suicide in fear of crime, and threw him directly to the mass grave to feed the wild dogs! By the way, he pushed the matter of killing the slave to her, just in time to move the aunt out of the house. Partial hall."

The more Sima Daozi talked, the more he felt that it was feasible.

Sima Yao shook his head.

"It won't work."

"Why not?"

"The enthronement ceremony has not yet been held, and I am not yet the emperor. Besides, even if I sit on the throne, I can't do anything recklessly."

"How can this be called reckless behavior?"

"Father has an order." Sima Yao lowered his eyes and looked at the red seal in his palm, "If Xu Shuyi doesn't die, it's fine. If she dies voluntarily, she will be buried in the imperial tomb. There are records in the palace, it is impossible to hide this matter live."

Sima Daozi gritted his teeth, "That's the end of the matter?"

Sima Yao sighed, "As I said before, it's best to think about the consequences when doing things. Being angry for a while may cause big troubles, and the gains outweigh the losses. Especially this matter, I can't disobey the edict, and you don't want to worry about it." Other thoughts. Being caught by others, the matter of staying in Jiankang will definitely be opposed by all the officials."

"Brother, do you want to go back on your word?"

"Use your brain!" Sima Yao burst into anger instantly, "Don't you think about it, Sima Daofu is still in my aunt! She is Huan Yuanzi's daughter-in-law!"

"If you do what you say, Sima Daofu will definitely not give up if you don't mention it in the middle of the court! She is now under the protection of the Huan family, and her father's funeral must go back to Jiankang for the funeral. I will do as you said. She will definitely make a big fuss. You and I have to use Huan Rong's power to tear ourselves apart with Huan Shi at this time, and we are the ones who are blocking the way!"

Sima Daozi was very unwilling, but he had to admit that Sima Yao was right.

Regardless of what happened to Sima Daofu and Huan Ji, on the surface, she was always Huan's daughter-in-law.

Openly disobeying the edict and throwing Xu Shuyi, who took the initiative to be buried, to feed the dogs outside the city will not only hurt Sima Daofu, but also arouse Huan's dissatisfaction.It's not that the Huan family valued the princess of the Jin family so much, but that it would involve the new emperor's "attitude" towards the clan.

By doing this, is he humiliating the Huan family by beating around the bush?Is it provocative?

No matter which point is true, Sima Yao's throne will not be secure.

Furthermore, in terms of ethics, Xu Shuyi is Sima Yao's concubine.How would people in the world think of his father who treated his concubine so ruthlessly not long after his death?

Thinking of this, Sima Yao's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Sima Daozi suspiciously.

Is the other party really out of breath and "never forget" Xu Shuyi's two slaps, or is he trying to take the opportunity to throw dirty water on himself?

Facing Sima Yao's gloomy gaze, Sima Daozi moved uncomfortably a few times, which made the former even more guilty.He couldn't help but wonder, if he stayed in Jiankang and promised the title of King Langya, was he looking for help or leaving hidden dangers for himself.

If there is a hidden danger...

"Brother?"

"...Nothing." Suppressing the sudden evil thoughts, Sima Yao said in a deep voice, "Don't worry about Xu Shuyi's affairs. The most important thing at present is to find out the whereabouts of the golden seal. The day the father entered the imperial mausoleum , Hundreds of officials cried and mourned. The royal family and the governors of the states could not come in person, and they would also send the state officials."

Speaking of this, Sima Yao paused, lowered his voice, and said word by word: "When you meet someone from Youzhou, you must speak for me. If Huan Rong is willing to support me, he can be allowed to be the prime minister in the future! "

"Prime Minister?! He is also worthy!" Sima Daozi shouted.

"Shut up!" Sima Yao sternly said, "Why is he unworthy?"

"he……"

"He is the son of the eldest princess of Nankang, the majestic Duke of Huainan County. He holds Youzhou and Yuzhou in his hands. He is full of financial resources, military strength, and popularity! It is rumored that Huan Yuanzi is dying of illness, and no one in the court can resist Xi Fanghui. .If I don’t win over him, who else can I win over?!”

"Youzhou, if I can control Youzhou..." Sima Daozi murmured.

Sima Yao's eyes flickered slightly.

"Don't worry, there will be that day."

Sima Daozi suddenly raised his head and looked directly at Sima Yao, "Brother, are you serious?"

"Naturally." Sima Yao said, "When I secure the throne and drive Xi Fang back, Huan Rong will become a thorn in the side of the gentry. At that time, we can unite with the court, find a wrong place, and depose him. Yuzhou can use it Come to appease the Huan family, Youzhou will be handed over to Brother."

"Agreed?"

"A word is settled!"

The two brothers clapped their hands together and laughed at the same time, dreaming of an impossible dream.

In Changle Palace, Empress Dowager Chu put down the scriptures, looked at Ane who was kneeling in front of her, and said sharply, "Say it again?"

"Back to the Empress Dowager, the servant is ordered by the Queen, and will serve in the Xianyang Palace."

"Xianyang Palace?" Empress Dowager Chu's eyes became more serious, "Are you trying to betray me?"

"The servant has served the Empress Dowager for decades. He is cautious and conscientious. I dare not give credit for it. There is always hard work."

Ana raised her head, no longer the obedience of the past, with a sarcasm in her expression, "How does the Queen Mother treat the servant, she throws it away as soon as she says it. It wasn't the governor of Youzhou, the grass on the servant's grave is already taller than a person."

"Are you resenting me?"

"Don't dare." Ane continued, "Although the servant's life is cheap, I still want to live a few more days. Her Royal Highness is in charge of the affairs of the palace, and the servant is called to serve, and the servant should obey her orders."

"Do you think Mrs. Wang will really trust you?"

"Going back to the queen mother, I have never thought so." Ana lowered his eyes, his posture was respectful, but the mocking color on his face became more and more intense.

"I know how much I am, so I don't dare to ask His Highness the Queen's trust. I only want to be useful to His Highness. At least I will not treat my servant as a waste, and I can throw it aside at any time."

"Ane," Empress Dowager Chu softened her tone, "You were in the Changle Palace for great Changle, and when you come out here, can you compete with the people in the Xianyang Palace?"

"Has the queen mother forgotten that after the emperor's funeral, the queen is the queen mother?"

In short, Changle Palace is bound to change hands.

According to common sense, the Empress Dowager Chu should be the Empress Dowager.

However, the queen is higher than her seniority, so the airs of the empress dowager can't be put on airs.Moreover, with Changle Palace changing hands and Dachangle casting another vote, her position in Taicheng will be quite embarrassing.

Maybe, even the name of the Empress Dowager will not be given, and she will be directly moved into the side hall, where she will suffer to death in front of the Taoist scriptures.

Looking at the pale old master, Ana lowered his head even lower, but felt strangely happy in his heart.In order to suppress the excited smile, his expression was a bit distorted.

The death knell in the palace rang, and Jiankang City was completely deserted.

Not long after Sima Yu ascended the throne, he has been prime minister for many years, and has the reputation of "celebrity", and has always had a good reputation among the people.

On the day of mourning for the emperor, there was no music in the city, and the Goulan restaurant was closed.

In the cloth market, the silk was put away, and the white linen was out of stock.Every household hung up white lights and planted green grass in front of the door.The bustling shop on weekdays was almost silent for three days.

As the day of the funeral drew near, more and more cars came from all over the state.

Among them, the most eye-catching one is not the guard of honor of the royal family such as the king of Liang, nor the patriarch of the noble family who came from Kuaiji, but the eldest princess of Nankang who came south from Youzhou!

Since leaving Jiankang secretly, this is the first time that Princess Nankang has appeared in the capital.

Seeing the red-painted and soaped carriage, seeing the elite soldiers guarding the sides of the carriage, and looking at the female officer in front of the carriage, the city gate guard couldn't help but gasp.

Princess Nankang was sitting in the carriage, and the tiger girl jumped out of the carriage, handed out the wooden sign, and said in a crisp voice: "His Royal Highness Princess Dachang mourns for the Son of Heaven, and returns from Youzhou!"

After the convoy entered the city, it went straight to Qingxili.

After returning this time, Princess Nankang was very moved.However, thinking of the reaction of the palace and the noble families, he suppressed the sudden desolation, cheered up, and immediately asked the palace to see the king and queen.

In fact, Huan Rong really didn't want his mother to return to Jiankang.

Princess Nankang said with a smile: "Don't worry, Gua'er, I can leave at any time when I go back this time, and no one dares to stop me."

Huan Rong was still worried, so in addition to fifty tigers, he sent another five hundred private soldiers to guard the car.He also ordered Qian Shi who was accompanying him that if something was wrong, even if he broke through the city gate, he would escort his mother out of Jiankang.

Mrs. Li accompanied her, and before departure, she specially concocted two kinds of new incense, and told her personal servants to put them in the wooden box.In order to reassure Huan Rong, he specially used it once on the livestock.

Seeing the results of the "experiment", Huan Rong's scalp became numb for a whole day.

Aunt is mighty!

It can be concluded that whoever dares to find his own mother will feel uncomfortable and will definitely regret it for the rest of his life.Seriously, there may not even be a chance to regret it.

"Your Majesty, don't worry."

Before leaving, Mrs. Li specially comforted Huan Rong, "Mr. Lang holds two states in his hands, but he is actually a prince of one side. The husband is dying, and the threat will not diminish after all. The new emperor has not yet ascended the throne, and General Xi is in Jiankang. Seeking stability is the top priority. At this time, no one dares to force His Highness to stay."

Sima Huan was critically ill for a time, but he hadn't completely passed away after all.

After his arrangement, Jingzhou, Jiangzhou, Yuzhou, and Youzhou were connected together. It can be said that the most important states and counties in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River are all under the control of the Huan family.

With the Xifu army and Huan's private soldiers, plus the Youzhou soldiers who have just shown their talents, the Huan's power has not weakened, but is even more terrifying than before.

At this time, even Xi Yin would not act rashly, let alone fight with the Huan family easily, let alone the Jiankang gentry who did not have military power in their hands.

Sima Yu was the emperor of the Jin family and an elder of the royal family. When he passed away, due to emotion and reason, Princess Nankang had to go to the funeral.Meeting Sima Daofu on the way, the two teams merged into one team and entered Jiankang City together.

Compared with a few months ago, Sima Daofu looked haggard, with less arrogance and more calmness.Along with the servants sent by Aye and Youzhou, those sent by Langya Palace and the palace were all sent away.

It was unexpected that the two entered the city together.

However, just as Mrs. Li analyzed before, looking at the whole Jiankang, no one dared to touch the two of them, but they would be very polite.Welcome people respectfully, and then send them away respectfully.

Sima Huan was indeed seriously ill, and he had already arranged for his funeral.But he didn't die after all, and no one can guarantee that things will suddenly change.

Although the tiger is dead, its majesty still exists.

What's more, this fierce tiger has not completely died yet.

Under the pressure, the atmosphere in the courtroom became even more dull.According to Xie An and Wang Tanzhi's thoughts, they wished that Sima Yu would be sent to the imperial mausoleum tomorrow, and Princess Nankang would be sent out of Jiankang the next day.

Huan Rong stayed in Xuyi, always paying attention to the news of Jiankang and Gushu.

After receiving the letter from Huan Chong, I meditated for a long time alone, ordered Jia Bing, Xunyou and others to be summoned, and said, "When my mother returns from Jiankang, I will present myself to invite Jiuxi for my lord."

Jia Bing and Xunyou looked at each other with a slight twinkle in their eyes.

"Duke Ming has already decided?"

"Yes." Huan Rong held a purse made of silk, and there were two seals inside, one was the emperor's golden seal, and the other was the private seal of Tiao Huan's servants.

"I've made up my mind."

Regardless of Huan Da Sima's original intentions, he must reciprocate.This move is also to prove to the tribe that he is on the side of the Huan family, not the Jin family.

If it were replaced by the feudal dynasty of later generations, such an idea can be described as outrageous.

However, now is the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the era when the nobles came to power.

For Huan Rong, in order to completely control the Huan family, it is useless to rely on Huan Chong and Huan Huo to say good things. He must further demonstrate his strength and let the Huan family see that he has the ability to take over the position of Sima Huan and further expand The Huan family grew stronger and took on a higher status.