love palace

In mid-May, the pomegranate flowers all over the mountains and plains are so red, dazzling like flames!

And in the imperial city with yellow tiles and red walls covering the sky, there are also gardens full of red flowers.Sometimes the flowers are packed so densely that people feel suffocated just looking at them.

As soon as the time came, the trial of Ke Weiqing, the general of Pinglu Zhonglang, who violated the military order and failed to return to Beijing within the [-]-day period stipulated by the court, was held in the official hall surrounded by blood-colored pomegranate flowers.

Because it was not yet ready for a trial before the imperial court, the emperor did not take the seat, and Mr. Liu Changxiu, a relative selected by Zhao Guowei, presided over the trial.

Liu Changxiu is over fifty, and he is the Minister of the Ministry of Officials. He has a broad heart, a fat body, and a long round face.Dressed in a first-rank official uniform of black purple python, and a court official with two wings and black yarn on his head.Although it is a trial, but it means going through the motions.Because no matter what the evidence is, Liu Changxiu will sentence Ke Weiqing.So sitting high in the hall is like sitting on a fishing boat.

Under the stage, various instruments of torture were lined up.There are wooden sticks, iron whips, clamps, etc. Even if the Minister of the Ministry of Officials came to the trial, the Ministry of Punishment still sent people to supervise as usual.

As a result, batches of soldiers were brought in, named and questioned one by one.The soldiers had never seen this battle before, and they all trembled with fear, and Ke Weiqing's words and deeds in Donglin Town were carefully recorded by the secretary.

The two lieutenants, Zhang Huzi and Liu Fuqiang, don't follow this routine. When they come to court, they first scold the court for injustice and turn black and white!He also praised Mr. Ke as a general who loves the people and uses soldiers like a god!

Liu Changxiu was born as a civil servant, so he didn't know how to lead troops to fight, and he had no interest in those siege tactics or delaying troops.But he was not happy with the way these two low-level reckless men insulted the court, so he immediately threw down the scepter, and let the servants beat them thirty times!

Then, they dragged the bloody and bloody two back to the prison, waiting to be punished.Then, Ke Weiqing, who was waiting for the trial, went to court.

Ke Weiqing took off his armor and cuffed his wrists with a pair of heavy copper shackles. When he lowered his head and noticed the blood on the floor tiles, Qingjun frowned.He looked at the hall, but Liu Changxiu stared dumbfounded, he was such a handsome man with autumn water as a god, although he went to court together, he didn't pay attention to Ke Weiqing.

Like Zhao Guowei, Liu Changxiu despises male favorites, but it is human nature to love beauty, and even the servants who sweep the floor in Shangshu's mansion are decent.

Of course, Ke Weiqing's appearance and temperament are by no means comparable to ordinary servants.He has no coquettish and lazy posture, nor is he timid and artificial. Although he looks beautiful, he can't hide the heroic spirit between his brows.

As the saying goes, if a tree is beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy it.With such a character around, General Zhao really needs to be on guard.No wonder, as soon as Ke Weiqing's soldiers and horses returned to Beijing, they were all controlled by Zhao Guowei.And all the papers about impeaching him for neglecting his duties and violating the imperial edict were submitted to the emperor's imperial case.Naturally, those officials were instructed by Zhao Guowei to do so.

"Well, who's in the hall?" Liu Changxiu cleared his throat and asked.

"Ke Weiqing." The clear and calm voice was as nice as a flute.

"Do you know what crime you have committed?" Liu Changxiu stroked his long beard, asked in an official tone, and threw a pile of criminal evidence in front of him.

Ke Weiqing didn't look at it, but said, "One person does things, and one person takes responsibility. Please, my lord, hold your hand high and let the criminal's subordinates go."

"Heh, you can't protect yourself, so you should think about how to get the word out!" Liu Changxiu sneered, and told the crime in one breath: a corporal reminded Ke Weiqing that he should attack the city as soon as possible to avoid delaying the return date, but Ke Weiqing didn't listen , Waiting for several days willfully, before deciding to attack the city, this crime is dereliction of duty!

Second, Dayan's army has never been so embarrassed. The opponent is just a bandit, not an enemy country, but it took a loss of a hundred soldiers to take it. This is incompetence!

This is the third crime. Since Donglinbao has been captured and the "Bronze Head" has been captured, why do they stay there and delay returning to Beijing again and again?This is despising the imperial decree and being arrogant!

If you choose one of these three charges, Ke Weiqing can't afford to go around.If it weren't for the fact that he returned to court after winning, he would have been sent directly to the Ministry of Punishment for disposal.Dayan's military law has always been strict, one is one, the other is two, nothing will be delayed, and it will never be extrajudicial.

Ke Weiqing silently accepted Liu Changxiu's insulting words. He was imprisoned in a moldy and dark prison for a full eight days. From what the jailer leaked, he knew that he had offended Zhao Guowei, so he ended up like this. Although he knew that Zhao Guowei was for himself Seeking power and killing Zhongliang, but they don't know that the actions of framing come so fast and so terribly, it's hard for people to argue, and they can only admit it.

However, Ke Weiqing was not afraid of torture. What he said was the truth, and what the corporal answered was also the truth. The combination of the two facts is the whole story.

Ke Weiqing looked straight at Liu Changxiu, frowned slightly, but spoke calmly.It started with Donglinbao's collusion with the affiliated Lingquan country, burning, killing and looting, and intentionally creating civil strife.

When it came time to attack, the actual difficulties encountered.If you insist on attacking by force, you will be killed and the net will be smashed, causing countless casualties.

When talking about the last battle, Liu Changxiu's eyes straightened unconsciously, and his beard trembled uncontrollably.Cannon fire was fired, arrows rained down, and the whole army fought desperately in the valley. The "Bronze Head" was defenseless and in chaos.

Ke Weiqing not only obtained crucial evidence, but also rescued more than a thousand innocent people in the fort. He wanted to help them rebuild their shelter, which delayed their journey back to the court.

When the people heard that Ke Zhonglang would be severely criticized by the court, they invited squires and celebrities to write a petition to protect this great and good official!It's just that these dirty, muddy and oily handprint books will never be sent to the emperor at all, they will be seized by the official department, and finally sent to Zhao Guowei's hands.

At this time, I am afraid that it has been turned into a ball of ashes.

"Wonderful! Storytellers are not so good!" Liu Changxiu patted the hall wood, also for himself to regain his senses.

"I'm telling the truth, you can check with the soldiers."

"What? Contempt of the court doesn't count, do you still despise my trial? Kneel down! What I know is the truth!" Liu Changxiu slammed a scepter, "Come on! Give me twenty lashes first!"

The two stout yamen servants glanced at each other, knowing that this was another unlucky guy who offended Zhao Guowei.So, he took the iron whip soaked in salt water from the execution platform, pointed at Ke Weiqing's back and thighs, and lashed back and forth.

Blood immediately soaked Ke Weiqing's clothes, and the sound of flesh being torn was particularly shocking.But he insisted not to kneel, and stood with gritted teeth. Liu Changxiu was furious and said that he would beat him until he knelt down!

Finally, a yamen servant kicked Ke Weiqing's knee so hard that he fell to the ground.

A statement of guilt was placed on the tray, and the secretary took the red clay and asked Ke Weiqing to sign and mark it.

Ke Weiqing raised his sweaty forehead, and his vision was blurred for a while, but he could still see words such as "collaboration with the enemy and treason", "conclusive evidence", "exile to the frontier".

"I don't admit it." Ke Weiqing said stubbornly, spitting out a mouthful of blood, "It is a crime to delay the return date, but when will I cooperate with the enemy?"

"Don't be so stubborn! Quick! Catch him!" Liu Changxiu clapped the case, and just when he was about to say goodbye, a clear and loud "Imperial decree has arrived!" made him get up in a hurry, straighten his official robes, and greeted him in front of the hall with a group of yamen servants.

"By heaven's blessing, the emperor summoned and said: General Ke Zhonglang's case of arresting the captives has been investigated in detail by the Ministry of Officials. It is true that he has committed the crime of negligence of duty. However, he also has credit for capturing the bandit leader alive, so he is punished and cut. The three-year salary has been reduced from the ninth grade, and I have studied history for the library, hoping that he will think about his mistakes behind closed doors, so as to make up for his mistakes. As for Zhang Huzi and others, they will be dealt with by the Ministry of Officials separately, hereby!"

Liu Changxiu was stunned, how did the emperor know that a judgment was being made at this moment?He also punished Ke Weiqing for him.

Compared with being exiled to the frontier fortress, the punishment for becoming a small official in the library is much lighter, but compared with Ke Weiqing's previous official title, it is a very heavy sentence.

From the fourth rank to the ninth rank, and to a civil official, what is the difference from those low-level country officials?They were assigned to the library in the northern district...it was colder than the Lenggong, all year round, but they couldn't even touch the emperor's sleeves.

"Ke Weiqing, you haven't come to receive the order yet..." the eunuch who passed the news shouted very rudely.

"The guilty minister is willing to be punished. I only hope that the father-in-law can get rid of the charges for Zhang Huzi and others in front of the emperor..." Ke Weiqing knelt on the ground, covered in blood, but still hoped that through this publicity officer, he could make himself The request was disclosed to the emperor.

Because after he returned to Beijing, he was strictly controlled by Zhao Guowei's minions. He only knelt down to worship the emperor once in the main hall, and had no direct contact yet.

"Stop talking!" The young eunuch handed over the imperial decree to Ke Weiqing, and then went back to repeat the order.

"My emperor is wise! Long live, long live, long live!"

Liu Changxiu prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing again and again.No matter what, Zhao Guowei was quite satisfied with this result, and this was the emperor's crime, and he would not take any dissatisfaction on him. Thinking of this, Liu Changxiu heaved a sigh of relief.He was no longer obsessed with interrogating Ke Weiqing, and announced his withdrawal.

Ke Weiqing was in severe pain, dragging heavy shackles, and under the push of the yamen servants, he staggered out of the dark public trial hall.

Outside, the pomegranate flowers were still in full bloom, and it was already afternoon, and the vermilion palace walls were like dense barriers, completely blocking his desire to see Huang Ye.

No matter how delicate the flowers are, the heart will be as sad. He Weiqing may not have fame and wealth, or even lose his life, but he cannot accept Huang Ye's disappointment in him.

He wanted to take advantage of this to suppress Zhao Guowei's military power, but he used it instead. It is conceivable how depressed Huang Ye is at the moment.

Going to the library to do the collection history is already Huang Ye's last pity.

Ke Weiqing hadn't had a drop of water for several days, and was whipped. Under the strong light, he felt dizzy for a while, and his lips turned white. But he gritted his teeth and stood still, and finally took a step. The North Palace went.

※※※

In Changchun Palace, outside the door of the Imperial Study Room, there are also a few pots of pomegranate flowers, but against the backdrop of layers of green leaves, they are not so dazzling.

Li Deyi pushed open the door of the palace, stepped in lightly, came to the imperial case, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, you are really clever. Xiao Lizi said that when he rushed, Lord Liu was about to shoot the gavel , intending to convict him.”

"What did Ke Weiqing say?" Huang Ye put down the memorial in his hand and asked.

"Here...he interceded for those two lieutenants." Li Deyi said, he couldn't help but feel that Ke Weiqing was too stupid to leave such a good opportunity to beg for mercy to others.

"It really is him." Huang Ye smiled instead.Ke Weiqing has already sentenced the two lieutenants to death. Liu Changxiu should detain them for a period of time and then release them.

"Your Majesty, do you see...?" Li Deyi thought he understood the emperor's thoughts, and also thought that the emperor would do his best to keep Ke Weiqing safe.

But when he saw the imperial decree, he was completely confused. Ke Weiqing successfully obtained the evidence of treason in Lingquan Kingdom.

"That's fine." Huang Ye murmured, stood up, and walked to the onyx chess board set aside, a mess waiting to be cleared up.

"There is a way, throw yourself into death and then survive, sink into death and then live." Huang Ye's thick fingers flexibly fiddled with the black clouds.Only by retreating as advance can Zhao Guowei be completely eradicated.

Although the victory is in sight, Huang Ye's dark eyes ignited a chilling and murderous look, "This account, I will naturally settle it with him in the future."

※※※

At the end of June, the night became obviously hotter, and a bolt of lightning quickly pierced the dark night sky.The sound of thunder that followed woke Ke Weiqing up from his dream, and the dark roof was like a huge rock, weighing him down!

Karala!

The dazzling lightning illuminated the library of literature and history with dozens of bookcases like a white painting.There is a ban on fire here, and there are only precious mirrors, calligraphy and paintings and other ornaments hanging on the walls, without a palace lantern.

The bed Ke Weiqing slept on was located at the foot of the easternmost wall, a rectangular carved plum wood couch.A blue cloth quilt and a straw pillow are all his belongings.

"Well……!"

I feel dizzy, is it because I copied too many history books during the day?He would copy the damaged and moth-eaten characters on rice paper, cut it into a suitable size, and paste it back on the book.Finally, the document must be carefully mounted with cotton needle thread and vermilion brocade.

It takes a whole day to repair each volume of the book, and the thickness of the history book made Ke Weiqing's ten fingers were all pricked by the needle point, which made him feel distressed even holding a pen.

"I'm really useless..." Ke Weiqing looked at the gauze-wrapped fingertips and thought with some annoyance.In the past few days, he desperately took medicine so that the whiplash on his back could heal as soon as possible.

When he was able to move, he thought he could do the mounting work well, so as not to give Zhao Guowei any excuse to drive him out of the palace, but he didn't expect to hurt his finger again.

Now, he must never leave the palace, Zhao Guowei is eyeing the emperor covetously, he must stay here, no matter how much hardship he suffers.

——But why do things always backfire?

Ke Weiqing pinched his aching forehead, feeling very irritable. If he couldn't sleep at night, he wouldn't even be able to copy books during the day!

Karala!The lightning and thunder made Ke Weiqing feel tightness in his chest even more. No matter how he forgot it, the bloody nightmare always lingered in his mind.Even after waking up, I still clearly remember the scorching flames, the choking smoke, and the cold and rushing river in the dream.

What exactly is going on?Ke Weiqing couldn't figure it out, could it be because the fighting in Donglinbao was too fierce, so there are still lingering fears in his heart?

However, when he traveled around the world, he had long witnessed the brutality and bloodiness of wars, and he also knew how painful and desolate it is to have his wife and children separated and his home destroyed.

Why is my heart so shaken now?The feeling of heartache is not like a dream, but it is the same as it has been experienced before.

A woman, Ke Weiqing always felt that there was a woman in a dream, calling him in a tone full of love and sorrow, "Qing'er..."

Could it be a childhood memory?But you are not an orphan?Prince Ke picked him up from the Zhuque River, and the servants also said that they didn't see any of his relatives.

Later, I heard that the winter was extremely cold that year, and many children from poor families were abandoned.

Ke Weiqing didn't complain about his parents, and he didn't mind his life experience. After all, when people are suffering from cold and starvation, they can do anything.

And it was precisely because of being abandoned that he met Huang Ye, being rescued and taken in by Huang Ye was the happiest thing in his life.

... This is enough, there is no need to get involved with the past.

Ke Weiqing now only cares about the emperor's safety and is always on guard against Zhao Guowei's plots, so he has no time to be distracted by nightmares.

"Don't think about it anymore!" Ke Weiqing couldn't help but patted his cheek, the gauze wrapped around his fingertips was wet with cold sweat, and there was another soreness in his left shoulder at this moment.

It was the aftereffect of the arrow wound. Whenever it rained, his arm would always be slightly sore and swollen, but the wound had really healed.

Ke Weiqing couldn't figure it out, what happened to the pattern on his left shoulder?When I took a shower that day, I was really shocked.

The red lines are blooming like flowers, how could there be such weird scars?No matter how old the medical books are, I have never seen similar records.

"Alas..." Annoying things are always one after another, but as long as he has a "tattoo" on his left arm, as long as it doesn't hinder his life, he can forget it first.

Seeing that the heavy rain was about to pour down, Ke Weiqing simply got up and went to close the doors and windows tightly. If the book got wet, it would be even more troublesome.

※※※

Whoa whoa whoa!

The wind and thunder were blowing, and the downpour fell in an instant, but the lights in the imperial study room were still brightly lit, and they were not affected by the rainstorm at all.

Huang Ye had just finished reviewing the memorial, and stood with his hands behind his back in front of the red window carved with red cranes, watching the pouring rain and the violent wind knocking the branches and leaves in the garden straight up, his black eyes were slightly focused.

"Your Majesty." Qing Yun flew into the hall as light as a civet cat.He was dressed in nocturnal black and knelt behind Huang Ye. "Have you got it?" Huang Ye turned his head slightly and asked in a low voice.

"Yes, I got it before the jailer found out." Qing Yun took out a secret letter from his waist, saying it was a letter, but it was written on a foot of cloth. The dark yellow color represented It used to be a monk's robe.

"I really want to see, what is the shocking secret in Du Sheng's last letter?" Huang Ye took the cloth Qing Yun handed over, and slowly spread it out.

Master Dusheng was well versed in Buddhism when he was young, and he was also proficient in astronomy and meteorology. He often made predictions and was regarded as a god by the Supreme Emperor.But later, I don't know if he went crazy, and after he was half-deaf, he became a little ignorant, talking crazy, and always swearing at Ke Weiqing.

"Monster!...Your Highness! This monster will not be eradicated! Dayan will perish!"

Huang Ye still remembered that when he was still the crown prince, Du Sheng pointed at Ke Weiqing's nose and yelled at him.

Of course, he never took it to heart, he just hated Tosheng's attitude, but he secretly imprisoned Tosheng and asked the special envoy of the Ministry of Officials to investigate, because he wanted to know about the things his father had warned him before he died.

Wu sparrow.A race that can make the emperor so frightened, saying that if it is not killed, it will destroy Dayan, who is so sacred?And Dusheng loves to mention monsters and demons so much, he must know the inside story.

It's a pity that Dusheng has always been insane. He has been imprisoned for so many years, and he can't ask any useful information. But just a few days ago, Dusheng suddenly became sober, and said that he would die to see the emperor, and there was a big secret to ask. Inform the emperor.

Huang Ye originally wanted to invite him to meet him, but Du bluntly said that the emperor would not believe him, and after leaving a last letter, he hanged himself.

Huang Ye didn't want others to see the letter, so he hurriedly recruited Qing Yun to sneak into the dungeon and intercept the letter.

The cloth is very long, and I have written a lot, starting with accompanying the Supreme Emperor, looking back on the glory of the past, and thanking the emperor for his great kindness in the middle. And his expression became serious.

Qing Yun knelt on the ground cautiously all the time, without raising his head, how important this last letter is, you don't need to think about it.But what kind of secret is it that makes the emperor imprison a crazy monk like this?

People who practice martial arts naturally know how to listen to the sound of breathing and heart pulse, but at this moment, the emperor's breath is so fast?No, dignified?Qing Yun has been following Huang Ye for a long time, even if he received three urgent military reports, he has never seen the emperor look so stunned.

Qing Yun was quite surprised, and just when he didn't know whether to make a sound, the disordered atmosphere disappeared, as if all this was just his conjecture.

Outside the hall, the torrential rain made the glazed tiles make crackling noises, which made the resplendent and resplendent hall even more frighteningly quiet.

A puff of cold air came from nowhere, chilling Qing Yun's back, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Did no one else know?" After a while, Huang Ye asked coldly.

"I guarantee that no one has read it, but I don't know if Monk Dusheng has leaked anything else?" Qing Yun said honestly.Qing Yun got Dusheng's last letter before the special envoy read it, but who can guarantee that Dusheng didn't tell the contents of the letter?

"I remonstrated with death, I thought it would be something, but it turned out to be a bunch of nonsense!" Huang Ye held the cloth in his hand, seeming sullen and mocking, and came to an exquisite palace lantern, opened the cover, and wrote the final letter without hesitation. Throw it in hesitantly.

After a burst of burnt silk, the secrets on the cloth disappeared.

"The idlers on the side of the sky prison, etc., clean up."

"Your subordinates lead the decree." Only the dead will not leak secrets. Qing Yun understood this truth, and after bowing down, he withdrew.

Thunder and lightning, violent wind and shower, seemed to engulf the entire palace, Huang Ye stood in front of the lamp, his thoughts were still fluctuating.

"The Wuque family is evil in the world, both men and women can conceive, destroying Gangchang... Wei Qing, the adopted son of King Ke's mansion, is a descendant of Wuque, good at flattering, morally bankrupt..."

These few words are enough to make Huang Ye feel astonished, a man has a child?Or Ke Weiqing?This monk is crazy!He also mentioned that there was an official in the court, who was a member of the Wuque tribe, who had an affair with the royal family and gave birth to the emperor's son. This is the biggest and ugliest secret of the Dayan royal family.

Regardless of whether Ke Weiqing would have children, or there was a prince who was born to a man, Huang Ye couldn't believe these things, it was simply nonsense!

Hugging Ke Weiqing really makes people feel as if they are in a fairyland and forget themselves, but he is always a man, Huang Ye knows this best, and there is no need for Du Sheng to mention it.

But Huang Ye has read countless ancient books and history books, and has never seen anyone mentioning the Wuque clan.Huang Ye even felt that his father's warnings and fears were due to Du Sheng's influence, and he was obsessed with a race he had never heard of or seen before.

"It's ridiculous, I'm so easy to fool?" Huang Ye couldn't help but sneer.Much ado about nothing, deceitful words to confuse the crowd, if he survived his life, I am afraid he will also order him to be cut into pieces, so that he will not die!

And Dusheng probably predicted that there would be such an ending, so he hanged himself, so as to leave a whole body for himself.Hmph, what a cunning old bald donkey.

Huang Ye had nowhere to vent his anger, so he recruited Li Deyi and asked him to lay down his weapons, and he wanted to practice swords in the imperial study.

Li Deyi and a group of young eunuchs were extremely busy, taking turns moving weapons and actively setting up targets.Coincidentally, Princess Shuolan sent a maid to invite the emperor over for a small gathering, saying that it was late at night and it was time for the emperor to have supper, and she had already prepared a banquet.

As a result, the court lady was dumbfounded when she saw this messy scene, and Li Deyi asked her to go back first and talk about it another day.So Huang Ye didn't invite anyone to sleep on the stormy night, but just practiced martial arts all night.