Shaodi Chunxin

February 23.

Even though the stinging has already happened, Shuntian Mansion is still as cold as winter.

There was a listless patter of rain the night before, and thin ice formed on the ground in the middle of the night. There were not a few of the palace servants who had just left their duty last night and fell on the imperial steps.

The Zhidian Supervisor had arranged for servants to start spreading salt from the middle road outside the Huangji Hall, for fear that if there was a court meeting today, the ministers would be neglected.

There was Xiao Huangmen who was arrested in Muxiu and kept muttering: "What's the trouble, I haven't gone to court for many days...the emperor looks like..."

"Shh! Be careful what you say!" The one next to him hurriedly stopped, "I don't want to kill you!"

Xiao Huangmen was startled, looked left and right, no one was paying attention, and then stuffed back the heart that almost jumped out.Wearing a thin robe and shoveling the seeping thin ice, I dare not speak too much.

At the same time, the Huayi Hall, the emperor's dormitory in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, was hung with a thick cotton curtain, which was tightly closed.The charcoal stoves in the main hall and the main hall in front were burning red.

When Li Cailiang withdrew from Huayi Hall, he saw the imperial physicians gathered together, whispering something, worried.

It's strange to say this day, when it's almost Maoshi, but there is no light.

A large black cloud pressed against the east, making the whole sky dark.

Li Cailiang's heart sank again, he pushed open the side door of the Zhongzheng Hall and went out, in the corner outside the door of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he saw two servants under the Supervisor of Rituals escorting a person waiting quietly.Seeing him coming, he bowed and saluted as an errand.

"Eunuch Li, I brought you here." The errand pleases, whispering and laughing softly, "The little ones got the order and arrested people all the way from the clothing bureau. There are exactly three people who come and go as fast as they can. time."

Li Cailiang gave a "hmm" and stepped forward to look him up.

The young man in front of him was less than twenty years old, and he still had a young and immature face.

The young man's face was thin and sad, but there was still the nobility of a prince in his eyes that had not been wiped out by suffering.

He was wearing heavy shackles and shackles on his feet, and his wrists and ankles were worn out and bleeding.An old white Taoist robe has turned yellow, and there is no jacket inside. Standing barefoot on the frozen ground, his body is a little wet, turning the thin ice around him into a puddle of mud.

The two servants were still flirting behind Li Cailiang, and said with a smile: "You guys have inquired about it. This little slave was sent to work in the Clothes Bureau more than a year ago. When I went to arrest him today, he was starching his clothes. It smells like a suit. The young ones are afraid of dirtying your eyes, so when you return to the palace, give him a good wash, and then he will be clean and sent to you neatly."

The young man's thin shoulders trembled slightly as if under heavy shackles.

However, compared to the errands on both sides, although he bowed his head, he stood up straight.It looks like it used to be a bit of Zhilan Yushu.

A few years ago, when Duan Xiaozong was still alive, he once said with emotion during Qiu Lie: "The Fu family is like a jade, and the beauty is so beautiful that it must be used to grind hard before it can become a weapon."

One sentence from the emperor gave the child his fate.

Li Cailiang knew the young man, he sighed inwardly, walked two more steps in front of him, tucked his sleeves and cupped his fists and said, "Young Master Fu."

The young man was in a difficult situation, but his expression was not in a hurry. He bowed his head and saluted and said, "Criminals don't dare to be called son. Eunuch Li calls me Yuan Qing."

Even though he was castrated, not entered the palace, and did some of the worst jobs in the clothing bureau, the pride in the boy's bones could not help but radiate out.

Li Cailiang looked at the servile young man who was not completely tortured, and for some reason felt a little pity.

"Okay." Li Cailiang nodded, he pointed to the heavy shackles, and the errands on both sides quickly unloaded them.

Then he paused and said, "Your Majesty wants to see you."

Fu Yuanqing froze slightly.

Li Cailiang sighed softly: "Your Majesty misses you very much, please spend more time talking with him."

Why couldn't Fu Yuanqing hear that there was something in his words, and his face turned paler: "Yes."

"Follow me." After saying this, Li Cailiang flicked the whisk in his hand, turned around and took Fu Yuanqing into the back hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Warm breath emanates from the fire in the hall.

Luxurious drapes make the place look cozy and peaceful.

The heavy incense burning in the censer covered all the malaise of the sick body.

Fu Yuanqing walked barefoot behind Li Cailiang, feeling a little dazed for a while.

He remembered the days when the late emperor was still alive, and the current His Majesty, the former fourth prince Zhao Jin, sneaked into the Hall of Mental Cultivation at night, talking and pointing out the country in the Zhongzheng Renhe Hall.

It seems that his father, Hanlin editor Fu Wei, had never been killed by Caishikou for quoting rebels and anti-poems.It seems that his eldest brother Fu Yingzhuo never died of illness in prison.

His family is still that well-populated scholarly family.

He also never did the most humble hard labor in the clothing bureau after being castrated.

There was silence in Huayi Hall.

Fu Yuanqing knelt at the farthest point.

He didn't dare to look at the person on the dragon bed in the distance.

He can't look.

Monarchs and ministers are far enough away.

He is not even a courtier now, but a sin slave who has entered the palace and is listed on the list.

However, the distance of a few feet is already like a moat.

He clenched his hands tightly, his eyes fixed on the golden brick pattern on the ground, silent and respectful.

Fu Yuanqing knew in his heart that the distance would be even further.

We haven't seen each other for several years, and if we meet again, we will die together.

The imperial physician and the accompanying eunuchs retreated one after another. Li Cailiang stepped forward and called His Majesty softly several times, and the emperor on the dragon bed woke up faintly.

"Yes...Lanzhi..." the emperor said, "Lanzhi is here..."

"Your Majesty, the minister is here."

"Lanzhi, come here." Zhao Jin said.

Fu Yuanqing stood up, walked quietly to the window, and knelt under the footrest.Only then can you see the person in front of you clearly.

The emperor's complexion was sallow, his cheeks were sunken, the whites of his eyes were almost gone, and looking at them with dark eyes made people feel flustered.Panting quickly, coughing and unable to stop as soon as he woke up.Like a boat in a hurricane about to capsize.

He raised his hand and waved it a few times, but failed to catch anyone. He looked blankly at the top of the tent, and then held his bony wrist with one hand.

Zhao Jin looked back, and it took him a long time to see the person in front of him clearly.

"I offend you." Fu Yuanqing said respectfully.

With just one look, the emperor burst into tears: "Lanzhi, you, you have suffered."

"Your Majesty, take care of the dragon's body." Fu Yuanqing's face was pale, and he reluctantly replied, "Don't be too sad."

The emperor smiled.

"I look like this, why should I take care of my dragon body? Lanzhi, I asked you to come because of my trust." The emperor coughed a few times and said, "You know that my health is not good, and I don't look tall among many brothers. Qun, he succeeded to the throne only because his youngest son was loved by the late emperor."

"His Majesty……"

The emperor smiled: "I just thought I could last for ten years, but I didn't expect it to be over in just two years. Poor Xu'er is only seven years old, the temple is cold, no one can rely on, the country is not solid, I will die with regret ..."

Fu Yuanqing bowed his head on his knees and remained silent.

Zhao Jin coughed a few times, and squeezed his hand tightly, with astonishing strength, he said hoarsely: "Lanzhi, the world is so big, only you and I can trust! Only you!"

Fu Yuanqing's eyes were soaked with red threads, and he looked at him sadly, and said softly: "I am humble and frightened, and it is difficult to take on a big responsibility. Brother Yu is in the court, and Elder Yu Ge is the prince and tutor... A person worthy of entrustment."

"Do you think I haven't thought about it?" Zhao Jin smiled, "But the outer court alone is not enough, more than ten years is enough to dominate the cabinet. Although Lanzhi and Yu Ruicheng are brothers like me, we But I have to fear that he will dominate the Yu family in the future."

His voice fell to the ground, resoundingly.

Fu Yuanqing knelt down, and it took a long time before he opened his mouth and said: "The first emperor went to literary inquisition, my father and brother died, my mother and sister hanged myself, the men of my side were married, and the women went into prostitution... The minister should have died together. But it was changed on the execution ground. Corruption punishment, there is no place for ministers to settle down except in the palace. Is this the reason why your Majesty trusts his ministers and is willing to entrust his orphans?"

Zhao Jin replied to him: "Lanzhi, I'm sorry."

Fu Yuanqing trembled all over, but still did not shed tears.

"Your Majesty speaks seriously."

"You hate me?" Zhao Jin asked him, "You should hate me... The whole family suffered because of my Zhao family. You are alone and humiliated, and now I am begging you for the sake of my child... Lanzhi, I'm sorry, But I have no other way. I can't, I can't be a sinner who overthrows the country. I can't let go... my youngest son. Lanzhi, I know I shouldn't force you into this quagmire. But I have to pull you down. I have no choice... Sit After reaching this throne, no one else can be trusted. Lanzhi, can you help me?"

Li Cailiang was already choked with tears by the emperor's prayers.

In Huayi Hall, only Zhao Jin's rapid and difficult breathing was heard.

Fu Yuanqing did not answer.

The emperor said to Li Cailiang: "Big companion... go, go and bring Xu Er."

Li Cailiang bowed and left, and after a while, he brought in a child with a mop on his head and a fine attire.

He was born pink and only six or seven years old, but he tried his best to pretend to be calm. He was very silent all the way in, and he greeted Zhao Jin meticulously.

Zhao Jin pointed to Fu Yuanqing and said to him: "Xu'er, from tonight, Lanzhi will accompany you. You have to treat him like me and worship him well. He is my friend for many years, and I will definitely live up to you. Come on, Call me Father."

Fu Yuanqing trembled all over, and said anxiously: "Where does Your Majesty place the minister?!"

Zhao Jin didn't answer, and scolded Zhao Xu: "What are you waiting for! Kneel down and call Father!"

Zhao Xu was obedient, turned around and kowtowed three times and kowtowed nine times, Fu Yuanqing hurriedly stopped him, Zhao Xu looked up at him, and called: "Xu'er bow to Father."

Fu Yuanqing said tremblingly, "You...your name is Zhao Xu."

"Yes. Zhao Xu."

"Morning smoke and evening mist, spring and autumn shade." Zhao Jin said, "It's the name you gave Xu'er back then."

Fu Yuanqing's eyes were red, and he couldn't help it any longer, his head was stunned, and he didn't get up for a long time.

Zhao Jin knew that the matter of Tuogu had been completed, his heart relaxed, and his face was rosy, he sat up slowly, and said to Li Cailiang: "Let everyone outside come in."

Li Cailiang replied yes, and not long after he withdrew, he brought back a group of courtiers.

Inside and outside the back hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, there were dozens of important ministers kneeling.

Another footstep entered the Huayi hall from the hallway, and a pair of soap boots stayed beside Fu Yuanqing.He raised his hand to see that the crown prince Yu Luqiu and his son Yu Ruicheng were kneeling beside him.

Seeing him, Yu Ruicheng looked a little excited, and was about to speak when Yu Luqiu shouted in a low voice: "Cheng'er."

Yu Ruicheng was startled, and lowered his head.After the ceremony, Yu Luqiu cast a glance at Fu Yuanqing with contempt and contempt in his eyes.

Fu Yuanqing lowered his eyes and listened to the hadith with everyone.

"Old Yu Ge, Zhao Xu is young... You are the chief assistant of the cabinet and my teacher. Above the court, I still need you to lead and assist Xu'er." Zhao Jin said to Luqiu, "I promoted Qing as the Taifu , served as the chief assistant of the cabinet, and a bachelor of the Huangji Palace. Heng Jing served as the second assistant of the cabinet, and a bachelor of the Jianji Palace...Yu, Yu Ruicheng...joined the cabinet..."

Yu Luqiu and others kowtowed: "The minister is exhausted, and he will never give up even if he dies."

Zhao Jin became more energetic, and even his voice had confidence. This is not a good sign. He looked at Fu Yuanqing and said: "Not only that, but I also ordered Fu Yuanqing to take charge of the affairs of the palace, and to take the post of supervisor of ceremonies, and to supervise the factory. Wei, perform the power of approving reds, go to the court to discuss matters, and assist the new emperor to come of age together with you and other ministers."

Yu Luqiu looked up in shock, and looked back at Fu Yuanqing with a burning gaze.

The future young emperor is now curled up in his arms, being hugged tenderly by him.

Yu Luqiu was about to speak to dissuade the emperor, but at this time Zhao Jin had already explained all the funeral affairs, and the signs brought about by the flashback quickly disappeared.

"Lanzhi, I've thought about that time. When I first met you... the stones are like jade, and the pines are like green. Lang Yan is unique, there is no other in the world..." He muttered to himself, "Oh, I was confused. At that time, Lanzhi was dead, dead."

With a pale face, he coughed and said, "Lanzhi... I, I, Zhao Jin, can't wait for you. You will come to me after a hundred years and let you deal with me."

Fu Yuanqing was moved: "Your Majesty..."

Zhao Jin couldn't hear him.

Zhao Jin also couldn't see the courtiers around him.

He saw the past years from the colorful curtain above his head.

I saw the carefree life back then.

Li Cailiang knelt down and sang sadly: "Your Majesty has collapsed!"

All the people kowtowed.

Dark clouds rose from the gloomy east, thunder and lightning flashed, and rain poured down.

Someone held Fu Yuanqing's hand, Fu Yuanqing raised his head in a daze, and saw the young emperor looking at him: "Father, the emperor has gone."

Fu Yuanqing's heart was broken, but he tried to comfort him and said: "Your Majesty is not afraid, there is old Yu Ge, and there will be loyal ministers."

The young emperor asked him: "What about Father, is Father accompanying me?"

The people around were already weeping in low voices.

For a moment, the young emperor thought he would cry.

But Fu Yuanqing didn't cry.

He endured the tears that were about to burst out of grief, and his bones ached.

He said to the young emperor, "I will accompany you."