turmoil

The sudden appearance of the Beile people was like a slap in the face, slapping the prosperous face of Great Yin Dynasty.No one expected that the majestic and towering imperial capital had long since become a sieve, and countless hidden stakes had sneaked into the capital, and after years of dormancy, they showed their ferocious and sharp fangs.They are like a group of prairie wolves who have been hungry for a long time, summoned by the smell of blood, and rush to their prey recklessly.

The shouts of killing that filled the streets and alleys alarmed the Jiuzhong Palace. The officials on duty were rewarded by the guards and rushed out of the veranda on duty, shouting hoarsely: "There are foreign enemies! Hurry up, ring the bell!"

The servant hurriedly went down to deliver the order, and after a stick of incense, the big bell on the tower of Shenwu Gate rang loudly, and the bell echoed among the heavy palace barriers, disturbing countless night birds, and rushed into the night sky with high cries.

The official who didn't know why was awakened by the bell, rubbed his eyes and walked out of the house. Hearing the shouts of killing all over the city, he almost thought he was in a dream and hadn't woken up yet.

"This is... what's going on?" Hubu Shangshu Guo Chen murmured, "Is it a foreign enemy? No... haven't the Beile people been expelled to the desert by the Marquis of Dingbian? How could they... How could they enter the capital? middle?"

Miyagi Ouchi also heard the ominous ringing of the bell, and the palace officials and eunuchs stopped in a hurry and looked around blankly in the night wind.The empress dowager and concubines in the Palace of Compassionate Ning looked uneasy, but no one spoke. Yu Xiang stood in front of the grand master's chair, wet the handkerchief with tea, and wiped away the blood on the concubine Xian's face little by little.

Just now, Yuezhao had a murderous attack and really wanted to kill Yuxiang, but in a flash, it was Concubine Xian who rushed up and pushed Yuezhao away.Yuxiang was lucky enough to save his life, but the tip of the knife ran across Concubine Xian's neck, almost severing her blood.

Yuezhao was stunned by the splashing blood for a moment, and finally woke up from the daze. He stared at the blood on the blade for a while, and let Yuxiang drag Concubine Xian aside, and wrapped the wound with the torn veil.

Fortunately, the cut was not deep, and although he lost a lot of blood, there was no danger of his life.Seeing that Concubine Xian hadn't woken up, Yu Xiang was a little worried, hesitated again and again, and said in a low voice: "Concubine Xian was seriously injured, and she hasn't woken up until now... No matter how much you hate the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, Concubine Xian is innocent after all. Yes, can I ask an imperial physician to show her?"

Yuezhao gave her a cold look: "Don't worry, she won't die... If you have time to worry about her, you might as well think about yourself."

All the concubines huddled together, wishing to be far away from this god of killing, but the queen mother stood up slowly, holding the handle of the throne: "You...what do you want?"

Yuezhao was playing with the dagger, the blade reflected the candlelight, and his face reflected brightly: "Me? I just entered the palace and purified myself after rebellion. What else can I do? You are still worried, I am an inner palace official , have you snatched the Ninth Five-Year Supreme Throne of your Liu family? Don’t worry, I’m the most... but I just returned what the late emperor did to my Duan family back then, and returned it to the masters and ladies intact, so that today I can also taste the family ruin and death taste!"

The concubines became more and more terrified, but the Empress Dowager looked calm: "You surrounded the Palace of Compassion, just to capture Ai's family and negotiate terms with the emperor—what do you want? To force the emperor to make an order to rehabilitate the Duan family? The emperor is clear and benevolent, If there is real evidence, he will naturally..."

"Of course I won't risk the reputation of being unfilial to overturn the iron case of the late Emperor's crucifixion!" Yuezhao cut off her words, "Queen Mother, he is your own son now, and you brought him up with one hand. Anyone knows—Qingming and benevolence? It’s just a pretense to buy people’s hearts, and when it comes to being mean and unkind, hypocritical and hypocritical, no one in the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty can surpass the present!”

The queen mother's eyelids are twitching wildly. She is the lord of the six palaces and a mother. She can tolerate Yuezhao, an eunuch, being presumptuous to her, but she can't bear him speaking rudely to her son.

"You are presumptuous!" she sternly said, "My family pity you for your young life, and give you a chance to turn around, but you don't know how to repent, and dare to be presumptuous and rude to the Holy One!"

It was already night at this time, and candles were lit in the Palace of Compassion and Ning, the big bell of Shenwumen was still humming continuously, the wind in the hall was howling, and the curtains were lifted all over the room.

The Empress Dowager's heart sank inch by inch, she knew very well that from the time of the siege of the Compassionate Ning Palace to the present, neither the Imperial Forest Army nor the Forbidden Army has moved, which shows that there have been many changes in Beijing.Look at the men in black around the guards, they are clearly well-trained Lianjiazi, their fighting power is not inferior to that of Jinyiwei and Youyunwei, but they are willing to listen to Yuezhao, an eunuch's orders...

"These people... are all the remnants of Uncle Zhongyong's mansion?" The Queen Mother said in a deep voice, "You have been planning to stay beside the Holy One for many years, just for this day?"

Yuezhao tilted his head to look at her, with an uncontrollable smile in the corner of his mouth, his chest heaved violently, and finally he couldn't help it, and he laughed so hard.

"The remnants?" He repeated softly, "My father has been a loyal and good man all his life, guarding the border for the imperial court, and made great achievements in battle... But what did he get? The whole family was slaughtered, no bones remained, and even the only remaining descendant of the Duan family, Everyone has to bear the blame for this 'remnant evil'!"

The Queen Mother stared at him unmoved.

"The first emperor convicted my Duan family of treason, even my father's personal soldiers - the front foot of Uncle Zhongyong's mansion was confiscated, and the imperial court gave poisoned wine in the name of rewarding the army," Yue Zhao whispered, "Except for the hundreds of people who went out to patrol the camp at that time, not a single one of the two thousand elite troops died... Those who escaped by chance feared being labeled a traitor by the court and dared not return to Beijing, let alone their hometown. Keep your name incognito and leave your hometown!"

He smiled and looked at the queen mother: "The 300 people who survived, not a few, are all here."

The Queen Mother shuddered, and suddenly felt that the shadows behind the gauze curtain were not living people, but ghosts wandering the world. They struggled to return to the world, but they could not see the light, so they could only hide in dark corners where the candlelight could not reach. Sen Ran stared at himself resentfully.

She couldn't help but take half a step back, bent her knees on the chair, and sat back heavily.

"You killed my whole family and caused me to become what I am now. People are not people, ghosts are not ghosts!" Yue Zhao seemed to be crying and laughing, "Golden belts for killing people and setting fire...why do those who do good deeds suffer from poverty and have a shorter life? The evil enjoy wealth and honor and prolong life?"

"Heavenly laws reincarnate, and retribution is not good...the hardships and sufferings I suffered back then, none of you can escape today!"

The Beile people drew their butcher knives and ran in the wide streets and alleys of the capital. Ever since the royal court was expelled and Tumen gave the head, they were full of unwillingness and wanted to pour out their anger on the capital of the Central Plains people.

No matter whether it is a family in the capital or Emperor Xinglong with the oriole behind, they thought they were holding a dog on a leash, but they didn't expect that what was tied to the other end of the chain was actually a vicious wolf that was grinding its teeth and sucking blood.

"Kill them!" Tumen's general Huo Sen gritted his teeth, "These Central Plains people deserve to die...Kill them and avenge Khan!"

Bei Le cavalry followed him and raised his neck to the sky, howling like a wolf.

The imperial guards guarding the nine gates were stunned by the blood and fire that filled the city. They thought it was a dispute between the aristocratic family and the imperial power, but they never expected that there would be foreigners involved.Seeing the people in the capital moaning and turning under Beile's iron hooves, the general of the forbidden army couldn't hold back anymore, he climbed up the tower in three steps at a time, and said eagerly: "Commander Fang, the soldiers are here to report that the people of Beile are wreaking havoc in the capital!" Rebellion! This matter is no small matter, if you continue to let it go, what face will you and I have to meet our ancestors under the Nine Springs in the future!"

Commander Fang remembered his family uncle's exhortation, and he hesitated: "But..."

The general was anxious, so he simply said bluntly: "My lord, internal strife is internal strife, which has been inevitable in all dynasties, but with his arms folded and hidden in his sleeves, what's the matter with involving the barbarians? Since the reign of the first emperor, Bei Le has Is it not enough to commit crimes? If they are allowed to turn the capital upside down, they will be charged with foreign crimes! Even if you die, you will be stabbed in the back. Ask yourself, the Fang family has been loyal for generations, can you bear it? Live this crime!"

Commander Fang was slightly shocked, and turned his head suddenly: "But..."

Before the words fell, the two of them noticed something was wrong by coincidence. There was a rhythmic vibration in the boundless night, and the city wall under their feet trembled slightly.Commander Fang rushed to the edge of the city wall and looked out with the arrow stacks in his hands. He saw dots of flames floating in the depths of the night, forming a winding dragon and coming towards the capital.

"What's going on?" Commander Fang was shocked, "Where did the army come from?"

After a few words, the fire was getting closer, the leader pushed up the helmet, untied the longbow on his back, drew the bow and strung the string, and shot an arrow over it.Even though the arrow was shot by human power, its strength is no less than that of a crossbow, it was nailed into the top of the city with one blow, and the tail of the arrow trembled endlessly.

Commander Fang was taken aback by the cold arrows that passed by. He took a closer look and saw a palm-sized command talisman hanging on the arrow. The command talisman was cast from black iron, with chi and tiger patterns carved on it, connected end to end. , exactly forming a character "定".

"Ding... It's the Marquis of Dingbian!" The general was overjoyed, "General, the Marquis of Dingbian is here!"

Commander Fang's face was cloudy and uncertain, and he was caught in an unknown battle between heaven and man.I saw the general below took off his helmet, and his face under the firelight was familiar: "Commander Fang, I have ordered the army to put down the chaotic party, and the gate of the city has not yet been opened!"

Commander Fang clenched his fists tightly, his face stretched into a knife-like arc.

The general said eagerly: "General, the safety of the people in Beijing is only in your mind, you can't make mistakes again and again... The ancestors of the Fang family are watching you from the sky!"

Commander Fang closed his eyes, opened them quickly, and made a quick decision: "——Open the city gate!"

The general was overjoyed, and immediately conveyed the order: "Quick, open the city gate, and welcome the Marquis of Dingbian into the city!"

The heavy city gate burst open, Yang Fan pulled out his long knife, and said sharply: "Enter the city, put down the rebellion!"

The iron cavalry trained in the desert wind and sand rushed into the city like wolves and tigers, following Dingbian Hou, showing his blade.The people in the middle of the capital were fleeing under the blades of the Beile people. A woman holding a child staggered on her feet, accidentally tripped over the gravel and fell to the ground. She heard the sound of horseshoes chasing after her. She could only curl up as hard as she could. , Protecting the baby in his arms with his back.

The sharp wind whizzed past the ears, and the children who had never experienced war cried loudly under the blade. The moment the butcher knife fell, there was a sound of throbbing from the slanting stab, and the crossbow arrows hit the blade in a hurry, unexpectedly killing the sturdy Beile people. The arm was pushed away a foot.

The woman managed to get a life by chance, and escaped scrambling, she raised her head with tears on her face, and saw the horse's hooves three feet in front of her, the general on the horse bent slightly, and stretched out a hand to her—— Between the fingers covered with calluses, there is a newly opened wintersweet.

"Such a beautiful lady, it doesn't look good when she's crying." The military commander on the horse raised his eyebrows and gave her a teasing and joking smile. "Find a safe corner and hide well." Get up, and when Ben Hou slaughters these gangsters, you can go home."

The woman took Lamei in a daze, seeing the military general turn his horse's head and charge towards the ferocious Beile cavalry with a knife, his face, which was still wet from tears, was slightly hot.

The night wind blew his robe, Yang Fan took off his helmet, and his long hair fluttered in the wind.In front of him is the century-old capital, which has been tossing and wailing, and behind him is an iron-blooded warrior in tough clothes.

"Brothers, the Beile savage kicked the hall, and he kicked us on the head!" Yang Fan sternly said, "What do you think we should do?"

After a brief silence, a roar like a mountain roar and a tsunami sounded from behind: "Kill!"

At the same time, Zhang Jingche, who had almost rushed to the gate of Shenwu, reined in his horse, and turned his head in the direction of the shouting, as if he heard some strange movement in the howling and raging wind.Liu Yanzhao then reined in his horse and asked in surprise, "What's wrong? What did you hear?"

Zhang Jingche's bottomless eyes reflected thousands of nights, but the corners of his mouth slightly raised: "...Marquis Yang is here."

Liu Yanzhao was taken aback for a moment, and then said in relief: "That's right, it's already this hour, and Yuanzhou should really enter the city."

"Yang Hou led the army to arrive, and the remnants of Bei Le in Beijing will not be rampant for long, we just need to take care of our own end," Zhang Jingche said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, it's time to pay off the debts you and the late emperor committed! "

Emperor Xinglong's face was gloomy, he was concerned about the overall situation, after all, he didn't attack at this moment: "What do you mean by saying this now? Could it be... besides the aristocratic family in Beijing, there are other masterminds?"

Zhang Jingche's eyes were indifferent, and he didn't answer, just said: "Let's go!"

He rode his horse into Miyagi amidst the city's cries and shouts of killing, the night was left behind by him, and his hunting robe was like an eagle on the return of a king.Liu Yanzhao followed him half a step away, and for a moment, he felt unprecedented awe and fear.In an instant, he had an inexplicable intuition that compared to the evil family and the remnants of Bei Le who were raging in chaos, this person in front of him was his real confidant!

The imperial forest army guarding the palace city has already rebelled, and the only remaining force is the guards of the palaces. Chaos suddenly broke out, the emperor was far away in the outskirts of Beijing, and the queen mother was kidnapped again.When Liu Yanzhao entered the palace, he ordered Jin Yiwei to hold the soldier's talisman to summon the remaining guards, and they rushed to the Palace of Compassion and Ning together. There was a hundred or so steps away when there was a sharp sound from the top of his head, and the cold arrow came straight towards Emperor Xinglong. .

Before Liu Yanzhao could react, Xu Shen, who was guarding him, suddenly drew his sword and cut off the arrow with quick eyesight and hands.Liu Yanzhao broke out in a cold sweat, only to hear Zhang Jingche laugh loudly: "Do it without saying hello? This is not the way to welcome guests... Mr. Duan!"

The wind fell silent for a while, and someone laughed softly, "Commander Zhang...has already left, so why come back to this muddy water? Could it be that there are still people you miss in this Nine Layers Palace?"

"The Jiuzhong Palace is not worth nostalgia, but the Central Plains is still the old homeland," Zhang Jingche said lightly, "Mr. Duan, you and I are also in the same boat. I was the one who risked my life to bring the evidence of Zhongyong Bo's injustice back to Beijing... Although in the end If you can’t use it, you finally have some affection, are you so stingy that you won’t even serve a cup of tea?”

Yuezhao was silent for a while, and said in a low voice: "In that case, you can come in with the emperor... Remember, if you want the queen mother to be safe, it can only be the two of you!"