Linque

The medicine given by the old master of the Qingsang Pavilion in Lishan Mountain really had miraculous effects. After using it for two days, plus soaking in medicinal baths and taking oral decoction, medicine and food supplements, by the nineteenth day of the first lunar month, almost all of Chu Heng’s chickenpox had scabbed over, and it would take a few days to heal. He recovered as before, and finally he no longer had to be observed by Ling Ye, a wicked person, to observe the shape of his acne.

The nineteenth day of the first lunar month is the last day of the spring search. At noon, there is a grand banquet to discuss performance and rewards. Each of the sixteen families has heroes.The young gentlemen who failed on the first day of the spring search and failed to get the first lottery all worked hard. The dishes on the big banquet were the results of their hunting in the past few days. The banquet is small.

The way of the world is like this, poor families need luck, nobles and fate to earn a bright future. The aristocrats of aristocratic families are born with these, what they need is just a chance to show their faces in front of the Holy One, and Chunsou is the perfect time.Especially those princes who are eager to enter the court, such as Zhong Pinghou's son Chu Chen, are the most diligent, and most of them have achieved commendable achievements.

The nineteenth day of the first lunar month is the last day of the annual holiday. This banquet is not only the official end of the annual festival, but also a farewell to the princes and foreign envoys from all over the world.

Ling Ye came back from the banquet, had another meal with Chu Heng, and was going to pack up and return to Jiuchong Que in the afternoon.Chu Heng will not be with him for the time being, and will stay in Shanglinyuan Palace for a few more days, planning to wait until the chickenpox is completely cured before going back, so as not to spread the disease.

This is something you can't do even if you don't like it. If the emperor can't drive, which of the princes and ministers outside would dare to go first?At two o'clock in the Shenshi period, the royal driver set off, and the guard of honor and retinue stretched for dozens of miles, leaving the palace in a mighty manner.

As soon as the emperor left, the entire Shanglin Garden became quiet, and Chu Heng couldn't go out to meet people in the wind these few days, so he could only pass the time in the Emperor Garden by appreciating the students' scrolls and reading two idle books.

Chu Yan and Ye Shuli wanted to stay with him, but Chu Heng refused.Ah Yan’s Chunsou was only in the limelight on the first day. Although today’s rewards are based on performance, and the eldest son Chu Chen also won the top ten, but there are some “family arrangements” mixed in it—it’s common for aristocratic families to do this, so The rankings on the last day of the spring search were not as good as those on the first day. After winning the first lottery, outstanding players like Su Lang and Xiao Gaomin didn't even bother to compete.Ah Yan is still under the eaves, it is better to save unnecessary trouble.

As for Ye Shuli, he didn't come to accompany him at all. "Ghost Seeing Sorrow" couldn't see him suffering from chickenpox. He was not reconciled, and tried every means to take a look. He went back to Lishan to make fun of him. What about Chu Heng? Maybe let him succeed, and directly refused in the name of Ling Ye.

Even so, when the princes and ministers have left, the noise of the carriages and horses is so far away that you can't hear it at all, and when you are the only one left in the huge Shanglin Garden, the time will still seem long—this is probably a kind of "" It’s hard to change from extravagance to frugality.” In the past, in Lishan Mountain, one person stayed in Wangshu Palace for ten days and a half months and didn’t think it was a big deal. Now that I’ve tasted the feeling of knowing each other and being dependent on each other, I feel that it’s too slow to watch the sun go down alone.

Chu Heng sat in front of the window for a while, Gao Bandit held up his cloak and came over to remind him to get dressed——Ling Ye took Zhu Geng away and left the elderly Gao Gonggong here so that he could watch Chu Heng eat seriously on his behalf.Eunuch Gao could say something, Zhu Geng was in front of Empress Chu, it was like a mouse facing a cat, especially in the past two days when Chu Heng had chickenpox, he promised everything, and he couldn't count on it at a young age.

Ling Ye was sitting in the carriage, holding a carving knife in his hand to carve a white jade private seal, without raising his eyes, he asked Zhu Geng who was filling tea: "Why are you so afraid of Chu Heng?"

Zhu Geng paused his hands when he heard the words, and pursed his lips in embarrassment and smiled.In fact, it’s not that I’m afraid. Your Majesty is not a master who is difficult to serve. Empress Chu has no temper with her subordinates. Although the rules in Mingcheng Palace are big, they are not harsh. Sometimes they are even more relaxed than outside. Serving in front of the imperial court is not just about rewarding more , Walking inside and outside is extremely face-saving, and you can't get in if you squeeze your head.

Zhu Geng glanced at His Majesty's expression, then shifted his gaze to the private seal, and replied in a low voice after deliberation: "I am afraid that your servant will be interrogated by His Royal Highness the Queen when she has nothing to do these two days..."①

"?" Ling Ye was taken aback for a moment, and immediately realized what he meant.Shen Dai didn't come to the imperial capital for nothing, except for Yanhe Shen herself, the other aristocratic families who were eyeing the land in the harem were secretly watching, wanting to see the "prospective imperial concubine" who carried the emperor's ordinance as a stepping stone , Knock or not to move the emperor's door.Now that the new year is over, Enke is about to get ready, the Shen family has been quiet for a while, and the future actions may all be put on this.

Ling Ye squinted his eyes, looked at the four inscriptions that were privately printed in his hand, and took out a suet white jade seal of the same size from his bosom. It was about the same size, and just then he carefully and focusedly dropped the knife.

Whether in public or private, it is impossible for him to regress.

……

In the early spring, the cold air between the heaven and the earth is still there, the sun sets early, and it is already dark outside at three o'clock in the unitary hour.In the Emperor's Garden of the Xinggong Palace, the gangsters were preparing dinner, but Chu Heng was a little bit depressed, still sitting on the reclining chair in front of the window, too lazy to move.

Bandit Gao wanted to call him again, but suddenly there was a series of hoofbeats outside, and he gradually approached and stopped in front of the bedroom.Chu Heng got up, stopped Eunuch Gao who was about to go out to see, and walked to the door of the outer room, it was... the Shadow Guard of the Son of Heaven!

"What happened?" Chu Heng frowned.

The shadow guard got off the saddle, walked quickly up the palace steps, bowed slightly to Chu Heng, took out an envelope from his bosom and put it up, said with a smile: "Your Majesty has a will for you."

"?" Chu Heng was puzzled, took a look at it, and found that the envelope had a decent appearance, with auspicious clouds and auspicious cranes painted on it, and the words "Queen's Personal Appointment" were written on it with a pen and ink mixed with gold powder. "What's going on again, he's in Jiuchong Que?" Chu Heng opened the envelope, his words were harsh, but his eyes were slightly bent.

The shadow guard should be: "When I came over, Yu Jia had already arrived at Mingcheng Hall."

There was only a thin sheet of letter paper, Chu Heng unfolded it, he was startled when he saw it, and then he couldn't help but laugh. The last sliver of the setting sun in the sky caught his eyes and turned into stars and lit it up with a smile. He couldn't help but smile completely. It became lively, and said softly: "This person is really... am I so unconscious?"

The "imperial decree" didn't say anything, only wrote four words——

"Youzheng, eat."

I also painted a branch of winter jasmine, with clusters of bright yellow flowers and light green leaves, a thriving spring scene, I think it is the scene I saw on the road.

"You have nothing to do..." Chu Heng covered his smile and asked seriously, "What is he doing?"

The shadow guard selectively ignored Empress Chu's insincere rebuke, and replied: "Busy engraving seals, Your Majesty is very serious."

Hearing the words, Chu Heng lowered his eyes to look at the letter in his hand, touched it with his fingertips and rubbed the private seal of "Shanhe Master" a few times, and said in a low voice: "From the eighth day of the lunar new year to the present, one of my private seals has been signed by him." It’s been almost ten days since I engraved it, and I’m still ashamed to show it.”②

Having said that, Chu Heng carefully put away the letter paper, turned around and went back to the hall to wash his hands and have dinner.

……

The [-]th day of the first lunar month is the first grand ceremony after the end of the annual break. At the beginning of the day, the emperor ascends to the throne in the Taiji Hall, accepts the worship of princes, ministers, civil and military officials, and then goes to the Xuanzheng Hall to watch the court and listen to the government.

In the first dynasty after the year, there are many things to discuss, but the most important things are nothing more than two——

First, an official military report came from Jingzhou Governor's Mansion, confirming that Yujiang's holy son, Helan Tuo, had died at the hands of his younger brother, Prince Weixi.According to reports from the spies, a few days ago, Queen Quli, the mother of Helanduo, sent a letter to her mother's Beidi thirteen tribes. The Beidi king sent a general to Yujiang to seek justice for her grandson. The army was mobilized at the border of Yujiang, intending to blend in the civil strife in Yujiang.

Prince Weixi secretly reprimanded the envoy to Dayin's Jingzhou Dufu, claiming that he had heard that Helantuo had assassinated Dayin Crown Prince in the imperial capital Gyeonggi, so he offered his head to apologize to the prince, and also asked Dayin for help. Eliminate civil strife and ascend to the throne, willing to bow to Dayin and pay tribute every year.In addition, after Nanxi learned of the incident, his border army also took action.This is a big matter, Governor Xie Ming of Jingzhou did not dare to make decisions alone, Liu Baili hastily wrote an excerpt to play in front of the emperor, respectfully requesting the emperor's will.

"On the first day of the spring search on the Shangyuan Festival, I met Jingxueli in the woods." In the Xinuang Pavilion of the Emperor Garden, Chu Heng was lying on the couch, and Ling Ye was washing his hair with a wooden comb in his hand.This person sent shadow guards to deliver letterheads for two days, like a clock, from meal reminders to bedtime, at noon on the [-]st day of the first lunar month, he simply ran here with a bunch of memorials.

"Are you comfortable this tossing? Later, you take a medicinal bath before returning to the palace, so as not to bring out the sickness in case, and then pass it to Ayan."

Fortunately, Chunsou didn't bring Dabai Tuanzi a few days ago, otherwise, according to how much he clings to Chu Heng, he might have chickenpox by now.

Ling Ye shook his head, and said, "You're going to get rid of the scab. The imperial doctor said that you won't be able to pass others easily. Ayan is recovering in Yuzheng Palace these days. What he's thinking about is not Father, but Father." The candy from the hair... I'm not in a hurry to go back. Yesterday in the Xuanzheng Palace, I listened to the quarrel between several factions in the court and hid for a while. Why, I met you in Jing Xueli and mentioned the matter of Yu Jiang to you? She As Nanxi Guoshi, words and deeds represent the face of a country, some things are really not easy to say to me directly."

Chu Heng's eyes flickered slightly, and he said: "I don't have any friendship with her, she didn't mention it explicitly, presumably on the day of Shunxing Festival, she saw us entering the Yuelao Temple, so she asked me to tell you, hope Dayin will trust you. But Yu Jiang's borrowing of soldiers really needs to be weighed..."

It is true that Imperial Attendant Mo and Great Witch of Nanxi have no close friendship, but Lord Lishandong has some kind of sympathy with each other, so there is such a support.Ling Ye was noncommittal to the first half of Chu Heng's sentence, just hummed, and said: "Several princes and generals in Beijing also said the same thing yesterday, and there is nothing to dispute about this matter."

The Jingzhou army still remembers the blood debt of the three border towns of Jingzhou slaughtered by the tribes of Yujiang 20 years ago, not to mention that there have been small robberies and looting in recent years. Although Xie Ming dare not call the shots and veto it, His opinion as the governor has been clearly written in the memorial, and Chu Heng has also read it just now.

"In the Western Expedition 20 years ago, Duke Gu Zhongwu led Shuozhou iron cavalry to drive straight to the city of Yujiang King. The Yujiang Jiaowang came out of the city with the holy relic Dihuan Jing and surrendered. He has already surrendered once; 20 years later, he two My son troubled Xiao Qiang to fight for the throne, and he wanted to borrow troops and claimed to be a minister, so why is it so easy for me to be a subject of Dayin? When I want to reap benefits, I come to be a minister, and then I turn my head and forget about the master." ③

"This group of Yujiang royal families are all of the same virtue. Wei Xi said that he is a pro-Yin faction. In fact, he is no better than his brother Helantuo. It's just that his strength was weak in the past and he wanted to rely on Dayin's power. That's all, Xie Ming has never seen him show kindness in a real way. He really borrowed troops to help him clear up the civil strife, and the next step is probably to make every effort to find a way to get back the Dihuan Sutra."

"Then pass the edict directly to Jingzhou?" Chu Heng frowned slightly, "But Beidi..."

"Well," Ling Ye scooped up warm water to help him wash off the balm from his hair, and continued, "We can't ignore it at all, Beidi has great ambitions, and we have a deep-rooted feud with us, so we must not let it go. They are playing wild in Yujiang, otherwise it will become a disaster for us in the future. As for Nan Xi... It's okay, Jing Xueli is all about cleaning up the Jingnan Silk Road that she just got, and the deployment of troops is just to put pressure, she is sure I don't want Weixi, a superficially pro-Yin faction, to succeed as he wishes, but I don't dare to offend Dayin to talk to Beidi."

"She is afraid that after the situation in Yujiang stabilizes, I will go back on my word and change the Silk Road from Jingzhou to Nanxi, and divert it to Yujiang. This person in Jingxueli is small-minded, and the Silk Road is at the border. I really want to do this I'm afraid it will be hard to find peace in the future. But Ying Guogong said that he can pretend to threaten her so that Nan Xi will give us another share." Ling Ye chuckled and took a dry cloth to wipe Chu Heng's hair.

Chu Heng thought for a while, nodded his head and said it was a good idea, and then asked: "Is Duke Ying decided to go to Jingzhou?"

"Yeah." Ling Ye nodded, waved his servant to carry the smoker cage, and spread Chu Heng's hair on it to dry. "After the first month, Su Que will set off to inspect the army in the two prefectures of Jingqing in the northwest. Yujiang is now A chessboard, Beidi, Nanxi, and us all have to move in. Jingzhou is a long way away. It would take too long to send news back and forth to the imperial capital. Let Su Que go over and discuss it with Xie Ming. Please ask again. Although we don't intend to really borrow troops to contribute, we can't ignore it completely. Lord Zhen Guo will return to the northern border to step on Xuecheng at that time. If necessary, he will put pressure on Beidi from the border of Shuozhou to ease the difficulties in Yujiang. It's good to hang on to this dangerous stream, and use this internal turmoil to drain the foundation of Yujiang, so as to plan for the future."

"In addition, Ling Qi also set off for the northwest a few days ago. When Helanduo left the country through the Dayin border, the most likely route was Jingqing Erzhou. There is probably something written by King Jing here. It's better to check it out."

The emperor will try Enke soon, and there will be big moves in the court, which will inevitably cause some turmoil and leave many opportunities to take advantage of, so the border can no longer bury the root of disaster.

Enke was the second focus of discussion at the Great Court Meeting.

The candidate for the chief examiner had been arguing years ago, and several parties in the court recharged their batteries for an annual vacation. Finally, when the court opened on the [-]th of the first lunar month, the quarrel became even more fierce—from the Xuanzheng Hall to the Jingcheng Hall, from yesterday's day to this morning Well, even among the booklets that Ling Ye brought to the Emperor Garden from Qingjing, eight out of ten books talk about this.

Ling Ye pinched the center of his brows, and he couldn't help showing a little fatigue. Although he sent the courtiers who had different opinions to draw up the regulations, he was very clear about what he wanted to do, and every next step would be difficult.

Seeing this, Chu Heng beckoned to the servant to move another couch and put it next to him, signaling Ling Ye to lie down and rest.

The noon sun in early spring was very warm, shining on the body through the glass windows, and the winter jasmine flowers picked from Ling Ye Road were inserted in the corner vase, and the fragrance diffused all over the room.Chu Heng pulled the corner of the blanket for him, he tilted his head, and fell asleep very quickly.

I don't know how many hardships there will be in the future, but at this moment, taking a nap next to the person I want to see is enough to calm my mind.

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①The Empress of Chu interrogated Zhu Geng, see "Chapter 127 Temper", and asked about Shen Dai. ② 00 Zi engraved a private seal for Hua, see "Chapter 120 Fangshi" and "Chapter 122 Shun Xing (00)", that is, Hua engraved the seal of "Master of Mountains and Rivers" for 00, and [-] also engraved one for Hua.

③ For the part of the plot involved in this chapter, please refer to "Chapter 24 Whereabouts" and "Chapter 122 Shun Xing ([-])" about Prince Weixi and Yu Jiang;

Several parties quarreled among Enke examiners, please refer to "Chapter 64 Party Controversy"