Linque

This winter's first snow fell all night and didn't stop until almost dawn.The next day, the snow cleared and the sky cleared, and the sky in the imperial capital was a little bit colder than the previous few days.

At the hour of the hour, Chu Heng had just arrived at the Jingcheng Hall when he noticed a phoenix chariot parked in front of the hall, and two rows of maids were waiting at the foot of the hall steps holding lanterns and fans with lowered eyebrows.Now that there is no queen in the palace, it is obvious that it is the Empress Dowager Yijia.

Chu Heng frowned slightly. The empress dowager and the emperor deeply hated the blood feud of the Yi people through killing their sons. The relationship between the two palaces is very sensitive. The estrangement between mother and child is well known in Dayin Kyushu, but now they are barely maintaining the superficial relationship. points only.

Except for the emperor's routine greetings to the Palace of Mercy and Harmony during the festivals, the mother and son of the Tian family seldom meet in private. Today, the Empress Dowager suddenly came to the Palace of Jingcheng with great fanfare, which is really rare.

A court servant who sent Chu Heng back to the Hall of Martial Arts last night was standing at the door, saw him coming, immediately stepped forward and said in a low voice: "His Royal Highness is inside, Eunuch Gao ordered the servants to lead Lord Chu to the side hall to wait. "

Chu Heng nodded in thanks, turned around and followed the servant to the side hall.Just two steps out, the door of the main hall behind him suddenly opened from inside, and the empress dowager and the emperor walked out of the hall one after the other.

All the palace guards on duty outside the palace immediately bowed to salute, Chu Heng stopped and turned around, Ling Ye saw him at a glance, before Chu Heng could move, he waved his sleeves to avoid him, and said, "Come here. "

Chu Heng lowered his eyebrows and walked forward according to his words, stopping two steps beside His Majesty.

Empress Dowager Zhong's eyes kept falling on Chu Heng, and she sized him up a few times with benevolent eyebrows, her tone sounded very gentle: "The Ai family heard that the emperor had previously selected the imperial servant Mo from the Hall of Martial Arts, so it must be this one?"

Chu Heng has been in Yuqian for more than 20 days. The major families in Kyushu have carefully checked the imperial servant Mo several times half a month ago. Naturally, the Empress Dowager knows it all, otherwise she would not have just stepped out of the palace gate. His gaze was fixed on Chu Heng without any deviation.

She asked the question knowingly, but the emperor didn't point it out, and just gave a cold "hmm".

The Empress Dowager is in her mid-fifties this year, but she doesn't look old at all. Wearing an elegant and rich brocade palace attire, she looks more graceful and luxurious, and her charm still remains.She was once in charge of the country and the country, and she held the power of the emperor. Although she devoted herself to worshiping the Buddha and was tainted with sandalwood and Buddha spirit, her eyebrows and eyes still retained the majestic dignity of the past when she was ruling Kyushu.

She held the Buddha beads with her fingers, smiled slightly, and continued slowly: "However, the Ai family also heard that this servant Mo of Chu had insulted His Majesty with words in Wuying Hall, so he was recorded twenty sticks."

Ling Ye's heart moved, but the expression on his face didn't change, he just said indifferently: "What does the mother want to say?"

Empress Dowager Zhong's voice is still kind and gentle, and her words are full of meaning: "Aijia wants to remind the emperor that there are rules in the palace. The emperor is in control of Kyushu. He is a monarch, and the people below all pray for the emperor's sage. Aijia It is rare to hear that there is anyone in the Hall of Martial Heroes who can be like Yuqian Shimo, regardless of his background and talent, and is directly appointed to Yuqian without any selection and assessment, let alone anyone who offended the emperor, and instead of punishing him. It can also lead to promotion.”

"It's a good thing for the emperor to be kind and generous, but if you give too much favor to one person, it will easily make people feel delusional, and it will also make others feel jealous. The Ai family doesn't look like Chu Shimo is a deeply blessed man. I'm afraid I can't bear it." The emperor is so generous. If it is really for his own good, then the twenty sticks should not just be remembered for the time being, what does the emperor think?"

Her words were full of malice, and she had just had an unhappiness with Ling Ye in the palace because of where the Qianqiu Banquet was located. She felt unhappy, and wanted to pick his thorns and add trouble to him, so she directly took Chu Heng's knife to the nearest one.

Ling Ye's heart sank, he felt a bit angry, and said coldly: "Chu Heng is already a person in front of the imperial court, and I don't have the habit of changing orders every day. How to arrange them will not bother the Queen Mother."

"Really." The Empress Dowager Zhong smiled slightly, spit out these two words, looked at Chu Heng carefully, and said leisurely: "The emperor has the emperor's consideration, and the Ai family didn't want to say anything, but the emperor and the Ai family just now Speaking of the old rules and regulations, the Ai family now sees that the emperor himself is very casual."

Ling Ye twitched the corners of his mouth when he heard the words, and said casually: "The promotion and transfer of the emperor's guards in the Wuying Palace, and the promotion and transfer of all the positions in the imperial court are based on the dictatorship of the Sacred Heart, and it is all according to my will. I am not the first to be so casual. One, and not the last, it has been like this from generation to generation since the founding of the country. Although I am casual, I have never violated the laws of the country, and the officials have not been admonished for this matter. If you have any doubts, you may as well The servant of the Xuanli Department went to the Cihe Palace to give a lecture on the etiquette of the former court."

"By the way, the court banquets, rites and music systems are presided over by the Ministry of Rites. The Qianqiu court banquet is set in the Zichen Hall or the Linde Hall. The Empress Dowager and Yan Xiang will discuss it. When the regulations are discussed, the Empress Mother will send someone to inform me. , although I am the Son of Heaven, I am also the Son of Man, and I have absolutely no objection to my mother's birthday."

Empress Dowager Zhong's hands fiddled with the beads stopped for a moment, and the needle drop could be heard in front of the Hall of Jingcheng, and there was an incomparably quiet silence.

No one in the Manchu Dynasty knew that the Minister of Rites was a member of the Yan Party. It is true that Yan Xiang had been at odds with the Emperor for a long time, but he had a deep grudge with the Empress Dowager.During the few years when Empress Dowager Zhong was in court, Yan Mao contradicted her every day in the court, and it never stopped.

Absolutely no objection?

The queen mother read these four words silently, the emperor's words were really nice, if she were to discuss with Yan Mao, what else could they come up with?If Yan Mao can make her wish to hold a banquet in Zichen Palace, unless the sun comes out from the west.

The Queen Mother was choked speechless by him, her face changed a few times, and she looked very unhappy.She stared at the face in front of her with eyebrows and eyes similar to that of Empress Chengde Gu Huiyin, and she became even more angry and angry for a while.

When the queen mother married into Prince Cheng's mansion, she only became a side concubine because she kept filial piety one after another and missed her age.Later, when Ling Cheng ascended the throne, he married Gu Huiyin, the daughter of the Gu family in the northern region, as the queen by borrowing the edict of Emperor Lie.

Step by step, step by step, even though she later became a successor and fulfilled her wish to be the mother of the world, she still missed three letters and six ceremonies, the emperor greeted her personally, and sixteen carried a dragon and phoenix chariot from Danfeng Zhongmen Yudao to marry Jiuchongque. A section of Gu Huiyin after Yuan Dynasty.

So even if her eldest son was the eldest son of the first emperor and later became the son of the first son, he was only granted the title of king of Qi, and it was still Gu Huiyin's son who finally practiced Zuo.

Winner and loser, one move and one step missed, and today's situation has become.Her eldest son was put to death, and her family was slaughtered. Now even if she is unwilling, she has to admit that at least for now, the master of the Kyushu is another family.

The Empress Dowager picked out a few Buddhist beads, suppressed her resentment, turned her eyes on Chu Heng a few times, said nothing, and walked gracefully to the phoenix chariot under the steps of the hall.

Ling Ye couldn't be bothered to do any more formal gifts to send off his mother, so he turned around and took Chu Heng into the hall, but he didn't go to the inner study room where he used to review memorials, but went straight to the main hall of the Hall of Respect and Sincerity.

Eunuch Gao took a stack of memorials from his study and put them on the royal case facing south of the main hall. Chu Heng was a little puzzled when he saw this. Ling Ye glanced at him and explained casually: "Kneeling in the main hall is comfortable."

Chu Heng looked at the flat, cold, and shiny gold bricks under his feet, his heart moved slightly, and he suddenly thought of something else.Ling Ye didn't say much anymore, and just asked Chu Heng to come and study ink together.

Chu Heng folded half of his sleeves, and twisted his wrist with the cinnabar ink ingot.Ling Ye stood aside and watched for a while, then reached for the water bowl and small copper spoon, and helped to add water to the inkstone.

He stared at Chu Heng's hand, but he didn't pay attention to his own hand. Water drops fell into the inkstone one after another, and the ink color suddenly blurred.

Chu Heng hissed, pushed him with his elbow, frowned, and said, "Your Majesty, don't make trouble."

"Oh." Ling Ye was wronged, so he had to put down the water bowl and stand aside to watch silently.

Not long after, Chu Heng finished grinding the cinnabar ink, and just as he packed the ink ingots, a guard in front of the hall came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Xu Shao, the son of Jiayonghou, and Xu Kan, the emperor's guard of the Wuying Hall, are ordered to see you."

Ling Ye's expression darkened suddenly, he slowly raised his eyelids, and then gave a cold "hmm", but without saying Xuan Jin, he raised his hand and let the guards back away.

Seeing this scene, the palace guards on duty in the main hall immediately recalled the chilling and dignified atmosphere yesterday afternoon, their hearts hung high, their eyebrows and eyes lowered, and they held their breath.

Chu Heng's eyes fell on the golden bricks in front of the imperial case in the main hall, and he raised his eyes to look at His Majesty, who was showing the majesty and majesty of the emperor at the moment. From this, it can be seen who the phrase "kneeling comfortably" was prepared for.

Ling Ye stood in front of the imperial case, slowly flipped through all the papers on the mahogany tray, and then discussed with Chu Heng about the cinnabar ink color.

After half an hour like this, Ling Ye finally glanced in the direction outside the hall, and said to Chu Heng: "You come." He led him around behind the screen on the back of the dragon chair.

The scene behind the lacquered gold relief screen of Shanhe Geography is quite incompatible with the solemn and solemn main hall. It is covered with a thick brocade cashmere carpet, and there are various fruit snacks, hot tea and hot drinks on the mahogany table. The same sweet-scented osmanthus cheese on the table.

"When Qingyan came to Jingcheng Hall, he liked to hide behind and eat snacks. Later, it became a common practice." Ling Ye coughed lightly, followed Chu Heng's astonished gaze at the mahogany table, and said softly: "You are here Sit here for a while, and don't come out. Mu Xiuyu will be destroyed by the wind in the forest, and your foundation is not stable. If I face you in the open, let others know that the purpose of reprimanding Xu Shao and Brother Xu is to vent your anger, but it is not good. good."

Chu Heng's heart was hot, he nodded, and wanted to say something, but the words of thanking him twitched on the tip of his tongue, and he took them all back like a ghost, and all the words were condensed into an extremely simple word: "En."

Ling Ye raised his lips slightly, walked back to the dragon chair facing south of the main hall and sat down.The smile on his face was already light, but as soon as he sat down, his face sank like water, dignified and majestic, which made people feel awe.He raised his hand and waved away the palace guards in the main hall, leaving only Gao Zhangdian to stand by.

Xu Shao and Xu Kan had been waiting outside the hall for a long time, both of them had unsightly faces, and they were waiting at the bottom of the steps with their hands clenched in cold sweat.Especially Xu Kan was punished to kneel in front of the emperor's palace yesterday. He didn't know the reason.

After waiting for nearly half an hour, the gate of the main hall suddenly opened, and all the palace guards in the hall retreated.The leader went straight to Xu Shao, bowed and bowed, and said flatly, "Your Majesty summons you two."

Xu Shao was about to inquire about something, but unexpectedly the servant finished speaking, nodded slightly, before he could speak, he turned and retreated into the queue, with a respectful and distant attitude.

Seeing this, Xu Shao's heart skipped a beat, he calmed down and collected his breath before stepping into the hall.

The emperor sat on the dragon chair in the middle of the hall, looking at a book, with no expression on his face, unable to distinguish between emotions and anger.

Xu Shao and Xu Shao bowed their heads to pay their respects, saying that they are Your Majesty. The gold bricks under their knees are as smooth as a mirror, and the light can be used as a guide, reflecting two anxious faces.

Unexpectedly, the emperor quickly put down the booklet in his hand when he heard the sound, and there was a bit of a smile in his voice: "Excuse me, sit down." He also asked Eunuch Gao, who was standing beside him, to serve two cups of tea.

Delight in the Sacred Heart.

The two of them breathed a sigh of relief, and after thanking them, they sat down on half a chair.The emperor said a few homely words with a gentle smile, and asked about Marquis Jiayong's body, as if it was true as what was said in front of the palace yesterday, the face-sacrificing of the two of them was just a daily routine among relatives.

Xu Shao's hanging heart fell to the ground. Seeing that the emperor was always amiable, he gradually grew courageous, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I was hunting in Jiazhao some time ago, and I got two high-quality silver fox furs. I will present them to you." His Majesty."

The emperor didn't comment on this, pulled the corner of his lips slightly, and asked an irrelevant question instead: "Isn't he called 'brother-in-law'?"

There was a deathly silence in the main hall.

Xu Shao's face was pale, and he was immediately frightened. Cold sweat poured out from his back. His body softened and he slid off the chair directly, and his knees hit the gold brick floor heavily with a "bang".The same is true for Xu Kan.

Even if Chu Heng was behind the screen, he could clearly hear the teeth-stinging sound of his knees hitting the ground.His scalp was numb, he couldn't help gasping for air, and the hand holding the hibiscus cake couldn't help trembling twice.

... This kneeling is a bit too "comfortable".

The emperor's voice was still smiling, as if it was the same as when he was talking about family affairs just now: "I don't even know when the Xu family has a queen, Xu Shao, was it you who made it, or Jiazhao and the Xu family?"

Xu Shao was terrified when he buckled down such a hat of overreaching, pretentiousness and even rebellion. completely.

His face lost all color, he slammed his head heavily on the ground, his forehead became red and swollen immediately, and cold sweat flowed from his back all at once, and he said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty has learned from you, I must never dare!"

The emperor's tone was smiling, but Xu Shao knew that if the emperor said this to others, he might just use a joke as a way to lightly tap him, but for the Jiazhao Xu family, the emperor was definitely not joking.

The hall was silent for a while again, the smile on the emperor's face disappeared, he didn't say a word, stared at the two brothers lying in front of the imperial case for a long time, raised his hand and threw the booklet he had just read in front of Xu Shao, expressionless Say: "Read."

Xu Shao picked up the memorial with trembling hands, glanced at the content, his mind went blank, his body was covered in cold sweat, and only two words echoed in his heart - "It's over".