Linque

"Kneel down when you come." Ling Ye glanced at the figure approaching outside and ordered.

Chu Heng was dumbfounded, shouldn't he be called to get up after asking this question, why did he continue to kneel instead.He subconsciously raised his eyes to look at the emperor, never thinking that His Majesty's eyes were still on him.As soon as he raised his head, he bumped into His Majesty's eyes as deep as the sea, Chu Heng was slightly startled, then quickly lowered his eyelashes, bowed his head and knelt silently.

Seeing his bewildered and aggrieved look, Ling Ye raised the corners of his lips slightly.Outside the hall, the emperor's guards came to see him, Ling Ye suppressed his smile, and ordered in a deep voice.

The imperial guard who came in was exactly the same colleague who came from the Hall of Martial Arts with Chu Heng today.Jin Wei glanced over Chu Heng's body, did not stop long, and stepped forward to salute respectfully.

The emperor cried out in a warm voice, and even said a few gossips with a smile.

Chu Heng knelt aside and listened, and suddenly felt even more wronged, with his head lowered, and his whole body was shrouded in depression and depression.

For his role as the emperor's guard, I am afraid that there will be no one before or since.

They are very different from the imperial guards in the palace, not only are they of higher rank, the emperor's guards, "guard" is just a false name, and the emphasis is on the word "near".

These people in the Hall of Martial Heroes, either came from aristocratic families and had been exposed to the political situation in Kyushu since childhood, or they lived in the Hall of Martial Heroes when they were young and were loyal to the emperor.To be selected as an attendant to the imperial court is the real essence of becoming the emperor's guard.

The front of the imperial court is not just to protect His Majesty, there are imperial guards outside and palace shadow guards inside. In many cases, the emperor's safety cannot be guarded by the emperor's guards.The Royal Guards of the Imperial City refused to accept the title of "Emperor's Guards Battalion" in the Wuying Palace.

The imperial servants actually want them to listen to the holy will, observe the court situation, and serve as deacons by His Majesty's side, so that His Majesty can personally teach and sharpen them.If there is no accident, you can leave the palace and leave the palace normally. When you go out and enter the prime minister in the future, the road to promotion, adjustment and compensation is much wider than others, and it is not much worse than the shadow of aristocratic families.It is no exaggeration to say that one year before the imperial court was comparable to being away for ten years.

If it weren't for the emperor's sacred heart to determine where the emperor's guards will work and when to leave the palace, once a person enters the Hall of Martial Heroes, the family behind him will no longer be able to intervene. If they are idle, or find a reason to keep them in the Tianzi Guards camp and not let them go, otherwise the Hall of Martial Heroes would have been the shortest way for the children of the Kyushu families to fight for their heads.

Now there are only a hundred or so people in the Hall of Martial Ying, and among them, those who can be promoted to the Imperial Attendant are all the outstanding ones who have been selected through various assessments.He is proficient in everything from Wen Tao to Wu Lue, just like the fellow guards who came to Jingcheng Palace with Chu Heng today.

After reporting the matter to His Majesty, Jin Wei withdrew after saluting. Before he left, seeing His Majesty taking up a pen to review the paper again, he couldn't help giving a sympathetic look at Chu Heng who was still kneeling on the ground.

Since Chu Heng entered the hall to pay his respects, His Majesty obviously didn't call out. Seeing how His Majesty turned a blind eye, he probably wouldn't let him get up later.

Others are favored by the emperor when they come to the imperial court, and their future is bright, but Chu Heng is different. He is the only one of Dayin Kyushu who kneels before the imperial court.

Jinwei resigned, and only Chu Heng and the emperor were left in the study.He was still kneeling, with a thick cashmere carpet under his knees, he didn't feel tired and unbearable, but he was very sad, at the same time he was bewildered and aggrieved.But if His Majesty didn't call out, he would have to kneel all the time, and he could only wait for His Majesty's mercy when he got up.

The time for half a cup of tea passed quietly, and suddenly there was the sound of the vermilion pen being placed on the pen holder, Chu Heng's heart moved slightly, and finally heard His Majesty say: "Chu Heng——"

He raised his eyes and responded: "The minister is here."

A smile appeared in Ling Ye's eyes, and he said softly, "Do you know why you were made to kneel?"

Chu Heng pursed his lips and looked up at the emperor.Seeing His Majesty looking at him with a smile like when he was punished to kneel just now, the strings in his heart tensed again, he hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said truthfully: "I don't know..."

The emperor's smile deepened, and the words he said were exactly the same as before: "You are late when you come back to the imperial court, should you be punished?"

Chu Heng was startled, and quickly defended: "Kechen is with my colleagues on duty..."

The emperor interrupted him: "He is him, you are you. When you come back to the imperial court, according to the rules, you have to come here two quarters in advance to greet the saint, don't you know?"

Chu Heng was stunned for a moment, he really didn't know that yesterday when his colleagues in the Hall of Martial Arts talked to him about many matters in front of the imperial court, they didn't mention this matter.But now that His Majesty has said so, there must be some.

Chu Heng lowered his eyes, not knowing how to explain for a while.He knew that it was impossible for him to be completely innocent all the time, but he never expected that the "next time" would come so quickly.

Sure enough, His Majesty asked, "What did I say yesterday?"

Chu Heng curled up his fingers and lowered his head.

Seeing that he didn't answer, the emperor said "hmm" again, with a rising sound at the end, which meant he was asking a question.

Chu Heng had no choice but to bite the bullet and said in a low voice: "Remember the twenty sticks first, if there is a next time, let's go together..."

Chu Heng couldn't go on with the following words, he was really afraid that once he finished speaking, the emperor's next sentence would be "forty rods".

Twenty sticks can't kill a person, but it hurts too much, let alone doubled.After forty sticks, he would have to lie in bed for at least a month or two.He has already been transferred to the imperial front, and he will not be able to go back to the gate of the Hall of Martial Arts for a while. At this level, he really doesn't want to go through the doubled forty sticks anymore.

And it's not just pain, unfortunately today is October [-]th, he couldn't hold it back, he was afraid that he would have to use all the strength in his body, then it would not be as simple as being too late.

Chu Heng's fingers were clenched white, he pursed his lips, unconsciously softened his voice, and looked at the emperor with eyes full of pleading: "Your Majesty..."

The emperor leaned on the backrest, his face was still amiable, but the words he said were extremely harsh: "If there is a next time, how about it?"

Chu Heng felt a chill in his heart, knowing that he couldn't escape, looked at the emperor dismal, and replied in a low voice: "...to be dealt with together."

As soon as his words fell, the emperor immediately said: "Come here—"

"Your Majesty..." Chu Heng's voice trembled.

The emperor's shadow guard on duty outside heard the sound and knelt on one knee in front of the emperor, making a gesture of obeying orders.

Chu Heng closed his eyes in despair, thinking that His Majesty would not spare him a second time, so he didn't make a sound, only lowered his head and forced himself to be ready to be scolded.

However, the imagined "Forty Sticks" did not arrive as scheduled. His Majesty just ordered that if anyone asks to see him again today, they will all wait in front of the hall to hear the announcement.

The shadow guard should be, and quickly bowed and retreated.

Chu Heng slowly opened his eyes, and when he raised his head again, he saw the emperor was still looking at him with a smile on his face, he was at a loss for what to do, and he said, "Your Majesty..."

Seeing the surprise in his eyes, Ling Ye pointed to the round nanmu stool beside the imperial case, and said with a smile, "Come here, grind ink for me."

Chu Heng stood still in place, staring at the emperor in a daze, until he repeated it again, and then came back to his senses.After a moment of hesitation, he got up and walked forward.

Chu Heng met the emperor's gaze, and did not dare to sit down. He just stood by the side of the imperial case with his head bowed. Before he could pick up the ink ingot, the emperor suddenly said: "Stretch your hand."

Chu Heng raised his head and saw that His Majesty got up and picked up a brand new brush from the pen holder. He was puzzled, but seeing His Majesty's eyes were fixed on his face, he stretched out his left hand after thinking about it.

Before he could react, His Majesty suddenly grabbed his fingertips, flattened his palm, raised the pen with three points of strength, and tapped it heavily with the pen holder.

There was a sudden tingling sensation in the palm of his hand, Chu Heng snorted, subconsciously broke free from the shackles on his fingertips, withdrew his hand suddenly, and looked at the emperor with some grievances.

Ling Ye didn't say a word, just watched him quietly with deep eyes.Chu Heng lowered his head and bit his lip, knowing that he could not resist, so he suppressed the confusion and grievance in his heart, and continued to extend his hand.

The emperor didn't show mercy, and hit him twice more. Seeing red marks on his palm, he put down his pen and said in a low voice, "I still remember the twenty rods. Let's deal with this time first."

Chu Heng withdrew his hand, lowered his head and rubbed his palms, hearing the muffled voice should be yes.

Ling Ye looked at his undisguised expression of grievance and fear of pain written directly on his face, couldn't help feeling amused, and asked, "What has Lishan taught you? Write it on your face?"

Chu Heng raised his head when he heard the words, and for some reason, it was probably because His Majesty looked at ease at the moment, his eyes were full of gentleness, overlapping with the figure in his memory when he first met under the stone steps.He was in a trance for a moment, subconsciously said what was in his heart, and whispered: "It hurts..."

"How dare you cry out in pain?" Ling Ye bent his lips, his brows were gentle, but his words were cruel: "I hit you, no matter how painful it is, you have to bear it, and you can't hide if you can't bear it."①

Chu Heng lowered his eyes, clenched his palms and dared not rub them any more, and said yes sullenly.

Ling Ye raised his lips slightly, and glanced at the "Book of Songs" on the top of the desk inadvertently, his heart moved slightly, and his tone contained some connivance that he hadn't noticed, and said to Chu Heng: "Forget it, if you are like this, There is no need to go to other places in Jingzhang Palace, and I will serve Mo in front of the imperial court in the future."

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①Your Majesty said that since it is said that he bullied the queen, it would be a shame not to bully the queen twice (bushi). This sentence was not intended, and it is impossible to actually practice it.