The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 17 Wangxiantai

winter solstice.

Daming Palace, Taiye Pool.

Today, the sky is cloudy and dark, and it is snowing heavily. The morning light is so dim that it seems like night. Looking out, the lake is dark green like an abyss, and the snow is falling silently, which is really pleasing to the eye. Wangxiantai is built on Nanbei, a six-story wooden building, where you can watch the water and listen to the rain.

There is also a second courtyard next to it, where guards and imperial officials can temporarily rest.

Perhaps because the rebels had retreated, the emperor was in a very good mood these days. He neither returned to the Purple Palace nor visited the concubines, but was having fun with several concubines on the Wangxian Terrace. During the day, he listened to the snow and admired the lake, wrote poems, and at night, he laughed until midnight.

Ximen Chongsui came twice to criticize the emperor for being so unstable, but the emperor said indifferently, "Military and political affairs are handled by the Privy Council and court officials. Why ask me? Besides, in today's world, the more I do, the more mistakes I make, the less I do, the fewer mistakes I make, and if I do nothing, I'm not wrong at all, haha."

Ximen Chongsui was speechless for a moment.

He thought that the Saint would take advantage of the retreat of the rebels to regain power, and he also suspected that the Saint was hiding in the Wangxian Tower to plot against him, and he even sent people to eavesdrop on him, but he didn't expect that the Saint would give up completely. Wasn't it just the vassal state forcing the emperor to abdicate? Why did he become so depressed and degenerate? This made Ximen Chongsui reflect on himself and felt that his control was too strict.

“Ding, Dang…”

The copper stove is filled with incense, and the sound of stringed instruments is pleasant to the ears.

On the goose yellow velvet carpet, the female official was half-lying. A few drops of wine rolled down her chin, and she took a sip, and her red lips immediately glowed with moisture. Then, she embraced the emperor with a pair of bare arms, letting him rest his head on her plump and white thighs, with a smile between her eyebrows.

"When I am awake, I sit on the Immortal Terrace; when I am drunk, I sleep on the lap of my beloved concubine. The world does not recognize the emperor..." The prime ministers came together and sighed.

Concubine He came out of the other courtyard and led a group of guards and palace maids to greet them: "Prime Minister Du, Lord Liu, and Minister Li."

"I am terrified." The prime minister bowed in return.

He smiled bitterly: "Do the three gentlemen have any political matters to consult the emperor?"

Du Rangneng nodded and asked in a natural and intimate tone: "I heard that the saint was ill in Wangxiantai, so we came to visit him."

Hearing this, He's face turned pale and he said, "The doctor said that he was frightened by the chaotic army, but I said that he was bewitched by those vixens."

Li Xi was about to say a few words of comfort when he saw Du Rang Neng winking at him, so he quickly changed his words and said, "Thank you for your guidance. Since we are already here, we must meet the sage. We must also discuss many unresolved state affairs with the sage."

"Okay." He waved her hand, asked only two maids to follow her, and then walked in front.

After walking along the lake for a while and climbing a hundred steps, He and his party arrived at a pointed dark red octagonal building.

He paused and said with a blank expression: "He is on the third floor. Those slutty foxes are inside. I won't go in. There are no outsiders on Wangxiantai. You can say and do whatever you want."

After saying this, he turned around and left in a hurry without looking back, as if he would be infected with a serious disease if he looked at him for even one more moment.

Du Rangneng and Liu Chongwang looked at each other, then pushed the door open and walked in.

When I reached the third floor, I smelled an inexplicable fragrance. I followed the smell and turned into the corridor, but was stopped by a group of warriors.

"Mr. Liu." Upon seeing his benefactor, Wang Congxun clasped his hands and bowed.

Liu Chongwang's face darkened: "Where is the saint?"

"Come with me."

So we walked another big circle and came to the side facing Taiye Lake, where we could already hear laughter and the sounds of musical instruments.

Before Du Rangneng knocked, the bamboo door opened naturally. A female official, wearing a thin purple gauze and showing her white and tender legs and feet, came out with a tray. The three prime ministers took one look and their faces turned red, and they stepped aside helplessly. The female official had a pink face and glared at Wang Congxun with hatred. Wang Congxun was so scared that he stared blankly at the foot as it turned around the corridor column until it disappeared.

Then, the sound of footsteps could be heard in the elegant house.

"Coming, coming." The emperor asked several female officials to go out through another door.

It is right to keep a beauty like this hidden in the boudoir, so that people would be afraid of being coveted when seeing her.

The emperor tidied up the desk and flipped through the books he brought.

Only when the room was completely quiet did Du Rangneng take off his shoes and enter.

"General."

The emperor sat up straight and saluted the three prime ministers: "It's a bit messy, please sit wherever you want."

Then he called Zhao: "Ruxin, bring the tea and snacks."

"The sage has a refined taste." Looking at the mess, Du Rangneng didn't know what to say: "The sage doesn't love himself, and this old minister is heartbroken."

"Haha." The emperor chewed a few broad beans and said, "What are you thinking about, Taiwei? You have nothing to do, so you can chat with the ladies."

Du Rangneng's face flushed red, and he was unwilling to say more on this topic: "I came here today to discuss four matters with the sage."

"Why don't you ask the Privy Councilor for important military and political matters?" The emperor covered his face with a book and said, "I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it."

"We are the emperor and the ministers of the Tang Dynasty, not slaves of the Ximen family. If the saint really does not want to use us, he can depose us by imperial decree." Du Rangneng felt as if his heart was stabbed with a needle. He felt very uncomfortable. He sighed and was about to get up to leave.

"oops!"

The emperor quickly grabbed his sleeve and said anxiously, "What are you doing, Taiwei? Why is it so? Did the Privy Councilor bother you again? He must have done it unintentionally. Besides, the Privy Councilor is my right-hand man, in charge of the internal and external communication, and the imperial edicts. It is also the palace system for you to consult with him. Don't you have something to say? Ruxin, help the Taiwei sit down."

"Alas, the king is not a king, the ministers are not ministers, and the country is no longer a country. It is so unbearable, it is best not to sit down." Du Rangneng was very depressed.

It was clear that the saint was fine before, not like this. He dared to sit at Xuanwu Gate even when the rebels attacked the city... How come he gradually became corrupt in the past few days, even hiding on the Wangxian Terrace all day and fooling around with the female officials? What did those evil slaves do to make the emperor so depressed?

Liu Chongwang also lifted his clothes and stood up, bowing and saluting: "This old minister feels haggard, dizzy, and weak. It may be that he has caught a cold. Please allow this old minister to go back and rest."

"Ah? Are you all leaving?"

The emperor poured himself a cup of honey water, leaned back in his chair and took two sips. He was silent for a while before saying nonchalantly, "Then it is approved. Go home and have a rest. If you have any questions, please consult the Privy Councilor. The Southern and Northern Courts must work together as one."

Du Rangneng looked at Li Ye, shook his head involuntarily, and walked out tremblingly, his back looking extremely disappointed.

"Your Majesty..." Minister of Rites Li Xi was about to speak, and wanted to say something, but the emperor waved his hand and said, "You can go too."

Only the emperor and Zhao were left in Yashe.

"Everyone hurts the general's heart."

"It is their hearts that are hurt." The emperor's face turned serious, no longer as unruly as before, and asked, "Read the memorials that you have picked recently."

(End of this chapter)