Still waiting for Zhaoyang

Chapter 37
一
In the Kangning Hall of the Imperial Capital, Shang Rui read the news sent back by Qi An. The letter was written in a very simple, straightforward manner without any emotion.Qi An's teeny-handed small script is very beautiful even in the rushing situation. There is a line in the letter-Xu Jingye hanged himself in Fenghui Town, and his body has been returned to the Xu Family Army.

Shang Rui stared at that sentence for a long time, and his heart was very calm, neither happy nor happy, neither sad nor sad.After all, he sent Xu Jingye on this road with his own hands.

Then, he went to the Empress Dowager's Chengfu Palace.

The queen mother didn't rest, she went to bed early at night when she was old, and always woke up in the middle of the night, and now she couldn't sleep, so she got up and went to the altar to chant sutras.

Since the last dispute, she has been refusing to see Shang Rui.

Now that she knew that Shang Rui came suddenly at midnight and was already waiting outside the hall, she already had some premonition in her heart, she hurriedly changed her clothes and asked him to come in.

As soon as Shang Rui entered the door and sat down, he told her the news of Xu Jingye's death.He felt that it was better for the Queen Mother to hear the news from others than to hear it from his own mouth.

The queen mother was stunned and sat quietly for a long time before she said: "The emperor must not forget your promise to Aijia." After saying this, she wiped her wet eyes with a handkerchief.

Shang Rui nodded.

The Empress Dowager cried silently for a while, and after wiping away her tears, she paused and cleared her throat: "The weather is fine this spring, and Ai's family wants to live in the palace in Shunzhou."

"Now that the south is still undecided, I'm afraid that some unscrupulous people will bump into the queen on the road, so it's better to take it easy."

"Aijia is an old woman, what's so scary, the ghosts and monsters in this capital in the past can't do anything to Aijia, let alone a mere troublemaker."

Shang Rui said lightly: "My son is not filial."

The queen mother sneered: "You are extremely filial to save Aijia's life."

Shang Rui knew that the Empress Dowager was stubborn, and the more she persuaded her, the more she couldn't please her, so she stopped talking.

As soon as he stopped, the atmosphere got worse.

The queen mother said again: "After Ai's family leaves, don't get too used to the queen. The Wang family should take care of it. Don't spoil the second Xu family."

"The son always remembers the mother's teachings."

He left Chengfu Palace in the dark, walked around Liubo Lake, and walked aimlessly.The servants and maids following him didn't know where he was going, so they had to follow him from a distance.Minglian stepped forward to hold the lamp for him, but he also refused.

The sky was dark and dull, without a single star.

It was late at night, and the lights were turned off everywhere, only the light on the turret could be seen from a distance.

At this moment, for some reason, he seemed to have the illusion that he was the only one in this dark palace wall.

Xia Yue has been studying medicine with Li Ji for several days.She was a little depressed at first, but then she devoted herself to treating Zijin's illness.

Yao Chuang in the dark saw it and felt relieved.

He didn't expect Shang Rui's method last time to be very effective.The two sentences, one soft and the other hard, precisely pinched Xia Yue's weakness.

Li Ji was originally a strict person, and he taught people without ambiguity.Xia Yue wrote down Zijin's symptoms in detail, and he glanced at them briefly, but said nothing, just started teaching from the most basic ones.

The Twelve Orthodox Classics, Eight Extraordinary Meridians, Fifteen Bieluo, Twelve Biejing... Xia Yue knew a little before, so it didn't take much effort to learn them.

Next, he taught her the rules of the meridians while teaching her how to use needles.

Li Ji said: "In ancient methods, pure gold and silver are often used to make needles. Gold needles are generally eight parts gold and two parts copper. They are soft and easy to bend. If they don't practice inner strength, ordinary people can't use them, but they are better than silver needles for acute and severe diseases. As he said, he unfolded several kinds of needles for Xia Yue to see, "When applying needles, the silver needles can be curved and advanced without breaking, and can be used for deeper acupuncture points."

"I've seen iron needles before." Xia Yue recalled Mu Yuanzhi's needles before.

"That's right, the piece of pure iron on the bit is used, called the bit."

"Can't other irons work?" Xia Yue asked.

Li Ji shook his head: "The gold in iron has the energy to hurt people. It is recorded in "Materia Medica" that horses belong to noon fire, and fire overcomes gold. Therefore, the metal energy has been removed before it can be used on people."

The two of them were in the study, asking and answering, and before they knew it, it was dusk.Li Ji saw that Xia Yue still wanted to continue, so he said: "Miss Min, you should not rush for quick success when you study medicine, it's better to take your time."

Xia Yue couldn't help being a little ashamed after being read through her mind, so she had to take the medical book Li Ji gave her and leave.After walking a few steps, he came back again: "Why did the master suddenly agree to teach me medical skills that day?"

Li Ji is not very good at playing sloppy with others, so he said directly: "I was also entrusted by others, and I didn't show kindness for a while."

When Xia Yue came back from Li Ji's place, she saw He Xiang sitting in the room with an uncertain expression.

"What's wrong? It was fine before going to the street." Xia Yue asked.Now she is under house arrest and cannot leave Li Ji's mansion. Fortunately, He Xiang can come in and out at will.

With tears in He Xiang's eyes, she raised her head and said, "Miss, do you still remember the sisters from the Yu family who sang in Cuiwei Building?"

"Yu Yin'er and Yu Hua'er?" Xia Yue naturally remembered.

"Today I went to the street and met Yu Yin'er calling for grievances on the street, stopped an adult's sedan chair, and said that she would avenge her sister's grievances."

Xia Yue had a bad feeling and quickly asked, "What happened to her sister?"

"I heard her say from a distance that her sister was snatched back to the mansion by Wang Ganqiang, and then beaten to death by him. She had no way to file a complaint, so she went to the street to stop the sedan chair to seek justice."

When Xia Yue heard Wang Gan's name, her heart felt like being stung by a needle, and her lips trembled: "Wang Gan is also in Dijing?"

He Xiang didn't pay attention to Xia Yue's face, wiped away her tears and said: "It should be, I heard from Yu Yin'er that it was just these two days."

"Whose sedan chair did Yu Yin'er block?"

"I don't know, it's just that the lord is not a good official. He first said he wanted to make decisions for Yu Yin'er, but later he was persuaded when he heard that the other party was Wang Kui's son. He even scolded Yu Yin'er, saying that she was bribed to pick her up This is the time to slander the royal family and the queen."

Xia Yue listened, clenched her fists, and remained silent for a long time.

He Xiang asked again: "Is Wang Gan really the Queen's relative?"

Xia Yue sneered: "Of course it can't be wrong."

Afraid that she would be hungry, He Xiang took out the snacks she bought from the street just now, and poured another cup of hot tea.

Xia Yue wiped her hands: "What happened next?"

"Later, the adult's attendant pushed Yu Yin'er aside and left. On the contrary, there was a kind-hearted person nearby who collected some money for her. I didn't dare to go up for fear of causing trouble for the lady, so I entrusted all the broken silver that the lady gave me to buy things. Others secretly handed it to her. In the end, she didn't want it, she said she didn't care for money, she only hoped that there would be justice under the blue sky."

He Xiang cried again after speaking.

The next day, Wei Shangrui threw the impeachment of Wang Kui in front of him in Qiantai Hall: "Look for yourself."

Trembling, Wang Kui picked up a book and read it, and argued: "Although the wicked son of the humble minister is young and ignorant, it is absolutely impossible for him to do such a thing. The humble minister is wronged." It is determined that these must be low-level tactics of political opponents.

"You're still arguing," Shang Rui narrowed his eyes, "I've seen and heard what your son did with my own eyes. Could it be that I wronged you too?"

"Weichen... Weichen..." Wang Kui didn't know the reason for what Shang Rui said about what he saw with his own eyes, and he didn't dare to answer while wiping away his sweat.

"I guess you don't have the courage to listen to what he said in front of me." Having said that, Shang Rui stopped being angry, and looked at Wang Kui in front of him coldly.

Wang Kui knelt on the ground, his whole body was limp.

At this time, a report came from outside the palace, saying that the queen had come.

Shang Rui sneered: "She came quickly."

As soon as Wang Kui heard it, it was as if he saw a savior, and suddenly he regained his energy.In fact, Wang Kui knew something was wrong before he came, so he sent someone to Jinde Palace for help.

Wang Xiaoxiang walked into the hall, first bowed to the emperor, then picked up the four or five copies on the ground one by one, and put them back on the imperial case.

"The empress came just in time," Shang Rui said, "This is what the empress told me about Wang Kui's good teaching? Now that the power of the Xu family is changing, you are afraid that the court will be unstable. Not only are you not cautious, but you are also acting like bullies." The female thing...is really a jerk."

He was originally scolding Wang Gan, but when he said the words "bullying men and women", the expression on his face froze, and he suddenly became uncomfortable, so he paused, and added "What a jerk" hastily It's over.

Ming Lian next to him knew the reason, and lowered his head, not daring to make any changes.

Wang Xiaoxiang looked embarrassed: "The concubine listened to the wrong belief, and asked the emperor to punish him."

"You really should wake up, that evil animal is using your name to do evil everywhere, and someone told me that he has a good character," Shang Rui sneered, "I really regret that I didn't chop him up in the restaurant that day."

Wang Xiaoxiang said to Wang Kui, "Master Wang, go back and ask Wang Gan to surrender to Tingwei Mansion."

Wang Kui wiped his sweat again: "Report to Madam, this bastard...he hasn't returned for two days."

"Where did you go?" Wang Xiaoxiang asked.

"I really don't know." Wang Kui hastily kowtowed and said to Shang Rui, "I dare not lie to your majesty and empress at all."

Shang Rui squinted at Wang Kui, didn't have time to figure out the truth of his words, and said directly: "I will give you three days, if you can't hand over someone within three days..."

Wang Kui didn't wait for Shang Rui to speak, and hurriedly said: "I will go to Tingwei Mansion to plead guilty."

"I'm not such a stupid king. Although Wang Gan is your adopted son, the life he committed was not at your hands, and the crime of murder and adultery is not implicated. It's just that you are incapable of raising your son, and you should have been punished long ago. "

Wang Kui didn't dare to express his anger, he only dared to claim it.

Shang Rui said again: "Let the court lieutenant investigate this in advance. If the evidence of the crime is convincing, I will not spare him."

As soon as Wang Kui and Wang Xiaoxiang left, He Lanxun arrived.

"Your Majesty." He Lanxun hurried over, "This is a secret letter just received."

Shang Rui took the letter and glanced at it hastily, then said to He Lanxun: "Wei Ranyu wants to ask me to have a secret talk."

He Lanxun hurriedly asked, "Where is it?"

"He's coming to the Imperial Capital." Shang Rui replied.

He Lanxun was overjoyed: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, for not killing anyone."

"Soldiers are not bloody, and you can take it from far away?" Shang Rui looked at the teacup on the table, raised his hand and dipped his index finger in the tea, and then used his fingertips to draw a circle on the mouth of the cup.

Lost and found in the cloud.

This was the riskiest move he had taken, and now that the victory was within his grasp, he was not as happy as he expected.

Xu Jingye has been removed, the Empress Dowager has moved into the Li Palace and no longer cares about state affairs, Duke Huai's power is at the end of his rope, even Wei Ranyu is willing to help him, it seems that there is nothing in this world that he can't ask for, but...

He thought of the hands that rubbed his fingers in the swaying and bumpy car, and he thought of how he lost control after his rage broke out that night.

At this moment, a heart suddenly seemed to be held in the palm of someone, and the beating couldn't be controlled by himself.When he was an adult, he even had to control the emotions and worries on his face. He had never seen such a situation before.The finger that was still drawing a circle on the mouth of the tea cup suddenly exerted force, and the tea cup fell over, and the water spilled on the table.

Minglian hastily used his sleeve to stop the tea that was about to drip onto Shang Rui, and softly called for someone to come in to clean up.

Shang Rui stood up from the chair and quietly watched the maids and servants wipe the table dry, and spread out the water-soaked folds one by one.

Seeing that his complexion was not very good, He Lanxun cupped his hands and called out "Your Majesty".

Shang Rui concentrated his mind, turned around and asked: "I want you to go after the first crown prince and move their couple to the Mausoleum of Emperor Gu Shun, how is it?"

"The minister and the Taichang Temple have drafted several temple names to be selected, and are about to ask the emperor to decide." He said and handed over the prepared booklet.

Shang Rui glanced at it, then closed it again: "Let Ran Yu make up his own mind then."

He Lanxun said again: "There are still some people in the court who are quite critical of this matter. If the first prince chases after him, how can the emperor be justified in the ten years since he has been in the sea?"

Shang Rui raised his eyebrows: "Everyone talks about it. If I want to take care of it, I can only take care of it for a while. I can't take care of the affairs of future generations. Why bother yourself. Let them go."

Xun Helan took the folder back and put it in his sleeve.

"In addition," Shang Rui said, "there is one more thing. Back then, the late emperor loved Ran Yu and made him King of Yanping, but it was a false title and he had no land. Take a look, which one is better for him?"

He Lanxun thought about it for a while, and immediately said: "Does the emperor want to keep him by his side, or let him go away?"

Shang Rui understood his concerns, and said, "You are good at everything, but your mind likes to bend too much."

He Lanxun did not refute: "Chen..."

"I think Yunzhong is very good, rich and comfortable."

"Yunzhong? That is the fief granted to the emperor by the late emperor when the emperor dived into the dragon."

"What I owe him, let's pay him back together." Shang Rui said lightly.

"I think it's inappropriate. Liangzhou, Wuzhou, and Yunzhong are all not far away. If one of them has a different heart and becomes united with each other, I'm afraid it will be another Huaiwang rebellion."

Shang Rui took two steps with his hands behind his back: "I have been thinking about this for many days, so I have an idea. Although I am not in a hurry, I can still talk to you in private now."

He Lan Xun listened attentively: "My minister is willing to share the emperor's worries."

Shang Rui frowned: "The matter of Duke Huai is a lesson from the past, and it makes me even want to abolish this vassal state system."

He Lanxun was horrified and froze on the spot. Because he was too surprised, he asked after a while: "The emperor really wants to abolish the feudal clan?"

Shang Rui smiled: "I didn't dare to think about it, but among these vassal kings, King Huai is in the limelight, and now he has been attacked. It seems that it is a good thing to be the first to bite this hard bone." With such an end, others dare not act rashly.

He Lanxun suddenly understood why Shang Rui said "I was afraid that King Huai would not rebel", it turned out that after Xu Jingye and King Huai, Shang Rui had already anticipated this step.He himself is a minister of the two dynasties, and he had such thoughts when he was young and vigorous, but no one dared to mention it, and the matter of abolishing the feudal clan would lead to a great crime through the ages if he didn't pay attention, so everyone just avoided it.The scourge of the vassal king has been around for a long time, but he didn't want Shang Rui to have such courage.

Thinking of this, He Lanxun felt something stirring in his chest.

"My grandfather, Emperor Taizong, once admired the saying 'many build princes with little power', and told the late emperor to confer more vassals, so that they would weaken each other, and the country is small without evil thoughts. I dare not say that Emperor Taizong is wrong, It’s just that I don’t want to continue to let things go like this. The vassal states are separated from the four directions, the emperor’s order is blocked, and the foreign countries in the Western Regions are eyeing me, and they are waiting day and night. If you want to eliminate the troubles of future generations and make the world peaceful and peaceful, the only way is to cut down the vassals. "Speaking of this, Shang Rui's words paused slightly, and asked, "Bo Luan, would you like to help me?" Bo Luan is He Lanxun's word.

After he finished asking, he waited, but he didn't hear He Lanxun speak, but saw the other party lift up his robe and kneel on the ground, kowtowing deeply.

He Lanxun was usually a eloquent person, but he kept his voice muffled all the time, and it took him a long time to answer emphatically: "As the emperor wishes, I swear to follow." There were tears in his eyes.

Shang Rui waved Ming Lian to help him up, and said with a slight smile: "Of course, I'm not a fool. It's too early to mention this now that the time has not come. It's just that I have this idea, so let me talk to you first. This matter is only You know what I know, put it in the bottom of my heart first, and don't act too hastily."

"I understand."

After a while, He Lanxun was puzzled and said: "Since the emperor is determined to cut down the feudal clan, why did he add the title of King Yanping?"

"Originally, there were more than ten of them, and he was not one more. If others have it, I will naturally give it to him."

Unaware that it was already lunch time, Shang Rui took He Lanxun to eat with him.After the meal, Shang Rui said: "Don't rush out of the palace, I will change my clothes and go with you."

"This is the emperor?"

"Go to Li Ji's mansion."

He Lanxun hesitated and said, "Your majesty... I have a word, I hope the emperor will not blame you."

Shang Rui guessed what he was going to say, and squinted at him: "Since you know that you are guilty of speaking out, then don't say it."

He Lanxun sighed, he was afraid that Shang Rui would be so clever, but he would lose in the word "love".

two

Li Ji continued to teach Xia Yue how to use needles in the study.There is a tripod incense burner in the center of the room, and a few wisps of light smoke curl up from the burner.

"This toad needs to be caught in summer and autumn. After washing it, squeeze out the juice from the back of its ears and on its skin and dry it in the sun to make toads. When it is ready to use, melt the toads in wine and quench them on the tip of a needle."

"Chansu has the same effect as Mafeisan?" This was Xia Yue's voice.

(End of this chapter)