When Yu Donglai came out of the imperial study, his legs and feet were still a little weak, but when he recalled His Majesty's words before, he felt as cold as falling into an ice cave in his heart.
"Anyone who dares to blackmail this money again, I will punish his nine clans. If the number of living people is not enough to make up the nine clans, I will loot his ancestral grave."
After being an official for so many years, it was the first time that he saw His Majesty the Emperor get so angry. I don't know if it was because the courtiers teamed up to deceive him, or because of Fan Gu's 800 frontier troops and 2,000 people who died in vain. So when he thought of Yu Donglai, he became even more frightened. Hou Wenji's fabricated lies were enough to avoid serious matters, and His Majesty was still so angry. If it is known that the eight hundred frontier troops were actually slaughtered by You Xiaowei... who knows what kind of thunderous wrath will be provoked
That's right, Tianyou Emperor Yang Yi is indeed gentle, and he rarely blames his subjects, but because of this, some people have forgotten that Tianwei is unpredictable. When the emperor felt that his prestige had declined, he would definitely do something to make his courtiers regain their respect and fear for him. And at this time, there will always be a few unlucky ghosts appearing. Even if they didn't do anything fatally wrong, at least that's how they perceive it. But when His Majesty needs to kill someone, it doesn't really matter what mistake he made.
The important thing is that His Majesty will never be soft when he thinks he should kill someone.
The officials in the imperial court have been stable for a long time, and they have forgotten that more than three years ago, the emperor decreed to kill the Qiu family who committed Jiang Du's treason. More than 2,000 people were killed in Jiangdu that night, and the three major families in Jiangdu were razed to the ground almost instantly.
Because these three aristocratic families all supported the third prince's succession at the beginning, and spared no effort to help the third prince build momentum. But the current emperor Yang Yi was the most low-key among the seven sons of the former emperor at that time, and the person who seemed to be the least likely to inherit the throne sat on the supreme chair.
The emperor wants to kill, sometimes in a hurry, sometimes not.
He waited seven years before attacking those three families in Jiangdu, and he was really moved like thunder. At that time, Zuo Zuowei of the Sui Dynasty was ordered to go out to quell the chaos of Maofeng, the great thief in the south of the Yangtze River, and traveled to Jiangdu to replenish supplies. In the evening, the rich families in Jiangdu City gathered together to have a banquet for Zuo Zuowei General Yang Shunchen, and drank heartily until midnight. The general Yang Shunchen came back drunk, and everyone thought that the general who was supposed to be the emperor's cousin was settled with a banquet and a stack of bank notes.
But in the middle of the night, the 5,000 heavy armored infantry of Zuo Zuowei suddenly poured into the streets and alleys of Jiangdu, sealing off the houses of the three great families in Jiangdu, and there was no questioning process at all. Armed to the teeth, the Zuowei elite soldiers rushed into the compound of those aristocratic families, killing anyone they saw. The wailing sound didn't stop until dawn, but the wailing didn't make any sense.
Overnight, rivers of blood flowed in the city of Jiangdu.
Early the next morning, General Zuo Zuowei Yang Shunchen announced the crimes of the three great families in Jiangdu. One of the most shocking ones is... colluding with traitors in an attempt to plot rebellion. And the three great families headed by the great Sui founding hero, the Qiu family with two lords and five lords. Therefore, this big case is also known as the Qiu Ni case.
And it was at this time that people suddenly woke up. Since Yang Yi was able to sit on the throne, how could he be as gentle and even weak as he appeared on the surface
For courtiers, betrayal is always the bottom line. Once this bottom line is touched, the ending is already doomed. Regardless of whether this betrayal is real or the emperor needs it to exist.
The emperor killed people, sometimes in a hurry, sometimes not.
There is no rush to kill the three major families in Jiangdu. The emperor waited for seven years, and first slowly stripped off the three major families who held important official positions in the court, and put them in a position that seemed important but had no real power. Seven years after the emperor's unknowable design and Xu Rulin's layout, he killed those who made him feel that he no longer needed to exist in the world. The reason for killing people is actually very simple to say, because the existence of these people makes the emperor unhappy.
But now, the emperor is in a hurry to kill.
After walking a dozen steps, Yu Donglai looked back at the imperial study room, couldn't help but shook his head with a wry smile. While he was thankful that he had escaped the catastrophe, there was also a sense of sadness in his heart. There is no doubt that the Minister of the Ministry of War will die when he is given by the emperor. He will not escape disaster from the day the emperor wants him to die. And the emperor's thought of killing him definitely did not start from today.
What happened to Fan Gu was just an excuse for the emperor to attack.
Just as he was walking out in a daze, someone behind him suddenly called his name. Yu Donglai looked back, and saw that it was the Minister of Rites, Huai Qiugong, who had been sitting in the imperial study room but hadn't spoken a moment ago.
"Old Huai, what's the matter?"
Yu Donglai didn't dare to show any disrespect to this veteran of the three dynasties. Everyone knows that there are two very special courtiers in the Great Sui Dynasty, who are also two emperor teachers. One piece of literature and one piece of martial arts, the writer is this old minister who sits in the position of Minister of Rites but never cares about the affairs of the Ministry of Rites. The warrior is Zhou Banchuan, the director of the Academy of Martial Arts.
Yu Donglai bowed slightly politely and performed a junior salute.
Huai Qiugong smiled, stroking his snow-white beard and said: "When I came here, I came in the carriage of Mr. Zheng from the household department. Mr. Zheng was left by His Majesty to discuss important matters, but he has nothing to do with me, an old fellow." I'm so old, I can't walk home by myself, so I have to confess my crime to His Majesty, and then I hurried out to chase you. How about it, do you have time to drop me, an old man, home?"
Drop in
The Yu family's mansion and Huai Qiugong's mansion are basically two opposite directions.
But how could Yu Donglai not know that this veteran who weighed heavily in front of His Majesty had something to say to him alone
He quickly supported Huai Qiugong's arm and said: "It's my luck to invite Huai Lao into my carriage!"
…
…
The wheels of the carriage rolled on the flat bluestone slabs, making a sound that could lull people to sleep. Perhaps it was because Huai Qiugong was really too old, so after getting into Yu Donglai's carriage, he felt a little drowsy. He leaned against the soft inner wall of the carriage covered with brocade cushions, and seemed to enjoy the slight shaking of the carriage with his eyes closed.
Yu Donglai knew that since Huai Qiugong stopped him, he must have something to say to him. So he was not in a hurry, so he picked up one side of the brocade quilt and gently covered Huai Qiugong's body.
This is a sign of not being in a hurry, but it is a means of being in a hurry.
Sure enough, Huai Qiugong slowly opened his eyes and looked at the brocade quilt on his body, then gave Yu Donglai a grateful look with a smile, and laughed at himself: "I'm getting older, it seems that I'm sleepy all day long. As long as you stay still When I got down, I couldn't help dozing off."
"How could it be, Huai Lao, you are growing stronger and stronger."
Yu Donglai said with a smile.
"Where is it stronger?"
Huai Qiugong said in a mysteriously low voice, "I haven't touched a woman for ten years. How can you be strong?"
This old man is really cute sometimes.
As the Minister of Rites who paid the most attention to etiquette in the Sui Dynasty, he actually said such vulgar words in front of others. If the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty knew about it, his jaw would drop in shock.
Yu Donglai smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to respond.
Fortunately, this disrespectful old man didn't intend to continue talking about women. He pulled up the brocade quilt himself, making it more tightly covered.
"Donglai, it has been three years since you were promoted to Minister of the Ministry of War?"
Huai Qiugong asked seemingly casually.
"Three years, two months and six days."
Yu Donglai replied seriously.
"Days go by so fast."
Huai Qiugong said with emotion, smiled and said: "When I first saw you, you were just a sixth-rank member of the military department. In a blink of an eye, after so many years, I became a possessive The latrine refuses to be removed, and you are old and immortal, and you have changed from a determined young man to a restrained and steady middle-aged."
Yu Donglai said in a humble tone: "Old Huai, you've praised me."
"Donglai, do you know why His Majesty is angry?"
Huai Qiugong, who was still talking about nonsense before, suddenly changed his tone and asked.
Yu Donglai was startled, and after sorting out his words in his mind, he replied, "It's because I, as a courtier, disappointed His Majesty."
Huai Qiugong rolled his eyes at him and said: "This answer is quite satisfactory, but it is a lie."
Yu Donglai smiled and did not deny it.
"The reason why I got into your carriage is because I can be alone with you for a while. There are some things that should not be known to others. You have also been an official for many years, so you naturally understand what I mean."
Huai Qiugong looked at Yu Donglai and said lightly: "Since it's just you and me, why not just say... Your Majesty is so angry today, it is because of the 800 frontier troops and 2,000 people who died in the battle of Fan Gu." , because of Li Xiaozong's ignorant guy, because of Li Yuanshan's self-righteousness, and because of the greed of the Ministry of War and the Qing Yamen... But in fact, these are not the most fundamental reasons, don't tell me, you still don't understand His Majesty's rage. Because of what."
"Because His Majesty is about to use troops against the Northwest."
Yu Donglai did not practice Tai Chi this time, but replied truthfully.
"At least you didn't continue to play dumb, or I would get out of the car and walk home by myself."
Huai Qiugong looked at Yu Donglai and asked, "Then tell me, why did Your Majesty use the Ministry of War for surgery?"
"Because Your Majesty doesn't want to hear any opposition to the mobilization of troops this time. Hou Junci has always strongly opposed the use of troops in the Northwest, and even accused His Majesty of recklessly using weapons in the court to rejoice."
Huai Qiugong said seriously: "Your Majesty is a wise king, so even if an official in the court speaks rudely because of a disagreement, His Majesty will not blame him, but will praise him more, right?"
"right!"
Yu Donglai nodded.
"How many people will still be in awe of the majesty of the emperor in the long run?"
Huai Qiugong breathed a long sigh of relief, and said with some emotion: "Hou Junci is not unlucky, but he is an idiot... Your Majesty wants to be wise and listen because you have to do so. And there are still many things you have to do. What to do, such as this time to launch troops in the northwest. There have been five emperors in the Sui Dynasty, which one did not expand the territory?"
He paused and said: "To speak disrespectfully, what kind of posture your Majesty wants to show is His Majesty's business, but a courtier must not know how to advance or retreat and adjust his position. For example, I... dare to lose my temper with Your Majesty, dare to lose my temper with you. Blow your beard and stare at His Majesty, why?"
"Because I am the emperor's teacher, the emperor's teacher that His Majesty allowed to exist. If His Majesty wants to respect the teacher, I must cooperate with His Majesty to do this gesture. And Zhou Banchuan, that old guy also understands this truth. So His Majesty allows us to rely on the old and sell the old, He is also happy to make people feel that such a relationship between monarch and minister is very charming."
"But, does His Majesty really dare not kill me or Zhou Banchuan?"
Huai Qiugong was silent for a while and continued: "So, I got into your carriage, just to tell you something... To be a courtier, the first thing you need to do is to understand what kind of courtier you should be. His Majesty will be satisfied."
"Do you now know how to satisfy His Majesty?"
he asks.
Yu Donglai pondered for a while, then nodded and said seriously: "Maybe your majesty needs a ruthless minister who betrays his colleagues, and your majesty also needs a few more people from the Ministry of War to die. So, I should think carefully after I go back, the Ministry of War How should the list of corrupt Mexican officials be drawn up."
Huai Qiugong couldn't help laughing, his face full of relief.
"That's not cruel, that's righteousness."
He smiled and said: "What is righteousness? To be loyal to His Majesty, to satisfy His Majesty, to solve problems for His Majesty, to follow His Majesty's heart, and to understand the way of a monarch and his ministers. When you should be a gentleman, you should be a gentleman, when you should be a villain, you should be a villain, and when you should be an eagle, you should catch him." Rabbit, wagging its tail when it should be a dog is the greatest meaning of being a courtier."
Yu Donglai sat upright, and then bowed deeply: "Thank you Huai Lao for your guidance."