The emperor's birthday is called the Longevity Festival.
On the day of the Longevity Festival, the emperor will accept the congratulations and gifts from the officials. During the Longevity Festival, slaughtering is prohibited, and the punishment name is ignored for several days before and after. Civil and military officials are required to wear python robes according to regulations. On this day, the artisans in the capital decorated the main streets with colorful paintings and cloth, and sang and danced everywhere.
And the civil and military officials in various places have to set up incense cases and give great gifts to the capital. 1
Gu Yuanbai's birthday is in the golden autumn festival, the season of grain harvest. The emperor's birthday is particularly important. As early as Gu Yuanbai and his courtiers moved to the summer palace, the capital began to prepare for the holy birthday.
When the Longevity Festival really comes, even foreign messengers will go to the Daheng capital to celebrate Gu Yuanbai's birthday.
And Gu Yuanbai also wanted to take this opportunity to get to know these foreign envoys who came to Chao He.
Regarding the birthday, these pomp and specifications have been written into the law. Before and on the day of the Longevity Festival, the entire Daheng will also be on vacation for three days.
When a person's birthday is to be happy with the rest of the world, then on such a birthday, it is not the person who celebrates the birthday who can decide what to do.
Gu Yuanbai only instructed to go on, not to be extravagant.
A few days later, the news that the governor of Lizhou was killed by bandits because he failed to suppress the bandits spread throughout the imperial court.
Because Lizhou Zhizhou forced the people to become bandits and colluded with the bandits, once it got out, it would definitely shake the hearts of the people, so this matter had to be kept secret, and no rumors could be spread out. Even the Minister of Officials, who took the initiative to resign from Gu Yuanbai, only thought that the prefect of Lizhou condoned the bandits to loot the local people and corrupted a lot, and he did not know the deeper meaning of it.
Only Gu Yuanbai and some of his cronies knew about this deeper level of information.
When it reached the ears of the court officials, the story changed.
Lizhou Zhizhou was afraid because of corruption, and wanted to atone for his sins, so he led people recklessly to suppress the bandits. Instead, he was killed by bandits. The killing of an official of the imperial court made the matter serious. In the end, a garrison was even dispatched, and all the bandits on the hills around Lizhou were wiped out.
Some bandits have been pressed to the capital, and they will work as coolies to reclaim the most difficult wasteland in western Beijing. And those bandit leaders who made Lizhou and surrounding states and counties suffer the most were directly beheaded in the presence of Lizhou Wanmin.
It's cheaper to know the state.
It was supposed to be notorious, and it should be cast aside forever in history. But because what he did was hidden and too terrifying, it had already shaken people's hearts and caused riots, so he had to be dealt with in secret, and then the news that "the governor of Lizhou only committed the crime of corruption" was published on the surface. to spread.
The longer Gu Yuanbai has been in ancient times, the more he feels that history is a little girl who can be dressed up.
This thing is a fig leaf in the hands of the superior and the victor.
Gu Yuanbai threw the book in his hand that stated the reason for the death of Lizhou Zhizhou on the table, looked at the historian beside him, and asked, "Is it clear?"
The historian nodded, and showed Gu Yuanbai the words recorded by the court earlier this morning. It was written clearly on the top: I heard about the harm of Lizhou, and I sighed and counted. It was a pity that he wanted to atone for his crimes and was killed by thieves. When the number of stolen goods from the governor of Lizhou came, the emperor was furious and said, "This person is a waste of money." 2
"Very good," Gu Yuanbai said, "that's it."
The historian should be respectful, took the scroll, quietly retired, and prepared to transcribe it on the history scroll.
Kong Yilin and the others, who transported a batch of free labor back to Beijing, were about to go to the west of Beijing. Gu Yuanbai turned the jade wrench on his hand, but when his hand touched it, he couldn't help but stop.
After a long time, he asked, "How is the person?"
This sudden sentence made Tian Fusheng bewildered. Fortunately, he quickly recovered and replied tentatively: "Go back to the Holy One, there is no major news from the Xue residence, and Master Xue should be fine."
"Should?" Gu Yuanbai's brows furrowed, and he said indifferently, "What is it?"
Tian Fusheng's cold sweat remained on his temples, and he immediately admitted his mistake, "I'm going to inquire about it if you're young."
Gu Yuanbai was a little annoyed, he rubbed his temples, suppressing the irritability, "Go back."
Being in it that day, it just felt a little weird. Now that I think about it, I'm afraid that Xue Yuan's injuries are still serious. The strange smells that I smell are probably blood.
After being seriously injured and running in dirty water for such a long time, isn't the meat rotten
People who are in good health spoil their bodies like this, it really makes people who are in bad health feel unhappy no matter what they think.
Gu Yuanbai leaned back.
His temples were bulging, his long sleeves were spread on the soft chair, and his expression was slightly cold.
If someone spoils himself like this just to pick up a dead thing for Gu Yuanbai, such behavior is not affectionate, loyal, or stupid in Gu Yuanbai's eyes.
Human life is more precious than anything.
Or is that what Xue Yuan said about fighting for him
For a jade wrench
After a while, the sage ordered: "Call San Yuyan."
After Chang Yuyan knew that the Sage had summoned him, he quickly sorted out his official robe and crown, and followed the eunuch who called him to the Sage's palace.
In the summer palace, the roads twist and turn, and the garden art is at its peak. The summer heat is no more, and Chang Yuyan has walked all the way, and when he arrives in front of Gu Yuanbai, he still looks like a refreshing and romantic boy.
"The minister pays homage to the sage." This is the second time he has been summoned alone. San Yuyan couldn't help being a little nervous. He bent over and bowed to Gu Yuanbai.
Gu Yuanbai raised his head from the book, looked at Chang Yuyan and smiled: "Nothing, don't be cautious, I was just a little boring, so I called Chang Qing to talk to me."
Chang Yuyan was a talent that Gu Yuanbai liked and valued very much. He gave Chang Yuyan a seat and then had him put on a chessboard.
Chang Yuyan was a little flattered. He sat down according to the words, his buttocks were only half firm, remembering the last time the Sage played chess with Chu Wei, he couldn't help saying: "The last time the Sage played chess with Lord Chu, I never watched it from the side. When I think about it to this day, I still feel regretful.”
Gu Yuanbai said with a smile: "Then today, Chang Qing's regret is all over."
Chang Yuyan laughed, rolled up his cuffs, and played chess with Sheng.
He did a good job, Gu Yuanbai became a little more serious, and after Chang Yuyan got into it, he asked casually, "I heard that Chang Qing wrote another good poem recently."
Gu Yuanbai only used half of his mind, but his chess game is really dangerous, with traps and sharp tricks everywhere. Some things that shouldn't be said: "Yes, Xue Jiuyao had to ask the minister to write a poem for him a few days ago."
With his fingers rubbing the round chess pieces, Gu Yuanbai laughed, "Chang Qing and Xue Qing are so good."
Chang Yuyan smiled bitterly and said, "Just Xue Jiuyao's dog temper, who can—"
He suddenly came back to his senses, his nerves suddenly tense, and he quickly got up to apologize, "I made a mistake, please forgive me."
"No problem," Gu Yuanbai smiled slightly, "Why is Tanhua Lang so restrained with me?"
The words he asked sent chills down the spine, but when the sage smiled, the chill was suddenly suppressed, and the mind was dizzy, where did he remember the danger.
San Yuyan smiled shyly and sat down again.
Look, people like Xue Jiuyao have friends like San Yuyan. No matter what else, Xue Jiuyao was far inferior to San Yuyan only in the etiquette of facing Gu Yuanbai.
But again.
In front of San Yuyan, Gu Yuanbai was also an emperor who had nothing to do with other people.
Gu Yuanbai smiled, and suddenly felt a little bored. He stopped asking, but concentrated on finishing the game with San Yuyan. After he was serious, San Yuyan quickly collapsed.
San Yuyan said with admiration, "The saint is very good at chess."
The corner of Sheng Shang's mouth twitched slightly, and Chang Yuyan said again: "Xue Jiuyao's approach is somewhat similar to that of Sheng Shang. When facing this kind of chess approach, I really have no way to do it."
Gu Yuanbai raised his eyebrows, playing with his taste: "He still plays chess?"
Chang Yuyan couldn't help laughing, "There may be more books in Xue Jiuyao's study than there are in the minister's residence."
Gu Yuanbai was really surprised by this.
Looking at the image of Sheng Shang, Chang Yuyan couldn't stop his mouth, his mind was a little unclear, and he kept taking Xue Yuan's embarrassment to make Sheng Shang happy, "Xue Jiuyao's room is not only full of books. , A few days ago, the minister also found that he was dragging the sick body and started to make a kite."
Gu Yuanbai paused, "Kite?"
"Yes," said Chang Yu, "it's still a swallow kite."
"Then write on the kite," Gu Yuanbai said, "what does it mean?"
San Yuyan showed some doubts on his face: "This, the minister doesn't know."
Gu Yuanbai nodded slightly and asked him to step back.
After the others left, Gu Yuanbai raised his hand to pick up the cup, stretched out his fingers, and saw the green jade wrench again.
He looked at it for a while, then suddenly reached out and took off the jade finger, and snorted coldly, "I'm so upset."
When Tian Fusheng heard this sentence, he cautiously said, "Then go and bring those new jade fingers to the saint?"
Gu Yuanbai glanced at him, and said "No" in his throat. After turning around, he said, "Bring some."
After Chang Yu said it was worth it, he got into the Xue mansion.
When he came, Xue Yuan was cutting wood with a dagger.
Eldest son Xue was only wearing his underwear, with a robe on the outside. His black hair was scattered behind him, his expression was serious, his chin twitched indifferently.
Chang Yuyan couldn't help but smile, and sat on the side, "Xue Jiuyao, what are you doing?"
The fingers were covered with sawdust, Xue Yuan said lazily, "Cut wood."
Chang Yuyan choked, "Of course I know that you are cutting wood, I am asking you what kind of wood you plan to cut."
The corners of Xue Yuan's lips twitched, "It's none of your business."
San Yuyan was accustomed to ignoring his words. He coughed and straightened his back as if he had no intention of saying, "I was summoned by the sage again today."
Xue Yuan's subordinates kept on, as if casually: "Huh?"
"The sage talked to me and played a game of chess," Chang Yuyan couldn't help his smile getting bigger and bigger, and said with admiration, "The chess game of the sage is truly outstanding, I exhausted all my strength, but I can only persist. A moment's effort."
Xue Yuan stopped talking, he turned the dagger around in his hand, the sharp tip of the knife shone with the afterglow of the setting sun, and golden light flashed on his face again and again.
"and then?"
Then
Chang Yuyan looked at Xue Yuan's profile, and the words he wanted to say suddenly got stuck in his mouth for some reason. He smiled naturally, and moved his eyes from Xue Yuan's body to the wood in his hand, and said without changing his tone. : "Then there's nothing left. The sage is busy with business. After talking to me for a word or two, let me go."