royal palace
The night is dark, the lights are brightly lit, and the cold wind blows, making people feel a chill.
The guards were wearing armor and thick coats. They looked bloated and their faces were red from the cold. They had swords on their waists and were guarding the palace.
Lanterns were hung under the eaves, illuminating the road clearly.
The imperial study room was brightly lit, and there were beast stoves everywhere. The stove was booming and the heat was warm. There were only bursts of coughing.
"Ahem!" The emperor covered his mouth and kept coughing, his body twitching. A red-robed eunuch patted the emperor's back to help him breathe.
After a while, the emperor felt more comfortable: "You are getting better and better at smoothing your qi."
The red-robed eunuch sighed: "Your Majesty, don't read the memorial. You have worked too hard. It is important to take care of the dragon body."
"The Marquis of Jibei followed me all over the country and conquered the country. He was always loyal. I asked him to go east, but he did not dare to go west. Now I have only reduced his military power and left his title untouched. How can he dare to rebel?" The emperor squeezed his hands tightly, turned blue, and started coughing again.
The eunuch in red robe handed over the medicine without saying a word: "Your Majesty, rest for a while and use some medicine."
The emperor looked haggard and sighed: "Zhezi makes me really upset."
As he spoke, he raised his head and took a sip of the medicine. The medicine was a bit bitter. He frowned, but did not put it down. He drank the medicine completely, frowned, and wiped his mouth clean with a handkerchief.
The eunuch in red robe listened to the sound of the emperor putting down the bowl. He saw that the emperor's face was a little flushed and a little white, and there were some more white hairs on his head.
The father-in-law couldn't help but think of the emperor's wise and mighty appearance in those days. His eyes couldn't help but become moist. He turned slightly sideways and stretched out his hand to wipe the corners of his eyes.
"Trash!" The emperor picked up the book and threw it hard on the table. With a "pop" sound, the father-in-law beside him shook.
"It's been several months and we haven't taken it yet. Damn it." The emperor cursed. At this time, a eunuch hurried over and kowtowed as he entered.
"What's up?"
"Your Majesty, this is the summary of the urgent military information that was just handed over."
The emperor was about to get angry when he heard these words: "Pass it up."
The red-robed eunuch took it and handed it to the emperor.
"Huh?" The emperor glanced at it, but he didn't seem to see it clearly. He looked closer and looked again. He didn't say a word. He leaned away and took his breath away.
"Your Majesty!" Several eunuchs were stunned, and their faces were all pale. After a while, the red-robed eunuch came to his senses. His face was ashen with shock, and he ordered people: "Quickly, call the imperial doctor!"
Prince's Mansion
It was already January and the weather was still very cold. The prince held the little grandson in his arms at Liangdi and coaxed him softly.
"Giggle" The little emperor's grandson was held in the arms of the prince, making him laugh.
At this time, there was a knock on the door, and a eunuch shouted: "Your Highness, someone from the palace is in a hurry."
"What's the matter?" The prince stood up and went out, but saw the eunuch Hu Wuyi come in, his face was ashen, and he said without passing by the prince: "You all stand down!"
The prince shuddered and made the people retreat. Hu Wuyi whispered: "Your Highness, Your Majesty just reviewed the papers. When he saw the papers about Ping Yuanbo's death in battle, he was so angry that he fainted. Please enter the palace quickly."
"What? Father is in a coma?" The prince frowned, and then he said the words. He felt something was wrong, so he immediately closed his mouth and said, "Hurry, prepare the car and enter the palace."
In the dark of night, Prince Che Luan headed towards the palace. The Prince's Mansion was not far from the imperial city. He arrived in front of the palace gate in half an hour. He saw several eunuchs with more than a dozen eunuchs waiting with their lanterns open. As soon as the prince got out of the car, he asked: "Where is the emperor now?"
"In Yunwen Hall." The eunuch agreed and said, "All the cabinet ministers have arrived."
early morning
At dawn, Pei Ziyun and the little princess were walking on the street.
Thick frost fell on the trees in the street, and the breath turned into a cloud of white mist. The little princess wore mink fur ear protectors on her ears, looking pretty and lively, with a shy but full of joy on her face.
She felt that this was the happiest time she had ever lived. For three months, she could often be with Pei Ziyun, and she would have fun with her from time to time.
People were coming and going on the street. Some porters carried tofu and sold it on the street. Some women carried baskets and negotiated prices with the vendors.
"Candied haws on a stick, big and sweet candied haws on a stick." One person wore thick gloves on his hand and held up a stick with dozens of candied haws on it stuck in it.
"I'll make two skewers." The little princess stepped forward and said.
The man collected the money, took off two bunches on the stick and handed them over. The little princess took the bunch and handed one to Pei Ziyun. The two were walking on the bluestone street. The little princess looked at it for a while and felt a little tired of it. Biting the candied haws, he rolled his eyes and said to Pei Ziyun, "Let's read a book together."
Not far away is the bookstore. The little princess called out as she entered: "Boss, is there a new book coming out?"
When the boss looked up and saw that it was her, he didn't take it seriously. She was a regular customer. He casually handed over a book in his hand: "Jiu Bu Kong is really great. A new book has been published in just a few days."
Pei Ziyun couldn't help but smile, looking at the dazzling array of books on the shelves, as well as all kinds of pen and ink stationery, arranged in an orderly manner. Pei Ziyun asked: "How are the sales of the books that are not empty?"
The boss replied with a smile: "The sales are very good. The most important thing is to keep publishing new books. People write one book in a lifetime, but he writes one every half a year. Even if I travel all over the capital, I may not find such a diligent person!"
Pei Ziyun smiled secretly, is this considered diligent
But thinking about the ancient times, a book of hundreds of thousands of words took a lifetime to write. With this comparison, you are really diligent. When you open other books, the boss is still talking: "Some people can't say the principles of poetry in it, but it's just that Why did you write such a vulgar book?"
"Vulgarity is not good-looking?" Pei Ziyun smiled.
"It's beautiful, and it's turned into a storybook. It's been adapted for storytellers and stage actors, but it won't buy you any fame!" the boss said regretfully.
Pei Ziyun nodded and said nothing. At this time, many scholars were in the shop. One scholar suddenly sighed: "Hey, the world is in turmoil."
"The world is in turmoil. It's just a rebellion by the Marquis of Jibei. As long as the imperial court exerts its strength, it will be wiped out in a blink of an eye. I'm not worried at all." Another scholar said.
"Huh, the imperial court sent troops before, but they haven't wiped out the Japanese yet. They are afraid that the Marquis of Jibei will become a stubborn disease." A scholar said, holding a book of "Jiu Bu Kong Destroys the Japanese".
"What's the use of talking about state affairs? It's better to study hard and get a good name before you can do things." The original scholar picked up the book and handed it to the boss: "Boss, I am going to destroy the Japanese."
The shop owner came forward with a smile on his face, took the book bag, and said, "This book has been dramatized recently, and some talents can go and read it."
"Which company is Boss Xiwen?" asked the little princess.
After listening to the little princess's words, the boss was startled. The status of Daxu women was not low, but the theater was crowded and busy. Serious women would not go there. If they really wanted to hear it, they would have to call the theater troupe home. He smiled at the moment: "The play is at Shengye Theater and will be performed tomorrow."
"I'll go and see her tomorrow." The little princess said, looking at Pei Ziyun. Pei Ziyun knew that she wanted him to take her with her, so he pretended not to hear her.
The princess can pretend to be confused about many things, but it is not good to take the little princess to such a place. Many theaters in this era are half brothels.
"system!"
A plum appeared in front of me, and it quickly enlarged into a translucent data frame, floating in the field of vision with a faint sense of light, and the data appeared in front of my eyes.
"Yin Shen: The fifth level (32.5%)"
"Yin Shen - Condensation, Spirit Communication, Night Journey, Elimination of Family, Immortality. When you reach the fifth level and reach Night Journey, the prestige brought by the novel seems to be less."
"Last time, I secretly plotted against the prefect, and my reputation in Yingzhou was greatly improved. Maybe it is no longer useful among the people, so I can consider the government." Pei Ziyun thought to himself.
This is easy to understand. The common people are just grass. Whether it is plays or novels, the reputation is superficial, but the government is relatively more solid.
Just as Pei Ziyun was thinking, an ox cart stopped not far away. The curtains of the cart were slightly raised. After saying a few words, a hundred households hurriedly entered the store, looking for Pei Ziyun and the little princess.
Hundreds of households stepped forward and whispered: "Zhenren Pei, the eldest princess has called for you urgently. She is just outside the street."
Pei Ziyun frowned, and the little princess immediately stood up: "Boss, wrap this book for me."
"Okay, I'll be ready soon." The boss quickly wrapped the book and handed it over. The two went out, and Baihu said: "Princess, the princess asked you to go to the car behind first."
The little princess looked at her obediently and then went back. Pei Ziyun was startled, and got on the oxcart. He saw the eldest princess sitting leaning against the window, wearing a crimson dress, with a gold hairpin in her bun, decorated with precious stones. Her bright eyes were flowing, and she looked like a young woman, but at this moment she was filled with frost. When she saw Pei Ziyun coming in, her first words were: "Uncle Ping Yuan died in the battle."
Pei Ziyun frowned and sat silently. He didn't speak for a long time. He took a breath and asked, "Elder Princess, how is the situation now?"
"Uncle Ping Yuan died in the battle, and most of Yingzhou fell."
"The emperor vomited blood after hearing this, and now the prince is in charge of the country. It happened last night."
"Hey, I didn't expect such a result." Pei Ziyun couldn't tell, so he just said this.
"I know that you once had an idea for the prince, but the prince did not accept it. The prince regrets it now and asked me to be a lobbyist to persuade you to come out." The eldest princess glanced at Pei Ziyun briefly and said.
"You exaggerate me too much. I'm just smart and don't have much else to do." Pei Ziyun just shook his head.
"You still have resentment in your heart."
Pei Ziyun looked out the window at the slowly passing streets and said seriously: "That's not true. Fighting is different from strategy. Everything changes in an instant. There is no way to be invincible by remote control."
"I am a Taoist. I should not interfere in military affairs. If I am a scholar, I may still have some leeway. Victory and defeat are common matters for military officers. But now that I have made a plan, I must bear responsibility. I cannot bear this responsibility - I am afraid that the court will also bear it. I can't afford it. If I fail again, Yingzhou will really change its owner, and the Marquis of Jibei will really become a climate. How will the prince see me then? How will the court see me?"
"The prince cannot be defeated, and neither can I."
Hearing these words, the eldest princess was speechless. These words were very true. The Taoist was a heretic in the court. No matter what happened, there would be a large group of people admonishing and shouting to kill them. If anything happened, they would swarm and kill them all. No, the prince cannot be saved.
After a long time, the eldest princess said: "I can tell the prince this, but now is the time for the prince to employ people. The people in the court and the prince are not very convinced, but they only believe in you. This friendship is not weak. .”
"You accepted the governor's order and defeated the Japanese pirates. The prince intends to follow this example and put an end to the rebellion in Yingzhou."
(End of chapter)