The eighth year of Xiande is in midsummer.
The head of the household, Wang Xian, was soaked with sweat. He sat on the chair as if on pins and needles, and raised his black gauze hat more than once to wipe the sweat.
"Master Xiao." Wang Xian said hesitantly, "No, it's not that the Ministry of Household does not give you money, it's that the treasury expenses have not been settled yet, and Eunuch Pan above doesn't approve the red, we really can't do it!"
"It takes time to settle accounts." Xiao Chiye took a few sips from the tea cup, "Didn't I wait? Don't worry."
Wang Xian's throat slid, looking at Xiao Chiye, who was calm and composed, and the immobile Imperial Army on the outside porch.
"Sir." Wang Xian almost begged, "It's hot, it's a shame to let the sergeants stand outside. I invite you to drink some cool drinks, the ice in reserve—"
"No merit will not be rewarded." Xiao Chi smiled wildly, "Our Imperial Army is rough-skinned, and all we do is work hard. What's the point of standing there for a few hours? Don't mind me, sir, and concentrate on settling accounts."
Wang Xian was holding the ledger, and he couldn't get the pen down for a long time.
It's spring today, and the emperor is seriously ill. For this matter, the Empress Dowager asked people to build a large-scale construction project in the palace, and to build a Fanyu to recite the scriptures for the emperor. The Ministry of Industry got an assignment and had to receive a batch of timber from Duanzhou. In order to save money, the Imperial Army was called to transport it. The forbidden army transported the timber into Qedu, and the empress dowager withdrew the plan to build a temple because of the old Haige's report. The Ministry of Household was short of this money, and it dragged on the embargoed army for two months, but it took a long time to settle it.
There is not much money, and when the treasury is full, this is not a problem. Who wants to offend Second Young Master Xiao for this little money? But the Ministry of Household is also suffering from words now. Last year, on the Queen Mother's birthday, nearly one million was spent on banquets and gold and silver.
Wang Xian put the pen down, and simply said with his neck crossed: "Sir, this money cannot be paid right now. Let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart, according to the current account, the end-of-year expenditure does not match the budget, and our salary may not be paid. Come down. I'm really out of money. You just gave me a knife to Wang Shoucheng today, and I can't help it!"
"The military salaries of the eight major battalions are correct. It is our turn to ban the army, but we have no money to die or live. They are all working for the emperor. I deserve Xiao Ce'an, I am a cheap man, and I have to wait for you to turn around with this account." Xiao Chiye "Bangdang" threw the tea cup on the table, "The Ministry of Household has been crying poor every year, but what does this have to do with me? Collecting money and contributing money is written in black and white. After we finish the job, the money has to be paid. Don't talk to me about anything else, then It's not my responsibility. If the Ministry of Household's problems have to rely on others to understand, what are you doing? Make room for others as soon as possible."
Wang Xian made him look ashen, stood up and said, "Since all of them are for the emperor, why does the lord force it so tightly! Who wouldn't be willing to end up with money? The forbidden army is really capable. Then who would dare not give money!"
Seeing that the atmosphere between the two parties is not good, a man is lifting his robe and stepping outside.
"Master Wang, why should you be angry, the second son is also quick to talk." He took off his sun hat[1], wiped his hands with the veil, and said, "Xue Xiuzhuo came for this account in the case of Xiahu Kedu."
The position given by Hu Kedu is only a seventh-rank, and logically it is not even an official in Qidu. But it is special. It can not only supervise the progress of various departments and yamen, but also participate in the evaluation and review of the performance of hundreds of officials in the Qudu inspection every six years.
Wang Xiankai couldn't afford to commit the crime, so he rolled down the slope in a huff, and said, "How dare you get angry? The Imperial Army has done a lot of work, and I don't want Lord Xiao to do it in vain. But Yanqing, look at this account, the Ministry of Household can't allocate it. "
Xue Xiuzhuo's expression was Yanqing, and he looked very elegant. He didn't look at the account, and said to the two of them: "I know the difficulties of the Ministry of Households. Second Young Master, look at it like this. A few days ago, Quancheng offered a batch of silk. It's over, okay?"
As soon as Xiao Chiye left, Wang Xian's face turned cold and he said to Xue Xiuzhuo, "Why did he ask for money for the forbidden army? Most of the time he spent it on himself. Since these two sons took up the post of governor-general of the forbidden army, they have been living forever. Spending time and time, forcing people to the point where they can't do anything, and they are not at all sympathetic!"
Xue Xiuzhuo smiled without saying a word, and did not answer.
* * *
Xiao Chiye went out of the household office and went to Donglong Street on his horse. He was taller than he was five years ago, and the momentum he used to see had faded.
The King of Chu, Li Jianheng, waited for him all morning, and when he saw someone, he quickly said, "Why did you go? It's killing me!"
"Lang ah." Xiao Chiye sat down and drank his cool drink. Seeing the ice bowl in the room, he stretched out his limbs and lay on the Arhat bed, and said, "It's comfortable here, it's so hot outside that people are dizzy. I'll sleep for a while. Son."
"That won't work!" Li Jianheng shook his bamboo fan vigorously and sighed with his clothes open, "You have to wait for me to finish before going to sleep!"
Xiao Chiye didn't know why he went at night. He was very tired at the moment, and he casually said "um".
Li Jianheng first took a sip of ice wine with his coquettish slender hands, and then said: "The woman I told you last time, do you remember? It was five years ago that I raised in the village and was going to take it myself, but she was taken by a child. Fuzi, the bastard, took it to honor the robber Pan Rugui!"
Xiao Chiye said "Oh".
Li Jianheng was even more energetic and said: "I went out to escape the summer a few days ago, and I saw her again at Zhuangzi! The little lady has fine skin and tender meat, and she looks more lovely than five years ago. Eunuch! The dog thief took love with a knife, and ruined my good marriage, can this be finished? It can't be finished!"
Xiao Chiye yawned.
Li Jianheng said angrily: "Are you a brother? I have to find a way to get him once! Pan Rugui can't touch him, and Xiao Fuzi has to be beaten!"
Xiao Chiye was really tired, he said, "How to do it? Drag people out of the palace?"
Li Jianheng pushed away the spoiled pet he was serving, closed his fan, and said, "Immediately on the Dragon Boat Festival, the emperor will go to Xiyuan to watch the dragon boat race. Pan Rugui will definitely follow him, he will follow, and Xiao Fuzi will have to follow. , let's get him out and beat him to death!"
Xiao Chiye seemed to be asleep, Li Jianheng saw that he was silent, and said, "Ce'an, are you listening?"
"I can't kill you." Xiao Chiye closed his eyes and said, "If Pan Rugui hates you because of this, there will be trouble in the future."
Li Jianheng said angrily, "Then why don't you fight the assembly? If you don't get so bad, I can't even eat. By the way, what happened to you recently? Why did you give away the chick I picked for you!"
Xiao Chiye was completely silent, and waved his hand to indicate that he knew. There was no bone wrench on his thumb, but the teeth marks on the tiger's mouth left traces. Later, Li Jianheng said something else, but he turned a deaf ear.
* * *
A few days after the afternoon festival, Emperor Xiande, who had not been to court for a long time, supported his sick body and drove to Xiyuan. The accompanying palace family members were all wearing gauze clothes. Ji Lei and the commander of the eight major battalions, Xi Gu'an, escorted the car together.
Xiao Chiye was already full by then, and Emperor Xiande had finished inserting the willows and was waiting for the horse race to start. The accompanying Guanglu Temple was next to the horned millet and cakes on the seat, and Li Jianheng stayed on the prince's seat and waved to Xiao Chiye.
Xiao Chiye threw the whip to Chen Yang behind him, and while untying his arms, he entered the seat.
Li Jianheng was still holding the bamboo fan today and said, "Why did you come here? It's killing me!"
Xiao Chiye said, "I'm in a hurry all day, are you alright?"
Li Jianheng fanned the wind and said, "I'm not used to saying this! Well, do you see it? Xiao Fuzi is waiting there."
Xiao Chiye took a look and saw that Xiao Fuzi was talking in Pan Rugui's ear with a smile on his face. He said: "Don't rush up in a while, just get someone to beat him up."
Half an hour later, Xiao Fuzi stepped on the edge of the ditch and was about to release water, when suddenly it became dark and he was completely covered with a sack.
"Hey!" Xiao Fuzi wanted to scream, but was knocked unconscious by a punch.
Seeing the sack, Li Jianheng, without saying a word, lifted his robe first, then kicked his foot. Xiao Fuzi covered his mouth with a sack and rolled on the ground groaning in pain.
The horse race ahead was at a critical moment, and no one was listening.
Xiao Fuzi was beaten for half an hour, and before Li Jianheng felt angry, Chen Yang stopped him. Chen Yang winked at the guards of the palace behind, and the guards quickly lifted the sacks and ran.
"His Royal Highness." Chen Yang said, "If you beat him again, he will die. Let's go back next time."
Li Jianheng pulled his robe, looked at him, and said, "Where do you throw people?"
"The governor ordered it to be thrown into the woods by the lake. The banquet will be held later, and all the eunuchs serving have passed there, and he will be able to untie it."
Li Jianheng took another sip at the place where Xiao Fuzi just rolled over and returned to the seat.
* * *
During the banquet, Li Jianheng had forgotten who he was, and Xiao Chiye looked carefully at Pan Rugui, but did not see Xiao Fuzi.
Li Jianheng picked the dishes with his chopsticks and said, "Eighty percent of the time, he felt ashamed and ran back to change his clothes. The eunuchs who served in front of them were most afraid of being unclean, which made the masters dislike it. Are you going to play at my village in a few days? Let you meet that little lady."
Xiao Chiye drank cold tea and said, "I'm busy."
Li Jianheng smiled and said, "Pretend for me too? You are busy, the Imperial Guard is about to be disbanded, so what is there to do with this idle job?"
"Busy drinking." Xiao Chiye also smiled, staring at the tea in his hand, his face was a little stern, "As soon as autumn arrives, Ducha will have to invite people to drink in order to keep this idle job. "
"Being a human being." Li Jianheng lit his chopsticks and said, "It's just that you have to be well-dressed and fed on the ground, and you have to eat and live. What do they talk about about Pan Dang and other relatives, fighting to the death, are you tired? That's all interesting."
"Yeah." Xiao Chiye laughed worse and worse, "Isn't that blocking myself? It's the most fun to play."
Li Jianheng looked at his eyes, smiled and said, "What's going on in Ducha, who dares to wipe my brother's official? You were personally sealed by the emperor, and we are messing around by order. , I will hold a flower viewing banquet in the mansion, and you will invite everyone."
"Don't worry." Xiao Chiye said and looked at Xiyuan, and saw the treasure hall of Zhaosin Temple from the undulating eaves. He frowned and said, "This is right next to Zhaosin Temple."
"I'm still thinking about it." Li Jianheng said, "The wrench has been off for so long."
Xiao Chiye rubbed his thumb habitually.
"Then the remnants of the Shen family have also been imprisoned for five years, and I have never heard anything. Whether the person is dead or crazy, the emperor has not asked." Li Jianheng said, "If it is me who is imprisoned inside, don't say five Years, even half a month, I'm going to be crazy too."
Xiao Chi's mouth hurts, and he doesn't want to mention this person.
Just as the drums sounded by the lake, Li Jianheng lost his chopsticks, got up and urged, "Let's go! Dragon boat racing, they are sure to gamble!"
Xiao Chiye was about to get up, but saw Ji Lei quickly walk through the crowd, leaning over and saying something to Pan Rugui. Pan Rugui turned his head abruptly, and in just a moment, re-patted the table.
Xiao Chiye immediately looked at Chen Yang behind him.
Chen Yang was stunned for a moment and said, "Always..."
"Your Majesty!" Ji Lei was already kneeling in front of the imperial palace, and said loudly, "I'm afraid the dragon boat race will not succeed. Just now, Wei Chen led the Jinyi Guards to inspect, and actually fished out the little Fuzi who was on duty from the water!"
Emperor Xiande coughed violently, and Pan Rugui stepped forward and stroked Emperor Xiande's back. Emperor Xiande calmed down a bit before asking, "What is he doing in the water?"
Ji Lei raised his head, not knowing whether he was looking at Emperor Xiande or the Empress Dowager, and said in a deep voice, "People have drowned."
There was a commotion all over the palace, and they all covered their mouths with silk handkerchiefs.
Li Jianheng immediately knocked down the tea cup on the table. He helped him up in a panic and looked at Xiao Chiye: "I'm just talking..."
The author has something to say: [1]: The sun hat often worn by scholar-officials.
Timeline Xiande three years, to the beginning of this chapter Xiande eight years, exactly five years.