The sacrifice was over, and the officials returned to the palace one after another.
Yan Sikong ran into colleagues from the former Imperial Academy, and they chatted with him one after another. He turned his head frequently to look for Fengye, only to find that Fengye was surrounded by ministers who came to congratulate him.
A colleague followed his gaze: "Master Yan, hurry up, you won't be able to squeeze in now."
Liang Sui said triumphantly: "Don't you know that Sikong and Shizi have a very close personal relationship? The two of them often talk and drink, why bother to join in the fun now."
"It's true. Lord Yan first convinced the crowd with his literary talents at the family banquet of the son, and then he joined the two lakes with the son. Lord Yan will be prosperous in the future, don't forget the brothers."
"Hahahaha yes."
Yan Sikong laughed dryly and said nothing. He and Feng Ye have tried their best to avoid showing their friendship in front of others, but there are eyes and ears everywhere in Beijing. Everyone knows that he and Feng Ye are friendly. Further forming an alliance with the Feng family is no less meaningful than becoming the emperor's son-in-law.
But he might be self-defeating.
After finally entering the palace gate, Yan Sikong found an opportunity to squeeze beside Feng Ye, and said to Feng Ye in a low voice: "My lord, I have something to think about..."
"My son." Zhao Fuyi happened to come over, pulled Feng Ye and said, "General Di is coming to Beijing to report on his duties, let's go, I will take you to pay a visit."
Feng Ye glanced at Yan Sikong, "Master Yan, let's talk later."
"Your Majesty..." Yan Sikong chased after two steps in a hurry, but worried that he would act too abruptly, so he had to watch Feng Ye go away, and he was also pushed into the Taiji Gate by the crowd, and began to line up with the officials, waiting for the emperor.
This kind of red tape usually takes a whole day. When night falls and the banquet begins, the officials are already hungry and exhausted, but they still stand upright.
Until the inner eunuch shouted, Emperor Zhaowu personally supported a graceful and luxurious woman to come out. She walked slowly with snowy temples and frosted hair. No matter how rich her clothes were, her powdered and carved eyebrows could not conceal her weakness. .
All the ministers knelt down, kowtowed three times and prostrated five times, shouting long live.
Emperor Zhaowu helped the queen mother onto the Jinluan throne, and sat on one side himself to show his great filial piety.
It wasn't until the officials got up that Yan Sikong was able to look up at the Empress Dowager. He saw that her eyes were red and her cheekbones were dark, her breath was slow and her breath was quick, and she might not be able to survive this winter.
The queen mother tremblingly raised her hand and waved it, and the inner supervisor Yu Ji shouted: "Get up, sit down."
All the ministers were seated according to their ranks, the higher the rank, the closer to the throne, but there were exceptions, Feng Ye was only at the fourth rank, but he was sitting among the first rank officials.
Yan Sikong looked at Feng Ye, feeling restless, his heart seemed to be sinking. He was a little absorbed in listening to Yu Ji read out the imperial decree and eulogized his achievements, but his palms were gradually sweating.
Yu Ji read about the rewards for Feng Jianping, giving him a golden seal with a purple ribbon, a first-grade jade belt, and countless lands of treasure. I'm afraid he racked his brains to figure it out, and Feng Ye will accept the reward on behalf of his father.
Feng Ye walked to the center of the Golden Luan Hall with his head held high, knelt down to receive the reward without being humble or overbearing, his young and handsome face was filled with arrogance and pride, he was really the proud son of heaven surrounded by the clouds.
Liang Sui poked Yan Sikong quietly, Yan Sikong turned his face slightly, but his eyes were still on Feng Ye, Liang Sui leaned into his ear: "Hey, have you heard?"
"What did you hear?"
"Actually, His Majesty King Zhao Jingyuan returned to Beijing to receive the reward."
Yan Sikong frowned slightly: "Really? Then..."
Liang Sui shook his head: "If you don't come back, you say that you will wipe out the remnants of Oara and strengthen the defense line of Datong. It will be difficult to escape."
Yan Sikong was silent for a while, and suddenly pressed close to Liang Sui's ear, and said in a very solemn tone: "Brother Liang, listen to my advice, and don't spread any more rumors about this matter, and be careful not to cause trouble to your upper body."
Liang Sui looked at Yan Sikong in surprise, but when he saw Yan Sikong's eyes were cold and sharp, as if they could penetrate people from inside to outside, he suddenly felt his hair stand on end. He suddenly realized that Yan Sikong was no longer the same as two years ago. A country scholar who has never seen the world wants to curry favor with him and Zhou Mixing to get acquainted with the powerful. He nodded blankly, and looked away guiltily.
Yan Sikong was also moved. He knew that Liang Sui was playing tricks on him, thinking that he and Feng Ye were friends and should know something inside, but he really didn't know, even if he knew, he wouldn't tell outsiders.
He didn't even know about this matter, it seemed to be very confidential, but he could guess that Liang Sui must have got the news from Zhou Mixing, Zhou Mixing's father was Shuntian Fu Yin, and the emperor's decree was going to pass Daodao post station, Shuntian Mansion is the outer gate of the capital, and the news of entering and leaving the capital has always been well-informed.
This matter does not sound wrong, but in fact it is a big problem.
Emperor Zhaowu's decree was not issued directly through Wenyuan Pavilion. It was a central decree. The central decree was the emperor's secret decree. He did not want the cabinet to discuss and record it. Yan Sikong guessed that Emperor Zhaowu was worried about Feng Jianping. If they don't come back, if Feng Jianping publicly rejects the decree, it will end badly.
But Feng Jianping really refused.
He has nearly 300,000 soldiers in his hand, and he has sufficient armaments. He has just won a big victory over Wala, and has become famous all over the world. It is difficult to compete with Feng's army, not to mention that Emperor Zhaowu lost all virtue, if Feng Jianping was the opposite, his power would be ten times that of King Liang.
But Yan Sikong knew that Feng Jianping didn't turn his back on him. If he had, he wouldn't have to wait until now. If he had, he wouldn't let Fengye return to the capital. If he had, the only son he had educated wouldn't be ashamed of Dasheng. Heart. But Feng Jianping will not give up his military power easily, so he will not take the risk of returning to the capital, facing the capital far away, I will guard my border, you will be your emperor, and you will live in peace.
This matter is so delicate that the emperor and Feng Jianping don't want others to know, if Liang Sui can't control his mouth, he will cause trouble sooner or later.
Yan Sikong's mind was spinning a thousand times, suddenly, he heard Yu Ji say in a high-pitched voice: "Today, there is another happy event." He coughed lightly, prolonging the sound, "Yan Sikong, accept the order."
Yan Sikong only felt that hundreds of eyes were all looking at him, but he could clearly feel that one pair was especially hot, but he didn't dare to look back. He stood up, adjusted his brand-new court clothes, walked to the center of the hall with small bows, and knelt down.
"Empress Dowager's decree: The emperor's third princess, Wan Yang, is noble and dignified, gentle and virtuous, immortal and beautiful, filial, loyal and faithful, and loved by orphans. However, the heavenly girl is so young and lonely. I heard that Yan's thinking of space, Jinshi on the two lists, served by the crown prince, made great contributions to the rebellion, has the beauty of Xu Gong, the talent of Guan Zhong, wisdom and courage, wisdom and courage, bright virtues, and loyalty. Sikong is the son-in-law, he will become the beauty of a beautiful woman, and we will choose another good day to get married."
Discussions sounded one after another in the main hall, and there were many voices of envy.
Yan Sikong still knelt on the ground, only to hear Yu Ji say with a smile: "Master Yan, Mr. Consort-in-law, don't thank you for the decree."
Just as Yan Sikong was about to speak, he suddenly heard the collision of table legs in front of him, and then there was a rush of footsteps, and then he knelt down: "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, my cousin is young and arrogant, and is not suitable for marriage. I beg you to take it back." Fate!"
Yan Sikong bit his lip, his body trembling slightly.
Feng Ye's tone was not only hasty, but even a little bit harsh. He dared to speak to the Queen Mother and the Emperor in such an almost "forced" tone above the main hall, and the audience fell silent.
Emperor Zhaowu was also stunned, he probably didn't expect Feng Ye to be so rude.
Xie Zhongren stood up suddenly, and said loudly: "Bold, the queen mother ordered, the emperor is ordered, how can you object? Your son is too... too ignorant." He thought about it, but still did not dare to use too radical words.
Feng Ye kowtowed hard: "Your guilty, Xi'er is too young to be a wife, and Yan Sikong was born in a poor family, how can he be worthy of Xi'er's ten thousand gold body? My father and I hope If Xi'er can marry into a rich family, the last time she should be a scholarly nobleman, I beg the Queen Mother and the Emperor, don't wrong Xi'er."
Emperor Zhaowu showed anger, but he restrained himself, and said in a deep voice: "Xi'er is almost seventeen, and it is the age of marriage. Although Yan Sikong is a poor scholar, he is both talented and beautiful, young and promising. There must be a bright future in the future, the Empress Dowager and I love Xi'er so much, how could we wrong her?"
The queen mother also showed doubts, but she didn't speak.
"But… "
Xie Zhongren said angrily, "My son insists on marrying Princess Wanyang into a powerful family, but you think King Jingyuan's power is not strong enough?"
Yan Sikong was terrified when he heard it, but unfortunately he couldn't stop Feng Ye from continuing. Emperor Zhaowu married Wan Yang to him. Personally speaking, he was indeed a good son-in-law. Politically speaking, it was impossible for Emperor Zhaowu to marry the Feng family into a powerful family. Damn, it's exactly what Emperor Zhaowu wanted.
Having said this, Feng Ye also knew that the situation would get serious if he continued, he clenched his fists tightly, his face was stiff and livid.
Emperor Zhaowu looked at Xie Zhongren, and then at the gloomy Fengye, he was still a little scruples, so he said: "Fengye, you, you step down, if you talk too much about this matter, you will be disrespectful to the queen mother and disrespectful to the son-in-law." present."
Feng Ye stood in a stalemate for a while, and that "moment" made everyone restless, and they didn't dare to breathe. In the end, Feng Ye apologized, kowtowed, and retreated to his position.
Yu Ji also broke out in a cold sweat. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve robe, and tremblingly said: "Yan, Master Yan, I don't want to thank you."
Yan Sikong was already kneeling on the ground until his legs were numb, and he didn't raise his head. He took a deep breath and said loudly: "I, thank you, Queen Mother and Emperor."
Emperor Zhaowu waved his hand: "Pingshen."
Only then did Yan Sikong staggered to his feet from the ground, and when he raised his head, he was facing Shang Fengye's red eyes staring at him, he closed his eyes, and bowed deeply.
Emperor Zhaowu said that he wanted to treat Princess Wanyang as a guest, so he let him go down, and then Yu Ji announced the start of the banquet.
Throughout the night, Yan Sikong accepted everyone's congratulations without hesitation, but he didn't dare to look in Feng Ye's direction.