Chapter 40 – The Man in the Picture, the Man Outside the Picture
“Think twice about what?”
Emperor Qing raised some heavy curtains, in recent days, the signs of snowstorms in the south gradually appeared, all the way to the states of the zhangzhang is more than the snowflakes drifting in the sky, not to reach out to the court to ask for silver, that is, want to conscripts, or is to complain bitterly, said that in the coming year to reduce the levy exemptions.
Reduce then reduce it, that person is right, rely on the land from the silver, even if scraping the ground three feet can not scrape out how many silver shavings, silver this kind of thing, or have to rely on the sale of things. Anzhi in Jiangnan to the court earned so much silver, naturally the court is not in a hurry in the counties of those straw money.
Just Xue Qing from Hangzhou have sent an emergency, is this year even the snow in Jiangnan are so big?
The emperor frowned, the previous fall a big water, I do not know how many of their own people drowned, washed away how many people’s houses and good land, it was not easy to use more than a year’s time, the court slowed down, save up some gas, where to expect a sudden snow.
This God, really do not give himself the face of the son of God.
However, I heard that the Hangzhou Jiangnan will seem to anticipate the winter snowstorms, do a lot of preparations in advance, after all, is a private organization, disaster relief is to be more than the government’s action quickly. Every time this matter is mentioned, the mother of the palace is also between the eyes with a smile, the old man is a compassionate person, the most can not see those folk miserable scene, now this Hangzhou will be how to say is also the Palace of the nobles to put together the money to get up, the Palace of the women feel the face of the light.
The emperor could not help but laugh, the morning girl to get this matter how so on the heart, it seems to be in the palace is suffocating bad, I am afraid it is also by her grandfather to bring bad, the hall of the princess mother, but as much as in these matters on the trouble.
He snapped awake, only then thought of his own wandering, but even if it is wandering in the matter in the thought, but also and …… that young man has a relationship, so slightly stunned after, and then laughed, repeated the question again.
“Three thoughts about what?”
Kneeling in the temple is the door under the Chinese book of Shu Daishi, this Daishi age has been long, has always been quite respected by his majesty, and has always been a face of the face of the court walking in the court, so the previous discussion of the investigation of the assassination of the Chinaman, only this Daishi dare to come forward, refute his majesty’s opinion.
Just the ministers thought that his majesty’s heart must be furious at this time, so they are a bit timid, even if it is the courage to speak frankly Shu Daoshi, not as usual that is just a bow as a gift, but directly kneel down.
But he did not expect, sitting in the dragon chair above his majesty, actually did not hear clearly what he said, even seems to be lost in thought!
And the emperor was previously distracted in the corner of the lips with a smile, also fell in the eyes of the courtiers, the ministers of the heart to commit muttering, thinking that his majesty is thinking of what is actually so happy? Could it be that his heart is not as angry as the civil and military officials guessed?
Impossible, the ministers shook their heads in their hearts, everyone knew that His Majesty favored Fan Xian, the illegitimate son, so in the hearts of these ministers who thought that shrewdness had become their nature, this smile took on an extra hint of mysterious and unpredictable meaning, and the group’s hearts trembled.
“Please your majesty think twice, that city crossbow number although belongs to Dingzhou, just …… this clue is not too ……” Shu Wu thought for a while, do not know what words to use. “Too obvious, always feel that it should be the real traitor deliberately planted, but also please think twice, Your Majesty, withdraw that previous decree.”
The emperor laughed, then realized what Shu Wu was frightened of, waved his hand and said, “Get up and return to the conversation, such an old man, don’t move to learn people kneeling to advise.”
These words appeared to be very gentle, while the emperor’s gentleness revealed a sense of confidence and stability, seemingly not taking this matter to heart at all. The ministers were previously worried about His Majesty’s control over the court, but at this moment, when they watched this scene, they couldn’t help but stagger and blame themselves, in order to think how could they be so confused, who is this person on the dragon chair? But the strongest monarch since the founding of the Qing Dynasty.
“I let Ye Chong return to the capital, of course it’s not as simple as a duty report.” The emperor smiled and gently stroked the short beard under the jaw, said: “Since the assassination of the imperial envoy implicated him, he certainly want to explain, the Ye family generations for the country to guard the border, the merit of the world, of course, I will not be suspicious, just this matter always have to have a decision, always have to say clearly.”
Shu Wu wiped the sweat on his forehead, some difficulties to climb up from the ground, in Hu Da Shi’s help to return to the column, he first listened to His Majesty’s decree to return to the capital, thought His Majesty’s anger, ready to directly Ye Chong Saodao prison, for their own bastard to seek justice, so fearful of only out of the column admonition, at this time to listen to is not such a thing, and only feel at ease.
Although he is a minister, but in the dynasty for a long time, of course, understand the army for a country less than 100 years of statehood, what it means, so he is very afraid of his majesty because of the valley sniping thing, a great deal of insults to disturb the army, so as to shake the foundation of the court.
Grandmaster Shu was bent on celebrating the country, so he was relieved, while the emperor’s words fell on the ears of other ministers were something else, enough to smack them.
“Why is His Majesty suddenly so gentle with the Ye family?”
Precisely because in the past two years, His Majesty had been too ungentle towards the Ye family, so today, His Majesty was suddenly gentle, and for a moment, I don’t know how many ministers couldn’t turn the corner.
But the so-called emperor’s authority, thought work, the ministers can not turn the corner must also turn, so all ambushed underground, praising His Majesty’s saintly, generous clouds.
The emperor actually did not think about so many things, he also did not as the subjects imagined that anger, as a king, to maintain the necessary mystery as well as unchanging calm, in order to show their immovable as a mountain, the world in my hands …… not to mention that Fan Xian did not die.
If Fan Xian had been killed in the valley, it would have been a criminal case for Emperor Qing.
Since Fan Xian hadn’t been killed, the criminal case became a political event.
However, all great or dim politicians had a common trait when dealing with political events, and that was that they were not in a hurry. The former is not in a hurry because he has a good plan; the latter is not in a hurry because he is tricky and does not know how to start.
The emperor is naturally the former, only he has one more identity, so for Fan Xian’s assassination still have can’t stop the anger, as a father, what he most want to do, of course, is to receive Fan Xian to the palace to see how his injuries, just this time is not the assassination of the Hanging Temple, he can’t find any reason to Fan Xian access to the palace.
It was only later when he heard the report that Fan Xian hadn’t been recuperating from his injuries in the palace for long before he left the city to go to the Chen Garden, that the emperor realized that Fan Xian’s injuries weren’t serious and put his heart at ease.
Yes, please don’t forget that even if His Majesty the Emperor of the Daqing Dynasty was the coldest and most heartless person in the world, no matter how kingly he was, he was still the father of a son of a bitch.
As Chen Pingping and Fan Xian had desperately guessed and desperately tried to find out, this His Majesty had always possessed a self-confidence that was hard for the world to reach, as well as an ambition that had been hidden under a bland face for the past ten years or so.
Regarding this sniping operation by the military, the emperor was naturally somewhat shocked, and to this day, he was unable to omnisciently find out who’s family was responsible for it, but only had a vague guess, but he wasn’t worried about it much.
Quite the contrary, he welcomed the fact that someone was beginning to challenge his authority head on, and was extremely skillful in steering the situation in the direction he needed it to go.
Everything in his own kingdom had long since failed to attract his interest, and ruling the borders of this Daqing Kingdom as stable as it was no longer had an ounce of significance to him, who longed to make a name in history, and the most ink-stained name at that.
He waited for that day, incomparably eager and strongly suppressing his excitement for that day to come.
“Your Majesty.” An eunuch knelt outside the threshold of the imperial study and respectfully said to the Heavenly Son on the couch who was wearing a large brocade robe, “After checking with the courtyard, all the mansions were quiet during those days before Lord Little Fan returned to the capital.”
“Uh-huh.” The emperor nodded, signaling that he knew, “Has the news from the Cangzhou side come back yet?”
The eunuch’s ass kicked a little higher, softly saying, “Yan Dudu left the camp to return to the capital, and there were no irregularities along the way.”
The emperor waved his hand, allowing the head eunuch to retreat. The head eunuch did not dare to say more, only the hand holding on the ground slightly trembled, thinking that there is still Dingzhou side of the news has not been returned, why does His Majesty not call back? Is it already expected to be …… or ready to be counted on the head of the Ye family?
“What do you think?” The emperor casually picked up a volume from the side of the couch and flipped through it.
Dying Eunuch Hong walked out slowly and methodically, bowed slightly beside the emperor and slowly said, “Where can the old slave have any opinion.”
The emperor smiled and said, “Everyone always has their own opinion.”
Eunuch Hong gently coughed twice, and said after a moment of silence, “The old slave thought that the assassination of Little Fan Sir Valley this time is really a bit strange, and it always feels like something that has been arranged by someone …… just how can’t think to understand that the person who can have the gas to arrange this bureau, why would it be unfavorable to Little Fan Sir. ”
The emperor threw the scroll in his hand aside and said after a while of silence, “Don’t say anything about this.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Eunuch Hong bowed and said softly after a moment, “The Empress Dowager has invited Your Majesty to sit in the Hall of Containing Light later.”
The emperor smiled gently, “Do I still need you to come and say this?”
Eunuch Hong hesitated for a moment before saying, “There is news from outside the palace that has gotten into the Empress Dowager’s ears, and the old man seems to be somewhat depressed.”
The emperor frowned slightly and asked, “What news?”
“For one thing, that counselor named Song Shiren’s mouth hasn’t been shut since he returned to the capital, and he’s still talking about that lawsuit against the Ming family in Jiangnan.” Eunuch Hong carefully glanced at the emperor’s face and asked for instructions, “The empress dowager doesn’t like it.”
The emperor’s face was a bit icy, his fingertips subconsciously knocking on the wooden case, Song Shiren was the person who helped Fan Xian in Jiangnan to fight the lawsuit, he argued for three months in a row in Suzhou Mansion, and he was talking about the Qing law on the natural inheritance of the first-born son, and this solicitor had some small fame in the capital, and he thought that he was a smart person, so how could it be possible that after he returned to the capital, he would still be talking about this matter loudly?
A thought of this, the emperor immediately understood that there must be someone to arrange, and the empress dowager must also be clear in her heart, so some unhappy …… After all, the empress dowager old man still loves the crown prince as a grandchild.
“Let that pleader shut his mouth.” After a pause in the array, the emperor said indifferently again, “But …… don’t lose the person, he is Fan Xian’s person, I always have to give the little child some face.”
Eunuch Hong gathered his voice and quieted his breath, gently answered, but did not leave immediately.
“What else?”
Eunuch Hong’s withered face remained unchanged, and said softly, “The palace has heard that …… little Lord Fan got a good sword in Jiangnan, and it was sent over by that Supervisory Yuan’s head in Beiqi, Wang Qinian.”
The soft skin below the emperor’s left eye couldn’t help but throb twice, but he forced down the hint of annoyance that arose within him, and said mildly, “Got it.”
In the wet after Zhu black mixed palace wall walking, in the garden through the winter cold-resistant golden willow under the pass, the palace lake has been frozen, autumn mourning grass but did not take the honor of the snow, has long been the handyman eunuchs to remove clean.
Along the road a neat under the cover of the barren.
The emperor was the first one walking in the broad palace, no one around dare too close, after Yao eunuch led a cadre of small, holding a coat warmer small hand stove followed, small steps.
Did not walk for a long time, then came to a party quiet small courtyard before, courtyard has building, small building.
It was the same small building where the emperor and Fan Xian had their first heart-to-heart talk.
The emperor pushed the door to enter, casually brushed away the few pieces of snow drifting down from the top of the door, and went straight up to the second floor.
Eunuch Yao took those things from the little eunuchs, gave a few instructions, and also entered the small courtyard, but did not dare to go upstairs, so he had to wait quietly downstairs, and at the same time began to boil water for tea.
The emperor stood in the room on the second floor, his eyes looked at the painting on the wall, looking at the painting gazing at the riverbank of the yellow-shirted woman, did not speak for a long time, just a silence.
Although his eyes were gazing at her, his heart was thinking elsewhere.
Sword? Naturally, it is that handle Wang Qinian from the Northern Qi heavy gold purchased to filial piety Anzhi’s Great Wei Heavenly Sword. Scholar? The emperor smiled coldly, An Zhi is now sniped and seriously injured, but those people still refuse to be quieter, the mother’s attitude towards An Zhi has been calm, no questions asked, these things are naturally that good sister and the empress on the side of the persuasion to instigate.
Half a year ago, Li Yunrui arranged for people to enter the palace to the Empress Dowager to talk about the Dream of the Red Chamber, the emperor is clear about what this sister’s heart to do.
Today, the counselor and the sword …… is naturally trying to provoke the mother to anger again, the imperial family has many rules, a courtier secretly took the former Wei Tienzi sword, there is indeed something to say.
Just Anzhi is still injured, those people can not help but want to do something, this contrast makes the emperor some hidden anger.
After a long time, a sigh broke the silence in the small building, the emperor slowly turned around and sat down before the portrait, his left hand gently caressing a thing on the table.
Under the slender and stable palm, it was that very sword, that Great Wei Heavenly Son Sword that Wang Qinian had purchased for a large sum of money and sent to Jiangnan!
The corners of the Emperor’s lips blossomed into a smile, thinking that those people were not aware that the day after Fan Xian woke up, he had entrusted this sword to be sent into the palace and delivered to his own hands, and it was accompanied by a secret letter.
There is no special content in the letter, and there is no great complaint about the sniping, but only a sincere and respectful, just occasionally show hostility.
This hostility dew good – dew very frank.
The emperor as a generation of kings, as that day and Chen Pingping thought when talking, the most important thing is the heart of the people beside him, honesty is one end. Before and after the incident, Fan Xian behaved frankly, while the rest of his sons and subjects …… were too dishonest!
He sat like this at the bottom of the portrait, a little tired, a little worried. The yellow-shirted woman in the portrait was also a bit tired and worried. The two people just like this one person in the painting, one person outside the painting at the same time resting.
After a long time, the Emperor’s face resurfaced with the usual resolute and calm look, stood up, held the Heavenly Son Sword presented by Fan Xian in his backhand, and walked downstairs.
Eunuch Yao carefully handed over a cup of tea.
The emperor took a sip, handed over the sword, and calmly said, “Pass on my intention that the Supervisory Academy’s Tisan Fan Xian’s loyalty to the country is deeply comforting to me, and he is hereby granted a precious sword.”
Eunuch Yao hastily took it.
The emperor finally said faintly, “Proclaim the summoning of Yan Bingyun, He Zongwei, and Qin Heng …… into the palace.”
He said the names of more than a dozen officials, and these people had a common characteristic, which was …… young. Eunuch Yao received orders out of the building, assigned various small eunuchs to go to the various places to pass people, and their own out of the palace door, in the guards of the escort down to the Fan House, without incense, no use ringing cannon, then into the back garden, the hands of the yellow scarf wrapped in the sword given to the young man.
It was the usual thing to do, except that the matter was recorded in a book, and I’m sure all the people in Kyoto will know about it tomorrow.
Fan Xian held the sword and began to daze, thinking to himself, what is the emperor’s old man doing being so polite?
And those young officials who had hurried into the palace were each alert, secretly guessing what His Majesty had in mind.