Wu Zetian inadvertently furrowed her brows and asked, "What is he doing here?"
Little Hai said, "Great Master Huai Yi has already arranged the Grand Assembly for the Upper Lantern Festival. He has come to invite Your Majesty to attend the assembly on the Upper Lantern Festival."
Ever since Wu Zetian had Imperial Physician Shen, she had gradually drifted away from Xue Huai Yi. Perhaps it was because she was getting on in years, but she gradually lost interest in Xue Huai Yi's sturdy physique. She started to like gentle and refined men. When she had the Zhang brothers, the youthful air of the young men attracted her even more.
For an old woman past her prime, stroking the smooth and supple skin of a young man, looking at their young and tender expressions, it was as if she could obtain some of the vitality of youth. As for Xue Huai Yi, she only felt that he was unbearably vulgar and avoided him like the plague.
However, Xue Huai Yi was still a man who had shared a bed with her for more than ten years. She had always felt a bit guilty about her 'change of heart', so she was afraid to see Xue Huai Yi. But Xue Huai Yi's unwillingness to fail had gradually caused her to loathe him. Now, when she heard Xue Huai Yi's name, she unconsciously furrowed her brows.
"I know!"
Wu Zetian agreed, but she knew that such a sentence would not be enough to dismiss Xue Huai Yi. After a moment of silence, she said, "We are busy with state affairs. We still have to meet with foreign and foreign envoys, relatives of the emperor, and civil and military officials during the Upper Lantern Festival. I'm afraid we won't have time to attend the assembly. Tell him that if we have time, we will definitely go and take a look! "
"Yes!"
Little Hai agreed and retreated. After a moment, she turned back and reported, "Your Majesty, Great Master Huai Yi said that this assembly is … is specially held to pray for Your Majesty. He asks that Your Majesty must attend the assembly."
"We know!"
Wu Zetian's tone was filled with impatience. She suddenly stood up, but then she realized that she had lost her composure. She gathered the corner of her clothes and slowly sat down. She took a deep breath and said, "Fine. Tell Teacher Xue that we will go to White Horse Temple at that time."
Princess Taiping sat to the side and keenly sensed the change in the Mother Empress' attitude towards Xue Huai Yi. She thought, "Xue Huai Yi's falling out of favor is inevitable."
She had always hated Xue Huaiyi, not only because he was arrogant and despotic, but also because he was rude to her. Actually, before this, Xue Huaiyi had already caused her to detest him greatly, because if one were to investigate the cause of her husband Xue Shao's death, it would have something to do with Xue Huaiyi.
Back then, in order to give Feng Xiaobao, who was selling medicine on the streets, a noble background, Wu Zetian forced Xue Shao to recognize Feng Xiaobao as his uncle. She also changed his name to Xue Huaiyi and entered his name into the Xue family's genealogy. This matter was seen as a great humiliation by the Xue family. This was also an important reason why Xue Shao's two brothers had participated in Li Tang's anti-martial activities.
In the end, the rebellion failed and Xue Lv's two elder brothers were killed. Xue Shao was also implicated and starved to death in prison. Although all of this was arranged by Wu Zetian and not Xue Huaiyi's idea, she still detested Xue Huaiyi. However, looking at him now, she felt that Xue Huaiyi was very cute.
Xue Huaiyi was domineering, reckless, and rude, but he had no political ambitions. Although he was disagreeable, he did not cause great harm. The Zhang brothers were different. They were rapidly strengthening their political power. This time, because of Liu Sili's rebellion, there were some vacancies in the court that had appeared, and it was the people of the Zhang family who filled the most of the vacancies.
Although Princess Taiping looked down on the Zhang brothers from the bottom of her heart because of their status as gigolos, she also knew that if the Zhang brothers were allowed to develop like this, the Zhang brothers would become great harm. However, the Zhang brothers were the Queen Mother's treasures. They were the Queen Mother's exclusive property, and at the same time, they were the Queen Mother's reverse scale. They could not be offended.
Little Hai went out for a walk and then came back. He said slowly, "Grandmaster Huaiyi said, he … he still has many details of the Great Assembly that he wants to discuss with Your Majesty. He asks for Your Majesty's permission to see him!"
Hearing this, Princess Taiping frowned slightly. "This Xue Huaiyi is too blind. This kind of entanglement will only make the Queen Mother sick of him. Why bother?"
As expected, Wu Zetian's expression darkened. She waved her sleeve and said in a low voice, "Just say that I am chatting with my daughter. Regarding the Great Assembly, tell him to arrange it himself and be fully responsible for it!"
Little Hai also saw that the Empress's patience was about to reach its end. She did not dare to say anything more and quickly retreated.
Behind the curtain, Zhang Changzong said worriedly, "Fifth Brother, Xue Huaiyi has not given up. He still wants to invite the Emperor's favor!"
Zhang Yizhi laughed coldly and whispered in his ear, "When the time comes, we will also go. We definitely cannot give the Emperor a chance to be alone with him!"
Zhang Changzong understood immediately and nodded happily. "Not only that, but we also have to show off in front of him. He wants to use the Great Assembly to invite the Emperor's favor again, so we will make him look bad! "
The two brothers looked at each other and smiled.
…
The Tang Dynasty's holidays around the Spring Festival were seven days of the Winter Solstice, seven days of the Spring Festival, and three days of the First Lantern Festival.
Now that the Lantern Festival was around the corner, the yamen was once again busy preparing the seals and paste to seal the seal.
When Yang Fan entered the city, there were still some places in the city where firecrackers were set off sporadically. From time to time, a few crisp crackling sounds could be heard. The streets were clean, and the peach talismans posted in front of every house were as bright as new. The solemn and festive atmosphere was still there.
Although the Lantern Festival was only a three-day holiday, for the Tangs, it was a festival that was more important than the Winter Solstice and the Spring Festival. These three days were the real carnival, and the whole city was celebrating.
Some people had already hung up all kinds of colorful lanterns. Everywhere, colorful canopies and lantern festivals were being built. Yang Fan walked along Ding Ding Long Street, but he did not see the huge lantern tree that was over a hundred feet tall. With Xue Huaiyi's desire to be in the limelight, his lantern tree should be getting bigger and bigger every year.
This year, White Horse Temple did not build a lantern tree on the long street because Xue Huaiyi was busy organizing a grand Dharma conference with White Horse Temple as the main battlefield. He did not have time to care about this place. However, at the end of the long street stood a huge iron pillar. Behind the pillar, the words "Ming Tang" and "Heaven" reflected each other. Without the obstruction of the huge lantern tree, it looked even more magnificent.
Yang Fan first went to Sinong Temple. Lai Junchen was not there. He was busy in Luoyang's yamen. As it was the Spring Festival, people were busy with fire prevention, security maintenance, and all kinds of things. As the capital governor, Lai Junchen had to worry about these things. He did not have time to sit in Sinong Temple.
Tang Xiaoxiao was in the yamen. All kinds of daily offerings of the royal family and all kinds of materials needed for the Lantern Festival for three days had been prepared and handed over to the Ministry of Finance. He had just put the big seal in the box and sealed it when Yang Fan arrived.
The finance minister had never dared to neglect this insignificant soup supervisor, especially when he heard that Lai Junchen had suffered a setback at the Dragon Gate. When he saw Yang Fan, he beamed with joy and was very friendly.
The two of them exchanged a bunch of auspicious words for the New Year before they sat down and dismissed the people around them. They expressed their deep concern and sympathy for Yang Fan's temporary suspension, but as for when he could be reinstated and whether or not the alleged embezzlement of food had been found out, the Minister of Finance's answer was extremely smooth and flawless.
He did not want to offend Yang Fan, but he did not dare to offend Lai Junchen. How could he express his opinion on this matter? Yang Fan did not care. He came with the attitude that an official should have. Tang Sinong was playing Tai Chi with him. Yang Fan was too lazy to fight back. Since he could not get an answer, he could go home and wait for news.
However, since he came to Sinong Temple, there were other big yamen not far away. He could not go to other places, but he had to visit the Ministry of Justice. He wanted to greet Chen Dong, Sun Yuxuan, and several other colleagues for the Spring Festival.
Yang Fan left Sinong Temple and went straight to the Ministry of Justice. Halfway there, a man in a green robe suddenly came out of the Censorate. Yang Fan did not care, but the man saw him clearly. He was startled at first, but then he took two steps to the side and bowed to him. "Greetings, Director Yang!"
Since he was bowing, he could not ignore him. According to the rules, when a low-ranking official saw a high-ranking official, he had to bow to the west first, and the high-ranking official bowed to the east. Yang Fan stood to the east and raised his hands. Before he could return the bow, he cried out involuntarily, "Prime Minister Li!"
The man in front of him had white hair and wore a dark green official robe. There was no embroidery on the robe, nor was there a small flower about an inch long. He was an eighth-ranked official. So when Yang Fan saw him coming out of the Censorate, he did not pay him any attention. In his memory, he did not have such a friend in the Censorate.
But he did not expect to meet Li Zhaode here.
Li Zhaode's hair was white. After this blow, the wrinkles on his face became even thicker. Hearing Yang Fan's way of addressing him, Li Zhaode's lips curled into a bitter smile. "This lowly official is only a Supervising Censorate. I do not deserve to be addressed as such by Director Yang!"
Hearing this, Yang Fan could not help but smile bitterly. The two of them looked at each other in silence. After a long time, Li Zhaode sincerely said, "Erlang is so young. Do not take these setbacks to heart. There's still a long way to go … "
As a Supervising Censorate, Li Zhaode was only an eighth-ranked official. But the Censorate was divided into hundreds of officials. He patrolled the prefectures and counties. He was in charge of the prison, the military, the sacrificial rites, the camp, the treasury. He was in charge of everything. The internal and external officials included their immediate superiors. Other than the Emperor himself, there was no one he could not sue.
But although Yang Fan was a sixth-ranked official, he was in charge of … there was no need to mention it. So Li Zhaode saw that he was silent and thought that he was even more disheartened than himself. He could not help but cheer him up. Yang Fan secretly laughed bitterly. He cupped his hands and said, "Elder's advice, this junior will remember it!"
There was no way to talk about this official position. In terms of official position, this former Prime Minister was several ranks lower than him. He could only talk about age. Yang Fan said, "The Shangyuan is coming soon. All the government offices are sealing and preparing for the holiday. Li Gong looks like he is in a hurry. Where are you going? "
Li Zhaode smiled faintly and said, "I am under the orders of the Imperial Censorate to deliver an official letter to the Ministry of Justice."
Yang Fan said in his heart, "Li Zhaode is already so old, plus he used to be the Prime Minister. Now that he is demoted to the Censorate, it is reasonable to say that his colleagues should pay more attention to this old Prime Minister's former superior. Seeing that it is going to be a holiday, I am afraid some of the officials have already slipped away and gone home for the holidays. Now they have to trouble this old Prime Minister to run errands. Ai! There are many people who were humiliated by him. Now finally … "
Yang Fan thought for a while and said, "Junior is going to the Ministry of Justice to pay a visit to several friends. Li Gong, there is no harm in coming with us!"
The two of them walked side by side toward the Ministry of Justice. Yang Fan and the two Imperial Bodyguards who were disguised as servants retreated far away. The two of them chatted along the way until they arrived at the main gate of the Qiu Guan yamen.
Before they reached the gate, they saw a man kneeling in front of the gate. The man was wearing heavy mourning clothes, kneeling upright on the ground. There were many people going in and out of the yamen, but each and every one of them treated him as if he was invisible and turned a blind eye to him.
The snow in this area was swept clean, but the weather was cold and the ground was especially cold. The man was wearing mourning clothes, but his clothes were not thick. Kneeling there, his body seemed to be stiff.
Yang Fan and Li Zhaode looked at each other in surprise and unconsciously quickened their pace.
…
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