The courtyard of the Yang Family was very lively. As soon as they entered the main door, they heard the sound of drums and cymbals in the left wing. The doors and windows were open, and a group of old Daoists wearing yellow Daoist crowns and black Daoist robes walked with the Big Dipper Steps, waving their whisks and chanting. They were performing rituals for Duke Wei, praying that his Primordial Spirit would not be destroyed and that he could reach the Great Void Immortal Realm as soon as possible.
These people were the Daoist priests of the White Cloud Monastery. With their status as Daoist officials, ordinary people wouldn't be able to invite them. However, Duke Wei's status was different. In addition, he had an unusual relationship with the Imperial Preceptor. Therefore, the White Cloud Monastery Master personally led the top ten disciples to visit without an invitation.
The room on the right was occupied by Jacob, Asan, and other missionaries. Butler Gao was getting on in years and was quite averse to the Western monks performing their rituals. Therefore, he did not enter the room after arranging it. He did not know what these Western monks were doing. He only knew that they were praying to some angel to bring their master to heaven, a very beautiful place.
Butler Gao saw that they did not have any immortal treasures and could not compare to the Buddhist and Daoist sects. He thought that they were taking advantage of the opportunity and despised them. However, his master had been very good to them when he was alive, and the family did not lack this little reward. Therefore, he let them be.
The main hall where Yang Ling usually received guests had been converted into a mourning hall. A row of white lanterns hung under the eaves. Looking up, one could see a huge black character for "Memorial". The mourning hall was solemn.
The mourning hall was solemn. In front of it was a white curtain that connected heaven and earth. A black lacquered coffin was placed behind the curtain, revealing only its head. There was no one in the coffin, only a set of clothes that Yang Ling had worn before.
On the top of the curtain, there was a line of words: "Yang Qiangu, Duke Wei". On both sides of the curtain were elegiac couplets sent by the nobles and officials in the capital. The walls on the left and right were full of offerings. On the left, it was from the nobles and dukes, led by the Duke of Cheng, Zhu Gang. On the right, it was from the civil and military officials, led by the three scholars, six ministries and nine ministers.
The content was nothing more than things like 'voice and appearance', 'immortality', 'everlasting demeanor', and so on. At the bottom was the inscription, and below the 'memorial' in the middle was a long black lacquered wooden table. On it was an incense burner and offerings of fruits.
Smoke curled in the mourning hall. The expensive sandalwood in the bronze stove crackled. The thick smoke curled up, making the mourning hall foggy. The eighteen chanting monks had retreated to the corridor to drink tea and rest. On the right side of the mourning hall, Han Youniang, Yu Tangchun, Xue Limei and Yang Ling's nephew, Yang Yunlong knelt in a row.
Tang Yixian was also dressed in white. She and Han Wei and his wife. and Han Yixian were greeting. The maids and maids quietly changed the incense, cut the candles, and burned the gold, silver, and paper. The servants served tea and water. There was an endless stream of people, but it was silent.
Han Youniang was dressed in white with a linen waistcoat. Her waist was tied with a hemp rope. She knelt in front of the coffin. When she was told to bow, she bowed. When she was told to stop, she stopped. Her eyes were empty and dull, as if she had lost her soul.
The good days had only been two years. Although her husband was often away, she knew that her husband had her in his heart and loved her deeply. Her husband was now an extremely high official. He was already extremely prominent, but he always respected and loved her, this ordinary and lowly hunter's daughter compared to his concubines.
Although her husband was often away, she had him in her heart. She felt safe and sweet. But now, the Heavens had only given her the greatest happiness for two years before cruelly taking it back. Two years ago, when she was holding her husband's funeral, she didn't know the taste of love. Although she cried in sorrow, it was mainly a kind of wife-like instinct. But this time, her heart had been hollowed out.
The candles were dim, the cold wind was chilly, the paper fluttered, and the white flowers swayed. Yutang Chun and Sheridan were dressed in white, their tears stopped, their voices hoarse. Their faces were pale, like pear blossoms in the rain. They couldn't cry anymore, and didn't dare to cry again. Because Han Youniang had been sitting there motionlessly for three days, like a wooden statue. She didn't cry, didn't cry, didn't make a single sound. No one dared to provoke her.
Other people wanted to persuade her, but no matter what they said, she turned a deaf ear. Tang Yixian had no choice but to quietly invite the Emperor over. But she seemed to not recognize the Emperor at all. In the end, Zhengde tried to persuade her for a long time, but she didn't make a sound. Instead, it made Zhengde cry loudly. Even the Emperor was crying, how could he not cry? In the end, Liu Jin and Ma Yongcheng could only cry as they carried the wailing Emperor Zhengde out.
Seeing that Young-niang's complexion was getting worse, Yutang Chun carried the young master over, wanting to use the child to move her. Han Youniang took the child and mechanically breast-fed him, then handed him over to the old maidservant. The entire process, she still didn't say a word. Yutang Chun and Sheridan were not only grieving for their husband's death, they were also increasingly worried about Young-niang's situation.
For three whole days, kneeling motionlessly, not eating or drinking, that was simply unimaginable. Who could do it? No one doubted that when the funeral was held seven days later, this first-rank noblewoman would be going on the road with her husband. She had the thought of sacrificing herself for her husband.
Tang Yixian sent off the officials with red and swollen eyes. She worriedly said to Han Wei, "Han Dage, with Young-niang jiejie's situation, what should we do? You are her blood-related brother, you have to think of a way. If this goes on, I'm afraid jiejie she … she … "
"If the younger sister could cry, it would be easier to deal with." When Han Wei said this, his nose turned sour and his tears fell again, "The younger sister is soft on the outside but hard on the inside. Brother-in-law still hasn't seen his son, and now he can't even see his corpse … Young-niang is suffering ah … "
Tang Yixian anxiously stamped her feet and said, "What should we do, someone is about to die, who can we discuss with? Even when the child was carried out, jiejie didn't react at all. I went to find Wen Xin jiejie for an idea, but Wen Xin jiejie …"
Tang Yixian's eyes turned red, the corner of her mouth flattened, and with a sobbing tone, she said, "Wen Xin jiejie and Young-niang jiejie are like this, over there Wen Lan siblings are so anxious that their mouths are full of fire blisters, wu wu wu wu …" Tang Yixian couldn't bear it anymore and covered her mouth to cry again.
Han Wei gritted his teeth and said, "A woman's chastity is to be faithful to one man until death; to be faithful to one man, never change for life. Going on a hunger strike is a woman's virtue. If the younger sister wants to die for her husband, as her brother, I shouldn't stop her. But now that she has the Yang family, I can't let the child not only lose his father, but also his mother. "
At that time, it was a beautiful thing for a woman to die for her husband. It was to be commended and praised. The world thought that only a chaste woman with deep love between husband and wife could have such a feat. Even if it was the birth parents, they had no right to stop it. Han Wei had the intention to save his younger sister, but he felt uneasy in his heart and had to give a reason first.
Tang Yixian secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Ever since Young-niang heard of Sir Yang's death, her entire consciousness had been completely sealed off. If she went on a hunger strike, Yutang Chun and Sheridan could only follow in her footsteps. Although the Yang Family had become a hereditary state duke, and the little duke would naturally have someone to take care of him, but Sir Yang's passing was already sad enough. How could Tang Yixian bear to lose these three sisters as well?
Yun'er hurriedly said, "That's right, that's right. The little duke still doesn't know his father and mother. Whoever takes care of him can't be compared to his biological parents. If Furen doesn't have an heir, it's fine if she follows Master. Now that Master only has this little bit of flesh and blood left, Furen should take good care of herself for Master's descendants."
She was the maidservant who had followed Han Youniang for the longest time and had the deepest feelings for her. Once she heard that First Uncle's tone had softened, her face flushed with excitement and hurriedly followed, afraid that Han Wei would change his mind again.
Han Wei grunted, "I'll go and persuade my younger sister again. If she still doesn't change her mind, I'll knock her out with a palm. Yun'er, go and make some millet porridge for her and force it down her throat. Her body can't take it anymore."
Yun'er nodded repeatedly. Han Wei then walked towards Han Youniang. Han Youniang's eyes were empty. When she saw someone walk in front of her, she couldn't tell who it was at all. She only thought that someone else had come to offer their condolences. She placed both her hands on the ground and kowtowed to return the greeting. Then, she knelt on the mat with her back straight.
Han Wei felt a wave of sadness in his heart and said, "Younger sister, I … I'm the eldest brother. You have to take care of yourself. For the sake of brother-in-law, for the sake of the child, if anything happens to you, when father and second brother return to the capital, how am I going to explain it to them?"
As he spoke, his tears fell again. Han Wei tilted his head to wipe away his tears. His movements suddenly froze and his eyes widened. A woman dressed in a bright red wedding robe from the Phoenix Coronet And Red Bridal Gown came in from the main entrance and walked towards the mourning hall step by step.
Behind her, a large group of baffled officials followed her in. In the courtyard, those who were shaking their heads in regret and were about to leave were all startled and moved to the left and right to avoid her. The family members in charge of welcoming guests also stood there at a loss, not daring to welcome her.
"Clang clang … hook … hook … hook … hook …" A senior monk with profound cultivation and strong willpower dropped the lid of the teapot. It clanged loudly on the ground for a long time. All the senior monks maintained their original posture and did not move. Steward Gao, who looked like eighteen arhats and glaring vajras, went forward in shock and said with a trembling voice, "Eldest Miss, you … you are …"
Gao Wenxin glanced at him and suddenly laughed. She laughed so hard that Steward Gao couldn't help but take a step back.
Gao Wenxin gently stroked the memorial tablet in her hand. She looked around and faintly said, "His Excellency promised me that after the tenth month, when the snow begins to fall, he will return to the capital to marry me. Now, the time has come. Look at the sky, the snow is about to fall. His Excellency Yang … it's time to marry me."
Steward Gao felt a chill in his heart and stammered, "Miss, Sir Yang, he … he … already … already …" Once he met Gao Wenxin's gaze, his heart couldn't help but turn cold and he couldn't continue.
Gao Wenxin could speak, laugh, and move, but there was not a trace of liveliness in her eyes. They were almost exactly the same as Madam's eyes.
Gao Wenxin held the memorial tablet and floated into the mourning hall like a ghost. Some of the officials following behind heard their conversation and couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh again. The sudden appearance of red in the black and white of the gloomy clouds obviously stimulated Han Youniang. She stared at Gao Wenxin. After a long while, her eyes seemed to have a little spirit, and she unexpectedly cried out hoarsely, "Sister Wen Xin, you … you …"
Gao Wenxin put down the memorial tablet, knelt down and kowtowed to her. Then she said with tears in her eyes, "Madam, Wen Xin's family was in great trouble. If it weren't for Daren's help, Gao Wenxin would have become a meek prostitute with no sense of shame, or a pile of nameless bones. Daren's kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain, and Wen Xin can't repay it even if I'm crushed to pieces.
Madam, Wen Xin couldn't help but like Daren. Now that Daren has passed away … Wen Xin knows that her identity is humble, so I came to you with shame. I only ask for the identity of a concubine, so that I can serve Madam justifiably. I can stay chaste for Daren until he dies, and I can offer incense to Daren. I beg Madam … to fulfill my wish. "
As she spoke, two streams of hot tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the ground as she kowtowed.
Han Youniang finally came back to her senses. Hearing the words of her sworn sister, she shook her head in panic and said, "No, no, Sister Wen Xin, Cher, Yu Er, and I should stay chaste for Daren, but how can I drag you down for the rest of your life? If I agree, Daren will never forgive me. "
Gao Wenxin sadly shed tears and said, "Wen Xin is too ashamed to speak, but I don't dare to hide it from Madam. Wen Xin and Daren … have long promised to marry each other. Daren he … he promised me that when we return to the capital, he will bring me in. Now that Daren has passed away, but Wen Xin has her heart set on someone else. Other than Daren, I don't have any other thoughts. I beg Madam to fulfill my wish. "
As Gao Wenxin spoke, she deeply kowtowed again. Han Youniang anxiously wanted to help her up, but her knees were numb and she couldn't move. She could only say anxiously, "Sister Wen Xin, please get up. Little Sister cannot accept such a big gesture. Daren he … he has never mentioned this to me. Daren has always loved Sister. Young-niang is afraid that I will misunderstand Daren's feelings and harm Sister for the rest of her life. I won't have the face to face Daren in the underworld."
Seeing Gao Wenxin's determined face, Sheridan remembered the 'erotic painting' she had seen before. She and her husband had already consummated their marriage. With Sister Wen Xin's chastity, how could she marry someone else? Today, she wore auspicious clothes and rushed into the mourning hall. If Young-niang didn't agree, she was afraid she would lose her life immediately. Therefore, she hurriedly leaned over to Han Youniang and whispered a few words.
Han Youniang looked at Yutang Chun. Sister Yu also nodded knowingly. Only then did Han Youniang believe her. She let out a long sigh and said, "Sister Wen Xin, it's my husband who has wronged you. Sister was originally a daughter of a noble family, and now I am a dignified female official of the imperial court. How could I let you come to my door with such a lowly attitude?
My husband has already … passed away. I'm in charge of the Yang Mansion. Youniang wants to perform the ceremony of Wen Ping, with three matchmakers and six witnesses, and a large palanquin carried by eight people. The time … is set to be tomorrow. Sister, you and I are best friends. Sister has also cured my husband's chronic illness. You are a great benefactor to the Yang Family. Young-niang doesn't dare to wrong Sister. From now on, I am still your sister Young-niang. Don't mention the word 'Madame' anymore. "
Everyone was overjoyed when they heard this. After being stimulated by Gao Wenxin, Madame's spirit seemed to have returned. Seeing that Gao Wenxin also remembered the child, she knew that raising the child for her husband was the responsibility of a wife. Her tone relaxed, as if she had already given up the idea of committing suicide.
"Thank you, Madame, for fulfilling my wish. Wen Xin … Wen Xin will be forever grateful." After Gao Wenxin finished speaking, she hugged Young-niang. The two of them hugged each other and cried loudly. The sound of their sorrow was heart-wrenching.
Old Housekeeper Gao wiped his tears and hurriedly went out to take care of things. A concubine had just passed through the door. There was no need to be so particular. Once she was brought in, she was already a member of the family. Now that Madame said that she would send six gifts and a betrothal gift, it meant that she was treating Miss as a co-wife.
Miss came from a family of officials. She was young and beautiful. She was also a famous female Divine Doctor in the capital. However, her fate was full of misfortune. Her family declined and she became a maid. Then, she was divorced by her fiancé. This caused many rumors among the neighbors.
Now that Miss was determined to marry Master, and First Madame had promised her that she would be a co-wife, Miss would be the official wife of the Duke. Although she would be widowed as soon as she married, the Duke's wife was a first-rank wife. This was a blessing that had been cultivated for several lifetimes.
Housekeeper Gao was an old man in the Gao Family. When he heard this news, he felt sad and happy. Especially since Miss had come, Madame had given up the idea of being buried with her husband. Although Master had passed away, the family was still here. As the steward who managed this courtyard, how could he not be happy?
This was a joyous occasion. No matter what, he had to make it grand. He could not let Miss suffer anymore.
Although Old Butler Gao was knowledgeable and had heard of ghost marriages between the living and the dead, he did not know the specifics of the ceremony. It was not easy to find someone who knew about it in such a short time. Furthermore, the family could not do without him now. Hence, Butler Gao hurriedly called for two servants and sent them to the neighboring villages to find a ghost matchmaker. He wanted to arrange a ghost marriage for Young Mistress and Sir Yang's deceased soul …
* * *
The news of Yang Ling's mishap arrived very quickly. It was only today that the King of Shu's memorial to abdicate the Crown Prince arrived in the capital. The memorial explained the reason for the abdication and pleaded for the Emperor's approval. It also described in detail how Yang Ling's great wisdom and courage after quelling the rebellion of the barbarians. He solved the conspiracy of the bastard son Zhu Rangjin to kill the Crown Prince and preserved the reputation of the King of Shu's lineage. The memorial also asked the Emperor to commend Yang Ling.
The letter did not mention that Zhu Rangjin might have colluded with a vassal king to deliberately rebel. That matter was only Zhu Rangjin's one-sided story. There was no evidence. Who knew if he was just making a wild accusation?
If there was a suspect, it would only be King Ning. However, according to the intelligence that Yang Ling had sent all over the world, King Ning of Jiangxi was only rife with bandits in the countryside and gangs in the city. Master King Ning spent all day drinking and did not do anything unusual. There was really nothing that could be done about him.
Secondly, although the King of Shu had an unfilial Zhu Rangjin, Zhu Binhan and Zhu Rangxu were indeed very wise. Once they were implicated in the rebellion, these two would have to be removed from the vassal state and brought back to the capital to be imprisoned. On the public side, the sudden change of the political situation in Sichuan for more than a hundred years was bound to cause turmoil at this delicate time. On the private side, there were many vassal kings in the world who were a scourge of the place. However, a pair of virtuous kings had to be locked up. Yang Ling also felt that it was unfair.
Most importantly, if this matter was publicly reported and could not point out which vassal king had colluded with, the real rebel was bound to be vigilant. He would pretend to be more careful and it would be difficult to catch him. Moreover, it would also scare the other vassal kings into being suspicious. Some vassal kings were afraid that the royal family would suspect them and they would suffer an undeserved disaster. In order to protect themselves, they might be encouraged by people with ulterior motives to take action. Those who did not want to rebel had already rebelled.
Political affairs were like this. If a matter was not handled carefully, not only would it cause trouble in the future, it could also evolve into other unpredictable consequences under the manipulation of other forces. With this in mind, Yang Ling and Zhu Rangxu discussed and decided to hide this matter for the time being. After Yang Ling returned to the capital, they would discuss it with the emperor in private. Therefore, Zhengde still did not know the details. After reading this letter, Zhengde was even more depressed. He was the one who sent Yang Ling to Sichuan to investigate the case of the King of Shu's rebellion. After Yang Ling broke through Jiusi City and won the victory, he flew the report to the capital. In the memorial, he had already cleared up the doubts of the King of Shu, explaining in detail that the golden bricks were made by the King of Duzhang Barbarians in imitation of the Emperor.
He was flattered by others and proclaimed himself king. He bought a dragon throne, wore a dragon robe, and paved with golden bricks. In order to look presentable, he spent a lot of money to buy the golden bricks. It was done in broad daylight, but he also lost his life because of it. If he had known this would happen, Emperor Zhengde would rather not have issued that imperial edict.
Clutching the memorial to the King of Shu in his sleeve, Zhengde boarded the imperial carriage. His face was as gloomy as today's weather, dark and gloomy. Wherever he looked, he would find something unpleasant to the eye. The guards of honor were so frightened that they kept quiet out of fear. No one dared to make a sound. Hundreds of people arrived in front of the Throne Room, but they were all solemn and orderly, silent.
Emperor Zhengde entered the Throne Room and ascended the bright throne. With both hands supporting the dragon's head, he slowly sat down. The civil and military officials uniformly walked to the center of the Throne Room and bowed down, shouting "Long live the Emperor".
With a gloomy face, Zhengde waved his hand and said perfunctorily, "Everyone, please rise."
The officials picked up their armbands and got up. They tidied up their clothes and after a messy process, they retreated to the left and right of the civil and military officials. Zhengde said, "My beloved officials, last night, I received a memorial from the King of Shu in Sichuan. He said that he is ill and has little energy, so …"
The crowd of high-ranking officials held their jade tablets with both hands, their eyes were not looking sideways, their eyes were looking at their noses, their noses were looking at their hearts, they were listening to the Emperor's speech. Suddenly they felt that the Emperor's speech was getting slower and slower, they could not help but cast a strange glance toward the throne. They saw that Zheng De was holding a memorial in his hand, his eyes were staring straight ahead.
Everyone followed Zhengde's gaze. In the middle of the Throne Room, a paper scroll was placed there. The paper scroll couldn't be considered big, but it was the only thing on the smooth, mirror-like golden brick floor. Moreover, it was facing the palace door. The weather was gloomy and the reflection was not strong, so the paper scroll could be seen clearly in the middle of the Throne Room. It was very eye-catching.
Immediately, an imperial censor who was closer to the scroll walked over and picked it up. He saw that it was sealed and tied with string. Obviously it wasn't something that was casually thrown away. Besides, no one would dare to litter the Throne Room. He looked left and right and saw that no one was claiming it. He bowed and raised the paper scroll with both hands, saying, "Your Majesty …"
Zhengde waved his hand. A young eunuch who was serving beside the throne hurriedly came down and took the scroll. He returned and respectfully handed it over to Zhengde. Zhengde raised it in his hand and said in a loud voice, "Which beloved official did this scroll belong to? Everyone take a look, who dropped it? "
More than a hundred civil and military officials subconsciously touched their sleeves and waist pouches. They looked at each other and didn't make a sound. Emperor Zhengde saw that no one was claiming the lost item. He untied the string and unrolled the paper scroll. He only took a few glances and his expression changed. He looked at the officials and smiled coldly, saying, "Who wrote this letter to me? Stand up and say it! "
Only now did the officials realize that someone had used this method to deliver an anonymous letter to the Emperor. But all the officials stood up and tidied up their robes and ivory tablets. Who would have the free time to look under their feet? Besides, they were used to the spotless appearance of the Throne Room. Who would have thought that something would appear under their feet?
Zhengde was in a bad mood. Seeing that no one answered, he couldn't help but fly into a rage. He slapped the table and said, "If it's the Imperial Censor, his words are not guilty. If it's any other official, he should also admonish me. Don't tell me that I am a muddle-headed ruler who can't listen? Do I need to sneak around and submit a letter anonymously? "
The officials looked at each other, but still no one stood up to admit it. Zhengde stood up angrily. Flicking his sleeve, he said, "Return to the Palace!"
The civil and military officials looked at each other. The Emperor didn't say that the court was adjourned. They couldn't leave and there was no point in staying. It wasn't until Emperor Zhengde angrily took the eunuch to his old residence in the Warm Pavilion of the Palace of Heavenly Purity that the Throne Room became lively again.
The civil and military officials gathered in groups of twos and threes and asked each other, "Ai, Old Zhang, did you read it clearly? What did it say that made the Emperor so angry?"
"Official Liu, didn't you see it? I picked it up and no one recognized it. Didn't I immediately present it to the Emperor? How would I know what was written?"
"Official Chen, the place where the item fell seems to be the place where you were standing when we were paying respects to the Emperor, right?"
"Ai, Official Li, although we know each other, you shouldn't make such a terrible joke. Didn't you see how angry the Emperor was? This person didn't even dare to write his name. There's no need to ask what was written inside. It's definitely not pleasant to hear. Do I look like someone who would disobey the Emperor? "
"You're right. Official Chen is a cautious person. Moreover, people are crowded together. When they get up, someone might throw the item and it will be stuck to the gold bricks. It's common to see the ground every day. Who would look at it? It's hard to say who threw it. "
The Hall of Heavenly Worship was like a market, noisy and messy. As the Cabinet Secretary, Li Dongyang saw that the situation was getting out of hand. He raised his voice and said, "Silence! Silence! This is the morning court meeting, the Throne Room. Everyone should follow the rules. What's the point of making such a racket? Palace Guards, maintain order. "
An official who was familiar with Li Dongyang said in a loud voice, "Grand Scholar Li, His Majesty has left in a huff, the court affairs cannot be discussed anymore. Here, lowly official still has three important matters to submit a memorial to His Majesty. Would you please think of a solution?"
"That's right, Official Li. The documents in my yamen are piled up as high as a person. It's not a good idea to keep wasting time here. Shouldn't the Grand Secretary go and persuade the Emperor to come back?"
Li Dongyang had no choice. He discussed with Jiao Fang and Yang Tinghe in a low voice for a while. Then he waved his hand to summon a eunuch, asking him to immediately invite the Emperor to come back to court or to receive the three Grand Secretaries.
The eunuch received the news and rushed to the back palace like a wisp of smoke.
When Liu Jin was in the Department of Rites, he heard that someone had submitted an anonymous petition at the morning court meeting, enraging the Emperor and that the Emperor was currently sulking in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. He also rushed over like a wisp of smoke and met the eunuch at the gate of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. After clarifying the situation, he had the eunuch stand to one side while he himself rushed into the palace to see Zhengde.
As soon as he entered the door, he saw Zhengde and Princess Yongchun talking. He heard Princess Yongchun say, "Imperial Older Brother is living in the Leopard Garden and doesn't return to the palace all day. The Grand Empress Dowager's illness is sometimes good and sometimes bad. The imperial physicians can't cure her. These past few days, jiejie also has a sickly appearance. She no longer has an appetite for her favorite food. Imperial Older Brother didn't even ask about it."
Liu Jin took advantage of the moment she finished speaking to quickly interject, "The Old Slave greets the Emperor and Her Highness Princess Yongchun."
Yongchun ignored him and Zhengde also ignored him. Zhengde said, "What's wrong? Is Imperial Younger Sister sick?"
"It should be. It's already been three days. She was originally fine, but she suddenly doesn't like to speak and doesn't have an appetite for food. We summoned the imperial physicians, but they only said that the weather has turned cold and she has caught a cold. The cold air has invaded her body and she has no appetite. They prescribed medicine for jiejie to recuperate, but it doesn't work."
As Zhengde grew older, he became more concerned about his younger sister. When he heard this, he immediately became concerned. He stood up and said, "These useless imperial physicians. The Grand Empress Dowager is already old, so it's fine if she doesn't recuperate, but why can't they even cure Imperial Younger Sister's small cold? Come, take zhen to take a look. "
He looked at Liu Jin and thought of the anonymous letter on the table. He angrily said, "Liu Jin, you are in charge of the two factories and one guard. Right now zhen is giving you an imperial edict. Go and investigate clearly for zhen. Arrest the person who wrote the anonymous letter and give him thirty strokes of the cane. Humph! The speaker is not guilty. There is no wise ruler who does not allow his officials to admonish him. Now, there is someone who is hiding his head but showing his tail and anonymously writing a memorial in the golden palace hall. It is truly preposterous.
Once the anonymous' secret letter 'spreads, the officials will attack each other, scheme against each other, and form factions to disrupt the government. The imperial court will be destroyed. Especially since the letter is groundless and has no basis. There are even contents that involve you. Take a look and find this person for zhen! "
Liu Jin rushed over to discuss the secret admonition. Liu Jin was the best at understanding other people's thoughts and knew how to please the Emperor. Whatever the Emperor hated, she would hate it. If the Emperor felt that the officials ignored him, then she would understand him. How could the Emperor not feel that she was close and approachable? How could he not feel that she was a good official?
Thus, he wanted to find out why the emperor was angry so that he could express his understanding and get closer to the emperor. In short, as long as he stood on the same side as the emperor, he would definitely not stand on the wrong side.
Moreover, the documents of the six ministries and nine ministers all had to be read by him first before he could take them back to be dealt with. What kind of person had the guts to send an anonymous letter without letting him read it first? Wasn't this like being separated by a pot and a kang? If everyone learned from him, would there still be rules in the imperial court?
Now that he heard that the secret letter also involved him, Liu Jin jumped in fright. In front of Princess Yongchun, he did not dare to ask too much and immediately sent the emperor off. Liu Jin hurriedly rushed over to open the secret letter and carefully read it. As soon as he read it, he was so scared that he broke out in a white sweat.
The secret remonstrance listed ten of his major crimes. The writing was elegant and the wording was severe. Among them was the matter of him using the opportunity to repair the leopard garden to embezzle public funds. There was also the matter of him hiring hunters in Shandong's Qingzhou to capture tigers but not paying compensation to the dead. When the hunters raised the corpses in protest, he mobilized the army to forcefully suppress them, causing the public's anger to boil. However, he reported to the emperor that he had already appeased the people of Qingzhou for deceiving the monarch.
These matters were all true, so naturally he was shocked and scared. However, what made him even angrier was that he increased taxes in Fujian and Sichuan and used punishment to blackmail officials and the rich gentry. This was a good method that he had painstakingly thought of. It could not only increase the imperial court's increasingly strained finances, but it could also solve the problem of the Northwest Border Army's lack of food and pay. He really did not have the slightest bit of selfishness in these two matters, nor did he want to take any advantage from them.
"I am wholeheartedly doing this for the emperor, for the imperial court! These scoundrels don't have any ability, so they can't think of any way to find fault with me. They are actually quite good at finding fault. All day long they look at our house, their nose isn't their nose, their eyes aren't their eyes. "Liu Jin felt innocent, wronged, wronged, the anger in his chest was burning more and more vigorously.
He knew that those court officials looked down on him from the bottom of their hearts. They disdained him even more than that dead man Yang Ling. Who asked him to be a court eunuch? He was congenitally deficient. For those court officials, no matter who won or lost in a political battle, even if the opponent was an idiot, a lowly official, an illiterate, a boor, other than feeling bitter and hateful, their hearts were not that uncomfortable. After all, they belonged to the same rank as them, they were all court officials, they were all men, they were all real men.
But what were those eccentric servants? The eunuchs and servants that served the emperor, a group of goods that were neither male nor female. Being suppressed by a court eunuch was like being a legitimate wife of a prestigious family. Unexpectedly, they were reduced to sitting on the same level as a concubine from a brothel. From time to time, they had to let her manage the house and listen to her orders. If this could be tolerated, what could not be tolerated?
Now that there were more and more imperial censors relying on Liu Jin, his eyes and ears were getting better and better. He gradually realized how the scholars of the Hanlin Academy and the Inspectorate viewed him. "Fine, I am corrupt, you can sue me, fine! I am taking bribes, you can sue me, fine! I tried my best to come up with a good idea for the emperor, but just because I was the one who came up with it, you can't distinguish right from wrong and sue me anonymously? Fine! "
Liu Jin gritted his teeth and sneered, "This prince is just a concubine and a whore, so what? The emperor spoils me, so you guys can be jealous! Today, the emperor has given this task to me. Let's see how Grandpa Liu will punish you guys, a group of people who don't give face! "
With an ashen face, he put the secret letter into his sleeve. The paper was ordinary paper, and the words were obviously written with his left hand. Who was it that made things difficult for him?
In addition to listing his ten major crimes, the secret letter also listed six of Yang Ling's wrongdoings, such as going against Ming Destiny, the 'effective' policy of appeasement and conciliation that the imperial court had always adopted towards the barbarians, and using military force without authorization. Another example was the promotion of Yang Ling to the rank of Duke, which was too generous a reward. He was bestowed with the titles of 'Wen Cheng' and 'Wu De', placing him above all the previous virtuous and meritorious officials of this dynasty, and so on.
"If that's the case, then it's not Yang Ling's remaining forces. Hmm … Yang Ling's faction is like a group of dragons without a leader. When Liu Yu saw me yesterday, he was very polite and seemed to want to curry favor with me. This group of people is planning to hug my thigh. Without Yang Ling, how would they have the guts to go against me? If they're not afraid of death … "
A sinister smile appeared on Liu Jin's face, "If you're talking about people who don't understand the current situation, don't know how to appreciate favors, and don't know when to advance or retreat, then it can only be those thoroughly stupid Qing Liu Confucian faction."
He strode out of the Palace of Heavenly Purity and called the eunuch over, "Are the officials still waiting in the golden hall?"
The eunuch hurriedly said, "Yes, gonggong, the emperor did not give the order to end court, so the civil and military officials can only wait in the golden hall, so he sent this lowly one to urge you."
Liu Jin clenched his teeth and chuckled, saying in a sinister voice, "No need to urge me, go back immediately and tell the civil and military officials that the emperor has issued an imperial edict to thoroughly investigate those who sent secret letters, slandered the ministers, and spoke nonsense to disrupt the government. I'll be there immediately, and have the civil and military officials wait in the golden hall!"
The eunuch saw his ferocious expression and couldn't help but shiver. He hurriedly complied and hurriedly rushed back to the golden hall to report. Liu Jin hatefully called over an imperial bodyguard, saying, "Go quickly, tell Shi Wenyi to immediately lead five hundred imperial brocade imperial bodyguards to wait in the golden hall. I've received the imperial edict to arrest the thief and interrogate him!"
※ ※ ※
The officials were eagerly waiting for the emperor to return to court when they saw the eunuch rushing back like a wisp of smoke, shouting loudly, "Pass the imperial edict, the emperor has ordered the supervisor of rites, Liu gonggong, to thoroughly investigate those who sent secret letters, spoke nonsense to disrupt the government, slandered the ministers, and harbored evil intentions in the golden hall. All civil and military officials are to wait in the golden hall."
The golden hall suddenly became quiet, the officials all guessed, "Slandered the ministers, spoke nonsense to disrupt the government? Who is this referring to? "
"Oh … so it's referring to Liu gonggong." Once they saw Liu Jin's ashen face, his lips pressed into a line, and his eyes spitting fire, the officials suddenly understood. Some of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as they waited to watch the show.
Liu Jin walked into the main hall step by step and stood in front of Ming Qian's throne. Her eyes swept around and she raised the paper scroll in a sinister manner. In a shrill voice, she asked, "Which daren wrote this?"
"…"
"Ha ha ha, you dare to do it but don't dare to admit it. If you're a man, then stand out for a man!"
The side was still quiet, but after a moment of silence, there was suddenly a burst of laughter. A eunuch fighting with someone and still dared to straighten his back and say that if the other party was a man, then stand out. Wasn't this funny?
Liu Jin also reacted in a moment, his old face was immediately dyed with chicken blood. Looking at him, the two eunuchs next to him were afraid that Liu gonggong's face would explode with a 'peng'. Eunuchs with status like Liu Jin all referred to each other as men in the palace. He was used to saying it, so it slipped out of his mouth.
The biggest taboo in the hearts of eunuchs was their physical defects. Some felt extremely inferior and despised themselves, while others saw this as the biggest taboo. If anyone dared to use this to joke with them, they would dare to risk their lives with them. With Liu Jin's current status and power, how could he be laughed at like this?
The laughter was like needles stabbing into his heart. Liu Jin suddenly laughed three times and shouted, "Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit? Fine, then I'll play with you. If you want to play, let's play big. Guards! "
Shi Wenyi led two groups of Embroidered Uniform Guards and rushed into the Golden Palace with a loud bang. He swaggered around and looked at the officials. He then cupped his hands towards Liu Jin and said, "Please give me your orders, eunuch!"
Liu Jin wiped his lips and said, "Ask all the officials to go out and kneel in front of Fengtian Gate until the person who sent the letter is found. Otherwise, no one can leave."
"Yes, sir!" Shi Wenyi's hand pressed on the spring embroidery knife and began to command the Imperial Bodyguards to drive people out. The officials were shocked and angry. Some argued, some cried injustice, and some dared to curse on the spot. The more cursed Liu Jin listened, the more pleased he felt. He just sneered and did not say anything.
Shi Wenyi and Yang Yu were the leaders of the Imperial Bodyguards in charge of the palace. They were originally Qian Ning's subordinates. Qian Ning went to the Nanjing Discipline Commission and Commander Shao took office. During the period when they were detained by Liu Jin in prison, Liu Jin used both carrot and stick to recruit these two Imperial Bodyguards to become his lackeys.
In this month, the wind was chilly. Looking at the weather, the clouds were thick and the wind was chilly. Perhaps the first snow would come soon. The officials, whether on horseback or in sedan chairs, arrived outside the Meridian Gate. They took off their heavy clothes and gave them to the servants. It was cold outside!
"All of you kneel. Eunuch Liu is acting on the Emperor's decree and is a special imperial envoy. Who dares to defy the decree?" The Imperial Bodyguards shouted sternly.
Some officials knelt down in shame and anger. Most of those who stood proudly were persuaded to kneel by their colleagues and friends. Only two or three stubborn ones remained. They shouted, "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated. The Emperor is not here. How can I kneel to a eunuch?"
These two or three people were quickly dragged out by the Imperial Bodyguards like sorghum stalks. They were taken to a secluded place to enjoy special treatment. Li Dongyang was so angry that his lips trembled. He said in a trembling voice, "Eunuch Liu, all the civil and military officials are kneeling outside Fengtian Hall. How … how can the Emperor be like this …"
Liu Jin was quite polite to him. He quickly smiled and said, "I am acting on the Emperor's orders. Otherwise, who would be willing to offend so many officials? Official Li, Official Jiao, Sir Yang, the three of you are the Cabinet Secretaries. You are standing at the very front. There is definitely no suspicion in this matter. The three of you, please stand to the side … You over there, quickly find seats for the three scholars. "
When Liu Jin finished speaking, he turned and walked up to Dan Emperor. He looked disdainfully around him. He was awe-inspiring. The wind caused his official robe to flutter. It was as if the embroidered python on it was alive. This feeling was really good.
Li Dongyang wanted to ask the Emperor after sending people there. However, the eunuchs in the palace were all afraid of Liu Jin. Without his orders, who would dare to act rashly? Eunuch Bi Yun felt that something was wrong. He quickly walked up to Dan Emperor and whispered, "Eunuch Liu, it is not appropriate for you to stand here and interrogate the officials."
Liu Jin hadn't recovered from his cold yet. When the wind blew, his snot flowed out again. He took out a handkerchief to wipe it and asked, "What's wrong with this?"
Bi Yun was an honest and kind eunuch. His rank was quite high, not below Liu Jin. However, he was a steward eunuch who was in charge of serving in the Golden Palace. Even though his position was high, he didn't have any real power or wealth. Because he didn't have any conflicts of interest with Liu Jin, and he was an old man in the palace, Liu Jin was quite respectful to him.
Bi Yun advised, "Eunuch Liu, the officials are kneeling in front of the Golden Palace, but eunuch is standing above Dan Emperor as if receiving a gift. If you were to be impeached, it would be a crime of overstepping your authority."
"Ah, that makes sense. Eunuch Bi is right. Liu Jin thanks a lot, thank you very much."
Liu Jin hurriedly walked down from Dan Emperor and ran to the porch on the east side of Fengtian Gate. He stood there and interrogated the officials from the side. However, no matter how he asked, even when he said with a fake smile that as long as someone confessed, he would not pursue the matter, not a single official nodded. This made Liu Jin grind his teeth in anger. He simply asked someone to bring a chair over and sat in the porch. He held a pot of hot tea in his hand and thought, Let's see who can last longer!
It had been almost four hours. The people below were all aching from kneeling, and their legs were numb. Some people couldn't stand it anymore and just sat on the ground. Elder Jiao stroked his beard and lowered his head. His white slanted eyebrows slightly raised, and his eyes narrowed into triangles. He glanced at the crowd of officials and quickly retracted his gaze. "Sigh! It's a sin, a sin! Who knew that Liu Jin would be so hot-tempered. Colleagues … cough cough, this old man is really sorry. "
Liu Jin, on the other hand, was in a leisurely mood. When he heard Jiao Fang cough, he turned around and said with a smile, "The weather is getting cold. Elder Jiao is so old, if you catch a cold, then it's my fault. Someone, give the three officials a robe and serve each of them a pot of hot tea."
Jiao Fang hurriedly said, "Thank you Eunuch Liu, thank you Eunuch Liu. Eunuch, even though eunuch is under the Emperor's orders and he is a first-rank official, a high-ranking official who has to kneel under the Emperor's orders, there is only one true culprit among the officials. Uh … the others are all innocent. Look at all the officials, they are the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers. To kneel for so long like this … Eunuch, are you showing mercy … "
Liu Jin glanced at him and looked back. Now that his anger had subsided, he also felt that it was a little too overbearing to let the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers kneel for so long. Moreover, there were still his own people inside. Liu Jin sighed and nodded, "I will give face to Elder Jiao. Someone, please get the officials to stand up." The ministers were helped to the side. Immediately, an official from the Inspectorate was dissatisfied. He stood up and shouted, "Eunuch Liu, the Imperial Censor is not guilty. This is what the Inspectorate does. We have impeached many people, no matter how high the officials were. We have never used such methods. How could we hide our heads and cover our faces like this? The Inspectorate has wronged them. "
Liu Jin touched his chin, "That's right. If the Imperial Censor's report is useful, then it's useful. If it's not, then just treat it as a fart. No one has ever held the Inspectorate responsible. What are they afraid of? Hmm … they definitely didn't do it."
"Alright, Imperial Censorate people, get up. Step aside and rest for a while before leaving. Go do what you have to do."
The officials were in an uproar. But Liu Jin said that he was following the imperial edict. If he really stood up, he would be beheaded according to the imperial edict. The officials could only grit their teeth and bear it. They secretly looked at the three Grand Secretaries.
The three secretly sighed and avoided the eyes of the officials in shame. They looked in the direction of the back palace. Who could stop Liu Jin from being domineering? Unless the Emperor heard the news and rushed over, where else could he find a savior?
* * *
A horse came from the west. The Taoist galloped along the fields, stirring up dust along the way.
There were already sporadic snowflakes falling. The rider on the horse squinted his eyes and pressed his upper body tightly against the horse's mane to avoid the wind. The horse galloped at high speed. Occasionally, a farmer in the fields passed by, but it was impossible to see his face clearly.
Behind him, more than ten riders came one after another. Because the track was narrow, it was difficult for two horses to ride side by side. It was easy to get hurt when they galloped, so there was a distance of more than ten feet between each horse.
In the Gao Village, the Yang House was having a wedding. There was joy in the mourning. Butler Gao did not know how to carry out the ceremony. Fortunately, his servant in Sanggan Gully invited a master, Luo Huaman, who knew how to do ghost marriages. With Master Luo's guidance, there was no need to change to a happy color. Everything went according to the normal wedding procedures. The real key was the spell and incantation of the ghost matchmaker. Butler Gao was relieved.
In fact, Luo Huaman was a fool. He really knew the steps and ceremony of ghost marriages. But it was a marriage between dead people. It was up to him. In the end, he would lie and dig out the woman's bones from the grave. Then, he would join the man's grave, and it would be considered a success. As for the marriage between the living and the dead, he had only heard about it from others. He did not understand it.
Although he did not understand it, he was brave. He was the only one who knew how to do ghost marriages. If he did not understand it, how could he not fool a bunch of orphans and widows? The Yang Family paid a lot of money.
Under his arrangement, the Yang House was wrapped in silver. The mourning hall was filled with incense, and the sound of drums, chimes, and cymbals was playing. Outside the main door, the sound of a lock could be heard. A small red sedan, draped in red, arrived outside the door, surrounded by family members.
Although the weather was bad and the wind was cold, there were many people outside the door to congratulate. Gao Wenxin was a local. Everyone had the surname Gao, so they had relatives. There were also people who had been helped by her. They had traveled dozens of miles to congratulate her.
Next to the sedan chair was a white horse, and on the horse sat a young scholar. He was extremely handsome, and when the young ladies and wives of the village saw him, their eyes would spit fire, and they would want to swallow him up in one gulp. He was wearing a zhuangyuan robe and a zhuangyuan hat. On his chest was a large red cross flower. In his arms was Yang Ling's memorial tablet. It was Tang Yixian, who had disguised herself as a man and married a wife on behalf of her sworn brother.
"Stop, stop, stop," Luo Huaman stuttered as she stopped the procession. She grabbed a handful of yellow rice from her bowl and threw it into the air. She stretched out her voice and said, "Yang Ling, Yang Ling, I know your name. The sky is high and the road is long, but you can go a thousand miles. My lovely wife has entered the door, and my heroic spirit has come to meet you ~ ~ ~ ~"
"Clatter clatter clatter …" Just as he shook the copper bell in his hand a few times, a yellow buckskin horse covered in dust charged out diagonally from the right. There was no straight road in front of the Yang family's house, so they all turned to the right. Yang Hu and his wife had been in a hurry. When they reached the place, they made a beautiful movement on the horse. Then, they turned around.
The rider on the horse did the same. When the horse stood up, black smoke billowed under its feet. It was as if the horse was riding on the clouds. Then, the horse turned around and let out a long neigh. In the blink of an eye, it was already in front of the door, sweeping up a large cloud of dust.
The foreigners were furious. They pushed away the people who had brought their gifts and surrounded them angrily. The rider on the horse had been in one with the horse. Only now did he straighten his back and sit up.
When he saw the wind blowing at the door and a sedan parked beside it, he jumped in fright. He immediately said angrily, "I just died. My bones are not even cold yet. Who is remarrying?"
This sentence was too powerful. The drums stopped beating and the horns stopped. Everyone stared at him with their mouths agape. Some of the villagers who recognized Yang Ling suddenly realized that this unshaven, human body and horse body was covered in dust. He looked like a monster who had just crawled out of the ground. He actually looked 80% like the dead Duke Wei. When they recalled what he said just now, they immediately screamed, "Ghost!"
Immediately, 70% of the people left. The remaining 10% fainted. The remaining 20% were slow to react. The foreigners unsheathed their swords and trembled with fear. Yang Ling ignored them. He suddenly realized that the boy on the white horse looked familiar. After taking a closer look, he couldn't help but laugh, "Yixian?"
Tang Yixian glared at him, her teeth chattering. Her body was like a pendulum. She stammered, "You you you … Why did you really come?"
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