(I have something to do tonight, so I only have one chapter today.)
After the morning court was dismissed, the Emperor did not hold a small court meeting to discuss politics as usual. He only had the head eunuch of the Ceremony Directorate, Song Tanglu, call for the Scattered Left Cavalry Attendant, Chen Wang. At that time, Chen Wang was about to walk down the white jade steps with the provincial head official, Huan Wen, but he could only stand where he was.
Because the Left Scattered Cavalry was an important official in the central government, his position in the so-called Golden Imperial Hall was quite close to the front. Therefore, every time the court was dismissed, by the time Chen Wang stepped out of the hall, the civil and military officials outside the hall had already dispersed like the tide.
However, because there were too many unfamiliar faces in this morning court, including Duke Yan Gao Shi and Marquis Huaiyang Song Daoning, a large group of officials and nobles were all present, making the originally spacious hall seem crowded. Therefore, when Chen Wang stopped, there were still people passing by this well-deserved "Auspicious Talisman's Number One Official". Even Song Daoning, who gave the impression that the capital's officialdom did not care about worldly affairs, took the initiative to exchange a few pleasantries.
A few old officials who once worked together with the old Grand Preceptor of West Chu and the previous Left Servant of Liyang, Sun Xiji, were even more intimate with him as if he were their own son-in-law. If it were not for Head Eunuch Song Tanglu's gaze, these old officials, who needed to be carefully supported in their daily lives at home, seemed to be able to stand here and chat with Chen Wang for an hour.
Chen Wang and Song Tanglu, who was wearing a red python robe, stood together. The inside and outside of the hall gradually cleared out. Chen Wang did not rely on his friendship with the current Emperor to ask the head eunuch of Liyang's head of eunuchs for the reason. He kept his mouth shut the entire time. It was Song Tanglu who, after a long silence, took the initiative to say softly, "I'll have to trouble Chen Wang to wait for a moment."
Chen Wang grunted.
In the face of Chen Wang's lukewarm response, the eunuch in the python robe, who was feared by all the civil and military officials, did not feel the slightest bit of dissatisfaction. Ever since Song Tanglu took over the Ceremony Directorate from "Cat Man" Han Shengxuan, he had been caught up in the transition between the old and the new in Li Yang. He rarely had any respect for an official anymore. In Song Tanglu's mind, Chen Shaobao's ranking was only behind Qi Yanglong, Gu Jiantang, and Huan Wen. He was even ahead of Zhao Youling and Yin Maochun. Chen Wang, who was born a poor scholar, was really too similar to an old man. Whether it was personal integrity or official career, they were exactly the same. It was so much so that it was hard for people to be jealous of them.
Chen Wang was so distracted that he only came back to his senses when someone patted him on the shoulder. He turned his head and smiled helplessly before bowing slightly.
The young emperor did not wear his dragon robe. Instead, he had changed into a set of casual clothes that did not fit the etiquette. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Chen Wang at the top of the stairs. Song Tanglu, on the other hand, had already bent his waist and retreated. His tiny footsteps were silent as he made way for this pair of auspicious monarch and minister who were destined to leave their names in history.
Chen Wang saw a few eunuchs working together to bring over a long ladder. He couldn't help but ask curiously, "What is Your Majesty doing?"
The emperor smiled and said, "First, accompany me and wait for someone."
When Chen Wang saw the ladder carefully placed on the eaves of the throne room, Chen Shaobao, who had some understanding, didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to say something but stopped. The young emperor pointed to two people in the distance for Chen Wang. One was wearing a Vermilion python robe. It was clear that he was an important eunuch whose status was not much lower than Song Tanglu's. The other was wearing the clothes of an ordinary Confucian scholar. As they got closer, Chen Wang could finally clearly see the appearance of the two people. The eunuch from the Ceremony Directorate was a very senior eunuch. At this moment, he was walking slightly ahead of the young man beside him. He was slightly bent at the waist, with one palm extended forward and the other hand holding up his sleeve. It was as if he was leading the way for the other person. The latter's eyes were closed, and his steps were not big.
When the eunuch took the lead to walk up the stairs, Chen Wang vaguely heard the old eunuch say, "Mr. Lu, be careful of your feet. We are about to climb the stairs."
The emperor turned his head and smiled. "Can you guess who it is?"
Chen Wang nodded and said, "Mr. Lu, Lu Suan of Qingzhou. The King of Jing An presented the Two Strategies and Thirteen Strategies in the last years of Yonghui. Everyone in the capital knows that it came from Mr. Lu behind the scenes."
The emperor suddenly felt somewhat depressed. While there was still some distance between the two sides, he lowered his voice and said, "Lu Suan's Go skills are very strong. I think that even if the two of us worked together, we would still be chopped up like vegetables. He could easily take care of us."
Chen Wang couldn't help but laugh. He quietly joked, "Why don't we get the tenth Chess Saint, Fan Zhanghou? If it doesn't work, doesn't Your Majesty still have the Imperial Astronomer and Eunuch Zheng to support you? If the four of us go together, are you afraid that we can't beat one Lu Xu? If it doesn't work, there's still Wu Congxian, who claims to only lose to Fan Zhanghou. If it still doesn't work, we can take turns and deliberately test Lu Xu to see how long he can last. We don't have to be afraid that he won't make a move.
The young emperor gently elbowed Chen Wang's waist and scolded jokingly, "It's one thing to bully Mr. Lu's poor eyesight and find Fan Zhanghou to be our military advisor. You even want to take turns? Can't we be more shameless? "
Chen Wang said shamelessly, "This humble subject's face isn't worth much anyway."
The emperor raised his elbow and was about to strike again. Chen Wang quickly moved a few steps away.
The eunuch from the Ceremony Directorate led Lu Xu closer to the emperor and Lord Chen. When they were about ten steps away, the emperor quickly walked down the steps and took Lu Xu's hand. He smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, I'm sorry to have invited you into the palace in such a hurry."
Lu Xu didn't reveal the slightest bit of fear and trepidation. He calmly said, "It's a pity that Lu Xu is blind and can't see the spectacular view of the palace."
When the eunuch who was holding the brush saw this scene, his eyelids twitched.
After the young emperor and Lu Xu, who was still a commoner, reached the top of the steps, Chen Wang smiled and greeted Lu Xu, "Chen Wang of Menxia Province. It's my honor to meet Mr. Lu."
Lu Xu bowed and said, "Lu Xu greets Lord Chen."
Chen Wang accepted it calmly.
That bow was the first and last time Lu Xu bowed to an official of Li Yang since he entered the capital until the end of his life.
Many years later, Lu Xu quietly died of illness. Grand Secretary Chen Wang stood in the deserted mourning hall where only a white-haired old woman was and returned the bow today.
The emperor said to Song Tanglu and the eunuch in charge of writing in a deep voice, "I want to climb the steps with these two gentlemen. One of you will dismiss everyone nearby and the other will guard here. Remember! In the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, I want to see no one in the palace from the roof! "
The old eunuch in charge of writing quickly left. He naturally didn't dare to fight with Song Tanglu for the position of guarding the steps.
Under the emperor's irrefutable order, Chen Wang had to climb the steps first. Lu Xu followed closely behind. The young emperor and Song Tanglu held the steps for the two of them on the left and right.
Song Tanglu didn't raise his head, but he caught a glimpse of the young emperor from the corner of his eye.
An emperor with an excellent reputation in the court was holding the steps for a young official and a poor scholar in white. There were two pairs of boots above the emperor's head.
Song Tanglu's eyes suddenly reddened.
When the three of them reached the roof of the lofty hall, the eunuch with the seal of the Ceremony Directorate was completely out of sight. Song Tanglu didn't dare to let go of the steps, but he raised his sleeve slightly to wipe his eyes.
Chen Wang helped Lu Xu to sit near the roof ridge, leaving the middle seat for the young emperor.
After Zhao Zhuan sat down, he smiled and asked, "Is this your first time seeing the scenery of the capital? Haha, me too. "
Me.
Intentionally or unintentionally, he stopped using the word "I".
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