Shifu.
"Master, come and have a bowl of Qibao soup!"
"Jun'er, come on, you have it too!"
Mrs. Shi took two bowls from the tray held by the maid's hands and placed them in front of Shi Dingzhong and Shi Zijun's father and son respectively.
Shi Dingzhong, the Minister of Etiquette, who came back from the Yamen specifically for this luncheon, wore a ribbon-cut Rensheng on his head. He stood up with a wine glass in his hands and looked at the madam, his son-in-law, and Ji who had gathered together. The concubine said with a smile: "Today is Human Day. I hope that this year, everything in my Shi family will be safe and prosperous!"
Everyone stood up and drank in one gulp, and the atmosphere in the venue instantly became high.
Shi Zijun was a little uninterested. Ever since Chunfengyi, he had been planning to deal with Xia Jingyun and regain his face. However, after repeated efforts, he was unscathed, but he suffered inexplicable setbacks one after another. Now in the hall, The elder brother was deprived of the qualification to take the exam and was expelled from the capital. The Shi family also narrowly escaped death.
After all, he was a young man, and it was difficult for him to adjust his mood for a while.
And more importantly, he always felt that someone was deliberately trying to harm him and the Shi family, and this person was most likely Xia Jingyun!
Mrs. Shi looked at her son sitting blankly and quickly reminded, "Jun'er, why don't you eat! If you eat Qibao soup, you will have good fortune for a year!"
Shi Zijun pursed his lips and said, "Just say it. If I don't eat this bowl, will my Shi family be in trouble?"
"Bastard!" Shi Dingzhong slapped the table, "Have you forgotten the etiquette and rules I taught you since you were a child? How can you talk to your mother-in-law!"
Shi Zijun trembled and lowered his head in fear, but he didn't have much awe in his heart, because after seeing his father's panic and panic a few days ago, the original mighty and perfect image had been greatly reduced.
Mrs. Shi smiled to smooth things over, first she complained about Shi Dingzhong, "Why are you so angry with your child on this big day?"
Then he said to Shi Zijun: "Jun'er, mother knows that you saw brother Xian returning to your hometown, and you feel uncomfortable. Now the deal is done, everything is over, we have to move on!"
Shi Zijun said with some displeasure: "Go forward, go forward, but I also want to take the revenge I deserve!"
"Be honest with me!" Shi Dingzhong also felt that his son was becoming more and more arrogant in front of him these days, but he didn't think much about it. He only thought that he was a moment of anger after a sudden setback, and said sincerely: "We should now It's not advisable to be quiet, write down some accounts, wait until the limelight is over, and deal with them for you, father."
Shi Zijun was overjoyed when he heard this, "Really? Didn't father say that?"
Shi Dingzhong snorted, "If you can't swallow this breath, how can my father bear this loss? It just depends on the timing. These days, my father is also thinking about who is behind this disaster. Since you said As for Xia Jingyun, my father dealt with him first. If he wants to participate in the Spring Festival, there are many ways!"
Looking at his son's renewed admiration, Shi Dingzhong said boldly: "The setback is only temporary. Our Shi family will definitely grow stronger. Master, I will join the central government, Jun'er will also join the court as an official, and my wife will regain her imperial title." When we come back, the other concubines and children will also enjoy their glory and wealth forever. As for all the old and new grudges, we will settle them one by one! Don’t let our Shi family’s reputation fall!"
"Master, it's not good!"
As soon as the heroic words came out of his mouth, the concierge on the other end started shouting like a dead mother.
The shout had just started and was covered by the sound of armors clashing.
I saw a group of Imperial Guards in razor-sharp attire walking in, and behind them, there were men in black from the Black Ice Platform pouring in like a tide.
A commander of the Forbidden Army walked over with a sharp sword hanging on his waist and holding a bright yellow imperial edict in his hand, "Shi Dingzhong accepts the edict!"
Shi Dingzhong looked horrified, pretending to be calm, stepped forward and asked with a smile: "General Shang, what is this?"
The commander of the Imperial Guard looked grim and shouted, "Shi Dingzhong, take the order!"
Shi Dingzhong quickly placed the incense table, knelt down and said, "My lord, Shi Dingzhong has accepted the order."
The commander of the imperial army glanced at him, opened the imperial edict in his hand and began to read.
[In my imperial palace, I scrutinize the officials and think that officials are the first to be courteous and respectful, and officials must be honest and honest!
Shi Dingzhong, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, was well known for his etiquette and gained a reputation for integrity. He was removed from the group, entrusted with important posts, granted special favors, and received special promotions, all of which were personally appointed by me, so he showed the standards of ministers to others.
You should be loyal and diligent in your work, be honest in your appointment, and stick to your long-cherished ethics.
However, when I look at the public opinion and hear what you are saying, I feel very unbearable.
The virtue of abiding by etiquette and integrity is regarded as pretentious; the appearance of being pure and honest is betrayed by sincerity.
Contempt the law and ignore etiquette, be arrogant and extravagant, harm the court, cause trouble to the people, betray the trust of the saints, and insult the etiquette of etiquette;
Now that he has resigned from the post of Minister of Rites, he has been ordered to have the Three Law Departments convene to examine his crimes. All the family property in the house has been put into the inner treasury, and all the people in the house have been imprisoned pending trial, and all the rewards have been recovered.
Imperial decree! 】
"Shang Shu Shi, accept the order!"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! I have already received mercy. There is no way His Majesty would make such a decree! I want to see Your Majesty!"
Shi Dingzhong no longer cared about the so-called etiquette and dignity, and roared with red eyes.
The commander of the Forbidden Army stood upright, looking condescendingly at this man who no longer had the demeanor of a high-ranking official. He did not force the other party to accept this order. With a wave of his hand, a group of Forbidden Army stepped forward to take Shi Dingzhong's lock.
The man in black behind him infiltrated into the Shi Mansion and began to investigate all the details of the mansion.
When Shi Zijun's hands were cut behind his back and he knelt on the ground, he couldn't help but turn his head and glance at his unfinished bowl of Qibao soup on the table.
Perhaps, that is a delicacy that he will never be able to enjoy again in the rest of his life.
Thinking of that ending, his body trembled, and a warm current brought out a fishy smell.
"Walk!"
A Forbidden Army sergeant picked it up and kicked it.
Amid the cries in the hall, Shi Zijun staggered out of Shifu, followed by the Shifu family members who were strung together like candied haws by ropes.
The Shi family, which was once prosperous for a while, suddenly collapsed.
——
In the central courtyard, everything was so peaceful.
It seems that the defeat of a six-book minister and the collapse of a big man in the capital have nothing to do with them.
However, this calm seems a bit too calm.
So much so that those who entered it to do business wondered whether the central ministers had suddenly died collectively, and couldn't help but grin when they thought that they might also have a chance to sit in.
Time gradually passed, and not long after noon, Prime Minister Qin got up, walked out of the yard, got up in his sedan chair, and returned to his house.
Following his move, the rest of the central ministers seemed to have made an appointment. According to the order, one would leave every now and then. Soon, only the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel who was on duty today was left in the central court.
He stood by the window and watched the last central minister except him leave. A bit of sadness gradually emerged in his expression.
How about the six books of ministers? So what if he is the central minister?
A half-life of struggle, great authority, and all kinds of glory, all turned into nothing when that person's mind changed.
Behind him, the attendant whispered: "Master, why don't all the princes stop His Majesty?"
This Heavenly Official of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, who had always been conscientious in his duties, thought about the appearance of the princes in the imperial study room earlier, and said softly: "Perhaps they are hoping for such a thing to attract His Majesty's attention. It seems that the court ah."
He paused and did not finish his words. His words turned into a long sigh.
"Why!"
"Why!"
At the Prime Minister Qin's house, the staff heard this sigh and asked in a low voice: "Why is the Prime Minister sighing?"
Prime Minister Qin shook his head slightly and did not answer. He just sighed: "The loyal are unfaithful and the filial are unfilial. The Shi family's death is their own fault. But yesterday's Jin Youwen and today's Shi Dingzhong, the spring breeze in Zhongjing City seems to be stronger this year. !”
He walked slowly towards the back hall and said calmly, "I will clean up the area in Guanglingzhou and other places I can think of. I don't want to follow Shi Dingzhong's footsteps one day in the future."
——
"What did you say?"
The British Duke's Mansion called a theater troupe over. The British Duke Lu, who was leisurely listening to the play accompanied by his family, stood up like a tree and blurted out an exclamation.
The building, which was originally filled with only the babbling drama, seemed to have pressed the pause button. All the family members looked at him, and the actors on the stage froze in place, not daring to make a sound or move.
The British duke stood up directly and walked out. Only then did the theater regain its vitality.
The center of the mansion spoke to him and said, "Master, it's absolutely true. It was directly the Forbidden Army that sent out to arrest people, Heibingtai ransacked their homes, and now everyone in the Shi family has been sent to the prison of the Ministry of Punishment. There is no room for change in this matter."
The British Duke frowned, "How could this be? The Shi family's crisis has passed. Your Majesty has accepted the Shi family's money and issued a decree. Why did you go back on your promise in such a short period of time?"
The center of the government secretly said: "This matter is a formal imperial edict and must have passed through the central government. Apparently something happened in it that made the central officials have no choice but to recognize this matter. I will go and find out now."
In the battle for the legitimate heir, the British prince naturally had different concerns. He suddenly asked: "Has anyone said who will succeed the Minister of Rites?"
This brain circuit made his confidants stunned, and he immediately said: "I heard that spring is coming, so the central government did not take any action. Let the Ministry of Rites follow the order and let Zuo Shilang take charge."
He also suddenly realized the problem. Isn't the left minister of the Ministry of Rites the same Wang Ruoshui who was just promoted from the position of minister of the ceremony department?
The British Duke's eyes suddenly flashed, he gritted his teeth and said bitterly: "Concubine De!"
(End of chapter)
