Half a month later, the plague slowly subsided in several provinces south of the Yangtze River, and people's livelihoods and industries gradually returned to life. Emperor Shenzong was very pleased to report to Long Yan and specially commended officials from various provinces. However, a few days later, Beizhen Fusi sent a secret compromise, which was completely contrary to the situation reported by the officials.
Emperor Shenzong sat on the dragon chair and threw the memorial on the ground. Zhang Jing, the chief ceremonial supervisor, turned pale with fright and hurriedly knelt down and asked: "Why is the emperor so angry with Long Yan? But what mistake did the slave make?" Shenzong looked gloomy. He said: "You stand up and reply. I want to listen to the truth. What I hate most in my life is being deceived by others. It seems that someone wants to be the second Zhang Juzheng."
Zhang Jing lowered his head and said: "I'm sorry for my stupidity, but I don't know who the Holy One is referring to?" Shenzong sneered and said: "Except for the chief minister of the cabinet, I don't think anyone else has the courage." Zhang Jing pretended to be surprised and said: "The chief minister has worked hard for our Ming Dynasty. , if you ask him to be the second Zhang Juzheng, I think he doesn’t have the guts yet.”
Shenzong asked: "So you framed him?" Zhang Jing was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and said: "My servant is loyal to Long Live Lord, and the heaven and the earth are awesome. I sent people to collect this information. It is true as mentioned above. As for whether the chief assistant is implicated, I really dare not say anything unreasonable."
Although Emperor Shenzong was not in court, he knew everything about the affairs of the court. He knew that Zhang Jing and Shen Shixing could not get along in the same boat, which was what he wanted to see. If these two people were like Feng Bao and Zhang Juzheng back then, his position as emperor would be unstable. He has long been worried about this secret.
Emperor Shenzong said: "I am the emperor, and I have a bowl of water to balance. It is the duty of the officials to take the lead in controlling the plague, and if there are people among the people who share the worries of the court, this is a role model. Now I reward the officials, but I do not reward the people." It is unfair to do so. It is my decree to call the person mentioned in your memorial to the capital, and I will reward him well."
On this day, a group of heroes gathered in the Kasyapa Zen Monastery in Huangshan. A young novice monk hurriedly rushed to the Zen room, and the Zen master who presided over the performance said: "Zhikong, why are you so panicked?" The young novice monk Zhikong said with a pale face: "Oh no, there are soldiers and horses from the imperial court at the foot of the mountain, surrounding this place. .”
Zen Master Yanfa was also surprised when he heard this and said: "It is a great honor for all my martial arts colleagues to come to our temple, but I never thought that people from the imperial court would come today. What should I do?"
All the leaders looked at each other, and Zhitong monk Baimei Yixuan said slowly: "Junior brother Yanfa, could it be that Kasyapa Zen Temple has offended the court?" Zen master Yanfa shook his head and said: "Although our temple is prosperous, we have never done anything out of line. . All the monks are also dedicated to worshiping the Buddha. Even if they go down the mountain, they are restrained by Lao Na, so they will never cause trouble."
Sima Mingcheng said: "Instead of guessing here, it's better to go and meet them." Taoist Master Gu Feng nodded and said: "That's right, you don't need to panic. My teacher, Zhang Tianshi, is the emperor of today. Even if someone wants to do something bad to us, I'm sorry. They don’t dare to make mistakes.”
Several martial arts leaders walked in the lead, followed by a group of disciples. Everyone walked along a gravel path to the outside of the mountain gate. Looking from a distance, there are many soldiers and horses at the foot of the mountain. Not long after, a group of Jinyi guards wearing Feiyu uniforms and Xiuchun knives hung on their waists walked up the stone steps.
As soon as the team went up the mountain, they separated into two lines and stood out. A man with a fierce face walked out of them. He said to everyone: "Which of you is Xiao Yunfan, stand up for me." The leaders were about to speak, when Xiao Yunfan came out and said loudly: "I'm here."
The Jin Yiwei cupped his hands and said: "Xiao Daxia, brothers, I have sent you an edict to take you to the capital." Xiao Yunfan was puzzled and asked: "This eldest brother, Xiao seems to have never done anything detrimental to the court. Everyone, Could it be that you listened to some rumors and want to take me to Beijing?"
The leader of the Jin Yiwei said impatiently: "Xiao Daxia, we are doing the errands assigned by the Holy One. As for why the Holy One summoned you, we don't know." Xiao Yunfan turned around and wanted to consult these martial arts experts. The leader’s perspective.
Taoist Master Gu Feng's eyes flashed, and he pondered for a moment and said: "Brother Xiao, please go ahead. We are the people of the Ming Dynasty. Since we have been favored by the Holy Family, if you push back or block, I'm afraid you will lose your head." He stepped forward. Lai whispered in Xiao Yunfan's ear: "If you think about the good deeds that Brother Xiao has done repeatedly to harm the Ghost Prime Minister, there is no guarantee that someone from the Ghost Prime Minister is not causing the obstruction. Brother Xiao adapts to circumstances whenever possible.
I will also rush to Beijing as soon as possible to deal with it for you. Nowadays, misfortunes and fortunes are unpredictable, so be careful, brother. "
Xiao Yunfan nodded, but thought in his heart: "Now that I'm gone, I don't know when I can see Qing'er again. Alas, the emperor wants to see me, Xiao Yunfan, and I don't want to see the emperor." He then thought: "That's right. , if I have a chance to see the emperor, I can deal with Qing'er's affairs."
He arched his hands and said to the group of heroes: "Seniors and juniors, I say goodbye." Then he turned around and said to the leader of the Jin Yiwei: "Brother Lao will lead the way." The Jin Yiwei stretched out his hand and said: "Please." People hurried down the mountain again.
After everyone had gone away, Monk Zhitong said: "Fellow Taoist Gu Feng, why do you think the imperial court sent Jin Yiwei to invite Xiao Yunfan to the capital?" Taoist priest Gu Feng shrank his eyebrows and sighed: "It's hard to say. What is Brother Xiao doing this time? The imperial court may have rewarded him for his great contribution to the Jiangnan plague. Perhaps the Xiao brothers had repeatedly been bad actors in major affairs, and they wanted to take advantage of the imperial court to get rid of him." Reading House
Sima Mingcheng said: "Although Brother Xiao is young, he is an outstanding figure in our Central Plains Wulin. If something happens to him, it will definitely cause a lot of losses to our Central Plains Wulin. The old man advises us to do everything we can to protect this person." Taoist Master Gu Feng nodded and said: "The words of the leader of the Sima clan are also the words of Ping Dao. My senior brother Zhang Tianshi is still in the capital. Ping Tao will write to him now and ask him to take care of him."
Monk Zhitong announced the Buddha's name and said: "Good, good. Buddha bless you, may the misfortune of Xiao Donor be turned into good luck, and the disaster into good fortune."
The sky is filled with stars, each one as bright as a pearl. Zhang Jing, the Chief Supervisor of Ceremonies, led Xiao Yunfan into the palace to meet the saint. When the two of them walked into the palace gate, two tall guards holding long spears saluted hurriedly when they saw Zhang Jing arriving: "Eunuch Zhang, good." Zhang Jing said: "Our family has ordered this man to enter the palace to meet the saint. "
The two men searched Xiao Yunfan's body to see if he had any hidden weapons. Zhang Jing smiled and said: "It seems that you two are not at ease with our family." A big man with a beard said with a smile: "My father-in-law is serious. You guys must do your responsibilities as errands. I hope your father-in-law will be considerate." Zhang Jing nodded. He nodded, shook the fly whisk in his arm and said, "Since we have searched, let's let him go. Your Majesty is still waiting."
Xiao Yunfan also came to the capital for the first time. He had met Zhang Jing when he was in the post house. After Zhang Jing ordered people to bathe and change his clothes, he took him to see the saint. Several young eunuchs carried white paper lanterns in front of them. Zhang Jing said to Xiao Yunfan: "Hey, boy, when you see the Holy Master later, please don't talk nonsense." Xiao Yunfan said lightly: "Okay, I understand."
Seeing the arrogant tone, Zhang Jing said displeased in his heart: "Huh, you are a country roughneck. If not for the mercy of the Holy Father, our family would have to have someone punish you." Xiao Yunfan also had no good impression of him. Xiao Yunfan seemed to be insulting himself by saying more words to him. Secondly, he had no good impression of the people in the court.
The two of them walked towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony from the square. Zhang Jing said: "Hey, kid, we're telling you again, when you come here, you are not allowed to see what you shouldn't see, and you are not allowed to ask what you shouldn't ask." Xiao Yunfan said: "Okay, I understand."
Passing through a long corridor, patrolling imperial troops can be seen everywhere in the palace. Although Xiao Yunfan has seen some scenes, he is still very unfamiliar with this palace. In the past, I had only heard about it in dramas, but now that it has really come, I am naturally curious about everything. As for Zhang Jing, his left ear goes in and the right ear goes out.
The two came to a majestic hall. Zhang Jing asked Xiao Yunfan to wait and went to report inside. Xiao Yunfan raised his head and looked at the stars in the sky, thinking: "What will this emperor be like?" While thinking, Zhang Jing loudly announced: "Xiao Yunfan has an audience."
Xiao Yunfan strode into the main hall. Sitting on the desk a foot away in front of him was a twenty-five-year-old young man with a handsome face, wearing a Yishan coffin on his head and a robe with a coiled collar and narrow sleeves. Zhang Jing said: "Your Majesty, bring Xiao Yunfan here." He looked sideways at Xiao Yunfan and whispered: "You have met your Majesty, why don't you bow?"
Xiao Yunfan was startled, but without saluting, he said to Shenzong: "Are you the emperor?" Shenzong smiled and said: "Why don't I look like an emperor?" Zhang Jing was so frightened that he broke into a cold sweat and said loudly: "You kid, how dare you confront the emperor?" You're rude, come on." Shenzong stood up, waved his hand and said: "Zhang Jing, please step back. He is an ordinary citizen, don't let the rules in the palace frighten him."
Shenzong's words were calm, but he was not angry or intimidating. Xiao Yunfan never dreamed that the current emperor was actually a young man in his twenties.
Zhang Jing lowered his head and said, "Yes." After saying that, he bowed his head and walked out of the hall. Emperor Shenzong looked at Xiao Yunfan and asked: "If you don't kneel before me, do you know that you have committed a capital crime?" Xiao Yunfan said: "Xiao is used to being at ease. It is the emperor who wants to see Xiao, not Xiao who wants to see the emperor. Furthermore, Xiao Yunfan said I have stiff knees and can’t bend.”
Shenzong said with a smile: "Then do you believe that I have a way to bend your knees?" Xiao Yunfan said: "Yes." Shenzong said: "Since you believe it, why don't you kneel down?" Xiao Yunfan said: "Look at Xiao. Come on, you are just the same generation as me, I will not kneel to you." Shenzong smiled and said: "I am the emperor, and you are a commoner. When you see me, you neither call me a commoner nor kneel to me. You are really not afraid that I will kill you. ?”
Xiao Yunfan touched his nose and said, "The emperor likes killing people very much?" Shenzong said, "Then it depends on who you are. I will naturally not kill those who are obedient, and I will naturally kill those who are disobedient." Xiao Yunfan looked at Shenzong, and there was a trace of blood in him. He has an innate aura of a king, and he may be said to be a young man, but his maturity is like that of an old man with a profound knowledge of the city.
The more intimidating the opponent became, the more arrogant Xiao Yunfan felt in his heart. He looked at Shenzong's face and said calmly: "So the emperor only likes to be obedient. If someone disobeys you, you will be unhappy. This kind of mind is like a chicken's heart, not even as good as me. "
Shenzong's eyes flashed sharply and he shouted: "Bold, you are probably the first person in the world who dares to talk to me like this." Xiao Yunfan smiled and said: "If you are unhappy, you will soon be the last one." Shenzong said: "Do you know that 'when the emperor is angry, millions of corpses will be laid down, and blood will bleed for thousands of miles'." Xiao Yunfan said: "The emperor probably also knows that when a strong man is angry, blood will be shed five steps, and the world will be pure."
Shenzong stared at Xiao Yunfan's face, and Xiao Yunfan also looked at him. After a while, the two looked at each other and smiled. Shenzong said: "I have never seen a person as courageous as you. Come and let's sit down and chat." As he said this, he stretched out his hand to grab Xiao Yunfan's hand. Xiao Yunfan was startled at first, only to feel that his palms were as warm as jade. Then he raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "The emperor doesn't want to kill me anymore?"
Shenzong said: "I heard about your treatment of the people. If I kill you, wouldn't you be hated by the people?" Xiao Yunfan felt that Shenzong was quite straightforward, so he said, "Okay, let's talk about it then. But don't always be like this." I don’t mind talking to me, otherwise I’ll always feel uncomfortable.” Shenzong smiled and said, “Okay, I… I promise you.”
