one
Hu Jie raised his eyes slightly, sat up straight, leaned on the dragon chair and looked at Xu Hongqing not far away with interest.
Xu Hongqing deliberately avoided Hu Jie's gaze and looked directly at the slightly uneasy young emperor Zhao Qingyan on the dragon throne. His eyes briefly intertwined with the elderly eunuch beside him, and he said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, Qingmeng City occupies a vast area. , Farming and mulberry cultivation are the top priority in the four seasons, and coupled with the mountains surrounded by lakes, the resources are not abundant. The issue of worship is the most important thing in Daqing, but the funds entrusted by the Shangzhu Kingdom over the years have not been enough to replenish the treasury. Reaching half of the stipulation. The Shangzhu Kingdom has a high reputation and status in our Daqing. It responds to the call of hundreds of people. In addition, the number of people in Qingmeng City has already exceeded one million. If we continue to let it go like this... But Shangzhu Kingdom is my protector. As a protector of the country, I think I will not do anything that exceeds the rules. I also hope that Shangzhu State will give an explanation in front of the civil and military officials of the dynasty."
Xie Xiangcai took his hands out of his sleeves, stood up straight, moved his nose slightly, and smelled the smell of gunpowder coming from nowhere.
The Supervisor of Ceremonies on the side nodded slightly and whispered in the emperor's ear, "Master, there have been grievances between the court and the court about the Qingmeng City matter for a long time. It is better to deal with it today. If it is delayed any longer, something may happen."
The young emperor frowned and kept looking at the white-haired boy sitting on the ground next to him out of the corner of his eye.
Hu Jie conjured a bunch of grapes from nowhere, put them into his mouth one by one, and then spit out the grape seeds casually on the floor of the hall.
Cao Qili, who had previously returned to the head of the civil service, frowned when he saw such an unruly Hu Jie, then stepped forward, approached Hu Jie, cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "Shangzhu Kingdom, the court has court etiquette, hundreds of etiquette. The officials are all here to meet you, and your clothes, words, and deeds are all in compliance with etiquette. I have made an exception for you to stop saluting, and I hope Shang Zhuguo will pay attention to your image."
Hu Jie raised his head slightly and glared at Cao Qili, this look was murderous.
Xie Xiangcai and Murong Mingzhu, who were standing next to Hu Jie, couldn't help but tremble when they saw their master's eyes like this.
However, Cao Qili still stood on the spot with his back straight, his eyes looking straight at Hu Jie without showing any fear.
Hu Jie was startled, laughed, waved his hand, and took out another apple from his sleeve.
Cao Qili's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and just as he was about to speak, Zhao Qingyan, who was sitting on the dragon chair, waved her hand and said, "That's all, my dear, there is no need to say anything else. I have approved Shangzhu Kingdom's behavior."
The Minister of Literature, who quite abides by the etiquette of a monarch and his ministers, could only nod helplessly when the king of a country said this.
He sorted out his thoughts for a while, cupped his hands and said, "What Mr. Wu Xiang said before is not unreasonable. Qingmeng City is of great importance to Daqing. It occupies a vast area and contains dragon energy. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the mainstay of our fortune. I have a suggestion. There is still a vast land on the border of our country. It is controlled by officers and soldiers all year round. It borders the wild land and is often harassed by the subjects of the beast realm. If we can persuade the Shangzhu Kingdom to guard the border, the country's destiny will be prosperous."
Hu Jie raised his brows and said before Zhao Qingyan could speak, "Hey, Cao Qili, you are young but your tone is not young. Do you mean to demote me to guard the border?"
Cao Qili ignored Hu Jie and raised his hand to look at the young emperor on the dragon throne.
Xu Hongqing on the side obviously did not expect that Cao Qili's words of advice were so radical. After the initial surprise, he felt a little happy in his heart.
Cao Qili was his political enemy in the court, and his radical words would definitely offend Hu Jie, who could just use Hu Jie's help to get rid of this serious trouble.
Xu Hongqing cleared his throat, "Your Majesty, although Mr. Wen Xiang's suggestion seems radical, it is not unreasonable. Qingmeng City is one of the most prosperous places in our dynasty. Now that the capital of Anqing is approaching, the capital will be moved within a hundred years. If we can make the Shangzhu Kingdom surrender and migrate, it will not only relieve the urgent need, but also the national destiny will continue to extend in the future, which is really a good strategy."
Zhao Qingyan was caught in a dilemma for a moment. She was a little moved by the advice of the civil and military ministers, but she did not dare to break up with Hu Jie of Shangzhu State.
The Supervisor of Ceremonies on the side could see through his master's thoughts and whispered in his ear, "Master, all the civil and military officials in the dynasty are dissatisfied with the Shangzhu Kingdom. Although the Shangzhu Kingdom has world-class martial arts, it has only a few disciples around it. There are as many as nine people. Let us not consider the hundreds of civil and military personnel in the Manchu Dynasty. Even the people of Daqing are tens of millions. Shangzhuguo is the talker of the Hu clan’s longevity clan. The destiny of the clan is linked to the destiny of the country. Think about it. After seizing Qingmeng City from its hands, Shangzhu Kingdom will not be too difficult. At most, it will just get angry and make a small fuss. Of course, it can be appeased by many people... But the problem of the Beast Domain is now an urgent matter, and there is a border. There are conflicts every few days."
Zhao Qingyan took a breath of the slightly cold air, then coughed dryly, and all the civil and military eyes in the court instantly focused on one of them.
He cautiously glanced at Hu Jie beside him, and said with a trembling voice, "Shangzhuguo is a pillar of our Daqing. He has been keeping the wolf in Xu to resist foreigners for hundreds of years, and he has great virtues and merits. The matter of changing the fiefdom... is a matter for another discussion. , let’s do this for now.”
The corner of Xu Hongqing's mouth raised slightly, and the underlying message was already very clear. The emperor himself had indirectly agreed to this job, but it was just that it was inconvenient for Hu Jie to tell the truth now that he was in the court.
When all the civil and military officials in the court heard Zhao Qingyan's words, they all bowed and said respectfully, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Hu Jie, who was standing next to the dragon chair, smiled and said nothing, his face still showing a lazy look, but Murong Mingzhu next to him was furious, and his palm was on the dragon-slaying sword at his waist, ready to go.
Prime Minister Xie was a smart man, and he could naturally see the clues from the previous behavior of the Chief of Ceremonies next to the emperor and the attitude of the emperor himself. So he took a deep breath, quietly used the strength in his sleeves, and waited for the master's order to go with him. The senior brother stood up violently.
"You brats, please put your strength down, otherwise you will really give those guys a chance to take advantage of it, right? I will not hand over Qingmeng City under any circumstances. If there is anything wrong with the people in the imperial court, Action, our soldiers will come to cover up the water and the earth."
Hu Jie's inner voice suddenly came to the ears of Xie Xiangcai and Xie Xiangcai. Hearing this, the brothers looked at each other, each gathered their strength and waited patiently for their master's statement.
Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit delicate, Hu Jie stamped his feet and stretched. He first looked around at all the civil and military officials of the dynasty, then turned around and bowed to the young emperor in an unprecedented gesture.
"Let's not talk about the time in Qingmeng City for the moment. I, my minister Hujie, came here today to ask for something."
Zhao Qingyan was a little confused by Hu Jie's move, and she signaled the Supervisor of Ceremonies beside her with her eyes.
The old eunuch looked solemn, and seeing the deadlock in the atmosphere, he could only nod slightly.
Hu Jie raised his head, raised the corners of his mouth, and his voice was deliberately too high.
"My fifth disciple, Murong Mingzhu, begs your Majesty to fulfill my feelings!"
The whole hall fell into dead silence for an instant.
Zhao Qingyan's face turned cold instantly, and it was rare for her to face Hu Jie with an unhappy expression.
He knew the meaning of Hu Jie's words in his heart. Everyone in the civil and military circles at that time knew that Zhao Qingyan, the young emperor, had only two hobbies, one was reading poetry and painting, and the other was Concubine Yan.
Although Zhao Qingyan never had the chance to have a romantic relationship with his beloved concubine, he loved her very sincerely in his heart. If the ministers of the court had not tried their best to stop him, I am afraid that he would have deposed the queen who was several years older than him, and would have killed Yan. The concubine was established as queen.
As Zhao Qingyan's favorite, Concubine Yan is naturally his rival.
To put it bluntly, if one had to choose between the ownership of Qingmeng City and Concubine Yan regardless of the opinions of the civil and military courtiers, Zhao Qingyan would definitely choose Concubine Yan without hesitation.
How come Zhao Qingyan didn't know about the relationship between Concubine Yan and Hu Jie's fifth disciple Murong Mingzhu? He also knew that the man that Concubine Yan loved in her heart was not him but Murong Mingzhu beside Hu Jie.
But as the king of a country, how can Zhao Qingyan feel at ease?
He would give all the rare treasures in the world to Concubine Yan. Even if she wanted the stars and the moon in the sky, Zhao Qingyan would try his best to pick them for her.
Zhao Qingyan had read so many poems, books and articles, and knew that if the kings of the past dynasties were addicted to women, they would neglect their political affairs and not end well, but he had already been trapped in it and could not extricate himself.
There is nothing wrong with love in the world. People have seven emotions and six desires. The sages in the book say that you should follow your original heart. Emotion is your original heart. There is no such thing as abandonment.
Moreover, Zhao Qingyan also felt that there was nothing wrong with what he did as the emperor. Even if there was anything wrong, the civil and military ministers and officials in the court would take care of him, so he would have no worries.
The young emperor took a long breath and said to Hu Jie in a slightly cold tone, "I'm afraid there is no room for retreat on the matter of Concubine Yan."
Hu Jie raised his eyebrows slightly, turned around to look at Xu Hongqing, and asked with a smile, "Master Wu Xiang, the person who untied the bell must also tie the bell. What do you think?"
Xu Hongqing's face changed slightly, but he still forced a smile and said, "Haha, isn't this a joke in Shangzhu Kingdom? The emperor fell in love with Concubine Yan when he was traveling around the world. What does it have to do with the old minister? Since the emperor likes it, but not If you delay the affairs of the court, then you are not allowed to follow the emperor? It is the duty of ministers to solve problems for the emperor, but to interfere with the affairs of the harem, wouldn't it be a bit over the top?"
Cao Qili, who was standing not far away, stepped forward, raised his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the ministers in charge of Concubine Yan often want to remonstrate, but the memorial has been kept in the palace. Today I have the courage to say something. As the saying goes, 'beautiful beauty' Even the most virtuous monarch cannot restrain himself, restore etiquette, and value women, let alone your Majesty."
As soon as Cao Qili said these words, Zhao Qingyan's face became even more ugly. He held the handle firmly with both hands and his body trembled slightly.
Seeing Zhao Qingyan like this, the Minister of Literature felt a thump in his heart, but he still had no intention of shutting up.
"Your Majesty, although Concubine Yan is a noble concubine, her family background is not good, and her etiquette and piano skills are not good. As an emperor's family, we cannot let it go to waste for a day. In addition, the concubines in the palace often make suggestions, and so on. Actions cannot be ignored. According to what was said before, if you want Shangzhu Kingdom to change its fiefdom, regardless of whether it is guarding the border or not, if you can let Concubine Yan get rid of her status as a concubine and return to a commoner, it can be said to be a strategy that has both ends."
Prime Minister Xie listened to Cao Qili's advice with some astonishment, and felt a burst of emotion in his heart.
From Zhao Qingyan's previous words and expressions, plus what he saw in the mountains behind Dongfeng City a long time ago, he could tell that the young emperor had deep affection for Concubine Yan.
But even so, Cao Qili dared to speak out, and he really could live up to the four words "dare to be the first".
Cao Qili knew in his heart that his words would surely arouse the thunderous wrath of the Holy Emperor, but for the sake of the country's great plan, there was nothing to be afraid of even if his body was wiped out.
The ministers died for the sake of the country. Since they wear official uniforms and hold high crowns on their heads, they must hold their positions and seek their duties. Their speeches do not violate their true intentions, and they serve the people of the world and the foundation of the country.
Cao Qili, a native of Beilingyuan, has been studying since he was a child. He has no shame in the loess when he lowers his head, and no shame in the ghosts and gods when he raises his head.
Although this two-pronged strategy was beneficial to the country and the country, it actually offended both Zhao Qingyan and Hu Jie.
But the Confucian scholar, whose temples had already turned gray, didn't think so much. He still stood tall and tall, ignoring the whispers behind him and the burning eyes of Xu Hongqing beside him.
When I was young and studying, my mother often said that in life, you can either walk on Yangguan Avenue with thousands of people walking together, or you can walk on a single wooden bridge with one person and one horse.
His father passed away early, and his mother raised Cao Qili single-handedly, and passed away after he was in high school.
Cao Qili was forty-five years old, unmarried and alone, because he had known that he would not die well if he held a high position, and he was afraid that his relatives would be destroyed by political enemies in the court, so he resolutely chose to face the wind and frost alone, with no regrets in life and in death. .
Scholars all over the world have a mind that does not go beyond the outside world, and all their sorrows and sorrows are within it.
two
Zhao Qingyan looked at Cao Qili angrily, her body trembling more and more violently. Seeing that the situation was not good, the ceremonial supervisor beside her hurriedly scolded him.
"Cao Qili, you violated the king's will, do you know the crime?"
Cao Qili's complexion did not change, and his figure did not retreat.
"I hope your Majesty will think twice!"
Zhao Qingyan clapped her hands and stood up, pointed at Cao Qili and shouted, "Cao Qili!"
Cao Qili bowed and knelt down, his expression unchanged.
"I hope your Majesty will think twice!"
The entire hall became silent again. The civil and military officials of the entire court had never seen the young emperor become so angry.
Everyone in the court has been in officialdom for more than ten years or even decades. Many of them are former ministers of the previous dynasty. They know in their hearts that the current emperor is indeed not very virtuous compared to the late emperor. Cao Qili now boldly speaks out at the risk of offending the emperor. It can be said that " audacious in the extreme".
Hu Jie looked at Cao Qili who was kneeling on the ground with great interest. After a while, he turned to look at the young emperor on the dragon throne, "The old Imperial Master came to Qingmeng City to look for me a few days ago and asked me to bring five disciples to you. I apologized in person. I originally wanted to show my courtesy as a monarch by shouldering the burden of apology, but now it seems that it is no longer necessary. It is rare to fall in love with someone in this world. Your Majesty, you have countless beauties in your harem, how can you miss out on Concubine Yan? My fifth disciple is very important to others. Love and justice are important. Since my childhood sweetheart fell into the hands of others, I would naturally feel depressed. As a master, how could I not feel distressed when seeing a disciple like this? Everyone else has to give in, but in this matter, there is no room for it. Thoughts. As a courtesy between monarchs and ministers, I address you here as 'you', but I hope your Majesty will remember that I, the Hu clan, have been guarding Daqing for thousands of years, and I have never killed an emperor before!"
Zhao Qingyan's face turned pale when she heard this, and she sat back on the dragon chair, her breath almost coming out of her throat.
Seeing this, the Supervisor of Ceremonies on the side quickly reached out and patted Zhao Qingyan's back gently, and looked at Hu Jie out of the corner of his eye.
Xu Hongqing stood behind Hu Jie, feeling a chill in his heart.
He didn't expect that Hu Jie would have the courage to say such disrespectful words. You must know that the fate of the Hu family's longevity is linked to the fate of Daqing. Every word and deed in Anqing, the capital, may damage his own Taoism and practice. Even the national destiny.
Xu Hongqing suddenly felt a headache. If the situation continued to develop, he might really let Hu Jie take Concubine Yan and the two disciples out of the capital safely.
Zhao Qingyan looked around and saw that the civil and military officials of the court were silent at this time. In addition, the ceremonial supervisor on the side lowered his head and pretended to be deaf and mute. He was so angry that he threw the jade seal in his hand heavily on the ground, and then He got up and walked towards the door of the side hall.
All the civil and military officials in the entire hall were at a loss. After a long time, they had to retreat according to their order under Xu Hongqing's order.
Cao Qili walked behind the crowd, brushing his eyebrows with both hands, as if in deep thought.
He walked out of the palace with a sigh and got on the rickshaw he had paid for long ago at a remote area at the south gate.
The coachman grinned, revealing his bad teeth. He turned to look at Cao Qili, who was wearing official uniform, and said with a smile, "Official, I can tell by your official uniform that your rank is quite high. Why should you pay back the two cents to the younger one?"
Cao Qili waved his hand, indicating to the coachman that there was no need to ask further questions and he could just rush towards his residence.
Cao Qili's small house is on the edge of the third ring road, in an inconspicuous alley. Compared with the Wuxiang's mansion in the first ring road, it may not be as big as the backyard of the Xu Mansion's handyman.
It was winter and the weather was cold. Cao Qili turned over the coal stored in the woodshed, picked two pieces and carried them into the back room. He lit a charcoal fire with a fire stick and put his hand in front of the stove to keep warm.
Cao Qili took off his official uniform and put on a thick coat, and sat on the edge of the bed. He was very full and had no intention of lighting a fire to cook.
The inner room was small and cold, gloomy and cold. This lonely literary man suddenly recalled the scene when his family was sitting around the hot bed when he was very young.
The house at that time seemed a little smaller than it is now, but every time it snowed heavily in Beilingyuan Continent, it never felt the slightest bit cold.
When Cao Qili was a child, he often felt cold. His mother always liked to put his little feet in her arms to keep them warm. Then she would read to her son while he was half asleep and half awake. He would speak in a substandard Daqing phone call and stammered just a few words. I know a few big characters.
My mother didn't read much and spent her whole life dealing with daily necessities and needlework. She was a rough person.
However, his mother was careless, and Cao Qili, who was in poor health, grew up under her care and never suffered any serious illness.
Cao Qili's name was given by his father. His father studied in a private school for several years since he was a child. After dropping out of school, he never studied again. He went to the government office early as an errand and worked as a small catcher for many years. Finally, he became a salary-earning man. Catching the boss.
When his father was a child, he always liked to take home the leftover wood from the Yamen work and use a knife and saw to make small toys for Cao Qili to play with.
Cao Qili sat on the edge of the bed. In a daze, he took out the small wooden knife that had been covered with dust, placed it in the palm of his hand and kept rubbing it.
The literary minister suddenly felt that he was no longer young. He was nearly fifty and knew his destiny. He still had five years left. Cao Qili didn't know if he could hold on.
Nowadays, the situation in the officialdom is treacherous, and the power in the court is visibly tilted towards Xu Hongqing's side. Even the young emperor's every move is under the control of Xu Hongqing and the twelve eunuchs.
Cao Qili sighed and dusted off the dust in his hands, and wiped his face casually. His face was mottled for a while.
His poor old mother and father who died young always advised him to be upright and act according to his heart. This has been the case for Cao Qili in the past twenty or thirty years.
After an unknown period of time, all the charcoal fire in the furnace was extinguished. Cao Qili curled up on the bed, tightening his thick coat from time to time and mumbling some incomprehensible words.
This gentleman, who was nearly fifty years old, actually saw himself getting married in his sleep. He dreamed that he was holding the hand of an old woman, and that he also had white hair flying in front of his forehead.
He woke up suddenly, stood up and sat on the bed, crying for no reason.
The husband did not recall anything sad, but he remembered that when he was sixteen or seventeen years old, a girl said that she would always wait for him.
