"A sneeze... a sneeze..." Xiao Letian sneezed hard twice in the night. He took out a handkerchief and wiped his nose. "Oh, it's so good! Who is talking about me? A sneeze..."
The horse team has now left the forest. In front of them are plains, farmland and dotted villages. The smoke from the cooking pots is floating, and the faint candlelight shines through the windows.
Farther away, a dark city pressed down on the ground. The dense light of torches on the city wall outlined the outline of the city. Especially at the gate of the city, there was a heavy display of troops. Soldiers holding torches lined up for more than two miles.
Zai Chun looked at the city in front of him and remained silent for a long time before he said, "This is Ning Guta? It's such a small city, such a desolate city..."
"Isn't this nonsense? This is the place where your Aisin Gioro family exiles prisoners. Even you Manchus are not willing to come to a place. You think it can be better? If this were two hundred years ago, you wouldn't even have a village like this. Can’t see…”
"Let's go. Look at the posture of Ninggu Tower City. Hunchun has arrived. You are the king of the Qing Dynasty. Now you have to go to the front..."
The guard voluntarily gave way to an alley, and Zai Chun, who looked excited, rode forward and headed straight for Ninggu Tower City.
This is my land, this is my country, this is my territory! Zai Chun was so excited that he wanted to roar twice, but the emperor taught him to be calm, so he could only suppress his emotions and roar to himself secretly.
Who was my former self? In name only, he was the emperor of the Qing Dynasty on the surface, but his real identity was just a slave in the Forbidden City. He couldn't even make his own decisions about what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
I don’t like eating fat meat slices that are all white and fluffy, but some people always say that it’s the ancestral tradition. I can’t forget my roots... Damn it, how many years have I been in the customs and you still fool me with boiled meat slices, just put some salt on it and eat it. Have you forgotten your roots?
I cannot make my own decisions about food, clothing, housing and transportation, let alone governance. When will I have the final say on how the Qing Dynasty should go? Even if I want to add one more Western course, I can't. I'm nothing in their eyes!
It’s better to conquer the country yourself! Hunchun is just a stubborn donkey trapped in a remote area of Ningguta. How could he control the two provinces without my secret order, let alone launch this mutiny.
I am not only his emperor, but also his benefactor. He has become my direct slave. He will not be accepted by any faction without me. I am his only choice. His life and family have been marked. My mark is on it and can never be washed away.
Only such subordinates feel most at ease, and only this feeling is called being in control of everything!
Ninggu Tower City is getting closer and closer, and there are soldiers guarding the village entrances on both sides of the post road. When they see this group of cavalry coming slowly, they all hold their chests up and raise their heads without squinting. God knows how many pairs of eyes are behind them, peeping at this place. everything.
The news that Emperor Tongzhi had arrived in person had been quickly delivered to Hunchun of Ninggu Pagoda. Four hours ago, this double general had been standing at the gate of the city, refusing to listen to anyone who advised him to rest.
Hunchun took off his armor and put on the patchwork uniform that he must wear when going to court. A first-grade unicorn patch was displayed on his chest, and the flower feathers on his head trembled slightly. Hunchun had never liked wearing this patchwork suit. In his eyes, military attachés could only wear armor. If you look like a military attache, you shouldn't wear any supplementary clothes like a civil servant.
But today is an interview with His Majesty the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. This is the first time Hunchun has seen His Majesty, and it is also the first time Emperor Tongzhi has visited the land outside the customs. It would be unreasonable not to wear such a serious dress for such an occasion.
"General! Here we come... Your Majesty is here!" A horse galloped in front of him. Following his words, he looked behind him and saw that a group of cavalry, surrounded by a young man of thirteen or fourteen years old, was approaching slowly.
The team has arrived at the alley composed of soldiers holding torches. Whenever Zai Chun's horses marched, the soldiers did not dare to speak and all knelt down on one knee. The torches were held high to light the way for the emperor. The alley was two miles long. The torches whirred and beat in the wind.
Hunchun had seen a photo of Emperor Tongzhi before, and thought he recognized it as Long Live the Qing Dynasty. In fact, he couldn't be wrong without a photo. Sometimes the dragon among men can be seen clearly at a glance.
But when Emperor Tongzhi appeared in front of him, the nobleman of the Eight Banners, who was born and raised outside Guanwai, was dumbfounded. He never expected that the emperor of the Qing Dynasty actually wore a Western-style military uniform.
Flat-topped patent leather hat with a large brim, blue woolen military uniform, armed belt tied to the body, shiny cowhide boots above the knee, a thick cloak with a button on the chest, a heroic face with dark and shining eyes, the only What's a little uncoordinated is the thin braid. Instead of dragging down the back, it goes around the neck and then hangs down the back.
It has to be said that this outfit looked down upon all the generals, and they even forgot to salute.
Zai Chun rode his horse over with a half-smile, and the horse's head hit Hunchun's chest. "What's wrong? You don't recognize me anymore? Do you need to take out my seal and compare it with the secret minister?"
Hunchun was so excited that he quickly rolled up his horse sleeves and knelt on the ground, "Slave Hunchun, I bow to the emperor, long live my emperor, long live, long live!"
None of the officers and soldiers at the city gate dared to stand. They all knelt on the ground and shouted "Long Live Long Live" which was earth-shattering.
Time just stood still. Zai Chun sat on the horse and looked at Hunchun. Hunchun knelt on the ground and looked up at Zai Chun. The monarch and his ministers just stared at each other.
It really depends on the fate between people. Some people can feel the deep kindness just after meeting them for the first time. Later, Xiao Letian thought he would see a great drama of the monarch and his ministers harmoniously. He also thought I heard the polite words between the Manchu emperors and ministers, but I didn't expect that the two of them just looked at each other and didn't say a word.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes... The time passed by minute by minute, but the two still didn't speak. Xiao Letian's teasing expression gradually became serious, and he could understand a little bit.
"Gathering momentum? Zai Chun actually understands the power of silence?" Xiao Letian whispered to Ryoma Sakamoto, "Did you teach him?"
The Great Monk Longshi shrugged, "You think too highly of me. Your Majesty is also a member of the Qing Dynasty royal family, and the education he received since childhood was not in vain. Do you think Weng Tonghe and other masters are just doing it for a living?"
"It can only be said that His Majesty is getting older and has broadened his horizons. He has finally understood the things he learned on paper in the past..."
Xiao Letian rolled his eyes at Ryoma Sakamoto, and then looked at the pantomime in front of him. He estimated that Zai Chun and Hunchun had been staring at each other for ten minutes.
At this moment, Hunchun's palms were all sweaty, and the military attaches and soldiers behind him also felt the endless pressure, and their knees on the ground began to hurt slightly.
One is kneeling on the ground and looking up, and the other is sitting on a horse and looking down. The momentum is naturally ebbing and flowing. Even though Zai Chun is young, in the past ten minutes, he has already accumulated a fortune that far exceeds that of Hunchun. Stock aura.
"Are you so domineering? Haha, interesting, really interesting..." Just when Xiao Letian was teasing in a low voice, Zai Chun finally spoke.
"Hunchun...do you believe me?"
Hunchun was stunned at that time. He didn't expect His Majesty to say such a thing. Before he could answer, Zai Chun said something else.
"Hunchun...are you willing to sacrifice your life for me? If you are willing, I will take your life..."
Tears welled up in the eyes of the 1.8-meter tall man outside the customs. He knocked his head on the ground, "Master! Wuwuwu... This slave's life has been yours since he was born... from the moment he was born!"
"Okay! Then I'll take it..."
