The father-in-law stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, I just went to Linzhi Palace to invite the two queen mothers to come to Yongfu Palace. I talked with them for half an hour before inviting them here."
Liu Zhaosun was slightly startled. He did not expect that the Empress Dowager Cisheng would be so repulsive to him. It had been more than a year since he had a good talk with Jin Yuji.
The struggle for power and the changes in the current situation have made this couple who used to be close to each other gradually become like strangers.
"Go down first and wait outside the palace. You are not allowed to come in without my order."
Dongfang Zhu quickly retreated.
In the huge palace, only Emperor Wuding and the two queen mothers were left.
Yang Qing'er reached out to help Jin Yuji, but the Empress Dowager Cisheng threw her away.
Under the light of the pale yellow whale oil lamp, the different looks of the two beauties were reflected.
Yang Qing'er's eyes are bright and lively, her eyebrows are trimmed and her nose is straight, with a slight pear dimple on her cheeks. She frowns and smiles, but she is still beautiful; Jin Yuji standing next to her has an expressionless face, and there is a lot of sadness under her gorgeous makeup. Her bright eyes were as clear as water, and Emperor Wu Ding could easily catch the sadness in her eyes at a glance.
Yang Qing'er stepped forward and was about to salute, but Liu Zhaosun quickly stopped and asked the two of them to sit down next to the Grand Master's chair.
The three of them remained silent for a long time without saying a word, and finally the Emperor broke the awkward situation first.
"The matter in Liaodong has been settled. Next month I will send troops to the pass to pacify the world. Will the Queen Mother be willing to accompany me?"
Jin Yuji's face was as frosty as ice and she said nothing.
Yang Qing'er coughed lightly and asked the Supreme Emperor about the food and fodder dispatch of the army and whether it was ready.
"Everything is ready. The Bohai Sea is under my control. It is convenient to transport grain. If there is insufficient grain, it will be given to the enemy. There are many more local tyrants and evil gentry in the pass than in Liaodong."
When the time traveler talked about losing food to the enemy, his tone was as calm as listing out his dinner menu.
Yang Qing'er began to follow the Supreme Emperor in the autumn of the first year of Wuding, from Linqing to Jinan, and then back to Liaodong from Jinan. Yang Qing'er had more or less understanding of what Liu Zhaosun did.
"On the day when the army sets off, I will pardon a group of Shenyang officials and restore them to their posts."
Seeing that Jin Yuji still didn't say a word, Liu Zhaosun said uneasily:
"I know you are having a hard time in Shenyang. I know you have been wronged alone these days..."
As he spoke, he stepped forward to hug the Empress Dowager Cisheng. Jin Yuji stepped back, dodged slightly, and said expressionlessly:
"I haven't seen you for more than a year. Your Majesty is surrounded by so many beauties, and there is no shortage of ministers and concubines. Most of the officials in Shenyang City who can be named have been captured by the Capricorn Guards and were imprisoned and tortured. , even Kang Yingqian, Qiao Yiqi and the others are not immune. It is better for me to stay away from His Majesty, lest I be regarded as a traitor and die in an unknown manner."
Yang Qing'er was about to speak for the Supreme Emperor when Liu Zhaosun raised his arm to stop her.
"What the Queen Mother said is true. Over the past year or so, I have slaughtered no less than ten thousand officials, gentry, and gentry. I have severely punished and killed at every turn. I would rather kill thousands of people by mistake than let one person slip through the net. The number of my killings can be said to be tens of millions. The first tyrant."
Jin Yuji looked up at Emperor Wuding and saw the two remaining scars on his cheeks. On the way here, she heard Yang Qing'er say that those were the scars left by her husband during the battle in Linqing.
"This year and next, I will recover North Korea and unify Southern Ming. Three years later, I will send troops to Annan, and then to Japan. This conquest will be a real occupation, not a superficial move like in the past, causing all kinds of troubles. "
Taking advantage of Jin Yuji's distraction, Liu Zhaosun gently hugged the Empress Dowager Cisheng, his technique was still so skillful and simple.
"From now on, the territory of Daqi will be unprecedentedly vast, and everything the sun shines on will be the territory of Daqi. My empire will far surpass the Mongols, surpass the Golden Family, and manage a large country. Naturally, it cannot be compared to the original Kaiyuan. The thinking needs to change. First of all, at any time, the empire can only have one emperor and one center, and that is me. Otherwise, all living beings will be in ruins."
Liu Zhaosun gently let go of Jin Yuji, but she did not leave. She just listened to her husband continue talking.
"Whether Kang Yingqian or Qiao Yiqi, the existence of these people cannot threaten the imperial power. Otherwise, trouble will occur and more people will die, just like what happened in the capital last year."
Ever since the Wang Gong Factory explosion, time-travelers have rarely seen such excitement as now, as if they were suddenly back in their boyhood, trying hard to express themselves in front of their lovers.
When Jin Yuji heard this, she seemed to be waking up from a dream, and interrupted:
"Kang Jianjun and Qiao Jianjun were dedicated to Da Qi. The generals of Liaodong fought bloody battles with slaves and traitors, and tens of thousands of people died. How could the soldiers and people of Shenyang ever fail the Da Qi emperor? How did the emperor treat them! Killing at every turn, even Kang Jian Even veterans like Jun are not spared, is this what you call the great road?"
"Husband, do you still remember your original intention? Do you still remember what you said that year on the bank of the Hun River, under the big pine tree."
"I remember,"
Liu Zhaosun remained silent after saying this. In just eight years, he had transformed from a passionate young man who cherished his feathers and took it as his own duty to save the world to an eternal tyrant who committed murder and slaughtered the city. At least that's how many people viewed him.
"I had no choice but to do it, and the same goes for Kang Yingqian and the others."
The time traveler still has to explain himself, although this explanation sounds so feeble to Jin Yuji.
"A last resort? Do you have to kill Kang Supervisor? He is nearly seventy years old. This time he stayed in Shenyang for August and turned the tide. Now he is indifferent to fame and fortune. He is no longer the person you knew before. In order to defend the city, he even fought with his only son Kang Guangxu didn't even care. He was so dedicated to helping Kan'er. How could you have the heart to attack him?! And Qiao Jianjun, when he was in Kaiyuan, he helped your husband a lot and lent you eight thousand taels of silver... ···Have you forgotten all of this?”
Seeing Jin Yuji's anger, Yang Qing'er quickly stepped forward to persuade her:
"Sister Jin, your husband has his own reasons for doing this..."
"Get out of the way," Jin Yuji pushed Yang Qing'er away, pointed at Yang Qing'er and cursed: "You are just like your father Yang Hao, who does not hesitate to take human life. Your husband has become like this, and you have nothing to do with it!"
Yang Qing'er said tit for tat:
"Kang Yingqian did not have any rebellious intentions, and neither did Qiao Yiqi. However, Kang Yingqian had a son. Kang Yingqian did not have any rebellious intentions, but it does not mean that he did not have a son. His son did not have any, and it did not mean that the people around him did not. There is no room for two tigers in one mountain, and Daqi can only have one emperor. , they have already done a great job in guarding Shenyang. They have been assisting Kaner for a long time, and they have the power. Sooner or later they will take action, and more people will die. Regardless of how many people you see on weekdays, don’t you know that the young master is suspicious of the country? How powerful is it? If they can stay on the sidelines, it would be a mercy for my husband not to kill them!"
Jin Yuji sneered and said: "Sure enough, he is just like your father, judging a gentleman with a villain's heart. Like father, like daughter!"
"You Koreans are treacherous people. After my husband hunted south for half a year, Li Zhu massacred Kuandian. My husband didn't return to Shenyang for a year, so you colluded with Kang Yingqian and others to usurp power, and now you still have to speak to outsiders!"
······
Seeing that the two women were about to start fighting like they did when they first met, Liu Zhaosun stood in the middle. After the two of them calmed down, he finally said:
"Thunder tactics, bodhisattva heart, for trillions of people, the tens of thousands of lives I have killed these days are really nothing. As for why I beat Supervisor Kang and Supervisor Qiao, both of you are wrong. .”
Yang Qing'er was slightly startled, not expecting her husband to say this.
Liu Zhaosun stretched out his hand gently towards Jin Yuji's face and said sincerely:
"You asked me if my original intention is still there, I will tell you now, it is always there, just like my hand, can you feel its warmth?"
Jin Yuji was caught off guard by her husband's sudden operation. She blushed and said, "Then... what does that mean?"
"The original intention is still there, but it's just done in a different way. Mencius said, kill with a knife or a stick, as long as you can kill the person, what's the difference? The people still can't understand what the Daqi Empire really means. They I don’t know the importance of order. Of course I know that Kang Ying and Qiao Yiqi were not guilty and even had great achievements, but I still want to beat them up or repay kindness with enmity. Jin Yuji, do you know why?"
Jin Yuji looked at her husband thoughtfully and murmured:
"Why?"
The time traveler picked up the still warm tea on the desk and handed it to his beloved woman.
"The people only want to see what they want to see. They like to read the story of the rabbit dying and the dog cooking. They can understand it the most, and those who have a deeper vision, I want them to know that any threat or potential threat to the imperial power What will happen to people, whether they are guilty or not is only secondary. Therefore, Kang Yingqian and Qiao Yiqi are just the puppets behind the shadow play, and they are my tool to further stabilize the order. Whether they are at fault or not is not important. "
After Liu Zhaosun finished speaking, he did not forget to add: "Remember, order is the most important. If you have order, you have everything. If you lose order, you have nothing."
Jin Yuji nodded as if she understood. Although she accepted her husband's point of view in her heart, she did not let it go.
"So how are they doing now?"
Yang Qing'er said angrily: "Prime Minister Kang, Qiao Shangshu, Ma Shiying, Sun Chuanting and others are all secretly placed under house arrest in Kaiyuan. They are only told that they are in imperial prison without any punishment."
Jin Yuji was shocked, and there was an uproar outside. How could the coir raincoat guards torture the ministers, and beat Kang Yingqian until his blood was everywhere.
Liu Zhaosun guessed what Jin Yuji was thinking, and added: "Not only for Kang Yingqian, but also for you and Kan'er. I deliberately distance myself so that those with ulterior motives can understand what they want to do to align themselves with the Supreme Emperor. The power of riding a dragon will never end well,"
Jin Yuji suddenly asked with concern: "How about my husband bearing such a stigma..."
The Supreme Emperor said calmly: "But do good deeds and don't ask about the future. I don't care what the people say about me, like Eunuch Dongfang."
"Blessings from the East!"
Liu Zhaosun shouted, and Eunuch Dongfang who was waiting at the door came in immediately.
"When I was in Linqing last year, I quickly cut the knot and brought Eunuch Dongfang into the palace, leaving him to work as the Supervisor of Ceremonies. Otherwise, he would have exhausted all his energy and died without a place to bury him!"
Dongfang Zhu looked at the Supreme Emperor with a flattering face, full of agreement with these words. He smiled and said to the two empress dowagers:
"What the Holy One said is absolutely true. I lost my head in Linqing back then. I had a wife and six concubines at home. I was having sex every day. I took aphrodisiacs indiscriminately and almost lost my life."
Jin Yuji had read "Jin Ping Mei", and after hearing what Dongfang Zhu said, she felt more and more that this father-in-law was very similar to Ximen Qing.
The emperor waved his father-in-law to leave and continued:
"I can't bear to see you wandering around again and having your lives in danger."
Jin Yuji's voice became softer and she whispered: "But what about the other people? There are so many victims, and I don't know how many innocent people there are."
Emperor Wu Ding closed his eyes, and a scene of hell appeared in front of his eyes, with countless undead calling for his life.
"For example, this lamp oil, if the wick is to be lit, it needs the lamp oil to burn. The people are the lamp oil, and so am I. One day, I will also burn, but before that, I will use this candle to protect you, and more people,"
It was already midnight, and according to custom, it was time for Emperor Wu Ding to go to bed.
"I have finished what I have to say. You can stay, or you can go back and continue to be your loving queen mother,"
Jin Yuji quickly made her choice. She slowly walked to the Supreme Emperor and began to undress her husband.
Yang Qing'er also followed. Seeing this, Dongfang Zhu stood up and slowly exited the hall.
The whale oil lamps and candles on both sides of the Yongfu Palace bedroom swayed gently.
~~~
Three days later, the Shenyang North Gate Campus was buzzing with people. Technicians from workshops and schools looked at the center of the square eagerly. Emperor Wu Ding, with his two queen mothers and a group of his retinues, also came to observe the new weapons. test.
In the center of the school field, Qiao Yiqi, who was released and rushed back to Shenyang, grabbed Mao Yuanyi's shoulder and shook it hard for fear that the other party's shoulder would not be broken.
"Stop! You crazy people, why do you want to send living people to heaven!"
Mao Yuanyi listened to the kind-hearted Shangshu of the Ministry of Finance for a long time. The cobbler who was busy painting the hot air balloon stopped several times and stared blankly at the energetic civil servant in front of him.
Mao Yuanyi glared at him and signaled the cobbler not to be lazy.
Qiao Yiqi kept chattering: "You actually used living people for experiments. You have become a madman just like the emperor!"
Mao Yuanyi did not argue too much with the Minister of Household Affairs. After repeatedly confirming that the ignition and take-off were correct, she turned back to Qiao Yiqi and said:
"Master Qiao, you are right, but I want to build a hot air balloon that can carry people to the sky."
After that, the special technical advisor of the workshop - the founder of the Imperial Air Force - waved his hand, and Yang Tong immediately commanded the Zhenfu soldiers to "invite" Qiao Shangshu down.
Two Jianzhou prisoners who were used for test launch stepped on the rickety sampan and boarded the hot air balloon basket.
They were immediately fixed with iron chains and locked firmly to the wooden stake in the middle of the hanging basket. The two Jianzhou warriors looked at each other in despair, gave up all meaningless struggles, and looked desperately at the blue sky.
Emperor Wu Ding walked to the two whale skin hot air balloons that were about to take off, glanced at the Zhengbai flag captives on the hot air balloons, and said to Mao Yuanyi:
"You have used up the whale skins of the whaling team for three months, and more than thirty prisoners have died. The experiment has not been successful yet."
Mao Yuanyi knew that the Supreme Emperor had a bad temper and would kill people randomly if he disagreed with her, so she quickly explained:
"Your Majesty, this time it will be successful. I brought better quality coal and painted the outside of the whale skin. The previous gaps were rebuilt with Sanhe mud..."
The Supreme Emperor waved his hand and said impatiently: "I don't want to hear these technical details. I only want the results. No matter how many of you die, I require the hot air balloon to go up to the sky without catching fire or falling."
Mao Yuanyi, like Xie Yang, was a model in the Great Purge Movement and was cared for by Zhang Dong. He was baptized by the New Deal in prison. He believed that one plus one equals three. He believed that everything the emperor said was the truth and was absolute for Da Qi. loyalty.
"Your Majesty, Qiao Shangshu has just returned from Kaiyuan and is making such a fuss. I am worried,"
At some point, a sinister-looking Zhang Dong stood next to the emperor and looked fiercely at Qiao Yiqi, who was still cursing in the distance.
Liu Zhaosun looked back at Qiao Yiqi, who was indignant and resentful. After hesitating for a long time, he finally couldn't make up his mind and sent his old friend to prison for re-education.
"That's all, let him go, I will find him alone to calm down,"
When the Supreme Emperor said this, he suddenly stared at Zhang Mazi fiercely.
"Zhang Mazi, those people who were released from Kaiyuan cannot be touched. If you and your people dare to touch them, do you know the consequences?!"
Zhang Dong quickly said yes, and the spy chief trembled and did not even dare to look into Emperor Wu Ding's eyes.
Liu Zhaosun patted Zhang Dong's shoulder and regained his composure:
"Okay, come with me and see how the hot air balloon sends Du Du to the sky."
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