On the 19th day of the tenth month of the Renyin year, the new king of the Jin Dynasty, the fourth emperor, prepared to patrol the country, and issued an imperial edict to all counties and counties across the country, which shocked the country.
Today, the weather is clear and the autumn wind is howling. It is the time for the emperor to officially go on tour. The banners are fluttering inside and outside Qingyang Palace. The drums and trumpets are blaring in the square in front of the Four Seas Return Hall. The emperor, surrounded by people, comes down to the car that the late emperor rode when he went on tour. In front of a luxurious six-wheeled giant carriage.
This car is called a Qianqian car. It is warm in winter and cool in summer. It is specially used by the powerful to travel far. During the emperor's inspection, there were three cars with the same specifications traveling with this car. Every few days, the emperor had to change to another Qianqian car. The carriage was built to ensure the absolute safety of the emperor's travels.
When Mu Sheng came to this car, he remembered the grand occasion when the late emperor went on tour. At that time, he was still serving as Anlehou in Zhixian County. He was very envious in his heart. He thought that he could sit in this car and be a coachman, but he never imagined that he would be a driver today. He actually became its owner, how unpredictable things are.
With the support of Yang Jin, the general manager of the inner court, Mu Sheng climbed onto the imperial platform and entered the large car. All the food and clothing in the car were available. There was a gorgeous bronze stove in the center of the car, which exuded a burst of radiance. A burst of hot air made the interior of the car as warm as spring.
Behind the bronze furnace, there was a door to the left of the imperial desk where he usually worked. Mu Sheng pushed the door open out of curiosity. This was the inner hall of the carriage, which was specially used for the owner to rest. The inner hall was also as warm as spring and was covered with thick carpets. There is a carpet, and a bed is placed in the middle. Two maids kneel beside the bed to wait for the master to go to bed.
Mu Sheng kept shouting in his heart, "Good guy, you are really extravagant and corrupt. Where is this carriage?" This is clearly a luxury sedan. No wonder everyone has wanted to compete for the throne since ancient times. If the emperor didn't have to deal with those annoying government affairs every day, didn't have to worry about the future of the country, and didn't have to be suspicious of this or that, to be honest, life would be quite satisfying. of.
Seeing the emperor boarding the carriage, the ceremonial guard and drums sounded, and the emperor's carriage, escorted by tens of thousands of lieutenants, slowly moved forward and left the palace.
In Qingyang City, crowds of people came to see the emperor's patrol. This was still a big event for the people in Qingyang City. First, five thousand elite infantrymen of the Lieutenant Army in white clothes and black armor holding black flags took the lead, and then the emperor himself rode in. The main vehicle was followed by thousands of large carriages of various types, which were basically the chariots and auxiliary vehicles of the powerful officials and officials. Behind them were only five thousand soldiers of the Northern Army, most of whom were infantry. The lions, tigers, and leopards, the Northern Army's three cavalrymen, each only came with a few hundred knights to fill the scene. They were not comparable to the power of the late emperor's patrol. However, Prime Minister Huo was very suspicious, and the number of Northern Army patrol members was limited.
When the emperor's guard of honor passed through the streets, the people in the city knelt down and worshiped, shouting "Long Live the Mountain". After the eastern patrol team left the city, the 25,000 lieutenant troops who had been guarding outside the city were waiting in strict formation. Under the leadership of Lieutenant Huo Qi, the sergeants lined up. The phalanx mountain shouted long live, and then changed into a long snake formation to protect the guard of honor on both sides. The lieutenant's army had bright armor, swords and guns, and the soldiers were well-trained, but they were also rare elite troops.
Mu Sheng opened the curtains of the carriage and glanced at the lieutenant troops guarding both sides of the carriage, and said to himself: "This Huo Qi still has some skills. The army is well trained. It's a pity that his surname is Huo and he can't be used by me."
The eastern patrol team marched a hundred miles outside the city. Soldiers and horses from various counties summoned by the imperial court were gathering in groups to wait for the emperor's guard of honor. Seeing the emperor's guard of honor arriving, more than 50,000 soldiers and horses changed into a long snake formation and followed the team to the rear. Army, follow the ceremonial guard patrol.
The soldiers and horses in each county are also carefully selected from all over the country. Although they are not as elite as the soldiers and lieutenants of the Northern Army, they are better because they have more soldiers and more generals. From a distance, they can see swords and guns like a forest, and flags fluttering like a field. It's like a dark cloud, but it's also full of momentum.
In this way, the east patrol team officially embarked on the journey. Mu Sheng felt a little regretful when he saw this. Unfortunately, only five thousand soldiers from the Northern Army came. If they could all come, there would be no chance of seeing them.
Tens of days later, the emperor's patrol team arrived at Yu County. Along the way, Mu Sheng did not eat or sleep. He still had to deal with the memorials submitted from various places in a timely manner and discuss state affairs with the ministers. Although it was just a formality, it was an important matter. Huo Xiangguo still decides.
After Mu Sheng read the memorial, he walked to the carriage and raised the window to take a look outside the carriage. The lieutenant army under Huo Qi's control was closely guarding the emperor's chariot. Looking through the military formation, he could see the great rivers and mountains of the empire. , but he himself could only be trapped in this small space and could not move.
Mu Sheng turned to look at several important ministers who were accompanying him in the carriage, and asked, "Master Gao, where are we almost?"
Hearing this, Gao Zhong walked to the map and pointed, "Your Majesty, we are about to pass through Yu County and go to Gaoyang County."
Mu Sheng stared at the map thoughtfully and said, "In other words, it's only seven more miles to reach Liangcheng?"
The guard nodded high and said: "Yes, Your Majesty, we will arrive in Liangcheng in a few days."
Mu Sheng said: "Liangcheng is a good place. It used to be the capital of the Song Dynasty. It is located in the middle. Waterways extend in all directions. Commerce and trade are prosperous. It is extremely prosperous. I really want to go to Liangcheng and visit it."
Hearing this, Gao Zhong knew that it was impossible to let the emperor run around casually, especially on the patrol road, and he must not escape their control.
Gao Zhong just chimed in casually: "I have served as an edict in Liangcheng in the past, but as your majesty said, Liangcheng is extremely prosperous, and the taxes paid to the court every year are among the best among all the big cities in the country. But during this tour, time has passed. Due to the urgency, we can only go through the city and go to Pingyu County as soon as possible to find the place where the late emperor erected a monument to worship."
When Mu Sheng heard this, he naturally knew it well and said regretfully: "Forget it, if I have the chance in the future, I will definitely visit the cluster."
Seeing that the government affairs were almost done, Gao Chong picked up the bamboo slips on the desk and bowed and said: "Your Majesty, these memorial officials who have reviewed it will be presented to the Prime Minister for his inspection."
Mu Sheng nodded slightly and said, "Okay, please step back."
Gao Zhong took the order and went to the Prime Minister's car to carry out the report. Mu Sheng looked at Gao Zhong's leaving back with complicated eyes. This was the same during the tour of various counties and counties. After the emperor reviewed the memorial, he still wanted to take it to Prime Minister Huo Zuo. If Huo Zheng doesn't agree with Huo Zheng's ideas, he will have to change the emperor's approval, which means that the decision-making power is still in the hands of Prime Minister Zuo Zheng.
At this time, Huo Xiangguo was driving. The regulations of the carriage and horses he was riding on looked slightly better than that of the emperor's chariot, but the luxury and comfort inside the car was almost as good as that of the emperor's chariot.
When Huo Zheng saw Gao Zhong, he ran all the way to his car and delivered the memorial to the Prime Minister's desk.
Seeing Gao Zhong sweating on his forehead, Huo Zheng said, "Oh! Why bother going back and forth so much? Just go to the royal palace to report to Your Majesty the truth about government affairs."
Gao Zhong stepped forward and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, don't dare to be careless. Although there are only less than a hundred Tsing Yi envoys guarding the emperor on the way to patrol, although they are small in number, they do not dare to look down on their skills, especially the hundreds of envoys. The hunter monk is playing the role of one against a hundred. If I get my mind on this now, how will you deal with it when the time comes? Enxiang, just listen to my advice and be on guard against others."
The meaning behind Gao Zhong's words is very clear. The emperor is guarded by good people. If you are too determined to be in the same room with the emperor, if you are detained by the Tsing Yi envoy, you will immediately be leaderless. This is a wasteland. The countryside is no safer than the city.
After hearing this, Lieutenant Huo Qi sneered and said: "I want to see who dares to detain my brother. Do you really treat the tens of thousands of elites in my hands as if they are nothing? However, Sir Gao is also reasonable. You must be on guard against others, so you should try your best. Avoid being in the same room with the emperor and wait until the tour is over."
After hearing this, Huo Zheng had no choice but to say: "That's fine. You are right. It just makes Master Gao suffer from running back and forth."
Wei Wei Gao Zhong pretended to be relaxed and said: "It is my duty to share the worries of the Prime Minister. It is a matter of one thing."
Skipping this episode, the emperor's patrol once again embarked on its eastern tour.
At this time, there was an old shepherd driving his sheep to graze on a barren mountain in Yu County. After the mighty honor guard and tens of thousands of troops had gone away, the old shepherd secretly breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly stopped. He carefully took out a birdcage in the center of his wide leather robe, tied the secret message he had just written to the homing pigeon's feet and let it fly.
The homing pigeon was free, fluttering its wings straight into the sky and flying to a distant place...
