"His Majesty has decreed that Duke Zhongyi, Li Dingxing, lead his army to fight against Xigui. He will set off soon and the battle will not be delayed!"
"My lord, Li Dingxing has accepted the order and thanks you, Your Majesty!"
In Wuding Mansion, Li Dingxing finished kowtowing and accepted Zhao Yizhi's imperial edict.
"Eunuch, did your Majesty say nothing more?" Yi Xiaodao smiled and put a piece of gold into the hand of the little eunuch who announced the imperial edict, held his palm for him and asked with a smile.
The little eunuch was surprised and happy, smiling from ear to ear: "Hey, Mr. Wu Dinggong, this... little..."
"But it doesn't matter." Li Dingxing stood up and walked to the little eunuch, and stuffed another ingot of gold into his hand. It was bigger than the one Yi had just stuffed with his knife, and the little eunuch couldn't hold it completely even when he closed his hand.
The little eunuch hurriedly stuffed the gold into his sleeves: "Two gentlemen, wait a moment, let me think about it, ah, yes! Yes! I remembered it! Your Majesty once said that the loyal Lord is willing to serve the country, but now There is no war in northern Xinjiang for the time being, and it is hard to ignore Duke Zhongyi’s desire to serve the country, so he sent troops to Sichuan and Shu to annihilate Xigui."
Yi Xiaodao's face slowly darkened, and Li Dingxing also frowned slightly, but not as obviously as Yi Xiaodao.
"Father-in-law, these two ingots of gold add up to twenty taels, right? Isn't it too little, father-in-law?" Yi Xiaodao asked unceremoniously.
Li Dingxing gently tugged on Yi Xiaodao's sleeve, but Yi Xiaodao pulled it away, ignoring Li Dingxing's dissuasion.
The little eunuch didn't expect that Yi Xiaodao would turn against him faster than turning the page in a book. He was stunned for a moment and didn't know what to do.
"Thieves are rampant in the capital. Even my Duke Wu Ding's house has lost some gold and silver recently. This matter must be reported to Your Majesty and ordered to conduct a thorough investigation. What do you think, Lord Li?" Yi Xiaodao turned to Li Dingxing, He spread his hands and said helplessly.
Li Dingxing understood what Yi Xiaodao meant and responded quickly to cooperate: "Yes! This thief is really brave! I don't know what the governor of the capital did! I will report it to the official right now!"
"My lords, wait a minute, wait a minute... I remembered, Your Majesty also said... Mr. Wu Dining left the capital many times, going into dangerous situations to serve the country and the people. This time, I will not bother Mr. Wu Dining, and let Mr. Wu spend more time with his wife at home. To comfort the two of them from their past lovesickness!" The little eunuch smiled flatteringly, and his back molars were almost visible to Yi Xiaodao and Li Dingxing.
Yi Xiaodao and Li Dingxing looked at each other, and Li Dingxing walked away: "I'd better go and report to the official..."
"My lord! My lord! The little one says it, the little one says it!" The little eunuch panicked and hugged Li Dingxing's trousers, and was dragged four or five steps away by him before he stopped.
Yi Xiaodao put away the playful smile on his face and said one word from between his teeth with a cold expression: "Say."
"Little... I once heard your Majesty discuss with Prime Minister Zhou and select several generals, but none of them were very satisfied. Later, Prime Minister Zhou proposed to entrust Wu Ding with important tasks, but His Majesty said no. When Prime Minister Zhou asked why, Your Majesty said that the credit has been achieved. High, no reward..." The little eunuch trembled and took out two ingots of gold from his sleeves and handed them to Yi Xiaodao.
Yi Xiaodao pushed it with one hand: "Father, what are you doing? You should accept it quickly! You earned it for yourself at the risk of annihilating the three clans!"
When the little eunuch heard "Zhu Mie Tribe", his legs softened with fright. If Li Dingxing hadn't caught him quickly, he would have knelt on the ground.
"Don't be alarmed, father-in-law, we are joking with you!" Li Dingxing helped the little eunuch up and winked at Asan and Asi who were standing beside him. The two of them quickly stepped forward, helped the little eunuch with weak legs and left Wuding Gong's mansion. .
"I'm just saying you're overthinking, right? You're already a father-in-law, how do you still want His Majesty to reward you?" Li Dingxing crossed his arms and said to Yi Xiaodao.
Yi Xiaodao sighed: "I am the father-in-law, aren't you the same? Why should I send you?"
Li Dingxing was speechless.
Yi Xiaodao continued: "This is clearly what His Majesty asked this little eunuch to tell us. I have to say, this little eunuch's acting skills are really good."
"What is your Majesty's purpose for doing this? Why didn't you just expose it in front of the young eunuch?" Li Dingxing asked.
"Your Majesty has long been suspicious of me and doesn't dare to send me out of the capital anymore. This little eunuch is acting so well. If I expose him, not only will you and I be unable to step down, but even Your Majesty will be unable to step down as well. Why bother?" Yi Xiaodao saw it clearly.
Li Dingxing was silent. The king's thoughts were the most difficult to guess, but even if he guessed correctly, what could he do?
"Okay, don't think too much, pack up and get ready to go. Xigui may not be as strong as Chu Xiang, but there are always endless evil ways in the border areas. I asked Qin Changqian and Bai Xinglong to go with you to avoid any unexpected events. ." Yi Xiaodao patted Li Dingxing's shoulder and comforted him.
Li Dingxing nodded: "Yi Xiaoling..."
"Of course this big eater will go with you! She has been in my house for only half a month and has eaten half a jar of rice. How can I afford to feed her?" Yi Xiaodao pretended to be panicked.
"What did you say!"
It was said that Cao Cao had arrived. As soon as Yi Xiaodao finished speaking, he heard a "lion's roar". Yi Xiaoling had just come out of the inner courtyard and rushed towards Yi Xiaodao. He was so frightened that he screamed strangely. "Brother and sister, you chase me." , running around the yard.
In the palace.
"Your Majesty, the imperial edict has been conveyed, and Duke Zhongyi also accepted the edict to express his gratitude." The young eunuch returned to the palace to resume his duties.
Zhao Yizhi nodded: "Didn't Yi Xiaodao say anything?"
"Wu Dinggong was also listening to the decree and said nothing." the young eunuch replied.
"Go down." Zhao Yizhi nodded and signaled the young eunuch to leave.
As soon as the little eunuch left the imperial study, he hurried out of the palace gate and came to a corner outside the palace. A carriage was already waiting there. The young eunuch stepped forward and said through the curtain of the carriage: "Prime Minister Zhou, the matter has been settled."
"Did Mr. Wu Dinggong force you to tell the truth again and again?" Zhou Ziru's voice came from the carriage.
"What Prime Minister Zhou expected was exactly right. Duke Wu Ding and Duke Zhongyi gave the slave twenty-one taels of gold, and then threatened the slave to tell the truth. The slave told the slave what you taught him, and then they let him go." The little eunuch Replied truthfully.
There was no movement in the car curtain. After a while, Zhou Ziru slowly replied in the car: "Okay, good job. Since they gave twenty-one taels, you go to my house to find the steward and get forty Two taels of gold."
"Thank you very much, Prime Minister Zhou. Whenever something happens to Prime Minister Zhou, I will never give up!" The young eunuch suppressed the excitement in his heart, couldn't help but thanked him repeatedly, showed his loyalty, and then left in the direction of the Zhou Mansion's other courtyard.
Just as the little eunuch left, the curtain of the carriage slowly opened, and sitting inside were surprisingly Yi Xiaodao and He Yue'er!
"I almost forgot about your ever-changing voice." Yi Xiaodao said with a smile.
He Yue'er's face turned slightly red after being praised by Yi Xiaodao. She cleared her throat and returned to her original voice: "How did you know that Prime Minister Zhou and this little eunuch would meet here?"
"Zhou Ziru is an impatient person. How can he have the patience to wait until this little eunuch comes to report? But if he is in the palace, it will be even more inconvenient to talk. This is the closest to the Zhou Mansion in the West City. I am not sure. , I can only take a gamble."
"Aren't you afraid of being discovered?" He Yue'er said, sticking out her tongue.
Yi Xiaodao smiled and shrugged: "Of course I'm afraid, it's time to let Qin Xiangqian and the others run away."
…
There are still two streets away from the west gate of the palace city. The famous Prime Minister Zhou Ziru was actually blocked here. The reason turned out to be that people were making trouble and fighting in the street in front, blocking the road to death.
"Master, okay, you can go." Dao Henghai came to Zhou Ziru's carriage and reported the situation ahead.
Zhou Ziru's expression was gloomy and uncertain: "Do you know these common people who are making trouble and fighting?"
Dao Henghai and Gou Duhunjin both shook their heads. Jian Liuyun glanced at Qian Yingjiao and shook his head to express his ignorance.
Gun Yinjiao hesitated slightly, a little slower than the other three, and shook his head: "I've never seen it before."
Zhou Ziru's eyes glanced at the faces of Jian Liuyun and Qiang Yingjiao for a moment, then nodded and said, "Let's go."
The carriage moved forward slowly, and Jian Liuyun and Qiang Yingjiao seemed to have a clear understanding of each other, slowly falling behind the carriage.
"When did you meet Qin Changqian?" Jian Liuyun asked in a low voice.
Gun Yinjiao didn't hide anything and said truthfully: "When you took He Yue'er away, you led Yi Xiaodao and others to chase us. He was the one who intercepted me."
Jian Liuyun smiled knowingly and said, "If you are interested, how about I go and speak to Duke Wu Ding and arrange this marriage for you?"
Qiang Yinjiao showed disgust: "What are you thinking about?"
"If you weren't sentimental, why did you hide it for him?" Jian Liuyun continued to stimulate her.
"I'm too lazy to pay attention to you." Qiang Yinjiao pulled away and ignored Jian Liuyun, leaving her alone behind the carriage and snickering secretly.
After walking for a while, Zhou Ziru's carriage just passed the place where the fight was taking place. He suddenly opened the curtain and glanced out: "Stop the car and go back home."
Dao Henghai came to the car: "Master, what's the matter?"
"There was a fight here just now, but there was no damage here. Even the straw baskets on the roadside were intact. How could it be that there was a fight? Someone clearly blocked it deliberately. Now that they have withdrawn, let's go again It’s not necessary anymore.” Zhou Ziru sighed.
Dao Henghai was a little confused. It felt like a bit of a joke to go back home with only one or two straw baskets here...
"Let's do this. Go and have a look outside the palace. If the father-in-law is there, just meet him and give him instructions." Zhou Ziru's carriage slowly turned around and turned around to return.
Dao Henghai took the order and rushed towards Miyagi City alone.
Outside Zhou Xiang's courtyard, the little eunuch who delivered the order had already arrived and was holding his waist and arguing with the steward of Zhou's house.
"What happened?" When they arrived at the door of his house, there were still people making noise. Zhou Ziru was surprised and confused, why were there people quarreling everywhere.
"This father-in-law said that you promised him forty-two taels of gold, but I didn't receive the news and didn't dare to pay him." The steward replied first.
The little eunuch also ran over quickly: "Prime Minister Zhou, didn't you promise our family forty-two taels of gold outside the palace? Why don't you accept it now?" The reward in hand was about to be wasted, and the little eunuch couldn't help but worry. He stood up and his voice became much louder.
Zhou Ziru thought about it briefly and figured out the whole story: "You actually plotted against me like this..."
"Prime Minister Zhou, promise us the gold..." The little eunuch refused.
Zhou Ziru glanced at Gou Duhun, who immediately understood and stepped forward to pull the young eunuch over: "Father-in-law, how can we not honor the matter of Prime Minister Zhou? You come with me."
Gou Duhun led the young eunuch into the deep alley...
…
"Mr. Wang, I have searched all over and can't find Xiao Dezi. I don't know where he went..." An old eunuch in the palace reported back to Wang Zhenliang.
Wang Zhenliang asked: "What did he do today? How long did he last?"
"Today, Xiao Dezi went to Wu Dinggong's government office to announce His Majesty's decree. When he came back to report to His Majesty, he disappeared," the old eunuch replied.
Wang Zhenliang seemed to have expected it. He put his hands behind his back and turned around slowly: "If you can't find it, just stop looking. Everyone has his own ambitions..."
The sky was gradually getting dark, but there was no lamp in the imperial study room. In the darkness, Zhao Yizhi's eyes were burning...
