When the middle-aged man saw that he was good-looking, he didn't dare to call him superior, so he hurriedly returned the courtesy without even saying a word.
As the two of them began to talk, guards came to protect them. When the people gathered around them saw this, they knew that the young man must be a noble person. Even if they admired the immortal master, they had to be reluctant. The ones dispersed.
Ying Zheng then asked the middle-aged man: "May I ask your name, sir? Where did you practice Taoism in Baoshan? And which venerable master did you learn from?"
The middle-aged man smiled and said: "I don't dare to be so respected by a nobleman. I, Yu Zhenzi, am just a Taoist in the secular world. I am occasionally taught by immortals and have a little knowledge of Taoism..."
Ying Zheng's face showed hope when he heard this. He hesitated several times, but was too embarrassed to speak.
When Yu Zhenzi saw this, he couldn't help laughing: "In the capital, there are many comrades who are practicing immortality with me. If you are interested, why don't you go with us?"
Ying Zheng's eyes showed strong interest, but he hesitated and said: "People in the world are afraid that they will disturb the immortal master."
Yu Zhenzi looked kindly and smiled lightly: "Why is this so?"
Ying Zheng even invited him to get in the car and talk with him all night long.
Only then did Yu Zhenzi know that this young man's true identity was the sixth prince of the Zhou Kingdom, but his face did not show any surprise, and he behaved calmly and with a divine demeanor.
The attendants around him became more and more admired.
…
That night, Ying Zheng stayed up all night, talking about Taoism with Yu Zhenzi all night long. Both sides gained something, and they were very congenial.
On the second day, Yu Zhenzi introduced him to Boyang Hou, the benefactor who supported him in cultivating Taoism in the capital and provided offerings.
The original owner had met Boyang Hou a few times before. The latter was an old noble after all, but he was just socializing, but there was no trace of it.
When they met this time, they only talked about the way to seek immortality, not about temple matters, but the host and guest enjoyed themselves and were extremely harmonious.
Ying Zheng then followed the example of Marquis Boyang and set up a special alchemy furnace in the palace. He also ordered people to prepare cinnabar, stalactites, purple ying, white ying and other things needed for alchemy. Under Yu Zhenzi's teaching, he began to practice Learn the art of alchemy.
Quan Shuyi didn't know the secrets of these things he did, but she certainly couldn't hide them from Shuanghong who was serving beside him.
After hearing this, the latter stopped reading the book, so he hurried to his side and begged: "Your Highness, don't you have great ambitions and want to make a career in the Kingdom of Zhou? How can you do that?" You are addicted to this kind of thing! The strange appearance of Yu Zhenzi is also related to an old noble like Boyang Hou. Your Majesty will be unhappy if he finds out!"
As she continued talking, Ying Zhengqi ordered his attendants by the fire: "Go to the Shang Palace Bureau and ask for some gold foil. The best cinnabar should be wrapped in gold foil to ensure that it does not lose its medicinal properties..."
Shuanghong became anxious: "Your Highness!"
Her eyes were red: "You are still young, why do you need to think about these things? Even if you really want to, you have to wait until later to do it! If you want that position, you have to compete with His Royal Highness the eldest son of the emperor. Shang The palace situation is now in the hands of the Queen, how could she not know that you have repeatedly asked for cinnabar and other alchemy materials?"
"The reason why it was provoked but not brought forward must be because this matter is beneficial to her! And if this matter is beneficial to her, it must be harmful to you, Your Highness!"
Ying Zheng looked at the sincere and somewhat silly girl in front of him and couldn't help but laugh.
Shuanghong was stunned by his laughter. After reacting, he suddenly realized something.
Her ears turned slightly red, and she said with some embarrassment: "Your Highness, are you following a trick?"
Ying Zheng did not answer her question directly, but said: "I asked someone to pick up two kilograms of gold yesterday. I said it was used for making elixirs. At this time, I put them on the east shelf. superior."
Shuanghong walked over knowingly and took down the box with the gold label.
Then I heard Ying Zheng say: "Take out three taels of gold and go there yourself to visit someone for me."
…
Taking advantage of the dusk in the evening, Shuanghong walked out of the door quietly.
After less than an hour, someone came to see him.
When Ying Zheng returned to the palace the first time, he was informed that the attendants outside were kneeling on the ground and crying loudly. They kowtowed repeatedly and did not stop even though their foreheads were bruised and bleeding.
"...The villain is guilty and deserves to die. I really don't have the face to see His Highness again!"
Ying Zheng held the small drum in his hand and looked at Ziying inside with a silver stick. He said in a calm tone: "I know you have your difficulties, so now you can kneel here safely instead of hanging. The first one is outside.”
"You were born into a poor family, and your monthly salary was only so much, but your mother was seriously ill and you were unable to save her. At this time, someone would lend a helping hand to you. Just saying a few words would be enough. Get enough money to treat your mother..."
The attendant's face was filled with regret and he cried bitterly: "It's all the villain's fault. If Your Highness punishes me, I will never complain at all!"
"Get up," Ying Zheng looked at him lightly and said, "There is no need for punishment. This time I have fulfilled your filial duty. Will you be able to repay me for your loyalty in the future?"
The attendant was extremely grateful, paused and said, "I'm so sorry for His Highness, and I won't hesitate to do so!"
He withdrew, Shuanghong was a little angry: "Why did you let him go so easily? You actually asked me to give him gold!"
"He's just a chess piece. What's the point of venting your anger on him? You've lost your identity, you'll be looked down upon, and you'll alert others. Besides..."
Ying Zheng's eyes glanced at the palace where Quan Shuyi was, and he sighed inaudibly: "It can be regarded as a sigh of appreciation for his filial piety. Rather than blowing it up before it happened, it would be in vain. Given such a good opportunity, I might as well borrow the Queen’s money to handle my affairs and give her money to make her feel guilty.”
There was another level of consideration that Ying Zheng did not express openly.
After all, he is just a fledgling young prince. What prestige does he have in the palace, and how can he win people's hearts?
Even if he dealt with this attendant, it was just a little bit of stinginess. It would be better to use this opportunity to show his magnanimity. After the incident, this case would also make the attendants inside and outside the palace appreciate his kindness. .
It's only three taels of gold, a very cost-effective deal.
…
Because of practicing Taoism and refining alchemy, Yu Zhenzi became half of Ying Zheng's teacher, and because of similar interests, Ying Zheng and Boyang Hou became close friends.
Although Ying Zheng tried his best to conceal this matter, and the Queen secretly cleaned up the matter for him, trying her best to make the matter spread later, even later, the emperor still found out through his own channels that the Sixth Prince had recently been cultivating immortality. matter.
He did not interfere too much in this matter, but while entrusting Ying Zheng with the task of clearing out the illegal activities of the old nobles and upholding the country's laws, he said meaningfully: "The mentality you reveal is not like You are a young man who has not reached the crown, so I will treat you as an adult. Do you know what you are doing?"
Ying Zheng's expression was as calm as an autumn day on a lake: "Your Majesty, I know exactly what I am doing."
The emperor looked at him for a long time, and finally nodded: "Very good, step back."
Instead, Ying Zheng mentioned another matter to him: "I heard that the eldest brother of the emperor has been ill for several days. I wonder if he is getting better recently? The queen is under strict supervision and no one else is allowed to disturb him. Even if I wanted to visit, I couldn't."
The emperor didn't expect that he would talk about this matter, but he was startled for a moment, then came to his senses and said in a subtle tone: "The first person who told me about this matter was actually you..."
Ying Zheng said calmly: "After all, they are our own flesh and blood."
The emperor pondered for a few moments and finally said: "I will handle this matter, so don't worry about it."
Ying Zheng responded softly, bowed, turned and left.
He left, but the emperor was silent for a long time. He sat alone for a long time. Finally, he sent someone to send a message to the queen: "It's time to release the boss. If you can lock him up for a while, can you still lock him up?" His whole life?"
Of course the queen never wanted to keep her biological son for the rest of her life, but she also didn't want to let him go at this time.
According to her idea, it would be safer to wait until the sixth prince is deposed, or when something goes wrong with the emperor, before letting her son go out.
However, since the emperor gave the order, it was obviously not something she could resist.
The queen personally went to the eldest son of the emperor and almost pinched his ears and told him: "Don't target your sixth brother anymore. Even if you are pretending, you must pretend to be brothers and respectful brothers! His matter, I will We have already made arrangements, but if you act rashly, it will only ruin my plan!"
"Son," she sighed and said, "Just believe me. When did my mother ever lie to you?"
The eldest son of the emperor reluctantly agreed.
…
When the sixth prince gained the emperor's attention, he was destined to stand on the opposite side of the emperor's eldest son.
And when the eldest son of the emperor was ill at just the right time, how could anyone with a discerning eye fail to see something fishy?
It was just a lie that he was sick, and it was true that he offended the emperor for some reason. If not, how could the sixth prince pick up such a big loser, turn around in one fell swoop, and even keep pace with his eldest brother?
For example, the eldest son of the emperor is now imprisoned despite being said to be sick, and it is the sixth prince who intercedes for him. If we compare the aggressiveness with which the eldest son of the emperor treated his younger brothers when he gained power, we can see the comparison between his magnanimity and magnanimity. It’s obvious.
Ying Zhengyun's calm words raised his reputation among the government, the public, and even the clan by N levels. It can be seen that no matter how many words he says, it may not be of any use. In the correct enough position, he can say it One word can speak louder than thousands.
…
A feast was in full swing at Gaolinghou's house.
Delicious food and wine, high-profile guests from all directions, silk and bamboo orchestras, and dancing girls with red sleeves, it was extremely prosperous and lively.
The son of Marquis Gaoling was particularly uneasy and asked his father in a low voice: "Is it a little too showy to do such a thing at this moment?"
"What do you know?"
Gaolinghou sneered and said: "Our ancestors followed the ancestors of Zhou to overcome obstacles and create this business together. Now we are not allowed to share the wealth and honor with Zhou. What is the reason? Your Majesty has betrayed us. It’s not that we turned our backs on Him!”
His eyes flickered: "I finally see it clearly. Your Majesty is determined to depose Shiqing Shilu. In this case, why not take the opportunity to make a fortune and make future generations rich?!"
The guests who came here today are not so much guests of Gaolinghou as they are buyers gathered by Gaolinghou from all over the Zhou Dynasty.
Pay the money with one hand and give it to the official with the other hand.
The emperor intended to depose Shiqing Shilu and issued an edict. However, due to the huge resistance from the old nobles in the country, it was never truly implemented.
Therefore, there are people like Gaolinghou who take advantage of the loopholes.
Selling an official position!
It doesn’t matter if he’s not a noble. If he is adopted as his adopted son by this prince, doesn’t he become a noble?
Now that I have become a noble, what should I do if I want to seek an official position?
The one who is given a small amount of money can be a side clan member of Gaolinghou, and the one who is given a little more money is a relative. The one who is given a million gold coins - you are my biological son who I have never met!
Listening to what he said at this time, his son hesitated and said, "But I heard that your Majesty ordered the Sixth Prince to supervise this matter. I'm afraid the person who came here is evil!"
"Sixth Prince..."
Marquis Gaoling sneered contemptuously: "What can a young boy do? What can he dare to do? Ignore him!"
So the singing continued, the dancing continued, everything was as usual.
For example, after three rounds of wine, the atmosphere was getting hot, and buyers gathered around Gaolinghou, calling him "uncle" or "uncle" affectionately, or hugging the dancing girl and drinking wine.
At this moment, the attendants from Gaolinghou's mansion hurriedly came to report: "Your Majesty, the Sixth Highness is here!"
Marquis Gaoling was half sober in an instant.
It's one thing to be contemptuous when you're behind someone's back, but it's another thing when you're in front of someone.
As the saying goes, don’t look at the face of a monk but look at the face of a Buddha. No matter how young the sixth prince is, he is still a prince after all!
He sat up straight, alert, and his expression became solemn: "How many people did he bring here?!"
The attendant stammered: "I brought a maid, a young man with a sword and a middle-aged scribe."
In this case, it doesn't matter if you think about it.
Gaolinghou secretly breathed a sigh of relief and asked someone to help him stand up, not forgetting to give him a kick: "You bastard, why don't you lead the way? How can I not go and greet His Highness the Sixth Prince when he comes in person?"
Seeing this, the others also hurriedly adjusted their clothes and went to greet him respectfully.
