Swish swish swish~!
Outside the palace gate, Bai Yan kept waiting after reporting to the Qin soldiers guarding the city gate.
I don’t know how long I stood there when the light rain suddenly became heavy again.
Bai Yan tightly protected the bamboo slips.
Ye and Huai came before, but Bai Yan asked them to leave again.
finally.
A eunuch and two palace maids came out of the palace gate and came to Bai Yan step by step.
"General Bai, the king summons you to the palace!"
The young eunuch came to Bai Yan and bowed to Bai Yan.
Bai Yan nodded.
When Bai Yan felt that the maid was holding an umbrella for him, Bai Yan did not refuse. After all, the umbrella was not prepared by him, but belonged to the king, which represented the king's favor.
"Bai Yan will present this volume to the king."
Bai Yan took this opportunity to hand the bamboo slips to the eunuch, which Bai Yu told him in his letter.
The eunuch took the bamboo slip and nodded quickly.
"General Bai, please!"
The eunuch made an invitation gesture to Bai Yan, indicating that Bai Yan should follow him into the palace.
Bai Yan nodded, returned the gift very politely, and made a gesture of invitation.
Bai Yan's behavior surprised the eunuch. It might have been fine with some elderly ministers, but among the young civil and military officials, such as Li Xin and Meng Tian, although they did not look down upon him, they did not look down upon him either.
This young man in front of me was the first person to be so polite to a humble eunuch like him.
Think of this.
The eunuch looked at Bai Yan, and there was a hint of intimacy in his eyes.
When the eunuch just now knew that the person coming was Bai Yan, he was still a little worried in his heart. After all, Bai Yan had a reputation for evil and had made numerous meritorious deeds. Even other eunuch colleagues had said that the king had mentioned Bai Yan several times in private. General.
I thought General Bai, who was leading the troops outside, was tall and arrogant.
Never thought about it.
First, his appearance was surprising, and then his words and deeds were even more surprising.
The eunuch asked himself, if he had not known that the young man in front of him was Bai Yan, he would not have been able to put the young man in front of him together with Bai Yan, who was rumored to be decisive in killing and leading troops fiercely.
Outside the palace gate.
Following the eunuch, Bai Yan came all the way to the palace gate and stepped onto the threshold of the palace for the first time.
Just after entering, Bai Yan looked through the huge open space and saw at a glance the huge Xianyang Palace in the distance sitting on a hundred steps of stairs.
Looking at the magnificent palace that symbolized the center of power of the Qin State, Bai Yan followed the eunuch step by step, feeling very nervous.
Until a long time ago, I came to the hundred-step staircase, followed the eunuch, stepped up the stairs step by step, and stepped onto the place where this step symbolizes the height of power.
Bai Yan was so nervous that he could hear his own heartbeat.
at last.
Bai Yan just came to a huge palace.
As the huge and towering palace doors opened, Bai Yan stood outside the palace door, waiting for the eunuch to enter.
While waiting for the announcement inside, Bai Yan kept taking deep breaths, feeling that time seemed to pass very slowly, and it seemed like a blink of an eye.
next moment.
The eunuch's announcement came from the palace.
"Xuan, Bai Yan enters the palace!"
The eunuch's voice came from inside, and Bai Yan was shocked. Fortunately, after taking a deep breath, Bai Yan's eyes became firm and he strode towards the palace.
Inside the huge palace.
Civil and military officials kneel and sit on both sides. This is a rule that has been passed down from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. Whether it is the original Shang Dynasty or the later Zhou Dynasty, when officials go to court, they will have cushions to sit on their knees.
Although the Shang and Zhou dynasties have long since disappeared, both Qin and other vassal states have continued this tradition.
The kneeling system shows the king's respect for talented and famous ministers.
Therefore.
At this moment, Bai Yan could say that he was walking towards the center of the hall step by step under the gaze of all the civil and military officials when he entered the palace gate and under the gaze of all the officials.
In the main hall.
A thirty-year-old man wearing a royal crown also looked at the young man who walked in alone from the main hall.
The man is Qin Wang Yingzheng.
At this moment, Ying Zheng raised his head and looked at the young boy, and he was also very surprised.
He didn't expect that Bai Yan, who had surprised him one after another before, would look like this. Or perhaps, it would be more appropriate to call him Zou Xing.
Thinking of this, the corner of Ying Zheng's mouth rose.
Because in the entire hall, he was the only one, Ying Zheng, who knew that the young man was not a descendant of the Bai family at all.
The center of the hall.
Bai Yan was a little confused at the moment. Even though he had made many preparations, it was not until this moment that he really walked among the civil and military officials of the Qin State, and really saw with his own eyes the man with Wang Mian in the main hall. As a man, Bai Yan's mind would still be blank.
No idea.
"Shangjun Gaonu City, the city guard Bai Yan, pays homage to the king!"
Bai Yan stood in the center of the hall, facing King Qin Ying Zheng on the hall, slightly bent down, looked at the ground in front of him, and bowed his hands in a ceremony.
After saluting, Bai Yan could feel how fast his breathing was.
"Bai Yan, no courtesy."
Bai Yan heard the man's voice in the main hall, and at this moment, his heart was shaking with excitement.
He came to Qin from Qi, and now he finally met Qin King Ying Zheng!
And King Yingzheng of Qin called him by his name himself.
Due to his excitement, Bai Yan almost forgot to thank Xie En, but fortunately he quickly realized it.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Bai Yan said, then raised his head and looked at the thirty-year-old Ying Zheng wearing a royal crown in the distant hall.
Not fat, maybe because he has been working on political affairs for many years, his cheeks are a bit thin, and his face cannot be said to be beautiful, but it is definitely not as ugly as some thoughtful people say.
At this glance, Bai Yan looked at it very seriously, and even became a little distracted.
Bai Yan's behavior quickly attracted the attention of King Qin Ying Zheng above.
A slight smile appeared on Ying Zheng's face.
Ying Zheng was no stranger to His Highness, the young man's eyes. Many people's eyes were so excited when they saw him for the first time.
However, when he saw that the young man who kept surprising him during this period was the same as others, it was the first time he saw him so excited. Ying Zheng was lying in his heart when he said he was not satisfied.
But Ying Zheng was also a little surprised.
Compared with the excitement of other officials when they first met, he vaguely saw a hint of reverence in the young man's eyes.
Is it an illusion? still?
Ying Zheng was a little confused, but he knew that this young man was from Qi. It was understandable for a Qin person to look like this when he saw him.
But a young Qi Ren looked like this.
This is making people curious.
Ying Zheng clearly knows how he is viewed in the eyes of the world!
"Bai Yan!"
In the main hall, Ying Zheng looked at the young man and spoke slowly.
Thinking of Meng Yu's evaluation of this young man, and looking at the young man named Bai Yan, Ying Zheng was very curious, but there was one thing he had to ask.
In the main hall.
After Ying Zheng put away his smile, he gave people completely two feelings.
At this moment, seeing Ying Zheng not smiling and not showing off his anger, Bai Yan came back to his senses and realized that he was being rude just now. .
"My lord is here!"
Bai Yan answered with cupped hands, and then waited for Ying Zheng's next words.
At this moment, all the civil and military officials in the main hall seemed to know what King Qin Yingzheng was planning to ask, and they all looked at Bai Yan attentively.
in.
Even Mi Qi, the civil official headed by Changping Jun who was wearing Qin's official uniform, squinted his eyes and looked at the young man.
"I ask you, why did you order the burning of the city after the people migrated? Did you consider the consequences?"
In the hall, Ying Zheng's voice sounded.
As soon as this sentence came out.
Bai Yan, who lowered his head and cupped his hands, felt a little uneasy. After all, he didn't know what Ying Zheng thought of burning the city.
Faced with the inquiry now, Bai Yan still told the truth.
"Back to the king, in the past Bai Yan knew that Shangjun had no help. Facing the invasion of the Xiongnu and Yuezhi armies, Bai Yan was owed the king's favor. At that time, Bai Yan only had one thought in his mind: to eat the emperor's salary and be loyal to the emperor, the only way to do it was to burn the city and destroy it. He wanted to gain power and lead his troops to fight to the death in order to repay the favor of the king for being promoted, and did not consider the matters behind him."
Bai Yan looked at King Qin Ying Zheng in the main hall, cupped his hands and said.
One sentence surprised Ying Zheng in the main hall.
Even the civil and military officials in the hall looked at Bai Yan with strange expressions.
Eating the emperor's salary is a matter of loyalty to the emperor!
As soon as these words came out, those officials in the palace who had discussed that Bai Yan should lead his army to retreat suddenly looked like villains.
After all, under the king's inquiry, Bai Yan said personally in the main hall that at that time, he knew that there were no reinforcements in Shangjun. In order to repay the king's favor, he made up his mind to lead his army to fight to the death, without even having time to consider the funeral.
This sounds exaggerated, but no one can refute the fact, because Bai Yan did not even risk his life at that time and stayed in Shangjun Gaonu to fight in a bloody battle.
In the main hall.
While Bai Yan was waiting for the result, a moment later, a word came from the main hall.
"good!"
Bai Yan didn't know if his answer satisfied Ying Zheng, but he felt relieved after hearing this.
In the main hall, Ying Zheng turned to look at a eunuch and whispered a few instructions. Then he looked at Bai Yan, who was under the main hall. In fact, the reward for the young man had already been determined. He just wanted to ask and heard the young man with his own ears. answer.
Watching the eunuch take the edict and read out the reward to the young man.
Ying Zheng looked at the bamboo slips on the table in front of him that had just been presented by the eunuch. There were still some traces of rain on them.
He didn't understand what was going on, but knowing that it was a bamboo slip presented by a young man, Ying Zheng slowly opened it.
"The King of Qin ordered Bai Yan to guard the city of Gaonu. He had previously ordered the people to migrate, and the people in one city were saved from being destitute. However, when he burned the city, although it prevented the Yueshi and the Xiongnu from plundering, the people in the city were left homeless. Returning, according to Qin's law, merits and demerits are equal to each other. In recognition of his meritorious service in guarding Shangjun, Bai Yan will be given the title of Zuo Shu Zhang, with seventy-four hectares of farmland and house, and an additional five hundred gold!"
In the main hall.
The eunuch's shrill voice sounded.
After hearing this, all the civil and military officials discussed it one after another. Most of the officials nodded. Only a few officials felt that the reward was too much or too little.
Among the officials, Hu Quan and Mao Jiao looked at each other. They had been arguing for so long in the court, but they didn't expect that the decision would eventually be decided by Qin Luying. No wonder the king would send Meng Yu away.
If Meng Yu were here, Meng Yu would definitely be the first one to stand up if all the other officials didn't say anything. Then there would probably be another debate in the court.
"Bai Yan! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Standing in the main hall, Bai Yan was not surprised or disappointed when he heard the contents of the edict.
How could Bai Yan not know about the theory of Qin Luying when he was in Qin State? Regarding the burning of the city, when he was in Shangjun, General Hu Jin said that what he was most worried about was to define the burning of the city according to the theory of Qin Luying.
Because what was burned was a house, no one knew how to decide when the time came.
Not to mention that Bai Yan was the fifth doctor at the time. In the Qin State, even the title of doctor was no longer based on the merits of the enemy generals' leaders, but on the merits.
For example, there are more than 4,000 soldiers killed in battle. If he kills less than 6,000 enemies, he will have no merit. If he kills less than 6,000, he will have a fault and will be fined. If he kills less than 4,000, he will be demoted.
at the moment.
Bai Yan knew clearly that although the burning of the city was according to Qin Luying's theory, it was obvious that King Qin Yingzheng was not ignorant of his contribution, but as Hu Jin said, his actions could not be the beginning.
Ying Zheng's move was that although he did not have a title, five hundred gold was his reward to Bai Yan.
In the main hall.
Following the edict, Bai Yan knelt on the ground, put his head on the ground, and kowtowed. This was also the most precious etiquette among the rituals.
Because it is different from paying homage or meeting. When the king gives a reward, most ministers will do this to express their sincere gratitude for the king's kindness.
Bai Yan was already very satisfied with the result in front of him. After all, he had crossed the insurmountable gap from a doctor to a general, and he also had five hundred gold as a reward.
This has exceeded Bai Yan's expectations. After all, if the theory of clearing profits is really followed, there is no way there will be five hundred gold left!
In the main hall.
Along with the clamor of civil and military officials disappeared.
At this time, the civil and military officials noticed that King Qin Yingzheng in the main hall was looking at a scroll of bamboo slips attentively, with a particularly strange expression, half smiling but not smiling.
See this.
Many officials looked at each other with doubtful expressions. Even Li Si, Wang Wan and others looked at King Qin Yingzheng in surprise.
As an important minister of the Qin State and a confidant of Qin King Ying Zheng, even Li Si and others had rarely seen Ying Zheng show such an expression.
What is written on that bamboo slip?
"Interesting, hehe, interesting!!"
Just when Li Si, Wang Wan, Mao Jiao and others were wondering, they suddenly heard Ying Zheng's voice coming from the main hall.
This made Li Si and others even more puzzled.
Just when Li Si and others thought that the king would ask the eunuch to read it out as usual after reading it, they saw Ying Zheng put away the bamboo slips and seemed to have no intention of speaking out.
See this.
Not to mention Li Si and others, even the head of the civil service, Changping Jun Mi Qi, frowned slightly and became more and more confused.
Throughout the hall.
Perhaps Bai Yan was the only one who was filled with anxiety. He didn't relax until he saw Ying Zheng in the main hall, put away the bamboo slips and put them aside.
"Bai Yan, get up!"
Ying Zheng in the main hall spoke.
Even Ying Zheng was a little stunned when he looked at the young man. If he hadn't seen the words written on the bamboo slips with his own eyes, Ying Zheng would not have believed that such an outrageous thing could happen in the world.
People thought that the young man was a descendant of the Bai family, named Bai Yan, but it turned out that the Bai family had already written to him and told him that the young man was actually named Zou Xing.
But now.
When I first met that boy. But the young man wrote the bamboo slips himself and told the story.
The young man was not Zou Xing, but his name was Yan. He was the son of an ordinary citizen of Qi State. He left Qi State because he was expelled by the dignitaries of Qi State. By chance, he met Zou Xing on the way to Qin State.
That is to say.
In fact, not only the people in the world, but also the Bai family were all kept in the dark by this young man.
The thought of this.
Even Ying Zheng, who was in charge of the entire Qin State, couldn't help but laugh. Looking at the young man, he found it particularly interesting.
This confusing experience made Ying Zheng feel dumbfounded.
Ying Zheng was curious. He really didn't know what Bai's expression would be if he knew about it.
But at the same time, Ying Zheng also felt a little sad. The young man's experience was similar to his. He hid his identity and lived under others' roof. He did not dare to tell others his name easily.
Ying Zheng did not doubt the young man, because if the young man did not tell, no one would know, and there was no need to go to the trouble of recording his parents, the village, and the entire history in detail on the bamboo slips.
Not to mention if this was known to Bai.
Thinking of this and looking at the young man, Ying Zheng really couldn't laugh or cry.
"Submit!"
Ying Zheng turned to the eunuch and said.
Hearing this, the eunuch who had been prepared for a long time walked towards the young man under his highness, dragging the wooden tray with official uniforms in his hands.
In the main hall.
Bai Yan bowed his hand to Ying Zheng again and saluted. This time, Bai Yan looked at Ying Zheng in the main hall, his eyes showed not only excitement and reverence, but also gratitude.
After several eunuchs came over to help him remove the Qin armor, Bai Yan honestly opened his hands.
As Qin Jia faded away, the clothes underneath naturally also slowly faded away, implying identity and status, everything was different from the past.
However, that was at this time.
All the civil and military officials of the Qin State saw that the young man with a handsome face in their eyes was covered with stab wounds. The wounds were spread all over the young man's thin body, making him look particularly ferocious.
"Hiss~!"
"No wonder~!"
"This one!"
At this moment, when all the civil and military officials saw this scene, they all looked at each other and whispered. Looking at the young man, their eyes were full of surprise and emotion.
If they saw that boy for the first time, everyone would still think that boy was young.
So at this moment, they saw that the young man had stab wounds all over his body, and even many of the stab wounds had not healed yet. Only then did they see with their own eyes how dangerous the young man was behind each of his achievements.
Among the generals, Li Xin and Qiang Yu couldn't help but look at each other when they looked at the young man. All the doubts they had before outside the palace gate disappeared.
This one suffered more injuries than them.
In the main hall.
King Qin Yingzheng looked at the young man who looked at him gratefully just now, and lowered his head shyly.
Thinking of this young man's origin, remembering the young man's deadly battle in Shangjun, and then looking at the wounds on his body.
It is a matter of eating the emperor's salary and being loyal to the emperor.
Although it was the first time he met this young man and he didn't even say many words, Ying Zheng felt a rare fondness for and closeness to the young man.
And among all the states, Qi is the vassal state that he has the most favorable impression of.
At the beginning of his succession and pro-government, the Qin State was in turmoil. It was General Meng Ao who stabilized the state of Qin. General Meng Ao was once a native of Qi.
When he dealt with Lao Ai and imprisoned his biological mother in Yongcheng, it was also Mao Jiao from Qi who did not fear death and gave advice.
When the Yuezhi and the Xiongnu invaded Shangjun before, this young man from Qi led the cavalry in Shangjun and fought to the death. The Yuezhi and the Xiongnu plundered less than half, but suffered heavy casualties.
Compared with officials from other factions and other capable officials, Ying Zheng has always had a favorable impression of officials who were once Qi people.
The Qi State has not participated in the wars of the vassal states for decades. Compared with officials of other factions, they need to be careful about seeking personal gain for the mother country. The officials of the Qi faction are the most reassuring.
Your Highness.
Bai Yan was served by the eunuchs and put on brand new clothes, an official uniform with stripes, his hair was curled up, and he wore a crown.
As the eunuch retreated, Bai Yan saw King Qin Ying Zheng looking at him in the main hall.
Bai Yan raised his hands, with the huge embroidered collar of his official uniform hanging on his wrists.
"Bai Yan, thank you, Your Majesty!"
Bai Yan saluted King Qin Yingzheng again with his hands raised.
When saluting, lower your head and look at the official uniform you are wearing, which symbolizes the official uniform of a general.
At this moment, Bai Yan was in a trance for a moment.
He remembered that when he was a child in Qi State, he sat in the village and watched the villagers returning from their busy work.
He remembered that when he was a child, he stood behind his grandmother, who would always use a broom to drive away the taunting teenagers who were many years older than him.
I think of my parents, my eldest brother, my uncle and my aunt.
Thinking of Zi Lu's blind date at his grandfather's house, the remaining girls and their parents left one after another when they saw him.
I think of the villagers in Shuicun and the villagers in other places and other villages.
Finally, the words that my grandmother had said countless times came to mind.
"My grandson will definitely be more promising than you! There will definitely be a wise king and a wise king who will recognize my grandson and make him a minister and a general!"
Bai Yan's eyes gradually turned red, and his grandmother's words came to mind. Thinking of his grandmother's figure, a slight smile appeared in his heart.
"Grandma!"
"Yan'er today, I will bow to you as general!"
"Waiting for my grandson to come back!"
With a fleeting thought, Bai Yan murmured in his heart.
As long as the world is unified and Mi Qi is eliminated, he can return to the village.
By then, no one in the village who had laughed at my grandmother, or those in other villages, would be able to laugh again.
Think of this.
Bai Yan came to his senses and then heard Ying Zheng's voice coming from the hall.
"Take your seat and give me a seat!"
After hearing Ying Zheng's words, Bai Yan raised his head, looked at Ying Zheng in the hall, and saluted again.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
After the ceremony, Bai Yan carefully took two steps back and then turned around.
Just when I turned around.
Bai Yan saw a man sitting on the right side, headed by a civil official, sitting in the prime minister's seat.
Right Prime Minister, Lord Changping!
I just came to the palace for the first time and saw Ying Zheng. I was so excited that I almost forgot about this person.
Just when Bai Yan was looking at Lord Changping and remembering his appearance.
Changping Jun also noticed Bai Yan's gaze at this time.
The two looked at each other.
As the right prime minister, Chang Ping Jun cast a kind look at Bai Yan and nodded slightly as if to express his 'affirmation' to the younger generation, with an amiable look on his face.
See this.
Bai Yan also smiled kindly, showing his closeness.
Ask yourself, if you didn't know about the assassination of Bai Yu from your uncle when you were young, if you didn't learn about it from Lu Lou, just looking at the surface, Bai Yan really can't believe that such a kind-hearted person can actually act like this. The man behind the incident.
He almost turned the entire Gao Nu into a living hell.
Fortunately, Lord Changping doesn't know yet that he already knows everything.
When we met for the first time, Ying Zheng didn't have many scenes.
Because I wanted to make a big chapter, I worked overtime until four o'clock, so I was late. Sorry, guys!
Love you guys!
(End of chapter)
