Xingwu eighteen years, New Year's Eve.
After going to the graves of Yuan Tao and Gu Ying and paying homage to each other, Xu Mucai rode back to Changyang City in silence.
In the streets and alleys, people began to worship the stove. Festive Spring Festival couplets are posted all over the street in bright red. There were children shaking their rattles and grabbing multi-grain dumplings, eating their mouths full.
From the stalls on both sides of the street, you can occasionally smell the aroma of roasting meat.
"Brother Mu, buy one, we will buy one." Si Hu begged.
"After the New Year's dinner, you can go to Lao Zhou's place and get a lot of mutton soup." Xu Mu replied speechlessly.
According to the rules of the Daji, there is no need to hold court in the imperial palace today. The emperor and his concubines had a luxurious family dinner together.
However, Yuan An was left alone and did not even have a queen. In desperation, he could only be accompanied by a few ministers.
Xu Mu is also among them.
"My little boss...General Xu, preparations are already underway in the imperial dining room." Yu Wen, wearing tiger armor, saw Xu Mu entering the palace and hurriedly came over to hold him over.
"I heard that Commander Yu has been promoted."
"Ouchi is a third-grade Golden Sword Guard, leading four thousand imperial guards." Yu Wen spoke calmly.
"Congratulations to the commander-in-chief."
Yu Wen thanked him, hesitated for a moment and then spoke, "General Xu and I are the decapitated soldiers who fought together. If anything happens, my little boss will speak up."
Xu Mu's heart moved slightly, and he raised his hand and patted Yu Wen's shoulder.
"Has Chen Changqing entered the palace?"
"I met you earlier. I have already brought people into the palace. There are about 4,000 iron guards."
Listening, Xu Mu frowned. If Chen Changqing is not cured, he will feel sick.
"There is something I want to tell General Xu."
"Say it."
"Chen Changqing has been very close to His Majesty these days. We all know that when it comes to attacking Changyang, General Xu must have the greatest credit. Not only the Guanhead Army, but also the people in the national salvation camp all say so."
"Let's go into the palace first and then we'll talk." After thinking for a while, Xu Mu spoke calmly.
Yu Wen clenched his fists, and together with Xu Mu, they walked towards the palace.
…
The young emperor Yuan Lu was poisoned to death by a traitor, and many eunuchs Gong E followed him to death. Nowadays, there are not many internal eunuchs and palace maids left in the entire palace.
When I walked to the side hall, I vaguely spotted two old eunuchs leading a dozen happy poor children to the cleansing room.
Xu Mu did not stop him, but felt a little uncomfortable. Compared with the prosperous times, being able to work as a eunuch in the palace is already a very good thing.
"General Xu, please look, that is Chen Changqing's iron guard." Yu Wen said coldly as he approached the royal road.
Xu Mu looked up, and sure enough, he found an armored guard arrayed on the royal road, holding a shield in one hand and a halberd in the other, which seemed a bit like a strong army.
"These armors were originally items from the palace arsenal. The late emperor wanted to set up a guard army, but for some reason he put it on hold. Chen Changqing opened the arsenal and took them all away."
"We selected some soldiers from our headquarters to form this iron guard."
Xu Mu frowned, "Your Majesty is not to blame?"
"No, I heard that later, Chen Changqing went to plead guilty and was pardoned by His Majesty."
"Are you forgiven?"
Xu Mu couldn't figure out whether this was Yuan An's imperial intention or whether he didn't take it to heart at all.
Halfway through the imperial road, Xu Mu hesitated and turned around. He glanced at each other and both of them fell silent.
"General Xu, Commander Yu." An old eunuch stood in the slightly cold wind. Seeing the two approaching, he hurriedly bowed and bowed.
"Your Majesty has already set up a New Year's banquet in the Tiande Hall, and ordered me to wait here."
"Okay, father-in-law, please." Xu Mu also raised his hands and clasped his fists.
Because of Lianchun, he had a pretty good impression of these old eunuchs in the palace.
"Please."
Lifting his steps, Xu Mu took one last look at Chen Changqing's iron guards, and his eyes suddenly darkened. Bringing private troops into the palace, Chen Changqing is really unkillable.
"Xu Qing!"
Before arriving at the Tiande Palace, Xu Mu was surprised that Yuan An was standing on the royal road waiting for him with several guards in front of the palace.
"Xu Qing, please let me wait."
Yuan An took a few steps closer and held Xu Mu's hand enthusiastically. Yu Wen, who was nearby, stepped aside knowingly.
"Your Majesty, Xu Mu is so virtuous and capable."
"Haha, the emperor said that Xu Qing is the only one in the world who can wholeheartedly think about the country. Naturally, I will personally welcome a great talent like Xu Qing."
If it had been any other minister, he would have shed tears of gratitude at this time.
But Xu Mu didn't. He started out as a brewer and had seen too many intrigues along the way. To put it bluntly, if it were careless, there would probably not even be any garbage left.
He really wanted to save the country and save the people in the world. Following Yuan Tao's footsteps, I hope that one day, green mountains will be visible everywhere throughout the Epoch Times.
However, Yuan Tao left one sentence.
If Yuan An can't afford it, he can choose.
"Xu Qing is attending the banquet with me. In order to entertain Xu Qing today, I specially ordered someone to sacrifice a winter deer."
"I am terrified."
"Xu Qing doesn't need to be like this. If it weren't for Xu Qing's righteousness, the country of Daji would still be filthy."
Xu Mu pondered for a moment and nodded slightly.
Approaching the Tiande Hall, Yu Wen finally stepped up to catch up. Si Hu, who was behind him, pursed his lips and stayed outside the hall to wait.
"Xu Qing, yes, and Yu Qing, please come into the palace. I am alone, but you are the only one left."
Xu Mu and Yu Wen both bowed in silence.
In the hall, in the first row under the dragon throne.
At some point, there was already another figure sitting quietly on the banquet table.
"General Xu, this is Chen Changqing." Yu Wen leaned over and spoke solemnly.
Xu Mu frowned and raised his head seriously.
He always had a murderous intention in his heart towards this person whom the young Marquis insisted on killing. It was not just a mission, but he felt from the bottom of his heart that the Dingbian general of Muyun Prefecture in front of him was a very dangerous person.
When Jia Zhou started the fire, it was Chen Changqing who immediately took the opportunity to send troops and occupied Dangyang County, which shows his ambition.
"General Xu." Chen Changqing stood up with a smile and clasped his fists towards Xu Mu.
Xu Mu calmly raised his sleeves and held his fists, but in the end the short crossbow's mechanism was not triggered.
When entering the palace for a New Year's banquet, you have to wear armor and lead private soldiers. It's really like no one else.
"Xu Qing, come to the front row and do it. You are my humerus minister."
In ancient times, the right side was respected. For example, when someone is demoted, it is called "moving to the left." On the contrary, when someone is promoted, it is called "promoting to the right."
Chen Changqing sat at the front of the right row.
If Xu Mu wanted to sit, he could only sit in the left row.
He did not sit down. This is actually a very simple truth. If the things in the court have a fixed pattern, they will be passive everywhere.
"General Xu, this is the holy will." Chen Changqing smiled.
There was a minister from Guanglu Temple who had just entered the palace and was about to ask for orders to present the royal meal. Seeing this scene, he wisely withdrew again.
Yuan An sat on the dragon chair and was silent for a while.
…
Outside Tiande Hall.
Si Hu, who was secretly peeling peanuts, suddenly stopped, raised his head, and looked at the rickety figure in front of him.
He is neither human nor ghost, but he is wearing an extremely luxurious scribe's robe.
"From today onwards, among the six masters in the inner city, why not add one more." Chen Lu stopped and said with a sarcastic tone, "Let's call him Silly Touhu."
Si Hu bulged his eyes, roared angrily, and rushed towards Chen Lu.
