The ministers finally agreed to the emperor's tour again, but made a request for the destination: it was midsummer in the south, the place was humid and the miasma was heavy, so the emperor should not go; the north was approaching the Huns, and the garrison was not enough to resist, so the emperor could not go; there was still war in the east, and the emperor had already visited once last tour, so there was no need to go.

Only the West is left.

The capital is located in Guanzhong, with mountains and ridges on the west side. You can walk around the northwest to Yuguanmen, and further west is the boundless desert, opposite the Western Regions.

There is no major event in the frontier, and the Emperor of Yumen Pass is not suitable for going there.

The Ministry of Rites finally solved this problem. It was less than 200 miles away from the capital. There was an altar for sacrifice to heaven among the mountains. According to historical records, this altar was established by ancestors in ancient times. The incense lasted for nearly a thousand years. It was abandoned until the previous dynasty. This dynasty made up the chaos and was suitable for reconstruction of the altar.

The emperor must sacrifice to heaven when he is on a tour of hunting, and the distance is not very far away. The ministers all support the suggestions of the Ministry of Rites.

Han Ruzi agreed and wanted to use this to test his escort team. He announced that he would only bring three thousand people, one thousand guards, one thousand Northern or Southern Army, one thousand followers, the latter including noble servants, palace servants, accompanying officials, etc.

This scale is too small, which damages the emperor's majesty. The ministers once again raised opposition. Han Ruzi refuted one by one and changed his mind. He did not go to the west to worship the sky. He wanted to go to the world to visit the north first, then to the east, and wait until the south is cold and return to Beijing next spring.

The ministers were in a state of great concern and had to agree to reduce the size of their accompanying trips in exchange for the emperor to give up his long-distance travel plan.

In mid-August, a day when the weather was clear and cool, Han Ruzi finally started his second tour.

Han Ruzi asked everyone to ride a horse, and even the concubines and palace maids who accompanied him were no exception.

Concubine Shu Deng Yun has always claimed that she was excellent in riding skills. The facts proved that she was exaggerated. Although she was born in a military general, she was also a daughter of a marquis. Her life was not much different from that of an ordinary noble daughter. She did know how to ride a horse, but she was not as exquisite. She rode the most tame horse, holding the reins tightly with both hands, and almost fell off several times.

At the end of the first day's itinerary, Deng Yun was so tired that she fell into the tent and fell asleep. She didn't even eat food. She changed her clothes and washed her feet, but she didn't move.

Han Ruzi watched coldly, wanting to see how long Deng Yun could stay.

The next day, Deng Yun became even more haggard, but insisted on coming to have a meal with the emperor.

"It turns out that marching is so hard."

"This team is still too bloated, there are too many useless people, and the marching speed is already very slow." Han Ruzi said that of course there were not so many delicious dishes on the way, but there were all kinds of wine and meat, and there were a lot of dishes.

Deng Yun toasted and smiled and said, "Then I'm relieved, 'There are too many useless people', I don't care if I have one. It seems that I'm not dragging you down. Please drink this cup full of your Majesty."

It was impossible to let Concubine Shu get out of trouble, so Han Ruzi had to take a sip of wine with a funny look.

On the third day, the hunting team arrived at the first county town where they traveled.

Han Ruzi had already issued an edict, requiring the government to keep everything simple along the way and not to do a grand ceremony when receiving the emperor. Based on his experience, officials may violate the order. He is ready to attack the first ignorant official.

The result was unexpected, and the county magistrate completely fulfilled the emperor's request: the camp was arranged outside the city, and only the most basic level was done, without any tricks to please the emperor.

Such a real official is rare. Han Ruzi originally wanted to summon this official alone, but learned from the people accompanying him that it was not the county magistrate who arranged all this, but a servant in the emperor's team.

The route and itinerary of the tour have been arranged long ago. A group of officials ran in front of the team to ensure that all arrangements are orderly. One of them has no official position, but his speech is very important because he is a relative of the emperor.

Wang Pingyang was the distant relative of Empress Dowager Cining and was considered the emperor's cousin. He was in his twenties, had studied and passed the exam for scholars. He was one of the few people in the Wang family who knew the literature and verbs.

Empress Dowager Cining appointed Wang Pingyang to follow the emperor. Han Ruzi had many servants around him and never noticed this distant relative. He heard that he was the one who arranged the reception and summoned him that night.

Wang Pingyang is handsome and has a proper manner when he performs his rituals.

Han Ruzi looked at it a few times and said, "Did you go to Beijing with my uncle's family? Why do I have no impression of you?"

Han Ruzi has a strong memory of human faces. The scenes of several family banquets are like in front of her, and there is definitely no such person among them.

Wang Pingyang replied: "Weichen's father moved out of his hometown in his early years and moved to Linzi City. He had fewer contacts with his family. When the Empress Dowager was looking for relatives, we did not come to Beijing with him. Later, my uncle mentioned our branch to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager gave him mercy and ordered the Empress Dowager to go to Beijing. This was the matter this spring. Your Majesty was busy and he might have ignored this matter."

"Well, I remember it, that's the case." Han Ruzi had a little impression.

The Wang family was all rural farmers and there was no one available for a while. Queen Mother Cining still felt that she was weak, so she found some distant relatives and gave them heavy rewards. However, without asking for an official position, Han Ruzi didn't care much.

"You did a good job. Your name is 'Wang Pingyang'. This is not the real name, right?" Han Ruzi felt that the word "Pingyang" was quite meaningful, and seemed to have risen specifically to pacify the East China Sea.

Wang Pingyang replied: "Your Majesty is very accurate. This is the name changed by my father for Weichen before entering the capital. If Your Majesty doesn't like it, Weichen will change it back immediately."

"No need." Han Ruzi chatted for a few words, encouraged her, and sent someone to see Wang Pingyang away.

Zhang Youcai gave him away, but after he came back, he wanted to speak but stopped.

Han Ruzi was looking down at a memorial, and Yu Guang saw Zhang Youcai, "If you have something to say."

Zhang Youcai smiled and said, "Your Majesty doesn't like this relative very much, right?"

Han Ruzi raised her head and was a little surprised, "Why do you say that?"

Zhang Youcai scratched his head and was confused. After following His Majesty for a long time, his thoughts were the same as His Majesty. You don’t have to think about it and know who His Majesty likes and who he doesn’t like.”

Han Ruzi was silent. He always thought he had concealed it well, but he was seen clearly by a eunuch.

Zhang Youcai slapped his forehead gently, "I understand that Your Majesty must talk about details to those who appreciate them, but for those who don't like them, they are just chatting. Although there are praises, they are not very specific."

Han Ruzi laughed, "You have to keep your mouth shut to the outside world."

"Of course, as long as it is related to Your Majesty, I won't say a word, and I won't say it even if I beat you to death." Zhang Youcai closed his mouth tightly.

Han Ruzi thought for a while, "Wang Pingyang said he was a scholar, but I think he was more like a business person, a little...slick."

Wang Pingyang was actually very steady. Han Ruzi made such a judgment based on his feelings. If Zhang Youcai had not mentioned it first, he would not have told anyone.

"Your Majesty really made it clear!" Zhang Youcai said in surprise.

"Do you recognize Wang Pingyang?"

Zhang Youcai shook his head, "I heard when I went to Cining Palace to pick up the eldest prince. Wang Pingyang did study, passed the exam for a scholar, and then went to do business with his father. He had a lot of business in Linzi City and broke off contact with the countryside. Later, somehow he contacted his uncle and became a relative of his family."

Han Ruzi nodded and suddenly realized that Wang Pingyang's courage to do things was not because he was excellent, but because he was instructed by Empress Dowager Cining.

My mother was always worried about herself and always wanted to strengthen the Wang family, but Han Ruzi was helpless.

It took me seven days to walk less than two hundred miles.

A small road was built in front of him, leading to the top of the mountain. Firewood was used to sacrifice to the sky. Han Ruzi ordered that the accompanying officials and servants each pick up one piece of firewood and send it to the mountain to show sincerity.

The next morning, Han Ruzi only brought a small number of followers to the mountain, and walked and stopped. He reached the top of the mountain at dusk. The firewood for sacrifice to the sky was piled up, with a lot of grease mixed in between to help burn.

The emperor wrote a secret blessing in person, put it in a pile of firewood, and prayed for God's protection.

The emperor then retreated a hundred steps away and rested in the temporary military tent. At midnight, after a series of rituals, he shot out a rocket, ignited a pile of fire, and fires soared into the sky, sending a message to the sky.

The emperor retreated to a platform halfway up the mountain, watched the fire from afar, and performed the next series of rituals, which did not end until the fourth update.

There were only thirty people following the emperor to climb the mountain. The others either stayed at the foot of the mountain or surrounded and guarded all sides to prevent idlers from colliding. After the ceremony, the accompanying people retreated to the bottom of the mountain, leaving only the emperor to pray silently on the platform.

The emperor will not go down the mountain after dawn.

Han Ruzi prayed to heaven for many things and asked about them, but he did not get an answer. There was no information in the flames, nor did he suddenly enter the dream and see all kinds of miracles.

For some time before dawn, Han Ruzi looked to the east. He was far away from the capital and the court, and was a little free, but he could do even less. Leaving the prime minister and the officials, the emperor was just the leader of a team of three thousand people, and his influence on the world was minimal.

In the early morning, Han Ruzi waved to the followers in the distance. Only Zhang Youcai understood the emperor's meaning, stopped everyone, and said to Zhao Ruosu: "Your Majesty, please come over."

Zhao Ruosu was surprised, but he still took the order to go up the mountain.

When the sun rose, Han Ruzi praised: "It turns out that the country is like a painting."

"Yes." Zhao Ruosu was not very good at speaking flatteringly, responded casually, and looked into the distance. Except for the bright sunrise, there was no special thing.

Han Ruzi turned to Zhao Ruosu. Here, the emperor could not influence the world, but could affect the people around him. There was no need to worry about the news leaking, at least it would not be leaked so quickly.

“Where should we start?”

"I don't understand..." Zhao Ruosu became more and more confused.

"Did you keep in touch with the Secretariat?"

Zhao Ruosu's face changed suddenly, and she lifted her robe and was about to kneel down.

Han Ruzi waved his hand to stop him, "This is a place to worship the sky. I am not the emperor, you are not a subject, you can speak freely, and you don't have to worry. The court is well running, and I have no intention of taking revenge."

Zhao Ruosu is a very calm person, but his face changed color at this time. After a long time, he said: "When I left the Secretariat, I really wanted to serve Your Majesty. This heart has not changed so far, but... it's just... Your Majesty's actions have gone too far, I hope..."

"I hope to correct my practices, but I can't say them out loud, so I have to rely on the power of the Secretariat and the entire court, right?"

Zhao Ruosu nodded.

"Tell me, what does the emperor look like in your mind?" (To be continued.)

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