Author: Sigui Beihong

When the first ray of sunshine in the morning shone on the Xuande Tower, it was still quiet in front of the Daxiangguo Temple. However, the vendors along the street had already carried poles and pushed the hawking carts to both sides of Xuandemen and Daxiangguo Temple, and started selling along the street.

.

"Cooking cakes, soup cakes, sweet-scented osmanthus cakes, I'll spare you a spoonful of sugar water for five cents!"

Although there were not many pedestrians on the street at this time, most of the civil and military ministers who came to court gathered here. It was the season when the warmth turned cold, and the ministers wore loose court clothes and rode in sedans to the Xuande Gate. The servants

They came to the breakfast stall with a few coins to buy breakfast for their respective masters. The officials, in turn, greeted each other.

On weekdays, Zeng Bu, one of the prime ministers, would step out of his sedan chair, put his hands in his wide sleeves and take a walk to look around. When vendors along the street saw him, they would greet him: "Ms. Zeng is here!"

Zeng Bu also nodded and smiled and said: "Come on, come on." As a high official in the imperial court, he had no airs of a high official, so he won the love of the people and the trust of his officials.

But today, he still didn't get out of the sedan.

Just the day before, he gave a secret seal to the official family.

The so-called secret revelation is a memorial that is not made public and only he and the officials know about it. This is the first time Zeng Bu has received a secret revelation since he became an official, so he feels a little ashamed and feels that his reputation as an upright official has been damaged.

As a privy envoy of the imperial court, he should not be involved in such matters, but he could not defeat his wife Wei Wan, so he had to bite the bullet and write this secret message.

When Mrs. Wei learned that Mo Yunxiao's family had been ransacked and the whole family was imprisoned, she was shocked. That's why she took this action.

The secret was handed in yesterday, and there should be a response today. He didn't know whether the officials would be furious, or whether they would disapprove and feel uneasy.

It wasn't until the bearer bought him a bowl of steaming sesame oil soup cake that he came back from his thoughts.

This soup cake is a noodle soup made by boiling noodles and then pouring minced meat broth on them. It is one of the most common breakfasts in Tokyo and the prototype of later generations of noodles.

Zeng Bu took the soup cake, stirred it with chopsticks, and said with a smile: "When I was not yet prosperous, I used to eat soup cake. Now I serve the emperor and am so close to heaven, but I still like this folk food."

The bearer smiled and said, "Madam also often says that our master is approachable. I guess it has something to do with his diet."

Zeng Bu chuckled and swallowed the soup and noodles together. "Okay, when the weather is cold, a bowl of hot soup is enough to warm you up." He wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth happily and put the bowl and chopsticks aside.

, then slowly walked out of the sedan, stretched out, and walked towards Xuande Gate.

After entering Xuandemen, you will see the Daqing Hall where the upper dynasty discussed government affairs. This is a hall that only important officials of the two governments are eligible to enter.

Standing on the stone steps of the main hall, a chamberlain eunuch who was about forty years old saw that the ministers were arriving one after another, so he raised his voice and shouted: "The official is feeling a little windy today, he is weak, his eyes are dizzy, and his ears are blocked. Let's stop now."

The court is debating. I hope that all ministers will restrain themselves and serve the public, and live up to the trust entrusted by the officials. Please go on your own."

Although the eunuch's voice was sharp, it was full of energy and seemed to carry his voice far away without any effort.

After he finished speaking, he walked down the stone steps with a smile and said to the officials of the second government who had gathered around him: "My lords and ministers, today the officials are unwilling to bow down and it is inconvenient to go to the court to discuss affairs. I make you go all the way in vain. I really feel sorry for you."

." After saying that, he raised his hands and gave a salute to everyone.

All the officials also returned the courtesy one after another. Among them, Li Qingchen, the imperial censor's minister, stepped forward and asked: "The official family has always been healthy, why did they suddenly fall ill?"

"It's just that the sky is unpredictable." The eunuch replied: "Although the official family is the emperor, they are not exempt from vulgarity in the world."

Li Qingchen nodded and said: "In that case, we will retire first. Please ask my husband to pass on the message on my behalf, saying that we all hope that the official family will recover as soon as possible."

The eunuch smiled and replied: "Yes, I would like to thank you for your kindness on behalf of the officials. But..." He glanced around and said to Zeng Bu: "Mr. Zeng, please stay."

"Oh?" Zeng Bu was stunned, and his heart couldn't help but tremble. All the officials looked at him sideways, but no one dared to come up and ask.

The eunuch led Zeng Bu slowly towards the palace without saying a word. Zeng Bu was a little uneasy and asked, "An eunuch, I wonder why the officials summoned me alone?"

The official smiled and said: "Zeng Xianggong is blind in asking questions. We are just a servant of the official family. We only know how to act according to orders. How can we ask the heart of heaven? The official family is waiting for us in the imperial garden. Zeng Xianggong is waiting for us in the imperial garden.

You can ask in person."

"Yes." Zeng Bu responded and stopped talking.

They bypassed Daqing Hall and Zhongshu Province and went straight to Da Nei. Zichen Hall, Chui Gong Hall, and Jiying Hall were three palaces that stood side by side in Da Nei, but the official residence was not here either.

They walked for a long time, passing through the three main halls, bypassing Baoci Palace, Chongzheng Palace and other palaces, and arrived at the entrance of the inner garden.

At this time, the sun was high in the sky, and Zeng Bu's body was sweating slightly. The eunuch also stopped at the gate of the inner garden.

Zhang Di, the official's personal chamberlain, came towards him with a smile. He greeted the older eunuch and Zeng Bu one after another, and then said to Zeng Bu: "Privy Minister Zeng, the official has been waiting for a long time."

Seeing that his tone was kind, Zeng Bu's nervousness eased a lot. So he said "Here" and walked into the imperial garden of the inner garden with him.

Spring flowers are in full bloom, but this year's spring is extremely cold, so many flowers have not bloomed for a long time. Zeng Bu looked around and saw that there were flower buds that had not yet opened and dead trees that had not yet sprouted new buds. He felt a little strange in his heart.

I don’t know why the officials want to receive me here.

The young Zhao Ji is in a pavilion. The pavilion is not big. There is a stone table covered with the four treasures of the study. The official is holding a paintbrush and concentrating on thinking. Around him stand several people wearing rattan armor and holding swords on their waists.

The guards looked majestic.

"Officials, Privy Councilor Zeng has arrived." Zhang Di walked up the steps and bowed to Zhao Ji to report. Zeng Bu also bowed hurriedly and said, "Zeng Bu, the Deputy Privy Councilor, comes to see your Majesty."

Zhao Ji looked back, smiled at the two of them, and said, "This is the inner garden, not the court. Sir, there is no need to be polite." Then he waved his hands and said, "I was bored when I was waiting for you, so I painted this painting. I also asked you to taste it.

."

Zeng Bu moved over and took a look. It turned out that the painting was a mountain waterfall with rugged rocks under the waterfall. A scholar playing the piano sat beside it. However, there was a bit of space around the scholar. It seemed that the author had not finished the painting.

"It is indeed a good painting." Zeng Bu praised: "The officials have such wisdom and it is a gift from heaven. But it seems that the painting has not been completed yet, and I dare not discuss it in vain."

Zhao Ji seemed to be very satisfied with his work, so he straightened up, looked at it carefully, and said, "Sir, aren't you here to give me advice?"

Zeng Bu was stunned and asked, "What can I advise you?"

"The Queen Mother and the censors often say that the emperor should put state affairs first and not engage in such ingenious techniques." He said: "They also cite Li Yu, the late leader of the Southern Tang Dynasty in the Five Dynasties, as an example."

Zeng Bu said: "What the ministers said is true. If your Majesty is indulged in calligraphy and painting, the government will definitely be in ruins. However, calligraphy, painting and poetry can also cultivate people's temperament. Confucius even compiled "Three Hundred Poems", and your Majesty occasionally painted a painting, which is fine."

"

"Hahaha..." Zhao Ji smiled and said, "Mr. Zeng's words made people enlightened." However, he frowned again and thought hard: "It's just that the painting has not been finished yet. There is a painting next to the scholar."

Strange rocks or old pines, streams or flowers and plants, no matter how you draw them, they all seem too vulgar and cannot bring out anything new."

He pondered for a moment, then turned to ask Zeng Bu: "Sir, do you have any clever ideas?"

Zeng Bu smiled awkwardly and said, "I am not good at this."

"I heard that Mrs. Wei was talented in literature. Is this true?" Zhao Ji asked again.

"My wife can write a few acid poems, but the style is not high, so I might not be worthy of an official painting."

Zhao Ji smiled slightly and said: "It doesn't matter. Mr. can take this painting back to Madam to look at, and it's good to read it in detail. If Madam has an ingenious idea, she can order the painter to paint it. If not, well, that's the right thing to do.

It was my temporary graffiti that caused a burden to Mr. and Madam."

After he finished speaking, he put down the brush, turned around and walked away. Zhang Di hurriedly went up and carefully rolled up the painting and put it into the painting tube. Zeng Bu couldn't refuse, so he had to follow the emperor casually after thanking him.

behind.

Zhao Ji suddenly said: "Mrs. Wei has a close relationship with Mo Yunxiao from Minglou. This must be the secret message that Madam persuaded Mr. Wei to give me, right?"

Zeng Bu's heart tightened and he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. He stretched out his hand to wipe the sweat from his face and said hurriedly: "The Official Holy Judgment, this...is indeed what my wife meant."

"Haha, how do you think I know?" Zhao Ji was quite proud and said with a smile: "Although Mo Yunxiao and I have no chance of meeting each other, we have the acquaintance of each other. That day in Minglou, my wife was also here.

." After he finished speaking, he paused, took out a small jade pendant from his arms, turned around and handed it to Zeng Bu, and said with a smile: "Look, this is a token given to me by the lady of the Mo family."

Zeng Bu took the jade pendant and took a look. One side was carved with a camellia, and the other side was engraved with the word "Mo". It must have belonged to the daughter of the Mo family.

Zeng Bu was startled and couldn't help but stare at Zhao Ji with his eyes wide open. Zhao Ji felt a little embarrassed and said: "That day, I also participated in the tea fighting competition in Minglou on a whim, and unexpectedly came first. Haha, later I also

I have thought that if this woman has good character and good looks, she might as well bring her into the palace..."

"Your Majesty..." Zhang Di interrupted Zhao Ji and shouted: "How can a businessman's daughter..."

Zhao Ji waved his hand to him, telling him to calm down, and continued: "I didn't expect that something would happen to their family so soon."

Zeng Bu pondered for a moment and asked, "Does your Majesty know what crime her family has committed?"

"It is said that his father was a deserter from the Western Army." Zhao Ji replied.

Zeng Bu nodded, secretly admiring the young emperor's sharp ears and eyes, and said slowly: "Your Majesty has not been on the throne for a long time, and he is about to set a new example for the people in the world. Although his father is guilty, it is not a heinous crime. Can your Majesty follow the usual practice?

, amnesty to the world?”

Zhao Ji sighed, paced back and forth, and said, "It's okay to forgive the Mo children, but if we want to forgive Mo Chenglin... I'm afraid that once this happens, all the soldiers guarding the border will become deserters in the future."

Zeng Bu hurriedly said: "The emperor is in charge of the world, and it is virtue rather than danger. If the military salary supply is sufficient, the officers and soldiers will be rewarded for their merits and punished for their crimes, and there will be nothing that your majesty is worried about."

Zhao Ji smiled at him, then turned to Zhang Di and said, "Let's go to Kaifeng Mansion Prison and see how the Mo family is doing?"

"Yes." Zhang Di responded, handed the painting tube in his hand to another young eunuch, and bowed and retreated.

"Come on, come on, Mr. Zeng, you might as well take a walk here with me, just for fun." Zhao Ji said and walked forward.

Zeng Bu followed him a little uneasily and asked: "Is it just for this reason that the officials are asking for illness today?"

"Yes." Zhao Ji smiled and said, "Somehow, I am very curious about that Mo Yunxiao."

Zeng Bu remained silent because he didn't know how to answer.

Zhao Ji continued: "'I would rather touch Kaifeng Mansion than touch Mo Yunxiao; I would rather be jealous than meet Mo Helu'. Haha, I think this woman must be strong. But what I saw that day was a bit different.

Shy, I don’t know why?”

Zeng Bu replied: "After all, it is a daughter's house, so she will always be shy."
To be continued...